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Adrienne M. Smith, Sandra B. Wilson, Carrie Reinhardt Adams, Rosanna Freyre, Karen V.S. Hupp, Alison M. Fox, and Randall K. Stocker2
Ruellia simplex (Mexican bluebell, Mexican petunia, or Britton's wild petunia) is an herbaceous perennial (USDA Hardiness Zone 8–11) in the family Acanthaceae. Five species of Ruellia are native to Florida, and three non-native species are listed as naturalized in the state, including R. simplex (Wunderlin et al. 2016). There has been some confusion about the name of this species, commonly referred to as Ruellia brittoniana, Ruellia coerulea, Ruellia tweediana, or Ruellia malacosperma (USDA NRCS 2016; Wundelin et al. 2016). Ruellia simplex C. Wright was the name used when this species was first described in Cuba in 1870; therefore, it has taxonomic priority (Ezcurra and Daniel 2007). This name is now widely used in the horticultural trade and amongst state agencies and will therefore be used in this publication.
Ruellia simplex is native to southern North America, southern South America, and the Antilles (Ezcurra and Daniel 2007). It is characterized by linear to lanceolate leaves 3 to 7 inches long with very prominent veins, oppositely arranged along the stem. Green to purple stems have prominent nodal swellings and vary in color with exposure to light and fertilizer levels. The purple, pedunculate flowers are funnel-shaped and have five petals that are either solitary or appear in a few-flowered cymes arising where the leaves attach to the stem. Cleistogamy (self-fertilization without flower opening) is known to occur (Khoshoo et al. 1969) and is characterized by small, tubular greenish brown flowers that do not open but form fruits from self-pollination. Growers note flower production from June to October, but flowering has been recorded throughout the year in natural areas (FDEP 1998). Under natural day length, greatest flowering has been observed between the end of May to early November in central Florida landscapes (Freyre et al. 2012a). It is possible that the quantity of blossoms is related to the amount of light the plant receives. Plants in more direct sunlight have been observed to produce more flowers. The fruit is a longitudinal capsule up to 1 inch long, containing about 20 circular but flattened seeds. As they mature, the fruit dry and release the seeds explosively. When exposed to moisture, the seeds exude a mucous-like gel. Flower and fruit stages alternate year-round in Florida.
The ornamental features of Mexican petunia, its ability to grow in a wide range of conditions, and the numerous cultivars available in the nursery and landscape industry (Table 1), explain its popularity among consumers, landscapers, and growers (Hammer 2002; Gilman 1999; Wirth et al. 2004).
In natural areas, Mexican petunia escapes to marshy/wet areas and often forms small, localized, vegetative colonies (Turner 1991; Figures 1 and 2). It typically has been observed in wet, disturbed sites, including drainage ditches, shores of ponds or lakes, and moist to wet wooded areas (Godfrey and Wooten 1981), with some populations noticeably expanding within a few years. However, it has considerable drought tolerance and survives in drier sites with full sun. Wilson et al. (2004) compared growth and reproduction of plants grown in wet and dry conditions and found that seed pod production was three times greater in wet conditions compared to dry conditions. They also found that stem length and shoot dry weights were 1.4 times greater in wet conditions.
Seeds lack dormancy mechanisms and are ready to germinate almost immediately after leaving the capsule. With no requirement for a cold treatment or seed coat damage scarification or stratification, seeds have high a germination rate occurring over a broad range of temperatures (Smith et al. 2015) with and without light (Wilson and Mecca 2003). In seed burial studies, environmental conditions of the soil inhibited germination of some seeds, but seeds germinated once placed in ideal conditions (Hupp 2007).
Literature describing the reproductive behavior of this species in natural areas is very limited. However, plants in the Acanthaceae have an explosive mechanism of seed dispersal. This helps Mexican petunia achieve seed dispersal up to 8–10 feet (Witzum and Schulgasser 1995). The mucus-like gel produced by these seeds when wet glues them to the soil surface when it dries (Gutterman et al. 1973), and can also help them stick to animals' fur or birds' feathers, helping their dispersal. Previous research found that seeds are not buoyant (Seitz 2015), but this characteristic does not inhibit dispersal. Seitz (2015) found that approximately 30,000 seeds/year and 10,000 stems/year are dispersed through streams during major stormwater events.
Mexican petunia is commercially propagated by seed or cuttings. Cuttings root readily without being treated with auxin. Mexican petunia is also capable of spreading vegetatively. Horizontal stems, both above and underground, root where the leaves are attached, giving rise to new plants.
Extensive artificial hybridizations were conducted in the genus Ruellia in the 1960s and 1970s to understand genetic relationships between species for taxonomic purposes (Long 1966; Long 1974; Khoshoo et al. 1969). Natural hybrids between R. caroliniensis, R. strepens, R. pedunculata, and R. purshiana were reported (Long 1974). Additionally, R. caroliniensis produced artificial hybrids after hand pollination with R. geminiflora, R. harveyana, R. humilis, and R. pedunculata. Artificial hybridization between R. caroliniensis and R. simplex was reportedly not successful (Long 1974). However, the same cross recently yielded a few interspecific hybrids, all of which were extremely weak and sterile. Therefore, it appears that the risk of gene flow from the invasive R. simplex to Florida native R. caroliniensis is negligible (Freyre and Tripp 2014).
The wild type form of Mexican petunia is ornamentally inferior to the cultivated forms and is rarely offered for sale. Currently, there are eight known cultivars that have been selected commercially for pink, purple, or white flowers as well as tall and dwarf forms, none of which are patented (Table 1). They are easily propagated by cuttings or seed. Seed-propagated cultivars of dwarf forms have been released by Ball Seed. A bi-colored form with white petals and a purple corolla tube has been identified in a landscape but is not in production (S. Wilson, personal communication). The cultivars reportedly are weedy in cultivation with some seedlings having the typical growth form of the species (Hammer 2002). Wilson and Mecca (2003) evaluated a wild type selection of Mexican petunia and eight cultivars ('Chi Chi', 'Morado Chi', 'Katie Variegated', 'Purple Showers', 'Snow White', 'Katie Pink', 'Katie Purple', and 'Katie White') and found that seed production, germination, and relative growth rate were highly variable among cultivars. Their study revealed that the cultivar 'Purple Showers' did not set any seed, whereas at least two other cultivars ('Morado Chi' and 'Chi Chi') set as much or more seed than the wild type form with greater germination and viability. Other insightful data from their study revealed: (1) seeds germinated under a wide range of temperature conditions with significant cultivar x light interactions, (2) after 6–12 months of storage at room temperature, seeds showed reduced rates of germination, and (3) dwarf cultivars were not true to type. Through flow cytometry analysis, the wild type form of Mexican petunia and cultivars 'Chi Chi', 'Katie Pink', 'Katie Purple', 'Katie White', and 'McKee' appear to be diploids (with two sets of chromosomes), and 'Snow White' and 'Purple Showers' appear to be tetraploids (four sets of chromosomes) (Freyre, personal communication). Tetraploid cultivars can play an important role for crossing with diploids to produce triploid cultivars (three sets of chromosomes) with reduced fertility. The University of Florida Ornamental Breeding Program in Gainesville has released to date four new cultivars with highly reduced (or non-detectable) fertility, named Mayan PurpleTM, Mayan WhiteTM, Mayan PinkTM, and Mayan Compact PurpleTM (Freyre et al. 2012a; Freyre et al. 2012b; Freyre and Wilson 2014; Freyre et al. 2016 in press). These cultivars were approved by the UF/IFAS Invasive Plants Task Force and are now patented and in commercial production.
