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Residual effects of cotton-based crop rotations on soil properties of irrigated Vertosols in central-western and north-western New South Wales.
Crop rotations in combination with either reduced or minimum tillage have become a feature of cotton-based (Gossypium hirsutum L.) farming systems of New South Wales (NSW) over the past 15 years (Cooper 1999; Hulugalle and Daniells 2005). Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the most commonly sown rotation crop in cotton-based farming systems, although various leguminous crops such as faba bean (Vicia faba L.) and woolly pod vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) have gained popularity in recent years (Rochester et al. 1998; Cooper 1999; Hulugalle and Daniells 2005; Rochester and Peoples 2005). The beneficial effects of sowing rotation crops are claimed to include improved soil physical, chemical, and biological quality; improved energy conservation and timeliness of land preparation; and better water conservation (Hulugalle et al. 1997, 2002; Rochester et al. 1998, 2001; Cooper 1999; Hulugalle and Daniells 2005; Rochester and Peoples 2005). Structure-related soil improvement, N recycling, and reduction in cotton seedling diseases are more likely with wheat, whereas the major benefit associated with the legumes is N fixation and, hence, lower rates of N fertiliser application rates and N losses through volatilisation and leaching (Rochester et al. 1998, 2001; Hulugalle 2005; Hulugalle and Daniells 2005; Rochester and Peoples 2005). The strong interactions which occur between tillage systems and crop rotations in irrigated cotton-based farming systems have also been noted by several authors (McKenzie et al. 1990; Constable et al. 1992; Hulugalle et al. 1997; Hulugalle and Daniells 2005; Sayere et al. 2005). However, these reported changes in soil properties were observed during periods when the cotton-rotation crop sequences were in place. Studies on the residual effects of rotation crops, that is, several years after the cotton-rotation crop sequence was discontinued, are sparse. Hulugalle et al. (1997) reported that improvements in subsoil porosity, water extraction, aggregate stability, and soil organic carbon, and reductions in sodicity, brought about by sowing a minimum-tilled cotton-wheat sequence over a 10-year period were detectible even after 5 continuous cotton crops in an irrigated Vertosol. This same crop sequence also had higher cotton lint yield and numbers of ants. Weaver et al. (2004) observed that deep drainage in a sodic Vertosol reflected past rotation history 3 years after individual rotation treatments were discontinued. These differences were thought to be due to the changes in subsoil structure brought about by the different rotation crops.
Research on the residual effects of crop rotations in other soil types, cropping systems, and geographical regions is also uncommon. Under cool, temperate conditions, residual effects of crop rotations in place for a period of 21 years were evident with respect to soil organic carbon, and wheat and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) yields 6-7 years later (Ridgman and Wedgwood 1987). Under rainfed, semi-arid conditions, however, residual effects of crop rotations which were in place for a single cycle in a black Vertosol were reflected in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.] yield only in the year following the rotation crop (Holland and Herridge 1992). In the same region and soil type, when rotations were imposed for a 22-year period, residual effects of a lucerne (Medicago sativa L.)-cereal rotation were reflected in wheat yields for 3 years at the conclusion of the experiment, whereas residual effects of annual grain legumes such as chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) were short-lived (Holford et al. 1998). These differences were due to differences in N accumulation under the various rotations. In a moist, subtropical environment, large yield increases in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] grain yield (68% more than continuous soybean) due to a 3-year pasture of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) occurred only in the first year after the pasture phase (Edwards et al. 1990). Thereafter, soybean grain yield declined sharply such that in comparison with continuous soybean, tall fescue-soybean rotations yielded only 14% more in the second year after the pasture. It appears, therefore, that the longer a crop rotation is in place, the more likely its residual effects will be reflected in yields of subsequent crops.
In addition to yield, studies on tong-term residual effects of crop rotations most commonly report soil properties such as aggregate stability, quality, and quantity of soil organic matter and its various fractions, nitrogen balance, and ecological and crop health issues such as weed seed banks, nematode and disease incidence, and herbicide impacts (Granatstein et al. 1987; Ridgman and Wedgwood 1987; Pare et al. 1993; Holford et al. 1998; Martens 2000; Legere and Stevenson 2002; Kelley et al. 2003; Doyle et al. 2004). These studies suggest that residual effects on soil properties were apparent only when the crop rotations had been in place for many years, and the rotation crops produced large amounts of residues with moderate to high C : N ratios and phenolic acid contents (Granatstein et al. 1987; Ridgman and Wedgwood 1987; Pare et al. 1993; Holford et al. 1998; Martens 2000; Kelley et al. 2003; Doyle et al. 2004).
The literature surveyed further indicated the following. (a) Research in Vertosols was sparse with most studies being limited to the surface regions of lighter, non-expansive soils, and as noted earlier, focusing on soil organic matter, nitrogen and aggregate stability. Except for 2 reports (Hulugalle et al. 1997; Holford et al. 1998), measurements of subsoil structure, salinity, sodicity, and nutrient status were lacking from most studies. (b) Most research had been conducted under rainfed conditions, with only 2 studies (Hulugalle et al. 1997; Weaver et al. 2004) reporting results from irrigated farming systems. (c) There were no on-farm studies on the long-term residual effects of crop rotations on soil properties. The sole on-farm study on any aspect of the residual effects of crop rotations was that of Weaver et al. (2004), who measured deep drainage and nutrient and salt leaching. At the same time, while research station experiments suggest that residual effects of cotton-based crop rotations in minimum-tilled Vertosols can be apparent even after 5 continuous cotton crops (Hulugalle et al. 1997), it is uncertain whether similar results can be obtained in on-farm experiments under traffic loads, tillage systems, and irrigation management typical of commercial cotton production systems. The objective of this study, therefore, was to quantify the residual effects of cotton-based crop rotations on physical and chemical properties of Vertosols in 2 irrigated cotton farms in central and north-western NSW.
Materials and methods
Experimental sites and treatments
The experiments were located on 2 commercial cotton lamas near Warren in central-western New South Wales (147[degrees]46'E, 31[degrees]47'S) and Merah North in north-western NSW (149[degrees]18'E, 30[degrees]1'S), Australia. Both sites have a semi-arid climate and experience 4 distinct seasons with a mild winter and a hot summer. The hottest month is January (mean daily maxima and minima 33-35[degrees]C and 18-19[degrees]C, respectively) and July the coldest (mean daily maxima and minima 15-18[degrees]C and 2-3[degrees]C, respectively). Mean annual rainfall is 467mm at Warren and 595 mm at Merah North. The soils at both sites were deep, uniform grey clays. The soil at Warren was classified as a grey, self-mulching, calcareous Vertosol, medium-fine (Isbell 1996), and at Merah North an episodic-epicalcareous, self-mulching, grey Vertosol, very fine (Isbell 1996). More detailed descriptions of the soils are given in Hulugalle et al. (1998, 1999, 2002). Soil physical and chemical properties in the 0.0-0.6 m depth of both experimental sites are given in Table 1.
Crop and soil management at Warren
The rotations sown at Warren from 1993 to 1998 were: (1) continuous cotton (cotton sown every summer); (2) long-fallow cotton (cotton sown every other summer with the field maintained as a bare fallow in alternate years); (3) cotton-high input wheat, in which wheat was sown at a rate of 100kg/ha and fertilised at sowing with di-ammonium phosphate, DAP 120% P, 18% N), at a rate of 85 kg/ha and urea (43% N) at a rate of 180 kg/ha; (4) cotton-low input wheat, in which was sown at a rate of 40 kg/ha and fertilised at sowing with DAP at rate of 85 kg/ha; (5) cotton-green manured field pea (Pisum sativum L.). The rotation treatments were terminated in 1998, and a wheat (1998)-cotton (1998-99)-wheat (1999)-summer/winter fallow (2000)-cotton (2000-01) sequence was sown in all plots.
The wheat was sown at a rate of 45 kg/ha and DAP applied at sowing at a rate of 45 kg/ha. As growth of the wheat crop sown during 1998 was poor due to flooding during August, it was sprayed-out and cotton planted in October. The rotation crops were managed as rainfed crops except in 1993 when the high-input wheat received a single irrigation in September. The field peas were sprayed with glyphosate ('Roundup[TM]') in October and incorporated into the beds, and the wheat was harvested in December. The plots were fallowed during the subsequent summer and winter (December-September) and sown with cotton in October and picked in May. Prior to sowing cotton, fertiliser was applied as anhydrous ammonia (82% N) at a rate of 142 kg/ha and mono-ammonium phosphate (22% P, 10% N) at a rate of 90 kg/ha, and after sowing as water-run urea (43% N) at a rate of 195 kg/ha during December.
From 1994 onwards, cotton was sown after minimum tillage which consisted of re-forming old beds (1 m spacing, 0.15m high) and deepening furrows by direct listing with disc-hillers without any prior tillage immediately after the rotation crop phase, followed by bed cultivation to a depth of 75 mm with a Lilliston cultivator. A secondary working of the beds occurred about 6 months later and involved stalk-pulling and mulching of crop residues, middle-busting of the ridges, and re-formation of beds. The practice of renovating beds on the same spot for many years with no deep tillage is referred to as 'permanent beds' (Hulugalle and Daniells 2005). Traffic was controlled by restricting it to specific furrows and avoiding trafficking on ridges. However, some trafficking did occur on ridges during cotton-picking as axle widths of cotton-pickers (hired from external sources) differed from other farm machinery which was provided by the co-operating farmer. The plots, when sown with cotton, were furrow-irrigated with approximately 100 mm of water during each irrigation event. A comprehensive summary of crop and soil management at this site between 1993 and 1998 has been reported by Hulugalle et al. (1998, 1999). The experimental design used was a randomised complete block with 3 replications. Individual plots consisted of 40 rows (sown on beds 0.15 m high, 1 m wide, and 700 m long).
Crop and soil management at Merah North
The rotations sown after minimum tillage (permanent beds) between 1993 and 2000 at Merah North were: (1) continuous cotton; (2) long-fallow cotton; (3) cotton-green manured faba bean (Vicia faba L.) until 1999, when a sorghum crop was sown during the 1999-2000 growing season; (4) cotton-dolichos (Lablab purpureus L.)-green manured faba bean from 1993 to 1994 followed by cotton-unfertilised wheat thereafter. Sowing rates for wheat were 50 kg/ha during 1995 and 1997, and 70 kg/ha during 1999; (5) cotton-dolichos; and (6) cotton-fertilised dolichos with P and K removed by cotton replaced as fertiliser. Cropping practices (mechanised farm operations, frequent herbicide and pesticide application, N fertiliser application to cotton as anhydrous ammonia at rates between 120 and 160 kg N/ha, etc.) used in local cotton production systems were followed. In addition zinc sulfate heptahydrate and zinc oxide were applied to cotton in August 1995 and 1996 at a rate of 6 kg Zn/ha, and a commercially produced soluble Zn/P mixture at a rate of 3 L/ha in November 2004. Gypsum was applied to all plots at a rate of 2.5t/ha in July 1997 and December 1998, 7.5t/ha in September 2000, and 2 t/ha in July 2004.
From October 2000 until April 2005, a cotton (2000-01)-wheat (2001)-sorghum (2001-02)-winter fallow (2002)-cotton (2002-03)-wheat (2003)-summer and winter fallow (2003-04)-cotton (2004-05) sequence was sown in all plots to evaluate the residual effects of the previous rotations. All cereal crops in this sequence were fertilised with urea (43% N) at a rate of 151 kg/ha.
From 1993 until 1997, minimum tillage consisted of slashing of cotton followed by shallow incorporation of cotton stubble with disc-plough into the beds. The beds were renovated on the same spots shortly thereafter. Bed renovation consisted of reforming adjacent furrows and restoring the original bed shape with a disc-hiller. Additional bed cultivation to a depth of 0.05-0.07 m with a Lilliston cultivator followed by reforming took place before sowing cotton. All mechanised traffic was restricted to the furrows. From 1998 onwards, due to increasing weed numbers, the cotton was slashed and root-cut, and the beds renovated. In addition the beds were cultivated with a disc-plough to a depth of 0.10m and reformed before sowing cotton. Rotation crops and cotton were furrow-irrigated with about 100mm of water during each irrigation event. Between 2001 and 2005, both bore water and river water were used for irrigation. This resulted in occasional incursions of salt from bore water into the field. The experimental design was a randomised complete block with 3 replications. Individual plots consisted of 24 rows (sown on beds 0.15 m high and 1 m wide until May 1995, and 0.15 m high and 2 m wide thereafter) which were 431 m long.
Soil sampling and analyses
At Warren, 4 soil pits were dug in each plot with a spade, whereas at Merah North four 100-mm-diameter soil cores were extracted from each plot with a tractor-mounted soil corer in rows adjacent to non-wheel-tracked furrows using a stratified random sampling pattern (Webster and Oliver 1990). Four soil clods were taken along their natural cleavage planes from the 0-0. 15, 0.15-0.30, 0.30-0.45, and 0.45-0.60 m depths in each location to evaluate clod specific volume, an index of soil structure. Additional samples were taken at the same time from these layers for other physical and chemical analyses (see below). Soil from the 4 sampling sites was then bulked to give a composite sample for each depth in every plot. Warren was sampled during April 1999, 2000, and 2001, and Merah North during April 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2005. At Warren, the sampling zone was restricted to a 100-m-wide zone centred on the spot which was 300 m from the head-ditch. Particle size distribution and soil strength measurements prior to the experiment in 1993 had indicated that soil variability was least in this zone (Hulugalle et al. 1999).
Bulk density of oven-dry soil clods was determined after coating air-dried clods with 'saran' resin dissolved in ethyl-methyl ketone followed by oven-drying for 72 h at 110[degrees]C (Blake and Hartge 1986). Bulk density in beds (0-0.15m depth) was measured on air-dry soil aggregates (1-10 mm diameter) with the kerosene saturation method (McIntyre and Stirk 1954). As shrinkage curves had indicated that residual shrinkage of surface aggregates between air-dried and oven-dried water contents was negligible, air-dry soil water content was used to convert these values to an oven-dried equivalent. Bulk density in the surface 0.15 m was expressed as a weighted mean of bulk density evaluated from clods and aggregates in beds, with one-third weighting allocated to values derived from the clods and two-thirds to those from the aggregates. This was done on the basis of a visual assessment of the distribution of clods and loose aggregates in the 0.00-0.15 m depth. The bulk densities in all depths were used to calculate their oven-dried specific volumes (1/bulk density). At both sites, as specific volume at the 0.30-0.45 and 0.45-0.60 m depths did not differ significantly, the results were pooled. Dispersion (after immersion in water of EC 0.4 dS/m) was determined at Warren only during 2000 and at Merah North during 2000 and 2002 with a sediment density-specific gravity meter on air-dried soil aggregates of 1-4 mm diameter (Entwistle et al. 1997). Dispersion index (McKenzie and Austin 1989) was calculated as:
Dispersion index = [(wt of soil particles with ESD <20 [micro]m released due to aggregate breakdown in water)/(total wt of soil particles with ESD <20 [micro]m in sample)] x 100
where ESD is effective spherical diameter.
Air-dried soil (<2 mm) was used to determine plastic limit using a drop-cone penetrometer (Weaver and Hulugalle 2001); pH in 1:5 soil:0.01 M Ca[Cl.sub.2] suspension (Rayment and Higginson 1992); salinity as electrolytic conductivity in a 1 : 5 soil: water suspension (Rayment and Higginson 1992); nitrate-N (measured only in soil sampled from Warren) with a nitrate electrode pre-calibrated with the Kjehldal method after extraction with 0.02 M [K.sub.2]S[O.sub.4] (Keeney and Nelson 1982); and exchangeable Ca, Mg, K, and Na with an inductively coupled plasmaatomic emission spectrometer after washing with aqueous alcohol and aqueous glycerol to remove soluble salts followed by extraction with alcoholic [1.sub.M] N[H.sub.4]Cl at a pH 8.5 (Tucker 1985). Spectral lines used were 422.673 nm for [Ca.sup.2+], 285.213 nm for [Mg.sup.2+], 588.995 nm for [Na.sup.2+], and 766.491 nm for [K.sup.+]. The exchangeable cation concentrations were used to derive an index of sodicity, exchangeable sodium percentage [ESP = (exchangeable Na/[SIGMA]exchangeable cations) x 100]. Total SOC was determined by the wet oxidation method of Walkley and Black on air-dried soil <0.5 mm diameter (Rayment and Higginson 1992). SOC concentration was expressed on a volumetric basis by multiplying the values for each depth interval by its bulk density and the depth increment, followed by summing up all depth intervals. Results are presented in kg/[m.sup.2]. As the bulk density values in the 0.15-0.60 m depth were those derived from clod measurements, which are higher than those obtained using cores, values of SOC sequestered are correspondingly higher. The weighted mean of bulk density derived from aggregate and clod measurements in the 0-0.15 m depth results in values identical to those derived from core sampling (N. Hulugalle, unpublished data). All data were analysed with analysis of variance for a randomised complete block design and standard errors of the means estimated using STATISTIX 8.0 (Analytical Software 2003).
Results and discussion
Soil structural indices at Warren and Merah North
