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Please can I ask you all try to post topics in the correct sections of the forum; any that aren't in the correct section will be moved but it makes our job much easier if members can do their best to put them in the right place to begin with.
In particular, there are a lot of threads started in Rabbit Chat that would be more suited to the Care sections - Health, Diet etc. If you're unsure, there is a description underneath each of the headings in the Care section to help you decide. For example, the Diet & Digestion section ~ Everything related to pellets, hay & greens, the correct diet and diet related problems.
Having threads in the correct section will help members to get more helpful replies - members with an expertise in bonding, for example, might only have time to browse the Bonding section and so won't see a thread on the subject in Rabbit Chat. It will also help with future searches as members can restrict their search to one section.
Thank you for your co-operation.
Bumping this as we haven't had a reminder in a while. As previously said, there are always a lot of posts in Rabbit Chat in particular that would be better suited to one of the care sections.


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August 27, 2012, 3:58 pm
Day's best: Missy's high school celebration
We couldn't help but smile at this series of photos taken of gold medalist Missy Franklin's high school to honor her performance in the London 2012 Olympic games.
The Regis Jesuit student's warm and enthusiastic presence made us remember those swim races all over again.
For the record, Missy brought home four gold medals, a bronze and broke a world record in the 200-meter backstroke.
Great job, kiddo.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Want the latest and the greatest? Check out the newest additions to our portfolio, hand selected by our expert staff. Be the first to enjoy these gems!
If you're waiting for unbeatable discounts for some of our most popular properties, look no further! Here is a select group of villas with special pricing. Time sensitive, so don't delay!
You've dreamt of the rolling Tuscan hills; glasses of ruby-red Classico; villas framed with the orange glow of the setting sun; medieval hill towns outlined on the horizon... So come experience Italian life at its best, under the Tuscan sun.
Need groceries? Want your morning cappuccino? Don't pile into the car every time you want to grab a snack. Enjoy the local culture from these holiday rentals near towns-- close enough to walk in for your morning café.
Sandy or rocky? Sea green or cerulean blue? Decide on your favorite, then check out these properties less than 1.5km from the water. Whether you like to sunbathe or swim, you'll be able to do it to your hearts' content. Every. Single. Day.
(ex: Florence, Positano)
Don't cross your fingers; check our refs! Here's what leading periodicals have to say about Rentvillas.com.
"Our experience with RentVillas was perfect from start to finish. This was the first time we have rented overseas and done the searching online. When you personally contacted me after an inquiry, I decided to work with your company because there was a real person involved. There was accountability, not just a website. This made all the difference. I could ask questions, share concerns, and know that we were not in the land of the unknown. Thank you so much. We had so much fun and loved every minute of our two weeks in Italy."
"This is the 6th time we have booked a vacation with RentVillas.com…Our trips have all been successful--each in a different way. Feeling at home with one's family in a different part of the world and experiencing the cultures together and sharing the perspectives really provides a special adventure and eventual memory. I can't thank you enough for the quality of your service and the integrity we have found in dealing with you and the details of the trips."


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Kitchen Accessories
They say that a great dress is nothing without some killer shoes; that a suit is nothing without a terrific tie. A kitchen is the same.
Our accessories range allows you to put that cherry on top of your kitchen cake, and maybe some sprinkles too. For your delectation, deTerra have stunning solid oak plinths, wirework and splashback collections to get you started, plus a range of installation accessories.
So have a browse and get accessorising - you know you want to!
Solid oak plinths are the bee's knees. These solid timber sections provide the perfect finish to a run of cabinets, and can be purchased handpainted - in any colour of the Farrow & Ball rainbow! - or lightly sanded (so that you can apply your choice of finish at a later date).
View our plinths page
Our installation accessories will help you install your kitchen like a true pro - not that you aren't one already!
View our installation accessories page
deTerra are superly-duperly delighted to offer a rollicking range of kitchen door accessories for your oak kitchen. From kitchen corner posts to pelmets, we've got your every need covered - so get those sticky fingers ready and get pickin'!
View our kitchen frontal accessories page
With deTerra splashbacks, you can protect your walls with style. Our range includes a variety of coloured glass splashbacks plus a brushed steel option - perfect for the modern or traditional kitchen.
View our kitchen splashbacks page
Show your cabinet who's boss with one of our wirework additions. With so many fab storage solutions on offer it will be impossible for your cabinet not to fulfil your every need - if you can decide which wirework option to go for, that is... (there's a lot to choose from!)
View our wirework page
Don't waste your time looking for any alternatives, our Easy-Cargo slide-out bins are available in two sizes and are much better than rubbish alternatives and ideal for hiding out of sight in one of our solid oak base cabinets.
View our waste bins page
Finish your kitchen in style with sinks and taps from a variety of top brands. We'll help you avoid that sinking feeling with a wide choice on tap to suit your kitchen - see what we did there?
View our sinks & taps page
A solid wood kitchen cannot be completed without some fancy appliances to kit it out. We offer a range of top manufacturers of ovens, refrigeration and more, many of which are on display in our showrooms!
View our appliances page
Our wicked wicker baskets are a novel storage solution that are ideal accessories for base cabinets in a traditional wooden kitchen.
View our wicker storage baskets page


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- Select Year
- 2013
Corruption Perceptions Index 2013 View Results Table View Brochure
Corruption remains a global threat
The Corruption Perceptions Index 2013 serves as a reminder that the abuse of power, secret dealings and bribery continue to ravage societies around the world.
The Index scores 177 countries and territories on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). No country has a perfect score, and two-thirds of countries score below 50. This indicates a serious, worldwide corruption problem. Hover on the map above to see how your country fares.
The world urgently needs a renewed effort to crack down on money laundering, clean up political finance, pursue the return of stolen assets and build more transparent public institutions.
– Huguette Labelle, Chair, Transparency International
Full table and rankings
The Corruption Perceptions Index ranks countries and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be. A country or territory's score indicates the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 - 100, where 0 means that a country is perceived as highly corrupt and 100 means it is perceived as very clean. A country's rank indicates its position relative to the other countries and territories included in the index. This year's index includes 177 countries and territories.
In the table above, CI refers to Confidence Interval. The confidence interval reflects some of the uncertainty associated with a country's CPI score. It is calculated by looking at the range of scores given by all the data used to calculate that country's score, such that a wider interval reflects a wider variation in the data for that country. For more information on the CPI methodology and data sources, download ourCPI information package.


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Baked Barbecued Spareribs
You'll need extra dinner napkins when you serve these tender ribs because they're so finger-lickin' good. The thick and tangy sauce has bits of celery and onion as well as a cayenne pepper kick. The ribs are perfect for summer picnics. -Nancy Horsburgh, Everett, Ontario
Total TimePrep: 40 min. Bake: 2 hours
Makes6 servings
- 6 pounds pork spareribs, cut into serving-size pieces
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- In a large skillet, brown ribs in batches in oil. Place ribs, bone side down, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion and celery in butter until tender. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Drain ribs; brush with some of the sauce. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour longer or until the meat is tender, brushing frequently with remaining sauce.
Nutrition Facts1 pound: 992 calories, 73g fat (26g saturated fat), 265mg cholesterol, 870mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 1g fiber), 63g protein.
Recommended Video
Jun 23, 2014
Pretty good sparerib recipe. I really liked the sauce because it was not super sweet. Will be making these again.
Aug 17, 2013
My husband doesn't care for commercial BBQ sauce at all.. Avoids it completely! And doesn't much care for homemade that's sweet. But the sauce for these ribs is worth every minute it takes to prepare it!!! It's chunky texture and tangy,zesty flavor is awesome!! I use the sauce recipe often for other things like chicken pork and even sausage dogs!! Yummy


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Vehicle Wraps About Car Wraps About Us Shop On-line Gallery Links Order Directions
Avery Data Sheets Car Wrap Dry Install Truck Wrap Wet Install Window Films
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ARCHITECTURE: Denver AIA recognizes region's best residential projects for 2011
Commercial architecture gets all the attention in these parts. That's why it is great to get word of the Architects' Choice Awards from the Denver AIA.
The awards recognize excellence in design and construction of residential projects of "all scopes and budgets, from new construction to remodels and renovations," according to the AIA. The winners are chosen by a jury that looks at design as well as market appeal, craftsmanship and sensitivity to neighborhoods.
