Spectrum Analyzers and Signal Analyzers Information

Spectrum analyzers and signal analyzers are passive receivers, which displays the signal in the form of easily identifiable data. Spectrum analyzers and signal analyzers display raw, unprocessed signal information such as voltage, power, period, wave shape, sidebands, and frequency. They can provide the user with a clear and precise window into the frequency spectrum. Spectrum analyzers and signal analyzers are used to analyze the electrical signals that are passing through or being transmitted by the system or device. They are widely used in situations where design, manufacturing and field service or repair of electrical systems or devices is needed. By analyzing the characteristics of the signal once its gone through the device / system, the user can determine the performance, find problems, troubleshoot, etc. Depending upon the application, a signal could have several different characteristics. For example, in communications, in order to send information such as voice or data, it must be modulated onto a higher frequency carrier. A modulated signal will have specific characteristics depending on the type of modulation used. When testing nonlinear devices such as amplifiers or mixers, it is important to understand how these create distortion products and what these distortion products look like. Understanding the characteristics of noise and how a noise signal looks compared to other types of signals can also help in analyzing the device/system.

Physical Specifications

Important physical specifications to consider when searching for spectrum analyzers and signal analyzers include mounting and form factor. Choices include handheld, portable or benchtop, and fixed. The analyzer is usually an instrument based unit or pc-based unit. Test types performed by analyzers include modulation, distortion, and noise. Measuring the quality of the modulation is important for making sure a system is working properly and that the information is being transmitted correctly. In communications, measuring distortion is critical for both the receiver and transmitter. Excessive harmonic distortion at the output of a transmitter can interfere with other communication bands. Because any active circuit or device will generate noise it is an important parameter to measure. Tests such as noise figure and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are important for characterizing the performance of a device and/or its contribution to overall system noise. Analysis types include fast Fourier transform (FFT) and swept-tuned. The Fourier analyzer basically takes a time-domain signal, digitizes it using digital sampling, and then performs the mathematics required to convert it to the frequency domain, and display the resulting spectrum. It is as if the spectrum analyzers and signal analyzers are looking at the entire frequency range at the same time using parallel filters measuring simultaneously. The most common type of spectrum analyzer is the swept-tuned receiver. It is the most widely accepted, general-purpose tool for frequency-domain measurements.

Frequency Performance Specifications

Important frequency performance specifications to consider when searching for spectrum analyzers and signal analyzer include the frequency range, frequency accuracy, and frequency resolution. It is important that a spectrum analyzer will cover the fundamental frequencies of the application, as well as harmonics or spurious signals on the high end, or baseband and IF on the low end. Frequency accuracy is often listed under the Frequency Readout Accuracy specification and is usually specified as the sum of several sources of errors, including frequency-reference inaccuracy, span error, and RBW center-frequency error. Resolution is an important specification when trying to measure signals that are close together and need to be distinguishable from each other. The IF filter bandwidth is also known as the resolution bandwidth (RBW). Input and output specifications to consider include number of input channels, dynamic range, and number of output channels.

Read user Insights about Spectrum Analyzers and Signal Analyzers


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Novel Sulfide-Binding Mechanism Found in Deep-Sea Tubeworms

Charles Fisher, Penn State and Pat Hickey, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution - Permission is granted for one-time use to illustrate articles about this research only.
This is an image of a group of the giant hydrothermal vent tubeworm, Riftia pachyptila, taken around 2500 m at 9ºN along the East Pacific Rise (Pacific Ocean). The red portion of the worm exposed at the top of the white tube is the gas exchange organ, or plume. This is where sulfide and oxygen enter the worm and bind to the hemoglobins. The plume gets its deep red color from the large extracelllular hemoglobins circulating throughout the worm.

The discovery that zinc contained in the hemoglobin of deep-sea tubeworms is used to bind and transport nutrients to symbiotic bacteria will be published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science during the week of 14 February 2005. Further research with the hemoglobin could lead to its use in a variety of ways, including as an artificial substitute for oxygen carriers in human blood.

Tubeworms living near hydrothermal vents and cold seeps in the world’s oceans must adapt to sulfide levels that would prove lethal to most aquatic life while simultaneously providing hydrogen sulfide molecules to symbiotic bacteria within their bodies. A Penn State research team, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester and in the United Kingdom, reports a new mechanism for sulfide binding in the hemoglobins, the same molecules that carry oxygen to the worm’s own cells. The research team reports that zinc ions in the hemoglobin bind hydrogen sulfide, the first example of any hemoglobin incorporating a metal specifically for that purpose.

"The worms need to bind free sulfide so that it doesn’t react with oxygen, to reduce sulfide exposure in their tissues, and to provide the sulfide to the bacteria that, as far as we know, provide all of the worm’s nutritional needs," says Charles Fisher, professor of biology at Penn State, whose research team includes Penn State graduate assistant Jason Flores, the lead author of the research paper, and William Royer, professor of biochemistry and molecular pharmacology at the University of Massachusetts. "Our discovery, which results from a very multi-disciplinary approach, replaces the current paradigm for the evolution of worm hemoglobin by demonstrating that hydrogen-sulfide molecules are bound by a metal ion rather than by an arrangement of amino acids."

In addition to a very large hexagonal hemoglobin, typical of many worm species, the deep-sea hydrothermal vent tubeworm, Riftia pachyptila, has a second, smaller hemoglobin. The research group characterized this second hemoglobin by X-ray crystallography, providing the first such detailed structural information of a protein from a hydrothermal-vent animal.

Hydrothermal-vent species must adapt to conditions of pressure and chemicals that are toxic to most other animals. While the worms are able to absorb the oxygen and sulfide through their gills, they have no organs for capturing or digesting food. Their only known source of nutrition comes from internal bacteria, which, in turn, rely on the worm’s hemoglobin for both sulfide and oxygen. The unusual form of hemoglobin gives the worms an advantage over other organisms competing for space near the vents and may play a role in their ability to adapt to a wide temperature range.

"The hollow spherical structure in the hemoglobin of this species includes 12 zinc ions in depressions at the outer part of the molecule," explains Flores. "These ions form a reversible bond with the hydrogen sulfide molecules that could block the oxygen-carrying sites, allowing the molecule to simultaneously carry oxygen and sulfide."

Flores says that the hollow spherical structure is unique. "Human and other hemoglobins have a ’globular’ form, but none have been discovered with this symmetrical sphere. This sphere is a very stable shape, which may be part of the adaptation for the extreme conditions in which these worms thrive."

Because zinc is the second most utilized transition metal (after iron) in biological systems, the characterization of this hemoglobin’s structure, assembly, and function could provide a starting point for other studies into the incorporation of metal ions into biological functions. The structure also could prove a useful means of sulfide transport for chemical synthesis and detection systems. In addition, the hemoglobin itself could have medical applications. Recent medical studies have focused on the worm’s large hexagonal hemoglobins as possible substitutes for oxygen carriers in human blood. "The newly characterized molecule is substantially smaller than the hexagonal hemoglobin, reducing problems of removal by kidney filtration, but still has six times as many active oxygen-carrying sites as human hemoglobin," Flores adds.

This research was supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Undersea Research Program, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation.

Barbara K. Kennedy | EurekAlert!
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Art and History Museum

This museum is larger than any other museum in Geneva. The Art and History Museum chronicles and catalogues a comprehensive study of western culture, from ancient to modern times, including current issues. It contains in its collection over one million pieces, classified into three separate wings of the buildings. The Archeology wing houses relics from ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilizations. The Fine Arts wing is home to paintings from the Renaissance era onwards, including works by renowned artists like Van Gogh and Renoir. The third wing, the Applied Arts wing displays weapons, household items, including furniture, cutlery, decorative elements, and other objects of daily life from the medieval times.

Location: Rue Ch.-Galland 2

Telephone: 022 418 2600
Timings: 10:00 - 17:00. Closed on Mondays.
Tickets: Free. CHF 5 for exhibitions.

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Mission, Vision and Objectives

To enhance and promote the role of Technical Assessments of innovative and non-standardised systems and products in the construction field worldwide and to develop the mutual confidence on technical assessments made by its members.

To become the world network for co-ordinating and facilitating innovation assessment in the construction field.

  1. To facilitate the transfer of national products to the global marketplace through the acceptance of technical assessments of innovative and non-standardised building and construction products and processes delivered by its members.
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  4. To promote co-operation and the free exchange of information between members.
  5. To encourage all existing Technical Assessment Organisations that fulfill the membership criteria to voluntary join.
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Folklore Creatures Part II

Updated on January 06, 2012

Loch Ness Monster

Creatures of Folklore, Mythology and Legend

· Witches- Witches and Wizards are well known all over the world. They are said to possess magical powers and perform spells referred to as “witchcraft”. The female version of this creature is usually referred to as Witches and the male version referred to as Wizards or Warlocks. More often than not Witches are referred to as being evil and dangerous. Not very often do they use their powers for good. During the Middle Ages in Europe many men and women were tortured and even killed after being accused of practicing witchcraft. As it was assumed these people also worshiped the Devil. The most well-known witch hunts were those of Salem where in 1692 many people were executed for supposedly practicing Witchcraft.