Soil specific volume in the 0-0.15 m depth at Warren did not differ significantly between ex-rotation treatments but did so between years. Mean soil specific volume ([m.sup.3]/100 Mg) in the surface 0.15m was 66.0 in 1999, 61.7 in 2000, and 67.1 in 2001 (P<0.001, s.e.m. 0.79). In the 0.15-0.30m depth at Warren, the ex-continuous cotton had the highest specific volume in 1999 and ex-cotton-LI (low input) wheat the lowest (Fig. 1). In subsequent years, soil specific volume was highest in the ex-cotton-H1 (high input) wheat rotation plots, followed by the ex-cotton-LI wheat. Lowest specific volume during 2000 and 2001 occurred in the ex-continuous cotton plots. Dispersion index at Warren during 2000 was not affected by either rotation history or depth. Mean dispersion index in the 0-0.6 m depth was 14.5 g/100 g.
[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]
Similar to Warren, rotation history did not have any effect on soil specific volume in the 0-0.15m depth at Merah North but did fluctuate between years. Mean specific volume ([m.sup.3]/100Mg) values were 62.0 in 2000, 61.7 in 2001, 56.9 in 2002, 63.0 in 2003, and 49.9 in 2005 (P < 0.001, s.e.m. 0.56). During 2000 in both the 0.15-0.30 and 0.30-0.60 m depths highest specific volume occurred where the cotton-faba bean rotation had been followed by sorghum in 1999 (Fig. 2). Thereafter, in the 0.15-0.30m depth, significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed only during 2002 and 2005 when highest values occurred in ex-cotton wheat and ex-cotton-unfertilised dolichos plots. The ex-long-fallow cotton plots had values similar to these treatments during 2002. In the 0.30-0.60 m depth, either one or both of ex-cotton wheat and ex-long-fallow cotton had higher values (P < 0.01) of soil specific volume than the other treatments (Fig. 2).
[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]
The better subsoil structure (higher soil specific volume) under the ex-cotton-wheat and ex-long-fallow cotton plots at Merah North and both ex-wheat treatments at Warren, and poorer subsoil structure (lower soil specific volume) under the ex-continuous cotton plots at Warren, reflect the differences observed during the rotation experiments (Hulugalle et al. 1998, 1999, 2002). The better subsoil structure under ex-long-fallow cotton plots may due to less intensive cropping and, hence, less intense trafficking, and less frequent irrigation and tillage, as these plots were cropped only every other year. Conversely, poorer structure under ex-continuous cotton may be due to higher cropping intensity. Improvements in subsoil structure due to sowing wheat rotation crops after cotton (Hodgson and Chan 1984; Daniells 1989: Hulme et al. 1991; Constable et al. 1992; Hulugalle et al. 2001 a; Hulugalle and Daniells 2005) and the long-term stability of such structural changes under minimum or reduced tillage (Hulugalle et al. 1997, 2001b) have been reported for a range of Australian Vertosols. The ability of wheat roots to penetrate into sodic subsoils, thereby facilitating the intensity of wetting/drying cycles, has been suggested as the cause of subsoil structural amelioration by wheat rotation crops (Hulugalle et al. 1999, 2002). Subsequent stabilisation of subsoil structure is thought to be primarily due to (a) maintenance of stable biopores by the slow-decaying wheat root systems which have relatively low C/N ratios, and (b) better subsoil structure resulting in faster leaching of excess sodium and, hence, reduction of ESP (Hulugalle et al. 1997, 2001b). Enhanced microbial activity in crack lines (macropores) created by root systems drying out a soil profile has also been suggested by Hulugalle et al. (2001b) to further stabilise subsoil structure.
In addition to the residual effects of the rotation crops, there was a sharp decrease in specific volume in all depths at Merah North during 2002, followed by a large increase in 2003. These changes parallel the fluctuations in ESP (see later discussion). Dispersion index at Merah North, measured in samples taken during 2000 and 2002, was not affected by rotation history but was least in the 0.15-0.30m depth and increased with time in all depths. Mean dispersion index in the 0-0.15 m depth was 8g/100g during 2000 and 18.5g/100g during 2002 (P<0.001, s.e.m. 0.23); 3.7 g/100 g during 2000 and 14.4 g/100 g during 2002 in the 0.15-0.30m depth (P<0.001, s.e.m. 0.61); 8.8 g/100 g during 2000 and 21.7 g/100 g during 2002 in the 0.30-0.45 m depth (P < 0.001, s.e.m. 0.42): and 8.2 g/100 g during 2000 and 20.0g/100g during 2002 in the 0.45-0.60m depth (P < 0.001, s.e.m. 0.49). These changes were significantly (P < 0.001) correlated to variation in ESP with depth and time. Correlation coefficients were 0.74 at 0-0.15m depth, 0.74 at 0.15-0.30m depth, 0.76 at 0.30-0.45 m depth, and 0.84 at 0.45-0.60 m depth.
Nitrate-N at Warren
Nitrate-N concentration at 0-0.15 and 0.15-0.30 m showed a significant interaction (P < 0.05) between rotation history and year (Fig. 3) but treatment effects were absent from other depths. In both 0-0.15 and 0.15-0.30 m depths, lowest values occurred in ex-cotton low input wheat plots. Highest values occurred in the 0.15-0.30m depth during 1999 in ex-continuous cotton and ex-cotton-field pea plots. The low input wheat crop was the only rotation crop at this site that did not receive any nutrient as either mineral fertiliser or through fixation of atmospheric nitrogen. In other treatments, nitrate-N in the ex-long-fallow cotton may have been higher than that in ex-low input cotton wheat because of soil organic matter mineralisation in fallow years, while that under continuous cotton probably remained higher due to reduced N uptake. Hulugalle et al. (1998)and Nehl et al. (2000) reported that black root rot of cotton reduced water extraction and growth of continuous cotton and they surmised that it was due to a reduction in cotton root activity. Presumably this also reduced N uptake. As cotton was sown and N fertiliser applied at rates >200kgN/ha x year (Hulugalle et al. 1998) in continuous cotton plots, reduction in N uptake may have resulted in some accumulation of nitrate-N relative to the other treatments in which cotton was not sown every year. In the 0.30-0.60 m depth, highest values were present with ex-continuous cotton and ex-cotton-high input wheat, although by 2001 differences between treatments were negligible. The possible reason for high N values in the ex-continuous cotton plots was discussed above, while N accumulation in cotton-fertilised wheat rotations has been observed at this site (Hulugalle et al. 1999) and in other studies on irrigated Vertosols (Constable et al. 1992; Hulugalle et al. 2001 a; Hulugalle 2005).
[FIGURE 3 OMITTED]
Nitrate-N concentrations generally decreased with time (Fig. 3). Mean values (In-transformed values in parentheses) in the 0.30-4).45 m depth were 10.4 (2.345)mg/kg in 1999, 13.9mg/kg (2.631) in 2000, and 5.9 (1.776)mg/kg in 2001 (P<0.001, s.e.m. of In-transformed values 0.0595); and in the 0.45-0.60m depth were 9.7 (2.276)mg/kg in 1999, 12.0mg/kg (2.488) in 2000, and 6.5 (1.869)mg/kg in 2001 (P < 0.001, s.e.m, of In-transformed values 0.0783). The high concentrations in 1999, particularly in the surface regions, may have been due to spraying out the fertilised wheat sown in June 1998 and sowing cotton in October 1998. As there was no wheat harvest in 1998, much of the applied fertiliser would have accumulated in the soil.
pH, [EC.sub.1:5], soil organic C, ESP, and plastic limit
There were no residual effects of rotation history on soil pH, [EC.sub.1:5], ESP, and plastic limit in all depths at Warren, although a significant interaction between rotation history and year occurred with respect to SOC sequestration (Fig. 4). Highest values of SOC occurred during 1999 and 2000 in the ex-cotton high input wheat and ex-long-fallow cotton plots. Except for ESP, yearly variations in pH, [EC.sub.1:5], and plastic limit occurred at Warren (Fig. 5). Mean ESP at Warren was 1.3 in the 0-0.15m depth, 2.1 in the 0.15-0.30m depth, 3.6 in the 0.30-0.45 m depth, and 6.1 in the 0.45-0.60 m depth. At the same site, there were increases in pH and [EC.sub.1:5], and decreases in SOC and plastic limit, with time. In all depths, the fall in plastic limit and increase in pH were significantly (P < 0.001) correlated with the fall in SOC. This suggests that the decline in soil organic matter can cause a deterioration of other soil physical and chemical quality indices. The decline in soil organic carbon was observed in previous studies (Hulugalle et al. 1998, 1999) and was thought to be due to the intensive cropping and irrigation practiced in this site. The decline in SOC may also partly be an indirect consequence of black root rot of cotton. By 2001, irrespective of rotation history, black root rot of cotton was widespread at high levels throughout the field at Warren (D. Nehl, unpublished data). Black root rot infestation is known to reduce above- and below-ground growth of cotton (Nehl et al. 2000). Growth reduction in cotton and, consequently, root and dry matter returned to the soil may in turn have affected soil organic matter levels. [EC.sub.1:5] also increased with time at Warren, particularly between 2000 and 2001, and may reflect changes in irrigation water quality.
[FIGURES 4-5 OMITTED]
Similar to Warren, there were no residual effects of rotation history on soil pH, [EC.sub.1:5], ESP, and plastic limit in all depths at Merah North, although significant variations occurred with time in all depths (Fig. 6). SOC sequestration also fluctuated among years, but was not affected by rotation history. Mean SOC sequestration in the 0-0.6 m depth at Merah North was 7.1 kg/[m.sup.2] during 2000, 6.9 kg/[m.sup.2] during 2001, 12.1 kg/[m.sup.2] during 2002, 8.9 kg/[m.sup.2] during 2003, and 7.5 kg/[m.sup.2] during 2005 (P<0.001, s.e.m. 0.15). Key soil chemical changes in this site were sharp increases in [EC.sub.1:5], ESP, and SOC in 2002, followed by decreases in subsequent years. The increases in [EC.sub.1:5] and ESP may have been caused by sowing a wheat crop during winter 2001, which was followed immediately by a sorghum crop during the growing season of 2001-02. Deep drainage out of the 0.6 m depth fell sharply from an average of 152 mm during the 2000-01 cotton season to 90 mm during the 2001 winter (wheat crop) and 89mm during the 2001-02 summer (sorghum crops) (T. Weaver, unpublished data). This may have resulted in salt accumulating and ESP increasing. The sharp increase in soil organic C may have been due to the amount of dry matter that was returned to the soil. Cumulative aboveground dry matter production by the 2 cereal crops was of the order of 25 t/ha, which is about 3-5 times more than that produced by a cotton crop. Felton et al. (2000) also note that C4 plants such as sorghum are more efficient in C accretion than C3 plants such as wheat. By 2005, however, SOC had fallen to values similar to those of 2001. This was probably due to the combined effects of intensive organic matter mineralisation during the irrigated cropping phases in the 2002-03 and 2004-05 summers and the crops sown between 2002 and 2005 (cotton-wheat-summer/winter fallow-cotton) returning insufficient amounts of residues to the soil. The wet conditions in irrigated soils together with the warm to hot climatic conditions which prevail in north-western New South Wales during summer result in greatly accelerated soil organic matter decomposition rates (Felton et al. 2000). Although Hulugalle (2000) concluded that major increases in on-farm carbon sequestration in Vertosols cannot be achieved by a cotton-winter cereal crop rotation, our results suggest that it may be possible to do so with a cotton-winter cereal-ummer cereal sequence where both cereal crops are irrigated and fertilised to maximise crop growth.
[FIGURE 6 OMITTED]
In summary, residual effects of cotton-rotation crops sequences sown between 1993 and 1999 were limited to soil specific volume in both sites, and nitrate-N and SOC at Warren. In general, higher values of specific volume, nitrate-N, and organic C occurred where cotton-wheat rotations and, in particular, fertilised wheat had been sown. In addition, at Merah North subsoil structure in ex-long-fallow cotton was similar to that in the cotton-wheat rotation. Lowest subsoil specific volume was present in ex-continuous cotton plots, and to some extent in ex-cotton-legume plots. These differences mirror those present when the rotation treatments were in place (Hulugalle et al. 1999, 2002). Holford et al. (1998) studied the residual effects of various crop rotations on wheat yields, soil N, and SOC in a rainfed black Vertosol, and similarly reported that the residual effects of grain legume rotation crops on these soil properties and wheat yields were short-lived.
There were no discernible effects of rotation history on the other soil properties measured in this study. This differs from on-station studies, which indicate that there were strong residual effects of past crop rotations on soil chemical properties for several years after cessation of the rotation treatments (Ridgman and Wedgwood 1987; Hulugalle et al. 1997; Holford et al. 1998). Typically, medium-large-scale commercial cotton farms in New South Wales use heavier and larger farm machinery, apply soil amendments such as gypsum more frequently, and irrigate more frequently than government research farms. These differences may have contributed to the limited residual effects of rotation history on many of the soil properties measured in the present study. Our results also suggest that regular sowing of rotation crops is necessary to maintain soil quality in cotton-based farming systems. The commonly used practice of sowing a cotton-cotton-rotation crop sequence (Cooper 1999) may not be sufficient to maintain soil quality in irrigated Vertosols. It is notable that soil organic carbon, a widely accepted measure of soil quality, increased only where a cotton-cereal--cereal sequence was sown.
Residual effects of rotation crops sown after cotton were evident only with respect to soil specific volume, a measure of soil structure, and to a lesser extent nitrate-N and SOC. Best structure occurred where ex-cotton-wheat rotations had been sown. In a heavy clay soil at Merah North (average clay content of 64g/100g in the surface 0.6m) where high ESP values occurred at relatively shallow depths, structure under ex-long-fallow cotton plots was similar to ex-cotton-wheat. At Warren, in a medium clay soil (average clay content of 53 g/100g in the surface 0.6 m) with low to moderate values of ESP, greater SOC sequestration occurred in the ex-cotton-high input wheat rotation and ex-long fallow cotton, and higher values of nitrate-N were present in the ex-cotton-high input wheat rotation. Residual effects of crop rotations are more likely to occur where the residues of the rotation crops are relatively recalcitrant or where cropping intensity is lower.
Funding for this research was provided by the Australian Cotton Co-operative Research Centre and the Australian Cotton Research and Development Corporation. C. Hogendyke ('Auscott', Warren, NSW), and J. and D. Grellman ('Beechworth', Merah North, NSW), their families and staff are thanked for provision of land to conduct the trials, management expertise, and continuing support and interest.
Manuscript received 14 September 2005, accepted 30 March 2006
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Legere A, Stevenson FC (2002) Residual effects of crop rotation and weed management on a wheat test crop and weeds. Weed Science 50, 101-111.
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McKenzie NJ, Austin MP (1989) Utility of the Factual Key and Soil Taxonomy in the Lower Valley, N.S.W. Australian Journal of Soil Research 27, 289-311. doi: 10.1071/SR9890289
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Pare TC, Chalifour FP, Bourassa J, Antoun H (1993) Residual effects of faba bean and soybean for a second or third succeeding forage-corn production. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 73, 495-507.
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Ridgman WJ, Wedgwood RB (1987) Some residual effects of crop rotation on light land. Journal of Agricultural Science 108, 189-193.
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Rochester IJ, Peoples MB, Constable GA, Gault RR (1998) Faba beans and other legumes add nitrogen to irrigated cotton cropping systems. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 38, 253-260. doi: 10.1071/EA97132
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Sayere K, Limon A, Govaerts B (2005) Experiences with permanent bed planting systems CIMMYT/Mexico. In 'Evaluation and performance of permanent raised bed cropping systems in Asia, Australia and Mexico. Proceedings of Workshop'. Griffith, NSW, 1-3 March 2005, ACIAR Proceedings No. 121. (Eds CH Roth, RA Fisher, CA Meisner) pp. 12-25. (ACIAR: Canberra)
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Weaver TB, Hulugalle NR (2001) Evaluating plastic limit in Vertisols with a drop-cone penetrometer. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 32, 1457-1464. doi: 10.1081/CSS-100104205
Weaver TB, Hulugalle NR, Ghadiri H (2004) Salt, nutrient and pesticide leaching under a sodic Vertisol irrigated with groundwater in north-west New South Wales. In 'Conserving soil and water for society: sharing solutions. Proceedings of the 13th International Soil Conservation Organisation Conference'. 4-9 July, Brisbane, Qld. (Eds SR Raine, AJW Biggs, NW Menzies, DM Freebairn, PE Tolmie) (ASSSI: Warragul/IECA (Australasia): Picton) [CD-ROM]
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N. R. Hulugalle (A,B), T. B. Weaver (A), and L. A. Finlay (A)
(A) NSW Department of Primary Industries/Australian Cotton Catchment Communities CRC, Australian Cotton Research Institute, Locked Bag 1000, Narrabri, NSW 2390, Australia.
(B) Corresponding author. Email: firstname.lastname@example.org
Table 1. Soil properties in 0.00-15, 0.15-0.30, 0.30-0.45, and 0.45-0.60m depths in June 1993 at Warren and May 1994 at Merah North [EC.sub.1:5], electrolytic conductivity (previously known as electrical conductivity); ESP, exchangeable sodium percentage Warren Soil property 0.00-0.15 0.15-0.30 0.30-0.45 0.45-0.60 Depth (m): Sand (g/100g) 30 34 34 32 Silt (g/100g) 18 14 12 15 Clay (g/100g) 52 52 54 53 Organic C (g/100g) 0.53 0.60 0.57 0.52 pH (0.01 M Ca[Cl.sub.2]) 7.7 7.6 7.6 7.6 [EC.sub.1:5] (dS/m) 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4 Exchang. cations ([cmol.sub.c]/kg) Ca 21 21 22 19 Mg 13 13 14 14 K 1.0 0.9 1.0 0.7 Na 0.7 1.0 1.5 2.1 ESP 2 3 4 6 Merah North Soil property 0.00-0.15 0.15-0.30 0.30-0.45 0.45-0.60 Depth (m): Sand (g/100g) 22 20 16 16 Silt (g/100g) 17 16 20 18 Clay (g/100g) 61 64 64 66 Organic C (g/100g) 0.78 0.76 0.61 0.47 pH (0.01 M Ca[Cl.sub.2]) 6.8 6.7 7.2 7.2 [EC.sub.1:5] (dS/m) 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.5 Exchang. cations ([cmol.sub.c]/kg) Ca 19 20 21 19 Mg 16 18 18 18 K 1.1 1.1 0.7 0.7 Na 2.9 3.8 6.1 7.3 ESP 8 9 14 16
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|Author:||Hulugalle, N.R.; Weaver, T.B.; Finlay, L.A.|
|Publication:||Australian Journal of Soil Research|
|Date:||Aug 1, 2006|
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domain: agronomy


