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Study finds many species may die out and others may migrate significantly as ocean acidification intensifies.
Phytoplankton are the foundation of the oceanic food chain.
Oceans have absorbed up to 30 percent of human-made carbon dioxide around the world, storing dissolved carbon for hundreds of years. As the uptake of carbon dioxide has increased in the last century, so has the acidity of oceans worldwide. Since pre-industrial times, the pH of the oceans has dropped from an average of 8.2 to 8.1 today. Projections of climate change estimate that by the year 2100, this number will drop further, to around 7.8 -- significantly lower than any levels seen in open ocean marine communities today.
Now a team of researchers from MIT, the University of Alabama, and elsewhere has found that such increased ocean acidification will dramatically affect global populations of phytoplankton -- microorganisms on the ocean surface that make up the base of the marine food chain.
In a study published today in the journal Nature Climate Change, the researchers report that increased ocean acidification by 2100 will spur a range of responses in phytoplankton: Some species will die out, while others will flourish, changing the balance of plankton species around the world.
The researchers also compared phytoplankton's response not only to ocean acidification, but also to other projected drivers of climate change, such as warming temperatures and lower nutrient supplies. For instance, the team used a numerical model to see how phytoplankton as a whole will migrate significantly, with most populations shifting toward the poles as the planet warms. Based on global simulations, however, they found the most dramatic effects stemmed from ocean acidification.
Stephanie Dutkiewicz, a principal research scientist in MIT's Center for Global Change Science, says that while scientists have suspected ocean acidification might affect marine populations, the group's results suggest a much larger upheaval of phytoplankton -- and therefore probably the species that feed on them -- than previously estimated.
"I've always been a total believer in climate change, and I try not to be an alarmist, because it's not good for anyone," says Dutkiewicz, who is the paper's lead author. "But I was actually quite shocked by the results. The fact that there are so many different possible changes, that different phytoplankton respond differently, means there might be some quite traumatic changes in the communities over the course of the 21st century. A whole rearrangement of the communities means something to both the food web further up, but also for things like cycling of carbon."
The paper's co-authors include Mick Follows, an associate professor in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences.
Winners and losers
To get a sense for how individual species of phytoplankton react to a more acidic environment, the team performed a meta-analysis, compiling data from 49 papers in which others have studied how single species grow at lower pH levels. Such experiments typically involve placing organisms in a flask and recording their biomass in solutions of varying acidity.
In all, the papers examined 154 experiments of phytoplankton. The researchers divided the species into six general, functional groups, including diatoms, Prochlorococcus, and coccolithophores, then charted the growth rates under more acidic conditions. They found a whole range of responses to increasing acidity, even within functional groups, with some "winners" that grew faster than normal, while other "losers" died out.
The experimental data largely reflected individual species' response in a controlled laboratory environment. The researchers then worked the experimental data into a global ocean circulation model to see how multiple species, competing with each other, responded to rising acidity levels.
The researchers paired MIT's global circulation model -- which simulates physical phenomena such as ocean currents, temperatures, and salinity -- with an ecosystem model that simulates the behavior of 96 species of phytoplankton. As with the experimental data, the researchers grouped the 96 species into six functional groups, then assigned each group a range of responses to ocean acidification, based on the ranges observed in the experiments.
Microscopic plants and other photosynthetic organisms that drift with ocean currents lie at the heart of the marine carbon cycle. Sunlit surface waters teem with phytoplankton that convert inorganic carbon dissolved in surface waters to organic carbon, which forms the basis of the marine food web, and account for about half of all primary production on Earth (Field et al. 1998; Falkowski, Barber, and Smetacek 1998).
Natural competition off balance
After running the global simulation several times with different combinations of responses for the 96 species, the researchers observed that as ocean acidification prompted some species to grow faster, and others slower, it also changed the natural competition between species.
"Normally, over evolutionary time, things come to a stable point where multiple species can live together," Dutkiewicz says. "But if one of them gets a boost, even though the other might get a boost, but not as big, it might get outcompeted. So you might get whole species just disappearing because responses are slightly different."
Dutkiewicz says shifting competition at the plankton level may have big ramifications further up in the food chain.
"Generally, a polar bear eats things that start feeding on a diatom, and is probably not fed by something that feeds on Prochlorococcus, for example," Dutkiewicz says. "The whole food chain is going to be different."
By 2100, the local composition of the oceans may also look very different due to warming water: The model predicts that many phytoplankton species will move toward the poles. That means that in New England, for instance, marine communities may look very different in the next century.
"If you went to Boston Harbor and pulled up a cup of water and looked under a microscope, you'd see very different species later on," Dutkiewicz says. "By 2100, you'd see ones that were living maybe closer to North Carolina now, up near Boston."
Dutkiewicz says the model gives a broad-brush picture of how ocean acidification may change the marine world. To get a more accurate picture, she says, more experiments are needed, involving multiple species to encourage competition in a natural environment.
"Bottom line is, we need to know how competition is important as oceans become more acidic," she says.
This research was funded in part by the National Science Foundation, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
Contact: Abby Abazorius
Massachusetts Institute of Technology


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From the BLURB:
When Lilah Jane Tunkle fled her dull life in Virginia for the bright lights of New York City, she didn't expect to wind up a nanny to a gorgeous celebrity chef's ten-year-old son. Working for the delectable Devon Sparks is a sure-fire recipe for disaster, especially after Lilah gets a tantalizing taste of his perfectly seasoned kisses .
Devon's not sure he can handle one more surprise ingredient in his life - he quit his popular TV show, his culinary reputation is on the line, and now the son he barely knows is back for seconds. Lilah's Southern sass is supposed to keep the boy in line, but soon enough she's teaching Devon a thing or two about homespun food and turning up the heat.
This is the second book in Louisa Edward's 'A Recipe for Love' series. The first book was 'Can't Stand the Heat'.
I loved this book. Straight-up, pure and simple – I loved it!
The characters are so much fun in this second installment. Devon Sparks is a celebrity chef –a Gordon Ramsay type reality-TV chef snob – except that Devon Sparks isn't British, he's got Adonis-like good looks and he's secretly lacking in self-confidence. My one complaint about Devon is that while other characters built him up to be an egocentric, womanizing blow-hard the moment he meets Lilah he's sort of on his best behavior (showing glimpse of the famous ego) and I never really bought his 'jerk' reputation. When Devon's ten-year-old son, Tucker, is unexpectedly left in his care, Devon's world slowly unwinds and he is forced to examine his life. I genuinely enjoyed reading Devon's struggles and his transformation – especially because it wasn't easy, and the biggest obstacle to Devon's changes was Devon himself. It always makes for fascinating development and reading when readers can see the flaws in a character that they cannot recognize in themselves.
I love, love, loved Lilah 'Lolly' Tunkle. She's from the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, and talks like it. At first I rolled my eyes at all her colloquialisms – i.e. "Oh my Stars and Stripes!" but then they started to help form this lovely, energetic, nurturing character and I found her speech-patterns to be one of my favorite things in the book. It helps that Charlaine Harris and Anna Paquin (on 'True Blood') gave me some sort of reference and idea about how such phrases would actually sound.
Lilah is an absolute hoot. She may act like a Southern-belle, but when push comes to shove she doesn't mind going toe-to-toe with Devon or her little charge, Tucker. Some of my favorite scenes involved Lilah shedding her 'Southern hospitality' and showing her true feisty self. One such scene that had me laughing out loud was between Lilah and Devon's son, Tucker when they first meet;
"Look, kiddo. Everything I know about nannying comes from movies like 'Mary Poppins' and 'The Sound of Music' – I realize it's your job to start out surly and untrusting and I'm supposed to win you over with my charm and warm heart and incomparable singing voice, but unfortunately for both of us, Tuck, I am so not Julie Andrews. So what do you say we skip that part and head straight for being buds?"
Tucker looked at her blankly. Dear sweet Lord in Heaven, was it possible the child didn't know what she was talking about?
While she was struggling with the horror of a kid who didn't know who Mary Poppins was, Tucker opened his mouth and dispelled any worries she'd had about his ability to speak.
"You talk weird, Lolly."
His ability to speak politely, however, was still in question.
"I'm from the South," Lilah said. "As I think I already mentioned." She struggled for a moment against the hated nickname, then reluctantly added, "And that's 'Miss Lolly' to you."
Tucker stared at her challengingly. "Does everyone down there take so long to say stuff? You sound like the big chicken in the cartoons."
Oh, he did not just compare her to Foghorn Leghorn.
The above except is also an example of Ms. Edward's infectiously funny writing. I love the fact that at times she is quite aware of the fact that she is writing a 'romance', and she'll become cleverly self-deprecating of the genre. It makes for an entertaining romance read when the author is clearly aware of her audience, and can sort of have an 'in' joke with them about the schmaltziness of the genre.
One thing I really loved about first book was the M/M subplot between sous chef, Frankie, and NYU student (and part-time waiter), Jess. Jess had just recently come out of the closet, and in 'Can't Stand the Heat' he was experiencing his first love with Frankie. Jess is young and bright-eyed, about to start his arts degree in the fall. Frankie is British, in a punk band, smokes like a chimney and is a few years older than Jess. Frankie also has a less-than-savory romantic history, and Jess is his first *real* relationship.
They were so sweet in 'Can't Stand the Heat', and I remember wishing that Jess and Frankie had had a bigger role in that first book. Well, Ms. Edwards clearly anticipated fans reaction to Frankie/Jess – because it becomes clear in 'On the Steamy Side' that their relationship and progress will be a constant in future 'Recipe' books. Whereas book #1's protagonist, Adam, makes a small cameo in 'Steamy', his ladylove Miranda is only referred to. So I am really glad that Frankie/Jess didn't get the same treatment – because in 'Steamy' Edwards delves deeper into their relationship and creates some future conflict for them. Sucks that there are speed-humps ahead, but *yay!* for Ms. Edwards intending them to be regular's of the series!
One of the best things about the whole premise of the 'Recipe for Love' series is the setting – a trendy, busy up-scale New York restaurant. There's so much room for drama, hook-up's, break-up's, gossip and bitchiness. Louisa Edwards beautifully captures all the mayhem and intrigue of the kitchens – but she also shows the camaraderie, the 'family' feel working in such a competitive and close environment creates.
I love this series, two-books in and I know that Ms. Edwards has me for the long haul. Book #3 is called 'Just One Taste' and comes out August 31st this year. I can't wait!
Coming 31 August 2010

