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December 10, 2005
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Richard Lyons
26-year-old Richard Lyons from Ireland has
been beating up on the competition in Japan for the last five years,
winning the Japanese GT championships four years in a row and both
Formula Nippon and Japanese GT in 2004.
But, the 2004 Formula Nippon and Japanese GT
champion from Hillsborough, Ireland is ready to quit the Far East and
move on after five years of living and racing on the other side of the
"I really want to get out of Japan as I feel
I've done my time here," he is reported as saying following the final
race of the 2005 Super GT series.
Now the 26-year-old is looking to a future
in Europe or America or even Australia.
"I'm eager to move on to the next step in my career," he said. "It could
be back in Europe but that always involves a lot of sponsorship money so
I'm also looking closely at what is happening in America, especially
with Champ Car which seems to be getting stronger again. "He said
he was also looking at the Australian V8 saloon car championship which
has already attracted another young British driver, James Courtney.
After driving 550 HP open wheel cars and
NASCAR's Japanese equivalent GT cars, his aim is to land a full-time
Champ Car ride in 2006.
The first step will be a test with the
Rocketsports team starting Monday in Sebring.
We had been following the rumors that Lyons
might test a Champ Car since last November, but they never materialized
until now.
"I really need a new goal and a new
challenge and I'm going to focus on getting into Champ Car next year,"
said Lyon.
"After driving 550 HP cars it was getting a
bit normal, I could just put my foot down and it didn't surprise me
anymore and I was ready for the next challenge," Lyons told
Autoracing1.com. "As I was telling my Dad, I hope a Champ Car puts
me back in my seat."
But why leave Japan after being so popular
and so successful?
Nissan President Carlos Ghosn
with Richard Lyons
"The Japanese people were very nice, but
being from Ireland, Japan wasn't where I wanted to spend my whole
How did a young lad from Ireland with no
sponsorship end up in Japan?
"It was OK racing in Europe when I was real
young, but once it got up in the hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to
race in the junior formula I could not afford it.
"I have no major sponsors, but I'm going
into this test with an open mind. It's the team's chance to get to
know me and for me to know them. If I can do a good job
we're hoping that the team or I can sell me to potential sponsors."
Richard Lyons' Nissan is as
sophisticated as an F1 car
Toyota, Honda and Nissan go head-to-head in
Japan just like Chevy-Ford and Dodge duke it out in the USA in NASCAR.
The only difference is that the Japanese version of NASCAR is very
high-tech and sophisticated, whereas NASCAR is as dumbed-down back woods
as one can get. But both are successful in their own right.
The high-tech Japanese version appeals to the more educated Japanese
fan, whereas the dumbed-down American version appeals to a different
"Formula Nippon and Japanese GT are both
professional series like NASCAR. I didn't have to bring money to
drive. The drivers get rides based on talent, not bringing money.
I was able to win my ride in Japan based on talent at a proper test.
"The Formula Nippon car is over 200 pounds
lighter than a Champ Car so the power-to-weight ratio is similar to
Formula Nippon. Formula Nippon is about as popular in Japan as
Champ Car is in America. GT is like NASCAR here. The races
are all on live TV and the drivers are national heroes."
We'll be watching his test next week in
Sebring with great interest, to see if Lyons has what it takes to make
the step up to one of the hardest forms of motorsports in the world -
Champ Car.
Lyons made his motorsports debut racing
karts in 1988, at only nine years old. In 1996, at the age of 17, he was
promoted to Formula Ford. That same year, he also competed in the
Formula Vauxhall Winter Series and was crowned the champion. The next
two years the talented Irishman spent racing in the Formula Vauxhall
Junior Series, where he finished as the runner-up in the 1998 season.
Lyons moved on to the Formula Palmer-Audi Series the following year and
finished second in the points standings. In 2000, he continued running
in the Formula Palmer-Audi Series in addition to running in the Formula
Renault 2000 Series.
Richard Lyons in his
title-winning Nissan Japanese GT car
His career was limited to single-seaters
through 2000, and then he set his sights on Japan and the Formula Nippon
Championship for 2001. That same year, he participated in his first
endurance race, the Suzuka 1000km in a McLaren F1GTR. From 2002 through
2005, Lyons continued competing in the Formula Nippon Championship,
while adding racing in the Japanese GT Series to his resume. 2004 was a
big year, one that changed Lyons name to Champion, not just in one of
the series, but both.
1988 Debut in Racing Kart at the age of 9
1996 Formula Ford Championship, Formula Vauxhall Winter Series (Series
1997 Formula Vauxhall Junior Championship
1998 Formula Vauxhall Junior Championship (Finished:2nd), Opel EFDA
Winter Series (Finished :3rd)
1999 Formula Palmer Audi (Series Ranking:2nd)
2000 Formula Renault 2000 Championship, European Formula Audi
2001 Japanese Championship Formula Nippon
2002 Japanese Championship Formula Nippon (Series Ranking:10th)
2003 Japanese Championship Formula Nippon (Series Ranking:6th, Win1)
2004 Japanese Championship Formula Nippon (Series Champion, Win2)
The author can be contacted at
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46 comments
I love this Courtney! You make it look so easy - now I want to make a table and I don't even need one! ;)ReplyDelete
What a wonderful Mother's Day gift! It's gorgeous and I love farmhouse tables!ReplyDelete
Way to go! Farm tables are so popular today and yours turned out great. Can't wait to see more of it as the weather get better there for you.ReplyDelete
Jan @ BellaCasa
I love it Courtney!! MartinaReplyDelete
Wow! Your table looks amazing! Love the white finish! Terrific Tutorial! Thanks for sharing.ReplyDelete
Court, Truly lovely!! It's been raining here for 3 days. Where is our Sunshine?? =) Happy Monday!ReplyDelete
Wow! This is great and looks easy to make too! You've got a real winner!ReplyDelete
Good for you guys! You did an awesome job, and have a darling farmhouse table to show for it!ReplyDelete
Courtney, I do love that table and was amazed that you and the boys built it yourselves. Sorry you are having cold wet weather. We are quite the opposite. Hot and dry. We need rain. Send it this way.ReplyDelete
I love it, Courtney! You and your boys are so talented. I want one now!!ReplyDelete
Hi Courtney! You are absolutely the smartest one! what a wonderful table and it looks gorgeous! You're going to enjoy it.ReplyDelete
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
Just gorgeous Courtney! I still think that that was the sweetest thing that your boys did for you. :) I hope that it clears up so you can use your beautiful table.ReplyDelete
that is a great table and one with heart!ReplyDelete
Can I borrow your boys??ReplyDelete
This table is so pretty, I hope the weather gets better so you can enjoy it...ReplyDelete
You did good, Courtney! It looks great! I think you ought to give those boys a job building and selling those tables! I'll bet you'd have all the orders you could handle. xo DianaReplyDelete
Thanks for the great tutorial, Courtney! I'm saving this for a future project down the road. :) One never knows when one needs another farm table, you know?? lol!ReplyDelete
Great Mom's Day Gift and great memories, too! ♥
xoxo laurie
Hi Courtney,ReplyDelete
I Love your Farmhouse Table, you and your boys make a great team.
Just think of all meals and good times you will share at that table with your family. A gift that just keeps on giving.
All the Best,
What a wonderful gift! It looks great.ReplyDelete
That looks amazing and how sweet that your boys made it for you! Makes it even lovelier:)ReplyDelete
Love your table! My hubby made a table like this for our backyard. It's sized "just for two" and we call it our bistro table. It fits beautifully in a little alcove area that sorta grew up on its own from trees, irises, etc. Very nice! I tell him what I want, he builds it. Love him! :-)ReplyDelete
Well, I'll say it again. Looks Fabulous!ReplyDelete
I love your table. If it is sturdy enough, then I bet it is made to code.ReplyDelete
Your boys *rock*, Courtney!
I love this!!!! I have been looking for a farm table like this for quite a while, though I want mine to be 10ft long..... lots of wine drinking friends... LOL. The cost factor to buy one I was at a crafts show this past week end and they wanted $650 for a table that looks just like this one!!! and you made it for only $60??? wow. I am going to get out my saw and get to work. Thanks for the inspiratation!!!!ReplyDelete
what a fun project to do with your boys!ReplyDelete
I might try doing one of these myself!
love it, it turned out great Courtney!
: ) Cheryl
Love it! If the boys had time, I'm sure they could sell as many as they could build. You guys did a wonderful job on this...and I love farmhouse tables.ReplyDelete
I'm a new follower and anxious to look around for awhile. Stop by and say hi when you can ~
Hi Courtney, Thanks so much for stopping by last week. It's so nice to meet you.ReplyDelete
Your table turned out darling. Good job!
I hope to join in on some of the blog party. I'll be out of town part of the week, so I'll join when I can.
What an incredible gift!! Your boys (and girl too I'm sure) obviously inherited your talent and this was so sweet. It is truly fantastic in all of it's rustic beauty and I'm sure you are going to enjoy many an evening lingering over dinner there. :-)ReplyDelete
Thank you Courtney for sharing the tutorial! I adore your table and would love to have one for my deck. Hoping I can talk hubby into helping me build one. Sorry about all of your rain. bleh. Wish you could come out here and join my by the pool for a few days. Wouldn't that be fun?!ReplyDelete
I think it's fantastic that you all did this together! I am going to show this post to my boys - maybe they will get inspired! Well done! x SharonReplyDelete
Love it. Thanks for the tutorial. I want my husband to make me a nice sturdy potting table and I believe this design will work perfectly! How sweet of your boys...what a nice mothers day gift.ReplyDelete
Lovely! This would make a great desk in a smaller version too! Thanks for the great tutorial.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 7, 2011 at 9:27 AM
Courtney!..love this table!...great job! And such an inspiration, I want to try this myself!ReplyDelete
You make it seem easy!
Courtney- You have a great blog ... I think I'm going to have to become a follower!ReplyDelete
Love the table ... I'm sure it won't be as easy as it looked to make it but I'm putting it on my list to try.
I'm new to blogging and am having my first party called "Show Me the Bunny" with a month long giveaway... I'd be honored if you'd join in. I'll be back.
Blessings, L
Very well done Courtney. I was lucky to find a solid oak table at a yard sale that just needed some paint. Just think what you can do with this table. Please send the south your rain.ReplyDelete
You lucky girl to have boys who build you lovely tables! :) Thanks for the tutorial...I'll be sharing this with my husband!ReplyDelete
wonderful pics~ReplyDelete
What an inspiration. I love the table you built - so rustic, pretty, and useful all rolled into one. I'll have to show your table to my husband and see if he thinks we can do one too.ReplyDelete
Hi Courtney-ReplyDelete
Wow, my mind is in table building mode right now. I have a ton of scrap wood under my deck that will be perfect to make a table. This is a great project. I love your table - and great instructions - Thanks. I am going to go digging for the supplies.
My best- Diane
I love your table! what a fantastic job. I'm in awe of all of you ladies who can build things, I stink at it LOL.ReplyDelete
Thanks for the tutorial girlfriend! You do make it sound easy *winks* How precious though that your boys made it for you!.....Priceless actually *winks* VannaReplyDelete
So fresh and sweet.... LOVE it..ReplyDelete
Warm blessings,
Love your table - you and your boys did a fantastic job. I want to build a kitchen island, something very simple, and I think something like what you did, with a shelf added below and longer legs, would work. Thanks for sharing, you've helped me overcome my fear of starting :)ReplyDelete
Hi Courtney! Your table turned out wonderful! I am sure you and your family will have many wonderful meals on it. I can't believe you just wore a winter coat..it was 104degrees here in Richmond yesterday! Talk about miserably hot. Thanks for joining my party.ReplyDelete
Wow, amazing work! This turned out absolutely beautifully! :)ReplyDelete