Jorogumo- The Jorogumo originated in Japan. It is said to be a very large spider like creature that can change its form to a seductive women. The legend is that the Jorogumo would change its self into a women playing a Japanese lute usually wearing a mask to hide her true appearance. While unsuspecting mean were distracted by her beauty and the music. She would entrap them in a silk spider web. After trapping them in her web she would eat them. A Jorogumo is created when once a spider reaches 400 years of age. Not all stories of the Jorogumo are perceived as evil creatures however. One legend suggests that a Jorogumo once lived in a waterfall and actually fell in love with a man.

Ala- The Ala is a female demon originating in Bulgarians, Macedonians, and Serbs folklore. These demons present themselves in the form of a horrible hail-producing thunderstorm. However, the Ala may also present itself as anything from black wind to a humanlike or a snakelike monster. They are known to destroy crops, vineyards and steal loot. At times they were said to steal and eat small children. This demon is so powerful it is believed that the cause of solar and lunar eclipses is the Ala trying to eat them. If the Ala was successful at this it would mean the end of the world.

Ailuranthrope- Also known as the werecat. Is similar to a werewolf with cat-like features rather than dog-like features. This werecat, like the werewolf is considered to be a shape shifter. However, this shape shifter can only transform into one type of feline. Some of these felines are entirely fantasy while others transform in domestic cats, lions, lynx, ect. The term “werecat” was not coined until the 19th century. Therefore, other terms had been used in earlier times. Werecats are now known almost worldwide.

Aswang- An Aswang is an evil combination of a witch and vampire like creature originating in the Philippines. The Aswang is a shape shifting creature who takes a human form during the day and some type of animal form at night. There are very little details about the Aswang as it is a term commonly used to describe all evil monsters. They are said to eat the heart and liver of small children in order to live on. Years ago the Aswang was blamed for such events as miscarriages, ect. Today the Aswang legend is used to protect small children from danger.

Dragon- The idea of the Dragon exists in many cultures and many myths. A Dragon is a large creature possessing reptile like qualities or resembling snakes with large wings and the ability to breathe fire. However, some stories of Dragons suggest that they are poisonous rather than fire breathing. Dragons are usually perceived as evil creatures except in Welsh folklore and present day fiction. Dragons are often said to possess some sort of magic or supernatural powers, they represent spirituality, power and are often seen guarding some sort of treasure. There are many theories about where Dragons originated from. Suggesting that Dinosaur bones were mistaken as Dragon bones, or that people had mistakenly called snakes, Dragons, when they possessed some sort of deformity. Another theory suggests that Dragons actually did exist, but like the Dinosaurs eventually died off.

Pegasus- Pegasus is a very well-known creature that originated from Greek Mythology. Pegasus is a white, winged horse like creature known as Poseidon’s Horse-God. Pegasus is actually a son of the Gorgon, Medusa. Pegasus was captured near a fountain by the local hero Bellerophon who was unable to ride him due to Zeus creating an insect to bite Pegasus and buck Bellerophon off. Pegasus actually allowed Poseidon to ride him in order to defeat the monster, the Chimera. Pegasus is believed to symbolize many different things depending on the legend. Symbolizing things such as wealth, wisdom, poetry, and spiritual energy.

Centaur- The Centaur originated in Greek Mythology, Assyria and India. The creature is part man and part horse. The upper body of the creature is that of a man. While the hind part of the creature is that of a horse. These creatures are often thought of as wild and untamed creatures even though they appear to be part man. The Centaur was usually very hostile towards humans as it roamed in herds, usually drunk. They wiped out fields and raped women. Centaurs symbolize violent lust, adultery, the Devil, and brutality. The represent the battle of the heart between good and evil. Chiron was a different type of Centaur as he was both wise and kind. People would send their children to him so that he could share his knowledge with them.

Fairy- Many, many fairy legends exist around the world. All with different descriptions and stories of these mythical creatures. Most commonly fairy’s are described as human like in appearance, yet smaller and often have wings. However, many years ago it is said that Fairy’s either appeared as tall, large, beautiful creatures. Or short, ugly, troll like creatures. Neither with wings. These creatures possess magical powers in which some use for evil while others use their powers for trickery. A Fairy’s weakness is said to be iron and was often used as protection from these creatures. Due to the amount of different types and stories about Fairys. A Fairy may be described as the living dead, demoted angels, and demons. Some cultures suggest that a Fairy will play beautiful music with their flutes to lure curious humans to them. Once they capture a human they are never to be returned.

Loch Ness Monster- The Loch Ness Monster is a very well-known lake monster that lives in the Loch Ness of the Scottish Highlands. Back in 1933 was the first time that this monster had been brought to the public’s eye and there have been sightings ever since. The Loch Ness Monster or “Nessie”, is considered to be a large aquatic animal, almost jet black in colour. Some photos and videos have been taken of what is said to be Nessie however to this day no one knows for sure whether this monster truly exists or not.

Basilisks- A Basilisk, like the one used in the Harry Potter Series, is a large lizard said to be the king of all lizards. The Basilisk is also known as a serpent and may be referred to the king of serpents rather than the king of lizards. This mysterious monster is said to be able to kill someone with a single glance. It is also said the Basilisk is so poisonous that it leaves a trail of poison behind it as it slithers across the ground. The only way to ward off or harm a Basilisk is with the scent of a weasel.

Troll- A Troll is of Norse Mythology and Scandinavian Folklore. These creatures are said to live under rocks, fallen trees, mountains, caves and even in family units. Trolls are never kind to human beings and are at times even considered to be quite dangerous. Trolls are often described as being large, old, ugly, strong, slow and dim-witted in nature. With oversized, hair ears, and large noses. Sometimes Trolls were also described with have Cyclops eyes and even tails. It is often believed that a Troll will turn to stone when exposed to sunlight.

The Black Dog- The Black Dog (aka Hellhound) is just that a large black dog with red glowing eyes (sometimes yellow and glowing), and sharp canine teeth. The term “Black Dog” is believed to have originated from the British Isles. This Black Dog only seems to appear at night and is often associated with the Devil. This Black Dog is often associated with electrical storms, death, places of execution and crossroads. The Black Dog does not usually cause harm directly however it is believed that if a person looks into its eyes three or more times they will die. These dogs are often guardians of supernatural treasure or some sort of underworld.

Yeti- The Yeti is a large ape like creature who lives in the Himalayan region of Nepal, and Tibet. In earlier times it was believed that the Yeti carried around a large stone as if it were a weapon. And made an eerie whistling noise. Although there has been no proof of the Yeti reports of sightings and strange tracks are still coming in.

Kraken- The Kraken is a legendary, overly large, greatly feared sea monster resembling an oversized octopus. It Is said to reside off the coasts of Norway and Iceland. The Kraken is known to attack ships at sea until they sink. The Kraken will then either eat the men on board or they are left to drown. The Kraken was so large that is was often mistaken for an island or a bunch of islands.

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Benzidine Yellow G-OF

Benzidine Yellow G-OF is a yellow organic pigment that has a light yellow tint. This product has a pH value of 6.5 and a heat resistance of 180°C, and it is commonly used in offset inks.

产品技术规格书 TDS

Guangzhou Chemem Co., Ltd.


Tag Archives: Title VII

EEOC Files First Lawsuits for Sexual Orientation Discrimination Under Title VII

LGBT flag

Earlier this month, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed its first two lawsuits against a Pennsylvania employer and a Maryland employer for sexual orientation discrimination. The EEOC’s actions are not too surprising, given its recent decision in July of 2015, in which it held that discrimination against employees based on sexual orientation was illegal sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

The EEOC’s decision is seen as controversial by some, as federal courts have historically found that sexual orientation is not a protected class under Title VII (unlike “sex” or gender, which is protected). However, over the years, some courts have offered limited protection to LGBT employees under Title VII—primarily by holding that it is illegal to discriminate against employees for not living up to gender stereotypes. For example, a federal circuit court held that a gay male employee who was harassed by coworkers for being too “effeminate” could proceed with a Title VII claim of sex discrimination. In light of these decisions, and the Supreme Court’s recent decision to legalize same-sex marriage, the EEOC might be hopeful that courts will similarly step in to protect LGBT employees from employment discrimination.

Federal courts are not bound by the EEOC’s interpretation of Title VII and will decide the issue independently. However, until the issue is decided by the courts, employers should be aware that the EEOC is processing charges of sexual orientation discrimination filed by employees (and in rare cases, filing suit against employers on behalf of employees).

About half of the states—including California, Illinois, and New York—already have laws that prohibit private employers from discriminating based on sexual orientation. However, a ruling that sexual orientation is a protected class under Title VII would mean that private employers in all states will be prohibited from discriminating against LGBT employees.

Rethinking Transgender Discrimination Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act

SLGBT flagaks & Co. is facing a discrimination lawsuit by a former sales associate who alleges that she was harassed and fired for being transgender. Last month, Saks & Co. filed a motion asking a  federal Texas court to dismiss the case on grounds that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act does not protect transgender employees from discrimination.