MONITORING (SW) – In an opinion piece for the Washington Post, Imran Khan, prime minister of Pakistan has said not seeing through the Afghanistan peace process or abandoning it for any reason would be a great travesty.
He asserted that with the exception of the resilient Afghans themselves, no people have paid a higher price for the conflict in Afghanistan than the people of Pakistan.
“Through decades of conflict, Pakistan has dealt with the responsibility of taking care of more than 4 million Afghan refugees. Guns and drugs have also flowed into our country. The wars have disrupted our economic trajectory and radicalized fringes of our own society. The Pakistan I had known growing up in the 1960s and 1970s changed in some deeply unsettling ways”, declared Khan.
In part of his article, the Pakistani premier stated when President Trump wrote to him in late 2018 to ask for Pakistan’s assistance in helping the United States achieve a negotiated political settlement in Afghanistan, Islamabad had no hesitation in assuring the president that Pakistan would make every effort to facilitate such an outcome.
“Thus began arduous rounds of talks between the United States and the Taliban, which culminated in the February U.S.-Taliban peace agreement. This agreement, in turn, has laid the groundwork for talks between the Afghan leadership and the Taliban”.
He added the path to get here wasn’t easy, but Pakistan was able to press on thanks to the courage and flexibility that were on display from all sides. “The United States and its allies facilitated the prisoner exchange between Kabul and the Taliban. The government of Afghanistan and the Taliban responded to the Afghan people’s yearning for peace”.
He added the intra-Afghan negotiations are likely to be even more difficult, requiring patience and compromise from all sides.
“Progress could be slow and painstaking; there may even be the occasional deadlock, as Afghans work together for their future. At such times, we would do well to remember that a bloodless deadlock on the negotiating table is infinitely better than a bloody stalemate on the battlefield”.
He suggested all those who have invested in the Afghan peace process should resist the temptation for setting unrealistic timelines. “A hasty international withdrawal from Afghanistan would be unwise”, he said, adding all should guard against regional spoilers who are not invested in peace and see instability in Afghanistan as advantageous for their own geopolitical ends.
Imran Khan wrote that Pakistan will continue to support the Afghan people in their quest for a unified, independent and sovereign Afghanistan that is at peace with itself and its neighbors. He urged all parties to reduce violence. “Just as the Afghan government has recognized the Taliban as a political reality, it is hoped that the Taliban would recognize the progress Afghanistan has made”.
He claimed Pakistan continues to be the target of attacks launched by externally enabled terrorist groups based in Afghanistan.
“These terrorist groups pose a clear and present danger to global peace. We hope the Afghan government will take measures to control ungoverned spaces inside its territory from where terrorist groups are able to plan and carry out attacks against the Afghan people, the international coalition forces stationed in Afghanistan, and other countries in the region, including Pakistan. Like the United States, we do not want the blood and treasure we have shed in the war against terrorism to be in vain”.
For a post-peace scenario, Khan said it is heartening that the United States and Pakistan are of one mind on the importance of a “peace dividend” for ensuring a sustainable peace in Afghanistan.
“The first step toward that peace has been taken in Doha. Not seeing through the Afghanistan peace process or abandoning it for any reason would be a great travesty”, said premier of Pakistan.