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text:
NodeSchool is a fully community driven effort and is 100% open source. This means that anyone can use the NodeSchool materials and/or host an event.
I have set up NodeSchool Kanpur chapter, and I hope to organise (with help of like minded people) a couple of workshops on Node.js (and web-development ecosystem around it).
I am looking for mentors and co-organisers, if you are interested, let's have a conversion.


text:
Mariners Minor Leaguer Choi suspended 50 games
First baseman tests positive for methandienone, a performance-enhancing substance
ARLINGTON -- Ji-Man Choi, a first baseman for the Mariners' Triple-A Tacoma club, received a 50-game suspension without pay Thursday after testing positive for methandienone, a performance-enhancing substance, in violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
Choi, who is on the Mariners' 40-man roster, was hitting .394 with one home run and five RBIs in 10 games for Tacoma this season.
The suspension is effective immediately.
Choi released a statement of his own saying he didn't knowingly take any illegal substance.
"A banned substance was detected in my urine sample," Choi said. "I do not know what I could have taken that caused me to test positive. I have not and never would knowingly use anything illegal to enhance my performance. However, I also understand that without an explanation I must serve a suspension and I accept that. I look forward to putting this behind me and to returning to help the Mariners ballclub once my suspension has ended."
The Mariners issued the following statement:
"The Seattle Mariners are disappointed to learn of today's suspension of AAA infielder Ji-Man Choi. The organization fully supports Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and its efforts to eliminate performance-enhancing substances from our game. Per the Basic Agreement, the Mariners will have no further comment."
Choi is a 22-year-old from South Korea who signed with the Mariners in 2009 and has played four years in their Minor League system, though he sat out all of 2011 with a back injury.
Choi hit .295 with 36 doubles, six triples, 18 home runs and 85 RBIs in 122 games last year while splitting time between Class A High Desert, Double-A Jackson and Tacoma.
Choi will be placed on a restricted list, which opens up a spot on Seattle's 40-man roster.


text: I really love Inssider and I use it all the time with my Netbook at client locations. I am really looking to install Inssider on a tablet of some kind. Does anyone know if Inssider will work on the New Microsoft Surface running Windows 8 RT? Or are there any plans for a version for Android or any other tablets or smart Phones?