This prompts the question: Is it illegal to discriminate against transgender employees under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act? Thirty years ago, the answer might have been a clear “no.” In support of its motion, Saks relied on a line of federal circuit court cases beginning in 1984, which expressly state that discrimination based on an individuals’ gender identity is not discrimination based on “sex” within the meaning of Title VII. Based on this, Saks argued that it’s “well-settled” that transgender individuals are not protected under federal antidiscrimination laws.

However, the answer might not be as clear-cut as Saks hopes. In recent years, the U.S. has seen a changing tide when it comes to LGBT issues. An increasing number of states and cities have passed laws to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation (although Texas isn’t one of them). The Defense of Marriage Act was also struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, paving the way for federal recognition of state-sanctioned same-sex marriages. LGBT issues have also been increasingly highlighted in pop culture through television shows, movies, books, and the media.

Perhaps most importantly, though, Saks’s position is in direct opposition to that of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency responsible for enforcing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The EEOC’s position is that discrimination based on “sex” includes discrimination based on gender identity (and sexual orientation for that matter). In a landmark decision in 2012, the EEOC ruled that discriminating against a transgender employee is the same as discriminating against an employee based on sex-stereotypes, which is illegal under Title VII. Since then, the EEOC has filed cases against a Florida employer and a Michigan employer for discriminating against transgender individuals.

Just last month, the Department of Justice followed suit. In a memo issued in December of 2014, the Attorney General announced that it will consider discrimination against transgender employees by state and local public employers to be illegal sex discrimination under Title VII.

For now, we’ll have to see how the issue plays out in court. But, regardless of what the Texas courts decide, the issue won’t be resolved nationwide unless the U.S. Supreme Court takes up the issue or Congress amends Title VII to specifically protect transgender employees.


"assemblage art" Tag

Hidden treasures

Monday, February 27, 2017

Mondrian secrets by Miguel-Ángel Cárdenas

I felt a sudden burst of nostalgia when this work first caught my eye. It is pretty clear why; this assemblage piece is mainly made out of toys, which are easily connected to the idea of childhood. The work is very colourful, but all the colours are slightly faded. I do not know if this is because of the age of the work, or if he used these slightly faded colours on purpose. Maybe it was the light. We will never know, because I cannot find any information about this work.

The work consists of tiny plastic objects, which are partly covered by an orange layer of more plastic material. Two donut-shaped objects are attached to the orange layer. The orange layer reminds me a lot of a life vest. This life vest association gives this layer another layer of (probably unintentional) meaning. The whole assemblage is attached to a piece of wood, which makes it look more like a painting then like an installation. The Stedelijk museum apparently thinks the same, because the work is classified as a painting.

The toys are put in order by their colour, which makes the work almost satisfying to look at. I start to wonder what kind of objects are hidden underneath the parts that are covered. Where did the artist get these objects from and why did he choose these specific objects? The work reminds me a lot of a dream I used to have as a child; a swimming pool completely filled with toys. I realize that this is the main reason why the work is interesting for me, and why it made me feel nostalgic.

After making up all these associations I looked at the name of the piece. The piece is called Mondrian Secret. And suddenly, the whole work changed. The orange layer is the painting, and the toys are the secret insides of a Mondrian painting. A work that we associate with mathematical precision hides a layer of playful, colourful plastic toys.  The surface of the painting is supposed to represent something that hides the “true nature” of the painting.  A layer of plastic, colourful toys organized in order of the rainbow colours. Put together with the same precision as Mondrian painted.

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Meta-cognition in Animals: A Skeptical Look

  • I am grateful to José Bermúdez, Robert Lurz, Jeffrey Stevens, and two anonymous referees for their comments on an earlier version of this article.

Abstract:  This paper examines the recent literature on meta-cognitive processes in non-human animals, arguing that in each case the data admit of a simpler, purely first-order, explanation. The topics discussed include the alleged monitoring of states of certainty and uncertainty, knowledge-seeking behavior in conditions of uncertainty, and the capacity to know whether or not the information needed to solve some problem is stored in memory. The first-order explanations advanced all assume that beliefs and desires come in various different strengths, or degrees.


Proteus mirabilis

Cell Wall: Gram Negative Shape: Rod
Biochemistry: Lactose Fermenter, Indole Negative
Virulence Factors
  • Urease: Although not considered an exotoxin, urease splits urea, liberating ammonium that increases (alkalinizes) the urine pH. Abnormally increased urine pH can lead to precipitation of compounds that increases the risk of renal and urinary tract stones, especially of the "Struvite" subtype.
Culture and Detection
  • P. mirabilis is highly motile and rather than forming distinct colonies on a plate, instead characteristically "swarms" across the entire surface of selective media.
Clinical Consequences
  • First Choices: Ampicillin
  • Additional Choices: Bactrim


Economic Review: Question Preview (ID: 13912)

Below is a preview of the questions contained within the game titled ECONOMIC REVIEW: Economy Review .To play games using this data set, follow the directions below. Good luck and have fun. Enjoy! [print these questions]

What happens when a product is rare?
a) Price goes down. b) Price goes up. c) Demand is eliminated. d) Supply is enhanced.
Demand for Chinese silk...
a) caused the production of more ziggurats. b) caused price to decrease. c) caused the price to increase. d) caused the demand to decrease.
Controlling the territory and movement of traders...
a) allows civilizations to become wealthy. b) creates less people interested in religion. c) forced the demand of products to halt. d) allowed the price to decrease.
What is directly related to an economy?
a) climate, geography, supply b) artifacts, supply, demand c) business, trade, employment d) religion, employment, government
The major economic force of Egypt was....
a) agriculture. b) mining. c) lumber. d) silk and fabric.
When supply goes too high....
a) price increases. b) demand increases. c) production decreases. d) demand decreases.
What was the Silk Road?
a) A route traveled between Mesopotamia and Ghana. b) A route traveled between China and Europe. c) A route traveled between Egypt and Greece. d) A route traveled between Rome and Indus Valley.
What was the Indus Valley well know for?
a) spices b) silks c) ceramics d) olive oil
Which is often true?
a) Demand price decreases. b) Supply decreases... so... demand decreases. c) Supply price decreases. d) Demand decreases... so... price increases.
Which would lead to decreased trade between civilizations?
a) Allowing more businesses to operate. b) Unifying the system of money of a culture. c) Having government leaders to meet with other leaders. d) Ending the building of roads.
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Friday, May 30, 2014

Scholarships Available for Caribbean Students – Latin American Student Energy Summit

Latin American and Caribbean students are eligible for scholarships to attend the Latin American Student Energy Summit will take place at the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City from June 9 to 21, 2014.

The scholarships are intended for undergraduate students to work on energy issues (graduate students are also eligible). Applications are expected by Saturday, 7 June 2014. The event is part of a series of Regional Student Energy Summits that will occur simultaneously with others in Africa, North America and Europe.

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Caribbean seeks to take full advantage of new U.N. climate fund

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Putting Climate Polluters in the Dock

Can Caribbean governments take legal action against other countries that they believe are warming the planet with devastating consequences?

A former regional diplomat argues the answer is yes. Ronald Sanders, who is also a senior research fellow at London University, says such legal action would require all Small Island Developing States (SIDS) acting together.

He believes the Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) would be amenable to hearing their arguments, although the court’s requirement that all parties to a dispute agree to its jurisdiction would be a major stumbling block.

“It is most unlikely that the countries that are warming the planet, which incidentally now include India and China, not just the United States, Canada and the European Union…[that] they would agree to jurisdiction,” Sanders told IPS.

“The alternative, if countries wanted to press the issue of compensation for the destruction caused by climate change, is that they would have to go to the United Nations General Assembly.”

Sanders said that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries could “as a group put forward a resolution stating the case that they do believe, and there is evidence to support it, that climate change and global warming is having a material effect… on the integrity of their countries.

“We’re seeing coastal areas vanishing and we know that if sea level rise continues large parts of existing islands will disappear and some of them may even be submerged, so the evidence is there.”

Sanders pointed to the damaging effects of flooding and landslides in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, and Dominica as 2013 came to an end.

The prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, described the flooding and landslides as “unprecedented” and gave a preliminary estimate of damage in his country alone to be in excess of 60 million dollars.

“People who live in the Caribbean know from their own experience that climate change is real,” Sanders said.

“They know it from days and nights that are hotter than in the past, from more frequent and more intense hurricanes or freak years like the last one when there were none, from long periods of dry weather followed by unseasonal heavy rainfall and flooding, and from the recognisable erosion of coastal areas and reefs.”

At the U.N. climate talks in Warsaw last November, developing countries fought hard for the creation of a third pillar of a new climate treaty to be finalised in 2015. After two weeks and 36 straight hours of negotiations, they finally won the International Mechanism for Loss and Damage (IMLD), to go with the mitigation (emissions reduction) and adaptation pillars.

The details of that mechanism will be hammered out at climate talks in Bonn this June, and finally in Paris the following year. As chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), Nauru will be present at a meeting in New Delhi next week of the BASIC group (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) to try and build a common platform for the international talks.

“It isn’t just the Caribbean, of course,” Sanders said. “A number of other countries in the world – the Pacific countries – are facing an even more pressing danger than we are at the moment. There are countries in Africa that are facing this problem, and countries in Asia,” he told IPS.