subset: commoncrawl


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Thanks for your tip about using Technorati forums. It did help!
Love you guys!
It's time for our weekly round-up of link-love. Thanks to all who have linked to our site. We love you right back. And, if you've linked us and don't feel like you are getting the love you deserve, please don't hesitate to let us know!
First, faithful reader and thoughful commentor Yan at Pro Bargain Hunter has linked us several times, but his blog is, oddly enough, not recognized by Technorati (shame on you, Technorati!) so I managed not to notice. We love Yan's site, as well as his insight. Do you see what I did there?
Zen Habits linked to us as one of the top 50 productivity blogs. Coolness.
A lot of people were pleased with Will's tax audit blog (the good news? You probably won't get audited. The bad news? You're going to die). The whole damn world linked to that post, including Soft Saurus, Amazon Web Services Blog, and Statesboro Georgia Blog. Oh, and Funkatron.
Blogging My Way Out of Debt was pleased with Paul's make-a-cheap-safe post.
Steve Olson linked to my post about security deposits and evil landlords. Thanks, Steve!
Give Away Project was happy with Paul's DVD-givin'-generosity.
I'm excited that a Turkish website has us on some kind of blog roll. Ãok teÅekkürler!
Smallist snarks about how simple and neurotic my idea of punching kittens is. Smallist didn't technically link to us, since they forgot the www, but we're adding them anyway because their kitten picture is better than ours.
Bibliophile Bullpen linked to Troy's list of writing contests.
Paul appeals to frugal Muslims from Daily Dinar, who linked to his post about threatening your cable company. Shukran Jazeelan, brah!
(Picture by kahanaboy)
Disclaimer: The links and mentions on this site may be affiliate links. But they do not affect the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors.
Wise Bread is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I only snark out of jealousy for a perfectly concieved metaphor. I'll never look at a bank charge the same way again! Your link is fixed, too.


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Stony Brook extends Pikiell
Jun 27, 2013 - 2:59 PM Stony Brook, NY (Sports Network) - Stony Brook has rewarded men's basketball coach Steve Pikiell with a contract extension through the 2017-18 season.Pikiell just completed his eighth season with the Seawolves and guided the team to a record of 25-8 with an America East regular-season title. Stony Brook also won a postseason game for the first time in school history with a 71-58 triumph over Massachusetts in the first round of the NIT.
"Coach Pikiell represents the university exactly the way that we want to be represented," said athletic director Jim Fiore in a statement Thursday. "For eight years, he has guided our men's basketball program on an unprecedented upward trajectory of success both on the court and in the classroom. Equally as important, he has represented Stony Brook with unparalleled class and integrity. For the continued success of our program, it is important to have Steve Pikiell as our men's basketball coach. I am excited that Steve has agreed to continue leading the Stony Brook men's basketball program, and I look forward to watching him guide our program to even greater heights for many years to come."
Pikiell has a record of 119-125 during his tenure at Stony Brook, turning around a program that won just 20 games in his first three seasons. The Seawolves have won three of the last four America East regular-season titles and have reached the NIT three times.
"I'm honored to work at Stony Brook University, honored to recruit bright student-athletes who contribute more than just wins and losses and honored to be a member of this community that has truly rallied around this university," said Pikiell. "We will continue to do everything we can to sustain a men's basketball program that Stony Brook University, the alumni and the community are proud to support."
Pikiell was an assistant at George Washington for four seasons before taking over the Stony Brook helm. He played at the University of Connecticut from 1987-1991 and was a two-year captain for the Huskies under Jim Calhoun. UConn won its first Big East title with Pikiell as its point guard.
No one has shouted yet.
Be the first!
Be the first!
Related News
- Stony Brook hires Ohio State's Boals as basketball coach Apr 9
- Kentucky routs Stony Brook 85-57, gets Indiana next Mar 18
- No. 4 seed Kentucky opens NCAA Tournament vs. Stony Brook Mar 17
- At Stony Brook, team and fan help each other cope with loss Mar 16
- Stony Brook with 91-42 win over Div. III Farmingdale State Nov 28
- Albany stuns Stony Brook to win third straight AEC crown Mar 14
- Stony Brook and Albany meet for AEC title Mar 14
- Stony Brook stuns No. 13 Washington Dec 28
- Seawolves head to land of Seahawks to test Huskies Dec 28
- Albany tops Stony Brook to repeat as America East champ Mar 15
- Albany and Stony Brook meet for America East crown Mar 15


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Zine Making/Putting pages together
Page Layout on software
In Microsoft Word, go to Page Layout, Page Setup, Pages, Multiple Pages and choose 'Book fold' then print (save to PDF won't combine multiple pages to one sheet or in book fold order). For distribution online but for others to download and print themselves, save (or print to PDF) from your word processor, then open in Adobe Reader then print 'booklet' settings to PDF printer.
- Scribus[1]
- LibreOffice Write, Return to Print dialog, and click the Page Layout tab page. Select Brochure.[2]
Different ways to fold a sheet of paper
These are just suggestions of course but they cover some of the main ways people fold sheets into ziney shapes. We'll start off by showing how to fold a single sheet to make multiple pages, but most people need more pages than that so they use multiple sheets of paper...
Folio (folding in half)
This is easy to do, and if you're using a word-processor it's quite straightforward to get the software to do two columns and print out very appropriately. The page numbering in the diagram to the left is for a one-sheet zine. You'll probably want more than four sides to write on so you'll probably need to attach multiple sheets together.
Note that the order of pages is not what your word-processor or your brain is likely to expect, especially if you haven't done this before. It can get even more confusing when you put multiple pages together. The example to the right shows how to fold 4 separate sheets folio-style, to produce a 16-page zine:
Quarto (folding in quarter)
Note that some of the pages are upside-down relative to each other, so you probably can't do this very straightforwardly on a word-processor. But you like cut-and-pasting, yes?
If you want this to become a booklet-style paged thing (a "codex") you'll need to make a couple of cuts after you've attached the pages together.
Folding into six
One nice thing about folding into six is that with standard paper sizes like A4, you get a roughly square zine at the end of it, which is quite nice.
First fold the sheet into a Z-like shape (i.e. fold it 1/3 and 2/3 of the way along, in a zigzag). Then fold it once the other way. This gives 12 approximately square sides.
Cutting the pages
If you're making a big batch of zines then you're probably going to be doing a lot of cutting, either to separate the pages or to trim things or whatever. It can get a bit tedious and slow to do it all with scissors, but if you go to a largeish stationer's you can buy a cheap guillotine which will make things easier.
Different ways to compile multiple sheets into a zine
Not attaching pages together
I've seen a lot of multi-page zines where the pages are not attached to each other, and generally that can work OK. It's certainly easier, but of course the zine is in danger of falling apart. It's up to you, of course.
Stapling it yourself is easy to do and nice and cheap. You might find that a normal stapler only-just-doesn't-quite-reach to the middle of your page... argh!
If you go to a largeish stationery shop you can easily find a long-arm stapler which can make life a lot easier. A library or university nearby might also have one you can use if you ask (try bringing your own staples). Or if you don't have the money you can use a normal stapler folded out flat to push the staples though the paper into a soft surface, like carpet or dense foam. Once you have done that you can then fold the staple down with something flat like a ruler or blunt knife - a sharp knife can mark or cut the pages by accident, or you!
If you're doing really big fat zines (more than about 20 pages to attach together, at a guess) then sometimes you can knacker (create technical problems) the stapler by trying to do too much. You can buy heavy-duty staplers if you want to do lots of really big fat zines.
One nice thing about some fancy photocopiers is that they can do automatic stapling, so if you have access to one of those then this can be a nice easy option. You might have to pay more for this of course.
You can make holes (often 3 or 5 holes is good) down the spine of the page and use ordinary needle and thread to bind the pages together. For example, if you make three holes, you would create a kind of tight figure-of-eight loop through the holes. This can bind things very nicely.
This is the basis of making a nicely-bound book, so it's useful to know how to do this if you want to self-publish your epic novel. There's at least one reference on DIY book-binding in the other resources section of this book.
You can use a hole-punch to make one, or two, holes through the pages, and then tie a loop of string through to connect the pages. Don't make the loop too tight or no-one will be able to turn the pages properly.
Single-page options
If you're printing onto a single page you can use clever folding and/or cutting to make a nice zine layout without needing to bind things.
If you take a piece of paper and fold it in half, then fold it in half again, you have 8 sides. You'd need to make a cut (along the line of the first fold) to make them into a booklet-like codex, but this gives you two separate pieces. One nice trick you can manage is to not make the cut all the way through - leave a small amount of un-cut paper in the middle, and this lets people turn the pages without completely separating the pieces.
No cutting, just folding
This doesn't give a booklet-like result (more of a thing to be folded out) unless you do some cutting. But it's easy to do and who knows, maybe it suits your purposes.
An 8-sided zine from 1 sheet with 1 cut
I've seen quite a few zines made using this trick. It's a really neat way of making a proper little zine out of one sheet - all 8 sides are on one side of your piece of paper, which is convenient for photocopying etc, although you can also put stuff on the reverse side for people to see when they unfold your zine. Here are the steps:


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Dr. David Satcher
U.S. surgeon general
Dr. David Satcher is the 16th surgeon general of the United States. He was sworn in on Feb. 13, 1998.
Dr. Satcher served simultaneously in the positions of surgeon general and assistant secretary for health from February 1998 through January 2001. He also held the posts of director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry from 1993 to 1998.
Before joining the Administration, he was president of Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, from 1982 to 1993.
Dr. Satcher served as professor and chairman of the Department of Community Medicine and Family Practice at Morehouse School of Medicine from 1979 to 1982. He is a former faculty member of the UCLA School of Medicine and Public Health and the King-Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles, where he developed and chaired the King-Drew Department of Family Medicine. From 1977 to 1979, he served as the interim dean of the Charles R. Drew Postgraduate Medical School, during which time, he negotiated the agreement with UCLA School of Medicine and the Board of Regents that led to a medical education program at King-Drew. He also directed the King-Drew Sickle Cell Research Center for six years.
Dr. Satcher is a former Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar and Macy Faculty Fellow. He is the recipient of more than 25 honorary degrees and numerous distinguished honors, including top awards from the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and Ebony magazine. In 1995, he received the Breslow Award in Public Health and in 1997 the New York Academy of Medicine Lifetime Achievement Award. Earlier this year, he received the Bennie Mays Trailblazer Award and the Jimmy and Roslyn Carter Award for Humanitarian Contributions to the Health of Humankind from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
Dr. Satcher graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta in 1963 and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University in 1970 with election to Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. He did residency/fellowship training at Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester, UCLA, and King-Drew. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Preventive Medicine, and the American College of Physicians.
Dr. Satcher would most like to be known as the Surgeon General who listens to the American people and who responds with effective programs. His mission is to make public health work for all groups in this Nation. He not only is a champion of promoting healthy lifestyles, he is also an avid jogger and enjoys tennis, gardening, and reading.
Born in Anniston, Alabama, on March 2, 1941, Dr. Satcher and his wife, Nola, reside in Bethesda, Maryland and have four grown children.