text:
Gold Country couple discover $10 million in buried coins
Coins worth $10 million discovered, headed for auction
Some dream of roaming the Earth to hunt buried treasure. One Sierra Nevada couple didn't have to go that far. They dug it up in their backyard - about $10 million worth, in 19th century U.S. gold coins stuffed into rusty cans.
It's believed to the biggest hoard of gold coins ever unearthed in the United States. And it's going on sale soon.
The bonanza emerged last year as the man and woman were walking their dog on their property in the Gold Country and noticed the top of a decaying canister poking out of the ground.
They dug it out with a stick, took it to their house and opened it up. Inside was what looked like a batch of discs covered in dirt from holes rotted through the can.
They weren't just discs.
A little brushing revealed nearly perfectly preserved $20 gold coins with liberty head designs on the front, dated from the 1890s. They ran back to the same spot, and when they were done digging, they'd found a total of eight cans containing 1,427 coins - with a face value of $27,980.
A total of 1,373 were $20 coins, 50 were $10 coins and four were $5 coins. They were dated from 1847 to 1894, and after sprucing up they shone like, well, gold - which fortunately never corrodes. About a third of the coins were in pristine condition, having never been circulated for spending. Most were minted in San Francisco.
"It was a very surreal moment. It was very hard to believe at first," the man said in an interview taped by the rare-coin dealer he eventually consulted to make sense of the find. "I thought any second an old miner with a mule was going to appear."
Staying secret
The couple are keeping their identities and location secret for many reasons, the main one being to prevent treasure hunters from ripping up their land with backhoes. But they've allowed coin dealer Don Kagin of Tiburon, who helped evaluate some of the biggest sunken treasure finds in history, to offer the collection up for sale.
It's dubbed the Saddle Ridge Hoard, after the spot on the couple's property where it was found. The collection is expected to sell for at least $10 million, either as a whole or in pieces, based on the evaluated condition of the coins.
"You hear all those Wild West stories of buried treasure, and you think they're fantasies - well here, this one really did happen," Kagin said the other day as he and his senior numismatist, David McCarthy, laid out dozens of the coins and cans for inspection at their office. "And what is almost unbelievable about this collection is what pristine condition so many of them are in."
According to "American Coin Treasures and Hoards," the bible of buried treasure finds, the biggest hoard of gold coins dug up before Saddle Ridge was a collection found by construction workers in Jackson, Tenn., in 1985. It had a face value of $4,500 and sold for $1 million.
Kagin and McCarthy met with the couple in April, two months after the hoard was dug up and the inevitable attorneys had gotten involved.
"The first thing the family did after finding all the cans was rebury them in a cooler under their woodpile," McCarthy said. "They were terrified and had to think about what to do."
'Mind-blowing' discovery
He said when he first sat with the couple to examine the find, "the family had cut little squares into some foam and put 18 of the coins in the squares in a cigar box. I pulled out the first coin, and it was from 1890. It had dirt on it, but when I looked close, it dawned on me just exactly what it was.
"I almost fell out of my chair. It was mind-blowing. I was literally sitting with the most amazing buried treasure I've ever heard of."
He spent the next several months restoring the coins - a job so consuming that "my fingers bled," McCarthy said. It then took until this month for them all to be appraised and readied for sale.
About 90 percent of the coins will post on Amazon.com's Collectibles site, probably in May, Kagin said. The rest he will sell privately, "to well-heeled collectors who desire the finest and the rarest."
The oddest of the bunch are an 1866 $20 coin minted in San Francisco without the words "In God We Trust" on the back - the words were added to those coins, called "Double Eagles," later that year - and an 1849 $5 coin struck in the short-lived Dahlonega, Ga., mint.
Professional Coin Grading Service of Irvine, one of the world's foremost coin-assessment firms, evaluated the hoard and certified that 13 of the coins are either the finest-preserved known examples of their kind, or tied for that rating.
Enduring mystery
How all that cash came to be underground in the Northern California mountains is a mystery. Was it loot from a stagecoach robbery? Some miser's life savings?
"The family and the attorneys researched who might have put them there, and they came up with nothing," Kagin said. "The nearest we can guess is that whoever left the coins might have been involved in the mining industry." He also reckons the cans were buried at various times.
However or wherever they were found, the collection is going to rock the coin-collecting world, said Donn Pearlman, spokesman for the national Professional Numismatists Guild. Kagin will offer a presale glimpse of some of the coins at the American Numismatic Association's National Money Show, a three-day event that starts in Atlanta on Thursday.
"It is always amazing when even a single gold coin is found, let alone more than 1,000 of them that date back to the Gold Rush era," Pearlman said. "This will cause a tremendous amount of excitement."
The couple, who are in their 40s and are self-employed, told Kagin and McCarthy they want to donate some of the proceeds to the homeless and hungry in their area. They also plan to keep a few coins as keepsakes.
"Like a lot of people lately, we've had some financial trials," the man told Kagin in the recorded interview. "I feel extreme gratitude that we can keep our beloved property."
The couple didn't sound like they were suddenly going to live large, though. "We love our lives as they are," the woman said.
Pieces of history
Kagin, whose 81-year-old outfit is the nation's oldest family-owned numismatic firm, said he's planning to send buyers a write-up of the collection's place in Gold Country history. He did similar research when consulting on the gold chunks and coins fetched from the record-setting shipwrecks of the steamships Central America ($130 million value, in 1987) and Republic ($60 million value, in 2003).
"This is not just a bunch of coins found in a bunch of cans," Kagin said. "Coins like this are art, and some of the best artifacts we have of characteristics of our society.
"You look at these coins," he said, gazing at a dozen of the "Double Eagles" spread before him, "and you see history. They are the Gold Rush, murders in the mountains, buried treasures, the Wild West, everything of that time.
"And it's all right here before you. You can hold it in your hands. Amazing."
Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: email@example.com


text:
Paramedics working around the clock to keep up with emergency flu calls
Flu cases in Wisconsin are growing at a rapid rate and paramedics are working around the clock.
Dispatch worker Paul Manske has been answering calls almost around the clock from people complaining about flu symptoms and requesting an ambulance.
"It's just been amazing the amount of calls we've had, one after another and another and another," he said. "It's nuts."
Manske said he has taken calls from mothers worried about their young children suffering from flu symptoms and from elderly people with more serious complications. He said the public is much better off going to the doctor's office or a clinic, because the city's emergency rooms are almost at capacity.
"You can get seen a lot quicker in a doctor's office than you can in an ER," he said. "The ERs are just jammed full of people. I don't think you want to wait three, four, five, six hours to be seen by a doctor."
Paramedic Chris Walters of Paratech Ambulance has not had much of a break in the last few weeks, going out on call after call to take people with the flu to emergency rooms. He said it hasn't been this busy during a flu season in a long time.
"In the last few days, we have definitely seen a surge in calls and we actually broke our record for the number of calls," Walters said.
Walters said the most common symptom they've heard from people is vomiting and chest pain from congestion or coughing. Many of the inner-city hospitals are diverting paramedics to less-crowded facilities so everyone can be seen more quickly.
Walters said the logistics of getting patients medical attention is requiring a stepped-up effort on all fronts.
"We have some different facilities under quarantine, so it requires our staff to use isolation precautions before entering the building," Walters said.
Paratech Ambulance has not had to double up on staff or call in for backups to deal with the increased calls, but it does have plans ready in case it needs help getting people to hospitals.


text:
My tale of monkey woe concerns a 2001 GE Profile refrigerator. This model has a water and ice dispenser in the freezer door. About a year ago, my wife began complaining that the water tap was working sporadically. Later we began to notice water pooling on the floor below the refrigerator door. Eventually, I narrowed the dripping to the time just after we drew water from the freezer door tap. I disconnected the coil of the water solenoid, and it stopped the dripping. However, it also defeated the water-in-the-door function, which did not make my wife happy.
I went to several appliance parts Websites. I discovered that the water line went under the main part of the fridge, through the bottom and top hinges of the main door, and through the bottom hinge of the freezer door. It then routed to the water tap in the freezer door. The hose was available as a replacement part. I looked at the fridge-door gasket and saw rust stains. Obviously, it was time to remove the door-mounted shelving to see if I could find a leak inside the door.
Much to my surprise, I found the door was filled with dripping wet foam insulation. The foam completely filled the door cavity and was not removable. The leaking hose was totally buried in the foam. There was no way to replace the hose without destroying the insulation. The freezer door was constructed the same way. The water hose was completely encapsulated by the foam insulation. Monkeys!
This entry was submitted by Lloyd Piper and edited by Rob Spiegel.
Tell us your experiences with Monkey-designed products. Send your stories to Rob Spiegel for Made by Monkeys.


