Abraham Lincoln once said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe”. Lincoln may not have been much of a road-tripper, in fact, he passed away before cars were even a thing, however, the message is clear and concise: Rigorous preparation forms the foundations of success for many endeavours.
With the Easter break knocking on our door, chances are you’ve already packed and are counting down the minutes to 5pm Thursday. Preparation for your Easter trip on the road maybe something you have put off, or are planning to do last minute – we recommend that you don’t as the difference between an organised and prepared trip can be the difference between a memorable and miserable trip.
Here are 13 tips which will help you prepare for the Easter break.
Without an axe, you won’t be able to cut that tree, without a prepared vehicle you won’t make it out the driveway. Before you depart you will need to make sure your vehicle is in a fit state to make it to your destination.
If your vehicle requires repairs, maintenance or a service it's best to plan ahead – it’s probably too late now to do any major work but if you know what work is needed, plan ahead. The last thing you want is your vehicle breaking down in the middle of nowhere. Not only can this cause a safety issue if you are travelling remote, but it can also cost you an arm and leg to get your vehicle fixed in remote locations.
Do it yourself
There are some basic things that you can do yourself such as checking and replacing oil, water, brake and other vital fluids, adjusting tyre pressure, and checking your lights and indicators.
Manage your weight
The accessories in your vehicle such as spare wheels, jerry can and bull bars can be useful, however, it’s important to make sure they’re supplied and fitted by a reputable manufacturer and not overloaded. If your vehicle is carrying too much weight you will be much more likely to damage parts, break down and ruin your holiday.
Do your homework
It’s equally important to have an idea of the geographic nature and surroundings of the area or region you are travelling to so you can plan around it. For example, if you are heading to the remote outback it’s important to know the distances between towns and service centres so you can stock up on fuel and water. If you’re travelling and staying at a national park make sure you have any relevant passes and permits you may require to enter the location. If you know you’re going to be travelling on beaches or soft sand ensure you have the equipment to adjust tyre pressure if need be.
Packing isn’t meant to be fun, but if it’s done correctly it can save you time and reduce the risk of damaging your vehicle. We have all heard stories about instances of bad packing and clever techniques on how to avoid it. The best way to describe it is an art that people eventually learn the easy or hard way. The easy way is to pack and go with careful planning and preparation. The hard way usually happens when rushed and is taught through previous accidents. By applying the following tips and tricks, the results of learning via the hard way are drastically minimised.
Less is more
We’ve all heard the basic tips – making lists, roll your clothes, using complex draw systems. The truth is everyone packs differently depending on their needs, destination of travel and time spent on the road. The first and most important tip in regards to packing is the ‘less is more’ strategy. Most newbies are of the opinion that they need to bring everything including the kitchen sink. Our advice is to pack what you need. Most of the things you think you need you don’t, and the things you do can usually be picked up when on the road.
When packing a 4X4 it's essential to keep the centre of gravity as low and close to the axles as possible. Spread any heavy loads low down and balance it from front to back and left to right, with lighter equipment going on top. If you have a roof rack, use it when needed and only put the lightest stuff on it. If your vehicle is still not balanced then a weight distribution hitch may be necessary.
Do you really need to bring a fridge in every vehicle in your convoy? How about multiple recovery kits? The answer is no. In the initial planning stages, a ‘Who brings what’ list frees up space for all and reduces the strain on your vehicle. A little communication and list are all that’s needed to ensure that everyone in your group is carrying a little less, freeing up space for the vitals like beer.
In days gone by, the concept of electricity and power was non-existent when travelling remote. These days it’s a necessity, the concept of glamping with access to all your electrical needs on hand has become the norm. In our opinion, the best road trips are those with flexibility in terms of dates and locations accessed by the roads less travelled – in that case, you will need to plan on how you are going to charge all your electrical appliances. Chances are that it’s too late to buy and install some of the gear listed in the tips below, however, we recommend looking into the following for your next roadtrip.
A reliable battery setup
First things first, a dual battery setup is a must. If you plan on starting your engine after camping all weekend with the fridge, lights and radio, you will need a dual battery setup. Not only does it keep your auxiliary battery charged throughout your trip but it also acts as an insurance policy against having your battery fail in remote areas, giving you that extra peace of mind that you won’t be walking home.
A good DC to DC dual battery charger will charge your batteries to 100% regardless of the battery type. For most simple setups an auxiliary battery will do the job along with a 25amp dual battery charger. The charger takes charge from your alternator and supplies 25amps to your auxiliary battery, charging it while you drive.
If you have a D series REDARC In-vehicle Battery Charger you can easily connect it to a fixed solar panel on your vehicle via our Anderson to Bare wire cable. When solar is connected, the Charger will prioritize the power coming from the solar panel and only use vehicle power to supplement up to the maximum current rating of the charger. This will reduce the load put on your vehicle alternator and even save you a little bit of fuel in the process.
If you don’t have a dual battery setup for this trip, we recommend looking into one for your future travels.
If you’re travelling remote and plan on running a fridge, lights or anything off your auxiliary battery it pays to bring some form of solar panel with you. We recommend using a solar blanket as they are designed to be moved around to get the best energy output from the sun, and can be easily folded into a compact size for easy storage. The beauty of portable solar blankets is that they are simple to use – just unfold it, pop it out in the sun and plug it in.
Protect your gadgets
For the average joe, your vehicles 12V setup will keep the essentials charged, however, if you bring an assortment of gadgets – cameras, iPads, laptops, phones and any other 240V equipment it just doesn’t cut it. To replicate the 240v you get at home a Pure Sine Wave Inverter is what you need. Pure Sine Wave Inverter’s deliver smooth replicated mains power to common household appliances.
Another advantage Pure Sine Wave Inverters bring to your road trip is that they keep these appliances safe. One of the risks of charging your equipment from your vehicle's 12V is that it can be unreliable and increase the possibility of damage. If you know you will be bringing gear that requires constant charging then a Pure Sine Wave Inverter is a no brainer for your vehicle and road trips.
Food glorious food! No Easter road trip would be complete without epic meals and most importantly the Easter Sunday roast. Sitting around the campfire enjoying a well-prepared meal is one of the most enjoyable parts of any road trip. Whatever the camping arrangements is it pays to keep things simple and tasty, a 3-course meal is far too much effort at a campsite. In order to help you prepare for your Easter road trip, we recommend the following.
It all starts with the fridge, these days most vehicles will be running a fridge off their 12V system. Most modern fridges have the option to be plugged into mains power, we recommend doing this before you secure it in your vehicle. By getting it as cool as possible before you depart you will reduce the effort used by your 12v system when you hit the road.
The importance of creating optimal airflow (inside and out) is also important. Many people make the mistake of packing the contents too closely to the vents, blocking off airflow – which chokes the fridge, ultimately reducing the lifespan of your fridge. Always make sure you can fit your hand between the contents closest to the vents, this will not only keep your beer cold but keep your fridge happy.
As the Easter period is unfortunately only a short break, preparing meals before you depart can have some advantages. Vacuum sealing and pre-preparing meals like soups and curries is a brilliant idea. There are three big advantages here, the first is that you can pop these meals into your freezer before you leave, once frozen they will act as ice blocks inside the fridge reducing the strain on your fridge and keeping the other contents cool. This also maximises storage space as the vacuum seal removes air from the packaging. The final advantage is that once you get to camp your food is already prepared and good to go, allowing you more time to put your feet up and enjoy your campsite.
Keep it simple
One of the difficulties of cooking multiple dishes at the campsite is keeping the food hot. We recommend keeping it simple. Before you depart, it is wise to invest in a hot pot or Dutch oven which are ideal for one-pot meals, they are easy to use and keep your food nice and hot.
As Easter is only a short break it is advised to take along only what’s needed during the trip. Bringing too much food is something we have all been guilty of in past trips. Once again it’s good to live by the mantra that more is less. I am not saying leave home with an empty fridge, it’s always advisable to bring a few meals and the essentials such as tea, coffee and sugar. However, while it undoubtedly costs more to shop in small towns it does have its benefits. It allows you take advantage of locally sourced products, have a chin wag with locals and soak in the atmosphere.