“Now if they all join together, there is a moral case to be raised at the United Nations and maybe that is the place at which we would more effectively press it if we acted together. It would require great leadership, great courage and great unity,” he added.

Pointing to the OECD countries, Sir Ronald said they act together, consult with each other and come up with a programme which they then say is what the international standard must be and the developing countries must accept it.

“Why do the developing countries not understand that we could reverse that process? We can stand up together and say look, this is what we are demanding and the developed countries would then have to listen to what the developing countries are saying,” Sir Ronald said.

Following their recent 25th inter-sessional meeting in St. Vincent, Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller praised the increased focus that CARICOM leaders have placed on the issue of climate change, especially in light of the freak storm last year that devastated St. Lucia, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

At that meeting, heads of government agreed on the establishment of a task force on climate change and SIDS to provide guidance to Caribbean climate change negotiators, their ministers and political leaders in order to ensure the strategic positioning of the region in the negotiations.

In Antigua, where drought has persisted for months, water catchments are quickly drying up. The water manager at the state-owned Antigua Public utilities Authority (APUA), Ivan Rodrigues, blames climate change.

“We know that the climate is changing and what we need to do is to cater for it and deal with it,” he told IPS.

But he is not sold on the idea of international legal action against the large industrialised countries.

“I think what will cause [a reversal of their practices] is consumer activism,” he said. “The argument may not be strong enough for a court of law to actually penalise a government.”

But Sanders firmly believes an opinion from the International Court of Justice would make a huge difference.

“We could get an opinion. If the United Nations General Assembly were to accept a resolution that, say, we want an opinion from the International Court of Jurists on this matter, I think we could get an opinion that would be favourable to a case for the Caribbean and other countries that are affected by climate change,” he told IPS.

“If there was a case where countries, governments and large companies knew that if they continue these harmful practices, action would be taken against them, of course they would change their position because at the end of the day they want to be profitable and successful. They don’t want to be having to fight court cases and losing them and then having to pay compensation,” he added. More

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Antarctica's ice collapse threatens metres of sea level rise within decades

Imagine further that a thick layer of ice covers, not only the surface of the island that lies above the sea but also an extensive portion of the perimeter that is beneath the sea.

The peaks are higher above sea level than on any continent. In winter, the sea freezes because temperatures drop to less than -80 degrees Celsius (-112 degrees Farenheight), and the island's area grows to about 10 million square miles.

In summer when some of the ice melts, the ice cover remains on average more than a mile thick, although the overall surface area of the island shrinks to about 5 million square miles. Even in summer, however, the island is still larger than Europe or Australia. It is Antarctica, and it is impossible to imagine.

When glaciers no longer rest on bedrock, they are doomed

So let us instead consider an island that is a large glacier with a thick cover of ice that extends outward, well beyond its land area. The island is shaped roughly like an infinity symbol, with the right (east) side much larger than the left (west).

The west side is really a peninsula and archipelago that share a common bedrock, but this is invisible because of the ice cover. What we can see is that even at the perimeter, where there is no land above sea level, there is ice. In some places, the ice reaches down, well beneath the water surface, all the way to the bedrock.

This situation is unstable, because in principle, the mass of ice that is beneath the sea and in continuous contact with liquid water should eventually melt. When it does, this initially leaves an overhanging shelf of ice over the water at the island's perimeter.

Being less dense than water, this shelf will want to float up and, given enough time, will eventually break away from the more interior ice that is pinned to land above sea level. Indeed, about 40% of Antarctica's perimeter consists of such ice shelves. In another 40% of the perimeter, the ice cover reaches all the way down to the bedrock.

An uncomfortable equilibrium is coming to an end

Island, ice and sea have coexisted for millennia in an uncomfortable equilibrium. In particular, the sea temperatures have not grown sufficiently warm to erode the ice edge irreversibly.

Furthermore, the mass of ice on the surface has remained relatively constant, with the seasonal flows of water out to sea in the summer being replaced by deposits of ice in winter.

The ice shelves have not thinned sufficiently to become so weak that they would snap and float away out to sea. This was all before the one-degree Celsius warming in the Earth's surface since around 1980.

Currently, the warmer seawater is eroding the island's submerged perimeter of ice. Simultaneously, the warmer air is also melting the ice cover at such an accelerated rate that it cannot be entirely replaced in the winters.

The process is irreversible

Once both kinds of erosion become irreversible, meaning that no net ice is replaced, the ice mass will shrink and become more and more bare, in a process that will accelerate out of control until the ice appears suddenly to vanish.

This is more or less the story that Eric Rignot and his colleagues reported about West Antarctica in a Geophysical Research Letters article that was accepted for publication on May 12, 2014.

They used satellite-based radar interferometry to map the edges of a series of glaciers that drain into a large bay called the Amundsen Sea Embayment, and combined their data with the results of other kinds of surveys.

Beating a rapid retreat

They discovered that between 1992 and 2011:

  • Thwaites Glacier retreated 8.7 miles (14 km) at its core and zero to six miles (1 to 9 km) at its edges,
  • Haynes Glacier retreated 6 miles (10 km) at its edges,
  • Smith / Kohler Glacier retreated about 22 miles (35 km), and its ice shelf is barely pinned to the surface.
  • Pine Island Glacier retreated 19 miles (31 km) at its center and snapped and detached from the ground.
All these retreats occurred mostly between 2005 to 2009. The authors note that they must have had a common cause and that the most reasonable explanation is the general warming of the ocean. They further explain that there is no natural land mass to prevent the movement of the massive glaciers out to sea. They conclude:

In other words, the disappearance of West Antarctic ice is well under way, and it is irreversible.

The melting is exponential, not linear

It is notable that this research was done under difficult circumstances. For example, the authors write that, since 2001, the ERS-2 satellite has operated without its gyroscopes, and "This made it difficult to control the antenna pointing ... ".

They further observe that "In July 2011, ERS-2 terminated its mission after 16 years of services, far exceeding its planned operational lifespan."

In addition, they make a point of acknowledging "two anonymous reviewers for their comments." Possibly, the report was delayed, and some of its more frightening arguments had to be removed before publication.

In a later publication for the general public, Rignot stressed that the estimate of 200 years for the Radmunsen sea collapse, which has been repeated again and again in the press, is based on the melting continuing at its current rate.

This we know to be impossible because the melting is an exponential process that has been accelerating all the time and will continue to accelerate even more.

How long before sea rise is catastrophic?

The acceleration is driven, among other things, by an accelerated warming of the atmosphere and sea surface, continued expansion of the ozone hole, strengthening of currents that bring greater masses of warm waters from the tropics to Antarctica, weakening of the ice shelves due to accelerated melting of the surface ice, weakening of the attachment of the ice below sea level due to an accelerated erosion, and decreasing reflectivity of the Earth.

With regard to climate change, again and again, exponential processes have been treated as if they would develop linearly, despite scientists knowing quite well that they would not. Consider for example, a storm that is approaching your house from six miles away.

The storm is currently moving at five miles per hour, but it is expected to double its speed with every new mile. Do you make sure to have cover within one hour and 12 minutes, or within about 22 minutes?

Again and again, scientists have done the equivalent of feigning surprise when their timelines, based on a completely bogus linearity, have turned out to be too long. Things have gone much too far for us to continue to play such numbers' games.

West Antarctic ice sheet could raise sea levels 5m 'within decades'

Rignot blames carbon emissions, which have tripled since the Kyoto Protocol, for the current state of affairs, and he categorically says that the collapse of the ice cover from "the Amundsen sea sector of West Antarctica [is] unstoppable, with major consequences - it will mean that sea levels will rise one metre [more than 3 feet] worldwide.

"What's more, its disappearance will likely trigger the collapse of the rest of the West Antarctic ice sheet, which comes with a sea level rise of between three and five metres [10 to more than 16 feet]. Such an event will displace millions of people worldwide."

The sea-level rise of 10 to 16 feet will come in decades, rather than 200 years. It will submerge essentially every port city in the world, including Guangzhou, Mumbai, Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, Kolkata, Osaka-Kobe, Alexandria, New York, New Orleans, Miami, and indeed all of South Florida.

This will likely displace over 300 million people, many of them in countries that have equated development with movement of the majority of their populations to low-elevation coastal zones in port cities.

What other impacts will follow?

The displacement and homelessness from the changes in sea level might be the least of humanity's problems. More

Sunday, May 25, 2014

This Ice Sheet Will Unleash a Global Superstorm Sandy That Never Ends

If you want to truly grasp the scale of Earth's polar ice sheets, you need some help from Isaac Newton. Newton taught us the universal law of gravitation, which states that all objects are attracted to one another in relation to their masses (and the distance between them).

The ice sheets covering Antarctica and Greenland are incredibly massive—Antarctica's ice is more than two miles thick in places and 5.4 million square miles in extent. These ice sheets are so large, in fact, that gravitational attraction pulls the surrounding ocean toward them. The sea level therefore rises upward at an angle as you approach an ice sheet, and slopes downward and away as you leave its presence.