text:
Birth defects tests are done
during pregnancy to look for possible problems with the
baby (fetus). Birth defects develop when something is
wrong with genes or
chromosomes, an organ, or body chemistry. A birth
defect may have only a mild impact on a child's life, or it can have a major
effect on quality of life or life span.
Birth defects
There are two types of birth
defects tests: screening and diagnostic.
Screening tests for birth defects are blood tests and ultrasounds. The blood tests are used to look for the amount of certain substances in your blood. The doctor uses an ultrasound to look for certain changes in the baby. Diagnostic tests involve taking some of the baby's cells to look at the genes and chromosomes.
No test is 100%
accurate. A test may be negative even when the baby has a birth
defect. This is called a
false-negative test result. It's also possible that a
test will be positive—meaning the test result is abnormal—but the baby does not
have the problem. This is called a
false-positive test result.
You may have only first-trimester tests or only second-trimester tests. Or you may have an integrated test. This test combines the results of tests you have in your first trimester and second trimesters.
Pregnant women and their partners can choose whether to
have a test for birth defects. It can be a hard and emotional choice. You need to think about what the results of a test would mean to you and how they might affect your choices about your pregnancy.
For example, you may want to have tests to know if there is a problem so you can work with a doctor and hospital to care for your baby after birth. Or you may want to have tests because you wouldn't want to continue the pregnancy if there is a serious problem. Some women might decide not to have these tests because they would continue the pregnancy regardless of the results.
Talk to your doctor about tests that are available where you live and which tests might be best for you.
If you choose to have a test, you also may want to
talk with a
genetic counselor. The counselor can talk with you
about the reasons to have or not have the test. He or she can also help you
find other resources for support and decision-making.
Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.
You and your doctor can choose from several tests. What you choose depends on your wishes, where you are in your pregnancy, your family health history, and what tests are available in your area. You may have no tests, one test, or several tests.
Screening tests show the chance that a baby has a certain birth defect. Diagnostic tests show if a baby has a certain birth defect.
First-trimester screening (first part of integrated screening)
Nuchal translucency (usually done as part of the first trimester screening)
Triple or quad screening (second part of integrated screening)
Ultrasound (pictures of baby's body)
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
The nuchal
translucency test and the first-trimester blood tests are often done together
in what is called the first-trimester screening.
First-trimester tests also can be done as part of an integrated screening test. This test combines the results of the first trimester tests with those of a second trimester test (the triple or quad screening).
The decision to have a test for birth defects
is personal. You have to think about your age, your chance of passing on a family disease, your need to know about any problems, and what you might do after you
have the test results. Your spiritual beliefs and other values also may play a
role in your decision.
Some birth defects—such as a
cleft lip or
cleft palate or certain heart problems—can be fixed
with surgery after birth and sometimes even with surgery during pregnancy. Some
other defects cannot be fixed.
You may decide to have the tests
You may decide not to
have birth defects tests because:
For more help on deciding about tests, see the topics:
NCBDDD aims to find the cause of and prevent birth
defects and developmental disabilities. This agency works to help people of all
ages with disabilities live to the fullest. The website has information on
many topics, including genetics, autism, ADHD, fetal alcohol spectrum
disorders, diabetes and pregnancy, blood disorders, and hearing loss.
The Genetics Home Reference provides information on hundreds of genetic conditions. The website has many tools for learning about human genetics and the way genetic changes can cause
disease. It also has links to additional resources for people who
have genetic conditions and for their families.
The March of Dimes tries to improve the health of babies
by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and early death. March of Dimes
supports research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies'
lives. The organization's website has information on premature birth, birth
defects, birth defects testing, pregnancy, and prenatal care.
Other Works ConsultedAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2007, reaffirmed 2009). Invasive prenatal testing for aneuploidy. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 88. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 110(6): 1459–1467.Wapner RJ, et al. (2009). Prenatal diagnosis of congenital disorders. In RK Creasy et al., eds., Creasy and Resnik's Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Principles and Practice, 6th ed., pp. 221–274. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.
Next Section:
Previous Section:
Last Revised:
April 4, 2012
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine & Siobhan M. Dolan, MD, MPH - Reproductive Genetics
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.


text:
ACM SIGGRAPH invites applications for the ACM SIGGRAPH Conference Advisory Group Chair. The CAG Chair oversees the activities of the Conference Advisory Group, which provides multi-year policy and procedural oversight for all conference planning.
The Chair of the CAG is a volunteer who serves in two major capacities. First, the Chair leads the work of the CAG in carrying out multi-year functions. Second, the Chair serves as a non-voting member of the ACM SIGGRAPH Executive Committee (EC) and is the primary communications link between the conference and the EC.
It is preferred that CAG Chair candidates have past conference chair or EC Rep to the CAG experience, but not required.
Application deadline is April 24, 2013.


text:
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As a signature range of essential pieces, the Reebok clothing collection brings stylish comfort for a wardrobe full of timeless sporting and lifestyle classics.
We use cookies to give you the best customer experience possible. If you continue to use our website, we will assume you are happy to receive cookies from us and our partners.
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text:
These games teach valuable skills and have a high fun and educational rating.
Your child practices identifying visual differences between two almost identical images of a Little People character.
Your child develops sorting and classifying skills as they identify which animal is not like the others.
Your child develops memory and matching skills while uncovering Planet Heroes characters in this unique game of Concentration.
Your child develops matching skills and spatial reasoning by piecing together a power wheels puzzle.
Your child develops attention and logic skills by seeing the response to their keyboard clicks.
Zoodles 11.8.7 Copyright (c) 2014 Inquisitive Minds, Inc. All rights reserved.


text: Thank you for your interest in attending the College of the Ouachitas! We want to assist you with the enrollment process. Please complete the form below so that we can send you information and answer any questions you may have. If you would like to schedule a campus visit, please let us know and we will be happy to schedule a personalized tour and appointments with any departments you would like to visit.


text:
The facts are in from the internet and we cannot ignore our social media overlords! Apparently Facebook users who are fans of the FLOTUS on the omnipresent friend(-ish) network were more likely to click its voting button than those who declared themselves fans of pretty much anyone else. I can dig it, I'm pretty sure Michelle Obama is the most influential woman in my life, and that's counting my mom, my shrink, and myself. Fans of Adam Sandler and Nicki Minaj were must less likely to click the voting button, but what about people who are fans of all three? Asking for a friend.
Of the roughly 168 million Facebook users in the United States, 9 million used the app to declare their intention of voting. That's a hefty chunk. Other info coming out of the Facebook voting results include more women than men reported voting and that liberals — those whose declared political affiliation ranges from "very liberal" to "Democratic" — voted at a higher rate.
Perhaps the most curious data reported from the study was "Facebook Turnout based on Liking a Non-Human Entity." Unsurprisingly, those who liked "Binders Full of Women" and "Big Bird" on the social network clicked the "I voted" button more than those who liked Hello Kitty and Scooby-Doo. The former two became memes thanks to mentioned by Mitt Romney in the presidential debates.
So, the combined power of puppets and women united to create the perfect voting storm for Democrats. Can't say I'm not proud.
Facebook releases statistics from 2012 "I'm Voting" app [Daily Dot]
image via artist Lisa Congdon


text:
1 lb labne (Kefir cheese)
14 oz canned artichoke hearts in brine, drained and chopped
3/4 (loose) cup of fresh basil leaves
1 shallot
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons nonpareil capers
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
zest of one lemon
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Place the basil, shallot, zest, Worcestershire sauce and spices in a food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth. Scrape into a medium sized bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.
My thoughts:Today is National Chip & Dip Day! I don't always celebrate these sorts of "holidays" but I happened to have some labne and some sturdy blue potato Terra Chips and thought I'd go for it. Of course thanks to Mad Men I can't even say the words "chip and dip" without Pete Campbell's words ringing in my ears "You have your fingers in your ears? It's a Chip 'n' Dip. You have your friends over. You put chips on the sides and dip in the middle." If only I had a kitschy dish like the one he returned.
Anyway! I love using labne in dips. It is so thick and creamy, you'd swear it was cream cheese but it is yogurt so you can feel some what virtuous. A lighter, brighter twist on the old artichoke dip standbys.