The awards went to a variety of projects this year, some traditional and some a little more extreme.
The most interesting looks like Levitt Architects' Chinook House perched on one of those perfect Boulder hills. Lead architect David Levitt used a wide range of green materials in putting together the 4,750 square-foot private residence.
And in the making Denver a better place department, Steve Ekman's precision rehab of an 1888 "Painted Lady" Victorian in the Montclair neighborhood was a standout. The artful renovation restored the home's Queen Ann charisma while bringing it up to date with green materials and present day amenities like an elevator. Gene Greene was the project manager for Ekman Design Studio.
Here are the other five projects recognized:
Project: Dupont Kitchen Remodel
Firm/Architect: Mosaic Architects (Boulder, Colo.)
Project: K+K Poolhouse
Firm/Architect: Semple Brown Design, P.C. (Denver)
Project: Nove 2
Firm/Architect: Studio B Architects (Aspen, Colo.)
Project: Solvay Residence
Firm/Architect: Gettliffe Architecture (Boulder, Colo.)
Project: Sustainable Stuart
Firm/Architect: Sexton Lawton Architecture (Denver)
See other 2011 Colorado design winners.
The winning projects are featured in fall 2011 issue of Luxe Interiors + Design.


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Added to Shopping Bag
Yellow White 14k Guadalupe Religious Pendant Charm
Listed by Top Gold Diamond Jewelry
Measurements: 0"L x 14"W x 18"H
Sale: $158.82
Returnable for site
You can request a return for Tradesy Site Credit within 4 days of delivery. FREE return shipping.
If your item was misrepresented in any way, file a Misrepresentation Claim within 4 days of delivery. Our team will review your claim and you may be eligible for a full refund.
Shopping Bag :
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Yellow White 14k Guadalupe Religious Pendant Charm
Shipping Included
This item has original tags and shows no visible signs of wear.
Material Type- 14k Gold
Material Color - Two Tone
Avg. Weight - 1.8 grams
Height - 18 MM
Width - 14 MM
10K, 14K and 18K Gold are most commonly used to manufacture gold jewelry and yet literally have less actual gold content. 10K gold may have the number "417" stamped on it. This indicates that the items are 41.7% gold with the remainder being other metals or alloys such as silver or nickel. 14K gold, may be stamped with "585" because the content of the metal is 58.5% gold. The majority of gold jewelry we see in our stores is 14K because it works perfectly for everything from rings and bracelets to chains and earrings. 18K Gold jewelry is very popular in Europe and South America. It has a deeper golden tone than 10K and 14K gold and may have a "750" stamp indicating it is 75% gold
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Past Development and the Aspen Process
You are here
This page includes links to the reports and summaries of the past instrument planning meetings. In particular, information about "Aspen" instruments is available from this page. The instruments described below are at various stages of development.
Information about instruments that are nearing completion or are in the process of being commissioned is found on the main Instrumentation page and on the Future Instrumentation Page
The Aspen Instrument Program
In June 2003, representatives from all the Gemini partner nations convened in Aspen, Colorado to define the observations and capabilities that would be required to answer the most fundamental questions in astronomy in the subsequent decade. The following links summarize the results of that meeting:
- Future Science at Gemini
- The Aspen Process (PDF)
- Executive Summary (PDF)
- Full Aspen Document (PDF)
The following instruments are currently considered as part of the Aspen program.
- Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) (External team web pages).
GPI is being built by a large international team led by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The LLNL team won the Extreme AO Coronagraph (ExAOC) conceptual design study competition, and are now proceeding towards construction of this ambitious instrument. GPI is scheduled to be completed and delivered to Gemini-South around the beginning of 2011. GPI will then be used to discover and characterize planets around young stars.
- Wide Field Fiber Multi-Object Spectrograph (WFMOS) (PDF Feasibility study report).
Gemini is funding two competing teams to conduct conceptual design studies for WFMOS based on the ideas originally explored by the Feasibility Study team. WFMOS is a ground-breaking multi-object spectrograph that will be built in close collaboration with the Japanese and located on the Subaru telescope on Mauna Kea. It is expected that the conceptual design studies will be conducted in 2008.
- Ground Layer Adaptive Optics (GLAO) (PDF Feasibility study report).
After the Feasibility Study team showed that a GLAO system could significantly improve observing efficiency by providing 20-percentile seeing 80% of the time across the full Gemini field of view, Gemini commissioned a ground-layer site monitoring campaign to characterize the turbulence on Mauna Kea in the lowest 100 m. That survey is nearing completion. When complete, the data will be fed into computer models generated by the Feasibility Study team to fully quantify the impact a GLAO system would have on the Gemini-North telescope.
Related Community Meetings
- In November 2005, Gemini and Subaru hosted a joint meeting in Waikoloa, Hawaii to discuss Dark Energy and the potential for WFMOS and HyperSuprime Cam to illuminate the dark universe.
- In June 2007, Gemini helped sponsor a meeting in Berkeley, California that addressed topics related to high-contrast coronagraphy and the direct detection of extra-solar planets and circumstellar disks.
- In May 2008, Gemini and Subaru hosted a conference in Waikoloa, Hawaii to explore the wide range of science that will be enabled by WFMOS. Cosmology Near and Far: Science with WFMOS
Historical Documents and Announcements
The previous generation of instruments were developed following a meeting of the Gemini partners in Abingdon, U.K. Details of that meeting and the rationale for the instruments that came from it can be found here:
The following links provide access to documents related to past instrument development activities, such as calls for proposals for Aspen instrument design studies.
- Original Aspen announcement
- WFMOS Feasibility Study announcement (PDF) 19 Dec 2003
- HRNIRS Conceptual Design Study announcement (PDF) 19 Dec 2003
- GLAO Feasibility Design Study announcement (PDF) 19 Dec 2003
- 15 Aug 2005 announcement (Board decision regarding WFMOS, ExAOC, HRNIRS, and GLAO)
- 24 Aug 2005 announcement (Original Announcement of Opportunity for WFMOS conceptual design studies)
- 16 Nov 2007 Board announcement regarding the announced withdrawal of the U.K. from the Gemini partnership.


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Pharmacology is the study of the mechanisms of drug action. The Molecular Pharmacology Training Program (MPTP) of the University of Pittsburgh is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary program that provides didactic research training in the basic and translational aspects of Pharmacology. The MPTP offers formal training through courses and provides research opportunities individually tailored to suit each student.
Our program offers training in the following areas:


text:
In celebration of the 60th anniversary of Hans Wegner's Wishbone chair, Carl Hansen & Sons has released it in 12 bold colors. Shades of blue, green, and purple now adorn the Danish design master's iconic beech frame, which sports a crisp white papercord seat—a slight tweak from the natural tone of the original. And with alluring colors such as Caspian-blue, juniper, and magnolia, what's not to love?