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Beautifully styled and more accessible, the Bonneville T100 and T100 Black are great entry points to the classic Bonneville family.
Inspired by the iconic '59 Bonneville, the T100 models have their own distinctive character that incorporates more of the original Bonneville DNA, along with many of the stunning finishes, features and details of the larger Bonneville T120 and T120 Black. The T100s offer thrilling performance from the 900cc high-torque Bonneville engine, delivering greater torque, better fuel economy and a rich deep exhaust note.
The dedicated T100 chassis and suspension work together to provide a smooth ride, along with easy, neutral handling and sensitive incorporation of rider focused technology, with ABS, traction control and a torque-assist clutch to give that extra level of comfort and control. The T100 range is available in beautiful classic and stylish contemporary colours and there are over 150 accessories available to personalise your bike.


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SEARCHSearch campsite
Contact us at camping.seOur Guest Service is happy to help you with questions about your bookings made at camping.se. Contact us via telephone +46 - (0)771-117 117. Weekdays 8 am-6 pm. Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
If you have questions regarding a specific campsite, contact the campsite directlyMore infoBooking termsManage your booking
We have a travel guarantee according to the Travel Guarantee Act and are certified according to the requirements for e-commerce laid down by the Council for e-Commerce Certification in Sweden.


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(purebhakti.com) – In Honor of Srila Gurudeva's Appearance Day
[In honor of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja's Appearance Day we are presenting the following excerpts. We have heard that by remembering pure devotees on their appearance and disappearance day, they give us special blessings for advancement in Krsna consciousness. We therefore give all our energy to glorify them on that day.
But we do not only want to celebrate the anniversary of Srila Gurudeva's appearance day. We want everyday to be his actual appearance day, in the hearts of millions of human beings. Srila Gurudeva has told us that a powerful way to place him there is by distributing his books. He has said that his books are his greatest legacy.
In the following passages taken from the Soul of Book Distribution, Srila Gurudeva shows how all the greatest personalities, God and His personal associates, also participate in this divine venture.
Is Book Distribution Pure Bhakti?
It Depends On One's Motive
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally distributed books to others, so don't think that book distribution is aropa-siddha-bhakti . Never think like that; never. Srila Vyasadeva first compiled Srimad-Bhagavatam, and then he instructed Sri Sukadeva Gosvami to preach it everywhere. If book distribution is aropa-siddha bhakti, why, then, did Krsna give an order in the Bhagavad-gita that this knowledge should be given to everyone?
ya idam paramam guhyam mad bhaktesv abhidhasyati
bhaktim mayi param krtva mam evaiayaty asamsayah
na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah
bhavita na ca me tasmad anyah priyataro bhuvi
Bhagavad-gita (18.68–69)
[He who instructs this most confidential knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita to My devotees will attain the topmost transcendental devotion to Me. Thus becoming free from all doubts, he will finally attain Me. No one in human society is more dear to Me than one who explains this message of the Gita to others, nor will there ever be anyone more dear to Me than him.]
Without Bhagavad-gita in the form of a book, how can we preach? Don't think that distributing that book is aropa-siddha-bhakti. Have strong belief in this. If the motive is other than to please Sri Krsna – if it is to earn money to maintain oneself for sense gratification – then it is bogus, aropa-siddha-bhakti. However, if a book is distributed to please Gurudeva and Krsna, for the benefit of all human beings and the entire universe, then it is not aropa-siddha-bhakti; it is svarupa-siddha-bhakti, or pure bhakti.
What to speak of book distribution, even a person who cleans away the stool of another devotee is much better situated than someone who is chanting and remembering but is criticizing others. Many Mayavadis (impersonalists) and sahajiyas (those who equate mundane sex life with Krsna's transcendental loving pastimes) chant the holy name, which generally comes in the category of svarupa-siddha-bhakti, but what is the fruit they desire by their chanting? They want to merge in Krsna, and this is offensive. Please be clear in your mind; when the book is distributed for the benefit of humanity, to please Gurudeva, it is bhakti.
If Gurudeva tells a disciple to clean away the stool of any devotee, that sincere disciple runs immediately to do so.
There was once a very sincere devotee of our Guru Maharaja who rendered him so much service; playing mrdanga and singing excellently, cooking, and washing his cloths. When that young disciple became sick, Guru Maharaja became busy in serving and caring for him, even though that boy was his disciple. At that time I personally told Guru Maharaja, "I want to help you, so that you may have time to preach. I will look after my god-brother." Every day I would wipe off the blood coming from his mouth, and clean up his urine and stool. As a result of this, my Guru Maharaja became very, very pleased with me, and that is why I have been blessed to come here to preach today.
Please do not have any doubt. Chant, remember, perform nagara-sankirtana and book distribution, and go through the books; learn the essence of these books and try to follow sincerely. Then it will not be aropa-siddha-bhakti. Otherwise, it must be.
Evening Discourse
Los Angeles, California: May 12, 2002
Caitanya Mahaprabhu Distributes Books
If book distribution is performed for one's own purposes, such as personal material profit or reputation, then it is not pure bhakti. A sincere devotee thinks, "I want people to have this book and read it thoroughly, so that they will be able to enter into a deep understanding of bhakti." Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned from South India with Sri Brahma-samhita and Sri Krsna-karnamrta, and He requested His devotees to make a necklace of the teachings therein. Why? Because there is immense conclusive philosophical truth in those books. Without knowing all the subjects therein, one cannot enter the realm of bhakti.
When book distribution is performed on the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to please guru and Krsna, then it is real bhakti, otherwise not. Be careful about this. While distributing Jaiva-dharma, for example, the devotee thinks, "I am doing this to please my Gurudeva and Krsna, so that everyone will know what is written in Jaiva-dharma." You may tell people, "Jaiva-dharma includes everything from top to bottom, from basic philosophic truths to esoteric confidential truths, regarding how to develop your bhakti. If you want to read only one book, then you will have to read Jaiva-dharma by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. From the conclusions of Bhagavad-gita, beginning with saranagati (the six types of surrender to the principles of bhakti) and continuing to maha-bhava (the highest ecstatic love of the gopis), everything has been explained in this book. You will benefit greatly to read and follow it."
Know that book distribution is essential. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did it Himself, and we must follow His example. But always be careful that your book distribution is not sanga-siddha or aropa-siddha-bhakti.
Evening Discourse
Los Angeles, California: May 11, 2003
Srimati Radhika Promotes Book Distribution
[On this morning walk, Srila Gurudeva is expressing the moods of Srimati Radhika and the left-wing gopis. By saying that the narrations of Krsna make one weep in miserable separation for Him and that the gopis are the evidence of this, Srimati Radhika is glorifying the dissemination of these narrations.]
Jayanta dasa: Srila Gurudeva, as we perform our service, how can we know in our hearts that we are actually pleasing you?
Srila Gurudeva: Your soul will be happy. You will realize, "I am happy." If one truly renders service to Srila Gurudeva, he will realize this. By seeing Gurudeva's face, you will feel his benediction and mercy. On the other hand, if guru or Vaia?avas are not satisfied with you, you will know it because you feel some unhappiness:
sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
|yayatma suprasidati
Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.6)
[The supreme occupation (dharma) for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self. *]
The symptom of unmotivated service is that one will surely be happy.
[To Atula-krsna dasa] Why did Valmiki write the Ramayana, and why did he teach Ramayana to Lava and Kusa (the sons of Rama) in order for them to distribute Rama's hari-katha everywhere? Valmiki could have simply meditated on the pastimes of Lord Rama in his mind. Why did he write the Ramayana?
Atula-krsna dasa: He did so by the order of his Gurudeva, Narada.
Srila Gurudeva: Why did Narada give such an order?
Atula-krsna dasa: Narada wanted everyone to hear this hari-katha for their benefit. Valmiki saw all of Rama's pastimes in his trance, and manifested those pastimes to the world. Narada knew that it was the desire of Lord Sri Ramacandra that everyone would hear His hari-katha.
tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam
kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham
sravana-mangalam srimad atatam
bhuvi grhanti ye bhuri-da janah
Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.31.9)
[Nectarean discussions about You are the life and soul of those who are tormented by separation from You, and greatly learned personalities, such as Brahma, Siva, and the four Kumaras, sing of them. Those narrations vanquish the distress of past sins [prarabdha (sinful reactions experienced in this body) and aprarabdha (sinful reactions to be experienced in future bodies)]. Immediately upon being heard, they bestow the highest auspiciousness, and especially the wealth of prema. The nectar of Your narrations is expanded by those who glorify Your pastimes, and therefore such narrators are truly the most generous benefactors in the world.]
Srila Gurudeva: Yes, that is why Srila Vyasadeva wrote the Srimad-Bhagavatam. That is why Srila Sukadeva Gosvami preached, and thus distributed that book everywhere.
Expressing the moods of Sri Radha and other left-wing gopis who were uttering this verse beginning tava kathamrtam, our acaryas have commented thus: Some preachers carry Srimad-Bhagavatam here. [Srila Gurudeva was holding his bead bag in his hand as he spoke. He put his bead bag under his armpit, as though he were tightly holding a book there]. They preach and distribute the hari-katha of that book. They preach that the book is the authority regarding that katha. In the mood of Srimati Radhika, our acaryas comment that such preachers are cheaters and murderers (bhuri-dah). Why are they murderers?
Atula-krsna dasa: They cut out all of one's material desires, material entanglements, and material attachments. Thus, no one is able to stay in this world and be happy with family, friends, or home. They must leave and become like mad persons.
Srila Gurudeva: We should therefore distribute the books. Book distribution is not aropa-siddha-bhakti or sanga-siddha-bhakti. If it were either, then why did our predecessor acaryas, like Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Srila Rupa Gosvami, write books? Why did Srila Rupa Gosvami tell Srila Jiva Gosvami to print and distribute these books? And why did Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu do so? On His trip to south India, Mahaprabhu found Brahma-samhita and Krsna-karnamrta in the form of handwritten texts. Knowing them to be authoritative, He took them with Him to present to His devotees, and requested them to copy and distribute them.
We will thus have to reconcile any apparent contradictions regarding the category of bhakti within which book distribution falls. If one sells books for a selfish motive, to make profit and thereby manage his worldly affairs, his activities would be called aropa-siddha; otherwise not.
Atula-krsna dasa: Srila Gurudeva, someone may say, "It is my Gurudeva's desire that his books are distributed, so I will distribute books. But I have no need to hear hari-katha or read those books."
Srila Gurudeva: This is aropa-siddha.
You must know what you are distributing, just as Srila Sukadeva Gosvami and Lava and Kusa knew what they were speaking and singing. You must know what you are giving to others.
[To Prema-prayojana dasa (at that time Aranya Maharaja)] Do you understand?
Prema-prayojana dasa: Yes.
Srila Gurudeva: Do not be so bold. Do not say anything against my teachings or the teachings of our guru-varga.
Prema-prayojana dasa: I only repeated what you have said many times, but not all of the details.
Srila Gurudeva: We must reconcile all apparent contradictory statements; otherwise, so many devotees will be discouraged and misguided. Why do you personally take books under your arm and act like a 'murderer'?
Prema-prayojana dasa: For guru-seva.
Srila Gurudeva: In the past I have told what you told last night [that book distribution is aropa-siddha-bhakti], but that is only when it is performed for personal material profit. You will have to harmonize all my instructions on the matter.
Brajanath dasa: Is book distribution one of the sixty-four limbs of bhakti [as described in Bhakti-rasamtta-sindhu]?
Srila Gurudeva: Srila Narottama dasa Thakura cleaned away the stool passed by his gurudeva. Where is this written as a limb of bhakti? Still, his service was the purest bhakti.
Prema-prayojana dasa: Does the category of bhakti one performs depend on the adhikara (qualification) of the person performing the activity? If such persons have no bhakti adhikara, no sambandha-jnana (realization of one's relationship with Krsna), how will their activity be called bhakti?
Srila Gurudeva: Even without your sambandha-jnana, the limbs of bhakti are so powerful that they will surely affect you, like fire. I heard that a child, despite the protest of his mother, put his hand into a fire, and his hand was burned; and after that he would not go near a fire. Similarly, the pure limbs of krsna-bhakti are so powerful that even a person like Ajamila was transformed by its performance. Ajamila was so sinful that there was no sin he had not committed. Valmiki also committed innumerable sins, but what became of him? He was touched by Narada and became perfect.
On the other hand, if one criticizes a Vaisnava or commits an offense against him, this will destroy his bhakti. Whether or not a person has sambandha-jnana, his bhakti will disappear. Of course, if one truly has sambandha-jnana, he would never commit such an offense. This is one of the symptoms of one who is blessed with sambandha-jnana.
Prema-prayojana dasa: When is one qualified to perform visrambhena-guru-seva (intimate service to guru)?
Srila Gurudeva: When one has sambandha-jnana of his relationship with gurudeva, he will be of this conviction: "I cannot serve Krsna now, but simply by serving my Gurudeva I will receive his mercy to attain Krsna's service. There is no other way." He serves his gurudeva with this conviction.
When I first joined the ma?ha, I had no sambandha-jnana at all; but I gave my heart, and all the attachment I'd had for my wife, children, father, mother, and all material possessions, unto my Gurudeva's lotus feet. When I told him this, he began to weep, and after that he engaged me in his personal service. I would sit on his bed, massage him, wash his clothing, and prepare whatever he wanted prepared. At that time I had no sambandha-jnana, but I surrendered to him, and by his mercy, you are all now honoring me.
Devotee: Gurudeva, I have a question. When we distributed Srila Prabhupada's books in the past, some people would immediately throw away the books because they couldn't understand them. Are there certain books that you would like us to distribute to the public on a general basis?
Srila Gurudeva: Try to realize what you are distributing. If you are distributing Gita, you must know the purport of the Gita. Can you tell me its purport?
Devotee: The purpose of Gita is giving them Krsna; giving them contact with the spiritual master.
Srila Gurudeva: What is the purport of the Gita? What is the essence of Gita?
Devotee: To surrender to Krsna through the spiritual master, and to develop pure love of Krsna.
Srila Gurudeva: There is more. The purport is much, much higher than that; you cannot even imagine its true purport. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. What do you understand from this sloka? Have you read it?
Devotee: Just try to understand, and surrender to the spiritual master.
Srila Gurudeva: Have you heard this verse?
Devotee: Yes, I have, but I forgot it.
Srila Gurudeva: There are two important verses: The first begins man-mana bhava, and after that there is sarva-dharman parityajya. Which verse's mood is superior? I know that you cannot say. Man-mana bhava is higher.
To chant harinama and to worship the Deity is svarupa-siddha-bhakti. If a person is thus engaged, but at the same time he is criticizing others and committing offences, and another person is not engaged in worship but is only clearing away the stool of his gurudeva and massaging him, who is superior?
Prema-prayojana dasa: The second personality.
Srila Gurudeva: One person is clearing away the stool of his gurudeva and washing his gurudeva's clothes, and the other person is performing the activities of svarupa-siddha-bhakti such as sravana (hearing), kirtana (chanting), and smarana (remembering Krsna), but criticizing others and thinking, "I know more than anyone else in the world." Who is superior? The first person.
Morning Walk
Los Angeles, California: May 13, 2003
Srila Gurudeva Distributes Books
[Srila Gurudeva often inspired his various audiences to collect and read his books. That was one of the ways he promoted and distributed them:]
purnah pulindya urugaya-padabja-raga-
sri-kunkumena dayita-stana-manditena
tad-darsana-smara-rujas trna-rusitena
limpantya anana-kucesu jahus tad-adhim
Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.21.17)
The gopis lament in separation from Krsna, "O, see the forest girls. They are born of very low caste, with black complexions. Although they are Pulinda, from the hilly tribes, still they are so fortunate. When Krsna goes to the forest, His footprints, mixed with some kunkuma powder, come on the grass. When the Pulinda girls see this, they take that kunkuma and smear it on their breasts. When they do this, they feel as if Krsna is meeting with them. But we cannot do even this."
There are very good explanations of this sloka by Srila Jiva Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami, and Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. I've given only some hint. I've not explained so much. In India I have explained their commentaries, and a book has been published called Venu-gita. If you want to know more, you can read that book.
I think that all my books can help you so much. The explanation of Gita by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura will help you more, more, more, and more. And the biography of my gurudeva will also help you so much. All my books – about forty books, such as Upadesamrta, Manah-siksa, Siksastakam, and Jaiva-dharma – will help you so much, so much. Try to read them; this will give you the association of Vaisn?avas.
Discourse on Venu-gita
Murwillumbah, Australia: January 21, 2001
Visakha dasi: We are returning to England. What should our specific service be? What should we do?
Srila Gurudeva: Chant in a very heartfelt way, remember what I have taught you, read bhakti books, and worship Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Giriraja. It is necessary to do something for your personal development; this is your duty.