text:
Ezreimer necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 102 diseños de 17 diseñadores freelance.
We are no longer accepting new designers. Thanks all!
Thanks everyone so much, I'm so impressed by all of this!
The website i want you to design will provide internet and phone based legal assistance to individuals going through a divorce on the mutual consent of the couple. We are pitching an intermediate option between classic in-person representation and services that just generate forms for interested individuals.
We are not the cheapest option you will find, but we provide true professionalism at a reasonable price.
In terms of our niche: Web based attorney assisted services are distinct from: 1) in-person representations (high end) and 2) form-writer services (low end) in obvious ways.
As compared to competing web based attorney assisted services I'm going to pitch as focused on customer support first and foremost, and on providing detailed paperwork that will avoid future problems. we're going to be doing a detailed "settlement agreement" document that will make their divorce better accounted for than divorces that are processed without it.
- High quality, ivy-league educated attorney with integrity
- Professional, helpful process
- All the documents you need to make sure your divorce is complete and thorough
25-40 year olds (predominately women) who don't have money to blow on an expensive in-person representation, but don't want to undertake a tedious and intimidating process without the help of an attorney. People who have agreed to get divorced, and need help in making it happen.
Website design style should be some combination of simple and web 2.0 - it's ultimately pitched at a set of folks who use facebook and twitter, but it's still a law service so it's got to inspire trust and confidence.
I'm open to any color scheme as long as it isn't "earth tones" or "blue/gold accent" as those are the schemes of the competitors. Something easy on the eyes, and cool but conservative.
The website needs to convey:
1) That getting a divorce is a complicated endeavor without an attorney, but with my help, it will be a as easy as possible.
2) working with me will help you understand the ins and outs of the process and at the end you will have everything you need to complete your divorce. clients will have access to me by phone throughout the process.
3) Everyone knows that you get what you pay for, and spending a little more up front to work with a quality attorney to make sure the process is done professionally will avert problems in the future.
Simple, easy, inspires trust, progressive, empathetic, educated, personal,
800 number needs to be featured prominently on all pages.
1) Home Page - I've attached some text (that may yet get a little edited) in a document called "home page"
See listed competitors sites for examples of what basically goes here, but open to innovation.
Key features are:
- 1-800 number to call
- Service highlights (Free consultation, low flat fee, quick turnaround, etc...)
- Emotional appeal (you're tired and angry, etc.)
- No Fault Banner / news area (no fault is now available in NY, etc..)
2) Pricing - There is going to be a page on pricing which will be divided into "four boxes", and each box needs to have room to describe the services offered. roughly, i'd like a graphic / section each for:
a) just husband and wife
b) husbank wife and children
c) husband and wife and complex assets
d) husband and wife and children and complex assets
(these are different offerings and have different prices)
3) Process - I'd like some stylized page depicting the 5 or 6 steps that the process entails - I've attached a document called "how it works" with the steps
The goal here is to make the process easily understandable and to break it down step by step.
4) About / Contact page
Phone and Email Address for the firm
"Contact me" field section to capture:
City, State
Email Address
Phone Number
Preferred contact method (Phone, Email)
competing sites
Great font, graphics
I'd like toll free number featured up front and prominent.
It's definitely cluttered, although very clever (in that he's got it all on one page) i would like a pricing page, not on the homepage, and the pricing is going to be in four options boxes.
it's simple clean, it's got great graphics.
it's clear, he's got the 1-800 number prominently featured, makes the process seem simple and their lawyers trustworthy.
I love the graphics too, but not what they have up top.
Site designs I like:


text:
This sheet covers all eastern sifakas, or the P. diadema group, including P. candidus, P. diadema, P. edwardsi, P. perrieri and P. tattersalli
Suborder: Strepsirrhini
Infraorder: Lemuriformes
Superfamily: Lemuroidea
Family: Indriidae
Genus: Propithecus
Species: P. candidus, P. diadema, P. edwardsi, P. perrieri, P. tattersalli
Other names: P. candidus: P. diadema candidus; silky sifaka or silky simpona;
propithèque soyeux (French); P. diadema: P. diadema diadema; diademed sifaka or
diademed simpona; propithèque à diademè (French);
diademsifaka (German); sadabe, simpona, or simpoon (Malagasy); indris sifaca or
sifaka diademado (Spanish); diademedsifaka (Swedish); P. edwardsi:
Milne-Edwards' sifaka or Milne-Edwards' simpona; propithèque de
Milne-Edwards' (French); Edwards' diademsifaka (German); P. perrieri:
Perrier's sifaka, black sifaka, Perrier's simpona; propithèque de Perrier
(French); schwarzer sifaka (German); ankomba joby or radjako (Malagasy); P.
tattersalli: golden-crowned sifaka or Tattersall's sifaka;
propithèque de Tattersall (French); Tattersall-sifaka (German); ankomba
malandy (Malagasy); guldkronad sifaka (Swedish)
The name sifaka is a reference to a common call given by western dry forest sifakas in which
they give an explosive, hiss-like "shee-faak" call several times in succession. On the east
coast, local residents refer to the larger bodied diademed sifakas as "simpona", a name which
resembles their sneeze-like "Zzuss!" vocalizations (Wright 1998; Patel et al. 2006).
According to Groves (2001), there are seven species of sifaka in the genus
Propithecus. While the taxonomy of sifakas is disputed and the number
of species ranges from two to nine, they are commonly grouped according to size
and geographic distribution. The Propithecus diadema group includes
P. edwardsi, P. perrieri, P. tattersalli, P.
diadema, and P. candidus. Members of the group are all diurnal
large-bodied species that live in the eastern and northeastern rainforests of
Madagascar (Mayor et al. 2004; Mittermeier et al. 2006a). The P. diadema group is also
sometimes merely referred to as the eastern sifakas. The other group of sifakas includes P. verreauxi, P. coquereli,
P. deckenii deckenii and P. deckenii coronatus and are referred to as the Propithecus verreauxi group. These
sifakas are smaller than members of the P. diadema group and are found
in the forests of western and southwestern Madagascar (Mittermeier et al.
Generally speaking, all sifakas share a similar body shape with long tails and
legs relative to their torso and arms. Their long, strong legs are used in the
characteristic method of locomotion, clinging to vertical supports such as tree
trunks and leaping between them. At rest, sifakas cling vertically to a support
with their knees pulled tightly to their chest (Demes et al. 1996; Mittermeier
et al. 2006a).
Species of the P. diadema group of sifakas can be differentiated from
other members of the genus and from each other based on both size and coat
coloration. They all have long, silky fur and tails which are shorter than
their head and body together (Groves 2001). Diademed sifakas (P.
diadema) are the largest species of the genus Propithecus and have
long, silky fur that is grey on their back and shoulders. Their faces are dark
grey to black and appear bare but are covered with very fine fur. They have
reddish-brown eyes and their cheeks, forehead, and throat are covered in white
fur. Their heads are mostly white, but black fur covers the top of their head
to the nape of their neck while their back and shoulders are grey-silver. The
legs and arms are a golden-orange hue but the hands are feet are black and the
chest and stomach are white (Garbutt 1999; Mittermeier et al. 2006a). Male and
female P. diadema are similar in size, with males weighing an average
of 6.50 kg (14.3 lb) and females having an average weight of 6.70 kg (14.8 lb).
Males measure 50.1 cm (19.7 in) and females measure 50.9 cm (20.0 in), on
average (Lehman et al. 2005).
The other subspecies, P. candidus, is covered in long, silky white fur
with silvery shoulders or back and limbs. The face is mottled pink and
grey-black, with individual variation. The ears are black and without fur and
are noticeable as they protrude on the sides of the white head (Groves 2001;
Mittermeier et al. 2006a). Adult males and females are easily distinguished
based on chest coloration; males have a large patch of brown fur on their chest,
stained as a result of rubbing their chest scent gland on surfaces such as tree
limbs (Mittermeier et al. 2006a). The average size of male silky sifakas is
5.03 kg (11.1 lb) and 50.8 cm (20.0 in) while females weigh 6.00 kg (13.2 lb)
and measure 53.5 cm (21.1 in). This subspecies is critically endangered and
average measurements are taken from an exceptionally small sample size of only
four individuals (Lehman et al. 2005).
Milne-Edward's sifakas (P. edwardsi) have dark brown to black fur
covering their bodies. They have bare, black faces and orange-red eyes. There
is some individual variation in coloration around the flanks and lower back
which can vary from light brown to cream (Groves 2001; Mittermeier et al.
2006a). This species is sturdily built, being smaller in size but around the
same weight as other species. The average weight of males is 5.90 kg (13.0 lb)
and for females it is 6.30 kg (13.9 lb). Males measure 47.6 cm (18.7 in) and
females measure 47.7 cm (18.8 in) (Lehman et al. 2005).
Propithecus perrieri is distinguished from other members of the group
by its dense black coat. The long fur covering their bodies is entirely black,
but some individuals may have a lighter brown fur on their abdomen. They have
naked faces and ears and orange-brown eyes and are of small build compared to
other sifakas (Mittermeier et al. 2006a). Males weigh 4.22 kg (9.30 lb) and
measure 47.4 cm (18.7 in), on average while females weigh 4.44 kg (9.79 lb) and
measure 50.4 cm (19.8 in) (Lehman et al. 2005).
The golden-crowned sifaka (P. tattersalli) has short, cream-colored fur
covering its dorsal surfaces excepting slightly darker fur on the chest. Its
name comes from the golden fur on the top of its head and its arms and legs can
also be a pale orange color. The face is black and mainly bare and the ears are
prominent, with white tufts. It has orange eyes (Garbutt 1999; Groves 2001;
Mittermeier et al. 2006a). Data from captive golden-crowned sifakas show that
males have an average weight of 3.04 kg (6.70 lb) while females weigh, on
average, 3.10 kg (6.83 lb) (Kappeler 1990). The average height of
golden-crowned sifakas, both male and female is 37.2 cm (14.6 in) (Mayor et al.
Sifakas are endemic to Madagascar and members of the P. diadema group
are found in the eastern forests of the island from the far northern coast to
the southeastern part of the country (Tattersall 1986). The northernmost
occurring species, P. perrieri, is found in the dry forests from the
coast to the northeastern edge of the Andrafiamena mountain chain between the
Lokia River to the south and the Irodo River to the north in the Analamera
Special Reserve (Tattersall 1982; Garbutt 1999; Lehman et al. 2005). Most of
the remaining population of Perrier's sifaka is found at the Analamera Special
Reserve (Mayor & Lehman 1999). Just south of the range occupied by P.
perrieri and separated by the Andreva and Lokia Rivers and the Andrafiamena
ridge, P. tattersalli inhabits a range a mere 25 km (15.5 mi) in
diameter from the coast to the inland boundary (Groves 2001). At the center of
the range, which is restricted by the Loky River in the north and west and the
Manambato River in the south, is the town of Daraina (Garbutt 1999). Moving
south along the coast about 125 km (77.7 mi), the next species encountered is
P. candidus, from the Marojejy National Park on the Marojejy Massif in
the north to the forests of Makira and the Antainambalana River in the south,
including the Anjaharibe-Sud Special Reserve (Garbutt 1999; Kelley & Mayor
2002; Mittermeier et al. 2006a). Small populations have also been documented throughout
the Betaolana Corridor and north-west through the Tsaratanana Corridor until
the Androranga River (Mittermeier et al. 2006a; Patel et al. 2007). There may be some overlap of the range of
P. candidus and P. diadema as diademed sifakas are among the
most widespread members of the genus Propithecus (Mittermeier et al.
2006a). It is found in the region of the Antainambalana River in the north
southward to the Mangoro River (Garbutt 1999). The southernmost occurring
member of the Propithecus diadema group is P. edwardsi. The
northern part of its range is restricted by the Mangoro and Onive Rivers and it
ranges south to Andringitra National Park and the Rienana River (Mittermeier et
al. 2006a).
The total population estimate for the golden-crowned sifaka (P.
tattersalli) is between 6100 and 10,000 animals in the wild and the captive
population consists of two individuals housed at the Duke University Primate
Center (Vargas et al. 2002; http://isis.org). P. diadema probably
numbers between 1000 and 10,000 individuals in the wild (Mittermeier et al.
1992). Estimates place P. edwardsi numbers at around 40,000
individuals in the wild (Irwin et al. 2005). P. candidus is perhaps the rarest of the
sifakas with only several hundred to several thousand individuals. They are the only sifaka
species that is listed as one of the World's Top 25 Most Endangered Primates
(Mittermeier et al. 2006a; Patel et al. 2007). However, less available habitat remains for
P. perrieri than for P. candidus. Wild P. perrieri estimates place their total population
at around 915 individuals (Banks et al. 2007).
Propithecus perrieri are found in both dry and riparian forests
bordering rivers. In the Analamera Special Reserve, which encompasses most of
their range and the only area where they have been studied, the altitude varies
from 10 to 600 m (32.8 to 1969 ft), but Perrier's sifakas are usually found at
elevations below 500 m (1640 ft) (Lehman et al 2005). Rainfall is concentrated
between November to April, and the annual precipitation is 125.0 cm (49.2 in)
(Lehman et al. 2005).
The golden-crowned sifaka (P. tattersalli) is found in dry deciduous
and gallery forests as well as in semi-evergreen forests at altitudes below 700
m (2297 ft) (Vargas et al. 2002). Annual rainfall within their range averages
200.0 cm (78.7 in), with the majority falling between December and March. The
rest of the year is dry (Garbutt 1999).
Just south of the ranges of P. perrieri and P. tattersalli are
the moist forests in which the silky sifaka (P. candidus) ranges. At Anjanaharibe-Sud and
the Marojejy National Park where they have been studied, silky sifakas live in montane forests
at elevations between 700 and 1875 m (4101 and 6152 ft) (Schmid & Smolker 1998;
Sterling & McFadden 2000; Kelley & Mayor 2002). Recently, one group has been found
inhabiting low elevations from 300 to 600m (984 to 1969 ft) within the Makira Conservation Site (ER Patel, pers. comm.).
There are two distinct rainy seasons lasting from November to April and from
June to August (Sterling & McFadden 2000). The diademed sifaka (P.
diadema), is also found in moist rainforests but at slightly lower
elevations than P. candidus. They are found in montane rainforests at
altitudes ranging from 200 to 1600 m (656 to 5249 ft), but prefer elevations
above 800 m (1312 ft) (Garbutt 1999; Mittermeier et al. 2006a). Long term research has
been conducted at Tsinjoarivo where long-term research camps are now established and
previously at Mantadia National Park (Powzyk & Mowry 2003; Irwin 2006a; 2007).
Milne-Edwards' sifaka (P. edwardsi) is found in primary and secondary
rainforests between 600 and 1600 m (1969 and 5249 ft) (Mittermeier et al.
2006a). At Ranomafana National Park, where long-term research has been
conducted, annual rainfall ranges between 230.0 and 430.0 cm (90.6 and 169.3 in)
and is concentrated during the rainy season lasting from December to March. The
months of lowest precipitation are between May and September, but they are not
characterized as dry because they receive more than 10.0 cm (3.9 in) of rain per
month (Hemingway 1998). Temperature is warmer during the rainy season, with
highs between 36° and 40° C (96.8° and 104° F) and is lowest
during the drier months of June through September, ranging from 4° to
12° C (39.2° to 53.6° F) (Wright 1998).
The northern species of sifakas, P. perrieri and P.
tattersalli live in dry forests compared with the southern species, P.
candidus, P. diadema and P. edwardsi, which live in moist
forests, but ecological patterns, when they have been studied, are similar
(Lehman et al. 2005). Sifakas are primarily folivorous seed-predators, and while resource
availability varies between forest-type and study site, similar types of foods
are consumed by all species (Lehman & Mayor 2004; Irwin 2006b). All sifakas have gastrointestinal
and dental specializations for folivory such as an enlarged cecum, long gastrointestinal tract,
long gut passage time, and shearing crests on their molars. Although all sifakas rely primarily
on foliage, particularly during the dry season, their diet is actually surprisingly diverse
including substantial amounts of fruit, seeds, flowers, and (occasionally) dirt.
Eastern sifakas are considered seed-predators since, unlike seed-dispersers, they chew the
seeds they eat and their feces seldom contain plant parts (Richard 2003; Irwin 2006b). Perrier's sifakas consume leaves, flowers, fruit,
buds, petioles, and seeds (Lehman & Mayor 2004). At Daraina, the site where
P. tattersalli has been studied, food availability varies throughout
the year based on seasonal patterns of rainfall, but the diet is mostly composed
of leaves, both mature and immature, flowers, and fruit. During the rainy
season, which lasts from December to March, the availability of ripe fruit,
flowers, and immature leaves peaks (Meyers & Wright 1993). While ripe fruit
is only seasonally available, golden crowned sifakas consume even unripe fruit
year-round (Meyers & Wright 1993).
Adult silky sifakas spend most of their day resting (44.4%) and foraging (21.9%), while also devoting
a substantial amount of time to social behavior (16.8%) (Kelly & Mayor 2002; Patel 2006a).
The first silky sifaka dietary study was recently completed over three months at Marojejy
National Park. The diet consisted of 76 species from 42 families. 52% of feeding time was
spent consuming leaves, 34% fruit, and 11% seeds. Flowers and soil were occasionally consumed.
These four most preferred foods accounted for 37% of total feeding time: fruit from Pachytrophe
dimepate (16%), seeds from Senna sp. (8%), young leaves from Plectaneia thouarsii (7%), and
fruit from Eugenia sp. (6%) (ER Patel pers. comm.). Similarly, P. diadema studied at Mantadia
National Park have a diet consisting of young leaves (42.1%), fruits and seeds (39.2%),
and flowers (15.5%). The rest of the feeding time is spent eating other items such as soil
(Powzyk & Mowry 2003).
One of the best-studied of the genus Propithecus is Milne-Edwards'
sifaka (P. edwardsi). They range in moist rainforests in the
southeastern part of Madagascar and consume both mature and immature leaves,
flowers, fruit, and seeds as well as soil and subterranean fungus (Meyers &
Wright 1993; Hemingway 1996; 1998). Starting at the end of the dry season and
throughout the rainy season, new leaves and fruits are widespread but
Milne-Edwards' sifakas consume these products on a consistent basis throughout
the year, varying the plant species from which they come (Hemingway 1998).
It is likely that wild P. diadema uses olfaction in foraging for hidden
resources. Individuals will smell large areas of leaves on the forest floor in
order to locate hidden flowers of the subterranean parasitic plants Langsdorffia
and Cytinous. In addition, this behavior may be learned from conspecifics by
observing them (Irwin et al. 2007).
One study found the home range size of Perrier's sifaka (P. perrieri),
one of the most geographically restricted and least-studied members of the Genus
Propithecus, to be around .01 km² (.004 mi²). This measurement is
based on two groups which utilized neighboring but non-overlapping home ranges
(Lehman & Mayor 2004). Another estimate of home range size from a previous
study was .28 km² (.108 mi²) (Mayor & Lehman 1999). At Analamera Special
Reserve there are between three and four Perrier's sifakas per square kilometer
(1.86 to 2.49 per mi²) but in certain areas, such as near a water source,
densities can range as high as 18 individuals per km² (11.2 per mi²) (Meyers
& Ratsirarson 1989; Mayor & Lehman 1999). Golden-crowned sifakas
(P. tattersalli) live in densities varying between 17 and 28
individuals per square kilometer (6.56 and 10.8 per mi²). Home range size in
this species ranges from .09 to .12 km² (.035 to .046 mi²) (Vargas et al. 2002).
Home range in P. candidus is .44 km² (.17 mi²) with day ranges
averaging 712 m (2336 ft) for the species. Travel in P. candidus
occurs for an average of just under one hour per day (Patel 2006a). Mean daily
path for P. edwardsi averages 670 m (2198.2 ft) while that of P.
tattersalli ranges between 461.7 to1077m (1514.8-3533.5 ft) (Wright 1987;
Meyers 1993b). Finally, P. diadema daily path averages from 987 to
1629 m (3238.2 to 5344.5 ft) (Powzyk 1997; Irwin 2006a cited in Irwin 2006b).
Potential predators of sifakas include raptors, such as eagles and hawks, and
the fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox), a weasel-like carnivore endemic to Madagascar
(Meyers & Ratsirarson 1989; Wright 1998). The threat of bird predators on
sifakas is probably small, as these raptors focus on capturing nocturnal
primates during the day (while they are sleeping) and prey smaller than one
kilogram (2.2 lb). Infant or juvenile sifakas are likely more impacted by avian
predators than are adults. The more pertinent threat to sifakas is the fossa,
and evidence of predation has been documented in P. tattersalli, P.
perrieri, P. edwardsi, and P. candidus (Meyers &
Ratsirarson 1989; Wright et al. 1997; Wright 1998; Mayor & Lehman 1999;
Patel 2005). Sifakas exhibit anti-predator behavior that includes vigilance,
alarm calling, resting in sheltered areas, and selection of sleeping sites
(Wright 1998).
Sifakas are often sympatric with a number of other primate species. A
superlative example of such a primate community is Ranomafana National Park in
southeast Madagascar. In the park, Milne-Edwards' sifaka (P. edwardsi)
lives in sympatry with the eastern avahi (Avahi laniger), greater dwarf
lemur (Cheirogaleus major),
aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis),
brown lemur (Eulemur fulvus),
red-bellied lemur (Eulemur rubriventer),
golden bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureus),
grey gentle lemur (Hapalemur griseus),
small-toothed sportive lemur (Lepilemur microdon),
brown mouse lemur (Microcebus rufus),
greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus), and
black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata) (Wright 1992).
Content last modified: February 4, 2008
Written by Kurt Gron. Reviewed by Erik Patel.
Cite this page as:Gron KJ. 2008 February 4. Primate Factsheets: Diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema) Taxonomy, Morphology, & Ecology . <http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/diademed_sifaka>. Accessed 2020 April 4.
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April 25th is ANZAC Day, commemorating the landing by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps at Gallipoli on April 25th, 1915. Nowadays it is a day of remembrance where we honour the memories of those who have served and died in all military operations. The spirit of ANZAC is one of courage, mateship and sacrifice, according to the Australian War Memorial website.
The history of the ANZAC biscuit (cookie for you my North American friends) actually predates World War I and can be traced back to Scotland, famous for its oat cakes. I remember learning about them in school, however that was a very long time ago so the following information was found at the most excellently named Digger History website – sadly no longer active but you can see some info from the site on Wikipedia too (a "digger" for those of you who don't know, is the Australian and New Zealand military slang term for a soldier).
During World War I, mothers, wives and girlfriends would often send care packages to their men, concerned for their nutritional welfare. The problem was that the ships carrying the packages would sometimes take in excess of two months to arrive, so any food had to be edible even after that long without refrigeration. The ANZAC biscuit not only met the nutritional requirements of these women, but also contains only a few ingredients, none of which spoil quickly. These were dubbed ANZAC biscuits after the landing at Gallipoli.
Image from the Australian War Memorial website.
You'll notice there are no eggs in these recipe. During the war, eggs were scarce, so the binding agent is the golden syrup. To make sure the biscuits stayed crisp on the long voyage, they were packed in tins such as airtight Billy Tea tins (I happen to like my ANZAC biscuits chewy so I wouldn't have minded had they arrived not so crisp!)
ANZAC biscuits are one of the few things that are able to be legally marketed in Australia using the word ANZAC which is protected by Federal Legislation.
They are a forgiving biscuit; indeed, I made these when I was extremely distracted and forgot to mix the baking soda with the water before I added it to the melting butter and golden syrup. I also forgot the flour (!) and added it in after the wet ingredients, but they turned out ok. They're temperamental and unpredictable, turning out very differently each time you make them – sometimes crunchier, sometimes chewier – but always so tasty.
These are for my Poppa and my Uncle Andrew, who both served with the armed forces (Holland and Australia). xoxo
ANZAC biscuits
Classic Australian wartime cookies!
- 100 g (1 cup) old fashioned oats
- 150 g (1 cup) plain (all purpose) flour
- 150g (3/4 cup) sugar
- 80 g (3/4 cup) dessicated coconut
- 113g (1 stick, 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup or brown rice syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon boiling water
- Preheat oven to 325˚F.
- Combine oats, flour, sugar and coconut.
- Melt butter and syrup.
- Mix baking soda with boiling water and stir into the butter, then stir into the dry ingredients.
- Spoon onto trays and bake for 15 minutes.