text:
Gog the Half-Ogre
Gog the Half-Ogre
“C’mon Gog, wake up! You don’t want to be late for your day at the blacksmith’s shop!” Gog’s father Rogar, a strong and sturdy human, stood over his bed. It was before sunrise, and Gog was still tired, but he was excited enough about his day that he jumped out of bed. As he hurried toward the kitchen table for breakfast, he knocked his father’s broadsword off its display stand on the wall. The sword clattered to the ground, and Gog’s father looked at him sternly. “Be careful, Gog!” he said.
“Sorry.” Gog knew that the sword was very important to his father. He kept it on the wall as a reminder of his days as an adventurer. Those days were behind him, though. Age had slowed Rogar in a way that goblins, dragons and demons could not.
“Gog ready to go?” asked his mother Lor, a large ogre who was nearly always smiling.
“Yes!” answered Gog enthusiastically. About once a month, Jarrod the town blacksmith invited Gog to help him for the day. He taught the young half-ogre about blacksmithing techniques and let him swing the hammer. Jarrod also showed Gog the weapons and armor he made, and told tales about the adventurers who used them – including Rogar. Gog loved his time at the blacksmith’s shop – even the farming implements that Jarrod spent most of his time making were fascinating to him. He thought that it would be fun to be Jarrod’s apprentice, but part of him longed for the kind of adventure Rogar had told him about over the years.
Gog was nearing adulthood, and had grown to be almost as large as his full-ogre mother. Unfortunately, this made some of the townsfolk aloof and condescending towards him. Not everyone liked the idea of an ogre living among them. Many could not accept the idea of a marriage between a human and an ogre, and this disdain sometimes spilled over onto the product of that marriage: Gog.
Gog lived with his parents on the outskirts of Blue Creek, a small but thriving farming town with rolling hills, beautiful scenery, and fertile lands. Although not everyone accepted him, his upbringing was happy thanks to loving parents and enough friends to assure his family that no, they would not be run out of town with pitchforks and torches in some kind of unexpected non-human purge.
Gog ran to town and arrived at Jarrod’s shop just as the sun came up.
“Good morning, Gog!” said the blacksmith, beaming up at the large young half-ogre.
“Good morning!” replied Gog enthusiastically.
“It’s finally finished, Gog. Come take a look!”
Gog walked over to where Jarrod was standing. Mounted on the wall was a gorgeous sword – a long broadsword with a jeweled hilt and elaborate designs etched on the blade in gold.
“It took months, but it’s done at last,” said Jarrod proudly.
Gog just stared, open-mouthed. He had seen the sword a few times while Jarrod was working on it, but the beautiful final product left him speechless. Finally, he managed one word: “Pretty…”
“Yes, a local noble ordered this work.” He leaned toward Gog conspiratorially. “And he’s paying me quite well for it!” He slapped Gog on the back and laughed jovially. Gog couldn’t help but laugh, as well.
“Show Gog how make pretty swords!” Gog exclaimed eagerly.
“Someday, my young friend. But first, I need your help with some thresher blades…”
The annual harvest festival was a few days later – Gog’s favorite time of year. Several years ago, he had caused a bit of a ruckus during the livestock races by jumping onto the track and running alongside the cows. Many of the townsfolk were aghast at this, but Gog’s parents were mostly just amused.
This year, Gog had offered to help Jarrod with his work at the festival. The blacksmith had given Gog some horseshoes to deliver to the folks in charge of the cart-pulling contest. Gog was hurrying back to the stand Jarrod had set up. In his overeager state, he stumbled over a stone in the road and fell to the ground.
A small crowd of kids about Gog’s age were nearby and started laughing cruelly. “Can’t stay out of your own way, eh ogre?” jeered one.
“What’s big, green and dumb? Gog!” shouted another to howls of laughter.
“Go home, half-breed! This festival isn’t for monsters!”
Gog stood up and brushed himself off. He burned with shame and anger, and a part of him wanted to just give in to that fury and punch a laughing face or two. But he knew that was wrong, and would cause many more problems than it would solve. Instead, he turned and walked off toward home, their laughter echoing in his ears.
The path home took Gog through the center of town, and he was surprised at how quiet everything was – the whole town was at the festival, after all. The unusual silence left Gog alone with his thoughts. He gazed at the ground and thought back to all the times when the children of Blue Creek made fun of him. He found himself wishing that Blue Creek was deserted and quiet like this all the time.
His reverie was interrupted by a loud clattering noise coming from Jarrod’s home, nearby.
“You idiot! You’ll alert the whole town!” hissed a voice from inside.
“No I won’t. The whole town’s at the festival!” said another.
Gog knew that something was wrong. He snuck around the blacksmith’s house to the shop behind it. The door to the shop was open, so he went inside. Things had clearly been disturbed. Gog knew what the shop was supposed to look like – and this wasn’t it. Drawers were open, tables and chairs were overturned, and the place was generally a mess. Gog looked toward the wall holding the elaborate sword Jarrod had made.
The sword was gone.
Gog hurried out of the shop and arrived back at the street just as two tall, thin men were coming out of Jarrod’s house. Both had packs on their backs that were loaded up with valuables. Strapped to one man’s pack was the elaborate sword the blacksmith had just completed. Gog was outraged.
“Thieves!” he shouted. “Gog no like thieves!”
Seeing the large half-ogre and clearly being in no mood for a fight, the thieves ran. They darted around a corner to an alley behind the butcher shop. Gog followed, nearly taking out the shop’s awning with his head as he lumbered past. The thieves turned again and found themselves in the town square – a large empty space with nowhere to hide.
“Let’s just get out of here!” shouted one thief to the other. They headed straight out of town, but they failed to take into account that this path led them close to the festival grounds. Gog continued chasing after them and noticed that they seemed to be slowing down ever so slightly. Gog was barely winded, so he had plenty of energy to shout “thieves!” several times at the top of his lungs. Many of the festival-goers pointed at the sight, and it wasn’t too long before half the town of Blue Creek was watching Gog gain on the thieves as they ran along the road leading out of town.
Blue Creek’s constable and several of the town guard took off toward the scene, but their effort was unnecessary. As they started running, they watched Gog make a flying leap and tackle both thieves to the ground. One large-fisted punch to each thief’s terrified face was all Gog needed to knock them out.
“What the blazes is going on, Gog?” asked the constable breathlessly when he arrived on the scene.
“Thieves steal from Jarrod! Gog stop thieves!”
Other townsfolk soon arrived on the scene, including Jarrod and Rogar. “My sword!” Jarrod exclaimed. He looked at Gog. “Gog, my friend, I am in your debt.” He put his hand on his chest and gave a short bow to the half-ogre. Then he called out to the crowd. “Three cheers for the hero Gog!”
Most of the assembled townsfolk joined in the cheering. Gog noticed that even a few of the kids that had just made fun of him were now cheering along. Gog smiled proudly.
As the constable led the thieves off in chains and the crowd dispersed, an older gentleman wearing dark robes and a tall man with pointed ears and colorful clothes walked toward Gog. The robed man had a gray beard and a serene expression. The man with pointed ears had a lute strapped to his back. A small white rabbit bounded into the robed man’s arms. Gog thought that they looked very unusual – nothing like the typical folk he saw in Blue Creek.
“Hail, good sir ogre! Well met!” exclaimed the pointy-eared man enthusiastically.
Gog stared at the pair, slack-jawed and confused.
“That means hello,” said the man in dark robes.
“Uh… Hello,” replied Gog.
The robed man bowed toward Gog and said, “I’m afraid my friend Fleck here doesn’t always express himself in the simplest and most direct way. My name is Zot.”
Gog pointed to his chest and said simply “Gog.”
“Your strength and stamina are quite impressive, good sir Gog,” said Fleck, smiling at the half-ogre’s lack of pretense.
“Gog is strong,” said Gog matter-of-factly.
“Indeed,” said Zot. “Are you part of this town’s guard?”
“Gog not guard. Gog just want stop bad people. Thieves bad, Gog stop.”
Zot and Fleck looked at each other and nodded. “Well, Gog,” Zot said, “we are adventurers. Would you like to travel with us and stop bad people all across this land?”
Gog looked confused again. “Leave Blue Creek?” he asked. Gog was conflicted, but also excited by the possibility of being the kind of adventurer he had heard about in stories – an adventurer like his father.
Rogar was standing nearby, and he walked up and put his hand on Gog’s shoulder. “You know, Gog,” he said gently, “you could probably do more good out in the world than you could by staying in Blue Creek.”
Gog furrowed his brow in concentration.
“I know this is rather sudden,” Zot replied soothingly. “You don’t need to decide now. Have you heard of the city of Greyport?”
“Yes. Gog go there with father long ago.”
“Gog was very excited about being in the big city, as I recall,” said Rogar, smiling up at his son.
“Good!” exclaimed Zot. “If you decide to join us, go to Greyport and ask for us at the Red Dragon Inn.”

domain: literature


text:
If you’re in the market to buy a home in the pricey cities of Toronto or Vancouver, you’ll need to be making well over $200K.
According to new data from RateHub.ca, you’ll need to earn a cool $220K to purchase a home in Toronto and Vancouver with a 20% down payment (that is, unless you’re among the lucky set with access to the bank of mom and dad).
Ratehub.ca says it used March 2022 and June 2022 real estate data to make the calculations.
The (sort of) good news for first-time homebuyers looking to get into the market in spots like Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Hamilton is that prices have softened in recent months following a dramatic red-hot two-year run inspired by the pandemic. With that said, perpetually climbing interest rates and stress test rates in response to soaring inflation still make homeownership unattainable for many young Canadians.
Fixed-rate mortgages increased by a tough-to-swallow 66% average between March to June 2022 alone.
As mortgage rates have increased, so has the stress test rate. Home prices have started trending downwards in some major cities in recent months. However, the annual income required to purchase a home has increased significantly across all cities -- by $18,000 on average, in just the last four months.
Victoria saw the biggest increase, says RateHub.ca, with $35,760 in additional income required, with Vancouver close behind, requiring an additional $31,730. Meanwhile, homebuyers in Toronto need to earn $15,750 (or 7%) more compared with March.
“In every city, homebuyers require a lot more income to purchase the average home due to higher stress test rates caused by increasing mortgage rates. This is the case even for cities that saw home prices decline,” says James Laird, Co-CEO of Ratehub.ca and President of CanWise mortgage lender. “Generally, for every 1% that the stress test increases, a household qualifies for about 10% less mortgage.”
So, while there has been some relief on the price front, we’d need to see a lot more downward declines for houses to become grossly more attainable for first-time homebuyers -- especially given the fact that rising rents make it more difficult to save. “Home prices will need to drop significantly in order to neutralize the effects that higher mortgage rates have on the stress test,” says Laird. “Unless this happens, home affordability will continue to be impacted significantly by the current rising rate environment.”