Since its introduction sometime before 1940, Mexican petunia has naturalized in disturbed uplands and wetlands of 8 states (from South Carolina west to Texas, as well as Hawaii), the US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico (USDA-NRCS 2016). In Florida, it has formed naturalized populations in 29 counties throughout the state (Wunderlin et al. 2016). Herbarium samples of escaped Mexican petunia exist from counties extending from the northwestern tip of Florida all the way to the southern tip (Wunderlin et al. 2016; Table 2), suggesting the likelihood of its existence throughout the entire state.
In 2001, the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) upgraded Mexican petunia from a Category II (potential problem) to Category I due to "altering native plant communities by displacing native species, changing community structures or ecological functions, or hybridizing with natives" and its status has not changed since (FLEPPC 2015). The Institute for Regional Conservation's database (IRC), "The Floristic Inventory of South Florida Database Online" contains distribution records of more than 2,400 species of plants in south Florida conservation areas. Mexican petunia is listed in 18 conservation areas in south Florida (Gann et al. 2008).
Mexican petunia has been observed in many natural areas across Florida. For example, a dense population of Mexican petunia can be found along the Sweetwater Branch Tributary in Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park in Alachua County. This population is exposed to frequent inundation in light and shade conditions. It can also be found growing in narrow zones along the edge of water ways at Hogtown Creek and other smaller creek beds in Alachua County. In Seminole County at Lake Jesup, Mexican petunia has become one large monoculture in a wetland under the cabbage palm hammock, even in the presence of grazing and trampling cows (Smith et al. 2016). Thus, most populations in natural areas were associated with water, and upland populations seemed likely to have persisted after deliberate planting and cultivation, or from populations that were established under wetter conditions (Hupp 2007).
In comparison, the native species R. caroliniensis grows in 56 of Florida's 67 counties (Wunderlin et al. 2016). Despite having a widespread distribution, it is typically found as only a few scattered plants at a time, not in dense monocultures. It does not show the narrow zonal distribution associated with water that is exhibited by Mexican petunia, though it is known to show similar habitat tolerances under cultivation.
Conclusions from the "Institute for Food and Agricultural Science (IFAS) Assessment of the Status of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas" state that the wild type of Mexican petunia is invasive and not recommended for use in any region of Florida (IFAS Invasive Plant Working Group 2013). However, the above mentioned Mayan cultivars were evaluated through their Infra Taxon Protocol and approved for release and use in all areas in Florida. More information can be found on the IFAS Assessment page at: http://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/assessments/ruellia-simplex/.
Eradication of this species may prove to be extremely difficult. Hand pulling of this species can be effective for small areas or individual plants; however, all vegetative material must be removed to prevent vegetative re-growth from the underground rhizomes (Reinhardt Adams et al. 2014b). Mexican petunia seeds do not persist in the seedbank; this suggests that seeds germinate readily once released from the parent plant (Reinhardt Adams et al. 2015). Native seeds persist in the seedbank but it is still unclear why native species are unable to recolonize after Mexican petunia control (Reinhardt Adams et al. 2015).
There are many safe and effective herbicides available to the homeowner for control of unwanted vegetation, and four of these products have been tested for effectiveness in controlling Mexican petunia. Tested products were all available at local hardware and home improvement stores, and they were all "ready-to-use" products, meaning they came in an applicator bottle and no mixing or diluting was required. It is important to note that product names often change, and the only way to be sure to purchase the same product that was used in this study is to compare the type and amount of active ingredient. This information is provided on the product label. The tested products are listed in Table 3, but the most commonly used and readily available product is Roundup (glyphosate) (Reinhardt Adams et al. 2014b). Follow all safety, application, and disposal requirements indicated on the product label.
These ready-to-use products are applied to the entire plant, covering as much of the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves and stems as possible, but stopping before herbicide drips off the plant. Because different products have different susceptibility to reduction in effectiveness from rainfall, effort should be made to apply herbicides during a period when rainfall is not expected for 24 hours.
For natural areas, a single application of herbicide, specifically Roundup, applied in the fall or spring is enough to initially control Mexican petunia (Reinhardt Adams et al. 2014a). A follow up application may be needed after 3–6 months depending on regrowth (Reinhardt Adams et al. 2014b). If the first herbicide application does not kill the plants entirely, regrowth will come from either the tips of underground stems (rhizomes) or from sprouts along the bigger stems, near the base of the plant. Plants sprayed with Roundup exhibit regrowth almost exclusively from the bases of dead (treated) stems. Applications of other products usually also result in some regrowth from underground stems.
One field study showed that unassisted re-colonization (i.e., plots where Mexican petunia was sprayed with herbicide but not planted or seeded with native species) did not result in Mexican petunia control and native plant establishment. In fact, even when planted seedlings of native species had adequate survival (2–57% depending on species), re-invasion of Mexican petunia was not prevented (Smith et al. 2016). Smith et al. (2016) noted that Mexican petunia regrowth was primarily from rhizomes, not seed germination. More research is needed to determine effective herbicide methods that target rhizome growth, as well as refined revegetation approaches on both small and large scale invasions in the longer term.
The effect of these products on other vegetation depends on many factors, such as which plant species are currently present and how tolerant of any particular product those species are. In one field study, the products, in increasing damage to non-Mexican petunia plant species, were Lawn Weed Killer, Weed-B-Gon, Roundup, and Brush-B-Gon Poison Ivy Killer. In plots where Mexican petunia comprised more than 75% of the ground cover, within six months after herbicide application as much as 50% of the ground cover was non-Mexican petunia vegetation. Non-Mexican petunia vegetation was present in higher amounts after six months in sunny areas than in shaded areas.
Although Mexican petunia is an attractive and popular ornamental plant, the escape and establishment of this species in Florida's natural areas has had harmful ecological impacts. It is hoped that sterile cultivars will not escape and thus may be recommended for use by UF/IFAS, if approved using the newly implemented IFAS infraspecific taxon protocol. The species can be controlled in yards using ready-to-use herbicides. However, repeated treatments may be needed and long term management of large escaped populations will be costly.
Ezcurra, C. and T.F. Daniel. 2007. "Ruellia simplex, an older and overlooked name for Ruellia tweedinana and Ruellia coerulea(Acanthaceae)." Darwiniana 45:201–203.
Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. 2015. "Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council's 2015 list of invasive species." htpp://www.fleppc.org/list/2015FLEPPCLIST-LARGEFORMAT-FINAL.pdf. Accessed: July 2016.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). 1998. Florida Wetland Plants: An Identification Manual. University of Florida, IFAS, Gainesville, FL. p. 228.
Freyre R., A. Moseley, S.B. Wilson, and G.W. Knox. 2012a. "Breeding and evaluating for landscape performance and fruitlessness in Mexican petunia." HortScience 47:1245–1251.
Freyre, R., A. Moseley, S.B. Wilson, G.W. Knox. 2012b. "Fruitless Ruellia simplex R10-102 ('Mayan Purple') and R10-108 ('Mayan White')." HortScience 47(12):1808–1814.
Freyre R. and E.A. Tripp. 2014. "Artificial hybridization between U.S. native Ruellia caroliniensis and invasive Ruellia simplex: crossability, morphological diagnosis, and molecular characterization." HortScience 49:991–996.
Freyre, R. and S.B. Wilson. 2014. "Ruellia simplex R10-105-Q54 ('Mayan Pink')." HortScience 49:499–502.