Wishbone chair by Hans Wegner, $855, 800-486-6554; roomandboard.com


text: The National Aquarium's dolphin colony is a dynamic, close-knit group that is made up of mostly mothers! Nani, Chesapeake and Jade are mothers to three of our young dolphins. Nani gave birth to Beau in 2005, and Foster was born to Jade in 2007. Bayley was born to Chesapeake in 2008 and she will be 3 years old tomorrow! Spirit and Maya were also born here at the Aquarium in 2001, and this is the first year they produced calves. In late June, we shared the sad news of the loss of these two dolphin calves. The loss of the calves proved to be upsetting and stressful not only for the staff, but also for the dolphins themselves. From years of working with these animals, we know that dolphins are very social animals. When something of this nature disrupts the group, the animals get upset. In this case, the moms were distressed, which in turn created stress in the entire colony. Social changes can be very upsetting for every dolphin in the group. The health and welfare of all of our animals is of first importance. In the weeks following the loss of the calves, staff decided that the best thing to do for the dolphins was to discontinue shows and other programs until our Animal Health team and trainers are satisfied that normal social behaviors have returned. We are continuing to watch the animals and give them every opportunity they need to recover as a social group. Today we are happy to report that the dolphins are stable and responding very positively to their trainers. We anticipate that shows and other programs will return soon. Until further notice, instead of regularly scheduled dolphin shows, we are inviting all visitors into the amphitheater to watch our dolphins interact with each other, and stay for an impromptu training session or show rehearsal. This experience is included with the general Aquarium admission ticket. As soon as the dolphins are ready, we will add shows back into the schedule, and make tickets available online and onsite. While visiting the amphitheater, guests may have the opportunity to see the trainers teaching the dolphins new behaviors or engaging with them in enrichment or play sessions. The types of behaviors included in the show are also very enriching for the animals, and they normally respond positively to participating in shows. Ultimately, our primary commitment is to the health and welfare of our animals. Our animal health experts and dolphin trainers work closely together; every day, they spend time with each individual dolphin to see how he or she is responding. If the animals begin showing signs they don't want to participate, then we'll take another step back and give them the time and attention they need. We appreciate the support we've received from our wonderful members, friends and followers. We remain devoted to keeping our visitors and supporters regularly updated on the status of the Aquarium's animals, who help us all connect to and better understand this great, big, watery planet. Tags: dolphin-shows, dolphin-training, Animals Categories: Animals, News Previous Post Next Post


text: Wonder if you need help? Whether you have or might have a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder, you deserve support. Call 1-888-404-7763 Se Habla Español! Free, understanding, private support and professional referrals. Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com Find a therapist, support group, or other providers in your area. 1 in 7 Women …and 1 in 10 men experience serious mood and anxiety disorders during the perinatal period around the birth of a child. The prognosis for recovery is excellent with a combination of support, therapy and/or medications. Psychotherapists See the profiles of psychotherapists with a special knowledge of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders who are serving families in WA. Support Groups Find groups throughout WA state especially for parents experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Medication Management See the profiles of providers qualified to administer medications for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders to parents in WA state. Doulas Meet the doulas in WA state who specialize in supporting families experiencing postpartum depression and/or anxiety disorders. Receive news of events, providers and resources.Subscribe Lifting the veil on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and treating them effectively.


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Learning Disabilities:
Learning Disabilities Fact Sheet
But the prospects are hopeful. It is important to remember that a person with a learning disability can learn. The disability usually only affects certain limited areas of a child's development. In fact, rarely are learning disabilities severe enough to impair a person's potential to live a happy, normal life.
This book let is prstitute of Mental Health (LNIMH), the Federal agency that supports research nationwide on the brain, mental illnesses, and mental health. Scientists supported by NIMH are dedicated to understanding the workings and interrelationships of the various regions of the brain, and to finding preventions and treatments to overcome brain dysfunctions that handicap people in school, work, and play.
The booklet provides up--to-date information on learning disabilities and the role of NIMH-sponsored research in discovering underlying causes and effective treatments. It describes treatment options, strategies for coping, and sources of information and support. Among these sources are doctors, special education teachers, and mental health professionals who can help identify learning disabilities and recommend the right combination of medical, psychosocial, and educational treatment.
In this booklet, you'll also read the stories of Susan, Wallace, and Dennis, three people who have learning disabilities. Although each had a rough start, with help they learned to cope with their handicaps. You'll see their early frustrations, their steps toward getting help, and their hopes for the future.
The stories of Susan, Wallace, and Dennis are representative of people with learning disabilities, but the characters are not real. Of course, people with learning disabilities are not all alike, so these stories may not fit any particular individual.
Unlike other disabilities, such as paralysis or blindness, a learning disability (LD) is a hidden handicap. A learning disability doesn't disfigure or leave visible signs that would invite others to be understanding or offer support. A woman once blurted to Wallace, "You seem so intelligent--you don't look handicapped!"
LD is a disorder that affects people's ability to either interpret what they see and hear or to link information from different parts of the brain. These limitations can show up in many ways--as specific difficulties with spoken and written language, coordination, self-control, or attention. Such difficulties extend to schoolwork and can impede learning to read or write, or to do math.
Learning disabilities can be lifelong conditions that, in some cases, affect many parts of a person's life: school or work, daily routines, family life, and sometimes even friendships and lay. In some people, many overlapping learning disabilities may be apparent. Other people may have a single, isolated learning problem that has little impact on other areas of their lives.
"Learning disability" is not a diagnosis in the same sense as "chickenpox" or "mumps." Chickenpox and mumps imply a single, known cause with a predictable set of symptoms. Rather, LD is a broad term that covers a pool of possible causes, symptoms, treatments, and outcomes. Partly because learning disabilities can show up in so many forms, it is difficult to diagnose or to pinpoint the causes. And no one knows of a pill or remedy that will cure them.
Not all learning problems are necessarily learning disabilities. Many children are simply slower in developing certain skills. Because children show natural differences in their rate of development, sometimes what seems to be a learning disability may simply be a delay in maturation. To be diagnosed as a learning disability, specific criteria must be met.
The criteria and characteristics for diagnosing learning disabilities appear in a reference book called the DSM (short for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). The DSM diagnosis is commonly used when applying for health insurance coverage of diagnostic and treatment services.
Each of these categories includes a number of more specific disorders.
Developmental Speech and Language Disorders
Academic Skills Disorders
"Other" Learning Disabilities
Understandably, one of the first questions parents ask when they learn their child has a learning disorder is "Why? What went wrong?"
Mental health professionals stress that since no one knows what causes learning disabilities, it doesn't help parents to look backward to search for possible reasons. There are too many possibilities to pin down the cause of the disability with certainty. It is far more important for the family to move forward in finding ways to get the fight help.
Scientists, however, do need to study causes in an effort to identify ways to prevent learning disabilities.
Once, scientists thought that all learning disabilities were caused by a single neurological problem. But research supported by NIMH has helped us see that the causes are more diverse and complex. New evidence seems to show that most learning disabilities do not stem from a single, specific area of the brain, but from difficulties in bringing together information from various brain regions.
Today, a leading theory is that learning disabilities stem from subtle disturbances in brain structures and functions. Some scientists believe that, in many cases, the disturbance begins before birth.
Errors in Fetal Brain Development
Throughout pregnancy, the fetal brain develops from a few all-purpose cells into a complex organ made of billions of specialized, interconnected nerve cells called neurons. During this amazing evolution, things can go wrong that may alter how the neurons form or interconnect.
In the early stages of pregnancy, the brain stem forms. It controls basic life functions such as breathing and digestion. Later, a deep ridge divides the cerebrum--the thinking part of the brain--into two halves, a right and left hemisphere. Finally, the areas involved with processing sight, sound, and other senses develop, as well as the areas associated with attention, thinking, and emotion.
As new cells form, they move into place to create various brain structures. Nerve cells rapidly grow to form networks with other parts of the brain. These networks are what allow information to be shared among various regions of the brain.
Throughout pregnancy, this brain development is vulnerable to disruptions. If the disruption occurs early, the fetus may die, or the infant may be born with widespread disabilities and possibly mental retardation. If the disruption occurs later, when the cells are becoming specialized and moving into place, it may leave errors in the cell makeup, location, or connections. Some scientists believe that these errors may later show up as learning disorders.
The first step in solving any problem is realizing there is one. Wallace, sadly, was a product of his time, when learning disabilities were more of a mystery and often went unrecognized. Today, professionals would know how to help Wallace. Dennis and Susan were able to get help because someone saw the problem and referred them for help.
When a baby is born, the parents eagerly wait for the baby's first step, first word, a myriad of other "firsts." During routine checkups, the pediatrician, too, watches for more subtle signs of development. The parents and doctor are watching for the child to achieve developmental milestones. The developmental milestones chart (omitted here; see page 18 of brochure) lists a few of these markers and the ages and grades that they typically appear.
Parents are usually the first to notice obvious delays in their child reaching early milestones. The pediatrician may observe more subtle signs of minor neurological damage, such as a lack of coordination. But the classroom teacher, in fact, may be the first to notice the child's persistent difficulties in reading, writing, or arithmetic. As school tasks become more complex, a child with a learning disability may have problems mentally juggling more information.
The learning problems of children who are quiet and polite in school may go unnoticed. Children with above average intelligence, who manage to maintain passing grades despite their disability, are even less likely to be identified. Children with hyperactivity, on the other hand, will be identified quickly by their impulsive behavior and excessive movement. Hyperactivity usually begins before age 4 but may not be recognized until the child enters school.
What should parents, doctors, and teachers do if critical developmental milestones haven't appeared by the usual age? Sometimes it's best to allow a little more time, simply for the brain to mature a bit. But if a milestone is already long delayed, if there's a history of learning disabilities in the family, or if there are several delayed kills, the child should be professionally evaluated as soon as possible. An educator or a doctor who treats children can suggest where to go for help.