Devote more and more time to devotional services, like chanting and hearing. When you are not hearing from me, you can hear each other; in other words you can read a book aloud and others will hear, and then you can all discuss the subject matter together. Now you have many books. You have Vilapa-kusumanjali, Harinama-cintamani, Caitanya-caritamrta, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, and so many other books. Try to discuss all the topics therein, and if there are any questions, you can write to me and I will reply.
Mathura, India: February 3, 1995
Gurudeva Has Done It
Syamarani dasi: Srila Gurudeva, you said in your class that Brahma thought he had stolen the cows, but actually it was Yogamaya who'd done it. And we think, "I am doing something," but our activities are actually done by maya. So, suppose I distribute a book and think, "Oh, I've distributed a book." Who has really distributed the book?
Srila Gurudeva: Gurudeva has done it. How will you do it? You cannot do anything. You cannot even make one blade of dry grass. Guru gives this energy to a disciple, but sometimes a disciple becomes bewildered and thinks, "I am the doer." This is wrong thinking, and it forces that disciple to fall down. All of you must be very careful.
Ramacandra dasa (Delhi): Guru gives opportunity and capacity.
Srila Gurudeva: He gives both. He gives both the meal and the power to digest it.
Evening Discourse
Badger, California: June 2, 2002
Srila Gurudeva Promotes Books
Sri Jayadeva Gosvami was a very high-class maha-bhagavata, and he wrote a book called Sri Gita-govinda, The Glories of Govinda. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw this book, He made a copy and instructed His followers to also obtain one. At that time there was no printing press, books were reproduced by hand. Mahaprabhu therefore ordered His followers to copy it by hand, and then preach. In Jagannatha Puri, all the Vaisnavas and associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu copied that book by hand and thus crafted for themselves a necklace of the beautiful songs therein.
Manjari dasi has sung the first song in this book, namely Srita Kamala. The words and meaning of the song are so very near and dear to Krsna. A devi-dasi was once singing this song in the forest at night. Hearing this sweet kirtana, Krsna in the form of Jagannatha-deva opened His door. It may seem to some persons that He is a statue of wood, but He is not. He left the temple and began to run very quickly through the forest towards that singing, causing the many thorny bushes in that forest to scratch His body and tear His clothing. Before He reached that devi-dasi, she stopped her kirtana, but He had already become maddened.
He somehow returned to His temple and closed the door. In the morning, when the pujari came for mangala-arati, he found Jagannatha covered with scratches and His cloth torn. The pujari called the main priest and the king, who both became very anxious, wondering, "Who could have done this?" They wanted to arrest the culprit, but of course, Jagannatha Himself was the 'culprit.'
Why did Jagannatha run after a lady? It was because of His intense attraction for that song. Jagannatha-deva appeared to the King in a dream. He explained to the King that He had heard His maidservant singing from very far away, and was so attracted that He was impelled to run to her. He told the King that it was the bushes and thorns of the forest that had scratched His body.
After this incident, it was mandated as a precaution that this song be sung only in the presence of Jagannatha-deva. Everyone was ordered to be very careful not to sing it in a distant place.
Once at night, when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was going to Cataka-parvata , a lady was sweetly singing Srita Kamala in a very beautiful tune. Mahaprabhu could not restrain Himself. He was oblivious to who was singing and began to run in the direction from which the song was coming. His servant, Govinda, knew that this song was coming from a lady – a very young lady. He chased after Mahaprabhu, calling, "Don't go! Don't go! Otherwise You will want to give up Your life for having embraced a lady!" He could not run like Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who was moving very swiftly, so he loudly shouted, "O Prabhu, what are You doing? This song is coming from a very beautiful young lady! Don't go and embrace her!" Hearing this, Mahaprabhu became alert and came to His external senses. He then told Govinda, "If you had not stopped Me and I had touched that lady, I would have jumped into the ocean and given up My life." This song is so full of rasa.
Gita-govinda is very famous, and we have now translated it from the original Sanskrit into Hindi, with good explanations. It will soon be ready for distribution all over India, and to Hindi speaking people around the world. The English edition will also be available very soon, and so many other books will be available as well.
I am working very hard, and my associates are helping. Sri Krsna and my parama-pujyapada Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja have sent me so many learned and qualified bhaktas. I'm very lucky. They have arranged everything; they are helping me. Sri Ujjvala-nilamani and other very good books will also be published soon. Sri Bhakti-rasamtta-sindhu of Srila Rupa Gosvami, and the Sri Brhad-bhagavatamrta of Srila Sanatana, the guru of even Srila Rupa Gosvami, will be printed soon. Studying these books will greatly help you in your understanding of bhakti.
Evening Discourse
Los Angeles, California: May 12, 2003
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Promotes Book Distribution
[The following two vignettes are not by Srila Gurudeva, but by his parama-gurudeva, Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, who wrote the following in his Upadesavali ('Garland of Instructions'):]
Establishing a printing press to print devotional books, and preaching by organising nama-hatta programmes, constitutes genuine service to Sri Mayapura.
Upadesavali (6)
* * *
[The following excerpt was spoken by Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada to a retired Deputy Collector, Sri Amarendranatha Pala Chaudhary, at Ca?aka-parvata in Jagannatha Puri, Sri Puruaottama-dhama. It was later published in his weekly Gaudiya (Year 14, No. 37), and a translation of this article appeared in the Rays of the Harmonist, which is published by Srila Gurudeva's disciples under his direction.]
In Sri Gaudiya Matha, those who are preaching by composing devotional books or writing articles for periodicals and journals are certainly performing krsna-kirtana. They are doing this through the medium of the brhad-mrdanga, which includes opening a 'post-office' and establishing a printing press. They are performing krsna-kirtana by organizing exhibitions. Some are engaged in krsna-kirtana through their own ideal, exemplary behaviour. To ensure that this krsna-kirtana does not become lost in the ether, it is being recorded and presented as devotional literature. Thus, people in future epochs will also be able to hear this krsna-kirtana.
Krsna-kirtana: The Root of Successful Sadhana
Rays of the Harmonist, Karttika 2008
[Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada's emphasis on book publication and distribution is also glorified in the arati song, written for him by Srila Gurudeva's Guru Maharaja, Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. In the biography of his Guru Maharaja, Srila Gurudeva gave the following purport to Verse Six of this arati song:]
sarva-vadya-mayi ghanta baje sarva-kala
brhat-mrdanga vadhya parama rasala
Srila Prabhupada Arati (6)
[Krsna-kirtana, which is accompanied by karatalas, bells, and other instruments, resounds for all time in all directions, but really it is the printing press, known as the brhad-mrdanga, which distributes the supreme rasa.]
The bell is very important in the arcana of sri vigraha. It is essential to ring the bell, which is sarva-vadya-mayi (the sum total of all musical sounds), while offering incense, lamp, and other ingredients. The role of the bell, which keeps ringing eternally in this extraordinary arati, is also quite unique. This transcendental bell is powerful hari-katha. The whole life of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was permeated with hari-katha; in fact he is the embodiment of hari-katha. His hari-katha would never stop, even for a moment. It would automatically start to flow, even when he saw innocent children or plants and bees. His hari-katha was so potent and effective that anyone who heard it would immediately become inspired with bhakti.
Kirtana is also essential during the performance of arcana. Srila Jiva Gosvami has written in his Bhakti-sandarbha, "Yadyapy anya bhakti kalau karttavya tada kirtanakhya bhakti samyogenaiva – If anyone executes other limbs of bhakti, he should perform harinama-sankirtana at the same time. In Kali-yuga, performing any sadhana independent of sankirtana will not bear any fruits." Thus it is essential to perform kirtana while doing arcana. Sankirtana is divided into different types such as nama-kirtana, rupa-kirtana, guna-kirtana, and lila-kirtana. Amongst these, nama-kirtana is the best of all: tara madhye sarva srea?ha nama-sankirtana.
The mrdanga is another essential part of sankirtana. The contribution of the brhad-mrdanga, the printing press, is of the utmost importance in the arati propagated by Srila Prabhupada. The sound of an ordinary mrdanga is very limited, but the bhakti literatures published by the brhad-mrdanga reach every corner of the world. They enter the hearts of sadhaka bhaktas, and make them dance in the ecstasy of harinama-sankirtana. The sound of this brhad-mrdanga never stops. It eternally arises in the hearts of the devotees, and keeps inspiring them. All glories and victory to the arati of Srila Prabhupada, who has established this brhad-mrdanga!
Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami – His Life and Teachings, Part 7, Srila Prabhupada Arati
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Distributed
His Literature
In the year 1838, Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura auspiciously appeared in a well-educated and cultured family in the village of Vira-nagara, which is near Sri Navadvipa-dhama in West Bengal. By compiling approximately one hundred authoritative books on the science of bhakti in Sanskrit, Bengali, Hindi, English, and other languages, he ushered in a new era in the Gaudiya Vaisnava line and re-established its lost glory. For this great effort, the Gaudiya Vaisnavas will remain eternally indebted to him. In the modern age, Srila Bhaktivinoda ?hakura set in motion once again the bhakti-bhagirathi, the mighty, flowing river of pure devotion, and for this he is well known as the Seventh Gosvami.
Bhakti-tattva-viveka, Preface
* * *
Do you know what Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura did? Although he was a very high class of government officer, the district magistrate in Puri, he used to go to village after village with nagara-sankirtana. He established numerous nagara-sankirtanas and nama-hattas throughout the villages of Bengal, and he would personally say about himself, "Nama-hatta jhadu-dara – I am a sweeper of the nama-hatta market."
He wrote more than one-hundred books. I used to think, "Where are there a hundred books?" But now I am seeing that he has written a thousand books. Why did he do this? He did this for us. All of his songs and literature is our wealth; if you have got such faith, then go on singing and reading. Even by singing one of his songs, our attachment to this world can very easily disappear.
Birmingham, U.K.: June 21, 2001
* * *
[The following quote is from Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja:]
Bhaktivinoda Thakura distributed his literature. In 1896 he sent his first book, Teachings of Lord Caitanya [Lord Caitanya – His Life and Precepts], to McGill University, and I saw that book. That was the year of my birth also, 1896.
Room Conversation
Vrndavana, India: October 15, 1972
Srinivasa Acarya Distributes Books
Srinivasa Acarya was the diksa disciple of Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, and he was mostly trained by his sikaa-guru, Srila Jiva Gosvami. He introduced many melodies for kirtanas, and he was such an exalted devotee that our Srila Rupa Gosvami and the other Gosvamis depended upon him. They directed him: "Go and preach in Bengal, and distribute all the literature written by us [Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami, Srila Jiva Gosvami, and the other Gosvamis]." Along with his associates, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura and Srila Syamananda Prabhu, he took their order and books, bound for Bengal.
Along the way, some dacoits looted the cart that carried all the books. The dacoits thought they'd gained a trunk full of jewels, for an astrologer had told the dacoits' leader, "This trunk is full of treasures."
The three devotees became mad in separation from the manifest heart of the Gosvamis – their writings. Srinivasa Acarya then sent both of his associates to Bengal, telling them, "I will remain here until I discover the location of the books."
The local king was the leader of the dacoits, but he was also a devotee. Though he used to loot, he would also hear scriptures, like Srimad-Bhagavatam especially. There was a bhagavata-pandita in his council who would read aloud and explain Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Srinivasa Acarya, in very simple dress, went there one day, when a Bhagavata discourse was taking place. He humbly sat in that assembly, hearing from the court pandita. After the discourse was completed for that day, Srinivasa requested, "May I comment on what the pandita explained?"
The king said, "Oh yes, very well; you may explain something about these topics." The pandita had been speaking on Gopi-gita, but he was not able to explain it very deeply.
Srinivasa Acarya then stood up and began to explain it, weeping and making the audience weep. He gave the same explanations given by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, Srila Sanatana Gosvami, and Srila Jiva Gosvami in their purports to Srimad-Bhagavatam.
The king at once approached Srinivasa Acarya and offered dandavat-pranama, begging, "I want to take diksa initiation from you, and I want to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam."
Srinivasa accepted the king and gave him initiation. Then the king offered, "I want to give you some guru-daksina. As you like, I can give."
Srinivasa replied, "Oh, is this a promise? If so, then please try to arrange for the return of our cart-full of books."
The king immediately exclaimed, "Oh, it is with me! It is with me! My astrologers told me, 'Three devotees from Vrndavana are coming, with lots of jewels – more than jewels.' And that is why we took the trunk. When we opened the trunk we could not tell in what way they are jewels. But now, hearing from you, I know that they are so much more than jewels."
Jewels cannot give krsna-bhakti. They cannot help us. Those books can help us thousands of times more than jewels. You are coming here only by the grace of those books.
In this way, Sri Caitanya-caritamtta, the books of Srila Jiva Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami, Srila Rupa Gosvami, and all the other Gosvami's literature were saved.
This was Srinivasa Acarya, a highly elevated devotee.
Discourse on the Appearance Day of Srinivasa Acarya
Badger, California: May 15, 2003
Srila Jiva Gosvami Copied Books By Hand
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna Himself who has taken the beauty and intrinsic mood of Srimati Radhika, came to this world, but it was Srila Rupa Gosvami who established in this world His innermost heart's feelings. If Srila Rupa Gosvami had not come, perhaps we would not have known Mahaprabhu's identity.
Srila Jiva Gosvami served Srila Rupa Gosvami, and the credit for all the publishing of Rupa Gosvami's literatures belongs to him. By publishing Rupa Gosvami's literatures, he established his innermost desire. At that time it was very difficult to publish books because the authors had to write all their books with their own pens, as there were no printing presses. Jiva Gosvami wrote down, in his own handwriting, every copy of every book of Srila Rupa Gosvami.
Srila Jiva Gosvami was the topmost learned person at that time, and he preserved the legacy of Srila Rupa Gosvami. Because he was always with him, he was able to write many commentaries in pursuance of rupanuga-vaisnavism. If it were not for him, all of Srila Rupa Gosvami's books would have been lost. He also preached, especially to Sri Syamananda Prabhu, Sri Narottama dasa Thakura, and Sri Srinivasa Acarya. Try to practice serving the cause of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission as he did.
Discourse on the Disappearance Day of Srila Jiva Gosvami
Oahu, Hawaii: January 16, 2002
The Original Distributor, Srila Vyasadeva
What is vyasa? The line that touches the opposite sides of the circumference of a circle by going through the central point is called the diameter, or vyasa . What is the meaning? Krsna is the center of all. Not only this one world, but so many universes, hundreds of millions of universes, are in this circle. Vyasa is touching Krsna and going to all the innumerable ends of material existence. Who is Vyasa? He who is preaching the glories of Krsna to all, and teaching everyone: "You should serve Krsna; otherwise no one will be able to save you from this endless chain of birth and suffering." Vyasa is he who is always serving Krsna from one point to another, everywhere in this material world.
Singapore, February 11, 2001
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Today we are going to observe guru-puja, or vyasa-puja. First of all, it is essential to know what is guru-puja and what is vyasa-puja. Actually, both are the same. Sri Krsna Dvaipayana Vedavyasa divided the one Veda into four. Then, because it would be difficult for people to extract the essence of the four Vedas, he wrote Brahma-sutra (Vedanta-sutra).
…The meaning of the gayatri-mantra has been clearly revealed by Srila Vyasadeva in the first verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Had he not come to this world, 'everything would have been nothing.' He revealed this gayatri-mantra, as well as the catu?-sloki (four essence verses) of Srimad-Bhagavatam and their explanation, and he especially revealed the highest love of the mahabhava of Srimati Radhika. He revealed the meaning of Vedanta-sutra, which is Srimad-Bhagavatam, he manifested all the Pura?as, and especially the Mahabharata. The essence of all these scriptures is the same.
Srila Vyasadeva first taught his four disciples – Jaimini, Vaisampayana, Paila, and Angira – and he especially taught his dearest one, Srila Sukadeva Gosvami. Sukadeva Gosvami was not only his son, but also his dear-most disciple. Srila Vyasadeva manifested all his knowledge in the heart of Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, who then preached it everywhere. All acaryas, and also their disciples, in our entire guru-parampara are so much indebted to those who are in the line of Srila Vyasadeva.
It is therefore essential to know the meaning of vyasa. Suppose there is a circle. If from any point of the circumference a straight line is drawn, and that line passes through the center to the other end, this is called vyasa (diameter). The diameter is always straight, and it covers all 360 degrees of the circle. It always divides the circle in half, making that circle 180 degrees. This is vyasa.
Similarly this vyasa, Srila Vyasadeva, touches everywhere in the world. Srila Vyasadeva revealed the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he revealed Radhika, and he revealed all other knowledge. We are thus unlimitedly indebted to him. Our whole guru-parampara is indebted to him, and it is for this reason that the mantra of vyasa-puja is:
narayanam namaskrtya
naram caiva narottamam
devim sarasvatim vyasam
tato jayam udirayet
Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.4
Read Full Story at purebhakti.com
#Honor #Srila #Gurudevas #Appearance #Day