Freyre R., Z. Deng, G.W. Knox, V. Zayas, and S. Montalvo. (2016, in press). "Fruitless Ruellia simplex R12–2–1 ('Mayan Compact Purple')." HortScience
Gann, G.D., K.A. Bradley, and S.W. Woodmansee. 2008. "The Floristic inventory of south Florida database online." http://regionalconservation.org/ircs/DatabaseChoice.asp. Accessed: June 2009.
Gilman, E.F. 1999. Ruellia brittoniana Mexican Bluebell. FPS-513. Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fp513. Assessed: July 2007.
Godfrey, R.K. and J.W. Wooten. 1981. Aquatic and Wetland Plants of the Southeastern United States- Dicotyledons. University of Georgia Press, Athens, GA. p. 708.
Gutterman, Y., A. Witztum, and W. Heydecker. 1973. "Studies of the surfaces of desert plant seeds. II. Ecological adaptations of the seeds of Blepharis persica." Annuals of Botany 37: 1051–1055.
Hammer, R.L. 2002. "Mexican bluebell (Ruellia tweediana Griseb) A pretty invasive weed." Wildland Weeds 5:6–8.
Hupp, K.V.S. 2007. Investigating the determinants of local scale distribution of Ruellia tweediana (synonym R. brittoniana) in natural areas. University of Florida, Thesis.
IFAS Invasive Plant Working Group. 2013. IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas. http://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/. Accessed July 2016.
Khoshoo, T.N., R.C. Mehra, and K. Bose. 1969. "Hybridity, polyploidy and change in breeding system in a Ruellia hybrid." Theoretical and applied Genetics 39:133–140.
Long, R.W. 1966. "Artificial hybridization experiments in Ruellia (Acanthaceae)." Am. J. Bot. 53:917–927.
Long, R.W. 1974. "Variation in natural populations of Ruellia caroliniensis (Acanthaceae)." Boll. Torry Bot. Club 101:1–6.
Lowrey, L.R. 1991. "Ruellia brittoniana var. katie." Amer. Nurseryman. 173(3):138.
Pickens, M. 1999. "Lynn Lowrey, Plantsman." http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/heroes/lowrey2.html. Accessed: May 2009.
Plant Delights Nursery, Inc. 2003. "Juniper Level Botanic Gardens, Raleigh, NC." http://www.plantdelights.com. Accessed: May 2001.
Reinhardt Adams, C., C. Wiese, and L.C. Cobb. 2014a. "Effect of season and number of glyphosate applications on control of invasive Mexican petunia (Ruellia simplex)." Ecological Restoration 32:133–137.
Reinhardt Adams, C., C. Wiese, L. Cobb Lee, S.B. Wilson, A.M. Smith, and R. Freye. 2014b. Managing Mexican petunia (Ruellia simplex C. Wright) in the home landscape. EP498. Gainesville: Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep498
Reinhardt Adams, C., C. Wiese, and L.C. Lee. 2015. "Native recolonization following control of invasive Ruellia simplex in a cypress floodplain forest." Applied Vegetation Science 18:694–704.
Seitz, J. 2015. "Stream-mediated dispersal mechanisms of invasive plants: implication for management." University of Florida. Water, Wetlands & Watersheds Seminar. Feb 11, 2015.
Smith, A.M., C. Reinhardt Adams, C. Wiese, and S.B. Wilson. 2016. "Re-vegetation with native species does not control the invasive Ruellia simplex in a floodplain forest in Florida, USA." Applied Vegetation Science 19:20–30.
Smith, A.M., C. Reinhardt Adams, C. Wiese, and S. B. Wilson. 2015a. "Active revegetation efforts using native species do not promote invader control in the short term in a Ruellia simplex (Mexican petunia) invaded floodplain forest in Florida, USA." Journal of Applied Vegetation Science 19:20–30.
Smith, A.M., S.B. Wilson, C. Reinhardt Adams, and C. Wiese. 2015b. "Germination of native species: efforts to guide revegetation in a Mexican petunia-invaded floodplain in Florida." Ecological Restoration 33:237–241.
Turner, B.L. 1991. "Texas species of Ruellia (Acanthaceae)." Phytologia 71(4): 281–299.
USDA, NRCS, United States Department of Agriculture National Resources Conservation Service. 2016. The PLANTS Database, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA. http://www.plants.usda.gov. Accessed: July 2016.
Wilson, S.B. and L.K. Mecca. 2003. "Seed production and germination of eight cultivars and the wild-type of Ruellia tweediana: A potentially invasive ornamental." J. Environ. Hort. 21:137–143.
Wilson, S.B, P.C. Wilson, and J.A. Albano. 2004. "Growth and development of the native Ruellia caroliniensis and invasive Ruellia tweediana." HortScience 39:1015–1019.
Wirth, F.F., K.J. Davis, and S.B. Wilson. 2004. "Florida nursery sales and economic impacts of 14 potentially invasive ornamental plant species." J. Environ. Hort. 22:12–16.
Witzum, A. and K. Schulgasser. 1995. "The mechanics of seed expulsion in Acanthaceae." Journal of Theoretical Biology 176: 531–542.
Wunderlin, R.P. B.F. Hansen, A.R. Franck, and F.B. Essig. 2016. Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants Institute for Systematic Botany, Univ. of South Florida, Tampa.http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu. Assessed: July 2016.
Botanical description, origin and alternative names of wild type Mexican petunia (R. Simplex) and twelve cultivars.
Similar cultivars
Botanical description and origin if known
Wild type
2–3 feet, upright growth, 1.4-inch-diameter purple flowers, narrower leaves than 'Purple Showers' and wider than 'Morado Chi'; designated as a Category I invasive plant by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC 2007b).
'Chi Chi'
'Pink Showers'
3–4 feet, upright growth, 2-inch-diameter pink flowers, narrow leaves
'Katie Pink'
'Bonita Pink'TM, 'Colobe Pink'PPAF, 'Compact Pink Ruffle'TM, 'Pink Shorts Katie'TM
6–12 inch compact form, 2-inch-diameter pink flowers, narrow leaves; Discovered by Greg Grant, who used 'Purple Katie' as the female parent to cross with the standard pink R. simplex (Pickens 1999)
'Katie Purple'
'Compacta Katie', 'Dwarf Katie', 'Purple Katie'
6–12 inch compact form, 2-inch-diameter purple flowers, narrow leaves; discovered in Texas by employees Herbert Durand and Nolan Guillot (Lowrey 1991).
'Katie Variegated'
'Strawberries and Cream'
6–12 inch compact form with variegated foliage, 2-inch-diameter purple flowers, narrow leaves; discovered by Scott Reaves of Tree Search Farms in Texas in 1994 in a grouping of 'Katie' (Plant Delights Nursery 2003).
'Katie White'
'Clean White Katie'TM, 'Clean White Shorts'TM, 'Compact White Ruffle'TM
6–12 inch compact form, 1.8-inch-diameter white flowers, narrow leaves.
'Morado Chi'
3–4 feet, upright growth, 1.8-inch-diameter purple flowers, very narrow leaves.
'Purple Showers'
'Purple Fountain'
3–4 feet, upright growth, 2.2-inch-diameter purple flowers, leaves wider than the wild type species.
'Snow White'
'Snow Queen', 'White Snow'
3–4 feet, upright growth, 1.8-inch-diameter white flowers, rounded leaves; sold as R. simplex but may be a distinct species.
Mayan PurpleTM
Up to 3 feet, upright and full growth habit, 1.8 inch-diameter purple flowers, wide leaves, less tall and prone to lodging than 'Purple Showers'; University of Florida release.
Mayan WhiteTM
Up to 3 feet, upright and full growth habit, 1.8 inch-diameter white flowers, wide leaves; University of Florida release.
Mayan PinkTM
1–2 feet, upright growth, 1.5 inch-diameter pink flowers, narrow leaves. Some fruits may be present; University of Florida release.
Mayan Compact PurpleTM
1–2 feet, upright and full growth habit, 1.8 inch-diameter pink flowers, very wide leaves; University of Florida release.
Florida counties in which Mexican petunia (R. simplex) has been documented (Wunderlin et al. 2016).
Palm Beach
Indian River
St. Lucie
Ready-to-use liquid (spray) herbicides tested for effectiveness in controlling Mexican petunia (R. simlex).
Ortho Brush-B-Gon Poison Ivy Killer
Triclopyr triethylamine salt
Ortho Weed B Gon Max
Mecoprop-p dimethylamine salt
2,4-D Dimethyl amine
Orth Basic Solutions Lawn Weed Killer
2,4-D Dimethylamine salt
Mecoprop-p dimethylamine
Dichloroprop-p dimethylamine
This document is ENH1155, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date January 2010. Revised April 2013 and August 2016. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
Adrienne M. Smith, former graduate student, Department of Environmental Horticulture; Sandra B. Wilson, professor, Department of Environmental Horticulture; Carrie Reinhardt Adams, associate professor, Department of Environmental Horticulture; Rosanna Freyre, research scientist, Department of Environmental Horticulture; Karen V.S. Hupp, former graduate student, Department of Agronomy; Alison M. Fox, emeritus associate professor, Department of Agronomy; Randall K. Stocker, emeritus professor, Department of Agronomy, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, Florida 32611.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county's UF/IFAS Extension office.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension.