text:
What are the postcodes of the neighbourhood Blitsaerd? On this page you will find postcode information about the neighbourhood Blitsaerd. The neighbourhood Blitsaerd is one of the 1 neighbourhoods within the district Wijk 24 Blitsaerd. There are 14 postcodes and 12 corresponding streets within this neighbourhood.
The overview of the postcodes and streets of the neighbourhood Blitsaerd.
How many streets does Blitsaerd have? Blitsaerd has 12 streets. Below are all the streets of the neighborhood Blitsaerd.
Blitsaerd is a neighborhood in the district Wijk 24 Blitsaerd within the city Leeuwarden of the province Friesland. The neighborhood Blitsaerd has 14 postcodes with 12 streets.
In total Blitsaerd counts 135 households with 385 inhabitants. The households comprise 10% of single households, 57% of households with children and 33% of households without children. Of the inhabitants in Blitsaerd, 154 are married, that is 40% of the inhabitants of Blitsaerd.
The overview of stations and supermarkets in Blitsaerd and surroundings.
These 5 stations with postcode and address can be found near Blitsaerd
|Station Leeuwarden Camm.||Rooswinkelstate 5||8925LC||1.94 km|
|Station Leeuwarden||Stationsplein 1||8911AC||6.26 km|
|Station Hurdegaryp||Stationsweg 1||9254HA||10.59 km|
|Station Deinum||Spoorstrjitte 12B||9033WJ||13.63 km|
|Station Grou-Jirnsum||Stationsweg 47||9001ZK||14.61 km|
These are the 5 nearest supermarkets for Blitsaerd.
|Jumbo||Lieuwenburg 165||8925CJ||1.08 km|
|Albert Heijn||Lieuwenburg 116||8925CL||1.18 km|
|Poiesz||Wilgenstraat 2||8924EN||3.08 km|
|Jumbo||Johannes Kolfplein 1||8923CX||3.51 km|
|Aldi||Cambuurplein 50||8921RG||3.83 km|