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It can be tempting to pick a countertop on its looks alone. I know when I first started the journey of finding a new kitchen countertop I was enamored by certain ones and drawn in by low prices. However, I learned quickly enough that you have to be careful as to which countertop you go with. In fact, my sister had a horrible incident where she ordered a countertop and it came cracked! This made me extra nervous and I decided to really do my homework before making a final decision. We ended up going with granite countertops from KitchenBuilders.net. All of this homework led me to writing this blog post for you! Here are my tips for picking the perfect countertop for your new kitchen.
1. Find one that fits your kitchen style.
This is hard to do unless you have a mockup of what your new kitchen will look like with the counters. Fortunately for us, we were able to get a 3D mockup from our contractors – score! When you are searching for your own kitchen contractor, make sure they have the ability to show you what your kitchen countertop will look like in your kitchen (even if it's a rough mockup). This will help you understand which style goes best with the style kitchen you have. A friend of mine ordered their kitchen countertops without properly matching them up to their kitchen style and was severely disappointed with how it looked. In fact, she decided to scrap the whole project when the contractor was only 75% done!
2. Check out granite countertops.
Granite is, by far, my favorite countertop choice. It's versatile, beautiful, and comes in different styles. However, it can be expensive. Prices for granite range quite a bit because it can be mined from all over the world. If you order granite that's simple to get and ship, it'll be cheap. If you order granite that comes from halfway across the world, it'll be much more expensive.
Granite comes in two finishes: polished, which is shiny and a matte finish, which is the opposite. As for colors, you can get granite in a wide variety.
My favorite part about granite is that it's just so durable. We accidentally dropped a hammer on it when putting up a mirror in our kitchen and I immediately started to cry thinking I chipped my new countertops. But I was wrong! The granite we bought is so strong it deflected a hammer falling from ten feet above.
3. Wood is only for traditional homes.
I've looked at hundreds (maybe thousands) of kitchen related magazines, websites, and Pinterest boards. The one thing I've realized is that wood countertops only look good in traditional style kitchens. This is my opinion so take it with a grain of salt. Check out these resources for yourself and make a better informed decision…
- http://www.hgtv.com/remodel/kitchen-remodel/wood-kitchen-countertops
- http://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/12-wow-worthy-woods-for-kitchen-countertops-8532#.VejL5LSsmyM
- http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Home/Spring-2012/Wood-Countertops-Pros-and-Cons/
See? For some reason modern kitchens that use wood countertops come off like they are trying too hard.
4. Pick the right contractor.
If I had a dime for every time someone mentioned that they could install my kitchen countertops, I'd be rich. I come from a big family of "handy men", maybe that's why. Nonetheless, I didn't take any of them up on their offers. Why? When we first had our kitchen floors put in I had an old family friend do it. They are a "jack of all trades" and said they'd install them for cheap. Cheaper doesn't equal better. I learned the hard way. The cabinets ended up being put in too far apart and left big gaps in the walls making them look incredibly off-putting. Once we realized it, it was too late. Hiring a professional to fix this mistake cost us nearly three times more. Avoid making mistakes by finding a trustworthy contractor that has a lot of experience installing kitchen countertops.


