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Writing for Hot Air's Green Room last week, Patrick Ishmael declared that nullification was unconstitutional and cited a number of columns from organizations such as The Heartlander and The Heritage Foundation as proof. Ishmael's post was mostly a continuation of a discussion, as he calls it, between him and David Roland, of the Freedom Center of Missouri, regarding a bill in the Missouri house to nullify the Affordable Care Act (Obama care). You can view that exchange here.
It appears that Ishmael's arguments stem either from a poor understanding of history and political science, or serves as a defense of the centralized state. It's my attempt here to set the record straight on the history of nullification, its uses, and defend the states and the people from the damaging effects of federal overreach and those who would aid it.
In The Heartlander piece Ishmael is quoted by the author and had this to say regarding the Missouri house bill: "This approach is toxic. There are better ways of trying to mitigate the problems inherent in the law than going this route." In the same piece, Matthew Spalding, who is the vice president of American studies at the Heritage Foundation, says rather than states nullifying unconstitutional laws, they should look to the Supreme Court or throw bums out. If that doesn't do the trick, then the states should call for a convention.
I've already explained why pleading with politically well-connected lawyers is a fool's errand, and it's well-established that more bums always replace the last ones thrown out, so these two options are really just dead ends. And his last suggestion, that an Article V convention is somehow going to do the trick, is pure fantasy. As I've noted previously, these mythical conventions have never resulted in a single unconstitutional act being repealed, and even on the remote chance one were to be used against the Affordable Care Act, what guarantee do we have that it too won't be ignored by the gang on Capitol Hill? Remember, the very reason for overturning "Obama care" isn't just because it's bad healthcare policy or politically unpopular; it's a breach of the Tenth Amendment and was passed under dubious circumstances, to boot.
Later in his own post Ishmael writes that "President Andrew Jackson, a staunch and boisterous defender of states' rights, rejected nullification as a right reserved for the states." Well of course Andrew Jackson would oppose nullification as president; the states were using it against him! Citing Jackson in such a way during a nullification argument is like saying Al Gore doesn't support the Electoral College because he lost, therefore it should be abolished. The fact that a politician is restricted by a policy, or that a government finds certain restrictions inconvenient only legitimizes those acts further, because they must be effective at limiting centralized power.
A good way to judge how effective a movement or policy will be is by listening to how loudly the establishment wails over its use. You'll know you're on to something important when they tell you that it's "toxic," "harmful," or that history isn't on your side, as Ishmael does. And you'll know you've struck a nerve when they throw out red herrings like the Supremes or constitutional conventions. Rest assured that whatever the establishment recommends won't be an effective tool in reversing course.
Spalding explained that nothing in the Constitution allows state legislatures to interfere with federal law, citing the constitution's supremacy clause. Of course this is true, and advocates of nullification don't dispute this claim. But we aren't just discussing a federal law; we're talking about an unconstitutional law, which is by definition, not a law at all. The supremacy clause, if one happens to read it in full, makes specific reference to federal laws pursuant to the constitution, not just "laws" that power-hungry legislatures pass and servile justices rubber stamp.
Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Kentucky Resolutions that "whensoever the [federal] government assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void, and of no force…" But you would never have known this by reading Ishmael's piece, since Jefferson's contributions are ignored entirely. He gives plenty of attention to James Madison, though and says that Madison didn't advocate nullification in the Virginia Resolutions. Anyone who's read them knows this.
The reason Madison's contribution is significant is because it reinforces the concept of states deciding the constitutionality of laws, which is clearly done in the resolution. Remember, it wasn't until five years later, in 1803, that Marbury v. Madison established "judicial review," and further entrenched the Supreme Court's power. But more important than that is the concept of interposition, which Madison introduces. This is why the two resolutions are described as the principles of 1798, since it was nullification and interposition that were introduced to the American lexicon. Arguing that nullification isn't lawful because Madison didn't promote it explicitly in the Virginia Resolutions is not much different than arguing gays in New York aren't allowed to marry because New Mexico doesn't recognize same-sex marriage. The resolutions were drafted by separate authors, covered different but related topics, and were passed by independent legislatures.
It should also be noted that James Madison is widely understood among historians to be a flip-flopper, in modern terms. Needless to say it's always wise to consider this when interpreting his writings.
The Heritage Foundation is at least honest enough to mention Jefferson in its "fact sheet," but only to try and persuade readers that he "[rejected] nullification." They admit that his Kentucky Resolutions of 1798 refer specifically to nullification, but point out the version passed by the Kentucky legislature didn't contain the specific term "nullification," as if that spirit were absent the final document. They attempt to muddy the waters by conflating the resolutions of 1798 with those of 1799, which were a follow up to the original declaration, and whose author is not conclusively known anyway.
Heritage goes on to suggest that the resolutions of 1799 were nothing more than a "solemn protest," but that protest included some pretty tough language. To wit: "…the several states […] being sovereign and independent, have the unquestionable right to judge [the constitution]; and that a nullification, by those sovereignties, of all unauthorized acts done under colour (sic) of that instrument, is the rightful remedy."
Under the heading of "The Constitutional Path" Heritage draws attention to Madison's doctrine of interposition, which is a bit ironic, given that such a concept is generally viewed as being more radical than nullification. It's one thing to refuse to abide a certain act, it's an entirely different thing to intervene and prevent that act from being carried out. To temper such ideas Heritage defines what activities represent interposition, and they suggest states can "arouse public opposition, challenge federal actions, and ultimately change or stop the objectionable action."
Of course interposition was never defined under those specific terms, and throughout American history states have used interposition in a number of ways. The people of Wisconsin, with assistance from a judge and a sheriff, went so far as to break into the Racine County jail to free a kidnapped former slave and arrest two federal Marshalls and the man who claimed to be his "owner."
Finally, Ishmael writes that: "There is no 'secret' or 'forgotten' history here." And, "There is no provision in the Constitution for states to 'nullify' a federal law, and I hope the liberty-minded will decline to try and breathe life into such an interpretation." Well clearly there is some forgotten history here, unless Ishmael is simply obfuscating the record.
Proponents never claim that state nullification is a power found in the constitution; it's not. Nullification came about as a response to additional powers not found in the constitution being usurped by the federal government. When the supposed confines of the constitution are abandoned by the feds, it makes little sense for states to worry about what is in the constitution and what is not, since clearly the document has been nullified already. At such a point the states must seek a "rightful remedy;" nullification and interposition are just that.
- Some Clarification on 'Integrity' - August 14, 2013
- Copperhead: A Tenther Film Review - July 19, 2013
- Edward Snowden: Nullifier - June 25, 2013


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Shrines of Northern Italy & Rome - Faith-Based Travel
Catholic heritage in Italy extends well beyond the Vatican. Discover the inspiring Catholic Italian icons of northern Italy on this affordable tour of Italy. From Milan's St Ambrogio to Turin's Don Bosco and Padua's St Anthony, you'll collect memories and inspiration that will remain with you for life. Admire in awe the early Christian works of art of the Byzantine era in Ravenna, and finally spend two full days in Rome, dedicating your attention to the Papal legacies and visiting many inspiring places of worship instilling a sense of solemnity and serenity—with the opportunity to attend the Papal audience if possible. This Italian guided tour of faith-based sites is sure to move the most devoted faithful, as well as those just approaching the Catholic faith—on your affordable tour of Rome, Milan, and the Holy sites along the way.
City Highlights
MILAN Attend Mass at St. Ambrose Basilica and discover the iconic DuomoTURIN Full-day with focus on the Holy Shroud and the life of St. John Bosco, founder of the Salesians religious institutePAVIA Admire the timeless beauty of the Carthusian MonasteryPADUA Celebrate Mass at St. Anthony's Basilica, and discover how devotion to this saint is shared by many and still alive throughout the centuriesRAVENNA Go back in time to discover its ancient Byzantine churches with their unique mosaicsROME Attend the Papal audience in the Vatican (subject to availability), visit the four Papal Major Basilicas of Rome and the Papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.[M] MASS SERVICES: Milan, Turin, Padua, Rome.
Buffet breakfasts daily, 4 dinners
Departure April 18 Easter
Touring by private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi

subset: commoncrawl


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Brittany G's 2010 Dodge Charger
Brittany, a Crutchfield order support specialist, purchased this 2010 Dodge Charger just a few months ago. She loved the car from Day 1, but she quickly grew tired of the massively underpowered factory stereo. With help from our friends at Kenwood, the Crutchfield team put together a stellar Kenwood Excelon system that's every bit as cool as the car.
Items installed:
- Kenwood Excelon KDC-X896 CD receiver
- Kenwood Excelon KFC-X183C 7" full-range speakers
- Kenwood Excelon KFC-XP184C 7" component speakers
- Kenwood Excelon X450-4 4-channel amplifier
- 2 Kenwood Excelon KFC-XW12 12" 4-ohm subwoofers (50-400 watts RMS x 2)
- Sound Ordnance BB122-100S Bass Bunker sealed dual 12" subwoofer enclosure
- Kenwood Excelon X500-1 mono subwoofer amplifier (300 watts RMS)
- StreetWires 14-gauge Super Cable Speaker Wire (60 feet)
- StreetWires 4-gauge amp wiring kit w/patch
- 2 Streetwires 3-way distribution blocks
- Tsunami 4-gauge power wire (5 feet)
- Tsunami 4-gauge ground wire (5 feet)
- StreetWires patch cable (16 feet)
The Kenwood Excelon CD receiver sounds great, plus it's incredibly versatile. Brittany can enjoy music from her iPod® or CD collection, Pandora® or an HD Radio™ station, plus it's SiriusXM ready if she wants to add satellite radio. Built-in Bluetooth® gives her the convenience of hands-free calling on the road.
A new receiver can make even tiny, tinny factory speakers sound better, but "better" isn't enough for a music lover like Brittany. We installed a set of Kenwood Excelon component speakers in the front doors. The 7" woofers fit into the Charger's cavernous door opening, while the 1" tweeters were surface-mounted on the sail panels. This "high-low" arrangement elevated the soundstage, and added new detail to Brittany's music.
Installing the Kenwood speakers
We also installed a set of 7" Kenwood Excelon full-range speakers in the rear deck. These big speakers really filled out the sound -- and almost drowned out the memories of the Charger's original stereo.
"That system was terrible," Brittany said. "I love that I can turn this one up and it still sounds good."
She really can turn it up, thanks to the amp and subs we installed. The speakers are boosted by a Kenwood Excelon X450-4, a powerful 4-channel amp that gives the system a real kick. A Kenwood Excelon X500-1 mono amp gives the subs the juice they need to give Brittany the bass she wants.
Brittany likes music with a lot of bass, by the way, so we made sure she got plenty of it by mounting two 4-ohm Kenwood Excelon 12" subs in a Sound Ordnance Bass Bunker. Each sub is rated for up to 400 watts RMS, so the two of them can handle anything Brittany wants to blast. They're also built for heavy use, with a dual ventilation system that keeps things cool, even on long drives at high volume.
The Bass Bunker reduces vibrations and resonance, plus it's a safe and stable place to mount the two amplifiers. Wiring and accessories from StreetWires and Tsunami ensure stable connections and reliable performance.
The Sound Ordnance Bass Bunker holds two big Kenwood subwoofers
Needless to say, Brittany loves the way her Charger sounds now.
"I'm all about bass, but I like being able to hear everything else," she explained. "When I really turn it up, the bass hits hard, but I can hear the singing, too. The whole system is amazing!"
Read all about our approach to building this system one piece at a time, and staying on a budget.
Vehicles in the Custom Car Showroom are submitted by customers and fans, and edited by Crutchfield writing staff. You can find more of these articles on the Showroom main page.
Comments (5)
Dominic DeVito from Crutchfield
Posted on 10/9/2017
Hi Chad M. - it's pretty simple to keep a sub box from moving around in a carpeted trunk. Simply staple (or otherwise securely fasten) a few strips of Velcro to the bottom of your sub box. Make sure to use the hooks type of Velcro, not the loops. The Velcro hooks should grab on tightly to the carpet of your trunk and keep your sub box in place, but still allow you to easily remove the box if you need to make more room or get to your spare tire.
Chad M from Mobile
Posted on 10/7/2017
I have the same Kenwood Excelon subs I the trunk of my Charger. My question is how do I stop the sub box from sliding and moving from all the bass? #REALLYANNOYING
Jon Paulette from Crutchfield
Posted on 3/29/2016
Jared, When you replace the factory radio on this car, you lose uConnect. On the upside, the right receiver can offer many of the same features.
Jared from Louisville
Posted on 3/28/2016
How did you integrate the uConnect system?
R. Dubois from Marietta, OH
Posted on 12/11/2015
Nice upgrades! The sound is awesome.