domain: geography


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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this music.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that unless Bono gets really angry about something, there's nothing much to worry about on a U2 record. The singer-lyricist still has much to say, but he does so in a way that turns the idea of protest music on its ear. Anger becomes hope, and he shows instead of telling people how to live. The lyrics on this CD deal with positive emotion, wrapped in music that's typically upbeat. Love and relationships are a repeating theme.
- Parents say
- Kids say
What's the story?
U2 seems to be back from its 1990s diversion into whimsy and irony (let's ignore the big partnership with Apple on their iPods, which may or may not have already make a connection with your kids). While there are some straight guitar riffs that can relate more to today's garage-rock fans, the band manages to do it while getting back to the airy, moody echo of the Edge's best guitar work of the 1980s. While upbeat lyrically, HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB has some stark points here and there -- especially on \"Love and Peace or Else,\" an obvious anti-war, anti-imperialism song, with references to troops digging in. Bono the poet wants listeners to draw their own conclusions on songs like \"Crumbs From Your Table,\" which could reference a bigger point or simply someone worn-out from a relationship. The listener has to think about it.
Is it any good?
Parents who appreciate good music, and want to pass that idea to kids without pushing some old guys on them, could feel comfortable encouraging their kids to listen to this. While some of the '90s stuff wasn't as resonant, U2 is back to a healthy formula of fresh music that can both relate to modern audiences and introduce them to U2's brand sound. It's a very good CD that pushes positive messages. And somehow, 25 years into their career, U2 still comes off as cool.
Talk to your kids about ...
Our editors recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

domain: artistic


text:
The importance of pollinators
Pollination is the transfer of pollen, containing the male gamete of a plant, from the anthers where it is produced to the receptive stigma, the female part of the same or another plant of the same species. This process results in fertilization, and sexual reproduction of the plant to produce seeds.
Most ancient plants were pollinated by wind.Grasses, conifers, and many deciduous trees are still wind-pollinated. Most flowering plants, however, utilize living organisms to aid in this transfer. Birds and bats can pollinate a limited number of plants, but the vast majority of plants are pollinated by insects. Some wasps, flies, beetles, ants, butterflies and moths pollinate various flowers, but bees are responsible for the vast majority of pollination.
Honey bees perform more than 80 percent of pollination of many of our cultivated crops.
More than 100 important crops are pollinated by honey bees. This includes many of the fruits and vegetables that we eat, but also a number of important crops such as nuts, herbs, spices oilseed crops, forage for dairy and beef cattle, as well as medicinal and numerous ornamental plants. Even plants that are not grown for their fruits require pollination in order to propagate them by seed. Honey bees add an estimated $15 billion to the U.S. economy each year in increased crop yields.
Many species of pollinators have been in decline recently. Why?
European honey bees were brought to North America by colonists in the 1600s. As many of these bees escaped into the wild, the feral populations began to displace some of the estimated 4000 native bee species. These feral honey bees provided pollination for the growing agricultural industry across the county through the 20th century. In the 1990s two species of parasitic mites were accidentally introduced from Asia. The tracheal mite and varroa mite caused severe declines in honey bee populations within a few years. These parasitic mites were controlled on managed bees largely with chemical pesticides, substantially increasing the costs of large beekeeping operations.
During the same time, populations of feral honey bees dramatically declined. Fewer natural pollinators, combined with increased agricultural production have resulted in an increased need for contracted pollination services. Honey bee hives are placed on trucks each spring and moved from their winter homes to areas of agricultural production in order to provide adequate numbers of pollinators when crops are in bloom. This movement of honey bee hives is thought to be associated with the spread of honey bee diseases and other hive pests.
Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)
During the winter of 2006-2007, a high number of bee colonies died out, but the cause of death remained a mystery. The next winter, colonies died out at even higher rates. The phenomenon was termed Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD, and has been reported in Europe as well as the U.S. This mysterious disappearance of honey bees raised alarms that we may be on the verge of a pollinator crisis, resulting in insufficient numbers of pollinators to supply the demands of our agricultural industry. This pollinator shortage is not likely to result in a large-scale food shortage in the US. However, there may be an increase in the cost of some produce because of the increase in production costs associated with the demand of pollinators.
Many of our fruits and vegetables are imported from Asia and Latin America, where CCD has not been largely reported. Most staple food crops, such as wheat, rice and corn, are wind-pollinated. Other crops, such as soybeans, are self-fertile, and are not dependent upon pollinators. And some crops, such as peaches and cotton, can self-pollinate, but when pollinated by bees tend to produce larger yields.
In light of declining honey bee populations worldwide, representatives of Arkansas’ agricultural producers and beekeepers have develop a set of standard practices to encourage cooperation and communication between growers, pesticide applicators, and beekeepers.
The goals of the Arkansas Pollinator Stewardship Program are to minimize economic losses for both farmers and beekeepers by adequately managing row crop pests while minimizing impact of pesticides on honey bee colonies.
|Fruits and Vegetables|
|Herbs & Spices|
Many species of pollinators are in decline around the world due to destruction of natural habitat. This is especially true in industrialized countries such as the U.S. Bees and other pollinators are a vital part of the natural system. Besides humans, many other species rely on pollinators. Plants need pollination in order to reproduce, and many species of wildlife depend on pollination in order to find their food as well. Gardeners and homeowners can plant a variety of trees, shrubs, and flowers to attract pollinators. By choosing a variety of flowers that provide blooms continuously throughout the growing season, you can ensure that pollinators will return regularly. Find out what to plant in your region by visiting the Pollinator Partnership.
Becoming a backyard beekeeper is a great way to increase the pollinator population in your neighborhood. If you don't want to keep honey bees, encouraging native pollinator species can be very simple. Many species of solitary bees are native to Arkansas. These bees will rarely, if ever, sting. They do not require sophisticated hives or other equipment to maintain. By providing them with simple habitats from scrap wood, you can increase the productivity of your garden.
Solitary bees make great pollinators.
Unlike honey bees, they do not live in large colonies, don't produce honey and they do not sting. They are important pollinators of wildflowers across North America. Because they tend to forage in the area near their nests (usually within 500 yards), they can serve as efficient pollinators of small gardens and orchards. Many solitary bees nest in the ground, but bees in the family Megachilidae seek cavities in dead wood in which to build their solitary nests. These nests are provisioned with pollen and nectar, eggs are deposited, and then they are sealed off and abandoned. After overwintering as pupae, the adult adult bees will emerge from the holes in early spring and begin to forage. Male bees will die shortly after mating. Female bees will soon seek a cavity in which to to prepare their own nest. They will often remain in the vicinity of the nest from which they emerged. By providing numerous nesting blocks near garden spots or orchards, solitary bees can be encouraged to remain and reproduce year after year.
What types of bees help pollination?
Bees in the diverse family Megachilidae include the mason bees and leafcutter bees. These bees lack a pollen basket on their hind legs, as honey bees have. Instead, they carry pollen on the underside of their abdomen.
At least 40 species of bees in this family can be found in Arkansas.
All will seek out cavities in which to dwell, and can be encouraged as pollinators by providing them with suitable habitats. Leafcutter bees use their sharp mandibles to cut circles from plant leaves with which to line their nesting holes. They are sometimes considered a pest by gardeners because of aesthetic damage to ornamental plants, but they rarely remove enough leaf material to damage plant health. Mason bees get their name from the way they seal their nesting holes with mud after eggs have been laid in the provisioned cells. Many of these bees are excellent early season pollinators of fruit trees and garden vegetables. If you want to encourage mason bees for pollination, be sure there is a source of mud nearby, such as a stream or pond, or you may need to provide them with a source through irrigation.
Megachilid bees do not bore their own nesting holes, but are opportunistic house-hunters. Suitable nesting blocks can be easily built by drilling holes in practically any piece of untreated wood. Different species prefer hole diameters ranging from one-quarter of an inch to three-eighths of an inch, and spaced at least three-quarters of an inch apart. Blue orchard bees are prefer hole diameters of five-sixteenths of an inch. You can experiment with different sized holes, in increments of one-sixteenth of an inch, and see which ones appear to attract the most bees in your area. Holes should be three to five inches deep, and should not be drilled all the way through the wood. Bees will lay male eggs toward the front of the hole, and female eggs behind them. Deeper holes will accommodate more female bees, and therefore increase the number of pollinators for next season.
Sections of hollow bamboo or cane can also be bundled together to provide solitary bee nests. Some people use paper tubes or straws to line the nesting holes, so that they can be removed and the blocks can be cleaned. Occasionally solitary wasps will also take up residence in these holes, but are rarely a problem, and may also contribute to pest control and pollination.
These nesting blocks can be placed around an area to attract bees, and moved to a new area (such as an orchard or garden) before the spring emergence to encourage pollination. Nesting blocks should face the morning sun, and be sheltered somewhat from rain, either by adding an overhanging "roof" to keep rain from soaking the wood, or placing the blocks under the eaves of a barn or shed. Blocks containing dormant pupae can be brought into a shed or barn to protect them extreme cold during the winter, and placed outside again in early spring for pollination.
Native Megachilid bees of Arkansas
|Anthidium maculifrons||Coelioxys texana||Lithurgus gibbosus||Megachile petulans|
|Anthidiellum notatum||Dianthidium subrufulum||Megachile albitarsis||Megachile perihirta|
|Ashmeadiella bucconis||Heriades carnita||Megachile brevis||Megachile pollicaris|
|Coelioxys asteris||Heriades variolosa||Megachile campanulae||Megachile rugifrons|
|Coelioxys edita||Heterathidium ridingsi||Megachile concinna||Megachile texana|
|Coelioxys germana||Heterostelis australis||Megachile exilis||Osmia georgica|
|Coelioxys hunteri||Hoplitis cylindrica||Megachile georgica||Osmia lignaria|
|Coelioxys modesta||Hoplitis pilosifrons||Megachile inimica||Osmia subfasciata|
|Coelioxys octodentata||Hoplitis producta||Megachile mendica||Stelis costalis|
|Coelioxys sayi||Hoplitis truncata||Megachile parallela||Stelis lateralis|
Help With a Citizen-Scientist Survey of Native Bees in Arkansas
Over many years, The University of Arkansas Arthropod Museum has documented over 200 species of native bees, collected from across the Natural State. Unfortunately, however, most native bees have remained largely understudied groups around the world. Historically most bee species have never been considered economically important compared to their famous cousins, the honey bees. Recent studies have broadened our understanding of the importance of native pollinators and their contributions to both native plant ecosystems and cultivated crop yields. However, most native bee studies are limited in scope to specific areas that scientists can access for extended periods of time. Now citizen scientists can help.
The iNaturalist organization is a volunteer group of amateur and professional naturalists - nature lovers - who are working to document the diversity of life everywhere around them. And you can be part of it! To get started, just can visit the iNaturalist.org website or download their smartphone app (for Android or Apple) and set up a new user account. Now start snapping photos of any living thing you see: insect, spider, bird, snake, mammal, or even a plant or mushroom.
If you use a regular camera, you can upload your images through their website, but your smartphone's camera can automatically record the date and location of each image, and you can upload these observations to the database with notes about what you saw. If you can identify the species, you can add it's name. But even if you don't know for sure, just put in as much information as you can, or your best guess. Other users across the globe can help refine the identification until a consensus has been reached. Many professional taxonomists and biologists participate, so there is a good chance your photo may be seen by an expert.
Observations can also be grouped into specific projects such as the Arkansas Native Bee Survey. Any image identified as a species of bee reported in Arkansas, will be added to this project. This will expand our knowledge of native bee species abundance and their distribution throughout our state. Other projects exist to curate observations on snakes, birds, spiders and even track the migration route of the declining monarch butterfly. This information can be used to help scientists locate previously unknown populations of threatened or endangered species. The data collected can document that a particular species has a larger range than previously known, or a lack of observations over time may suggest that a species could be be disappearing from an area. A single casual observation from a curious user might even alert scientists to the presence of a new invasive species.
Begin by documenting your own back yard. Take photos whenever and wherever you go out. All citizens are encouraged to participate. This can be a great project for schools, scouts, and other groups of nature lovers. Help add to our knowledge of the world and join today.
Additional information on encouraging solitary bees
- USDA Guide to Preparing a Solitary Bee Nesting Block
- NCSU Guide to Managing Orchard Mason Bees
- Attracting Solitary Bees
- The bee family Megachilidae
Video clips about solitary bees
- How to Make a Mason Bee Block
- Mason Bees Coming to Life
- Solitary Bees Provisioning their Nesting Holes
- How to Attract Leafcutter and Mason Bees
- Bee Houses: Nest Holes for Solitary Bees