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Once Nick Swisher and the New York Yankees kept Mark Trumbo in the park — barely, too — they were ready to rally.
Mark Teixeira homered twice and drove in five runs, Russell Martin hit a go-ahead single and the Yankees overcame yet another homer by Trumbo to storm past the Los Angeles Angels 6-5 Friday night.
Teixeira's three-run shot and Martin's two-out single in the eighth inning overcame the Angels' 5-2 edge. The Yankees, with the best record in the majors, returned from the All-Star break and won for the fifth time in six games.
"It's a new start," Teixeira said. "The first half really doesn't mean anything."
Trumbo homered in his fifth straight game against the Yankees. His three-run shot in the seventh made him the first Yankees opponent to homer five games in a row since Albert Belle in 1994, STATS LLC said. Harold Baines in 1984-85 is the only other player to do that against New York, the Yankees said in citing the Elias Sports Bureau.
"Yeah? I guess, pretty cool," Trumbo said. "But if it wasn't enough to get a win, it's just a novelty."
Trumbo nearly hit another homer, but his bid for a two-run drive to right field was caught by a leaping Swisher at the top of the wall in the eighth. Trumbo is 11 for 22 with five homers and 10 RBIs against New York this season.
"If he doesn't make that catch, we probably don't get back in the game," Teixeira said.
The Angels had two runners caught stealing, then Howie Kendrick was thrown out at second base to end the game. He tried to advance when a pitch from Rafael Soriano bounced away from Martin, but the catcher made a strong peg for the final out.
The Yankees broke loose after C.J. Wilson was pulled following a sharp seven-inning start.
Scott Downs (1-1) relieved to begin the eighth with an 0.30 ERA this season. Derek Jeter led off with a double, Curtis Granderson walked and Teixeira hit the first homer off Downs this year.
Teixeira's tying shot was his 17th home run — he has 36 career multihomer games, three this season.
Downs retired the next two batters and left after walking Swisher. Kevin Jepsen relieved and, after pinch-runner Dewayne Wise stole second and pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez was intentionally walked, Martin sliced a single to right.
Martin ended an 0-for-30 slump last Saturday in his last game before the All-Star break.
"I think it's important for him," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I always talk about how players want to feel they're contributing and he had a great night tonight.
"Threw three guys out, the game-winning hit," he said.
Soriano wound up with his 21st save in 22 chances. Chad Qualls (1-0) got his first win with the Yankees.
Trumbo was picked by Yankees star Robinson Cano for the home run derby in Kansas City this week and finished among the leaders. The Angels slugger did equally fine on a humid evening in the Bronx, sending a shot into the left-center field bleachers against Hiroki Kuroda for his 23rd homer and a 4-2 lead.
Albert Pujols singled to start the Angels' seventh-inning rally, then hit a ground-rule double in the eighth that made it 5-2. He stumbled coming around first base and hobbled into second, prompting Angels manager Mike Scioscia and a trainer to check on him. Pujols stayed in the game.
Scioscia said Pujols earlier fouled a ball off his foot and "felt just a little jolt or something" coming around the bag.
"He should be OK," Scioscia said.
Angels rookie Mike Trout, leading the league in hitting and steals, doubled and singled, stole two bases and scored a run.
A prep star in New Jersey who worked out for scouts at the old and new Yankee Stadium, Trout's favorite player growing up was Jeter. They ate lunch together at the All-Star game, and Jeter made Trout's family and friends feel welcome in the 20-year-old's first game at the ballpark — the 20-plus members of the Trout rooting section sat in Jeter's suite.
Erick Aybar also homered for the Angels.
NOTES: Jeter has scored 1,818 runs, two more than Carl Yastrzemski for 16th place on the career list. … Cano extended his hitting streak to a season-high 16 games. … Yankees LHP CC Sabathia (strained left groin) threw a simulated game. If he's OK, he'll start Tuesday night vs. Toronto. Asked his goal for the second half, the ace said: "Stay healthy." … Yankees LHP Andy Pettitte (broken left leg) rejoined the team after recuperating at home in Texas. He's targeting Sept. 1 to be back in the rotation. … Yankees OF Brett Gardner (right elbow) is ready to swing in a simulated game Sunday. … New Brooklyn Nets star Joe Johnson, who said he didn't play baseball growing up, threw out the first ball and tossed a soft strike. Nets coach Avery Johnson led the Bleacher Creatures in the roll call.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.