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Caring for Your Faithful CompanionBalinese: What a Unique Breed!
Your cat is special! She senses your moods, is curious about your day, and has purred her way into your heart. Chances are that you chose her because you like Balinese and you expected her to have certain traits that would fit your lifestyle, like:
Highly intelligent, playful, and energetic
An affectionate companion and family cat
Good with children and other pets
Requires minimal grooming
However, no cat is perfect! You may have also noticed these characteristics:
Very talkative, has an opinion about everything
Needs the company of other pets or people and does not do well in isolation
Is it all worth it? Of course! She's full of personality, and you love her for it! She is a curious and affectionate clown with a big heart.
The Balinese breed is the result of selective breeding of purebred Siamese cats that carried a spontaneous genetic mutation for a longhaired coat. One of the two fanciers who developed the breed in the 1950's decided that the beauty and grace of the breed was similar to that of Balinese dancers, and so came the breed name "Balinese." Bali's have blue, almond-shaped eyes and long creamy colored coats with dark color points on their face, ears, lower legs, paws, and tail. They do not have an undercoat which makes their hair less likely to mat. Balinese are highly social cats that enjoy interaction with people and other animals. Like their Siamese relatives, Balinese are vocal and like to carry on conversations.
Your Balinese's Health
We know that because you care so much about your cat, you want to take great care of her. That is why we have summarized the health concerns we will be discussing with you over the life of your Bali. By knowing about the health concerns common among Balinese, we can help you tailor an individual preventive health plan and hopefully prevent some predictable risks in your pet.
Many diseases and health conditions are genetic, meaning they are related to your pet's breed. The conditions we will describe here have a significant rate of incidence or a strong impact upon this breed particularly, according to a general consensus among feline genetic researchers and veterinary practitioners. This does not mean your cat will have these problems, only that she may be more at risk than other cats. We will describe the most common issues seen in Balinese to give you an idea of what may come up in her future. Of course, we can't cover every possibility here, so always check with us if you notice any unusual signs or symptoms.
This guide contains general health information important to all felines as well as information on genetic predispositions for Balinese. The information here can help you and your pet's healthcare team plan for your pet's unique medical needs together. At the end of the booklet, we have also included a description of what you can do at home to keep your Balinese looking and feeling her best. We hope this information will help you know what to watch for, and we will all feel better knowing that we're taking the best possible care of your friend.
General Health Information for your Balinese
Weight Management
Obesity is a major disease that contributes to a surprisingly large number of illnesses and deaths in cats.
This revelation is more well-known and well-understood today than in the last few decades, but too many owners are still ignoring the dangers of extra weight on their pets. Excess weight is one of the most influential factors in the development of arthritis, diabetes, and other life-threatening diseases. Everyone knows—many firsthand from personal experience—how even shedding just a few pounds can result in improved mobility and increased overall motivation to be active. And the same is true for your pet.
Research suggests that carrying excess weight may shorten a pet's life by as much as two years, and can cause the onset of arthritis two years sooner. Diabetes, an inherited disease, has a much higher chance of developing in overweight pets, and may never become a problem for a healthy-weight cat. The more obese a cat becomes, the more likely it will become diabetic. Hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver, is another potentially fatal disease in overweight pets; hepatic lipidosis can develop in as few as 48 hours when an overweight cat stops eating for any reason.
So how can we help our pets stay trim? Understanding your cat's dietary habits is key. The average cat prefers to eat about 10-15 times a day, just a few nibbles at a time. This method, free-feeding, works well for most cats, but boredom may increase the number of trips your cat makes to the food bowl. By keeping your cat playfully active and engaged, you'll help your pet stay healthy and have some fun at the same time! A string tied to a stick with something crinkly or fuzzy on the other end of the string, and a little imagination—you and your cat will both be entertained. Food puzzles, like kibbles put in a paper bag or under an overturned basket or box, may help to motivate cats with more food-based interests to romp and tumble.
For really tough cases of overeating, you will have to take a firm stance, and regulate your cat's food intake. Instead of filling your cat's bowl to the top, follow the feeding guide on the food package and be sure to feed a high-quality adult cat diet as recommended by your vet. Replace your cat's habits of eating when bored with extra playtime and affection. Cats typically adjust their desires for personal interaction by the amount of affection offered to them, so in other words, ignoring your cat means your cat will ignore you. By the same token, loving on and playing with your cat a lot will cause your cat to desire that time with you. A more active cat means a healthier, happier pet—and owner!
Dental Disease
Dental disease is one of the most common chronic problems in pets who don't have their teeth brushed regularly. Unfortunately, most cats don't take very good care of their own teeth, and this probably includes your Bali. Without extra help and care from you, your cat is likely to develop potentially serious dental problems. Dental disease starts with food residue, which hardens into tartar that builds up on the visible parts of the teeth, and eventually leads to infection of the gums and tooth roots. Protecting your cat against dental disease from the start by removing food residue regularly may help prevent or delay the need for advanced treatment of dental disease. This treatment can be stressful for your cat and expensive for you, so preventive care is beneficial all around. In severe cases of chronic dental infection, your pet may even lose teeth or sustain damage to internal organs. And, if nothing else, your cat will be a more pleasant companion not knocking everyone over with stinky cat breath! We'll show you how to keep your cat's pearly whites clean at home, and help you schedule regular routine dental exams.
Vaccine-Preventable Infections
Like all cats, Balinese are susceptible to bacterial and viral infections such as panleukopenia, calicivirus, rhinotracheitis, and rabies, which are preventable through vaccination. The risk of your cat contracting these diseases is high, so the corresponding vaccines are called "core" vaccines, which are highly recommended for all cats. In addition, vaccines are available to offer protection from other dangerous diseases like feline leukemia virus (FeLV). In making vaccination recommendations for your cat, we will consider the prevalence of these diseases in our area, your cat's age, and any other risk factors specific to her lifestyle.
All kinds of worms and bugs can invade your Balinese's body, inside and out. Everything from fleas and ticks to ear mites can infest her skin and ears. Hookworms, roundworms, heartworms, and whipworms can get into her system in a number of ways: drinking unclean water, walking on contaminated soil, or being bitten by an infected mosquito. Some of these parasites can be transmitted to you or a family member and are a serious concern for everyone. For your feline friend, these parasites can cause pain, discomfort, and even death, so it's important that we test for them on a regular basis. Many types of parasites can be detected with a fecal exam, so it's a good idea to bring a fresh stool sample (in a stink-proof container, please) with your pet for her twice-a-year wellness exams. We'll also recommend preventive medication as necessary to keep her healthy.
Spay or Neuter
One of the best things you can do for your Bali is to have her spayed (neutered for males). In females, this procedure includes surgically removing the ovaries and usually the uterus; in males, the testicles are surgically removed. Spaying or neutering your pet decreases the likelihood of certain types of cancers and eliminates the possibility of your pet becoming pregnant or fathering unwanted litters. Both sexes usually become less territorial and less likely to roam, and neutering particularly decreases the occurrence of urine spraying and marking behaviors in males. Performing this surgery also gives us a chance, while your pet is under anesthesia, to identify and address some of the diseases your cat is likely to develop. For example, if your pet needs hip X-rays to check for dysplasia or a thorough dental exam to look for stomatitis, these procedures can be conveniently performed at the same time as the spay or neuter to minimize the stress on your cat. Routine blood testing prior to surgery also helps us to identify and take precautions against common problems that increase anesthetic or surgical risk. It sounds like a lot to keep in mind, but don't worry – we'll discuss all the specific problems we will look for with you when the time arrives.
Genetic Predispositions for Balinese
An amyloid is a type of protein compound that can cause disease by abnormally collecting inside of tissues and organs. It is the same protein that builds up in the brains of human Alzheimer's patients. In cats, amyloids are more likely to accumulate in the abdominal organs, especially the kidneys, liver, and pancreas. This buildup of protein clogs the organ and causes organ failure. Signs of organ failure may appear on blood or urine tests, but a tissue biopsy is the only way to specifically diagnose amyloidosis as the cause of the failure. There is no effective treatment for amyloidosis as a disease, but we can use diet and medication to support the function of affected organs.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is an inherited disease in some Balinese bloodlines in which the eyes are genetically programmed to go blind over time. PRA may cause varying degrees of vision loss, but in most cases results in total blindness with no effective treatment or cure. Because this disease is caused by a recessive gene, normal cats can be carriers, and a kitten with normal parents may still develop PRA. Most affected cats begin to show signs of the disease at around one-and-a-half to two years of age. Night blindness comes first, progressing to total blindness over a period of about two to four years. In some breeds, the disease starts even earlier at about two to three weeks of age, resulting in full blindness by about 16 weeks. A genetic test is available to test parents as carriers before breeding; responsible breeders recommend that affected cats and their close relatives should not be used for breeding.
Convergent Strabismus and Nystagmus
Convergent strabismus is the medical term for crossed eyes. While this may be considered a birth defect in most breeds, in the Balinese, it's considered normal. In some cases, you may even notice your cat's eyes flicking from side to side, a phenomenon called nystagmus. Neurologic studies have shown that these cats typically do not see double; their brains sort out all the extra information so that they see a unified image, just like cats without nystagmus. In any case, neither strabismus nor nystagmus is dangerous, and no treatment is needed. Many cat owners even find these traits endearing!
Separation Anxiety Syndrome
While the vast majority of felines prefer a solitary lifestyle, some Balinese can form unhealthy and excessive attachments to their owners. They can become so attached that when their human counterparts aren't around, they quickly become anxious or bored, leading to destructive behaviors such as paper shredding, vocalization, or litter box amnesia. Some cats may even exhibit aggressive behaviors when they know their owners are about to leave. To avoid the vices of boredom, make sure your cat has plenty of special toys or food puzzles to keep his mind and body active while he is left alone. A consistent daily routine and a stable home environment can also help prevent the troubles of separation anxiety. In severe cases, anti-anxiety medication may also be used to help keep your worried friend relaxed.
Wool Sucking
Wool sucking is a term used for a cat's inclination to suckle on soft materials, even well after kittenhood. Balinese cats have a tendency to suck on blankets, soft fabrics, or even their tails! This behavior seems to be soothing, like when a baby sucks its thumb. In most cases, wool sucking isn't dangerous and does not require treatment.
Taking Care of Your Balinese at Home
Much of what you can do at home to keep your cat happy and healthy is common sense, just like it is for people. Watch her diet, make sure she gets plenty of exercise, regularly brush her teeth and coat, and call us or a pet emergency hospital when something seems unusual (see "What to Watch For" below). Be sure to adhere to the schedule of examinations and vaccinations that we recommend for your pet. During your cat's exams, we'll perform her necessary "check-ups" and test for diseases and conditions that are common in Balis. Another very important step in caring for your pet is signing her up for pet health insurance. There will certainly be medical tests and procedures she will need throughout her life and pet health insurance will help you cover those costs.
Routine Care, Diet, and Exercise
Build your pet's routine care into your schedule to help your Balinese live longer, stay healthier, and be happier during her lifetime. We cannot overemphasize the importance of a proper diet and exercise routine for your pet.
Supervise your pet as you would a young child. Keep doors closed, pick up after yourself, and block off rooms as necessary. This will help keep her out of trouble, off of inappropriate surfaces for jumping, and away from objects she shouldn't put in her mouth.
Despite her long hair she sheds little, and requires brushing only once or twice a week.
Balinese often have serious problems with their teeth, so you'll need to brush them at least three times a week!
Check her ears weekly for wax, debris, or signs of infection and clean when necessary. Don't worry—we'll show you how!
She needs daily play sessions that stimulate her natural desire to hunt and explore. Keep her mind and body active or she may develop behavior issues.
Cats are meticulously clean and demand a clean litter box. Be sure to provide at least one box for each cat and scoop waste daily.
It is important that your cat drinks adequate amounts of water. If she won't drink water from her bowl try adding ice cubes or a flowing fountain.
Feed a high-quality feline diet appropriate for her age.
Exercise your cat regularly by engaging her with high-activity toys.
What to Watch For
An abnormal symptom in your pet could be just a minor or temporary issue, but it could also be the sign of serious illness or disease. Knowing when to seek veterinary help, and how urgently, is essential to taking care of your cat. Many diseases can cause cats to have a characteristic combination of symptoms, which together can be a clear signal that your Balinese needs help.
Office calls
Give us a call for an appointment if you notice any of these types of symptoms:
Change in appetite or water consumption
Tartar build-up, bad breath, red gums, or broken teeth
Itchy skin (scratching, chewing, or licking), hair loss, or areas of shortened fur
Lethargy, mental dullness, or excessive sleeping
Fearfulness, aggression, or other behavioral changes
Seek medical care immediately if you notice any of these signs:
Scratching or shaking the head, tender ears, or ear discharge
Cloudiness, redness, itching, or any other abnormality involving the eyes
Inability or straining to urinate; discolored urine
Partners in Health Care
DNA testing is a rapidly advancing field with new tests constantly emerging to help in the early diagnosis of inherited disease even before your cat shows symptoms. For the most up-to-date information on DNA and other screening tests available for your pal, visit www.Genesis4Pets.com.
Your Bali counts on you to take good care of her, and we look forward to working with you to ensure that she lives a long and healthy life. Our goal is to provide you both with the best health care possible: health care that's based on your pet's breed, lifestyle, and age. Please contact us when you have questions or concerns.
Bell JS, Cavanagh KE, Tilley LP, Smith FW. Veterinary medical guide to dog and cat breeds. Jackson, Wyoming. Teton New Media; 2012.
Gough A, Thomas A. Breed Predispositions to Disease in Dogs and Cats. 2nd Edition. Wiley-Blackwell; 2010.
Hamza J, Hannon M, et al. Breed Profile [Internet]. The Cat Fanciers' Association, Inc. [cited 2013 Jun 10]. Available from: http:/www.cfainc.org/Breeds/BreedsAB/Balinese.aspx


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About |
Altig is the largest distribution system of American Income Life Insurance Company; AIL agents currently serve families in 18 states and 7 Canadian provinces from over 80 agencies around the continent.
American Income Life Insurance Company partners with members of credit unions, labor unions, and associations, as well as private clients to provide supplemental term life and whole life policies.
AIL is a publically traded company as a subsidiary of the publically traded company, Torchmark (TMK).