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- This event has passed.
Basketball is canceled
February 11, 2013 @ 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Basketball Club – ages 15-35
Doesn't matter whetheryour a beginner or a pro. All abilities are welcomed on the court. The games are all about passing, teamwork and supporting each other for fun pick up style games.


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Make change part of your regular routine
Routine has countless benefits. Developing personal structure and organization is what helps many of us to become contented and successful. Stephen Covey, author of the ground-breaking book "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," drives home to individuals and corporations the value of systematizing one's calendar and one's life. Establishing routine is valuable in many ways. Here are just a few:
Helps us to be more efficient with our time and to respect the time of others.
Reduces anxiety, irritability and stress.
Helps us to more easily achieve our goals and thus become more successful at what we do.
Turns us into more reliable, predictable people.
Allows us to more easily keep commitments and meet deadlines.
Any good tendency can be taken to an extreme, however. Andrea sought my help because life with her husband Ron had become very dull. Following a stint in the military, Ron had become highly organized and structured. Ron's need for routine had begun to control him. He seemed to get stuck in a rut, doing the same things at the same time every day. He became more and more resistant to trying new foods, visiting new places, meeting new people or doing much of anything that deviated from his comfort zone. And the more set Ron became in his ways, the more anxious he felt when life got in the way of his daily rituals.
Ron wanted desperately to save his marriage by becoming less wedded to his routine. He had, in fact, made a few attempts with little success. What he had failed to acknowledge, however, was that it would be well nigh impossible for him to become someone who could simply throw caution to the wind and wake up one morning as Mr. Flexibility. After sharing this reality with Ron, I made two suggestions:
Begin by making one very small change a week, such as changing your route to work in the morning or adding a new food into your diet.
Plan and schedule your intended weekly changes ahead of time so that, paradoxically, regular change becomes a part of your routine.
Once I'd made my suggestions, Ron breathed a sigh of relief. Since this approach allowed him to remain the control freak he is (while making bite-sized weekly changes) the plan felt doable to him.
Over the next six months, Ron routinely made about 25 changes to his routine, one week at a time. Not only did this ignite a spark in his previously ho-hum marriage but at Ron's report he enjoyed the following unexpected benefits:
Increased flexibility and adaptability. By practicing change a week at a time, Ron found that he weathered other unanticipated changes with greater ease.
Better quality of life. Rather than being afraid of stepping out of his comfort zone Ron began to feel exhilarated and fulfilled by gradually extending his repertoire of life experiences.
Enhanced creativity. Ron had always thought of himself as strictly a left-brained guy without any creativity. Instituting gradual change caused Ron to combine old ideas in new ways which is, in fact, the definition of creativity.
The best change of all is that Ron now controls his tendency toward structure and routine, not the other way around. He has found a healthy balance between routine and change and the good news is that you can, too.
Maud Purcell is a psychotherapist, corporate consultant and director of the Life Solution Center of Darien.
Write her at email@example.com.


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