This is not good news for humanity. As the ice sheets melt due to global warming, not only do they raise the sea level directly; they also exert a weaker gravitational pull on the surrounding ocean. So water sloshes back toward the continents, where we all live. "If Antarctica shrinks and puts that water in the ocean, the ocean raises around the world, but then Antarctica is pulling the ocean towards it less strongly," explains the celebrated Penn State University glaciologist Richard Alley on the latest installment of the Inquiring Minds podcast. "And as that extra water around Antarctica spreads around the world, we will get a little more sea level rise in the US than the global average."

Alley, a self-described "registered Republican" and host of the PBS program Earth: The Operators' Manual, spoke on the occasion of truly dire news, of the sort that ice sheet experts like him have been dreading for some time. Last week, welearned from two separate research teams that the ice sheet of West Antarctica, which comprises just one relatively small part of Antarctic ice overall but contains enough frozen water to raise global sea levels by some 10 or 11 feet, has been irrevocably destabilized. Scientists have long feared that of all the planet's great ice sheets, West Antarctica would be the first to go, because much of it is marine-based—the front edge of the ice sheet is bathing in increasingly warm water, which is melting it from beneath. Here's a helpful visualization of how this process works:

The great ice sheet naturally wants to push outward and spread into the sea, Alley explains, much like water spreads out when poured onto a flat surface. But the advance is held up by the "grounding line"—the ice sheet's mooring at a particular point on the sea floor.

And here's where the problem arises: The latest research suggests that the ice is melting from below, and thus, losing its moorings. The oceanfront glaciers of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet are experiencing "rapid grounding line retreat," in scientific parlance, and this is happening "sooner than we initially expected, scientifically," says Alley. The cause seems to be a change in winds driven by global warming, which in turn is sending more warm water toward Antarctica's glaciers. And as the glaciers lose ice from below, there is less friction with the ground, and thus faster ice flow into the sea, where it can contribute to sea level rise.

"What they found," Alley continues, "is that it's likely that the fuse has already been lit." More

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Monday, May 19, 2014

Climate Change Will Force Us to Abandon Coastal Cities

On Monday, the New York Times reported on two new climate change studies that came to the same, terrifying conclusion: “The heat-trapping gases could destabilize other parts of Antarctica as well as the Greenland ice sheet, potentially causing enough sea-level rise that many of the world’s coastal cities would eventually have to be abandoned.”

While actual abandonment would not happen for many years (we’re talking centuries), the studies warned that our actions now are irrevocable and will lock in these future sea level rises. In other words, our descendants will be dealing with irreversible damage that we are committing today.

So, fast forward a few centuries from now, what will the world look like? What will the United States look like? Will people still live in Miami? Boston? New York? We don’t know what technology we will have then and we aren’t able to predict the pattern of storms. We do know that sea levels are rising and will threaten cities along the coasts of the United States.

“Barring some extraordinary advances in technology that we currently do not foresee,” Robert Hartwig, the president of the Insurance Information Institute, said, “you are left with the options of retreating from coastal areas not only in the United States, but around the world, or building fortifications against rising sea levels that would make the projects that we now see in places like the Netherlands look like child’s play.”

The Dutch government has set aside one billion euros a year through 2100 to strengthen dunes and dams throughout the country. Due to its low-lying position, the Netherlands is one of the most at-risk countries and has already crafted a long-term strategy to ensure the country’s survival. But in the United States, where one of our two main political parties remains skeptical about man-made climate change, such planning is unlikely to happen.

“If you have a plan and vision to stay there it is more likely to occur,” Robert Nicholls, a professor of coastal engineering at the University of Southampton, wrote in an email. “But USA does not have a planning culture.”

Planning will not come cheap. The mitigation techniques needed to fortify a city like Miami will cost billions of dollars, if not more. State and local governments will undoubtedly turn to the federal government for help, but that will be a political nightmare. Americans from non-coastal regions will likely object to paying for the restoration and fortification of coastal cities that are no longer naturally fit for habitation.

“Ultimately, reality will set in in the United States too, despite it being a relatively wealthy country,” Hartwig said. “Some areas will necessarily be abandoned or potentially become, in effect, islands. That’s another possibility. You say to yourself, do I abandon Miami or do I simply wall in a certain number of square miles of what is currently Miami and in effect create an island?

“Resources are always scarce and there are going to be many in the United States who think spending every available dime of every available tax dollar to save people from rising sea levels on the coast is a complete waste of money,” Hartwig added. “And they will have a point, because they’re paying tax dollars in Missouri or in North Dakota and they will not directly see a return on this investment.”

Global warming poses risks besides rising sea level. Severe storms may increase in frequency, although it’s difficult to predict how they will play out. Saltwater intrusion could imperil farm land up the Mississippi River. Droughts may become more common. Already now, scientists are wondering whether we’ve reached Peak Phosphorusthe point at which we reach the maximum global production rate of phosphorus, an essential fertilizer for crops.

Colin Green, a professor of water economics at Middlesex University, wrote in an email that he tells his students three things: “(1) they will not be able to retire until they are 75; (b) they will need to become vegetarians because we don't have enough water to support a high meat based diet; and (c) that when they go to the supermarket, they will need to take their urine with them which will be analysed and then they will be able to buy food with the same phosphorus content as the urine they bought in.”

The consequences of our inaction today will not be fixable down the road, no matter how much money the government spends. Instead, we will focus on containing the damage, whether through mitigation or abandonment. Insurance will be an important tool to allow the government to spread around some of that risk. But that assumes insurers don’t deem certain areas uninsurableand that in turn depends on what we do today.

“I would say that if you look at the gradual sea level rise predicted over the next century, provided appropriate mitigation on the structures and in the communities in the higher cities are undertaken, then insurance is possible in these areas albeit at higher costs,” Hartwig said.

In some cases, the federal government may sell the insurance. For instance, right now, the feds offer subsidized flood insurance to homeowners in at-risk areas. When Congress passed the Biggert-Waters Act in 2012 to allow those rates to rise to their market level, they faced a swift backlash from homeowners who were going to see their insurance rates skyrocket. Led by congressmen from Gulf states, Congress gutted the bill in March. If that is any sign of what is to come, then policymakers are not prepared for the infinitely higher costs and tough choices they will face down the road. More

Friday, May 16, 2014

Coral Reefs Protect Shorelines By Reducing Wave Energy By 97 Percent, Study Finds

Coral reefs provide substantial protection against wave energy, lessening the impact of sea level rise and intense storm surges for 7 million people in the U.S. alone, according to a new report.

The report, published this week in the journal Nature Communications, reviewed 255 studies on the protective nature of coral reefs and found that reefs reduce wave energy by 97 percent on average, causing the waves that reach the shoreline to be significantly calmer than they would have been without the reefs. Michael Beck, one of the authors of the report and senior scientist for the Nature Conservancy, said he was surprised at the 97 percent average for reef wave reduction. He said he knew it would be a large number — other studies have shown that reefs are effective at reducing wave energy, but none yet had quantified it ocean-wide — but he didn’t know just how big.

The report also found that worldwide, 197 million people are protected by reefs, and that maintaining the health of coral reefs is far less expensive than installing artificial defenses — according to the report, the median cost of building artificial wave defenses is $19,791 per meter, while the median cost of coral restoration projects is $1,290 per meter. Beck said the Nature Conservancy is working in a coral reef in Grenville, Grenada to build back the reef’s crest, the highest part of the reef that’s the most important for wave-breaking. He said degredation of the reef crest, which has been caused over the last 50 years by climate change, pollution, and sand mining, can explain a “huge amount” of the erosion and sedimentation that’s been occurring in the bay.

“A variety of causes has led to a little bit of degradation in height in the reef, and when you’ve lost that height in the reef, you can suddenly explain a huge amount of problems that have been happening,” he said.

Beck’s team has been been building back the reef in Grenada by using old coral rubble and concrete blocks, then trying to regrow the living coral on those structures. Projects like that, he said, are important to coral reefs’ survival — though coral is threatened gravely by climate change and ocean acidification, he said reefs “can be resilient” and recover from stresses like bleaching. He pointed to a mass bleaching event that occurred in 1998, after El Niño drove up water temperatures worldwide, as evidence. Though many were worried the reefs wouldn’t bounce back from this event, which was the most extensive and severe in history, certain reefs did recover, despite significant losses worldwide.

“Those reefs that were managed well, where you reduce the other stressors like pollution and overfishing, recovered,” he said. “Living coral came back and came back in quite good abundances in places were coral reefs were managed well.”

That event points to the need for better reef management, Beck said, especially now, as reefs around the world continue to suffer the effects of warming oceans, pollution, fishing practices and other impacts. Elkhorn coral, which play an integral role in the reef ecosystem of the Florida Keys, are being killed off by White Pox disease, which one researcher says is likely caused by untreated human sewage that enters the ocean through leaky septic systems in Florida. And outside of the 1998 event, scientists have found other significant evidence of coral bleaching, an effect that’s due to warmer-than-usual ocean temperatures and is likely to get worse as the ocean warms.