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MySpace sets music free
Coming soon to MySpace pages everywhere: Kid Rock, free. Christina Aguilera, free. T.I., free. Just about any music out there, free. (With ads, of course.)
(Fortune Magazine) -- Myspace founders Chris DeWolfe and Tom Anderson have had an uneasy relationship with the music industry. Nearly every music act has a MySpace page; some of them, like British pop diva Lily Allen and American psychedelic-funk purveyor Gnarls Barkley, have used the social network to become stars. But two years ago Universal Music Group discovered unauthorized songs from U2 and Jay-Z on MySpace and sued the site in federal court.
Well, that relationship is about to improve. In August some of the industry's most prominent executives - including Universal's Jimmy Iovine - showed up at MySpace headquarters in Beverly Hills for a visit that couldn't have been more cordial. "It was almost like we were all singing 'Kumbaya' together," DeWolfe says.
It was the first meeting of the board of directors of MySpace Music, an unprecedented joint venture between the social network and three of the Big Four music companies: Universal, SonyBMG, and Warner Music (WMG), which together account for 77% of all U.S. album sales, according to Nielsen SoundScan. MySpace is also in talks with the fourth biggie, EMI, whose U.S. market share is 9%.
MySpace Music, scheduled to launch in September, promises to be the most significant rollout of a digital-music service since Apple's (AAPL, Fortune 500) iTunes. It will enable MySpace users to listen to any song from the catalogs of the three music giants free. There will be on-screen ads along with that music, but yes, it will be free. And that includes U2 and Jay-Z-and Christina Aguilera, Kid Rock, and rap superstar T.I.
DeWolfe says the key to the new service is this: Users will be able to visit the pages of major label artists and click on the songs they like as they listen. Then they'll be able to create playlists on their own pages made up of those tracks: "There will be a button that says, FOR THE FULL CATALOG, CLICK HERE," he says. "That's what's never been done before." The idea is that people will use the playlists to personalize their MySpace page, which, in turn, boosts traffic. "Think about why people go to a music service," he says. "They go to iTunes because they just want to get the songs and get out. MySpace is different. It's like going to your friend's house, and they have cool music playing in the background that makes the experience that much better."
"This is how people discover music now," says Luke Wood, executive VP of Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M. "It's not happening through people reading Rolling Stone. It's not happening through the radio. It's happening through social networks online."
If listeners really like a particular song, they can buy it with one click and have it routed immediately to iTunes or Windows Media Player via a download service created by Amazon (AMZN, Fortune 500). To Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, the alliance makes perfect sense: "MySpace, with its hundreds of millions of users, is an important place for music discovery, just like the Amazon MP3 store."
Bezos sounds excited, and no wonder. He's confident that Amazon's alliance with MySpace will increase his company's share of the music-download market. The market research firm NPD says that Amazon's year-old MP3 store is already the nation's second-largest digital-music retailer, after iTunes. MySpace's music company partners are also pleased that the joint venture will strengthen Amazon's hand. Although they won't say so on the record, they aren't happy with iTunes' current domination of digital music. Says Ivan Gavin, COO of SonyBMG's BMG Label Group: "Competition isn't the worst thing in the world."
DeWolfe believes that MySpace Music could generate enough money through ad sales, downloads, and eventually music-related e-commerce like T-shirt and concert ticket sales to put the industry back on its feet again. The music labels, of course, could use some new revenue streams right now. The industry is in a state of upheaval. Last year alone, CD sales declined an astonishing 20% - that's $2 billion in revenue gone. Digital sales rose by $500 million - nowhere near enough to make up the difference. "We think this has the ability to change the economics of the music industry and create a revenue stream that replaces lost CD sales," he says.
Yet for MySpace Music to succeed, it will have to sell ads - lots of them, and at commanding prices. Its label partners want a penny each time someone listens to a song on an ad-supported service. That means MySpace Music needs to charge $10 for every 1,000 ad impressions just to break even. Think how many MySpace pages automatically play a tune when you land on them; each one counts as an impression. MySpace won't comment, but media buyers say it has been able to charge only $3 per 1,000. Why? Because there's a glut of social-networking ad inventory on the market. That's one reason Fox Interactive Media, MySpace's parent, missed its revenue target for the fiscal year ending in June by an estimated $100 million.
DeWolfe promises that MySpace Music will have no problem selling ads. He points to his company's 300 ad salespeople, most of whom are working on the new music service. Toyota, McDonald's, and State Farm are sponsoring the launch. "We recognized that this is a groundbreaking addition to the music industry landscape," says Doug Frisbie, national media manager for Toyota Motor Sales.
In a way, MySpace Music was something that DeWolfe and Anderson had to do. Their site had a huge audience of music fans, but it wasn't making enough money. So nine months ago they pitched the idea of an ad-supported service to News Corp. (NWS, Fortune 500) CEO Rupert Murdoch and his deputy, COO Peter Chernin. The two executives took a typically contrarian stance. They weren't bothered that other major media companies have been fleeing the music business. "This venture marries the largest music community in the world with the biggest music catalogs in the world," Murdoch tells Fortune. "We're confident it will be a big success."
"It's not like we were going out and starting a record label," says Chernin. "This is something we'd been talking about for a while."
Here's a big question hovering over MySpace Music: Will it actually improve the music industry's slumping overall sales? "We believe that you can't just have ad-revenue-sponsored content," says Michael Nash, Warner's chief digital strategist. But why will people buy more music when MySpace will be offering so much for free? DeWolfe says people will still need to buy tunes to play on their iPods.
The truth is, MySpace et al. are making a leap of faith by pushing free music. Dalton Caldwell, CEO of imeem, an ad-supported music social network that has 27 million users, warns that DeWolfe is setting the bar too high. "I don't know if we can be superheroes and save the world," says Caldwell. "I think it would also be difficult for anybody to say they can replace lost CD sales."
Don't tell that to DeWolfe. He's already talking cultural juggernaut. "Think about MTV," he says. "Not necessarily what they are right now, but how they created pop culture in the late '80s, early '90s. I think that's what MySpace Music will do now." Maybe he should get those lost CD revenues replaced first.
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Bigelow's Gamble PUBLISHED IN AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY RE-PRINTED HERE WITH PERMISSION Posted: September 27, 2004 It's a high-stakes game to develop commercial inflatable space modules while proposing a $50-million prize for a new piloted spacecraft to service them BY CRAIG COVAULT/LAS VEGAS The Bigelow Aerospace project to privately develop inflatable Earth-orbit space modules is beginning to integrate diverse U.S. and European technologies into subscale and full-scale inflatable test modules and subsystems at the company's heavily guarded facilities here.
Ongoing technical assistance to Bigelow from JSC is focused on helping the company spawn development of orbiting commercial inflatable modules by the end of the decade, with the possibility of JSC later using the Bigelow technology for inflatable modules on the Moon or Mars. Inflatables are attractive because they offer large volume with enormous launch weight savings. Bigelow Aerospace is also increasing the stakes that low-cost non-government transportation can be available to send astronaut crews to its inflatable space modules in Earth orbit by 2010. Company founder and millionaire Robert T. Bigelow told Aviation Week & Space Technology that he will announce as early as this week a new $50-million space launch contest called America's Space Prize. The objective is to spur development of a low-cost commercial manned orbital vehicle capable of launching 5-7 astronauts at a time to Bigelow inflatable modules by the end of the decade. America's Space Prize will be patterned somewhat after the X Prize that will go to the first team to demonstrate back-to-back suborbital flights. America's Space Prize, however, is to award five times more money than the $10-million X Prize. And if successful, the winner of America's Prize would have developed something different - the first commercial manned orbital spacecraft - which unlike the X Prize, could be used for something other than just a spectacular ride. The new contest also presents challenges far greater than the X Prize by requiring development of a vehicle that could maneuver to dock at well over 100 mi. altitude and survive a 17,500-mph. reentry. America's Prize will be set up so the winner can propose launch on an existing (even non-U.S.) booster, depending upon the entrant's spacecraft configuration. Bigelow is committing $25 million to the prize, and more than one additional proprietary benefactor is in final discussion with Bigelow for the other half. Potential funding partners include NASA, as a follow-up to the prize-related recommendations by the Aldridge Commission on Exploration. In addition to the $50 million, the America's Prize winner would also be guaranteed first rights on a contract from Bigelow for ongoing orbital servicing missions to its inflatable 45 X 22- ft. "Nautilus" modules - possibly docked together as a small space station. With 330 cu. meters of volume, each Nautilus has 2.75 times the volume of individual ISS modules, Bigelow says.