domain: agronomy


text:
Students will make terrariums using a container, plants, gravel, and soil.
Terrariums are miniature gardens grown inside a sealed glass or plastic container.
Making a terrarium is an easy and fun way to grow your own garden anywhere.
Learn about the water cycle by watching how water evaporates, condenses, and “rains” down the walls of your jar to moisten the plants inside.
What You Need:
- An enclosed container- (a big mason jar, a candy jar, a 2-liter plastic bottle with the top ¼ cut off)
- Pea gravel or small rocks (aquarium gravel works well)
- Potting soil
- Sphagnum moss, or any kind of living moss (optional)
- Aquarium charcoal (optional)
- Small tropical or indoor plants
- Small figurines, marbles, pretty rocks, crystals, shells (optional)
What You Do:
- Wash your container out with soap and water. Rinse well and dry.
- Put an inch of gravel in the bottom of the jar.
- Sprinkle a layer of charcoal on top of the gravel.
- Fill the container ⅓ full with pre-moistened potting soil.
- Plant your plants in the soil. Arrange moist moss on top of exposed soil.
- Place any objects inside.
- Seal your container.
Place soil in a container and add water and mix until it is moist but not wet.
Place gravel in the bottom of your jar. Sprinkle a layer of charcoal on top if you choose.
Fill jar ⅓ with potting soil.
Carefully place your plants into the soil. Add any moss on top of the exposed soil. Place any objects on top of the moss. Seal your container.
Put your terrarium somewhere out of direct sunlight, and watch it grow! You can trim the leaves of plants that get too big and wipe the inside of the container to keep it clean.
By planting a terrarium with your child, you’ll get to see their knowledge and interest in the biosphere grow along with the plant. You’ll also be teaching them to respect nature.
Photo credit: PB Hastings on Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-SA
Jacob Palmer is a gardening and landscape design writer. When mowing lawns on his street as a child, he discovered a lifelong passion for landscape design. He now has three children who can all be found helping him most weekends with his next big garden project.

domain: design


text:
I’ve been worried about our public lands staying in public hands for quite some time now but since November I have become more and more concerned about our public lands being under assault. Our public lands have now officially been devalued by our own elected officials so they can be more easily sold off. Sold to be destroyed, sold so that only the rich can enjoy them, sold so that the already fat wallets of the wealthy get fatter.
When our public lands are under assault so are the wild lives that exist there, the coyotes, deer, birds, bears and all the rest who make it their home. There are some that say the state can better care for those lands. I’d call them fools but we humans are all distant cousins so I’ll tame that down a bit and call them misled instead. Intentionally and deliberately misled.
Land grabs and illusions.
This is what the land grabbers intend to do. They will sell of the public land you fish on, hunt on, camp on, hike on, recreate on. Those lands will become the stories that children of the future will hear with these words at the beginning of the story, “Once upon a time” and those stories will be about the wilderness that was lost and there will be no happy endings.
No Trespassing signs will become the ugliest graffiti of our lifetime and we will all lose. For those who think it won’t happen, that is because the powers that be want you to believe it won’t. They have spent a lot of money, time and energy creating illusions to make sure people believe what they say. For their purposes not ours.
It has already happened. It is happening still. We need progress, we don’t need growth when growth is greed.
Utah: In 2011 Gov. Gary Herbert (R-UT) said it’s “worth exploring” selling off much of his own state to help pay down the national debt, agreeing with an earlier call from Rep. Dennis Ross (R-FL).

domain: politics


text:
To get your hands on the Pokémon you will have to get a serial code from a participating store. In the UK and Germany you'll need to go to Smyths Toy Store while in France you'll have to make your way to PicWicToys. Details of the Mewtwo are as follows:
Held Item: None
It has also been confirmed that the Mewtwo will have maxed AVs, so you don't need to use candies to increase its power. The event will begin on the 9th of August and run until the 6th of September, so you have a whole month to claim this legendary Pokémon for yourself!
The event has not yet been confirmed outside of Europe or the UK, but we'll keep you updated if that changes.