By law, learning disability is defined as a significant gap between a person's intelligence and the skills the person has achieved at each age. This means that a severely retarded 10-year-old who speaks like a 6-year-old probably doesn't have a language or speech disability.
He has mastered language up to the limits of his intelligence. On the other hand, a fifth grader with an IQ of 100 who can't write a simple sentence probably does have LD.
Learning disorders may be informally flagged by observing significant delays in the child's skill development. A 2-year delay in the primary grades is usually considered significant. For older students, such a delay is not as debilitating, so learning disabilities aren't usually suspected unless there is more than a 2-year delay. Actual diagnosis of learning disabilities, however, is made using standardized tests that compare the child's level of ability to what is considered normal development for a person of that age and intelligence.
For example, as late as fifth grade, Susan couldn't add two numbers, even though she rarely missed school and was good in other subjects. Her mother took her to a clinician, who observed Susan's behavior and administered standardized math and intelligence tests. The test results showed that Susan's math skills were several years behind, given her mental capacity for learning. Once other possible causes like lack of motivation and vision problems were ruled out, Susan's math problem was formally diagnosed as a specific learning disability.
Test outcomes depend not only on the child's actual abilities, but on the reliability of the test and the child's ability to pay attention and understand the questions. Children like Dennis, with poor attention or hyperactivity, may score several points below their true level of ability. Testing a child in an isolated room can sometimes help the child concentrate and score higher.
Each type of LD is diagnosed in slightly different ways. To diagnose speech and language disorders, a speech therapist tests the child's pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar and compares them to the developmental abilities seen in most children that age. A psychologist tests the child's intelligence. A physician checks for any ear infections, and an audiologist may be consulted to rule out auditory problems. If the problem involves articulation, a doctor examines the child's vocal cords and throat.
In the case of academic skills disorders, academic development in reading, writing, and math is evaluated using standardized tests. In addition, vision and hearing are tested to be sure the student can see words clearly and can hear adequately. The specialist also checks if the child has missed much school. It's important to rule out these other possible factors. After all, treatment for a learning disability is very different from the remedy for poor vision or missing school.
ADHD is diagnosed by checking for the long-term presence of specific behaviors, such as considerable fidgeting, losing things, interrupting, and talking excessively. Other signs include an inability to remain seated, stay on task, or take turns. A diagnosis of ADHD is made only if the child shows such behaviors substantially more than other children of the same age.
If the school fails to notice a learning delay, parents can request an outside evaluation. In Susan's case, her mother chose to bring Susan to a clinic for testing. She then brought documentation of the disability back to the school. After confirming the diagnosis, the public school was obligated to provide the kind of instructional program that Susan needed.
Parents should stay abreast of each step of the school's evaluation. Parents also need to know that they may appeal the school's decision if they disagree with the findings of the diagnostic team. And like Susan's mother, who brought Susan to a clinic, parents always have the option of getting a second opinion.
Some parents feel alone and confused when talking to learning specialists. Such parents may find it helpful to ask someone they like and trust to go with them to school meetings. The person may be the child's clinician or caseworker, or even a neighbor. It can help to have someone along who knows the child and can help understand the child's test scores or learning problems.
Although obtaining a diagnosis is important, even more important is creating a plan for getting the right help. Because LD can affect the child and family in so many ways, help may be needed on a variety of fronts: educational, medical, emotional, and practical.
In most ways, children with learning disabilities are no different from children without these disabilities. At school, they eat together and share sports, games, and after-school activities. But since children with learning disabilities do have specific learning needs, most public schools provide special programs.
Schools typically provide special education programs either in a separate all-day classroom or as a special education class that the student attends for several hours each week. Some parents hire trained tutors to work with their child after school. If the problems are severe, some parents choose to place their child in a special school for the learning disabled.
If parents choose to get help outside the public schools, they should select a learning specialist carefully. The specialist should be able to explain things in terms that the parents can understand. Whenever possible, the specialist should have professional certification and experience with the learner's specific age group and type of disability. Some of the support groups listed at the end of this booklet can provide references to qualified special education programs.
Planning a special education program begins with systematically identifying what the student can and cannot do. The specialist looks for patterns in the child's gaps. For example, if the child fails to hear the separate sounds in words, are there other sound discrimination problems? If there's a problem with handwriting, are there other motor delays? Are there any consistent problems with memory?
Special education teachers also identify the types of tasks the child can do and the senses that function well. By using the senses that are intact and bypassing the disabilities, many children can develop needed skills. These strengths offer alternative ways the child can learn.
After assessing the child's strengths and weaknesses, the special education teacher designs an Individualized Educational Program (IEP). The IEP outlines the specific skills the child needs to develop as well as appropriate learning activities that build on the child's strengths. Many effective learning activities engage several skills and senses. For example, in learning to spell and recognize words, a student may be asked to see, say, write, and spell each new word. The student may also write the words in sand, which engages the sense of touch. Many experts believe that the more senses children use in learning a skill, the more likely they are to retain it.
An individualized, skill-based approach--like the approach used by speech and language therapists--often succeeds in helping where regular classroom instruction fails. Therapy for speech and language disorders focuses on providing a stimulating but structured environment for heating and practicing language patterns. For example, the therapist may help a child who has an articulation disorder to produce specific speech sounds. During an engaging activity, the therapist may talk about the toys, then encourage the child to use the same sounds or words. In addition, the child may watch the therapist make the sound, feel the vibration in the therapist's throat, then practice making the sounds before a mirror.
Researchers are also investigating nonstandard teaching methods. Some create artificial learning conditions that may help the brain receive information in nonstandard ways. For example, in some language disorders, the brain seems abnormally slow to process verbal information. Scientists are testing whether computers that talk can help teach children to process spoken sounds more quickly. The computer starts slowly, pronouncing one sound at a time. As the child gets better at recognizing the sounds and heating them as words, the sounds are gradually speeded up to a normal rate of speech.
For nearly six decades, many children with attention disorders have benefited from being treated with medication. Three rugs, Ritalin (methylphenidate), Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine), and Cylert (pemoline), have been used successfully. Although these drugs are stimulants in the same category as "speed" and "diet pills," they seldom make children "high" or more jittery. Rather, they temporarily improve children's attention and ability to focus. They also help children control their impulsiveness and other hyperactive behaviors.
The effects of medication are most dramatic in children with ADHD. Shortly after taking the medication, they become more able to focus their attention. They become more ready to learn. Studies by NIMH scientists and other researchers have shown that at least 90 percent of hyperactive children can be helped by either Ritalin or Dexedrine. If one medication does not help a hyperactive child to calm down and pay attention in school, the other medication might.
The drugs are effective for 3 to 4 hours and move out of the body within 12 hours. The child's doctor or a psychiatrist works closely with the family and child to carefully adjust the dosage and medication schedule for the best effect. Typically, the child takes the medication so that the drug is active during peak school hours, such as when reading and math are taught.
In the past few years, researchers have tested these drugs on adults who have attention disorders. Just as in children, the results show that low doses of these medications can help reduce distractibility and impulsivity in adults. Use of these medications has made it possible for many severely disordered adults to organize their lives, hold jobs, and care for themselves.
In trying to do everything possible to help their children, many parents have been quick to try new treatments. Most of these treatments sound scientific and reasonable, but a few are pure quackery. Many are developed by reputable doctors or specialists--but when tested scientifically, cannot be proven to help. Following are types of therapy that have not proven effective in treating the majority of children with learning disabilities or attention disorders:
Although scientists hope that brain research will lead to new medical interventions and drugs, at present there are no medicines for speech, language, or academic disabilities.
The effects of learning disabilities can ripple outward from the disabled child or adult to family, friends, and peers at school or work. Children with LD often absorb what others thoughtlessly say about them. They may define themselves in light of their disabilities, as "behind," "slow," or "different."
Sometimes they don't know how they're different, but they know how awful they feel. Their tension or shame can lead them to act out in various ways--from withdrawal to belligerence. Like Wallace, they may get into fights. They may stop trying to learn and achieve and eventually drop out of school. Or, like Susan, they may become isolated and depressed.