domain: sociology


text:
Join me this Saturday from 11-4 in Long Beach at an intimate Holiday Backyard Boutique. I will be selling my pottery along with other Long Beach artisans, makers and curators of handmade and vintage finds:
Bless The Theory
Take it or Leave it
Bring friends and family! Enjoy a snack, a sip and more treats for body and spirit! Kids craft table by Avery Boo Arts, readings and mini Reiki sessions by Heart and Crown Reiki, tunes by Psychic Pollution, mini manis by Sheila M, and brow art consults by Project Beauty.
To RSVP, please click on the private Facebook event invite here or you can email me for the address.

domain: artistic


text:
7 Ways to Avoid the Pitfalls of Optimism
There’s a dark side to Oz. The wizard is a fraud. Optimism doesn’t cure every ailment. It causes some.
An optimistic novice is like an idiot with a box of fireworks standing by a campfire.
7 ways to avoid the pitfalls of optimism:
#1. Focus more on near-term goals.
Ask people to explain what it takes to succeed today. Optimists irritate people who actually know what hard work is.
#2. Accept reality.
When someone shows up with their hair on fire, don’t tell them it’s not a big deal. It might not be a big deal to you, but it’s a big deal for the person who feels the heat.
#3. Stop cheerleading.
Cheering from the sidelines – when people are in the mud every day – makes you a drunken cymbal player in a symphony of one.
#4. Get dirty.
You don’t have something better to do when the wheels fall off the wagon. Don’t do people’s jobs for them. How can you make hard work easier?
#5. Have more time for details.
An optimist who ignores details is a three-legged donkey in a four-legged race. Ask, “What am I missing?”
You don’t need to know everything. But at least get an idea of day-to-day challenges.
#6. Respect difficulties.
An optimist skips the bunny trail and rides the ski lift to the top of the mountain. “It can’t be that hard.”
#7. Buckle up for the long haul.
Stop telling people this will be over soon.
There are months to go before current turbulence settles down. By the time this turbulence subsides, new storms will arise.
Have confidence you will prevail, but don’t believe it will be over soon.
Real optimists don’t believe hard things are easy. (Stockdale Paradox)
The real question is how will we succeed in the storm?
How might leaders avoid the pitfalls of optimism?
This has helped me find a balance…
“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end — which you can never afford to lose — with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”
I default toward optimism, it doesn’t make the bad times go away, but it does influence where I point my flashlight to move forward. Leading others demands it.
It all boils down to the difference between unbridled optimism and a positive, upbeat attitude. The former is looking at the world through rose-colored glasses: everything is great and there’s nothing to worry about. The latter is being realistic: this is going to be tough, and I know we can do it if we all do our part.
There is a fine line between too much and too little optimism.
Too much optimism! Everything will be great. We don’t need a backup plan.
Exaggerated optimism can cause you to ignore the warning signs of trouble.
Overly optimistic leaders often have the attitude that everything will be easy. In truth, change is hard work! Some things look easy until you try to do them.
Too little optimism! Our presentation probably won’t be that good.
Blah, blah, blah! Some leaders project very little optimism for their mission and plan. People think—If my leader isn’t excited about her ideas, then why should I care?
Leaders who only focus on the obstacles and things that can go wrong drain the energy out of the room.
Doom and gloom! You can’t influence and inspire people with negativity.
Leaders need to be realistic and project an appropriate level of optimism for the situation (challenges & resources) that they are in.
In my current consulting work, I often find that excessive optimism undermines accurate risk assessment as a part of policy development. “Nothing like that has ever happened here!” becomes “Nothing like that will ever happen here!” in the minds of the overly optimistic.

domain: psychology


LA208 is a dual 8inch two-way line array system. The LA208 adopts neodymium magnet compression drivers with 44mm voice coils which working at a high efficiency.
The LA208 delivers very clear vocal voice. 4 units of the LA208 works together with 1 unit LA208S to give a full range line array system. This system is suitable for small size live performance, live speech and some high class conference rooms.
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- Small size live performance
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- Theatre, multi-function hall, church.
- Concert Speaker System , Concert Line Array Speaker System,Pa Speaker System, Line Array Box
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|System Input Power Rating||LF: 300W Continuous. 600W Peak|
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|Maximum Peak Output||132dB|
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|Connectors||2 x NL4MP Neutrik Speakon Connectors|
|Cabinet Material||18mm birch plywood|


Y Bandana will perform their last ever gig on Friday after almost a decade on the Welsh rock and pop scene.
Fans were queuing around the block in Caernarfon to buy tickets for tonight’s concert at the Market Hall.
The last batch sold out in just 20 minutes when they went on sale in the town two weeks ago.
The band was were formed by brothers Tomos and Siôn Owens, from Caernarfon, when they were still pupils at Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen, and their cousin Gwilym Bowen Rhys and his friend Robin Llwyd Jones, from Bethel, who were pupils at Ysgol Brynrefail, Llanrug.
The foursome were inspired by Creision Hud, when they played a set at Maes B at the National Eisteddfod in 2007.
A tweet from Palas Print which reads '...the last 100 tickets for Y Bandana have been sold in less than 20 minutes'
They played their first gig at Hendre Hall, near Bangor and since then they’ve received numerous awards including from Y Selar magazine for best song three years running.
Known for their energy, humour, catchy songs and harmonious melodies, the band this year released their third and final album Fel Tôn Gron.
They’ve played two other farewell gigs this year at the National Eisteddfod in Abergavenny and at Cardiff’s Clwb Ifor Bach.
Guitarist and singer Gwilym, 23, said: “We’ve played around 250 gigs and for the last one in our home town, we’ve decided to play a lot of our early songs. We will also have a brass section on stage for our two-hour set.”
Gwilym, a clogmaker who is also a member of folk band Plu, said: “We’re all grateful for the support we’ve had. We were all going to different musical directions.”
Drummer Robin, 24, a sound engineer, said: “We’ve had lots of fun over the years and wanted to finish on a high.”
Tomos, 25, training to be a GP, said: “It feels like the band has come to a natural end.
"We’ve had a great time playing all over Wales. Time has been a factor.
"I’ve been working on the wards at Ysbyty Gwynedd on nights and weekends.”
Siôn, 24, an engineer who is also a member of a band called Uumar, plans to go travelling soon, said: “A part of me is a little sad that it has come to an end after nine years.
"But it was a great way to grow up together and we’ve had a fantastic experience.”
What do you think of this story? Let us know by using the commenting feature below