domain: hobby


text:
STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY EXERCISES
with Glaciotectonic Examples – Part II
James S. Aber, Professor Emeritus
Emporia State University, Kansas
4. FOLD GEOMETRY
Nature of folds
Any bend, warp, or flexure in a geologic surface that we presume to have been originally flat and planar is a fold. Folds vary tremendously in their attributes—see Fig. 4-1. The sizes of folds that geologists deal with range from mm-size crenulations to broad crustal domes and basin 100s km across. Some folds are strictly superficial disturbances, and others may extend deep into the crust. The degree of folding varies from gentle warping, which is less than the thickness of the affected strata, to montane fold belts, to convoluted folding resulting from multiple phases of deformation.
All kinds of rocks display folds: sedimentary and volcanic strata, metamorphic schists and gneisses, granites and other plutonic rocks, salt, glacier ice, and poorly consolidated to unconsolidated materials of all kinds. It should be understood that the conditions under which folding of these rocks took place was probably quite different from what we observe today. For example, many large overturned folds in drift and soft bedrock produced by glacier shoving may have been deformed while in a permafrozen condition.
||Figure 4-1 – parallel folding. Gently bent beds of chalky limestone in the Fort Hays Limestone, upper Cretaceous, of western Kansas. Subtle folds of this type are common in areas of stable continental crust. Scale pole on right marked in feet.|
||Figure 4-1 – similar folding. Thickness of beds is stretched and distorted in these strongly folded metamorphic strata in the Caledonian mountain system of Silurian age. Near Kirkeporten, Skarsvåg, on the island of Magerøya, northernmost Norway.
Folds in structural geology.
Just as the general attributes of folds vary greatly, so do their origins. The result is that folds of various kinds and sizes are to be found in all sorts of rocks virtually everywhere in the crust of the Earth. Analysis of the geometry and timing of folding may reveal a great deal about the geologic history of a region. Fold geometry may also be economically important, for many mineral and fossil-fuel deposits tend to be locally concentrated in certain portions of folds—oil and natural gas in fold crests, artesian groundwater in fold troughs.
Geometric elements of folds
Folds are comprised of linear and planar geometric elements—see Fig. 4-2, and the geometric description of a fold consists of recognizing these elements and measuring their orientations and sizes. Here are the important geometric elements of folds.
- Axis – line of maximum curvature in a folded surface; also called the hinge line.
- Limb – relatively less curved (planar) surface between adjacent axes.
- Crest – line of highest elevation on arch of a folded surface; does not always coincide with the axis.
- Trough – line of lowest elevation on bottom of a folded surface; does not always coincide with the axis.
- Axial plane – a plane which essentially bisects the fold; it is parallel to and contains all axes of folded surfaces; also called the hinge surface.
The axis and axial surface may be approximated by a line and a plane, although they are not always strictly a straight line or a flat plane. Uparched folds are called anticlines, and down bowed folds are synclines. In Figure 4-2, the anticline on the left displays a gently curved axial plane, and the syncline to the right has a flat axial plane. The tightness of a fold is given by the interlimb angle—see Fig. 4-3, which is simply the angle between the two fold limbs. This angle is measured in a plane perpendicular to the fold axis.
||Figure 4-2. Schematic illustration of the geometric elements of folds. Three folded surfaces (1-3) define a syncline on the right and anticline on the left. The syncline has a flat axial plane, and the anticline has a slighly curved axial plane.
The axis and axial plane are the two basic geometric elements necessary to describe a fold's orientation. The actual orientation of the fold axis is measured by trend and plunge, and the axial plane is specified by strike and dip. Determination of the other geometric elements of the fold, then, completes the description of the fold's geometry. In the case of small folds that may be seen in their entirety in outcrops, the fold axis and axial plane may often be measured directly. However, this is not always possible, especially with larger folds, and so the axis and axial plane must be determined from measurements of fold limb positions.
|Figure 4-3. Schematic illustration of fold interlimb angle.
The surface outcrop pattern of a fold depends largely on the positions of its axis and axial plane. The typical zig-zag or S-shaped outcrop pattern of plunging folds is illustrated in Figure 4-4, and fold map symbols are shown in Figure 2-2. However, it is not always possible to estimate the axis and axial plane positions based solely on the rock outcrop pattern. Additional information, such as the ages and dips of folded strata, may be necessary to fully interpret the fold position. The outcrop patterns of anticlines and synclines may be distinguished as follows.
- Anticline – strata dip away from the fold center (crest), the oldest rock unit outcrops at the fold center, and the fold plunges toward the closed end of the loop.
- Syncline – strata dip toward the fold center (trough), the youngest rock unit outcrops at the fold center, and the fold plunges toward the open end of the loop.
||Figure 4-4. Block diagram showing map and vertical-section views of plunging folds—anticline on left and syncline on right—both plunging northward. See Figure 2-2 for symbols.
Fold style refers to the shape and thickness of adjacent layers in a fold. There are two basic styles of folding—see above.
Parallel folds are typical of rocks mildly deformed near the Earth's surface under conditions of relatively low pressure and temperature. Such folds tend to be largely superficial structures that cannot extend deep beneath the surface due to a geometric limitation. Similar folds are characteristic of rocks deformed under conditions of higher pressure and temperature. The thinning of limbs and thickening of the fold core indicate that plastic flowage of rock material took place during deformation. The similar style geometry may be projected upward or downward an infinite distance, because the shape remains constant from layer to layer.
- Parallel – cylindrical or concentric style of folding in which each layer maintains a constant thickness and folded surfaces remain strictly parallel throughout all parts of the fold.
- Similar – style of folding in which adjacent folded surfaces have identical shapes, and layers thicken toward the axial plane and thin in the limbs.
Fold style is a reflection of the competence of rocks during deformation. Competence refers to a rock's strength or foldability. Competent rocks are able to resist the forces of folding to some extent, and so produce open, parallel folds. Incompetent rocks are unable to resist folding, and so form tight, similar or irregular folds. Competence is strictly a relative condition, because rocks which are competent in one situation may behave incompetently in another.
Changes in pressure, temperature, fluid content, or many other factors may cause a change in competence. For example, marble is a competent rock at earth-surface pressure and temperature, but under metamorphic conditions it is quite incompetent. In a stratified sequence of rocks, the competence of layers varies from one to another depending mainly on lithology and thickness. Thus, when the sequence becomes folded, the fold style differs from layer to layer.
A simple method developed by Busk (1929) for constructing fold cross sections is illustrated in Figure 4-5. The method assumes that the folds are relatively open, do not plunge steeply, and are parallel in style. Dip measurements made at the surface are plotted on a vertical section that is approximately transverse to the trend of the folds.
Six dip lines on tilted strata of N-S trending folds are shown at points A-F in the example. Note that the dip angle plotted at each point on the section is the apparent dip of the tilted bed as it appears in the section. Dip measurements need not be from the same stratum, but could be made on any portion of the folds. The folds are constructed by drawing a series of circular arcs that are tangent to the apparent dip lines. Specific steps in this procedure are:
||Figure 4-5. Schematic illustration of constructing folds along a vertical cross section. Strata dip is shown at six sites (A-F) along the section. Folds are constructed in circular arcs; individual layers have uniform thicknesses
across the section.
Following this method, realistic subsurface folds of parallel style may be constructed and their former position above the land surface could also be projected. However, the folds cannot be constructed more deeply than the shallowest intersection point (in the example D/E). To continue drawing deeper arcs results in a cuspate fold style, which may not be realistic. It is also necessary to have sufficient data points along the section so that no folds are left out of the construction.
- Calculate the apparent dip of tilted beds at each point on the cross section. Draw in the apparent dip angle for each point; be sure to draw in correct direction of apparent dip.
- Draw construction lines that are perpendicular to each dip line (dashed lines in the example). Adjacent perpendicular construction lines intersect above or below the section. Open circles labelled A/B, B/C, and so on show these intersections in the example.
- Use the intersection points as centers around which to draw arcs between perpendicular construction lines. You need to adjust the radii of arcs for each intersection point. Three folded surfaces formed by arcs drawn in this manner are shown in the example (1-3). Those portions of surfaces 1 and 2 which are above the section between points C and E are shown for completeness, but are not actually present.
Table 4-1 (below) presents strike-and-dip data for points along the following section—see Fig. 4-6. The section is vertical and strikes (35°) N35E, and folds of the area generally trend NW-SE.
|Figure 4-6. Problem section. Print at full size in landscape format.
- Calculate the apparent dip angle and direction in the section at each point; round off apparent dip values to nearest degree.
||Example for site A. Map view shows the vertical cross section striking 35-215°. Strike-and-dip symbol: strike = 285°. A = 20° and B = 70°. Use the apparent dip formulas: tan AD = tan TD (40) x cos A (20) or tan AD = tan TD (40) x sin B (70). You should obtain an apparent dip of 38° (NE). Note: apparent dip is always less than true dip and never negative. |
- Following the method outlined above, construct a sequence of parallel folds as deeply beneath the land surface as possible.
- Assuming the section has a horizontal and vertical scale of one inch = one mile, how deeply may the parallel fold geometry of this method be extended before a cuspate style develops?
- From the strike-and-dip data and your fold section, are you able to determine if the folds are plunging; and if so, are they plunging to the NW or SE?
Table 4-1. Strike-and-dip data for tilted strata of section. Strike-and-dip values given according to the right-hand rule.*
|Site ||Strike ||Dip|
|A ||285 ||40 |
|B ||horizontal ||none|
|C ||155 ||55|
|D ||130 ||14|
|E ||295 ||15|
|F ||270 ||60|
|G ||265 ||50|
|H ||280 ||65|
|I ||130 ||05|
* Right-hand rule – fingers of the right hand point
downdip, and strike is recorded in the thumb direction.
- Busk, H.G. 1929. Earth Flexures. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, England.
5. STRUCTURE CONTOURING
A contour map is an excellent means of showing the geometric configuration of a surface. Topographic maps represent the configuration of the land surface by use of elevation contour lines and spot elevation readings. Hills, valleys, slopes, drainage, and other aspects of the land's topography may be represented and analyzed on typical topographic maps.
In like manner, structure contour maps show the configuration of a rock surface by means of elevation contour lines and spot elevation readings on that surface. Normally, a marker bed, formation boundary, or other distinctive stratigraphic horizon, which is readily recognizible in well logs, seismic sections, or outcrops, could be chosen as the reference surface. Assuming the reference surface was originally flat and horizontal, then any apparent hills or valleys are interpreted as anticlines and synclines, and a sharp drop or rise in elevations may represent a fault.
Structure contour maps are most often employed to display subsurface rocks and structures, but outcrop data may also be used for making such maps. Structural cross sections with different vertical exaggerations may be prepared from structure contour maps, and strike-and-dip measurements may also be made on the reference surface. In short, a thorough structural analysis of the reference surface is possible.
Structure contour maps are especially useful for recognizing epeirogenic structures—gentle warpings, mild folds and small faults developed within the stable craton of the mid-continent region. In this setting, strata are generally near-horizontal with dips of only a few m per km (feet per mile). Such structures are barely recognizible on conventional geologic maps, but are clearly identifible on structure contour maps—see Fig. 5-1. Small contour intervals on maps and large vertical exaggerations (50 to 300 times) on cross sections could be employed to emphasize otherwise subtle structures. Structure contour mapping is a standard approach for subsurface geological evaluation of oil and gas fields, groundwater aquifers, and other economic deposits.
||Figure 5-1. Structure contour map on the base of the Kansas City Group (upper Pennsylvanian) for a portion of Linn County, eastern Kansas. The Mound City Dome is an anticline with closure at 1000 feet elevation. Dip of bedrock around the dome is only 1-2°. Each full township measures 6 by 6 miles. Adapted from Seevers (1969).
Figure 5-2 shows maps of elevation control points on a structural surface and the resulting elevation contours of the surface. Each contour represents a line of constant (equal) elevation on that surface. In some cases, elevation control points are exactly equal to the contour lines, but elsewhere the positions of contours are interpolated between adjacent control points.
However, the exact positions of contour lines between control points cannot be definitely known. Examine the relationship between control-point and contour-line elevations in this example. Here are some basic rules to follow in constructing contour maps.
||Figure 5-2. Maps of elevation control points (left) and contour lines (right) on a structural surface. The map area represents one section (one square mile); elevations given in feet; strike-and-dip symbols shown on contour map.
Structure contour maps clearly reveal any folds present in the reference surface. For example, an open anticline plunging gently to the northeast is visible in Figure 5-2. Appropriate fold and fault symbols may be shown directly on the map. Strike and dip at any point on the surface could be determined easily—strike is parallel and dip is perpendicular to contour lines. The dip angle may also be measured.
- Contours are generally separate, smooth lines that are more-or-less parallel to each other.
- A single contour line never branches or divides.
- Contours may form closed loops around domes or basins. Tick marks are used to indicate a closed depression.
- Aside from closed loops, each contour should extend to the map edges; contours cannot simply begin or end in the middle of the map.
- Adjacent contour lines may merge only at vertical cliffs or faults which offset the surface.
- Use a contour interval that is appropriate to the elevation range present.
Consider the two points along the western edge of the map (fig. 5-2) at elevations of 84 and 116 feet. A straight line drawn between these two points is approximately perpendicular to the contours, and so represents a true dip line. The two points are 4150 feet apart and 32 feet different in elevation. Applying the dip-angle formula of Exercise 2: 32/4150 = tan (dip angle); dip angle = 0.4° N, or 41 feet per mile (one mile = 5280 feet). This shallow dip is quite typical of epeirogenic structures.