Children with learning disabilities and attention disorders may have trouble making friends with peers. For children with ADHD, this may be due to their impulsive, hostile, or withdrawn behavior. Some children with delays may be more comfortable with younger children who play at their level. Social problems may also be a product of their disability. Some people with LD seem unable to interpret tone of voice or facial expressions. Misunderstanding the situation, they act inappropriately, turning people away.
Without professional help, the situation can spiral out of control. The more that children or teenagers fail, the more they may act out their frustration and damage their self-esteem. The more they act out, the more trouble and punishment it brings, further lowering their self-esteem. Wallace, who lashed out when teased about his poor pronunciation and was repeatedly suspended from school, shows how harmful this cycle can be.
Having a child with a learning disability may also be an emotional burden for the family. Parents often sweep through a range of emotions: denial, guilt, blame, frustration, anger, and despair. Brothers and sisters may be annoyed or embarrassed by their sibling, or jealous of all the attention the child with LD gets.
Counseling can be very helpful to people with LD and their families. Counseling can help affected children, teenagers, and adults develop greater self-control and a more positive attitude toward their own abilities. Talking with a counselor or psychologist also allows family members to air their feelings as well as get support and reassurance.
Many parents find that joining a support group also makes a difference. Support groups can be a source of information, practical suggestions, and mutual understanding. Self-help books written by educators and mental health professionals can also be helpful. A number of references and support groups are listed at the end of this booklet.
Behavior modification also seems to help many children with hyperactivity and LD. In behavior modification, children receive immediate, tangible rewards when they act appropriately. Receiving an immediate reward can help children learn to control their own actions, both at home and in class. A school or private counselor can explain behavior modification and help parents and teachers set up appropriate rewards for the child.
Parents and teachers can help by structuring tasks and environments for the child in ways that allow the child to succeed. They can find ways to help children build on their strengths and work around their disabilities. This may mean deliberately making eye contact before speaking to a child with an attention disorder. For a teenager with a language problem, it may mean providing pictures and diagrams for performing a task. For students like Dennis with handwriting or spelling problems, a solution may be to provide a word processor and software that checks spelling. A counselor or school psychologist can help identify practical solutions that make it easier for the child and family to cope day by day.
Every child needs to grow up feeling competent and loved. When children have learning disabilities, parents may need to work harder at developing their children's self-esteem and relationship-building skills. But self-esteem and good relationships are as worth developing as any academic skill.
Even though most people don't outgrow their brain dysfunction, people do learn to adapt and live fulfilling lives. Dennis, Susan, and Wallace made a life for themselves--not by being cured, but by developing their personal strengths. Like Dennis' tape-recorded books and lectures, or Wallace's hands-on auto mechanics class, they found alternative ways to learn. And like Susan's crafts or Wallace's singing, they found ways to enjoy their other talents.
Even though a learning disability doesn't disappear, given the right types of educational experiences, people have a remarkable ability to learn. The brain's flexibility to learn new skills is probably greatest in young children and may diminish somewhat after puberty. This is why early intervention is so important. Nevertheless, we retain the ability to learn throughout our lives.
Even though learning disabilities can't be cured, there is still cause for hope. Because certain learning problems reflect delayed development, many children do eventually catch up. Of the speech and language disorders, children who have an articulation or an expressive language disorder are the least likely to have long-term problems. Despite initial delays, most children do learn to speak.
For people with dyslexia, the outlook is mixed. But an appropriate remedial reading program can help learners make great strides.
With age, and appropriate help from parents and clinicians, children with ADHD become better able to suppress their hyperactivity and to channel it into more socially acceptable behaviors. As with Dennis, the problem may take less disruptive forms, such as fidgeting.
In many cases, the answer is yes. It may not come as easily as for a child. It may take more time and more repetition, and it may even take more diverse teaching methods. But we know more about reading and about adult learning than ever before. We know that adults have a wealth of life experience to build on as they learn. And because adults choose to learn, they do so with a determination that most children don't have. A variety of literacy and adult education programs sponsored by libraries, public schools, and community colleges are available to help adults develop skills in reading, writing, and math. Some of these programs, as well as private and nonprofit tutoring and learning centers, provide appropriate programs for adults with LD.
As of 1981, people with learning disabilities came under the protection of laws originally designed to protect the rights of people with mobility handicaps. More recent Federal laws specifically guarantee equal opportunity and raise the level of services to people with disabilities. Once a learning disability is identified, children are guaranteed a free public education specifically designed around their individual needs. Adolescents with disabilities can receive practical assistance and extra training to help make the transition to jobs and independent living. Adults have access to job training and technology that open new doors of opportunity.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 assures a public education to school-aged children with diagnosed learning disabilities. Under this act, public schools are required to design and implement an Individualized Educational Program tailored to each child's specific needs. The 1991 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act extended services to developmentally delayed children down to age 5. This law makes it possible for young children to receive help even before they begin school.
Another law, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, guarantees equal employment opportunity for people with learning disabilities and protects disabled workers against job discrimination. Employers may not consider the learning disability when selecting among job applicants. Employers must also make "reasonable accommodations" to help workers who have handicaps do their job. Such accommodations may include shifting job responsibilities, modifying equipment, or adjusting work schedules.
By law, publicly funded colleges and universities must also remove barriers that keep out disabled students. As a result, many colleges now recruit and work with students with learning disabilities to make it possible for them to attend. Depending on the student's areas of difficulty, this help may include providing recorded books and lectures, providing an isolated area to take tests, or allowing a student to tape record rather than write reports. Students with learning disabilities can arrange to take college entrance exams orally or in isolated rooms free from distraction. Many colleges are creating special programs to specifically accommodate these students.
Programs like these made it possible for Dennis to attend and succeed in college. The HEATH Resource Center, sponsored by the American Council on Education, assists students with learning disabilities to identify appropriate colleges and universities. Information on the HEATH center and related organizations appears at the end of this brochure.
Effective service agencies are also in place to assist people of all ages. Each state department of education can help parents identify the requirements and the process for getting special education services for their child. Other agencies serve disabled infants and preschool children. Still others offer mental health and counseling services. The National Information Center for Children and Youth can provide referrals to appropriate local resources and state agencies.
Counselors at each state department of vocational rehabilitation serve the employment needs of adolescents and adults with learning disabilities. They can refer adults to free or subsidized health care, counseling, and high school equivalence (GED) programs. They can assist in arranging for job training that sidesteps the disability. For example, a vocational counselor helped Wallace identify his aptitude for car repair. To work around Wallace's language problems, the counselor helped locate a job-training program that teaches through demonstrations and active practice rather than lectures.
State departments of vocational rehabilitation can also assist in finding special equipment that can make it possible for disabled individuals to receive training, retain a job, or live on their own. For example, because Dennis couldn't read the electronics manuals in his new job, a vocational rehabilitation counselor helped him locate and purchase a special computer that reads books aloud.
Finally, state-run protection and advocacy agencies and client assistance programs serve to protect these fights. As experts on the laws, they offer legal assistance, as well as information about local health, housing, and social services.
Sophisticated brain imaging technology is now making it possible to directly observe the brain at work and to detect subtle malfunctions that could never be seen before. Other techniques allow scientists to study the points of contact among brain cells and the ways signals are transmitted from cell to cell.
With this array of technology, NIMH is conducting research to identify which parts of the brain are used during certain activities, such as reading. For example, researchers are comparing the brain processes of people with and without dyslexia as they read. Research of this kind may eventually associate portions of the brain with different reading problems.
Clinical research also continues to amass data on the causes of learning disorders. NIMH grantees at Yale are examining the brain structures of children with different combinations of learning disabilities. Such research will help identify differences in the nervous system of children with these related disorders. Eventually, scientists will know, for example, whether children who have both dyslexia and an attention disorder will benefit from the same treatment as dyslexic children without an attention disorder.
Studies of identical and fraternal twins are also being conducted. Identical twins have the same genetic makeup, while fraternal twins do not. By studying if learning disabilities are more likely to be shared by identical twins than fraternal twins, researchers hope to determine whether these disorders are influenced more by genetic or by environmental factors. One such study is being conducted by scientists funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. So far, the research indicates that genes may, in fact, influence the ability to sound out words.
Animal studies also are adding to our knowledge of learning disabilities in humans. Animal subjects make it possible to study some of the possible causes of LD in ways that can't be studied in humans. One NIMH grantee is researching the effects of barbiturates and other drugs that are sometimes prescribed during pregnancy. Another researcher discovered through animal studies that certain prenatal viruses can affect future learning. Research of this kind may someday pinpoint prenatal problems that can trigger specific disabilities and tell us how they can be prevented.