Other coastal and marine ecosystems provide protection from storm surge, sea level rise and erosion, but they too are struggling with human-induced impacts — in fact, Beck said coral reefs are in better shape worldwide than oyster reefs and mangrove forests. These coastal ecosystems have also been found to be a cost-effective way of providing protection — an April report noted restoring ecosystems like oyster reefs can create more jobs than offshore oil development and provide $15 in net economic benefits for every $1 invested. More

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Global Environment Facility’s Caribbean Regional Fund for Wastewater Management

A slate of recently developed Caribbean Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) knowledge products, which focus on tools geared toward building climate resilience in the Caribbean water sector, as well as, resources for the wastewater sector professionals, were launched at a two-day (April 29-30) Regional Meeting of Partners in the Water and Wastewater Sector in the Caribbean this week.

The products include those developed under the Caribbean Climate Online Risk and Adaptation Tool (CCORAL)-Water initiative, a joint collaboration between GWP-C and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), funded by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network. The Session will also showcase wastewater videos and materials from the GEF CReW, an effluent discharge database and other resources.

The Global Water Partnership (GWP) technical focus paper on IWRM in the Caribbean: The challenges facing SIDS.

Over the course of the two-day Regional Meeting of Partners in the Water and Wastewater Sector in the Caribbean, the Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C), the United Nations Environment Programme, Caribbean Regional Coordinating Unit (UNEP-CAR/RCU) and the Global Environment Facility’s Caribbean Regional Fund for Wastewater Management (GEF CReW) hosted a Knowledge Sharing Session on New Tools and Resources for IWRM in the Caribbean.

IWRM is an holistic approach to managing water that takes into consideration that different uses of water are interdependent. IWRM means that water allocations and management decisions consider the effects of each use on the other. The approach is grounded in the understanding that water resources are an integral component of the ecosystem, a natural resource, and a social and economic good.

Representatives from more than fifty (50) regional and national agencies in water and wastewater management are scheduled to attend the Session. Download Press Release here. More

Credit: Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C)


Wildlife Spectacular - Little red Flying-foxes come to Brisbane for Bloodwood flowering

Published on Jan 28, 2014

For a wildlife spectacular on a world scale it is worth while coming to watch the little red flying-foxes at Regents Park in Brisbane. The spectacular fly-out is amazing. A rough estimate would be around 80 - 100,000 flying-foxes. You don't get to see this every day.

A walk along the footpath with residents houses alongside, it is now a very busy neighbourhood. If you listen carefully one resident is running a lawn mower near the fence to keep the bats out of his backyard trees. He must have removed a spark plug as it splutters and backfires. That's why they are noisy, the more you disturb them the noisier they are. On the other side of the reserve there is a car park where mums and dads are picking up their children from school, today was the first day back so why the bats are so on edge as well.
The bats will not stay long, that's all we can say. Be patient they will go again as soon as the flowering decreases. These magical little mammals pollinate the bloodwoods and other native trees, they love the flowering mangroves which abound in Moreton Bay SE Qld. Their numbers are swollen at present due to good flowering here and the dry hot temperatures inland drive them to where the flowering will sustain them. You could say they have come for a sea change. It's a magical sight to see. Protect them or loose them. They are worthy of appreciation.

Articles,67,Audio,15,Backyard,10,Barbed Wire,21,Bat Art,34,Bat Books,70,Bat Box,26,Bat Clothing,14,Bat Issues,500,Bats for Children,26,Bats for the Home,61,Electrocution,7,Events,33,info on bats,455,Jackie Sparrow,22,Microbats,410,Misc,64,Netting,32,Newsletter,4,Promoting,124,Rehab,60,Rehab 2011,1,Rehab 2012,19,Rehab 2013,10,Rehab 2014,6,Rehab 2015,103,Rehab 2016,99,Rehab 2017,10,Release Cage,2,RESCUE,60,Rescue 2012,3,RESCUE 2013,11,RESCUE 2014,8,RESCUE 2015,24,Rescue 2016,12,RESCUE 2017,1,Rob Mies,11,Shooting,2,Vegetation,23,Video,421,Virus,110,WebSites-Bat,46,
Megabats and Microbats: Wildlife Spectacular - Little red Flying-foxes come to Brisbane for Bloodwood flowering
Megabats and Microbats


Farah Pahlavi Net Worth

How much is Farah Pahlavi Worth?

in Richest PoliticiansRoyals
Farah Pahlavi net worth:
$100 Million

Farah Pahlavi net worth: Farah Pahlavi is the former Queen and exiled Empress of Iran who has a net worth of $100 million. Farah Pahlavi was born in Tehran, Iran, and grew up in a close-knit, financially secure family. After her father passed away unexpectedly, her family's financial situation changed drastically, and they moved in with her uncle's family. She attended multiple international schools in Iran, and went on to study architecture at the Ecole Spéciale d'Architecture in Paris. As Iranian students abroad were funded by the state, all students met with the Shah whenever he traveled. She was presented to Mohammed Reza Pahlavi while studying in Paris. After a very intricate and heavily managed courtship, they were married in 1959. She became quite popular for her active interest in educational, health, and cultural initiatives. However, some of her spending practices were heavily criticized. Her husband went on to make her an Empress. This made her the first Empress of modern Iran. He also appointed her Empress Regent in the event of his death. They were eventually exiled in 1979. She is now widowed and splits her time between Washington, D.C. and Paris.

Farah Pahlavi Net Worth

Farah Pahlavi

Date of Birth
Jan 17, 2004 (13 years old)
United States of America
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Yasuyuki Taki

Professor Yasuyuki TAKI
Associate Professor Tatsushi MUTOH
Senior Assistant Professor (Additional) Mitsunari ABE
Assistant Professor Yasuko TATEWAKI
Guest Instructor Tatsuo YAMAGUCHI
Guest Instructor Shigeo KINOMURA
Guest Instructor Kentaro INOUE
Guest Instructor Yukio ODANO
Guest Instructor Kazuhiro NAKAMURA
Guest Instructor Yuji TAKANO
Research Associate Hideo SHIMOMUA

The Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology was established to confront a super aging society in Japan as it is vital to preserve the cognitive function of one’s entire life by preventing pathological brain aging. To achieve this goal, the department has built a large brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) database from around 3,000 subjects ages ranging from 5 to 80 years old in order to reveal how the brain develops as an individual ages.

Moreover, we have also collected several cognitive lifestyle functions such as eating and sleeping habits, including genetic data. Using the database, we have revealed normal brain development and aging, and also have revealed what factors affect them. These findings help us to understand the mechanisms of brain development and aging, as well as performing differential diagnosis or diagnosis at an early stage of several diseases/disorders such as autism and Alzheimer’s.

Research Topics:
•Analysis of changes to the Brain structure due to aging.
•Computational brain anatomy using brain MRI database.
•Clinical effectiveness of positron emission tomography (PET) in oncology.
•Development of new radiopharmaceuticals for cancer diagnosis with PET.

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most difficult and expensive kind of French cooking., soup stock made from vegetables or meat, salad dressing with wine vinegar, oil, and seasonings, all your ingredients and tools prepared %26 ready to cook., light buttery yeast roll, to fry in a small amount of oil or butter, very thin pancake rolled around a filling, cut into evenly shaped square pieces. 1/2%22 on each sid, cut food into 1/4%22cubes , long pastry filled with fruits or creme., an egg and cream pie., cut food into pierces that are as small as possible. English create online tests , main dish or course of a meal, a long crusty loaf of French bread, to set a dessert soaked in alcohol on fire., mixture of flour and melted butter used to thicken liquids., to cut food into small, irregular pieces., cutting vegetables into long skinny strips, mustard created in France, vegetables cut into very little square pieces. French, appetizers,


About Modern Automotive

"My grandfather was in several businesses before he got in the car business. He was a tobacco farmer, he was in construction, I think at one point he was a mule trader... I guess that led into him being talked into buying into this dealership in 1933 that was going broke during the great depression. So he got the dealership back on its feet and started to make a viable business out of it. Not long after that, he had some health issues and he asked my dad to come help him at the dealership.

"My dad did every job there was at the dealership. I got a picture of him with a broom in his hand... I mean, I'm sure he did everything, as my grandfather probably did at the very first. And then World War II came and there was a shortage of everything. There were no new cars to sell, there were no parts... at one point, we were down to 12 employees including my dad. They sold used parts, used tires, pumped gas, made parts, did repairs as best as they could on cars... sold what few used cars were available. There were no new cars to sell.

"You know, there's been lots of ups and downs over the years. One constant has been trying to treat customers with respect, treat our employees the same way, create a great environment for customers to come in and feel comfortable.

"Fred was always interested in being in the business. He just, from a young age, wanted to be in the car business. He was around it and I think he loved it from the start. I wasn't so sure what I wanted to do and I had the opportunity to work at another dealership for a year in Chicago. That was a great experience for me and I decided then that's what I wanted to do. We have the fourth generation in the business now, which we're very proud of that. Fred has three sons: Omnia, West, and Brad, and I have two: Lewis and David. All five members of the fourth generation have different talents and they play different roles in the dealership. But one thing they all do is help keep us current. Things are changing rapidly and we have lots of younger customers... lots of different ways of communicating with them. And we're staying on top of that with the help of the fourth generation.