Several computer programs have been developed for routine contouring of structural data. Often a given set of control-point elevations could be contoured in several quite different configurations. The computer program normally would contour the simplist possible solution. Nonetheless, there are still many situations where manual contouring by an experienced geologist is preferable. The geologist should recognize this and decide on the best interpretation based on additional surface or subsurface information.
In this exercise you will prepare a structure contour map of Paleozoic strata in the Flint Hills of Cowley County, south-central Kansas. The locations of 63 well-holes are shown on the accompanying map—see Fig. 5-3. The map displays township-and-range boundaries for the southeastern portion of Cowley County. Six whole and six partial townships are covered by the map. A full township measures 6 miles on a side and is divided into 36 sections.
Upper Pennsylvanian and lower Permian limestone and shale crop out at the surface throughout the area shown. The general regional dip of these strata at the surface averages 25 feet per mile (~0.3°) westward. The most pronounced structural anomaly at the surface is the Dexter Anticline, which trends north and northeast across the map area. Surface strata dip eastward more than 100 feet within half a mile (dip >2°) east of the anticline's crest, but on the western flank of the anticline the dip is only about half as steep. Many producing oil and gas wells have been drilled in association with this and other similar structures of the region—see Fig. 5-4.
||Figure 5-3. Map of townships and well locations in southeastern Cowley County, Kansas. Adapted from Bayne (1962, plate 5). Print this map at full size for the exercise.
Contours on the top of the Douglas Group (subsurface Pennsylvanian) show more structural relief than do contours on surface rocks, but they more nearly reflect surface structures than would contours on any deeper formations. Table 5-1 gives elevations in feet on the top of the Douglas Group for each township in the map area.
||Figure 5-4. Road cut in the Florence Limestone (lower Permian) in the southern Flint Hills (left). Limestone with interbedded chert nodules and layers. Scale pole is marked in feet. Shinn NE oil field (right), located on the Beaumont anticline in southeastern Butler County. These examples are similar to the problem area in Cowley County.
- Prepare a structure contour map on the top of the Douglas Group for Figure 5-3. Use a 50-foot contour interval (50, 0, -50, -100, etc.). Assume there are no faults present.
- Prepare a structural cross section (profile) running E-W through point 4, T33S/R7E. Use a vertical scale of one inch = 200 feet.
- Determine the map scale, and calculate the vertical exaggeration of your section. Hint: divide the horizontal (map) scale by the vertical (section) scale. Note: both scales must be in the same units or fractions.
- Describe the regional strike and dip evident on your map. Calculate the actual dip between point 6, T33S/R7E, and point 4, T33S/R8E.
- Place appropriate fold symbols on your contour map. Do you find any subsurface evidence for the Dexter Anticline? If so, describe the subsurface expression of the anticline.
- There are multiple ways to configure the structure contours on the basis of the available subsurface data. Use dashed lines or colored lines to show alternate contour lines and fold symbols.
- Do any of your contour versions represent significantly different structures? Which contour version do you prefer based on information about surface structures?
Table 5-1. Elevations on the top of the Douglas Group (see map). Adapted from Bayne (1962, plate 5).
|Well ||Elev. |
|T32S/R6E ||1 ||-329 |
| ||2 || -127|
| ||3 || -296|
| ||4 || -185|
| ||5 || -315|
| ||6 || -351|
| ||7 || -310|
| ||8 || -280|
| ||9 || -331|
| ||10 || -270|
|Well ||Elev. |
|T32S/R7E ||1 ||- 28|
| ||2 ||-110|
| ||3 ||- 20 |
| ||4 ||- 46 |
| ||5 ||-117 |
| ||6 ||- 51 |
|T32S/R8E ||1 ||140 |
| ||2 ||88 |
| ||3 ||40 |
| ||4 ||83 |
|Well ||Elev. |
|T33S/R6E ||1 ||-332 |
| ||2 ||-355|
| ||3 ||-355 |
| ||4 ||-156|
| ||5 ||-135 |
| ||6 ||-59 |
| ||7 ||-365 |
| ||8 ||-375 |
|Well ||Elev. |
|T33S/R7E ||1 ||-55 |
| ||2 ||-175 |
| ||3 ||-54 |
| ||4 ||-182|
| ||5 ||-38|
| ||6 ||-14 |
|T33S/R8E ||1 ||50|
| ||2 ||160|
| ||3 ||100|
| ||4 ||191|
|Well ||Elev. |
|T34S/R6E ||1 ||-180|
| ||2 ||-250|
| ||3 ||-362|
| ||4 ||-240|
| ||5 ||-233|
| ||6 ||-145|
| ||7 ||-80|
|Well ||Elev. |
|T34S/R7E ||1 ||-147|
| ||2 ||-58|
| ||3 ||-150|
| ||4 ||18|
| ||5 ||80|
|T34S/R8E ||1 ||90|
| ||2 ||215|
| ||3 ||120|
|Well ||Elev. |
|T35S/R6E ||1 ||-257|
| ||2 ||-256|
| ||3 ||-225|
|T35S/R7E ||1 ||-191|
| ||2 ||-140|
| ||3 ||-120|
| ||4 ||-85|
| ||5 ||115|
| ||6 ||35|
|T35S/R8E ||1 ||200|
- Bayne, C.K. 1962. Geology and ground-water resources of Cowley County, Kansas. Kansas Geological Survey, Bulletin 158.
- Seevers, W.J., 1969. Geology and ground-water resources of Linn County, Kansas. Kansas Geological Survey, Bulletin 193, 62 p.
6. EQUAL-ANGULAR STEREONET
A stereographic projection, or more simply a stereonet, is a powerful method for displaying and manipulating the 3-dimensional geometry of lines and planes. The orientations of lines and planes may be plotted relative to the center of a sphere, called the projection sphere, as shown at the top of Figure 6-1. The intersection made by the line or plane with the sphere's circumference defines the 3-dimensional orientation of the line or plane. The projection sphere is divided in half by a horizontal plane called the projection plane. Compass directions are indicated on the projection plane. All measurements are made relative to horizontal, so only the lower hemisphere of the projection sphere need be used.
The lower stereonet hemisphere may be projected in various manners onto a flat graph. However, stereographic projections distort the distances and spatial relationships of features. Stereonets are preferable to maps or cross sections for solving many geometric problems involving lines and planes that are common in structural geology. Two popular stereographic projections are: (1) the equal-angular or Wulff stereonet, and (2) the equal-area or Schmidt stereonet.
||Figure 6-1. Dipping plane plotted relative to the center of a projection sphere (above), and horizontal projection of that plane (below).
For further information, see Stereonet 11.
The Wulff stereonet is perhaps the easier of the two projections to visualize, and so we will examine it first. Imagine that your eye is positioned at the zenith of the projection sphere (Fig. 6-1). The dipping plane intersects the lower hemisphere forming an arc that your eye visualizes on the horizontal projection plane. The resulting projection-plane arc is, in effect, a single-point perspective view of the dipping plane as seen from the top of the sphere. This method of projection is the basis of the Wulff stereonet—see Fig. 6-2.
The Wulff stereonet consists of a series of circular arcs that form meridians running N-S and parallels running E-W. Although the meridians and parallels resemble longitude and latitude lines on a map, they are not; the stereonet is not
a map. The meridians represent N-S striking planes with dips ranging from 0 to 90° east and west. Angles are preserved on the Wulff stereonet; note that meridians and parallels always intersect at right angles. However, size and shape are distorted, as
seen by comparing different portions of the projection. Lines and planes plot on the Wulff stereonet as follows—see Fig. 6-3.
||Figure 6-2. Wulff stereographic projection. Print out a full-sized version for the examples below and problem.
- Vertical line – single point at exact center.
- Plunging line – single point, closer to center for steeper plunge, closer to edge for shallower plunge.
- Horizontal line – two "half points" on opposite sides.
- Vertical plane – straight line through center.
- Dipping plane – circular arc, closer to center for steep dip, closer to edge for shallower dip.
- Horizontal plane – great circle that coincides with outer edge of stereonet.
||Figure 6-3. Representative stereonet plots of lines and planes: A - vertical line, B - plunging line (trend/plunge = 150/20°), C - horizontal line (trend = 70°), D - vertical plane (strike = 115°), E - dipping plane (strike/dip = 210/30°), F - horizontal plane (coincides with outer edge of stereonet).
Plotting lines and planes
The traditional procedure in making stereonet plots is to work on tracing paper laid over the stereonet. A thumbtack is pushed through the stereonet from the back side, so that the point sticks up in the center of the stereonet. A sheet of tracing paper is then pushed down on the thumbtack, so as to rotate around the center of the stereonet. Plastic stereonet templates and computer programs are also available for stereographic analysis. In either case, once the tracing paper is positioned, be sure to mark the north, south, east, and west points as reference marks on the outer edge of the stereonet. You are now ready to begin plotting lines and planes. Work through the three following examples to learn how to use the Wulff stereonet—see Fig. 6-4.
Example A: Plot a plane which has a strike of 40° and a dip angle of 50°. Note: following the right-hand rule means that dip direction is 90° clockwise from strike; in this case strike is to the northeast and dip direction is toward the southeast. What is the apparent dip angle of the plane for an apparent dip line that trends 80°?
||Figure 6-4. Stereonet plots illustrating examples A, B, and C discussed below.
Example B: Find the true strike and dip of a plane given the following two apparent dips: (1) trend/plunge = 315/30°, and (2) trend/plunge = 14/22°.
- To plot a plane first mark the strike along the outer edge of the stereonet, and then add 90° and mark the dip trend along the outer edge of the stereonet. In this example, you should mark 40° (strike) and 130° (SE dip).
Note: for planar strike-and-dip values, the right-hand rule is assumed. The fingers of the right hand point downdip on the plane, and the strike is recorded for the thumb direction. Always follow this rule to avoid mistakes.
- Now rotate the tracing so that your strike mark points straight north. This brings your dip mark onto the E-W axis of the stereonet. All dip or plunge angles are measured on the E-W axis.
- Count the dip angle inward from your dip mark along the E-W axis; in this case count in 50°. Draw in the N-S meridian arc which crosses the E-W axis at the dip angle you counted.
- Finally, rotate the tracing back to its original position; the arc represents a plane with strike = 40° and dip angle = 50°.
- To find the apparent dip, mark the trend of 80° on the outer edge of the stereonet.
- Rotate the apparent-dip-trend mark at 80° to the E-W axis, and count the plunge angle inward along the E-W axis to the spot where the arc crosses the axis. Mark that point. You should count an apparent dip angle of 38° in this example. Use the apparent dip formulas to confirm your graphical answer.
Example C: Find the trend and plunge of the line formed by the intersection of the following two planes: (1) strike/dip = 50/60° and (2) strike/dip = 110/20°. Determine the angle between the two planes.
- You need to plot two points for the two (linear) apparent dips. Begin by marking each trend on the outer edge of the stereonet.
- Rotate the tracing so that trend 1 is on the E-W axis, and count inward 30°. Mark that point for apparent dip 1.
- Rotate the tracing so that trend 2 is on the E-W axis, and count inward 22°. Mark that point for apparent dip 2. You should now have marked two points.
- Now rotate the tracing so that both points fall on the same N-S circular arc, and sketch in that arc. This arc represents the plane in question.
- Without moving the tracing, count inward along the E-W axis to the arc to determine the plane's true dip.
- Finally, rotate the tracing back to its original position and determine the strike of the arc where its ends meet the outer edge of the stereonet. You should have a plane whose strike/dip = 237/30°. Remember to use the right-hand rule.
As these examples demonstrate, it is possible to quickly solve geometric problems on the stereonet that would otherwise be difficult to calculate. The stereonet is a graphical technique, so it is only as accurate as your sketching of lines and points on it. Do not expect answers from the paper stereonet that are closer than +1°. This level of precision is more than suitable for most problems in structural geology. Proficiency with the stereonet requires practice, therefore it is strongly recommended that you work through the previous examples—either on paper or with Stereonet 11 (or both)—before attempting to solve the problem.
- Plot arcs for both planes following the procedure of example A. For each plane, mark the dip line (90° clockwise from strike) as a point. After rotating the tracing back to its original position, you should obtain two arcs.
- Mark the point at which the arcs intersect each other. This point represents the intersection line of the two planes. The compass direction (trend) of the point is determined along the outer edge of the stereonet; in this case, trend = 219°.
- Now rotate the intersection point to the E-W axis, and count the plunge angle inward along the axis to the point. You should obtain a plunge of 19° in this example.
- Now, rotate the tracing so that the two dip points fall on the same N-S meridian. Count the angle between these two points; it equals the angle between the two planes, 52° in this case.
The Dirt Hills and Cactus Hills of southern Saskatchewan are among the largest ice-pushed hills in the world—see Fig. 6-5. A large natural exposure on the southern side of the Dirt Hills displays deformed bedrock of the Whitemud and lower Ravenscrag Formations—see Fig. 6-6. Lower Ravenscrag strata normally rest on top of the Whitemud Formation, but here the stratigraphy is upset. A tight fold of Whitemud strata (beds a-b) is thrust over a large, overturned fold of lower Ravenscrag sediments (beds d-j) along a thin seam of lignite (unit c).
||Figure 6-5. Major ice-shoved hills of southern Saskatchewan and adjacent Alberta (numbered sites). 2 = Dirt Hills; 3 = Cactus Hills. Dashed lines indicate general trends of ice-shoved ridges. Location of exposure in southern Dirt Hills indicated by asterisk. Adapted from Kupsch (1962, fig.1).
||Figure 6-6. Measured section of exposure, southern Dirt Hills, Saskatchewan. Whitemud strata are beds a-b; Ravenscrag strata are beds d-j. No vertical exaggeration; adapted from Aber (1993).
||Large folds on the southern flank of the Dirt Hills, southern Saskatchewan, Canada. Overview (left) showing an exposure of Whitemud Formation (white, upper left) thrust over lower Ravenscrag Formation (brown, center). The normal stratigraphy is inverted, and both formations are strongly folded. Close-up view of large, overturned fold of the lower Ravenscrag Formation (right). Compare with measured section (above).
The Whitemud fold axis was measured directly in the field—trend/plunge = 110/15°. However, the axis of the larger Ravenscrag fold was covered and could not be measured directly. The upper limb of the Ravenscrag fold strikes/dips 284/70°; its lower limb strikes/dips 284/46°. You may use the large (paper) Wulff stereonet or Stereonet 11 to answer the following questions.
- Plot the two Ravenscrag fold limbs (planar) on the stereonet. The intersection of the two planes represents the fold axis. What are the trend and plunge of the fold axis?
- Plot the Whitemud fold axis (linear) on the same stereonet. Are the two fold axes approximately parallel? Do the fold axes correspond to the local trend of the Dirt Hills?
- What is the angle between the limbs of the Ravenscrag fold?
- Based on your analysis of this exposure, what was the local direction of ice shoving that created these structures?
Return to Table of Contents.
Notice: This course was prepared for the use and benefit of students enrolled at Emporia State University. Others are welcome to view the course webpages. Any other use of text, imagery or curriculum materials is prohibited without permission. © J.S. Aber (2021).
- Aber, J.S. 1993. Glaciotectonic landforms and structures. In Sauchyn, D.J. (ed.), Quaternary and Late Tertiary landscapes of southwestern Saskatchewan and adjacent areas. Canadian Plains Research Center, Canadian Plains Proceedings 25, vol. 2, p. 20-26. Regina, Canada.
- Kupsch, W. O. 1962. Ice-thrust ridges in western Canada. Journal of Geology 70, p. 582-594.