Preceding the first full-scale Nautilus will be two "Genesis" one-third scale inflation test modules to be launched in 2005 and 2006 - one on a SpaceX Falcon V and the other on a Russian "Dneper" commercial version of the SS-18 ballistic missile. Following those missions will be two "Guardian" 45% scale inflatable module flights in 2007 carrying critical lifesupport system demonstration hardware. A Dneper will also launch the Guardian flights and could be used for the first Genesis if the SpaceX Falcon V is not ready. All four of these inflatable test spacecraft will be designed to last for several years in orbit. And Bigelow is offering free rides in them to any corporate or government research payload that would like to take advantage of flying in such a pressurized vehicle. The first Genesis will be pressurized with nitrogen, but later units will use an oxygen/nitrogen mixture, says Jay Inghram, who runs the Bigelow integration team and also handles mechanical design. He was formerly with Raytheon. Robert Bigelow says when he started the project in 1998 he decided he could afford to put $500 million of his own funds into the effort by 2015 to achieve launch of full-scale hardware by then. He says, however, that developments at his North Las Vegas plant and at his nearly two dozen subcontractors have put him as much as five years ahead of schedule, with at least the chance of launching the first 20-25-ton Nautilus for unmanned tests by 2008 and placing a crew on board that first unit as early as 2010. Inflatables like the Bigelow modules could also form the basis for manned lunar and eventually Martian habitats. Lockheed Martin has just contracted with Bigelow for inflatable module concepts that Lockheed Martin hopes to use in its response to major NASA studies on a return to manned lunar operations. Bigelow's work follows NASA's mid- 1990s TransHab inflatable technology efforts now shifted to the company. Bigelow has two licensing agreements with NASA. The first is an exclusive license for two patents related to the TransHab. The second is a license for radiation shielding technology that has both exclusive and non-exclusive components, says Mike Gold, Bigelow's general counsel. "By virtue of those agreements we are able to get very valuable ongoing assistance and advice from NASA," Bigelow says. "A lot of key NASA folks are in this plant on a regular basis, and they help us a lot." Bigelow is pursuing markets for a variety of users including biotech and pharmaceutical company and university research, entertainment applications and government military and civil users. The flight of the NASA-developed bioreactor human tissue growth apparatus, spun off to the private sector, could also be a key medical research market, he says. He is hoping to earn the trust of those markets by low cost and rapid turnaround, contrary to traditional NASA ISS and space shuttle operations and bureaucracy. "Part of the challenge is to be technologically proficient with a product that is safe and reliable, user-friendly and economical - otherwise there is no point doing what we are doing," Robert Bigelow says. Although he made his fortune as a general contractor and founder of Budget Suites of America, contrary to media reports he says he is not pursuing "space hotels." What he is doing, however, is looking at "leasing out" small space stations or habitats made of one or more Nautilus inflatable modules to different research communities or corporations. To do that Bigelow, with NASA and subcontractor help, is pioneering the development of lightweight but extremely strong and long-lived inflatable "soft goods" to form modules made of proprietary advanced aerospace materials. The Bigelow team is also developing how to fold and package those soft goods around the module's aluminum core, so once inflated in space, creases and folds and critical seals around windows and hatches do not leak. This is a major challenge on which there is little literature. The company is doing extensive testing to obtain such baseline data. Other key developments include an external "restraint system," a large bag formed of high-strength interwoven fabric straps to keep the air bladder, of a laminate polymer, at the desired shape once inflated. Covering the straps will be a five-layer micrometorite shield constructed in part of carbon-fiber composites, but using a less costly design than similar NASA shields. The module will have a total of seven layers with the interior inflated to 10 psi. compared with 14.7 psi. for the ISS and 12 psi. for the 1970s Skylab space station. More than 50 ballistics tests at the University of Dayton Research Institute and the University of Denver Research Institute were devoted to firing particles of 0.25-5�8 in. toward the Bigelow shield at velocities from about 1.9-4.3 mi./sec. "The tests showed we have a shield that performs comparably to NASA's, but at a fraction of the cost," says Brian Aiken, the overall Bigelow program manager. Aiken has extensive experience in satellite design, mostly on military spacecraft at TRW (now Northrop Grumman). To protect against radiation, the inner walls will be covered with crew-deployed water blankets. In addition to test and inflatable module technology visible throughout the 120,000 sq. ft. of floor space here, the facilities have large simulators and test articles including:
The 2,500-lb. test article will be in its 10 X 4-ft. launch configuration for launch load and modal vibration tests. It will also undergo an altitude chamber depressurization test to see how the restraint system straps hold the bladder when gradually exposed to a vacuum as during launch. In flight it will carry enough makeup nitrogen for about three reinflations if necessary, Inghram says. A successful test will bring the Genesis configuration to the Critical Design Review level, clearing the way for integration of the first flight article. Genesis will also include windows and an airlock simulator with key seal interfaces. Both the plant here and subcontractors have done extensive tests at the component and inflated envelope level. Both long and short duration tests are being made on all the module's materials, at different temperatures. These include tests to failure done underwater or in special padded facilities to catch flying debris. And some debris has indeed "flown." "We do not care that much about what a computer model says something is supposed to do," Bigelow said. "We test to the limit. We want to know pointblank what a component actually can do. And we do repeated tests on hardware from the same manufacturers." Bladder permeability tests at up to four times normal pressure have been done, much of it at two subcontractors. There is little data on how unfolded materials behave for this key parameter, and Bigelow believes it is broadening the database for all future space inflated structures. Subcontractors make more than 50% of the parts designed by Bigelow engineers, but the plant also makes key components. It has five computerized numeric control machines that can machine parts to within one-ten-thousandth of an inch, says Mike Penosa, the plant manager, with years of engineering experience in the U.S. Navy. The companys' welders and machinists average 15-18 years' experience. Bigelow has coupled a competent team with a pragmatic philosophy. "We are a 100% experimental program, and we have to prepare for failures and not be overly shocked if they happen. We realize all of this is going to be done at significant risk," Bigelow says. "But we also have an agenda we want to carry out, tied closely to the timing of our flight tests." Life-Support Design Development of an environmental control and life-support system that can provide air, water and carbon dioxide removal for a Nautilus inflatable module crew of 3-6 is underway at Bigelow Aerospace. Private development of a station life-support system is one of the biggest challenges ever faced by a private space company. Key subcontractors providing hardware for an initial ground development system include EADS Astrium, Boeing and other companies that must remain proprietary until they conclude contract negotiations with Bigelow. "Our immediate goal is completion of a ground demonstration system to test integrated systems, gain experience for troubleshooting and to train our own people," said Richard Chu, Bigelow life-support system manager. He was earlier a life-support specialist for Lockheed Martin. Substantial components have already been delivered and others are due by year's end. Ground tests are to lead to the first orbital flight test of the system on two Guardian inflatable 45% scale module flights in 2006-07, followed by launch on the first full-scale Nautilus as early as 2008. Hardware elements include:
Innovative Subcontracting Bigelow Aerospace is working with about two dozen major subcontractors for its inflatable space module program, often issuing 3-5 subcontracts for the same component. The company is attempting to build a broad and established subcontractor base for the future and also to compare workmanship among contractors. Bigelow is doing this not just to support development of one or two manned inflatable space modules but to generate an ongoing line of inflatables for diverse commercial or government civilian and military space research markets. "We want to have multiple subcontractors for every category," says Robert T. Bigelow, president and founder of the company. "We want multiple things fabricated to the same architecture." "If this thing we are doing is ultimately successful, we have to be able to ramp up to volume production of inflatable space structures that the market might want us to produce," he says. "If we can develop confidence in the products from 2-3 subcontractors for individual components, it might become necessary for us to engage every one of them for module production." Since he is funding the development out of his own personal finances, Bigelow can afford to do that where other aerospace companies cannot. But he also wants to apply his own experience in the Earth-based general building contractor field where he made a sizeable fortune. "This is not exactly typical in aerospace, but one reason I am doing it after so many years as a general contractor is to bring philosophies from that realm into this business. And having multiple contractors for every category in general contracting is a must," he said. Although many of Bigelow's subcontractors are established companies such as Boeing and EADS, many are not. This is serendipitously adding to the national base of small and medium-size companies gaining aerospace experience. The emerging stature of these smaller companies is a trend likely to be especially important to bringing younger, more technologically savvy people into aerospace. At the same time it is broadening the subcontractor base needed for major new robotic and human exploration programs, an increasingly dynamic aerospace sector. Unique Technology Mix A mix of multilayered inflatable "soft goods" composed of advanced aerospace materials and more traditional aerospace aluminum structures and avionics are being integrated in heavily guarded Bigelow Aerospace buildings and outdoor test facilities at the company's 50-acre site here. Bigelow has about 120,000 sq. ft of floor space under roof and several outdoor test facilities. This Aviation Week & Space Technology editor and AW&ST photographer William G. Hartenstein are the only news media who have been permitted to tour all the facilities. In addition to full- and sub-scale inflated module test hardware and fullscale metal module simulators, some of the hardware and technology we saw included:


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Wanna do a commissioned mural/ multi-media project/ public artwork on a massive silo here in San Francisco? Live in the Western United States? The commission pays $190,000, and the mural will be up for 5 years. Awesome opportunity and if you think you have the right stuff, READ THE DETAILS AND APPLY.
$190,000 to put your art on this massive silo in San Francisco.
Artwork opportunities may include a mural or kinetic artwork on the exterior wall of the northern grain silo or a lighting or multi-media project that illuminates or projects on the cranes or silos in the day or at night. Pier 92 is located at the entrance to the Bayview community and the artwork should make a strong visual statement in keeping with the gateway experience and industrial setting. ~read on


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Are you curious about the birds that live in your neighborhood? Would you like to find out more about them: what they look like close up, what they eat, how they sing? In this project you'll build a bird feeding platform with four separate feeding areas. You'll be able to observe birds at close range, find out what birds inhabit your area, and learn about their seed-eating preferences. So get out your woodworking tools and binoculars, and get ready to see some birds.Summary
Andrew Olson, Ph.D., Science Buddies
This project is based on the following 2007 California State Science fair project, a winner of the Science Buddies Clever Scientist Award:
- Fukumitsu, K.S., 2007. Dining with the Birds: What Type of Seeds Do Birds Prefer to Eat? California State Science Fair Abstract. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
The goal of this project is to investigate the seed-eating preferences of local birds.
If you'd like to learn more about the birds in your area, then building a bird feeder is a great way to do that. A well-placed feeder will attract birds, allowing you to get a close-up look without disturbing the birds from behind a nearby window.
This project shows you how to design and build a four-part feeder that will make it easy to figure out what types of seeds your local birds like best. The project is based on an entry to the 2007 California State Science Fair (Fukumitsu, 2007). With this design, you can easily measure the rate at which different types of seeds are consumed. You can also observe which species of birds prefer which part of the feeder. This will give you insight into species-specific seed preferences for your local bird population.
You should do background research on the types of birds in your area. Find out about each bird's preferred habitat and diet. With the right food, you may be able to attract some birds that you don't normally see otherwise. So spend some time in your wood shop, then get out your binoculars and start watching birds!
Terms and Concepts
To do this project, you should do research that enables you to understand the following terms and concepts:
- Birds
- Bird watching
- Bird feeders
- Bird migration
- Ornithology
- What bird species are native to your area?
- What bird species pass through your area during migration, and when?
- What are the bird species that visit your feeder?
- For identifying birds, the Peterson field guides are a valuable resource (various publication dates and titles, typical examples follow):
- Peterson, R.T., 2002. A Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern and Central North America Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co.
- Peterson, R.T., 1990. A Field Guide to Western Birds: A Completely New Guide to Field Marks of All Species Found in North America West of the 100th Meridian and North of Mexico. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co.
- Here's an online guide to identifying birds:
eNature.com, 2005. FieldGuides: Birds, eNature.com. Retrieved October 1, 2007. - For information on bird seed preferences, and tips on feeder design, placement, viewing, and bird safety for your feeder, see:
- Project FeederWatch, 2007a. What to Feed Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
- Project FeederWatch 2007b. Seeds and Grains for Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
- This project is based on the following 2007 California State Science fair project, a winner of the Science Buddies Clever Scientist Award:
Fukumitsu, K.S., 2007. Dining with the Birds: What Type of Seeds Do Birds Prefer to Eat? California State Science Fair Abstract. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
Materials and Equipment
- A square of plywood, 16 in (about 40 cm) on each side (exact dimensions not critical) and at least 1/2 in (1.3 cm) thick
- 6 16 in (about 40 cm) lengths of stripwood (approximately 3/4-in (2.0 cm) wide by 1/4 in (0.6 cm) thick) to create four separate quadrants for seeds
- White glue or staple gun for attaching stripwood
- 4 6 in (about 15 cm) lengths of 3/8 in (0.95 cm) dowel material (for mounting seed bottles to feeding platform)
- Rubber bands for attaching seed bottles to dowels
- 4 wide mouth plastic bottles of the same size (e.g. 20 oz. Gatorade® bottles)
- Power drill
Drill bits:
- 3/8 in (0.95 cm) for drilling holes in caps and mounting dowels
- Appropriate size for drilling pilot holes for mounting screws
- Sturdy pole or post for mounting feeder
- Screws and mounting hardware to attach feeder to post
- You may also need sheet metal to make an upside-down "funnel" on the post to prevent squirrels from raiding the bird seed (see Figure 3 in the Experimental Procedure section, below)
- You may also want to build a cover for your feeding platform if your area gets regular precipitation during your experiment
4 bags of bird seed of various separate types, for example:
- Black oil sunflower
- Striped sunflower
- Safflower
- Millet
- Nyjer (thistle)
- Corn
- Milo
- Mixed seed
- Metric ruler for measuring seed levels
- Lab notebook
- Bird field guide for identifying visiting birds, available from Carolina Biological for Eastern North America (item #: 455096) or Western North America (item #: 455096A)
Optional equipment:
- Camera with telephoto lens and tripod for photographing visiting birds
- Binoculars for close-up viewing to aid in identification of birds, available from Carolina Biological, item #: 602576
- Kitchen scale for weighing seed containers to track seed consumption by weight; available through online suppliers such as Carolina Biological Supply Company
Disclaimer: Science Buddies participates in affiliate programs with Home Science Tools, Amazon.com, Carolina Biological, and Jameco Electronics. Proceeds from the affiliate programs help support Science Buddies, a 501(c)(3) public charity, and keep our resources free for everyone. Our top priority is student learning. If you have any comments (positive or negative) related to purchases you've made for science projects from recommendations on our site, please let us know. Write to us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Experimental Procedure
- Do background research on the birds in your area and their feeding preferences. Then decide which types of seed you want to test.
Build your bird feeding platform.
The platform is a simple square of plywood material, with strips of wood glued or stapled on top to divide the platform into four equal quadrants (see Figure 1, below).
Figure 1. Top view of bird feeding platform. The surface of the square piece of plywood is divided into four equal quadrants using 3/4" wide by 1/4" thick strips of wood (exact dimensions not critical). In each quadrant, a bottle of seed (see below) is mounted on a 3/8"-diameter dowel.
- In the central corner of each quadrant, drill a hole and glue a 6 in (about 15 cm) length of 3/8 in (0.95 cm) dowel in place. The four seed bottles will be mounted to these dowels.
You'll need to drill holes in the seed bottle caps so that the seed can come out. Make a '+' pattern with four separate holes, as shown in Figure 2, below. The holes are shown in gray. Knock out the central area if any plastic remains.
Figure 2. Hole pattern for seed bottle caps.
Optional: if there are squirrels in your area (often the case), you may find that your bird feeding platform becomes a squirrel-feeding platform instead. To prevent squirrels from raiding the bird seed, attach a piece of sheet metal to your feeder's mounting post, either in an upside-down funnel or cylinder shape as shown in Figure 3, below.
Figure 3. Two different methods for keeping squirrels away from your bird feeder. Attach a piece of sheet metal to your feeder's mounting post in the shape of an upside-down funnel (left) or cylinder (right). (Feeder images ©Project FeederWatch, 2007, used by permission.)
- Optional: depending on how much precipitation you get in your area, you may want to consider making a cover for your feeder. Think carefully about the dimensions of your design. You want to make sure that your feeder can accommodate all of the birds that are likely to visit in your area.
The platform is a simple square of plywood material, with strips of wood glued or stapled on top to divide the platform into four equal quadrants (see Figure 1, below).
- Load up the containers with seed. The bottles can be mounted to the dowels with a rubber band or cable tie. Mount the bottles upside down, so that the caps are slightly above the surface of the platform, allowing some seeds to fall out. The seeds on the platform should then block the hole. As seeds on the platform are eaten by birds, more will fall out of the corresponding bottle so that the platform has a constant supply. Test to see that each seed bottle dispenses seed as expected, and make any necessary adjustments (e.g., change mounting height, enlarge dispensing hole) before starting your experiment.
- Measure and record the height of seed in each bottle, and the time that you made the feeder available for birds.
- Mount the platform on a sturdy pole or post in a convenient location both for bird access and for viewing/monitoring. It is ideal if you can view the platform from a window in your house.
Monitor the feeder at regular intervals to see what birds visit.
- Use your field guide to identify visiting birds.
- In your lab notebook, record the number and type(s) of birds that you see, and the time that you see them.
- If you have a camera, take pictures of the birds, using a telephoto lens, if possible. The pictures will aid in confirming your identifications of the birds, and will add interest to your project display board.
- Keep an eye out for squirrels, and take measures to keep them from raiding the seed, if necessary.
- To get an estimate of the amount of seed consumed for each quadrant, measure the height of the seed remaining in each seed bottle. Subtract this from the previous height measurement to see how much seed was consumed in the preceding time period. (Alternatively, remove each bottle and weigh it.)
- Re-fill bottles as necessary to assure a constant supply of seed. Be sure to record the new seed height (or weight) and time when bottles are refilled.
Ideas for Analyzing Your Data
- At what time(s) of day is your feeder most frequently visited?
- Do times vary for different species?
- Do different species prefer different seeds (and thus different quadrants of the feeder)?
- Which seed(s) are most popular?
- How much of each seed type, on average, is consumed per day? Make a bar graph to compare the different rates of consumption.
- Which types of birds are the most frequent visitors? Can you think of a way to estimate the number of birds that visit your feeder each day? Can you estimate how much seed is consumed per bird per day?
Ask an Expert
- Increase your data collection with video recording and playback. See which birds visit your feeder and which quadrant(s) they prefer to feed from.
- Include other food types, e.g. suet, nectar (sugar water).
- You may also be interested in participating in Project Feeder Watch or in using data from their site. For more information, see:
Project FeederWatch 2007c. "Project FeederWatch Home Page," Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada [accessed May 31, 2007] http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/index.html. - Extend your research over a year to see if your local bird population changes with the seasons.
If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring these related careers:


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text: Chapter 1Christ is the Word of God—He created all things and was made flesh—John baptizes Jesus and testifies that He is the Lamb of God—John, Andrew, Simon, Philip, and Nathanael believe in Christ and follow Him. Chapter 2Jesus turns water into wine in Cana—He attends the Passover, cleanses the temple, foretells His death and resurrection, and performs miracles. Chapter 3Jesus tells Nicodemus that men must be born again—God so loved the world that He sent His Only Begotten Son to save men—John the Baptist testifies that he that believes on the Son has everlasting life. Chapter 4Jesus teaches a woman of Samaria—All must worship the Father in spirit and truth—Those who harvest souls gain eternal life—Many Samaritans believe—Jesus heals a nobleman's son. Chapter 5Jesus heals an invalid on the Sabbath—He explains why men must honor the Son—Jesus promises to take the gospel to the dead—Man is resurrected, judged, and assigned his glory by the Son—Jesus obeys the divine law of witnesses. Chapter 6Jesus feeds the five thousand—He walks on the sea—He is the living manna sent from God—Salvation is gained by eating living bread—Jesus explains how men eat His flesh and drink His blood—Peter testifies that Jesus is the Messiah. Chapter 7Jesus' kinsmen do not believe—He teaches His Father's doctrine and proclaims His divine sonship—Truth may be known through obedience—Jesus offers living water to all people—The people have various opinions concerning Him. Chapter 8The woman taken in adultery is brought before Christ—Christ is the Light of the world—He again proclaims that He is the Messiah—The true children of Abraham believe in Christ—Jesus says, Before Abraham was I, Jehovah. Chapter 9Jesus, on the Sabbath, heals a man born blind—The Jews accuse Him of Sabbath violation—He lectures them on spiritual blindness. Chapter 10Jesus is the Good Shepherd—He gained power over death from His Father—He promises to visit His other sheep—He proclaims, I am the Son of God. Chapter 11Jesus testifies that He is the Resurrection and the Life—Mary and Martha testify of Him—He raises Lazarus from the dead—Caiaphas speaks prophetically of the death of Jesus. Chapter 12Mary anoints Jesus' feet—His triumphal entry into Jerusalem is recounted—He foretells His death—To receive Christ is to receive the Father. Chapter 13Jesus washes the feet of the Twelve—He identifies Judas as His betrayer—He commands them to love one another. Chapter 14Jesus speaks of many mansions—He says that He is the way, the truth, and the life and that to see Him is to see the Father—He promises the first and second Comforters. Chapter 15Jesus is the vine; His disciples are the branches—He discourses on the perfect law of love—His servants have been chosen and ordained by Him—The world hates and fights true religion—He promises the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth. Chapter 16Jesus discourses on the mission of the Holy Ghost—He tells of His death and resurrection, announces that He is the Son of God, and says that He has overcome the world. Chapter 17Jesus offers the great Intercessory Prayer—He is glorified by gaining eternal life—He prays for His Apostles and all the Saints—He explains how the Father and Son are one. Chapter 18Jesus is betrayed and arrested—He is examined and maltreated first before Annas, then before Caiaphas—Peter denies knowing Jesus—Jesus is arraigned before Pilate. Chapter 19Jesus is scourged and crucified—He places His mother in John's care—He dies and His side is pierced with a spear—He is buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathæa. Chapter 20Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John find the empty tomb—The risen Christ appears to Mary Magdalene in the garden—He appears to the disciples and shows His resurrected body—Thomas feels the wounds in Jesus' hands, feet, and side—Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Chapter 21Jesus appears to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias—He says, Feed my sheep—He foretells Peter's martyrdom and that John will not die.


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Mathematics Download to printCollege
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Mathematical Sciences
Mathematics and Computer Science Building The Mathematics minor offers study in several areas of pure mathematics and can be combined with several majors, including those in the sciences and education. Type Legend: DD Diversity–Domestic; DG Diversity–Global; ELR Experiential Learning; KAD Kent Core Additional; KBS Kent Core Basic Sciences; KCM Kent Core Composition; KFA Kent Core Fine Arts: KHU Kent Core Humanities; KMC Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning; KSS Kent Core Social Sciences; WIC Writing Intensive Please read the sections in the University Catalog on Kent Core, diversity, writing-intensive and the experiential learning requirements.
Minimum cumulative 2.000 GPA required for graduation. Students must complete at least two upper-division courses in the minor at Kent State on a graded basis (A-F). For information on the major Residence Requirements please visit the University Residence Requirements policy. |


text: Hummingbirds represent one of nature's most interesting paradoxes -- they are the tiniest of birds, yet they qualify as some of the toughest and most energetic creatures on the planet. New knowledge gained from scientists currently making great breakthroughs in hummingbird biology makes this a perfect time to focus on these shimmering, flashing jewels of the natural world. Stunningly beautiful high-definition, high speed footage of hummingbirds in the wild combined with high-tech presentations of their remarkable abilities help us to understand the world of hummingbirds as we never have before.


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The number of votes in AB Volvo has changed due to the conversion of a total of 5 241 170 Series A shares to a total of 5 241 170 Series B shares. The conversions were implemented with the support of the opportunity for Series A shareholders to request conversion of Series A shares to Series B shares, which was entered in the Articles of association at the 2011 Annual General Meeting.
Today, March 31, the last trading day of the month, there are a total of 2 128 420 220 registered shares in AB Volvo. Of these 514 057 383 are Series A shares and 1 614 362 837 Series B shares. The number of votes in the company amounts to 675 493 666,70 based on the number of registered shares.


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More baseball industry buildings
The more I research the buildings involved in baseball, the industry, the more I realize two things.
1. The types and variety of buildings reflect all kinds of architectural styles, from colonial farmhouse factory to strip mall. The rather simple vocabularies of these buildings should be easy to manipulate in order to create the "right-sized" buildings and still maintain their familiar character.
2. Manufacturing is now done overseas. Many of the old buildings are in the process or have already been converted to lofts. In terms of architecture models, all this means is cleaner roofs with fewer chimneys and more reflective windows with beefier fire-escapes bolted on. And all the shrubs... condo dwellers love hedging, I guess.
The Harwood Baseball Factory, Natick MA
Rawlings baseball glove factory, Toronto Canada
Probably the main difference between the time the factory was running and now is the the windows. The originals were probably clear glass in a simple grid rather than the 90's bowtop-infill-specials currently installed. The low ground level seems to indicate the original building design probably had power generation or other extremely heavy equipment located on the lower floors. This building does not have direct rail connection.
Nokona baseball glove factory, Nocona TX
Not every industry has to look industrial. Some can look downright commercial. Simple sign and awning combo can be a winner, unless it's time square. Also, great telegraph poles down the right side of the photograph.
Little League Museum, Williamsport PA
That's about all I have for now. If you have any buildings or ideas for industries (retail or commercial), please let me know. I'm looking at clothing factories, base plates and helmet factories, and probably some green houses too.


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ASSATEAGUE – Just about a month after ground was broken on a new visitors' center on Assateague Island, national parks officials this week announced other major improvements to visitor services are underway.
Assateague Island National Seashore Superintendent Scott Bentley announced on Monday major renovations are underway at the Maryland end of the barrier island and that the work is expected to be completed before millions of visitors start heading to the park around Memorial Day weekend.
New shower and restroom facilities are being constructed at the Assateague National Seashore's Bayside campground and the Oceanside Group campground sites. In addition, three new bathhouses are being constructed along the north beach parking area to provide improved changing areas, shower rinse stations and restrooms.
A new restroom facility is also being constructed at the bayside picnic and canoe rental area. Also, the north beach parking area has been redesigned and will be elongated northward, more than doubling the previous linear access to the beach for national seashore visitors.
To ensure visitor safety during improvements, construction areas have been cordoned off including much of the north bay parking lot, leaving about one half of the area for beach access and ranger station parking.
Consequently, day-use parking for horse trailers has been reduced to a maximum of seven horse trailers only until May 14. In addition, the Bayside campground may remain closed as late as May 29 this year. Bentley apologized for the inconvenience, but said the improvements will make them worth it.
"Though we regret the inconvenience, we believe these improvements will be enthusiastically welcomed by nearly two million visitors using the facilities each year," he said.