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Drop Dead Healthy
One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection
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Book Summary
In Drop Dead Healthy, author A.J. Jacobs attempts to become the healthiest man in the world. Structuring his life around a deluge of diets and fitness regimens that often contradict each other, he experiences the logical conclusion of our culture's health obsessions.
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Self-Improver A.J. Jacobs Takes On Getting 'Healthy'
Note: Book excerpts are provided by the publisher and may contain language some find offensive.
Excerpt: Drop Dead Healthy
For the last few months, I've been assembling a list of things I need to do to improve my health. It's an intimidatingly long list. Fifty-three pages. here's a sample:
• Eat leafy green vegetables
• Do forty minutes of aerobic exercise a day
• Meditate several times a week
• Watch baseball (lowers blood pressure, according to one study)
• Nap (good for the brain and heart)
• Hum (prevents sinus infections)
• Win an Academy Award (A bit of a long shot, I know. But studies show Oscar winners live three years longer than non–Oscar winners.)
• Keep my apartment at sixty-two degrees, which makes my body burn more calories a day
• Buy a potted Areca palm plant (filters dirty air)
• Lift weights to muscle exhaustion
• Become an Okinawan woman (another long shot)
And on and on.
By the way, I've printed this list in nine-point Papyrus font, because I found a study that says hard-to-read fonts improve memorization.
I want to do everything on my list because my quest isn't just to be a little bit healthier. My quest isn't to lose a couple of pounds. My quest is to turn my current self — a mushy, easily winded, moderately sickly blob – into the embodiment of health and fitness. To become as healthy as humanly possible.
I've been intrigued by the topic of health and fitness for years. But the idea of devoting myself to the cause occurred to me during a recent vacation. It was supposed to be a relaxing week with the family in the Dominican Republic. Sand castles would be built. Boggle would be played. Soda would be ordered without ice.
Instead, I ended up in a Caribbean hospital for three days with severe pneumonia. I expected some jet lag, maybe a skittish stomach. But tropical pneumonia? That took me by surprise.
I'd read plenty about the importance of gratitude. So as I lay wheezing and shivering on my thin hospital mattress, I tried to find things to be thankful for. For instance, my hospital visit gave me the opportunity to learn new Spanish words such as "lung" and "pain" (pulmón and dolor, respectively). Also, roosters outside my hospital window woke me up every morning, which is marginally more charming than New York car alarms.
Neither of these observations helped much. But I found one big upside, a life-altering one. This experience was a seventy-twohour-long memento mori. For one of the few times in my life, I was certain I was about to leave this world. Now, maybe this fear was melodramatic, but in my defense: If you were hooked up to an IV drip with a rainbow of unknown liquids (clear, yellow, blue, pink), if you saw doctors speaking in hushed tones while stealing glances at you, if you couldn't breathe without wincing, if your mind was fogged in by viruses, you might think what I did: the only way I'm getting out of here is on a stretcher covered by a sheet.
My dread was more focused than any I'd ever experienced. Probably because of my three young sons. I want to be around to see them grow up. I want to be there for their graduations, their marriages, yes, but I also want to see them sing their first Led Zeppelin karaoke song and eat their first jalapeño pepper. I want to be around to teach them the importance of having compassion and why the original Willy Wonka is superior to the remake. I worked myself into quite a state by imagining all of the memories I'd never have.
The thing is, I'm forty-one. I can no longer take my health for granted. Catching pneumonia is just one sign that I'm deteriorating. My bones are becoming lighter and more porous. My muscles are shriveling. My brain is shrinking, my arteries narrowing, my coordination slowing. I'm losing 1 percent of my testosterone a year.
And I'm fat. Not morbidly obese. I'm what's described as skinny fat. A python-that-swallowed-a-goat type of body. Which I've learned is the worst kind of fat. So-called visceral fat (which surrounds the liver and other vital organs) is considered much more dangerous than subcutaneous fat (the kind under the skin that causes cellulite). In fact, the size of your waistline is one of the best predictors of heart disease.
My wife, Julie, has been nudging me for years about my growing belly. She's got a repertoire. She'll refer to me as Buddha. Or she'll ask, "So, when are you due?" When she wants to be especially subtle, she'll just whistle the Winnie-the-Pooh theme song as she walks by.
She tells me she doesn't care about whether or not I look fat. She says she just wants me to take care of myself so I'm around for a while. A couple of years ago, she sat me down at the dinner table, put her hands on mine, looked me in the eyes, and told me: "I don't want to be a widow at forty-five."
"I understand," I replied solemnly. I pledged to join a gym, and at the time, I meant it. But inertia is a powerful force.
So I did nothing. I continued eating food packed with empty calories — lots of pasta and corn-syrupy cereal. There was a notable lack of anything green at my meals, not counting bottles of rolling rock. My exercise regimen was just as bad. I hadn't done serious aerobic exercise since college. I got winded playing hide-and-seek with my sons.
And then I found myself in the hospital gasping for air. And so, right about when the nurse came into my room bearing a pill the size of my middle toe, I made a pledge: If I make it out alive, my next project will be about revamping my body.
Continues ...
From Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection by A.J. Jacobs. Copyright 2012 by A.J. Jacobs. Excerpted by permission of Simon & Schuster.