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Milan police squad chief Alessandro Giuliano said Monday that three of the six had held one of Berlusconi's closest advisors hostage for 11 hours in his home last month until he reached Berlusconi by phone to demand the money.
Berlusconi's attorney, Nicolo Ghedini, told reporters he spoke to the hostage-takers that day and refused to give them any money until he saw the documents.
Apparently that's all that was needed to free Berlusconi's treasurer, Giuseppe Spinelli. Police later identified the ringleader by his red and black sneakers - colors of his favorite team AC Milan, which Berlusconi owns.


text: I am receiving the following errors while running my mpi enabled code. p4_error: net_recv read: probable EOF on socket: 1 This error occurs after running the code for several hours using all processors in my cluster. I have seen several postings similar to this on the web, however, I have not seen any posted solutions. My configuration is as follows: Mpich_1.2.1 compiled w/ Portland compilers Scyld 27cz-8 (Red Hat Linux 6.2) Linux 2.2.19 I have tried to update my eepro100 drivers by downloading and compiling the netdrivers.tgz file from the Scyld ftp site. They compiled and installed fine using 'make' and 'make install', however, the driver on the slave nodes has not been updated. When I reboot the master node and do a dmesg, the latest driver is being implemented on the master. The slave nodes are still booting with the old driver. How do I get the boot image for the slaves to use the updated modules? Are my problems caused by the old eepro100 drivers? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks, David -------------------------------------------- David F. Robinson, Ph.D. Aletheon Technologies 224 Rolling Hills Rd.; Suite 9A Mooresville, NC 28117 (704) 799-6944 Ext. 11 (704) 799-7974 Fax www.aletheon.com drobinson at aletheon.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://www.beowulf.org/pipermail/beowulf/attachments/20020127/0383a55e/attachment.html>