Animal research also allows the safety and effectiveness of experimental new drugs to be tested long before they can be tried on humans. One NIH-sponsored team is studying dogs to learn how new stimulant drugs that are similar to Ritalin act on the brain. Another is using mice to test a chemical that may counter memory loss.
This accumulation of data sets the stage for applied research. In the coming years, NIMH-sponsored research will focus on identifying the conditions that are required for learning and the best combination of instructional approaches for each child.
Piece by piece, using a myriad of research techniques and technologies, scientists are beginning to solve the puzzle. As research deepens our understanding, we approach a future where we can prevent certain brain and mental disorders, make valid diagnoses, and treat each effectively. This is the hope, mission, and vision of the National Institute of Mental Health.
Several publications, organizations, and support groups exist to help individuals, teachers, and families to understand and cope with learning disabilities. The following resources provide a good starting point for gaining insight, practical solutions, and support. Further information can be found at libraries and book stores.
Answers individual questions on reading disability. Provides information and referrals to local resources.
To arrange for special college entrance testing for LD adults, contact:
Research conducted and supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) brings hope to millions of people who suffer from mental illness and to their families and friends. In many years of work with animals as well as human subjects, researchers have advanced our understanding of the brain and vastly expanded the capability of mental health professionals to diagnose, treat, and prevent mental and brain disorders.
Now, in the 1990s, which the President and Congress have declared "The Decade of the Brain," we stand at the threshold of a new era in brain and behavioral sciences. Through research we will learn even more about mental disorders such as depression, manic-depressive illness, schizophrenia, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. And we will be able to use this knowledge to develop new therapies that can help more people overcome mental illness.
The National Institute of Mental Health is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Federal Government's primary agency for biomedical and behavioral research. NIH is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
This booklet was written by Sharyn Neuwirth, M.Ed., an education writer and instructional designer in Silver Spring, MD. Scientific information and review was provided by NIMH staff members L. Eugene Arnold, M.D.; F. Xavier Castellanos, M.D.; and Judith Rumsey, Ph.D. Also providing review and assistance were Marcia Henry, Ph.D., Orton Dyslexia Society; Reid Lyon, Ph.D., National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; Jean Petersen, Learning Disabilities Association; and Larry B. Silver, M.D., Georgetown University. Editorial direction was provided by Lynn J. Cave, NIMH.
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May 15, 2012 | ISBN 9780812981841
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Loyola Law School, Los Angeles opened its doors in 1920. Located in downtown Los Angeles -- a legal, financial and media capital -- Loyola Law School is home to prominent faculty, dedicated students and cutting-edge programs. The first ABA-approved law school in California with a pro bono requirement for graduation, Loyola Law School is committed to legal ethics and the public interest, and has produced top attorneys for nearly a century.
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Food Fight: An Oxford-style debate on sustainable farming
What does "sustainable agriculture" truly mean—and what should it look like?
- M. Jahi Chappell, ecologist and post-doctoral researcher
- Robert Paarlberg, professor of political science
- Introduction: Two experts debate the causes of hunger and the meaning of "sustainable agriculture."
- Round 1: Opening statements in the food debate.
- Round 2: Rebuttals in the food debate.
- Both Sides Now [pdf]: Fallacies in the Genetic-Modification Wars, Implications for Developing Countries, and Anthropological Perspectives. By Glenn Davis Stone.
Greetings readers, and welcome to the final round in our Seed Debate: Food Fight. If you are just now joining the conversation, please visit the links at right for the prior rounds of discussion.
Even if you've been following along, let us briefly recap where we began. Exhausted by what we regard as the exceptionally low quality arguments on both sides of the debate about the sustainable agriculture—variously characterized as capital-intensive vs. low-input, organic vs. biotech-fortified, intensive vs. extensive, globalized vs. local—we invited ecologist M. Jahi Chappell and political scientist Robert Paarlberg to participate in an Oxford-style debate. To kick things off, Chappell proposed a two-part motion:
1) Hunger and food insecurity's primary cause is rooted in poverty and lack of socioeconomic access to food, not insufficient food production or overpopulation; this is reflected in the history of the past several centuries and the present, and will likely continue to be true in the future.
2) Insofar as food production is an important aspect of food security, alternative agriculture (agroecology, organic, etc.) can provide sufficient food for the world now and into the future in a more sustainable manner than capital-intensive, industrial agriculture.
Political scientist Robert Paarlberg agreed with roughly one-quarter of Chappell's motion: while granting that "hunger is indeed rooted in poverty," he argued fiercely that "a majority of all hunger still comes from inadequate food production—because most of the world's poor and hungry people are farmers." As for the second part of Chappell's motion, Paarlberg was much less charitable, "Europeans and Americans have an abundant food supply precisely because they have rejected organic dogmas. The one part of the world that comes closest to feeding itself organically is actually Africa, where farmers are too poor to purchase any synthetic fertilizers, and Africa is the worst-fed continent on earth."
Throughout Rounds 1 and 2, Paarlberg and Chappell have been at loggerheads over the statistical evidence for arguments on either side: They have debated the merits of the Green Revolution, its impact on poverty and hunger levels in Asia, and the broad applicability of capital-intensive agriculture in poor, developing nations. To summarize, Paarlberg has mostly argued in favor of technology-intensive agriculture, going as far as to argue that elitist foodies in wealthy nations imperil Africa by spreading their anti-biotech sentiments. In Paarlberg's opinion, to deny small-scale farmers the means—whether fertilizers, GPS mapping tools, or genetically engineered seeds—to boost production, is effectively to sentence them to lives of poverty and undernourishment.
Chappell has vociferously countered this claim with reams of data to the contrary (which, unsurprisingly, Paarlberg finds suspect in provenance). While there may be bones to pick with the Whole Foods crowd, according to Chappell, an elitist ethic is neither representative of nor intrinsic to the sustainable food movement. Further, he argues, the scientific foundations of organic and agro-ecological farming are sound, though based on modern systems thinking inherent to ecology, rather than on reductionist approaches more characteristic of the conventional agricultural sciences. Agroecology empowers local small-scale farmers, he argues, and by shrinking farming's outsized ecological footprint—including its impact on wild biodiversity—conserves the public goods that benefit us all.
At the crux of their arguments appears to be the primacy of "yield." Just how important is boosting crop production in the overall scheme of food security? To generalize a bit, those in Paarlberg's camp have been focusing on a single question: "How can we maximize food output?" Those in Chappell's camp have concluded that other factors—ecological sustainability, social cohesion, cultural survival—are equally, if not more important.
Our debate has attracted the interest of many of our readers. Dr. David Tribe of the Agriculture and Food Systems department at the University of Melbourne found himself almost wholly sympathetic to Paarlberg's views: "The difficulty with the first proposition put forward by Jahi Chappell is that it is half true: hunger and food insecurity's primary cause is indeed rooted in poverty and lack of socioeconomic access to food." But, he said, "Poverty and lack of access are linked to uncompetitive and unproductive farming methods. If we are to meddle with a proven supply system that's fed billions of extra people since 1960, we should think very carefully before jumping on an alternative agriculture bandwagon."
Another of our readers, who wrote to us very early in the debate, seemed flummoxed by Paarlberg's Green Revolution proselytizing. "I'm not sure how your debate is going to proceed," said James Norman, a PhD student in chemical engineering at the University of Georgia, "but I hope that Dr. Chappell will be able to directly deal with Dr. Paarlberg's fallacious arguments. I'm at work and do not have the time to dissect them all, but many of his arguments either 1) dodge the real issue at hand, or 2) identify something that has a separate and larger cause. If he's allowed to make these types of errors without correction, this food fight isn't really any different from watching Glenn Beck's program."
We hope the ensuing conversation has bumped us beyond any possible conflation with Beck. Thank you readers, for your active participation in the debate. And thank you Dr. Paarlberg and Dr. Chappell for your time, thoughts, and carefully articulated arguments.
Without further ado, the closing comments.
Closing Statements:
For Poverty Reduction, There's No Alternative To Productivity
Robert Paarlberg is a political scientist at Wellesley College and an associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University. His principal research interests are in international agriculture and biotechnology, and he is author of numerous books, including Starved for Science: How Biotechnology Is Being Kept out of Africa and Food Politics: What Everyone Needs to Know.