text:
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of meeting a Director of an Ivy League university in USA that has been established in Rwanda. We talked extensively about his experience working Rwanda for the last four years. One of the things he said was that he has finally acknowledged that while prior to moving to Rwanda he thought he knew the Continent pretty well, four years later in Rwanda, he has that he knows very little about the Continent. Over the last four years, he has realized that Africa is a coin with very many facets. Unfortunately the world has chosen to process Africa through the eyes of chaos and misfortunes, and in the process missed the many other facets of the Continent. The result is that Africa is a hive of untold stories.
Chimamanda Adichie’s TED Talk, “The Danger of a Single Story”, goes to great lengths to illustrate the point on the one sided stories of Africa. She goes to great length to explain how defining a Continent or even an experience based on a single account, gives us incomplete and potentially damaging understandings of experience. Unfortunately, even within the Continent, we perpetrate single sided stories of each other. As part of the Lapid Leaders Africa Experience, we embark on Study Trips that seek to unearth some of the untold stories of each of the countries that we visit.
We have recorded the first part of the stories we unearthed in Uganda here. The second story that we unearthed from Uganda is a story of wealth, a story of a how Uganda is a very rich country, and a story of understated wealth. While the world defines wealth based on money, we choose to define wealth based on natural resources that God has bestowed on this Continent. This kind of wealth is often understated, and especially among us in Africa. In an effort to be westernized, we get caught up chasing after a foreign wealth, while the foreigners on the hand seem to identify and work with the wealth that we run away from.
A rich country
Uganda is endowed with significant natural resources, including ample fertile land, regular rainfall, and mineral deposits. One of the mentors that we met in Uganda indicated that this small country could on its own feed all of Africa if it were commercially farmed. This has been supported by many other reports that we have since unearthed.
For example, matokes (bananas) are prevalent across the country. Did you know that Uganda is the second largest producer of bananas after India? Did you know that mre than 75% of all farmers in Uganda grow bananas?
Bananas are a staple food in Uganda. However, it is the innovation and value addition in the banana sector was pretty impressive. Some of the value addition products that we came across included banana wine, banana fibre products, briquettes and biogas using banana peel and other wastes among others. Monica Wakio, one of the Lapid Leaders, said, “It showed me how bananas can be used in so many ways; from roasting them, frying, boiling etc; they even had cakes and cookies that were made from bananas. In my country we have bananas in surplus but do not add value to them as much, we prefer selling. That was a challenge to my country as I realized that we can utilize the available resources we do have as source of income and food.”
We had the privilege of meeting Roy Gakuo, 2pm. Roy is the Managing Partner and Strategy Consult , Media Incubation and Accelerator programStrategy Consult , Media Incubation and Accelerator program. Currently, he is part of an incubation program in food value addition in the University of Makerere. This meeting allowed us to understand how Uganda is adding value to rich produce.
He said, “Value addition is the process of changing or transforming a product from its original state to a more valuable state. For example, you can add value to wheat by transforming it into flour, or strawberries in to jam”. The University of Makerere has set up a food value addition and facilitates the pilot plants and projects within the different processing lines. This is an initiative that has great potential in Uganda’s agriculture based economy.
Agriculture in Africa
Agriculture employs 80% of Uganda’s population and generates 90% of export earnings. Coffee is the main export crop, with tea and cotton other agricultural products. However, like many other countries in Africa, there are immense untapped opportunities especially in value-addition and Agribusiness. The country is highly dependent on food import dependency, despite this immense potential.
This is in line with a report by World Bank indicated that Agricultural total factor productivity (TFP) in sub-Saharan Africa stagnated between 1961 and 1985, and then grew at about 1% per year through 2008. This is despite the fact that food insecurity is pervasive across Sub-Saharan Africa yet the Continent boasts of the highest level of arable land in the world.
A few weeks ago I had the privilege of meeting with the Lead Consultant in Babford, a US-based organisation that is involved in various Agribusiness initiatives in the region. As we discussed the challenges that the Continent faces in realizing its potential as far as agriculture goes, he highlighted challenges such as lack of capital, lack of technology, labor limitations, among others. However, he said that in his opinion, the greatest challenge and hindrance to the development of Agribusiness in the Continent is lack of knowledge.
I tend to agree with the Consultant, that there is a huge information gap as far as agriculture goes. As Lapid Leaders, we intend to continue enhancing our knowledge on the opportunities in Agribusiness. We recognize that while Uganda has made some steps towards value addition, this rich country is still very far fully realizing the potential of the wealth they hold.
In the 1960s and 1970s, many African countries were net exporters of food. In the 2000s, with the pick-up of growth and the mineral commodity boom, Sub-Saharan Africa became a significant net food importer. We look forward to the day when Uganda begins to take back its place a Feeder of the Continent.

domain: geography


- Capacity: 6 rounds
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"Something I've been VERY excited about for a VERY long time is going to be happening VERY soon (and I'm not referring to Christmas)," she wrote, later adding: "And this is it, the big surprise... Go get it!"
She included a iTunes link to the song , a melancholy, acoustic ballad featuring the Civil Wars that includes the lyrics: "Just close your eyes / The sun is going down / You'll be all right / No one can hurt you / In the morning light / You and I'll be safe and sound."
You can listen to "Safe and Sound" here.
Not long after tweeting the link to the song, #safeandsound became the top trending topic on Twitter in the U.S. and No. 2 worldwide, with many listeners caught by surprise that Swift was part of the soundtrack. Most praised the singer and the tune itself.
Hunger Games, starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, hits theaters March 23. The Lionsgate movie, directed by Gary Ross, is adapted from Suzanne Collins' popular novel about a post-apocalyptic world in which teens must fight to the death in an annual event aired on live television.

domain: entertainment


The Washington Post report that it seems the attack on South Korea’s Nonghyup agricultural bank back in April was the work of North Korea. The evidence? South Korean investigators said they determined that 10 servers used in the bank incident were the same ones used in previous cyberattack operations against South Korea, including one in 2009 and another in March, that they blamed on the North. Investigators say they determined, for instance, that a “command and control” server used in the 2009 operation was registered to a North Korean government agency operating in China. This is interesting. Command and control servers are compromised computers that
I’ve seen some posts recently suggesting that Facebook is not doing well in Asia-Pacific. This, for example, from Forrester’s Reineke Reitsma: For example, Facebook is struggling to gain ground in Asia Pacific: With 58% of online adults accessing it, Orkut is the leading social platform in metropolitan India, while 27% of Japanese online adults use mixi; and in South Korea, Cyworld is most popular, attracting 63% of South Korean Internet users. I won’t quarrel with her stats, but I’d suggest she’s missing a bigger picture: Facebook is growing at quite a clip in many Asian countries. My figures, based on Facebook data—which doesn’t include Japan
Alarming and confusing news and views concerning Skype’s announcement of its new pricing strategy. Here’s a summary. Key elements trumpeted in Skype’s press release (the most detailed information is here, courtesy of SkypeJournal): Premium subscription package called Skype Pro, which includes free Skype Voicemail (€15 previously) and €30 off a SkypeIn number (previously €30). Cost: €2 per month Removes per minute charges for SkypeOut calls (i.e. calls to ordinary phones) so long as they’re landlines and to the same country you’re in at the time of calling. I.e: unlimited calling, so long as it’s not to mobile phones. Every SkypeOut (and I think SkypeIn) call, whether it’s to
A new list from Sophos shows that spam is far from dying, thanks largely to Asia: While the U.S. still tops the chart, for the first time it accounts for less than a quarter of all spam relayed. (Compare this to more than 50% two years ago.) But that’s not the problem anymore. The problem is a rise in non-English spam “with the vast majority now being relayed by ‘zombie’ computers hijacked by Trojan horses, worms and viruses under the control of hackers.” Much of this is coming from China and South Korea, which together accounts for 32% of the world’s spam. Add Taiwan’s 2.1%
There’s growing coverage of China’s Internet ‘cyberwar’ against the U.S., which seems to have been going on for more than two years with neither side wanting to go public. The U.S. is calling the attack Titan Rain, and as Bruce Schneier points out, the attackers are very well organized. This from AFP: A systematic effort by hackers to penetrate US government and industry computer networks stems most likely from the Chinese military, the head of a leading security institute said. The attacks have been traced to the Chinese province of Guangdong, and the techniques used make it appear unlikely to come from any other source than the
Further to my earlier post about Lina Yoon’s piece on Korean ‘blogging’, here’s a taster to convince you to take out a subscription to WSJ.com, or go out and buy a copy of today’s AWSJ: WSJ.com – Finding Liberation Online SEOUL — In the real world, Kim Min Jung is an introverted secretary who finds it difficult talking to people she doesn’t know. When speaking, she often covers her face with her hands. On the Internet, though, the 28-year-old is no shrinking violet. On her personal Web site, Ms. Kim entertains about 1,200 visitors a day with plot summaries and witty commentaries on TV shows
Warning of a new computer worm, this time from South Korea. Yonhap reports Friday that W32/Smess.worm, BadTrans, appears attached to an instant message in MSN’s instant messenger service. The worm is a mutant version of another worm called Sinmsn, which was detected last July. MSN’s messenger service, which gives pairs or groups of users the capability to send instantaneous text messages to each other via the Internet, is one of the most popular communication tools in South Korea, where more than 10 million customers are connected to the broadband Internet.
Microsoft is pretty upset about a plan by Japan, China and South Korea to develop an alternative operating system to Microsoft’s Windows software, saying it would raise concerns over fair competition, Reuters reports. “We’d like to see the market decide who the winners are in the software industry,” Tom Robertson, Microsoft’s Tokyo-based director for government affairs in Asia, told Reuters in a telephone interview. “Governments should not be in the position to decide who the winners are,” Robertson said. Um, sure.
From the Suspect This May Be Wishful Thinking Dept Japan, South Korea and China are set to agree to jointly develop a new computer operating system as an alternative to Microsoft Corp.’s Windows software, Reuters quotes Japanese media as saying on Sunday. It would likely be built upon an open-source operating system, such as Linux. The recent spread of computer viruses targeting the Windows system was one reason behind the plan, as it has awakened governments to the need to reduce their dependence on Windows operating systems.
From the Why Use Bugspray When You Can Use Your Cellphone Dept, a report from the Korea Times on a new service by SK Telecom. Its seems South Korea’s top mobile operator is offering downloadable ring tones which, er, generate anti-mosquito sound waves that deter mosquitoes within a range of one metre. The mosquito repelling service uses a particular spectrum of sound waves, which are undetectable by human ears. But the frequencies annoy mosquitoes, SK Telecom said. And presumably you, when you get the bill, at 3,000 won a download. One of the other downsides pointed out by the correspondent is that “the service