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- United New Democratic Party
Korean Daetonghap Minju Shin Dang , formerly (1997–2000) National Congress for New Politics and (2000–05) Millennium Democratic Partycentrist-liberal political party in South Korea (Korea, South).The party was founded by Kim Dae Jung in 1995 as the National Congress for New Politics. Three years later, in the wake of corruption scandals within the ruling New Korea Party (merged with the Democratic Party in 1997 to become the Grand National Party [GNP]), Kim became the first opposition leader to be elected president of South Korea. In 2000 the party changed its name to the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP). After disappointing results for the MDP in the 2001 legislative elections, in which the party won 61 seats, Kim resigned as the party leader.Upon the election of Pres. Roh Moo Hyun in 2002, the party splintered over ideological differences, and Roh's supporters established the Uri Party in 2003. In the 2004 elections the MDP retained only 9 seats in the National Assembly, while the Uri Party captured a majority, winning 152 of a possible 299 seats. The MDP sided with the conservative GNP and voted to impeach Roh for electoral misconduct. The move was highly unpopular with the Korean public, however, and the MDP subsequently changed its name to the Democratic Party (DP) to distance itself from the issue. The Uri Party, unable to capitalize on its legislative majority, lost ground through a series of by-elections, and its popularity dropped into the single digits.In anticipation of the 2007 presidential election, liberal politicians reorganized, disbanding the Uri Party and merging with a host of smaller parties under the banner of the United New Democratic Party (UNDP). In 2008, after much negotiation and following a landslide victory by GNP presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak, DP members reunited with their former colleagues in the UNDP to form the United Democratic Party (UDP). In the legislative elections that year, the UDP lost its majority in the National Assembly to the GNP. The party supports greater human rights, improved relations with North Korea (Korea, North), and an economic policy described as "new progressivism."
* * *
Universalium. 2010.


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Domestic sheep live worldwide in association with humans. The first domesticated sheep resided mainly in the Middle East and Central Asia but since then have been introduced everywhere.
Domestic sheep are extremly versitile and exist in a wide variety of habitats worldwide ranging from temperate mountain forests to desert conditions. (Grzimek 1990, MacDonald 1984)
The physical details of domestic sheep vary greatly among breeds. Head and body length is 1,200-1,800 mm and shoulder height is 650-1,270 mm. Female sheep tend to be three quarters to two thirds the size of males. Wild sheep have tails between 70-150 mm but in domestic sheep tails may be larger and used as a fat reserve, although these long tails are removed on most commercial farms. Sheep have a vertical cleft and narrow snout completely covered with short hair except on the margins of the nostrils and lips. The genus Ovis is characterized by the presence of glands situated in a shallow depression in the lacrimal bone, the groin area, and between the two main toes of the foot. These glands secrete a clear semi-fluid substance that gives domestic sheep their characteristic smell. The skulls of domesticated sheep differ from those of wild sheep in that the eye socket and brain case are reduced. Selection for economically important traits has produced domestic sheep with or without wool, horns, and external ears. Coloration ranges from milky white to dark brown and black. There is considerable diversity among the over 200 distinct breeds of sheep. For details on a specific breeds consult http://pc200.anmsci.okstate.edu/BREEDS/SHEEP.
Ovis aries breeds on a seasonal basis, determined by day length, with females (ewes) first becoming fertile in the early fall and remaining fertile through midwinter. Estrus cycles range between 14 and 20 days with 17 as the average. Females are in heat on average for 30 hours. Males (rams) are fertile year round and most domestic sheep breeders use 1 ram to 25 to 35 ewes. Gestation averages 148 days with most lambs born in mid spring. One or two lambs, which are able to stand and suckle within a few minutes of birth, are born to each ewe. Both male and female lambs reach sexual maturity within one year. (Ensminger 1965)
Ovis aries has a highly developed flocking or herding instinct. Large groups of sheep (up to 1000 or more) move over an area in groups, rather than as individuals. No "leaders" in the flock initiating grazing or other forms of behavior, including flight. This flocking instinct contributes to their economic significance as a single shepherd can control a large flock of animals. Sheep become considerably stressed when separated from others, often calling and pawing at the ground.
Sexual behavior in Ovis aries is important in sheep production. Mating occurs mainly in the early morning or in the evening. Rams search for ewes and if a ram suspects the ewe is in estrus, he will nudge the ewe in the perineum. The ewe then assumes a mating stance if interested in the ram or walk away if not. If the ewe is interested the ram will conduct a short "foreplay" session, mount and copulate. If not then he will move on to another ewe. (Hecker 1983)
Domestic sheep are extremely hardy animals and can survive on a diet consisting of only cellulose, starch or sugars as an energy source and a nitrogen source which need not be protein. In general, sheep feed mainly on grasses while in pastures and can be fed a wide variety of hays and oats. Considerable research has been done on sheep nutritional requirements, and feed substitution tables are present in Ensminger's 1965 "The Stockman's Handbook". Grazing sheep ingest a large amount of food in a short time, then retire to rest and rechew the ingested matter. Sheep spend their day alternating between these periods of grazing and ruminating. Ovis aries has a large and complex stomach which is able to digest highly fibrous foods that can not be digested by many other animals. Its modest nutritional requirements contribute to its economic significance.(Hecker 1983, Ensminger 1965)
Ovis aries is one of the most economically significant species on the planet. Since their domestication between 9000 and 11000 years ago they have been a source of meat, milk, wool and hides in nearly every country. In some cultures sheep are considered highly useful as a sacrificial animal. The versatility of the species contributes to its economic significance as large herds of animals can be maintained in many environments at relatively low costs. Besides their usefulness in an agricultural sense, sheep have become important as a tool for scientific research. Because of their large size and low maintenance costs they make an ideal model for a great deal of scientific research.
Ovis aries has no adverse effects on human populations. The proliferation of domestic sheep, though, has adversely effected populations of their wild relatives through competition for forage and the spread of disease.
The world population of domestic sheep has steadly increased since their domestication and the world sheep population totals over a billion sheep.
There is considerable controversy over when and from what wild species the first domestic sheep descended. Current chromosomal and archeological evidence indicates that the divergence occurred about 9000-11000 years ago and that the first sheep domesticated were from the mounflon (Ovis musimon) flocks from Sardinia and Corsica. (Grzimek 1990)
Chris Reavill (author), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Phil Myers (editor), Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
Living in Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, New Guinea and associated islands.
living in sub-Saharan Africa (south of 30 degrees north) and Madagascar.
living in the Nearctic biogeographic province, the northern part of the New World. This includes Greenland, the Canadian Arctic islands, and all of the North American as far south as the highlands of central Mexico.
living in the southern part of the New World. In other words, Central and South America.
living in the northern part of the Old World. In otherwords, Europe and Asia and northern Africa.
young are born in a relatively underdeveloped state; they are unable to feed or care for themselves or locomote independently for a period of time after birth/hatching. In birds, naked and helpless after hatching.
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
Found in coastal areas between 30 and 40 degrees latitude, in areas with a Mediterranean climate. Vegetation is dominated by stands of dense, spiny shrubs with tough (hard or waxy) evergreen leaves. May be maintained by periodic fire. In South America it includes the scrub ecotone between forest and paramo.
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
in deserts low (less than 30 cm per year) and unpredictable rainfall results in landscapes dominated by plants and animals adapted to aridity. Vegetation is typically sparse, though spectacular blooms may occur following rain. Deserts can be cold or warm and daily temperates typically fluctuate. In dune areas vegetation is also sparse and conditions are dry. This is because sand does not hold water well so little is available to plants. In dunes near seas and oceans this is compounded by the influence of salt in the air and soil. Salt limits the ability of plants to take up water through their roots.
ranking system or pecking order among members of a long-term social group, where dominance status affects access to resources or mates
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.
A substance that provides both nutrients and energy to a living thing.
forest biomes are dominated by trees, otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality.
referring to animal species that have been transported to and established populations in regions outside of their natural range, usually through human action.
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
This terrestrial biome includes summits of high mountains, either without vegetation or covered by low, tundra-like vegetation.
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
islands that are not part of continental shelf areas, they are not, and have never been, connected to a continental land mass, most typically these are volcanic islands.
found in the oriental region of the world. In other words, India and southeast Asia.
scrub forests develop in areas that experience dry seasons.
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
one of the sexes (usually males) has special physical structures used in courting the other sex or fighting the same sex. For example: antlers, elongated tails, special spurs.
associates with others of its species; forms social groups.
uses touch to communicate
A terrestrial biome. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy. Extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical Africa and South America, and in Australia.
A grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest. See also Tropical savanna and grassland biome.
A terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes (>23.5° N or S latitude). Vegetation is made up mostly of grasses, the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available. Fire and grazing are important in the long-term maintenance of grasslands.
"Breeds of Livestock" (On-line). Accessed Oct. 14, 1999 at http://pc200.anmsci.okstate.edu/BREEDS/SHEEP/.
Ensminger, M. 1965. The Stockman's Handbook. Danville, Illinois: The Interstate.
Grzimek, B. 1990. Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Mammals. NY: McGraw-Hill.
Hecker, J. 1983. The Sheep as an Experimental Animal. London: Academic Press.
Lydekker, R. 1912. The Sheep and Its Cousins. London: George Allen & Company.
MacDonald, D. 1984. Encyclopedia of Mammals. NY: Facts on File Publications.


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i'm always in search of new things to learn.
on a personal note, i like designing concept vehicles, characters, products such as mobile phones, music players.
on the other hand, i'm into logo and brochure design, webpage templates, 3d product modeling, visiting card design, digital painting, 3d texturing.
i'm very much inspired by many talented artists .. Linda Bergkvist, pascal blanché, Steven Hägg-Ståhlberg, dylan cole, ryan church, Natascha Roeoesli, Philip Straub and many more.