subset: commoncrawl


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It is normal for infants and young children to occasionally bite. But sometimes biting points to a more serious behavioral problem related
to hostility and aggression. A child should be evaluated by a doctor if biting:
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text: +Jackalgirl 0 Posted December 3, 2008 (edited) Name of coin: Lady Luck remint Name of Vendor: GeocoinDesign Date Ordered: 6/20/2008 Shipment Due Date: N/A Ordered by: 1. C A Royal Flush - Not yet received - no response to email requesting refund 2. dannable. 10 coins. Not received yet, no response to e-mails. 3. Geocaching-Geckos, not yet received, no refund given as yet. 4. Sweetlife not yet recieved and no refund either 5. UncleJimbo - Not yet received - have not requested a refund 6. Sparticus06 - Not requested refund, giving a chance 7. Dusty Springfield 20 coins. Not Yet received (Ordered 6/23) Edited December 3, 2008 by Jackalgirl Quote Share this post Link to post


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Ask Americans what they're most worried about and what they want from their elected officials, and consistently over the years a lot of people are worried about crime and want the government to get tough on criminals. That's not hard to understand – watch your local TV news for a while, and you will quickly learn that assaults, rapes and murders are the principal activities in your home town, and if they couldn't find any locally on that particular day they'll spend the first ten minutes of the evening news talking about violent crimes that happened 600 miles away. The obsession of local TV news with violent crime is second only to their obsession with inclement weather, and it's equally demented. Every time there's the threat of six inches of snow, they're interrupting Bowling with the B-List Celebrities to show us a hatless talking head standing out in the windblown sleet to bewail the coming apocalypse, whereupon the mob strips the grocery stores of milk, bottled water and diapers. It seems the people react similarly to the nightly recitation of carnage, culled by any means necessary from among our 300 million people. So we have mandatory sentencing laws, elimination of parole, an end to coddling of criminals with things like education and job training – why should criminals, who have lost any right to respect or help from society, get a free education when my own law abiding kids can't?
So who are all these vicious criminals filling our jails? Are they the rapists and murderers of grandparents? Not exactly. Twenty-five to 30% of them have been convicted of drug offenses only, and the vast majority of them are not major traffickers. A full 80% of criminals, including those who have been convicted of property crimes (the largest group), have histories of substance abuse and their offenses are in one way or another associated with substance abuse and addiction. You could look it up. They're in for shoplifting, passing bad checks, stealing car radios, and maybe purse snatchings to get money for drugs. The most violent were usually robbing drug dealers.
But these aren't just any old addicts – they aren't the same people who end up in the Betty Ford Clinic or the college counseling program. They're mostly people with little education, low literacy, no marketable skills. They started doing poorly in school when they were young and their lives just never got going. They might have learning disabilities, they might have come from unstable or abusive home environments – and oh yeah, when they first started to get in trouble, as kids, the system dealt with them punitively, rather than trying to help them. That was much more likely to happen if they were Black or Hispanic. According to the best available data, Black and Hispanic kids don't use illicit drugs or commit offenses more often than white kids, but they're much more likely to end up in the juvenile justice system, and from there it's all over.
So the cops find a guy selling dime bags, or writing bad checks, or stealing car stereos, and the judge throws him in jail for a year, then they toss him back out on the street, still without education, job skills or experience, and now with a criminal record. What's gonna happen?
It has been shown that substance abuse treatment reduces recidivism, and that the best kinds of programs can reduce it by more than 50% -- at a tremendous cost saving to society. However, according to a CSAT consensus panel, "Many offenders are released with no place to live, no job, and without family or social supports. They often lack the knowledge and skills to access available resources for adjustment to life on the outside." This is happening more and more now because legislators have gotten tough on crime by eliminating probation and parole. In other words, people are made to serve their full sentences in jail, then they are just dumped on the street. For released offenders, treatment is much more likely to succeed if it is integrated with other essential rehabilitative services including education, job skills development, housing, family counseling, etc. But most offenders get none of the above.
We can take a bite out of crime. We know exactly how to do it. But we're spending billions of dollars building prisons and locking people up, which provides employment for prison guards in depressed rural areas but also increases the crime rate. There's a better use for most of that money, but when was the last time you heard a politician promising to provide substance abuse treatment, job training, education, housing and family counseling to released offenders? Probably never, because their opponents in the next election would accuse them of "coddling criminals." Guess what. Criminals are people. They got to be criminals mostly because of stuff that happened to them. We can fix that, in many cases. But that would be the liberal solution, and we all know that's a dirty word.
Monday, January 29, 2007
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'Putting The Jewel In The Crown' CPD Conference
Ensuring that professional development (CPD) is effective and has impact
In partnership with Imaginative Minds & Professional Development Today
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
(10.00 am – 4.00 pm)
NUT Headquarters,
Hamilton House,
Mabledon Place,
London WC1H 9BD
Book your place now!
Philippa Cordingley (Centre for the Use of Research and Evidence in Education)
Vivienne Porritt (London Centre for Leadership in Learning, Institute of Education)
Plus a choice of WORKSHOPS: assessing impact of CPD; learning journeys; effective practice in schools; developing colleagues;CPD through enquiry; and mentoring and coaching.
Drawing on the latest research evidence and examples of good practice, this conference will enable participants to enhance professional learning and make optimum use of expertise and resources within and beyond their schools to improve teaching and learning for young people.
Head teachers, CPD leaders/coordinators and all teachers and school leaders wanting to improve CPD provision and practice.
Each workshop will run twice during the conference so participants will be able to attend two.
Workshop A: The Enquiring Teacher: How enquiry and research can be the most powerful form of professional development
Graham Handscomb - Senior Manager, Essex County Council
Robin Newman - Deputy Headteacher, Kind Edward VI Grammar School (KEGS), Chelmsford (now Deputy Headteacher, Notley High School, Braintree)
Mark Perrott - Assistant Headteacher, KEGS.
Why should teachers and other staff engage in research? What difference does it make? How can teachers be best equipped to become enquirers and bring enquiry into their own practice? This workshop shows how a local authority has pioneered the concept of The Research Engaged School (Handscomb and MacBeath, 2003; Handscomb, 2009, 'Developing the Enquiring Teacher').
The presenters demonstrate how one school has transformed classroom practice & student learning, enquiry-based professional development, and the nurturing of professional learning communities (Newman, 2010 'Developing Teachers - Changing Classroom Practice').
Opportunities will be provides for workshop participants to examine and reflect upon their own context and practice.
Workshop B: National Teaching Schools: making them work
Tracey O'Brien - Deputy Head, Southfields Community College, Wandsworth & Peter Earley, LCLL, IOE.
National Teaching Schools are designed to make a major contribution to improving the standards in the performance of all pupils in English Schools. Their role is to lead the drive to a new professionalism in teaching and learning and school leadership. This will result in a closing of the attainment gaps between pupils and a raising of their overall standards to match those of the best in the world.
But what does it actually mean to be one? What professional development opportunities are currently offered within an 'outward facing' teaching school to enhance staff quality and pupil outcomes? The 4 key components of a NTS will be outlined and participants will share their interests in this area and discuss the implications of becoming a Teaching School.
Bubb, S and Earley, P (2010) 'Helping Staff Develop in Schools', London: Sage O'Brien, T (2010) 'On the road: the action-learning sets journey towards being a research-engaged school', National College Research Associate Report.
Workshop C: Taking charge of professional learning: making the most of coaching
Lisa Bradbury - Principal Professional Learning Manager, CUREE
Faced with budget cuts schools need CPD that is high quality and cost effective. This workshop will help participants understand the potential of specialist and co-coaching to develop the performance of every member of staff by ensuring that CPD opportunities really do feed into day to day practice on a sustained basis.
It will:
- Grasp the key ingredients ( skills, practices and underpinning principles) shown to make a difference to both pupils and teachers
- Explore tools and resources to help you help you and your colleagues to
- identify and tackle relevant teaching and learning issues in pursuit of manageable yet challenging goals; and
- help colleagues take increasing responsibility for their own professional learning.
Workshop D: Enquiring into Learning: how teachers may be supported in developing learning-centred classrooms
Chris Watkins - Reader in Education, Institute of Education
This workshop will examine how and why we need more learning-centred classrooms in a post-Strategies world, and some of the key issues in promoting such development. Special attention will be given to the use of Appreciative Inquiry with pupils and teachers. School processes will be illustrated from a forthcoming DVD on this theme.
Watkins, C., Carnell, E. and Lodge, C. (2007) 'Effective Learning in Classrooms'. London: Sage
Watkins, C. (2010) Learning, Performance and Improvement. 'Research Matters series' No 34. London, Institute of Education, International Network for School Improvement
Workshop E: Impact evaluation: making a difference
Karen Spence-Thomas - Programme Leader, CPD and Aspiring Leaders, London Centre for Leadership in Learning (LCLL), Institute of Education.
Why evaluate impact? For whom do you want to make a difference? What difference do you want to make? How will you know? This workshop explores a simple and practical approach to impact evaluation developed at the LCLL. The approach builds on the work of Thomas Guskey and focuses on the difference professional learning and development make to professional practice and outcomes for learners. In particular, the workshop emphasises the importance of establishing clear objectives and outcomes at the planning stage. It will also consider how the approach can enhance school self-evaluation, improvement planning and performance management. There will be opportunities for participants to reflect on their own contexts, share current practice and consider the implications of the approach for their work.
Guskey, T (2005) 'Evaluating Professional Development, an Interview with Dr. Thomas Guskey,' Etech, Ohio.
Earley, P & Porritt, V (eds) (2009) 'Effective Practices in Continuing Professional Development: Lessons from Schools,' London: Institute of Education and TDA, Bedford Way series.
£125 (£75 for NUT members and/or subscribers to Imaginative Minds publications e.g., Professional Development Today), includes VAT, lunch and refreshments.
See Application Form at www.teachers.org.uk/cpdapplication.
For more information see http://admin.teachingtimes.co.uk/userfiles/file/jewel-in-the-crown-conference.pdf
Telephone 020 7380 4719
email email@example.com
Applications can be faxed to 0207 387 8458 or posted to: CPD Programme, NUT Headquarters, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD.
- i-wigt - what is good teaching?
- wigl – what is good leadership?
- project-based learning resources
- creative teaching and learning
- school leadership and management
- every child
- professional development today
- learning spaces
- vulnerable children
- digital learning
- leadership briefing
- manager's briefcase
- school business


text:
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Organic Valley was founded on the idea that if we respect the land and work with Mother Nature, we'll be rewarded with delicious, organic food we can be proud of. It's a philosophy you can taste in every drop and every bite, and it's helping to change the way Americans think about their food.
"As demand for our organic foods quickly grew, so did farmers' interest in joining our cooperative. Family farmers all over the country wanted to be part of this thriving movement. But as we expanded out of the Coulee Region, it became obvious we needed a brand name. After all, we couldn't keep calling our cheese CROC (Coulee Region Organic Cheese).
After weeks of brainstorming, a couple of our very first employees came up with a name: Organic Valley. And with a new name and our cooperative business model, we soon emerged as the nation's leading producer of organic dairy.
Now, after 27 years in business, we continue to produce some of the highest quality organic dairy, vegetables, soy and eggs. But our mission to create a healthier future never ends."