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Credit unions should proceed with caution on mortgage lending
Central Bank is preparing to loosen limits on lending, but long-term loans carry big risks
The Central Bank said the revised limits would provide scope for nearly €1.3 billion of lending by credit unions for house and commercial loans. Photograph: Frank Miller
Under current regulations, there are limits on the amount that credit unions can lend out over five and 10 years. Only 30 per cent of a credit union’s loan book can be lent out over five years, and just 10 per cent can be lent out over 10 years.
The Central Bank now proposes removing these lending maturity limits and replacing them with “concentration limits” for house and commercial loans, the two main forms of long-term lending.
Under the new proposals, all credit unions would be allowed to lend for housing and commercial loans to a limit of 7.5 per cent of the total assets of the union. An increased limit of 15 per cent would be available for credit unions with total assets of €100 million or more.
There are 264 credit unions in the Republic, 53 of which have lending of more than €100 million. The Central Bank said the revised limits would provide scope for nearly €1.3 billion of lending by credit unions for house and commercial loans.
Ireland’s average residential mortgage interest rates are the highest in the euro zone, with Irish banks being accused of ripping off customers here. Against that backdrop, increased competition from credit unions is to be welcomed and the regulator appears to have set the criteria at about the right levels.
However, we would do well to remember that long-term lending is a risky business – more than 750,000 residential mortgages fell into arrears after the crash – and repossessing family homes in the event of a default is incredibly difficult and time-consuming in Ireland, and potentially damaging to the reputations of community organisations such as credit unions. They should proceed with caution.