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RFMD® 2006 Designer's Handbook
RFMD® 2006 Designer's Handbook This new Designer's Handbook outlines RFMD's broad product portfolio of RF systems and solutions for applications that drive mobile communications. Includes technical data on RFMD's industry-leading power amplifiers, front-end modules, transceivers, SoCs, and other integrated components for mobile handset, cellular base station, Bluetooth®, WLAN and GPS applications – all backed by RFMD's commitment to service, technical support and quality. Visit our website for


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IT is well known that when like-minded people get together, they tend to end up thinking a more extreme version of what they thought before they started to talk. The same kind of echo-chamber effect can happen as people get news from various media. Liberals viewing MSNBC or reading left-of-center blogs may well end up embracing liberal talking points even more firmly; conservative fans of Fox News may well react in similar fashion on the right.
The result can be a situation in which beliefs do not merely harden but migrate toward the extreme ends of the political spectrum. As current events in the Middle East demonstrate, discussions among like-minded people can ultimately produce violence.
The remedy for easing such polarization, here and abroad, may seem straightforward: provide balanced information to people of all sides. Surely, we might speculate, such information will correct falsehoods and promote mutual understanding. This, of course, has been a hope of countless dedicated journalists and public officials.
Unfortunately, evidence suggests that balanced presentations — in which competing arguments or positions are laid out side by side — may not help. At least when people begin with firmly held convictions, such an approach is likely to increase polarization rather than reduce it.
Indeed, that's what a number of academic studies done over the last three decades have found. Such studies typically proceed in three stages. First, the experimenters assemble a group of people who have clear views on some controversial issue (such as capital punishment or sexual orientation). Second, the study subjects are provided with plausible arguments on both sides of the issue. And finally, the researchers test how attitudes have shifted as a result of exposure to balanced presentations.
You might expect that people's views would soften and that divisions between groups would get smaller. That is not what usually happens. On the contrary, people's original beliefs tend to harden and the original divisions typically get bigger. Balanced presentations can fuel unbalanced views.
What explains this? The answer is called "biased assimilation," which means that people assimilate new information in a selective fashion. When people get information that supports what they initially thought, they give it considerable weight. When they get information that undermines their initial beliefs, they tend to dismiss it.
In this light, it is understandable that when people begin with opposing initial beliefs on, say, the death penalty, balanced information can heighten their initial disagreement. Those who tend to favor capital punishment credit the information that supports their original view and dismiss the opposing information. The same happens on the other side. As a result, divisions widen.
This natural human tendency explains why it's so hard to dislodge false rumors and factual errors. Corrections can even be self-defeating, leading people to stronger commitment to their erroneous beliefs.
A few years ago, for example, both liberals and conservatives were provided with correct and apparently credible information showing that the George W. Bush administration was wrong to think that Iraq had an active unconventional weapons program. After receiving the correct information, conservatives became even more likely to believe that Iraq had such weapons and was seeking to develop more.
The news here is not encouraging. In the face of entrenched social divisions, there's a risk that presentations that carefully explore both sides will be counterproductive. And when a group, responding to false information, becomes more strident, efforts to correct the record may make things worse.
Can anything be done? There is no simple term for the answer, so let's make one up: surprising validators.
People tend to dismiss information that would falsify their convictions. But they may reconsider if the information comes from a source they cannot dismiss. People are most likely to find a source credible if they closely identify with it or begin in essential agreement with it. In such cases, their reaction is not, "how predictable and uninformative that someone like that would think something so evil and foolish," but instead, "if someone like that disagrees with me, maybe I had better rethink."
Our initial convictions are more apt to be shaken if it's not easy to dismiss the source as biased, confused, self-interested or simply mistaken. This is one reason that seemingly irrelevant characteristics, like appearance, or taste in food and drink, can have a big impact on credibility. Such characteristics can suggest that the validators are in fact surprising — that they are "like" the people to whom they are speaking.
It follows that turncoats, real or apparent, can be immensely persuasive. If civil rights leaders oppose affirmative action, or if well-known climate change skeptics say that they were wrong, people are more likely to change their views.
Here, then, is a lesson for all those who provide information. What matters most may be not what is said, but who, exactly, is saying it.
Cass R. Sunstein, a law professor at Harvard and the author of "Going to Extremes: How Like Minds Unite and Divide," was until last month the administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.


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On-Air Challenge: You are given three words starting with the letter "F." The answer is a word that can follow each of those three words to complete a familiar two-word phrase. For example, if given "flag, father's and field," the answer would be "day."
Last Week's Challenge From listener Kate MacDonald of Murphys, Calif.: Think of a common French word that everyone knows. Add a "V" to the beginning and an "E" at the end. The result will be the English-language equivalent of the French word. What is it?
Answer: "Vin" becomes "wine"
Winner: Jim Ganahl of Cook, Minn.
Next Week's Challenge:Think of a familiar three-word phrase that might be used in poker and add an "E" at the end and you'll get a two-word phrase that's common in football. What phrases are these? (The spaces in between the words changes in the two phrases but the letters stay in the same order.)
If you know the answer to next week's challenge, submit it here. Listeners who submit correct answers win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: Include a phone number where we can reach you Thursday at 3 p.m. Eastern.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text: Students who believe that a course they have taken (or intend to take) may be appropriate to their program and that this course could substitute for a specified course requirement may request that the department submit an official authorization for substitution. Course substitutions are normally limited to cases where the required course cannot be offered or where the student has taken a similar but not identical course elsewhere. (PS 87-04)


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LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder issued the following statement today regarding marriage licenses distributed to same-sex couples in Michigan on Saturday, March 22:
[ione_embed src=//www.youtube.com/embed/hmpbMvxlgpA service=youtube width=560 height=315 type=iframe]
"After comprehensive legal review of state law and all recent court rulings, we have concluded that same-sex couples were legally married at county clerk offices in the time period between U.S. District Judge Friedman's ruling and the 6th U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporary stay of that ruling.
"In accordance with the law, the U.S. Circuit Court's stay has the effect of suspending the benefits of marriage until further court rulings are issued on this matter. The couples with certificates of marriage from Michigan courthouses last Saturday were legally married and the marriage was valid when entered into. Because the stay brings Michigan law on this issue back into effect, the rights tied to these marriages are suspended until the stay is lifted or Judge Friedman's decision is upheld on appeal."


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Welcome to the CRG Discussion Forum!Classified ads are not allowed on the forum.
The bracket labeled 'AAC' appears correct, matches what is on my car....
The bracket in the photos Danny posted seems too short.
For some reason I'm thinking it was natural.. But I might be wrong.
Quote from: cook_dw on September 22, 2013, 08:39:21 PMFor some reason I'm thinking it was natural.. But I might be wrong.My original is zinc-plated; I doubt if any of them were "natural", as they'd rust quickly, and everything around them was either painted, plated, or aluminum. See my "Bracket Location" photo in the first post in this thread.


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Rose quartz butterfly dish 3
Gorgeous hand carved rose quartz butterfly dish! Approx 4.7 inches across, 1.2 inches thick and .2 inches deep. Weighs 453.4 grams (15.99 oz). *Number in the title of the listing is just a way for me to identify the item.*
-*Colors may vary with different screen resolutions. All photos are completely unedited, straight off the camera.
-Follow me on Instagram for shop updates and sneak peeks of new arrivals @allthatshimmerzz
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GM Yu Yangyi and GM Alexander Ipatov are the only players to continue with perfect score 4,0/4 at the World Junior Chess Championship in Athens, Greece. Seeded 2nd and 6th respectively, they now lead the championship 1/2 points ahead of competition.
GM Ipatov employed a temporary piece sacrifice against GM Baron Tal to get solid initiative and closed the game in a convincing manner. GM Yu Yangyi waited patiently for a mistake by his opponent GM Jorge Cori in time trouble to conclude the game with a full point.
The chasing pack shares the 3rd place with 3,5/4 and includes IM Sahaj Grover, GM Samvel Ter-Sahakyan, GM Salem A R Saleh, FM Wei Yi, GM Aleksandr Shimanov, and GM Nils Grandelius.
In a multitude of surprising results FM Stef Soors defeated GM Niclas Huschenbeth, FM Michael Kleinman won against his compatriot IM Eric Hansen, the untitled Spyridon Naoum held to a draw IM Evandro Amorim Barbosa, FM Aman Hambleton drew with IM Ulvi Bajarani, IM Leandro Krysa lost to the untitled Ioannis Stathopoulos.
The rating favorite GM Ding Liren was stunned yet another time, this round he was held to a draw by GM Yilmaz Mustafa. Both are now 1,5 points behind the leaders, sharing the position with 18 more players. However, with 9 more rounds to go the medals and top positions will be up for grabs until the very end.
The Open section of the World Junior Chess Championship presented excellent chess to the audience today, with 50 from the 65 boards finishing with a decisive result. You can replay the most interesting games with computer analysis here.
All results WJCC Open / Standings Open
Yu Yangyi is at the top of the table after one of the longest games of the day
The girls section of the World Junior Chess Championship was close to having a sole leader. In difficult time trouble WGM Nastassia Ziaziulkina could not score a full point against WIM Irina Bulmaga with the black pieces.
The other leaders before the start of the round, WGM Guo Qi and IM Anastasia Bodnaruk, agreed to a draw. Now all of them share the first place together with the only winner from the chasing pack – WGM Aleksandra Goryachkina.
They are closely followed by a large group of players at 1/2 points distance – WGM Jovana Vojinovic, WFM Klaudia Kulon, WGM Alina Kashlinskaya, WIM Meri Arabidze, Wang Jue, WGM Deysi Cori, WGM Mona Khaled, WIM Monica Sihite Chelsie, WFM Aulia Medina Warda, Hanna-Marie Klek, WFM Irina Petrova, and Zoi Iordanidou.
Just like in the boys/open section, Round 4 turned out to be extremely combative for the girls. Except the top boards, the girls competition saw only 3 more draws, all other games finishing with decisive results.
All results WJCC Girls / Standings Girls
WGM Nastassia Ziaziulkina missed a good chance to take sole lead, but is still sharing the first place after R4
Photos by Andres Kontokanis
(see full photo gallery here)