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Chemical illustration of indigo dye.
A variety of plants have provided indigo throughout history, but most natural indigo was obtained from those in the genus Indigofera, which are native to the tropics. The primary commercial indigo species in Asia was true indigo (Indigofera tinctoria, also known as Indigofera sumatrana). A common alternative used in the relatively colder subtropical locations such as Japan's Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan is Strobilanthes cusia (Japanese: リュウキュウアイ. Chinese: 馬藍/山藍). In Central and South America the two species Indigofera suffruticosa (Ańil) and Dyer's Knotweed (Polygonum tinctorum), although the Indigofera species yield more dye.
The precursor to indigo is indican, a colorless, water-soluble derivative of the amino acid tryptophan. Indican readily hydrolyzes to release β-D-glucose and indoxyl. Oxidation by exposure to air converts indoxyl to indigo. Indican was obtained from the processing of the plant's leaves, which contain as much as 0.2–0.8% of this compound. The leaves were soaked in water and fermented in order to convert the glycoside indican present in the plant to the blue dye indigotin. The precipitate from the fermented leaf solution was mixed with a strong base such as lye, pressed into cakes, dried, and powdered. The powder was then mixed with various other substances to produce different shades of blue and purple.
Indigo was a major export crop that supported plantation slavery in colonial South Carolina in the 18th century.
The demand for indigo in the 19th century is indicated by the fact that in 1897, 7,000 km2 (2,700 sq mi) were dedicated to the cultivation of indican-producing plants, mainly in India. By comparison, the country of Luxembourg is 2,586 km2 (998 sq mi).
In literature, the play Nildarpan by Dinabandhu Mitra is based on the slavery and forced cultivation of indigo in India. It played an essential part in the Bengali indigo revolt of 1858 called Nilbidraha.
History of natural indigo
Indigo was used in India, which was also the earliest major center for its production and processing. The Indigofera tinctoria variety of Indigo was domesticated in India. Indigo, used as a dye, made its way to the Greeks and the Romans, where it was valued as a luxury product.
Indigo is among the oldest dyes to be used for textile dyeing and printing. Many Asian countries, such as India, China, Japan and South East Asian nations have used indigo as a dye (particularly silk dye) for centuries. The dye was also known to ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Britain, Mesoamerica, Peru, Iran, and Africa.
India is believed to be the oldest center of indigo dyeing in the Old World. It was a primary supplier of indigo to Europe as early as the Greco-Roman era. The association of India with indigo is reflected in the Greek word for the dye, indikón (ινδικόν, Indian). The Romans latinized the term to indicum, which passed into Italian dialect and eventually into English as the word indigo.
In Mesopotamia, a Neo-Babylonian cuneiform tablet of the 7th century BC gives a recipe for the dyeing of wool, where lapis-colored wool (uqnatu) is produced by repeated immersion and airing of the cloth. Indigo was most probably imported from India. The Romans used indigo as a pigment for painting and for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. It was a luxury item imported to the Mediterranean from India by Arab merchants.
Indigo remained a rare commodity in Europe throughout the Middle Ages. Woad, a chemically identical dye derived from the plant Isatis tinctoria (Brassicaceae), was used instead. In the late 15th century, the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama discovered a sea route to India. This led to the establishment of direct trade with India, the Spice Islands, China, and Japan. Importers could now avoid the heavy duties imposed by Persian, Levantine, and Greek middlemen and the lengthy and dangerous land routes which had previously been used. Consequently, the importation and use of indigo in Europe rose significantly. Much European indigo from Asia arrived through ports in Portugal, the Netherlands, and England. Spain imported the dye from its colonies in South America. Many indigo plantations were established by European powers in tropical climates; it was a major crop in Jamaica and South Carolina, with much or all of the labor performed by enslaved Africans and African-Americans. Indigo plantations also thrived in the Virgin Islands. However, France and Germany outlawed imported indigo in the 16th century to protect the local woad dye industry.
Indigo was the foundation of centuries-old textile traditions throughout West Africa. From the Tuareg nomads of the Sahara to Cameroon, clothes dyed with indigo signified wealth. Women dyed the cloth in most areas, with the Yoruba of Nigeria and the Mandinka of Mali particularly well known for their expertise. Among the Hausa male dyers, working at communal dye pits was the basis of the wealth of the ancient city of Kano, and they can still be seen plying their trade today at the same pits.
In Japan, indigo became especially important in the Edo period when it was forbidden to use silk, so the Japanese began to import and plant cotton. It was difficult to dye the cotton fiber except with indigo. Even today indigo is very much appreciated as a color for the summer Kimono Yukata, as this traditional clothing recalls Nature and the blue sea.
In North America indigo was introduced into colonial South Carolina by Eliza Lucas Pinckney, where it became the colony's second most important cash crop (after rice). When Benjamin Franklin sailed to France in November 1776 to enlist France's support for the American Revolutionary War there were 35 barrels of indigo on board the Reprisal, the sale of which would help fund the war effort. In colonial North America there were three commercially important species: the native Indigofera caroliniana, and the introduced Indigofera tinctoria and Indigofera suffruticosa.
Because of its high value as a trading commodity, indigo was often referred to as Blue Gold.
Era of synthetic indigo
Developments in dyeing technology
The benzene rings in indigo can be modified to give a variety of related dyestuffs. Thioindigo, where the two NH groups are replaced by S atoms, is deep red. Tyrian purple is a dull purple dye that is secreted by a common Mediterranean snail. It was highly prized in antiquity. In 1909 its structure was shown to be 6,6'-dibromoindigo. It has never been produced on a commercial basis. The related Ciba blue (5,7,5′,7′-tetrabromoindigo) is, however, of commercial value. Indigo and its derivatives featuring intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonding have very low solubility in organic solvents. They can be made soluble by using transient protecting groups such as the tBOC group, which suppresses intermolecular bonding. Heating of the tBOC indigo results in efficient thermal deprotection and regeneration of the parent H-bonded pigment.
Treatment with sulfuric acid converts indigo into a blue-green derivative called indigo carmine (sulfonated indigo). It became available in the mid-18th century. It is used as a colorant for food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.
Indigo as an organic semiconductor
Indigo and some of its derivatives are known to be ambipolar organic semiconductors when deposited as thin films by vacuum evaporation.
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domain: chemistry


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Mortgage Rates Dallas Tx Welcome to Texas VA Mortgage. We are Texas-Based company in the Heart of Dallas proudly serving texas vets. texas VA Mortgage specializes in assisting Texas Vets with their purchases and refinance needs. Our goal is not only to provide exceptional service, but also to educate along the way.
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Mortgage rates Moved just slightly lower today, despite some push back from underlying bond. while weaker data and trade wars will lead to new long-term lows. rates discussed refer to the most.
Mortgage Rate Calculation Formula This would be 6%/12, or 0.5%. However, this number must be input in the equation as decimal, so we divide again by 100. So we have 0.5%/100, which equals 0.005. This will be your monthly interest you will use to calculate mortgage payments. These calculations can also be done in a different order (6%/100 = 0.06,03/12 = 0.005).
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The Reserve Bank has today released new debt-to-income (DTI) data for new mortgage applications in New Zealand. such as a loss of income or higher interest rates. This could create stress for.
New month, new direction for mortgage rates. Applications for loans to buy homes dipped 4%, and refinance applications went down 5%. Check out today’s best mortgage rates where you live. Rates are.
Mortgage and real estate news including mortgage rates, processing, and refinancing. Mortgage and real estate news including mortgage rates, processing, and refinancing.
July 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Freddie Mac (OTCQB:FMCC) today released the results of its Primary. which is good news and should keep the economy growing," he says. News Facts 30-year fixed-rate.
Bank Rate Mortgage Loan Calculator Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) may be required for loans with less than a 20% down payment. All loans are subject to credit and property approval. Pricing may vary by state. Other rates and terms available. Additional restrictions apply to Texas home equity loans. The advertised rates are based on certain assumptions and loan scenarios.
Check out the mortgage rates charts below to find 30-year and 15-year mortgage rates for each of the different mortgage loans U.S. Bank offers. If you decide to purchase mortgage discount points at closing, your interest rate may be lower than the rates shown here.