domain: news


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SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - Over the past year, Target says customers have raised concerns about a handful of signs in the store labeling toys or bedding by just gender.
In response, Target stores are getting rid of those distinctions saying sorting some products by gender isn't necessary.
In Target stores across the country, shopping in certain sections based gender will soon be a thing of the past.
"Target is targeting the modern shopper. The modern shopper does not buy into gender stereotypes," said Wendy Patrick, a San Diego State University Ethics Lecturer.
The toys and bedding sections will no longer say boys or girls, but will have more generic kids tittle.
"We certainly recognized that coming out with this there would be a wide variety of opinions and we respect those. What it really comes down to is we identified just a couple different areas in the store where we really felt like it made sense to just be more inclusive," said Target spokeswoman, Molly Snyder.
The pink and blue background colors will be changed to a neutral tone.
"I like the general toys idea honestly. I think it just makes things easier on us because you don't have to feel pushed toward Barbie dolls if you have a daughter, or cars because you have a boy," said Vanessa Morales, a mother and Target shopper.
But some parents feel the new distinctions will make shopping more difficult and time consuming.
"It's getting too confusing, mixing everything up in one little thing. Just keep it simple," said Ryan Salenga, a father and Target shopper.
The change comes in response to outcry on social media over limited options.
Target says it has received positive a response, but it is unclear if other businesses will follow suit.
Stores in San Diego so far have not made those signs changes yet, but changes could happen as early as this week.
Target says the non-gender distinctions will not affect its website where shoppers search for items based on gender.

domain: sociology


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Invisalign and Accelerated Invisalign Orthodontics
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How To Guide
Connect the mouthpiece to the oscillator. Confirm that the device feels secure and stable.
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LED Notifcation Light blinks green 3 times to indicate cycle is complete. After use, clean and charge device as needed.
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Call us (417) 887-5155 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Randi Green and the smile team or write us a quick message to get started.
Invisalign Treatment with Dan
Our patient Dan shared his Invisalign animation so you can see how his teeth moved through treatment. This 3-D rendered animation provided by Dr. Green shows the movement of his teeth during treatment with Invisalign.
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Invisalign clear aligners can have a significant positive impact on your life.
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Gaps between teeth can occur with abnormal continued growth of the jawbone. Missing teeth can also cause the surrounding teeth to shift due to the extra space, creating gaps in your teeth. Spacing issues and gaps between teeth can lead to gum problems (due to lack of protection by the teeth), periodontal pockets and increased risk of periodontal disease.
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What people commonly refer to as an “overbite” is known to dental professionals as “overjet.” It occurs when the upper teeth bite over the lower teeth. Its typically caused by genetics, bad oral habits, or overdevelopment of the bone that supports the teeth. This can lead to gum problems or irritation, and/or wear on the lower teeth, and can cause painful jaw and joint problems.
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Underbite can occur when the lower teeth protrude past the front teeth. Its usually caused by undergrowth of the upper jaw, overgrowth of the lower jaw, or both. It can also be caused by missing upper teeth. This can prevent the normal function of front teeth or molars, which can lead to tooth wear. It can also cause painful jaw and joint problems.
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Open bite often occurs when some teeth are unable to make physical contact with the opposing teeth for a proper bite. Most often caused by a genetic abnormal jaw structure or excessive thumb-sucking, an open bite can cause poor or painful chewing, and even speech impairment. It can also lead to greater issues like temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).
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Teeth crowding occurs when there is simply a lack of room within your jaw for all of your teeth to fit normally. When left untreated, overly crowded teeth can get worse over time, and result in severely crooked teeth. This crowding can lead to plaque accumulation, tooth decay and an increased chance of gum disease.
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Crossbite can occur when the upper and lower jaws are both misaligned. It causes one or more upper teeth to bite on the inside of the lower teeth, and can happen on both the front and the sides of the mouth. This can cause wear of the teeth, gum disease and bone loss.

domain: medical


text:
8.5 oz (50+ servings)
This beautiful elixir is a potent immune powerhouse that will help aid you during cold/flu season. Take it straight or add it to hot water or tea for an extra sweet boost.
organic elderberries, organic elderflower, organic lemon juice, organic raw honey, organic honey, filtered water, grain alcohol, organic cinnamon, organic ginger, organic nutmeg, organic allspice, organic spices
directions for use.
take 1 tsp daily for immunity
take up to 1/2 tsp hourly during illness

domain: food


A Coopersburg woman is accused of trying to kill herself while she was with her dependent daughter, Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin said.
Sara Rhoads, 37, of the 400 block of Carriage Drive, was charged Wednesday with neglect of a care-dependent person and reckless endangerment.
Rhoads’ daughter has cerebral palsy and has been diagnosed on the autism spectrum, police said.
Coopersburg police said they found Rhoads and her 18-year-old daughter in the early morning of Jan. 2 inside a vehicle with its engine running, in a one-car garage in the 100 block of East Station Avenue.
The garage was filled with carbon monoxide gas, and both women were taken to St. Luke’s Hospital-Upper Bucks Campus for treatment.
Prosecutors allege Rhoads was attempting suicide and placed her care-dependent daughter in danger. Asked why Rhoads was not facing attempted homicide charges, office spokeswoman Meg Wieand said Martin exercised his discretion with the charges filed in the case.
Upon release from the hospital on Wednesday, Rhoads was charged and released on $25,000 unsecured bail.
The district attorney’s office did not seek cash bail in the case, and Rhoads was referred to Team MISA (Mental Illness Substance Abuse) for continuing treatment.
Editor’s note: Suicidal thoughts and behaviors can be reduced with the proper mental health support and treatment. If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.


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Collaborators’ Q&A: Artist Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr.: The “panoramic vistas” / “South Dakota” / “red road” all pulled my eye, all led to memories of the “prayer song(s),” the prayer actions that focused so many, in such real ways, and the photo is of the road where we sang. Poet Gabrielle Williams: In early November 2016 two of my friends and I decided to drive out to Standing Rock from our home in Las Vegas. We gathered money and items to donate from our community here at UNLV… We helped build yurts for the coming winter and watched wild horses gently wander the grassy plains. We slept in a tent covered by the shadows of the hills around us and woke every morning frosty and dew covered in our sleeping bags. The events at Standing Rock are ongoing, such as history is perpetual. So I wrote about the small moments. I wanted to honor all of those little things, the ways which we continue, the ways in which nothing ends, only begins again and again.
Photographer Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr. is Associate Professor and Co-Chair of Native American Studies at the University of Montana. His short story collection about sort of growing up in Chicago, Sacred Smokes, will be out in 2018. Poet Gabrielle Faith Williams is currently attending The University of Nevada, Las Vegas for her MFA in Creative Writing and received a BA in Poetry from Columbia College Chicago.


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Special to The CJR
Canada is without an ambassador to Israel for the time being.
Deborah Lyons, who served as Canada’s envoy to the Jewish state since 2016, retired from the civil service and on March 24, was named Special Representative to the Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.
The UN describes the office as a political mission “established at the request of the Government of Afghanistan to assist it and the people of Afghanistan in laying the foundations for sustainable peace and development.”
Lyons succeeds Tadamichi Yamamoto of Japan in the UN role.
A career diplomat, Lyons was Canadian ambassador to Afghanistan prior to her Israel posting. Four years ago, she replaced Canada’s ambassador to Israel at the time, Vivian Bercovici.
A lawyer, Bercovici served as Canada’s representative in Israel from January 2014, appointed by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, until her dismissal in June 2016, and was known for her strident views. She later sued the Canadian government, alleging she had been mistreated as ambassador and was owed pension funds.
Lyons joined the Foreign Affairs department in 1999 and was posted to Tokyo and Washington. In Ottawa, she held positions with the Department of Natural Resources, the Privy Council Office and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.
In contrast to Bercovici’s, Lyons’ tenure in Tel Aviv was low-key. It included the modernization last year of the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement.
Lyons was “one of the most successful and prominent Canadian ambassadors to Israel, ever,” enthused David Weinberg, director of the Israel office at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.
Weinberg said Lyons “indefatigably sought to advance the Canada-Israel relationship in the fields of trade, technology and scientific cooperation, and culture. Her constant refrain was that ‘Israel sizzles with creativity and ingenuity,’ a message that she repeated to hundreds of Canadian business and tech executives across her almost-four-year diplomatic tenure in Israel.”
Lyons often said, “There is no other diplomatic post in Canada’s foreign service more exciting than the role of ambassador in Israel,” related Weinberg.
The ambassador managed the visit to Israel of then-Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland in November 2018, and undertook several cross-Canada tours to promote academic and business ties with and tourism to Israel.
Lyons effectively articulated Israel’s strategic concerns, mainly about Iran and its proxies, to Ottawa, Weinberg told the CJR.
“She was an active participant in behind-the-scenes diplomatic dialogues regarding the Palestinians involving the UN Special Mideast Envoy and her American and European diplomatic colleagues. Her role was particularly important when Hamas protestors first confronted Israeli troops on the Gaza border in March 2018, a deadly confrontation that led to some tension between Ottawa and Jerusalem.”
Once a replacement Canadian ambassador to Israel is made, “it will be announced via news release and available on the Global Affairs Canada website,” Global Affairs spokesperson Angela Savard told The CJR.