text:
Iowa Legal Aid
Who We Are
Southeast Iowa Regional Office
Northwest Iowa Regional Office
Who We Serve
- Area(s)
- Statewide
- Cirumstances and languages in which interpreters are provided
Iowa Legal Aid's goal is to communicate effectively with our clients. We can use large print, Relay Iowa, language translation service, or other steps for effective communication. Interpretation and translation services and reasonable accommodations will be provided at no cost to qualified applicants.
Please let us know if any special service is needed to provide legal help to you.
- Is this organization accessible by wheelchair?
- Yes
- Does this organization provide access for the hearing impaired?
- Yes
General Contact Information
- Address
Iowa Legal Aid
1111 9th Street, (map)Suite 230Des Moines, IA 50314
- Phone
- Call toll-free 1-800-532-1275
- Fax
- 515-246-6075
- Website
- http://www.iowalegalaid.org


text:
Satellite photo shows Syria's Furqlus weapons depot near the city of Homs. The depot is one of five permanent locations where the regime of Bashar Assad stores chemical weapons, according to arms control experts and U.S. officials.
As the Obama administration seeks to rally support for a powerful missile attack on key Syrian targets, much about Damascus' chemical warfare program remains shrouded in secrecy.
Experts agree that the program is the most advanced in the Third World, and that the Syrian government has used the poisonous arms against its own people "multiple times" in recent years.
Based on recent interviews with U.S. officials, allied intelligence officials and arms control experts, here's what is known – and not known – about Syria's chemical weapons arsenal and the looming showdown over what the U.S. says is its most recent attack:
The arsenal
The size of Syria's chemical weapons arsenal is not known with any precision, though the French government has estimated it to be more than 1,000 tons.
The lack of certainty poses a problem, according to intelligence and arms control experts. "No one but the Syrians knows the inventory, and if the rebels overrun one of these depots, there are worries about the physical control of the weapons," said one U.S. official, who like the others spoke on condition of anonymity.
The experts say that Damascus' program is distinguished by its size, diversity, quality and reliability. President Bashar Assad's regime is believed to possess sarin, VX (a persistent form of sarin that could render a city uninhabitable "for some days," according to the CIA), tabun (another older nerve agent) plus blistering agents like mustard, phosgene and hydrogen cyanide. In addition, it is believed to have large stores of "precursor chemicals" that it could use to create more of the toxic agents.
The weapons are stored in five major locations -- near the cities of Latakia, Palmyra, Homs and Hama, all in the north and central part of the country, and at al-Safir, near the Turkish border.
However, weapons have been moved around the country over the last year for operational reasons, a process that has "accelerated quite a bit" as the threat of a retaliatory strike by the U.S. has increased, according to Pentagon officials. At the same time, U.S. intelligence has been tracking the movements -- not because the U.S. intends to target the chemical weapons, but in an effort to determine if the Syrians may be preparing for new attacks against the rebels.
Weapons systems
Syria has many ways of using chemical weapons to attack remote locations, including a few dozen SS-21 ballistic missiles with a maximum range of 72 miles; 200 Scud-Bs, with a maximum range of 180 miles; and 60 to 120 Scud-Cs, with a maximum range of 300 miles. All these missiles are mobile, enabling Assad and his generals to quickly move or hide them, according U.S. intelligence officials.
Syrian fighter-bombers also can carry bombshells filled with chemicals. Even simple artillery shells can be loaded with chemical weapons and fired at targets within a relatively short range, according to U.S. experts.
Syria's chemical weapons arsenal is so large and diverse because it considers it a strategic deterrent to Israel's nuclear weapons. Syria is one of only seven nations in the world that has not ratified the 1992 Chemical Weapons Convention, the arms-control agreement that outlaws the production, stockpiling and use of such weapons. Only Syria, North Korea, Egypt, South Sudan and Angola have not signed the accord for a variety of reasons. Israel and Myanmar have signed but not ratified the convention.
History of use
The U.S. reported last week that Syria has used chemical weapons "on a small scale against the opposition multiple times in the last year." The British government places the number of attacks at 14 since 2012. Chemical weapons also were used under Assad's father, Hafez, more than 20 years ago in Hama during a Muslim Brotherhood-inspired rebellion. According to a November 1990 Senate Foreign Relations Committee memo, Syrian army units went to every house suspected of hiding insurgents and pumped in cyanide gas, killing as many as 20,000 occupants. Later, the government broadcast a report saying security forces had taken fierce reprisals against the Brotherhood and its sympathizers, "which stopped them from breathing."
Attack on Ghouta
In its unclassified report on the Aug. 21 attacks on rebel-held enclaves in the Ghouta district outside Damascus, the White House said that preparations began several days before the pre-dawn bombardment.
Citizens crowded in tight spaces to see their congressional representatives and voiced their displeasure with the proposed Syria plan. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports.
"Syrian chemical weapons personnel were operating in the Damascus suburb of 'Adra from Sunday, Aug. 18, until early in the morning on Wednesday, Aug. 21, near an area that the regime uses to mix chemical weapons, including sarin," it said. "On Aug. 21, a Syrian regime element prepared for a chemical weapons attack in the Damascus area, including through the utilization of gas masks."
Secretary of State John Kerry also said in a speech Friday that rockets carrying the chemical weapons "came only from regime-controlled areas and went only to opposition-controlled or contested neighborhoods." On NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, he said that hair and blood samples given to the United States by emergency workers showed signs of sarin.
The U.S. also accused the Syrian military of an attempted cover-up, shelling the area to remove evidence of environmental contamination.
U.S. and U.K. intelligence officials tell NBC News that Maher Assad, Bashar's younger brother, authorized the attack, and Syrian rebels confirm that the 155th and 127th brigades of the 4th Armored Division, both of which are under his command, played key roles in carrying it out.
Status of investigation
The U.N. is currently investigating not just the attacks in Ghouta, but a March 19 attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Al-Asal, near Aleppo, which reportedly killed dozens. The use of sarin is suspected in both.
The Ghouta attack -- which the U.S. says killed 1,429, while the French estimate the death toll at "around 350" -- took place as U.N. inspectors were collecting samples from the Khan Al-Asal attack. The inspectors eventually gained access to the Ghouta site, and will ask to return to the scene of the earlier attack after the current investigation is complete.
According to the U.N., the blood and environmental samples collected in Ghouta were sent two European labs, which began testing on Wednesday. U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said he could not provide a timetable for when the tests would be completed. But under rules of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which carried out the U.N. inspections, the labs have 15 days to test the samples for chemical weapons residue or telltale chemical compounds caused by breakdown of toxic agents, determine what type of chemical – if any – was used in the attack and report their findings.
If the tests are positive, the labs will not make a determination on who fired the chemical weapons. That would fall to the U.N. to investigate.
Richard Engel is NBC News' chief foreign correspondent; Jim Miklaszewski is NBC News' chief Pentagon correspondent; Robert Windrem is an investigative reporter.
More from NBC News Investigations:
- Police beating of unarmed man in street under investigation
- Molly deaths may be caused by other drugs
- Unions dramatically increase super PAC donations
Follow NBC News Investigations on Twitter and Facebook
Investigate this!
Read and vote on readers' story tips and suggested topics for investigation or submit your own.
This story was originally published on Wed Sep 4, 2013 10:20 AM EDT


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Fine hair is delicate, because it is thin and baby soft. This type of hair damages very easily from coloring or heat styling. If you have fine hair, look for curling irons with heat settings. Most curling irons have high, medium and low settings, but some curling irons have actual degree settings listed, so you know how hot the curling iron can get. You can also slather heat-protecting products on your hair before using the iron.
Spring Barrel Irons
Spring barrel irons are easy to use on any hair type. Fine hair looks pretty with soft curls, and a spring barrel can create this style. A spring barrel may have a thin or large barrel, depending on how big the curls are intended to be. Spring barrels clasp onto hair and then curl in several different directions. You can curl hair up or under. Spring barrels can also create spiral curls. These types of curling irons are easy to use and range in price from less than $25 to $250, depending on the brand.
Triple Barrel Curling Irons
Triple barrel curling irons create a nice look on fine hair by curling a large section of hair at one time. This type of curling iron creates thick waves. However, keep the heat setting under 150 degrees Fahrenheit. If there is not a specific degree setting, try to keep the curling iron on low or medium, and hold the curling iron in place longer.
Dual Curling Irons
Dual curling irons are also very easy to use on fine hair. Even though fine hair is baby soft, you can create full curls with a dual curling iron. Dual irons have two heads with one handle. These curling irons curl more sections of hair faster, which is good for fine hair. These curling irons usually have several heat settings for safety. Again, less heat is better for fine hair. If you do want to use more heat, apply a heat protector to your hair first. Get split ends trimmed often, and deep condition your hair. Brush your hair several times before curling, and use hair spray, because fine hair takes longer to hold a curl.
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images