We are starting to repeat ourselves. And the longer the debate continues, the more I fear we will be driven toward narrowly defensive statements. But on the issue of India, which I first visited in 1967, I would defend strongly my previous statement that green revolution farming has reduced poverty in India. Chappell's only evidence against this assertion – evidence that not even he appears to fully credit – comes from a Marxist journal that has practiced progress-denial on a regular basis. In India, science-based agricultural growth has done a far better job of reducing poverty than manufacturing growth. Ravallion and Datt (1996) found that every 1 percent gain in the agricultural sector in India reduced poverty nation-wide by a range of 1.2 to 1.9 percent, while growth in the secondary manufacturing sector had no clear poverty-reducing impact at all. For poverty reduction, then, there has been no alternative to agricultural productivity.
The nutrition gains from poverty reduction in India have been real as well, although disappointingly small as Chappell points out. He would probably assert, and I would agree, that this reflects the unusually disadvantaged status of women in India, causing a persistent misallocation of household food resources away from nursing women and very young girls. India is undeniably a hard case in this regard, but state-level data show that where Green Revolution farming caught hold (i.e., in states with adequate irrigation) women were able to gain status relative to men through increased participation in the wage labor force. Farm productivity increased demands for rural labor and drove up rural wages, and more of those wages went to women. UNDP found that from 1971 to 1981, the gender ratio (females per 100 males) of agricultural workers in rural India increased from 25 percent to almost 35 percent. I'm not aware of any evidence that practicing agroecology or organic farming has ever provided similar income or status gains for rural women.
Dr. Chappell also makes in his rebuttal a reference to what he sees as persistent hunger in the United States, despite abundant food production. Here his evidence is survey data from the Department of Agriculture showing 45 million Americans are "food insecure." The questions asked in the survey, however, set an unusually low standard for what qualifies as food insecurity. For example, if respondents say they "worry" about running out of food, that is counted as evidence of food insecurity. If parents report that they "cut" their child's food portions at any point in the previous year – without specifying how often they did so, or what the portions were before or after – that also counted as "food insecurity." The USDA researcher who wrote this report later conceded, "Persistent undernutrition in terms of adequate calorie and protein intake is extremely rare in the United States." How rare? The USDA survey revealed that only ½ of 1 percent of American families contained one or more household members unable on an average day to afford enough food.
High agricultural productivity has been a part of this success against hunger in America. Thanks to a combination of increased food production plus income growth the price of food relative to income has finally fallen to a safer level. The share of income spent on food in America has decreased from 41 percent a century ago, when hunger was a serious problem in America, to just 10 percent today. If we look at actual patterns of food consumption in the United States the poor as well as non-poor are no longer suffering from any significant undernutrition. In fact, a growing number are suffering from over-nutrition relative to energy use, but the obesity crisis would be the subject of another debate!
All of the issues opened up in this debate deserve more extensive treatment. For those interested in how I might frame such a discussion, take a look at my new book just published from Oxford University Press, Food Politics: What Everyone Needs to Know. Even in this abbreviated format, however, I have enjoyed sparring with Jahi Chappell since it gave me a chance to share with a wider audience the positions taken on food and farming concerns by a preponderance of the best trained and most well-informed specialists, including farmers, economists, and agricultural scientists. These experts are too often ignored in popular media that carelessly turn for their information to food writers or advocacy organizations. I congratulate Jahi Chappell for linking so many of his arguments to scholarly sources. I have responded by showing why I found those sources unconvincing. The result, nonetheless, was something closer to a responsible debate.
This debate is important because (as I pointed out in my opening statement) if the proven success of science-based agriculture is kept away from farmers in Africa, and from the lagging dry lands of South Asia, these regions will remain non-productive, and hence poor, and hence undernourished. The views that Dr. Chappell and his colleagues endorse are championed mostly by advocates from rich countries, where they remain marginalized in professional circles because the benefits of science-based farming have already been realized, making a return to the pre-industrial alternative deeply unappealing. This is why only 4 percent of agricultural land in Europe is farmed organically today, despite extra subsidies European governments offer farmers to convert to organic, and why only 1 percent of agricultural land in the United States is organic.
Dr. Chappell's views are more likely, unfortunately, to be persuasive among policy elites in some developing countries that have not yet experienced the benefits of science-based farming, particularly in Africa. Governments in Africa have been under-investing in agriculture for decades, with disastrous results, and the arguments endorsed by Chappell will only encourage further under-investment. Chappell is in effect telling governments in Africa that they don't need to make any investments in modern fertilizers or improved seeds. This is dangerous because so far there is no example of an agricultural society that has reduced rural poverty and fed its people without these technologies. Citizens from rich and well-fed countries that attained their status by using these technologies should think twice before advising poor countries not to follow the same path. But now I'm repeating myself!
So, to Seed Magazine, many thanks for making this debate possible. And to my worthy debating partner Jahi Chappell, I thank you sincerely for the time and care you took to prepare and present your views. This has been stimulating. Let's hope we will have a chance in the future to continue our spirited exchange.
True Agroecology is By and For the People
Ecologist M. Jahi Chappell is currently a postdoctoral associate and provost's academic diversity fellow in science & technology studies at Cornell University. His research focuses on examining the effects of and interplay between food security policy, biodiversity, and sustainability in mixed agricultural and natural landscapes. Starting in July 2010, he will be assistant professor of environmental science and justice at Washington State University-Vancouver.
In wrapping up this "Food Fight", I want to try and step away from what I consider to be Dr. Paarlberg's numerous errors of fact and broad and simplistic assertions that ignore or trivialize contradictory analyses. Instead, I will try to succinctly offer a concluding piece that balances critique with an explanation of my vision of how agroecological methods offer not only the most effective, but also the only plausible approach to the challenges of promoting universal food security, and in establishing an agricultural system that will help us sustain, rather than destroy our environment.
The GR: Green Reductionism
One needn't be one of the Green Revolution's (GR) numerous critics to observe that it was obviously completely insufficient to solve poverty or hunger. Raju Das's analysis, which I previously cited, specifically and carefully compares poverty in various Indian states, concluding that any claim of a "necessary relation" between the Green Revolution and poverty levels are "conceptually indefensible". Other researchers taking a close and careful look at the Green Revolution more broadly have reinforced his conclusion: "From 1970 to 1990, the two decades of major Green Revolution expansion, the total food available per person in the world rose by 11 percent, while the estimated number of hungry people fell from 942 million to 786 million, a 16 percent drop. In South America, however, where per capita food supplies rose almost 8 percent, the number of hungry people went up by 19 percent. In South Asia there was a 9 percent increase in food per capita by 1990, but there were also 9 percent more hungry people. Eliminate China from the global equation – where the number of hungry dropped from 406 million to 189 million – and the number of hungry people in the rest of the world actually increased by more than 11 percent – from 536 to 597 million."
So why was China, and practically only China, different in this period? Researchers from the FAO and IFPRI have pointed to key roles from its egalitarian redistribution of land in the late 70s and government programs [pdf] in the 1990s that have decreased inequality: "government expenditure on education had the largest impact on reducing both rural poverty and regional inequality, and a significant impact on boosting production" (my emphasis). Returning to Das, he points out that "the very fact that the [Indian] state could not rely on the GR for poverty-reduction and thus started a 'direct attack' on poverty through [other] policies is an indirect indicator of the limited impact of the GR… If the lack of technology was a necessary cause of poverty, one in seven people in the United States of America would not have to live below the line of absolute poverty." (See i.e., 2007-2008 survey data [pdf].) This is in line with conclusions by the FAO, the IAASTD (a major international report on world agriculture composed by hundreds of scientists [pdf], and is well illustrated in this graphic by prominent agricultural economist Chris Barrett, showing the continued increases in per capita production of the last 20 years side by side with stagnant levels of absolute poverty and hunger.
Thus while Paarlberg would have us believe that technology will fight poverty outside of a context of other supportive policies, an examination of the evidence shows the exact opposite: although GR technology presents many potentially useful tools, it is neither necessary nor sufficient in itself to fight poverty and food insecurity. Paarlberg's approach represents business as usual, yet "business as usual is not an option"—we can no longer afford the luxury of thoughtlessly expanding the GR model that has proved environmentally unsustainable while simultaneously permitting hunger and surplus.