"We're all proud that it's been a family business since 1933 and that we're still involved, that now the next generation is involved and likes the business. So it's a source of pride on one hand, but it's also given us a constant. There's a thread from 1933 to today and hopefully into the future of treating customers with respect, doing the right thing every day, trying to give them value for their dollar. It's not that complicated. It's just what we do... what we've always done."

Rob Fowler
President | Modern Automotive


Mega trade deal TPP gets ceremonial signing amid protests
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Mega trade deal TPP gets ceremonial signing amid protests PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Trans-Pacific Partnership or TPP gets ceremonial signing in Auckland amidst protests. The deal has to be ratified by signatories to come into force.

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Mega trade deal TPP gets ceremonial signing amid protests

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Mega trade deal tpp gets ceremonial signing amid protests

Mega trade deal TPP gets ceremonial signing amid protests

The Trans-Pacific Partnership, a multi-national trade deal that has been mired in controversy has

been signed by respective officials of the 12 nations involved. The deal that was in the pipework for

since 2006 was signed by the ministers of the respective states in Auckland, New Zealand, today.

Several hundreds of people turned up outside Sky city to protest against the TPP labeling the Trans-

Pacific Partnership as anti-national.

While the pens were put to paper today, the deal is far from becoming a reality just yet. It is just one

of the steps in a long process to bring the deal into effect. For the TPP to see the light of the day all

the member nations involved will need to ratify the deal. While the respective nations have differing

processes for doing this, the deal will not go into force if it is not ratified by the United States of

America. This is due to the existing stipulations, political and otherwise.

It is interesting to note that for the deal to be ratified by the United States of America, it will need

both the houses of the Congress to vote up the deal or reject it. The nations have 2 years to get the

deal ratified. While the respective nations are celebrating the deal, we will give tell you what the fuss

is about

What is the TPP really?

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) encompasses 12 nations, i.e., America, Japan, Australia,

Canada, Vietnam, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Peru and Singapore.

The nations make up 40% of the world’s economy. This deal that is bigger in magnitude started out

as a P4 or Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement between Brunei, Chile, New

Zealand and Singapore in 2005. It was only in 2008 that USA joined in the negotiations. Once the

supposed powerful economy of the world displayed interest in the deal, other nations along the

Pacific rim decided to join in.

What are the pros of the deal?

The TPP apparently aims at “promoting economic growth, supporting the creation and retention of

jobs, enhancing innovation, productivity and competitiveness, raising living standards, reducing

poverty in other countries and promoting transparency, good governance and enhanced labor and

environmental protections. The agreement also most importantly is said to do away with trade

barriers such as tariffs completely.

Why is the deal being opposed?

The TPP has been at the receiving end of international criticism ever since its conception. A UN

rights expert publically condemned the deal. He says that the controversial trade agreement is

Mega trade deal tpp gets ceremonial signing amid protests

fundamentally flawed and should not be ratified until it ensures that the states can enact regulations

that protect public interest. A professor cited an apparent lack of balance in the Intellectual Property

chapter, its ban on circumventing digital locks on devices and content and other different ways in

which the deal could dent users’ online privacy. Research by various economic bodies reveal that

the TPP will definitely fall short of expectations. Instead of ensuring greater revenue for the nations

involved it is said to lead to losses in employment and increased economic inequality.

For more details visit below Link:

Suggested articles:Nations reach landmark agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership

The pros and cons of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement?

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Versay is a CX design and application solutions agency based in Chicago.

We help companies build compelling customer experiences on any communications platform.

Photo by Alex Shutin

About Versay

The Versay team combines best practices in conversational UX design with technical expertise in next generation communications technologies.

Our approach begins with a proven design methodology that strives to achieve an intuitive, easy to understand, and engaging user experience. Our designers bring expertise in linguistics, discourse analysis, human-computer interaction, and cognitive modeling. We believe understanding how people think and communicate verbally is critical to fostering effective interactions between end users and automated systems.

Our developers deliver the technical knowledge to realize the full potential of natural language understanding and deep learning; speech recognition, text-to-speech, and voice biometrics software; and analytics, web services, computer telephony, and voice-over-IP technologies.

Our project managers bring it all together with expertise in agile development and end-to-end application lifecycle management, and the skills to communicate effectively with colleagues in highly-specialized fields while ensuring the team is aligned with client goals at each turn in a project.

We don't have religion about any one technology. We are passionate about solving hard problems by pulling together the right tools and a team of experts to see opportunity in every challenge, exceed expectations, and tirelessly push the limits on what is possible.

Intuitive. Effortless. Engaging.

Customer Experience

Since our founding in 2002, we have advocated the importance of customer experience to the long-term success of any business. While cost savings has historically driven investments in automation and self-service, we believe it is equally important to ensure a system can be understood and used effectively. If customer experience is ignored or compromised, the consequences can be dramatic, including lower automation rates (driven by uncooperative users), lower customer satisfaction levels, and even customer flight.

When a customer service experience proves compelling, when it is designed with the user's individual context in mind, when it moves them quickly to their desired destination, when it "just works", customers will rely on the system as a preferred means to accomplish what they intend to do... quickly and predictably.

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The Metronome - A Musicians' Best Friend :)

Let's start with being honest: when I was learning the piano and beginning to use the metronome to help keep a steady beat I thought it was much more frustrating than helpful!

But as I kept at it, practicing smaller sections with the focus of attempting to play to each "click", one day it finally clicked and over the years of playing a multitude of pieces with the metronome, it's become almost second nature.

To this day, I still practice select pieces with the metronome to ensure I'm playing at the tempo the composer intended his piece to be, as well as keeping myself in check with the various rhythmic patterns.

Some students have already been introduced to this wonderful - yet can-be frustrating- tool, and I'm noticing that more and more students are ready to use the metronome with their pieces.

Parents have asked what to buy and what is best and most cost effective, so this post is to address the types of metronomes out there and my personal recommendations based on experience using the various options available (all prices are in Canadian dollars & current listed retail price) :)

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Let's start with the MOST BASIC Metronome:

Korg Digital Metronome
- Model: MA1
- retail: $24.99
Review: a low price point, and it does the job. But if you're always playing and using the metronome, it can become overly time consuming pressing the up/down buttons adjusting the number -one at a time. I like how it allows for multiple click-track options including a single tone. It does take batteries, so take this hidden cost into consideration! Batteries are expensive and not the most environmentally friendly.

Seiko Quartz Metronome
- Model: SQ50-V
- retail: $51.50
Review: A step up from the Korg digital! I like the simplicity of this model, and how easy it is to use. The musician is also able to change the tempo much more quickly, simply by twisting the front dial to the desired number. This does also take batteries though, so keep in mind the hidden long-term cost, and not being environmentally friendly.

Wittner Metronome
- Model: Taktell Piccolo
- Retail: $54.99
Review: This is the metronome I have been recommending most to students who are beginners and early intermediate. It is an affordable price point with long-term savings as it is entirely run on internal mechanisms (no batteries!) Kids love this metronome because it's available in a rainbow of different colour choices so they can choose their favourite ;) The swinging of the pendulum is also helpful for the visual learner. Very straight forward and easy to use. The only tricky part may be figuring out the location of the key to wind it up (located on the front, mid-right. the key just pulls out and you gently screw it into the opening on the right side of the metronome). This metronome, properly cared for, would last a very long time.

Wittner Metronome
- Model: Mahogany Matte Finish
- Model: Walnut Matte Finish
- Retail: $150.00
Review: For adults! or the very passionate student showing consistent practice ;) It works the same as the Piccolo, but with a beautiful wooden finish, it also accentuates the piano as a beautiful visual piece. Not that you should buy a metronome just to sit there and look at. During the first 5 or so years (maybe more!) of taking piano lessons, I remember borrowing a Wittner metronome with some type of wooden finish, to use during my practices. I remember enjoying the visual swing of the pendulum as it gave me a warning of when the next beat would occur or how much time I had left to fit in the group of eighth or sixteenth notes. This metronome would last a lifetime.
(please note: Wittner has a range of other finishes not mentioned in this particular post)

Franz Metronome
- Model: LM-FB-4
- Retail: n/a - a recent search has noted that Franz metronomes are no longer available in stores as the company has gone out of business.
Review: I'm assuming I showed great potential growing up with piano lessons because I received a Franz metronome later in my years as a gift from my parents. My piano teacher owned a Franz as well.  I love the ease and quickness of using this metronome and the options of turning the click on and off. The light at the top is also helpful as a visual -but I would only recommend this metronome to the seasoned musician, as an innate feel for rhythm needs to have been developed first with the Wittner. The only downside with this, is that it requires an electrical outlet for power which incurs hidden costs.

I hope this post has been helpful and that it will help you decide on the right metronome fit for you, or your child! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out and ask. I'm happy to help as much as I can :)


Food Fight

Europe's parliament has passed stringent new rules for genetically modified food, raising American objections. Noëlle Lenoir , the new French Minister for Europe, dissects the issues involved.