text:
Hello, everyone! I am so excited to have my friend Leslie Hauser here on the blog today to chat about her debut novel Chasing Eveline! If you are a fan of YA contemporary fiction and music, then this book is a must read for you!
About the Book
Title: CHASING EVELINE
Author: Leslie Hauser
Pub. Date: July 11, 2017
Publisher: Pen Name Publishing
Pages: 300
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Find it: Amazon, Barnes& Noble, TBD, Goodreads
Sixteen-year-old Ivy Higgins is the only student at Carmel Heights High School who listens to cassettes. And her binder is the only one decorated with album artwork by 80s band Chasing Eveline. Despite being broken-up since 1989, this rock band out of Ireland means everything to Ivy. They're a reminder of her mom, who abandoned Ivy and her dad two years ago. Now the music of her mom's favorite band is the only connection she has left.
Even though Ivy wavers between anger and a yearning to reconnect, she's one-hundred percent certain she's not ready to lose her mom forever. But the only surefire way to locate her would be at a Chasing Eveline concert. So with help from her lone friend Matt—an equally abandoned soul and indie music enthusiast—Ivy hatches a plan to reunite the band.
The road to Ireland won't be easy, though. And not just because there is no road. Along the way they'll have to win over their Lady Gaga-loving peers, tangle with some frisky meerkats, and oh yeah, somehow find and persuade the four members to play a reunion gig. It's a near-impossible task, but Ivy has to try. If she can't let go of the past, she'll never be able to find joy in the present.
Author Q&A!
1) Music is such an important element in Chasing Eveline. Are you a big music fan yourself? And if so, who are your favorite 80s bands?
Thank you for having me on the blog for a visit today! I love music. I wrote Chasing Eveline as a long love letter to music. I feel as though my whole life has a soundtrack because I am always listening to music. There's always a song that reminds me of some happy or sad or exciting time in my life.
I love a lot of the 80s music. Some favorite bands are Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, The Cure, New Order, The Go-Go's, The Psychedelic Furs, XTC and my all-time favorite band ever in the whole world- The Smiths.
2) I love that you've set this book in Ireland! Have you visited Ireland before yourself? And if so, did that help inspire this novel?
Yes, I've been to Ireland. I loved it there. It's not just beautiful, but the people are so friendly. My favorite meal was fish and chips out of a newspaper by the side of the road! And I drove while I was there (ON THE WRONG SIDE!) and that was quite an adventure.
I definitely made Chasing Eveline an Irish rock group because of my love for Ireland.
3) Ivy Higgins is such a quirky and fun character. What elements of her personality do you identify with most?
Ha! Her sarcasm, her (often) ridiculous undying hope, and most of all…all the awkwardness! The hashtag of my life is #SoMuchAwkward. Ivy and I have that in common.
4) I love that you take the time to also be an active member of the book blogging community. How do you find time to do that and write?
I think I like writing my blog posts as much as I enjoy writing novels. Blogging takes a lot of time, but it's worth it. My favorite thing about interacting with book bloggers each week is traveling around to different blogs and seeing the creative ways people put together their posts. It's like going on a home tour! I get such great ideas for books and for my blog. And it's also a good way to get book recs. I've discovered so many books from book bloggers that I wouldn't have known about otherwise.
5) This is your debut novel! HOORAY!!! What has been your favorite part of being a 2017 debut?
My favorite part was holding my paperback copy in my hand. It's been a dream of mine for a long time to have a book published, and that was the moment it became real.
About Leslie
I am a YA writer and middle school teacher. I have a B.A. in English from UCLA and a Master's degree in Educational Administration. I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and currently reside in Los Angeles, California, with my dog Mr. Darcy.
When I'm not living in fictional worlds inside my head, I run all sorts of distances, torture my body at CrossFit, and DVR entirely too many television shows. I dream of one day returning to the Midwest to live on a farm. Or perhaps owning a cookie delivery service.
My debut novel CHASING EVELINE releases in 2017 from Pen Name Publishing.
Website |Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads
Enter the Giveaway!
3 Winners will receive a finished copy of CHASING EVELINE, US Only.
Follow the Blog Tour!
Thanks so much to Rockstar Book Tours for hosting this tour! Be sure to check out their website here as well as the other amazing posts on this tour!
Week One:
7/17/2017- Novel Novice– Excerpt
7/18/2017- Rants and Raves of a Bibliophile– Review
7/19/2017- BookHounds YA– Guest Post
7/20/2017- Book Princess Reviews– Review
7/21/2017- Bibliobibuli YA– Interview
Week Two:
7/24/2017- Bibliobakes– Review
7/25/2017- Wandering Bark Books– Excerpt
7/26/2017- The Pages In-Between– Review
7/27/2017- YA and Wine– Interview
7/28/2017- Book Briefs– Review
Have you started Chasing Eveline yet? What are some of your favorite books with music at the heart of them? What are some of your favorite books set in Ireland?


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Suite 2201
Toronto, Ontario
Jeremy has built his law practice and gained invaluable experience in corporate and employment law, advising clients and drafting employment contracts, severance packages, commercial leases and partnership agreements. Jeremy has incorporated small businesses, drafted unanimous shareholder agreements and resolutions, and updated minute books.
Jeremy understands that in a fast-paced world, a lawyer's prime role is to be a legal advisor that can answer complex questions quickly, methodically and above all, cost-effectively. Jeremy always undertakes to make sure that legal solutions are tailor made for each client, while sifting through legalese so that your client-centered solution is to your satisfaction and easy to comprehend.
Jeremy A. Richler is a barrister and solicitor licensed by the Law Society of Ontario. Jeremy completed his law degree from University of Windsor, after completing an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at McGill University, and a Masters in Political Science from Carleton University.
Normal Geographical Limits to Practice
Greater Toronto Area
Additional Information
Wheelchair Access
Home Visits and/or Visits to Institutionalized Clients
Accepts Collect Calls
Returns Long Distance Messages


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debossed silicone wristbands
Personalized Photo Gifts - A Unique Way To Surprise People It"s not hard to see other people with similar subject matter as you do. I feel so well and it appears me that the thing is already overvalued. The best example of a product is a promotional logo mug. Another not so cool thing about the traditional design will be difficult to distinguish you from others, especially giving up cigarettes in the same office. So get rid of the typical design of a cup that you commonly seen in the market and creating your glasses.
Treat your girl with a spa or a pedicure, the that sets her into her relaxing best. The correct way? Am sure however be a good bookworm to suit your valentine just just surf to gather information regarding how it is. Your version of a massage will bring a spice to this activity. She surely definitely going to adore you for this and you earn your points and incentives guaranteed (wink). Let her know how skilled you are! Underscore your happiness with custmo gifts. Once I got off my shift, I perused the dealers room or space. It was wall-to-wall comics. Nothing but comics. That the most homogenous dealers room I"d ever featured. And, because comics hold no interest to me, one sweep of the room was basically all I need. But, I could totally ensure if had been into comics, this room could somewhat be seventh island. The glee I saw in the eyes of other attendees was bright as well as the excitement palpable. Men really love gadgets and therefore, product have been the tops in record of cool gifts for men. Today, the market is flooded with varied electronics and the contraptions have attain is to get the right gadget. However, the choice of gadget is mainly dependent on him plus budget. Logo clothes can allow you expand a message. If you possess a famous and established company, you make use of them to broaden your reputation and reach every client. Big businesses need promotion gifts so that you can become involved in people"s everyday living. They can promote a new item easily this way because they have a brandname name vehicle an awesome appears people instantly recognize it. Don"t wish to is also able to obtain a higher ranking as a forex trader and add value to the firm. I strive to fill the packages as full as i can so there"s not much room for things to wiggle around and get damaged. Usually I have so many little goodies, I does not have to add stuffings and additives. Occasionally, though, I want a little extra something to fill the box up - and then i enjoy getting creative. I connected with met Crispin Freeman truly. no introductions, just helped him hire a company. He"s a voice actor most widely known for his roles as Alucard from Helsing, Kyon from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumipa and Holland Novak from Eureka Twelve. And nope, never heard of any those your. found that info on Wikipedia. My impression? He seemed love a grounded, polite young man (he"s each and every year younger than my little sister). Freeman was there to teach an anime voice acting workshop. You can want to obtain one among these for on your. These custom bobbleheads can also serve as conversation starters if have got one on this desk, inside your work area or with your car. Produced unique a personalised present.
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Why VR is Not a Gimmick
Nearly every innovation started as someone else's "gimmick".Read more
Nearly every innovation started as someone else's "gimmick".Read more
Companion apps are trusty side-kicks to various video game worlds. Here's a rundown on the variety of apps and functions they provide to enhance your gaming experience.Read more
Shawn tackles depression and video games.Read more
Don't call it a comeback, Sony has been here for years, rocking it's peers and puttin' Microsoft in fear. Makin' the PS4 repairs rain down like a monsoon, listen to the article go BOOM!Read more
If you want to go and take a ride with me, sending in my PS4 not under warranty,
oh why does it have to be this way? Hey, let's call Sony!
Now this is a story all about how my PlayStation 4 got flipped-turned upside down. I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there, I'll tell you all how I became in touch with Sony Service & Repair.Read more
The games from Telltale are dragged down by numerous technical issues and large gaps between episodes. While it is unlikely Telltale will update its engine anytime soon, they can fix their release schedule.Read more
Collector's Editions are the holy grail of the gaming world and finding one can be a tough task even when publishers conspire against you with region exclusivity.Read more