Agroecology's "High technology"
Paarlberg is among a cadre of commentators who accuse agroecologists of being anti-modern or anti-science. This is exceedingly odd, as the broader field of ecology itself is a young (~100 years old) and "cutting edge" science. Agroecology, a subfield that is younger still [pdf].), seeks to apply this growing understanding of earth's ecosystems to agriculture. It is thus passing strange to me to set up agroecology and "modern" or "scientific" approaches as antithetical—considering that the majority of people who call themselves agroecologists are scientists, AKA, the people who have published more than 13,509 academic articles on the subject. Agroecology draws on traditional practices and modern science both; calling it romanticism to learn from old knowledge is like discarding democracy as quaint because we may partly draw its provenance from Ancient Greece. There is a reason we question attempts to "reinvent the wheel."
We must therefore be careful not to conflate specific practices (like GR technology, including genetic engineering) with all cutting edge science generally. No less a leading light than Dr. Hans Herren advocates the modern, science-based field of organic agriculture, saying that it "can easily double or even quadruple food production in [developing] countries." Why should we particularly listen to Dr. Herren? Well, besides being Vice chair of the groundbreaking IAASTD report, he is also a World Food Prize winner credited with saving as many as 20 million lives with his development of a method to control a major African agricultural pest. The method, a form of what is called "biocontrol" because it utilizes a natural (biological) pest predator rather than synthetic chemicals, is just one example of the "high tech" or "cutting edge" methods available to agroecologists. Using such methods takes great care, research, and collaboration—all hallmarks of modern, cutting-edge science.
True Agroecology: By and For The People
Let's step back a moment and consider the oddity of labeling as "elitist" those who question whether or not mega-corporations like Monsanto truly have the best interests of the poorest people in the world at heart. We needn't believe corporations are evil to understand that they are not primarily looking out for the poor, and many promoters of genetic engineering are extremely worried [pdf] about corporate domination of biotechnology (a topic Paarlberg, a 2007 member of Monsanto's Advisory Council [pdf], seldom raises). But let me go further in defending us agroecologists against charges of elitism. I said earlier that most people who call themselves agroecologists are scientists—but most of the people who support and practice agroecology are farmers themselves. Indeed, one of today's largest and most prominent international social movements is La Via Campesina, the umbrella organization for nearly 150 small farmers' groups in 69 countries. Via Campesina alone represents millions of small farmers and farm laborers (consider that two of its members, Brazil's MST and Mexico's UNORCA have an estimated 1.5 million and 200,000 members, respectively). Originated, organized and led by small farmers from around the world, Via Campesina is fiercely independent of academics, NGOs, foundations and political parties. Yet two of Via Campesina's main issues are agroecology/organic agriculture and women's rights—because, by their own analysis, these farmers believe that both of these issues are vital to supporting sufficient, sustainable production and equitable distribution. While it's easy to charge "Whole Foods Shoppers" with elitism, such a charge leveled against the farmers themselves, who demand and have taken their own "seat at the table", is nonsensical.
Food sovereignty and the problem of how to help
Prominent agroecologist Miguel Altieri has directly addressed what is a real tension between "organic" in the wealthier countries and organic as part of a genuinely alternative system that helps small and poor farmers. The problem is not biotechnology vs. agroecology, either of which can be advocated or used by elites ignorant of or indifferent to the poor. The key issue rather is how we choose to approach and engage those we nominally wish to help—it behooves us to work with and for local communities, rather than sticking to telling them what we think they need. Such a negotiated process is difficult, time-consuming, and not very flashy, but it is the only way to provide for a sustainable, dignified agricultural system that also provides for a healthy, food-secure population. Via Campesina calls this approach food sovereignty. I would call it the only rational way forward from here.
We would like to hear from you: Who's perspective do you find yourself tilting towards? Did you begin this debate on one side and shift to the other? Shall we call it a draw? Send your thoughts and comments by email here, or via Twitter @seedmag. Please use the hashtag #seeddebate.
Originally published June 4, 2010


text:
We wanted to sell my townhouse and buy a bigger house. I'm in a battle to sell my townhouse in Cabramatta to purchase a decent house to live in the the rest of our lives. But mum and dad wont approve of it. Sugguesting that we should keep the townhouse for afew years.
The down side with that is we waste the money paying on the mortgage towards the townhouse, while it can be use to contributes to our new house?
We have not found the perfect house yet, most of the ones we saw all have small bedrooms and not much vacant land. We are hunting in the 2166 postcode area, closer to shops and the Vietnamese community.
In the near future, I want Anh Thu's parents to live with us.


text:
Richard Gere
"We are evolving"
Richard Gere
A man with much more to offer than prodigious talent and good looks: Richard Gere talks about female power, democratic impulses and becoming a better person
Mr. Gere, you made your breakthrough in 1980 with American Gigolo. Do you ever think about just how long you've been working as an actor?
No, I just look around me and think: Oh, now I'm the oldest guy in the room. There was a time when I was almost always the youngest.
What is it like to watch your own movies?
I don't do it very often. But I was at a film festival once where they did a retrospective of all my movies, and I had never seen such a compilation. I was not only seeing my career, I was also seeing me, and it was quite emotional. I felt very forgiving of my much younger self, as if of a younger brother. There was a certain sense of gentle nostalgia, affection and understanding – despite the problems or the silliness back then.
Do any of your films embarrass you today?
Not at all. I still chew on the past and dream about the future, but I think I more of a perspective on life than I had forty years ago.
What have you learned?
People tend to mature thinking they are separate entities. We are encapsulated in ourselves and there is an exclusivity of existence. But we are all just part of the same shifting story. When you break through that feeling of exclusion you can start to approach inclusion. It's a huge shift of consciousness that changes the way we live in small parts of our lives but also the way the entire planet functions.
What we are currently seeing is political action in the other direction: fear, a retreat into nationalism and the erection of new barriers…
I think there is a trajectory, and we are evolving. But every movement has a moment of devolving, and we are in one of those right now. It is a corrective that will get people involved again. Reinvigorating people in the democratic process is what's happening right now, but it won't work unless everyone is involved. Otherwise you get demagogues and crazy people taking charge.
And how do you get rid of them?
They are voted out of office more quickly than they think, or their power is curtailed by congress. Dictatorships that do not become democracies are eventually destroyed by revolution.
Perhaps you should go into politics. In your current film The Dinner you play a U.S. congressman running for governor …
No, there's no need for an artist leader to come forward right now. There are so many spontaneous demonstrations full of optimism, joy and love taking place against the dark visions of destruction, particularly in the women's movement. This is more important than anything I could do.
So women are our future?
According to the ancient Greeks, yes. In the comedy Lysistrata the men are always fighting and the women say: No more sex until you stop. In my world, women rule. They are more caring and rational. Female energy is really important.
What has life taught you about women?
I don't know what they think but I know what counts. A relationship in which
I give you this and you give me that is not love, it's a business transaction. Real, spontaneous love is like that between parents and children, although it's not always easy, that constant need to be there for someone.
Has Buddhism helped you find happiness in life?
Yes, certainly. It's about developing compassion and understanding.
How do you achieve that?
Through constant practice. It's like learning to play the piano. You don't just wake up, buy a piano and think: Oh, I'd like to play some Mozart. You have to train the muscles in your fingers and learn to feel the music. All kinds of different senses have to be awakened. It's the same with the spirit, there's a spiritual muscle that has to be trained. Someone like me is crawling like a little baby at the beginning of being able to play a spiritual song.
Female energy is really important
What exactly do you do?
I try to practice selflessness and help other people, or at least make sure
I don't harm them. One of my Buddhist teachers gave me this example: If you hear some noise when you are meditating because someone is pounding on the wall or talking and distracting you, you normally think: God, I wish they'd just shut up. My teacher says that's a very Western response, and a person who is truly meditating would think to themselves: Wow, I sense a human being. Then their heart would open. It's possible to live that way.
Considering your spiritual interests, do you really feel at home in Hollywood?
Bouncing up against other people shows me who I am. We humans are like light, something you cannot grab and only manifests itself when it hits something else. Of course I could envision quitting my job, but that doesn't mean I don't love it. It's a passion. It's also a job I do to pay the bills. You are responsible for the job you do, and if you put enough of yourself into it, the product of your labors will be of value to other people as well.