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Earlier this week, Facebook announced that it had acquired Oculus VR for $2 billion, and it turns out that this isn't the only recent piece of M&A in the category of head-mounted wearable computing. Microsoft, we have discovered, has paid up to $150 million to buy IP assets related to augmented reality, head-borne computers, and related items from the Osterhout Design Group, a low-profile company that develops wearable computing devices and other gadgets, these days primarily for the military and other government organizations.
As you might remember, we first broke the news that Microsoft was looking at acquiring ODG, or part of its assets, in September 2013, at a price tag of up to $200 million, depending on what went into the deal.
Here's what ended up happening: Microsoft was indeed in discussions with the company, and as we reported, the conversations were focused around whether Microsoft would try to buy the whole company outright or just intellectual property. Ultimately, it worked out to be the latter, for a price that TechCrunch understands is between $100 million and $150 million.
After a source told us that the deal was done, we dug a bit further and managed also to get a confirmation from Ralph Osterhout himself, the low-profile inventor, founder and head of ODG.
While he would not talk about any of the terms of the transaction (we got a price from another source), he tells me ODG will remain a separate company.
In fact, it is already at work on a new set of technologies and products around head-mounted computing devices, with a new set of patents to go with them that Microsoft does not own. (And for the record it continues to have no outside investment, although as its Crunchbase profile points out that David Spector, formerly a VC at Sequoia who is now working on his own e-commerce startup called meCommerce, is an advisor.)
The government continues to be ODG's primary customer, although as Osterhout reminds us, the pace of technology right now is such that the kinds of innovations being created for enterprises and other organizations has very direct applicability to the consumer market, too — and the reverse as well when you think about the wider trend of the consumerization of IT.
"In terms of what we're doing [at ODG], we don't make weapons. We make things that can help people do their jobs," he says. "The real focus are features that are applicable in the consumer space, too." In other words, ODG may already be talking to other companies for consumer products; or its door is open to that possibility.
We have contacted Microsoft multiple times about this story but have not had a response. We'll add it in when we do.
In any case, you can follow the patent trail for the basics. It's a trove of over 81 patents, with six issued patents and "at least" 75 patents in progress both in the U.S. and internationally. You can trace them for yourself here; and here and here are links to two of the granted patents to illustrate the kinds of technologies we are talking about. They cover things like "See-through near-eye display glasses including a partially reflective, partially transmitting optical element" and "Video display modification based on sensor input for a see-through near-to-eye display."
The deal between Microsoft and Osterhout actually closed last November, with the patents quietly transferring in January 2014.
It's not clear what Microsoft intends to do with the patents but there are a couple of very clear directions it could take. The first is developing its own head-borne computing devices.
There has been a lot of speculation about what Microsoft might choose to do in this department. One clear area of opportunity for the company is in the area of its Xbox gaming and entertainment console. Developing a headset for that could work well with the company's Kinect gesture-based features, but also potentially as a new screen for experiencing not just games but other media.
Interestingly one of the patents I noticed links the headset up with a separate device that looks like a wristwatch.
Pointedly, Zuckerberg was somewhat dismissive of how far Microsoft (and later, Sony) has gotten on this front.
"Microsoft hasn't even gotten to the point where they have anything to demo yet," he said. Later in his remarks, he implied that the kind of device that Microsoft is working on is too tied to a console and that the route to domination will be in head-gear products that may in effect act as the consoles and mobile devices themselves. "What we basically believe is that unlike the Microsoft or Sony pure console strategies, if you want to make this a real computing platform, you need to fuse both of those things together."
There is also the area of enterprise services.
As we have pointed out before, Microsoft continues to focus on how it can hone and strengthen its relationships with business customers. While the Nokia deal will help it create more integrated software and hardware products to address the increasingly essential area of enterprise mobility, you can imagine that Microsoft is undoubtedly thinking of other enterprise hardware to extend that further.
The second direction Microsoft could take with Osterhout's IP is doing what many large tech companies are these days: safeguarding their own technologies and current/future products while also making sure that they get a cut of royalties on other successful products if they feel they could infringe on IP.
This is not a route unfamiliar to Microsoft. Some have estimated the company could make as much as $2 billion annually from Android royalties. Just yesterday, Microsoft extended its Google royalty pool after it inked a patent deal with Dell covering not just Android but Chrome OS devices made by the latter company.
Notably, it looks like Oculus has just a single patent filed with the USPTO at the moment, for a "virtual reality headset."
Osterhout — a career inventor who has created gadgets that range from shooting pens and early ID systems based on iris scans through to scuba and naval equipment — rarely talks to the press (thank you again for talking to me, Ralph). So I took the opportunity to ask him what he thought of the $2 billion deal between Facebook and the virtual reality headgear maker.
"I was amazed," he said, elaborating with an explanation that sounded a lot like Zuckerberg's criticism of Microsoft and Sony. "What surprised me most is the amount of money, given that it's not a standalone, complete computing solution…it's part of a solution that is designed to be plugged into something else."
The other important point, he believes, is that the hardware that Oculus has shown is still far from being usable by the mass market beyond a group of hardcore gamers. "When you put weight on the head you put stress on neck muscles," he says. "It might not be too comfortable for the duration."
To be fair, this is a wider issue for the whole of the industry, he says, and has led to an "obsession" among device makers and inventors to work on solutions that optimise processing power and optics but keeping them as light as possible. "The last 10-20 years has seen a ton of patents in this area, but having something that is light weight and low power has been an unbelievable challenge." He says what Oculus has done with its attention to low latency "is great."
At the same time, such a big acquisition is great news for everyone working in the same area as Oculus. "An immersive experience [such as you can have with] head-borne wearables is a big deal," he says.
While today is the age of the mobile device, longer term, echoing some of what Zuckerberg said about Facebook's interest in Oculus, there will come a time when even those light, handheld devices will feel cumbersome.
"There is no question about where we will want our computing to go," he continues. "If we can make it eloquent enough, head-borne computing devices will be transformative. It's impossible for them not to be."


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Dyskeratosis congenita is a rare degenerative disorder, characterized by skin pigmentation, atrophic nails, leucoplakia and bone marrow failure. The skin shows reticulate hyperpigmentation affecting the flexures, particularely the neck, axillae and the inner upper thighs. Progressive nail dystrophy with longitudinal ridging and raised white patches most commonly presenting in the mouths are associated. Patients may also present with sparse or absent hair, fragile bones, underdevelopped testis, and dental abnormalities. Dyskeratosis congenita is more prevalent among males then females and an X-linked recessive inheritance is the most common form, although cases of autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant inheritance have been recorded. An increased risk of malignancy (usually squamous carcinoma arising on mucous membranes at sites of leukoplakia) has been reported. Most deaths in the X-linked form are due to haematological complications or malignancy.
Congenital Dyskeratosis, Zinsser-Cole-Engman Syndrome, Dyskeratosis Congenita
Cole-Engmann-Zinsser syndrome, Congenital dyskeratosis, Dyskeratosis congenita, Zinsser-Cole-Engman syndrome, Zinsser-Cole-Engmann syndrome


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12 bodies recovered after Texas fertilizer plant explosion: official
by Christopher Sherman and Nomaan Merchant, The Associated Press
Department of Public Safety Sgt. Jason Reyes could not confirm how many killed were first responders
WEST, Texas—The bodies of 12 people have been recovered after an enormous Texas fertilizer plant explosion demolished surrounding neighbourhoods for blocks and left more about 200 other people injured, authorities said.
Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Jason Reyes said it was "with a heavy heart" that he confirmed 12 bodies had been pulled from the area of the plant explosion.
Even before investigators released a confirmed number of fatalities, the names of the dead were becoming known in the town of 2,800 and a small group of firefighters and other first responders who may have rushed toward the plant to battle a pre-explosion blaze was believed to be among them.
Reyes said he could not confirm how many of those killed were first responders.
The mourning already had begun at a church service at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church the previous night.
"We know everyone that was there first, in the beginning," said Christina Rodarte, 46, who has lived in West for 27 years. "There's no words for it. It is a small community, and everyone knows the first responders, because anytime there's anything going on, the fire department is right there, all volunteer."
One victim Rodarte knew and whose name was released was Kenny Harris, a 52-year-old captain in the Dallas Fire Department who lived south of West.
He was off duty at the time but responded to the fire to help, according to a statement from the city of Dallas.
Authorities spent much of the day after the blast searching the town for survivors.
Reyes said those search and rescue efforts have continued.


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The United States, with the world's-largest economy, now has claimed the dubious distinction of having the industrialized world's highest corporate tax rate.
Japan dropped its corporate tax rate slightly on Sunday, to just more than 38 percent. That moved the United States to the top spot, with a 39.2 percent rate.
The U.S. has maintained that rate for two decades and it is unlikely to be changed in the coming months.
The United States is in the early stages of the political campaign leading to the national presidential election in November. The country's politicians have offered widely varying tax proposals, but shown little inclination to reach agreement before the election.
Despite the official corporate tax rate, many U.S. businesses pay a sharply diminished proportion of their profits in taxes, sometimes nothing. They are able to legally reduce their taxes by deducting business expenses, and U.S. tax laws exempt some types of income from taxation.
One study, by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, concluded American corporations paid an effective tax rate of about 24 percent. That was slightly less than the average for the 34-nation OED coalition that promotes global economic advancement.
The OED said that Ireland has the lowest tax rate among its members, a 12.5 percent rate. The island nation has used the rate to boost its economy, but other European nations have said it gives Ireland an unfair advantage in attracting corporations to locate there. Four other countries – the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Hungary and Poland – have a 19 percent corporate tax rate.
U.S. President Barrack Obama, a Democrat, has called for corporate tax reform with a top rate of 28 percent. The leading Republican seeking to oust him, one-time venture capitalist Mitt Romany, says he wants to cut the rate to 25 percent. Both say they want to overhaul the country's complex tax code, which would also affect the size of the tax bills that all American workers pay.


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Welcome to the CRG Discussion Forum!Classified ads are not allowed on the forum.
When you guys mention scuffing the powder coating on rally wheels before painting them the correct GM argent silver what exactly do you mean? I am guessing it is because the silver paint won't adhere properly to the smooth powder coating? How much scuffing is just right and how much is too much? Would you use a fine grit sandpaper to do it? Thank you.
Jim,I think the same thing is true for all the Rallye wheels of the late '60's at least. Gray paint was applied by Kelsey for 'service wheels', destined to be sold thru the dealerships, rather than production line parts.
.....FWIW Colvin Book FIG 17-8 1969 14x7 jj standard wheel Kelsey Hays drawing number 082153 seems to confirm that wheels were part numbered with varying finishes ,,,plain, rustproof oiled,,, primed KH spec 3323 black..,,,,Interesting.
..... a set of powder coated wheels in the correct argent silver on my impala. While they will never rust I have a couple of issues with them. Along with the wheels and anything else as Gary mentioned powder coated items have a different sheen to them, so on the wheels it looks like a slight orange peel affect.
Chick, When you were done with your wheels did you have any problems seeing the date codes. My problem is the stamping is so lite I feel a couple coats of paint will make them unreadable.
Does the standard procedure apply to YA SS wheels as well, were they masked/painted at the assembly plants, reason I ask is I have never see an original paint YA with anything other than gray on the reverse.
Great looking wheel Rich ! Is the silver powder coated as well ? If it is powder coated was there any problem with the second bake on the back side ?