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For Peat's Sake, a Renewable Replacement
Photo credit: jshiell
Organix, an organic-residuals-management company, is now shipping its first commercial peat-moss replacement to customers in the region—one that could also herald a new environmentally friendly way dairies can manage their waste.
Gardeners are familiar with peat, compressed into cake-like pellets for starting seeds indoors or used in bulk as a soil enricher, compost component, or an ingredient in planting mix. But peat harvesting is an industrial-scale mining operation that is rapidly turning ancient peat bogs into one of the planet's most endangered wildlife habitats.
The product, called RePeat, contains no peat moss and is created using a patent-pending system called FibeRite, which takes dairy solids from an anaerobic digester and converts them into a peat-moss substitute designed for the horticulture industry."We have been working on this process for quite a while; it's great to see the first production facility underway," says Russ Davis, President of Organix, in a press release. "When combined with an anaerobic digester, we are confident that we address nearly all significant issues associated with managing dairy solids including ammonia capture, runoff, leachate, methane reduction, dust, climate change, odor and more. We are raising the bar far beyond the outdated simple compost model to create a new dairy facility standard—the renewable peat replacement 'bog.'"
RePeat, says Davis, has generated "considerable interest" among nurseries, landscape companies, soil blenders and horticultural users across the United States. ::CSRwire.com and ::Organix
See also: ::How to Green Your Gardening


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A mistery
An unsolved puzzle
Perhaps an unsolving riddle
The more I try
To figure you out
The less I accomplish
Pain, agony, desire, wish
A whirl of emotions makes you
A hard shield is set
Not many can see through it
You won't let them
The one(s) you will allow to
Will feel they need to protect you
But you'll have to put your shield down
You know it
You know it's up to you
You are too afraid to do that though
Afraid you are
Afraid I am
Afraid everyone is
That's how it is
Just remember whilst you hide yourself away
You don't live your life fully
So I ask you:
Is it worth not enjoying what life is about for being too afraid?
Is that living or just being?
**Although I dislike Paulo Coelho's work, he once said something true:
"Don't explain your feelings, they belong to you."
I couldn't agree more…


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TRPRG1VAxx000E2G Copper Small Form Pluggable (SFP) transceivers are high performance, cost effective and compliant with the Gigabit Ethernet and 1000BASE-T standards as specified in IEEE 802.3-2002 and IEEE 802.3ab.
The module has two interfaces: the host interface and the MDI interface. The MDI interface provides 1000Base-T connectivity over the Category-5 cable. The host interface provides the data transfer over the 1.25 GHz PECL differential interface to the host board and control and configuration functions through the serial management interface. The module supports 1000Mbps full duplex with 5-level Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM) signals. The default mode of operation after power-up is 1000Base-T, full duplex, over SERDES Interface. All four pairs in the cable are used with symbol rate at 250Mbps on each pair. The module provides standard serial ID information compliant with SFP MSA, which can be accessed with address of A0h via the 2wire serial bus interface. The physical IC can also be accessed via 2-wire serial bus at address ACh.
The transceivers operate from a single +3.3V power supply over an operating case temperature range of 0°C to +70°C (Commercial) , -40°C to +85°C (Industrial) or -5°C to +85°C (Extended). The housing is made of metal for EMI immunity.
- Oplink
- Optoelectronics
- CuSFP
- 1.25G Etherenet Multi-rate 10/100/1000BASE-T Copper SFP Transceiver
- Compatible with IEEE 802.3z, IEEE 802.3u, IEEE 802.3ab
- Compatible with SFP MSA
- Hot-pluggable SFP footprint
- RJ-45 connector assembly
- Access to physical layer IC via 2-wire serial bus
- TX Disable
- Auto MDI/MDIX
- TDR functionality support
- 1000Base-T,full duplex default operating mode
- over SERDES interface
- 10/100/1000Base-T operation on platforms supporting SGMII
- Metallic enclosure for low EMI
- Rohs6 compliance
- Unshielded cable support
- FCC Class B compliant


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Vaionex Corporation
Vaionex Marketplace
Open source software is a main driver in nowadays software development. We created a open source market for R and Python developers around the world to share novel approaches and algorithms to the coding community. We are currently in the beta stage of Rcodes.
Vaionex AI
AI is a key element of the 21th century. Neuronal Networks in combination with GPU clusters allow us to computationally solve problems only humans could before.
Vaionex Biotech
While IT makes tremendous advancements, the endgame of all technological archievements will be biotechnology. Therefore we aquired early on talented biochemists to invest wisely when we see opportunities.
Vaionex Data Science
In a time where knowledge is the key element of corporate success - we use the full extend of data science analysis methods to extract actionable information of any dataset.
Get In Touch
Colaborations and other requests are welcome, just leave us a message.
Incorporated in Delaware, USA.
E: contact{at}vaionex.com


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TOPW show
Toronto Photo Walks is holding its first group exhibition at Studio 561 on March 17th to 31st. Details are on the TOPWshow.ca website; there's even a poster for you to print and display 🙂
The opening party will be on Saturday March 17th, 5pm onwards – I'm sure we can arrange for green beer for those who are celebrating St. Patrick's Day.
Tags: exhibition


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Camara's, Caribbean and European Service Manager, Maureen O'Donnell has kindly documented her recent travels to the sunny Caribbean for us. Here is the first segment of her journey…
It was cold and rainy when I left Boston on Patriots Day, the day of the Boston marathon. I lived in Boston three years ago when the marathon runners were faced with 80 degrees and sunny skies. Today though no such luck. The marathoners would be running in temperatures half that, with rain and wind gusting up to 35 miles per hour in their faces. It was a tough day to be runner.
But I wasn't there for the marathon, I was visiting a good friend over the weekend on my way from Dublin to the Caribbean. Two days in Kingston Jamaica to discuss computer support and end of life recycling options with Georgia Morgan, our project manager, then back to Miami for a layover, and then to Haiti for a week to meet with Jacinta McGuane, CEO of Camara Haiti.
In Miami I was waiting in the flight departure area feeling well out of place in jeans and a sweater, here in the midst of the mostly business suit wearing Jamaicans. A matronly woman sitting next to me quietly hummed to herself as she typed away on her tablet computer. After about ten minutes, she paused and leaned over to me asked, "excuse me, can you tell me how do I send more than one picture on this?"
I smiled at her, but I was groaning on the inside. My IT support attempts for strangers rarely end well. More often than not when I try to help someone figure out how to use their technology, we both end up disappointed. After several minutes of poking around the screens and menu options: "Have you tried this? Oh of course you have, well how about that? No that's the wrong thing all together. Maybe this? Well no that's not it either…" the person ends up politely wrestling the tablet from my hands, saying "thanks, it probably can't be done anyway". And the question goes unanswered.
And so here I was, sitting next to a soon to be disappointed grandma…this seemed like really bad karma for the trip.
I looked over at the tablet she held in her hands, to the icons on the email screen, already practicing my "sorry but I'm not really familiar with this program" speech in my head. Preparing for the inevitable end.
But on this tablet, there was an icon that looked like a little mountain with a plus sign on the corner. Wait a minute…I know that icon! Is it possible this time I could actually help? I tentatively put my finger to the icon on screen and said, "have you tried this?" The library of pictures came up and she selected two, voila it was added to the email. And then she smiled and thanked me and told me that these pictures were from a visit to her sister that she hadn't seen in 20 years. She was emailing them to her daughter in Kingston. And as she showed me her family photos, I didn't feel so out of place anymore. We had connected over technology.
It reminds me of some of the schools I visit where we've installed Camara labs. Most of the time the children are sharing the computers, it's not one PC per child. And because they're sharing they learn from each other, not just about spelling or math, but about how to use computers in this digital age. And knowing how to use a computer can be the key to earning a decent wage.
I wish everyone in the world was fortunate enough to have the same opportunities I've had, but the hard reality is that we live in an unequal society. And so I'm grateful to be a part of an organization that helps level the playing field in education. While it's good to be a part of something important, sometimes it's the little unexpected things that remind of me why I believe in technology's power to transform. Sometimes it's as simple as connecting with another person.