domain: finance


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Information Security Oversight Office
|This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2010)|
|Information Security Oversight Office|
|Formed||December 1, 1978|
|Preceding Agency||Interagency Classification Review Committee|
|Jurisdiction||Federal government of the United States|
|Headquarters||700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.|
|Parent agency||National Archives and Records Administration|
|Key document||Classified National Security Information |
The Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) is responsible to the President for policy and oversight of the government-wide security classification system and the National Industrial Security Program. The ISOO receives authority from:
- Executive Order 13526 "Classified National Security Information"
- Executive Order 13587 "Structural Reforms To Improve the Security of Classified Networks and the Responsible Sharing and Safeguarding of Classified Information"
- Executive Order 12829 "National Industrial Security Program"
- Executive Order 13549 "Classified National Security Information Program for State, Local, Tribal, and Private Sector Entities"
- Executive Order 13556 "Controlled Unclassified Information"
- 1 History
- 2 Government openness and public access
- 3 ISOO Components
- 4 Our Mission
- 5 Our Vision
- 6 Functions
- 7 Goals
- 8 Annual reports
- 9 Policy documents
- 10 Staff
- 11 Notices
- 12 See also
- 13 Notes and references
- 14 External links
The Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) was established by President Jimmy Carter with the signing of Executive Order 12065, "National Security Information," on December 1, 1978.
ISOO replaced the Interagency Classification Review Committee (ICRC) which was created by Executive Order 11652, "Classification and Declassification of National Security Information and Material," issued by President Richard Nixon in 1972. The ICRC was composed of representatives from the Departments of Defense, Justice and State; the predecessor to the United States Department of Energy, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the Central Intelligence Agency. John Eisenhower chaired the ICRC, which met monthly at the White House. After Mr. Eisenhower resigned in 1973, the administrative function of the ICRC was moved to the National Archives and Records Service, a component of the General Services Administration, with the Archivist of the United States, James Rhodes, named as acting chairman. William L. Brown, an attorney with the Atomic Energy Commission, was appointed Executive Director in October 1973 and served until December, 1975. The committee continued to meet monthly in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.
Former Congressman Michael Blouin from Iowa served as the first Director of ISOO. When Mr. Blouin stepped down in 1980, President Carter appointed Steven Garfinkel as ISOO's second Director. Mr. Garfinkel served as Director until his retirement in January 2002. In May 2002, the Archivist of the United States appointed J. William Leonard as Director with the approval of President Bush. Mr. Leonard served as Director until his retirement in January 2008. William J. Bosanko was named the acting Director in January 2008 and was formally appointed as Director by the Archivist of the United States, with the approval of President Bush, on April 16, 2008. Mr. Bosanko served as Director until March 2011 when he was named as the Executive for Agency Services at the National Archives and Records Administration. On August 1, 2011, the appointment of John P. Fitzpatrick as ISOO's fifth Director became effective.
Government openness and public access
The ISOO strives to provide for an informed American public by ensuring that the minimum information necessary to the interest of national security is classified and that information is declassified as soon as it no longer requires protection. This is carefully balanced by the imperative to hold certain information in confidence in order to protect from harm America's citizens, its democratic institutions, and its participation in the community of nations.
The Classification Management Staff
Develops security classification policies for classifying, declassifying and safeguarding national security information generated in Government and industry.
The Operations Staff
Evaluates the effectiveness of the security classification programs established by Government and industry to protect information vital to our national security interests.
Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Office
Develops standardized CUI policies and procedures that appropriately protect sensitive information through effective data access and control measures.
We support the President by ensuring that the Government protects and provides proper access to information to advance the national and public interest. We lead efforts to standardize and assess the management of classified and controlled unclassified information through oversight, policy development, guidance, education, and reporting.
- A Government whose information is properly shared, protected, and managed to serve the national interest.
- An informed American public that has trust in its Government.
- Develops implementing directives and instructions.
- Reviews and approves agency implementing regulations.
- Maintains liaison relationships with agency counterparts and conducts on-site and document reviews to monitor agency compliance.
- Develops and disseminates security education materials for Government and industry; monitors security education and training programs.
- Receives and takes action on complaints, appeals, and suggestions.
- Collects and analyzes relevant statistical data and, along with other information, reports them annually to the President. ISOO analyzes these data and reports them, along with other relevant information, in its Annual Report to the President and its Cost Report. Copies of ISOO Annual Reports are available upon request or for download at the ISOO's section for Reports .
- Serves as spokesperson to Congress, the media, special interest groups, professional organizations, and the public.
- Conducts special studies on identified or potential problem areas and develops remedial approaches for program improvement.
- Recommends policy changes to the President through the National Security Advisor. As appropriate, ISOO convenes and chairs interagency meetings to discuss matters, including possible policy changes, pertaining to the security classification program.
- Provides program and administrative support for the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP) under E.O. 13526.
- Provides program and administrative support for the Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB).
- Reviews requests for original classification authority from agencies.
- Chairs the National Industrial Security Program Policy Advisory Committee (NISPPAC) under E.O. 12829, as amended.
- Chairs the State, Local, Tribal, and Private Sector Policy Advisory Committee (SLTPSPAC) under E.O. 13549.
- Promote and enhance the system that protects the national security information that safeguards the American government and its people.
- Provide for an informed American public by ensuring that the minimum information necessary to the interest of national security is classified and that information is declassified as soon as it no longer requires protection.
- Promote and enhance concepts that facilitate the sharing of information in the fulfillment of mission-critical functions related to national security.
- Provide expert advice and guidance pertinent to the principles of information security.
- 1980 - 1981
On December 29, 2009, the White House released a new Executive order entitled "Classified National Security Information." It prescribes a uniform system for classifying, safeguarding, and declassifying national security information.
On December 29, 2009, the White House released a Presidential memorandum entitled "Implementation of the Executive Order 'Classified National Security Information.'" This memorandum imparts specific requirements to the Executive branch concerning implementation of the new order.
On December 29, 2009, the White House released a Presidential order entitled "Original Classification Authority." This order designates those agency heads and officials as having the authority to classify information.
Sets forth guidance to agencies on original and derivative classification, downgrading, declassification, and safeguarding of classified national security information.
Describes the procedures to be followed by individuals or organizations who wish to bring matters before the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP), and the procedures that ISCAP will follow to resolve these matters.
Establishes a National Industrial Security Program to safeguard Federal Government classified information that is released to contractors, licensees, and grantees of the United States Government.
Safeguards Federal Government classified information that is released to contractors, licensees, and grantees of the United States Government.
Amendment to the National Industrial Security Program Directive that provides guidance to agencies on release of certain classified information (referred to as "proscribed information") to contractors that are owned or under the control of a foreign interest and have had the foreign ownership or control mitigated by an arrangement known as an Special Security Agreement (SSA).
Provides guidance to safeguard and govern access to classified national security information shared by the Federal Government with State, local, tribal, and private sector (SLTPS) entities.
Establishes a program between the Executive Agent (EA), departments or agencies, other stakeholders, and the general public to consolidate and standardize CUI terms.
Ensures sharing and safeguarding of classified information on computer networks shall be consistent with appropriate protections for privacy and civil liberties.
ISOO has three directorates and a staff of 28 people.
- The Directorate for Policy develops security classification policies for classifying, declassifying and safeguarding national security information generated in government and industry.
- The Directorate for Operations evaluates the effectiveness of the security classification programs established by government and industry to protect information vital to our national security interests.
- The Directorate for Controlled Unclassified Information Develops standardized CUI policies and procedures that appropriately protect sensitive information through effective data access and control measures.
- Currently John P. Fitzpatrick serves as Director with Greg Pannoni as Associate Director for Operations, William A. Cira serves as Associate Director of Classification Management, and Patrick D. Viscuso serves as Associate Director for Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)
Since September 30, 2008, the Information Security Oversight Office has issued ISOO Notices to disseminate and provide consistent guidance to Federal Agencies, in an effort to improve their classified national security information programs. Each ISOO Notice focuses on a single topic related to classification, safeguarding, or declassification.
As of September 30, 2010, due to the issuance of Executive Order 13526 and the revision to 32 CFR Part 2001, many of the original notices have been revised, canceled, or superseded. The notices listed reflect these changes.
- National Archives and Records Administration
- Public Interest Declassification Board
- The Controlled Unclassified Information
- Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel
Notes and references
- "Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Office".www.archives.gov
- Federal Register, The Daily Journal of the United States Government , January 5, 2010,
- Federal Register, The Daily Journal of the United States Government , June 28, 2010,
- Federal Register, The Daily Journal of the United States Government , August 23, 2010,

domain: law


text:
What things are popular in Dubai?
Standing 828m high, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world, and one of Dubai's must-visit attractions. The majestic building is located in the heart of the city and is a hub of activity day and night.
What are some of the coolest things in Dubai?
Cool Things to do in Dubai
An exclusive view of the world. Eat, stay at the world's only 7 star hotel of the world. Shop at the world's biggest mall. Sky dive over Palm Jumeirah. Enjoy the Dubai Desert Safari. Visit the Dubai Miracle Garden. Shop at the Dubai Shopping Festival. Eat the food of Dubai.
What you should avoid in Dubai?
10 Things NOT To Do in Dubai
If interested in planning a Dubai itinerary, then a stay of about 5 days is the best amount of time to squeeze all of the tourism juices out of this illustrious middle eastern gem.

domain: travel


Insanely good Underground rapper. D.C native and part of the Unspoken Heard and Blue Black. Unlike most rappers today, his lyrics actually mean something...important. Brings hope to the rap community.
John: You ever watch Boondocks on adultswin?
Mike: Yeah dude, show rocks.
John: True, True, and the theme song fucking rocks!
Mike: Fucking right, that's Asheru spitting that shit.
September 02, 2007