The adage that "you are what you eat" holds two meanings. It admonishes us to maintain a healthy, nutritious diet. It also reminds us that food forms an integral part of our cultural, religious, or regional identities, because what we eat and how we produce our foods are deeply rooted in our histories and traditions. Indeed, the peculiarities of national cuisine provide some of our most descriptive nicknames for one another. To the English, we French will forever be "frogs" because we eat frogs's legs, as the Germans will always be "krauts" because of their love of sauerkraut.

The evolution of European attitudes toward genetically modified foods and plants reflects just such a dual concern with health and identity. Since April 1990, when the EU Parliament, with no significant opposition, adopted the first two directives on the use and release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), public opinion has grown increasingly suspicious and hostile. What incited such fierce sensitivity about GM foods?

Seven years ago, the President of the European Commission requested the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (of which I was a member) to examine the "ethical aspects of the labeling of foods derived from modern biotechnology." Our opinion, released in May 1995, deemed food safety a fundamental ethical imperative and called for barring the commercialization of questionable products. It also argued that labeling GM foods is required in accordance with consumers' right to make informed choices about what they eat.

The opinion also included the following remark: " modern biotechnology, as a technique used in food production, cannot be regarded in itself as ethical or unethical ." It seemed to me a trivial and harmless dictum. Yet when the opinion was released, I provoked a general outcry by quoting it to the assembled journalists. I realized at once that opposition to GM crops and foods has as much to do with social and political values as with concerns about health and safety.

A candid international dialogue is indispensable to a better understanding of Europe's differences with the US and other parts of the world concerning GMOs. Such discussions might help negotiators settle ongoing disputes over the "Codex Alimentarius" (global food standards set by the World Health Organization and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization), the EU regulation on labeling and tracing genetically modified organisms, and the application of World Trade Organization rules.

Two questions, in particular, merit attention. First, why are Europeans more reluctant than Americans to embrace biotechnology? Second, why must GMOs be addressed as a global issue?

In contrast to the US, information on GMOs in Europe emphasizes risk rather than benefits (in particular, reduced use of pesticides and insecticides). For example, national advisory bodies in the UK, the Netherlands, and France recently insisted on additional regulatory measures for GMOs intended to prevent adverse side effects--for example, allergic reactions--on consumers' health. Americans find it difficult to understand why Europeans insist on such restrictions, and accuse the EU of practicing bio-trade protectionism.

Europeans are undoubtedly more pessimistic than Americans about progress in general, and recent events merely seem to have reinforced this stance. Having faced successive contamination crises in recent years--first BSE and then hoof and mouth disease--we feel particularly insecure about food. Nor is this fear limited to consumers.

Farmers across Europe are anxious about the future of agriculture in a globalized world. Americans, including farmers, are more accustomed to paying for innovative technologies and products--a disposition reflected in a recent US Supreme Court decision that extended the scope of patents on plants. In Europe, agriculture and intellectual property are more often at odds.

Europeans consumers' growing awareness of their rights and farmers' increasing fear of dependence on multinational companies are symptoms of a deeper concern about values and priorities: the type of environment we want, the role of biodiversity, our tolerance for risk, and the price we are prepared to pay for regulation. Outside Europe, the GM green revolution holds more stark implications. Eight hundred million people worldwide are chronically malnourished. Are GMOs a blessing or a curse for these people and the farmers among them?

I am inclined to believe that the problem of malnutrition in poor countries has little to do with technology or development as such. As the Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen compellingly argues, hunger is not caused by a scarcity of food, but by a scarcity of democracy. Even so, once the political causes of famine and malnutrition in developing countries are resolved, the use of modern biotechnology in agriculture and food production could potentially make an immense contribution to social welfare and economic advancement.

However, we must first address the political factors that underlie most misunderstandings between America and Europe. Above all, we must reckon with the rise of ecological awareness, which in Europe is reflected in the formation and strength of Green parties, and which nurtures anti-globalization sentiments. In Europe and beyond, GMOs became emblematic of the powerful economic fears that globalization inspires. In country after country--France, Britain, Germany, New Zealand, and elsewhere--farmers and ecologists jointly oppose, and sometimes sabotage, trials of GM crops.

Hostility to GMOs is symbolic of broader opposition to the encroachment of market forces that are perceived to be creating a world in which money rules with nary a consideration for historical traditions, cultural identities, and social needs. Whatever the truth in this perception, it is little wonder--and perhaps fitting--that a fight about the future of food should form a key battleground in a fight about who we are.


Nature’s Notebook

Connecting People with Nature to Benefit Our Changing Planet

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Shady Invaders

Project background

Invasive shrubs are becoming increasingly common in eastern forests. These shrubs are top competitors for native shrubs - they can break bud earlier in the spring and hold onto leaves longer in the fall. This phenomenon is called Extended Leaf Phenology (ELP), and allows these early-leafing invaders to take advantage of the greater amount of light reaching the forest floor in early spring.

ELP of these shrubs can create shading on the forest floor at times when native herbs, tree seedlings, insects, reptiles and more depend on that greater sunlight.

Shady Invaders is a project created by researchers at Penn State University to explore the timing of leaves on invasive and native shrubs. The goal of the project is to start to quantify ELP on a regional scale so that we can understand how or if increased shading is actually impacting deciduous forest ecosystems.

See what we learned from this campaign in 2016

Learn more about what defines an invasive species

Join us!

We are seeking observers in the eastern U.S. to document changes in the growth of invasive and native shrubs. Each list is ordered with the easiest plants to identify at the top and the most difficult at the bottom. However, not all of these species will be found in every forest. See some species identification tips

We are particularly interested in observations on the following invasive species:

And the following native species:

*Note that these two species hybridize commonly and form a separate species, Lonicera x bella.

How to participate

1. Select one (or more) of the species to track from the list above. Choosing at least one native species and one invasive is ideal, but you can select just one or the other if you would like. Observations of these species made under a deciduous forest canopy (with trees that shed their leaves annually) are the most useful for this campaign.

4. Take observations. We invite you to track leaf out in your plants ideally 2-4 times a week, in the spring and autumn. We are especially interested in the following leaf phenophases, though you are welcome to report on flowering and fruiting as well.

Phenophase Definition

(Click to enlarge)

Breaking leaf buds One or more breaking leaf buds are visible on the plant. A leaf bud is considered "breaking" once a green leaf tip is visible at the end of the bud, but before the first leaf from the bud has unfolded to expose the leaf stalk (petiole) or leaf base. spicebush_breaking leaf buds and flowering
Leaves One or more live, unfolded leaves are visible on the plant. A leaf is considered "unfolded" once its entire length has emerged from the breaking bud so that the leaf stalk (petiole) or leaf base is visible at its point of attachment to the stem. Do not include fully dried or dead leaves. Japanese barberry_Berberis thunbergii_leaves
Increasing leaf size A majority of leaves on the plant have not yet reached their full size and are still growing larger. Do not include new leaves that continue to emerge at the ends of elongating stems throughout the growing season. Morrows and Tartarian honeysuckle_increasing leaf size
Colored leaves One or more leaves (including any that have recently fallen from the plant) have turned to their late-season colors. Do not include fully dried or dead leaves that remain on the plant. mapleleaf viburnum_Viburnum acerifolium_colored leaves
Falling leaves One or more leaves are falling or have recently fallen from the plant. Photo: Ellen G Denny, alternateleaf dogwood_falling leaves

5. Report your observations. As you collect data during the season, log in to your Nature's Notebook account and enter the observation data you recorded. You can also use our smartphone apps to submit your observations!

Want to do more? Observations of overstory trees are a great complement to the Shady Invaders campaign. Find out if one of the trees in your yard is on the Nature's Notebook species list

2016 Results from the Shady Invaders Campaign

Do invasive shrubs leaf out earlier than native shrubs? Below we show bars for native and invasive shrubs that represent the average first day of breaking leaf buds and the average last day of breaking leaf buds, for natives and invasive species combined. The data show that across the eastern US, invasive species break buds an average of 12 days earlier than native species, and invasive species finish breaking buds an average of 8 days sooner than native species.

breaking leaf buds in invasives and natives Graph: Erynn Maynard

In fact, all of the phenophases observed this year for Shady Invaders seem to fit the pattern we would expect with Extended Leaf Phenology - invasive species put on their leaves earlier, and keep their leaves later than natives. However, we need more observations across the range to understand the consistency of this relationship. Please join us in making observations of Shady Invaders species in 2017!

summary of invasives vs natives Table: Erynn Maynard

Learn more about these results in the Shady Invaders Results Webinar:

What makes a species invasive?

Non-native species are those that are found outside of their historic range, generally as a result of human activities. Invasive species are those non-native species that thrive outside of their historical range with a demonstrated detriment to the invaded ecosystem, economics or human health. Not all species that are non-native become invasive. In fact, very few individuals survive outside of their native range, because the conditions are different from what they have adapted to over many generations.

While invasive species are generally the unintentional product of increased global transportation, many invasive plants continue to be intentionally introduced. Invasive shrubs are an increasingly prevalent component of eastern forests. (Shrubs are generally defined as woody plants with multiple stems arising at or near the ground and are generally shorter and have smaller stem diameters than trees.) Studies estimate that 82% of the 235 invasive woody species in the United States, and 62% of invasive woody species globally were introduced intentionally for horticultural purposes.

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