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[Note: This is a single part of what will be, by my classification, about 240 compact tribal histories (contact to 1900). It is limited to the lower 48 states of the U.S. but also includes those First Nations from Canada and Mexico that had important roles (Huron, Micmac, Assiniboine, etc.).
This history's content and style are representative. The normal process at this point is to circulate an almost finished product among a peer group for comment and criticism. At the end of this History you will find links to those Nations referred to in the History of the Pocumtuc.
Using the Internet, this can be more inclusive. Feel free to comment or suggest corrections via e-mail. Working together we can end some of the historical misinformation about Native Americans. You will find the ego at this end to be of standard size. Thanks for stopping by. I look forward to your comments...Lee Sultzman]
Pocumtuc Location
The Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts from just south of the border with Connecticut northward into southern Vermont and southwestern New Hampshire.
Perhaps as many as 5,000 in 1600, the Pocumtuc population declined rapidly from epidemic and wars with the Iroquois and English. For the most part, the Pocumtuc were destroyed during the King Philip's War (1675-76). A mixed group of 600 Pocumtuc and Nipmuc refugees relocated to the Mahican village at Schaghticook on the Hudson River (New York). Others went north to the western Abenaki (Sokoki) at either Missisquoi or Odanak (St. Francois du Lac) in Quebec. By 1758 the last groups of Pocumtuc and Nipmuc at Schaghticook had left and joined their relatives living with the Sokoki. It can safely be assumed that the current populations of the Vermont Abenaki in the United States and the St. Francois and Bcancour Abenaki in Canada contain descendents of the Pocumtuc.
Algonquin. R-dialect like Mahican and Mattabesic.
Pocumtuc Confederacy:Agawam (Agawome, Nayusset), Mayawaug, Nameroke, Nonotuck (Nonotuc), Norwottuck (Nalvotogy, Norwootuc), Pachasock, Pocumtuc (Pocomtook, Pocomtuc, Pocumtook, Pocutuc, Pokamtakuke), Scitico (Skittico, Squitkko), Squawkeag (Squaeg, Squakheag) (also considered Nipmuc or western Abenaki), and Woronoco (Waranoke, Woroanoke, Woronock, Woronoake)Other names associated with the Pocumtuc:
Connecticut Mattabesic associated with the Pocumtuc: Newashe (Nawaas), Peskantuk (Peskeomskut), Poquonock, and Sicaog (Saukiog, Sukiang).Nawaas, Pangusset, Peskeomskut, Popuonock, and Saukiog.
Like other New England Algonquin, the Pocumtuc were an agriculture people who lived in one of the most fertile farming areas in New England. Their homeland also abounded with game, and during the spring they were able to take advantage of large fish runs up the Connecticut and
its tributaries. Besides the obvious north-south transportation provided by the Connecticut River (Quinnitukqut "long river"), the Pocumtuc homeland sat astride several important east-west trade routes, including the Mohawk Trail, which linked Native Americans in the interior with those on the Atlantic coast. Due to frequent warfare with the neighboring Mohawk, most of their larger villages were heavily fortified, and for mutual protection, the Pocumtuc tribes were politically organized under a loose confederation. Although still available for hunting, by 1630 the Berkshire Mountains immediately west of the Pocumtuc villages were mostly uninhabited due to constant war.
The competition between the Mohawk and Mahican for control of the mountainous area between the Hudson and Connecticut Rivers had existed for many years before the coming of the Europeans. Linked to the Mahican by a common language and dialect, the Pocumtuc became involved in this conflict as allies of the Mahican. One known incident in this warfare occurred in 1606, when a large Mohawk war party attacked the Pocumtuc fort near Deerfield, Massachusetts. The arrival of Dutch fur traders on the Hudson River in 1610 only aggravated the situation. With both parties eager to trade, the Dutch arranged a truce between the Mahican and Mohawk, but within a few years warfare resumed and made further trade impossible. It took the Dutch seven years to arrange another truce, but peace had no sooner come than the Mohawk learned the Dutch and Mahican were attempting to open trade into the St. Lawrence Valley with the Algonkin and Huron. Furious with this attempt to by-pass them and trade with their enemies, the Mohawk attacked the Mahican in 1624.
Both the Pocumtuc and Sokoki (Western Abenaki) were drawn into this war as allies of the Mahican, but by 1628 the Mohawk had defeated the Mahican and forced them east of the Hudson River. Established as the dominant Dutch trading partner, the Mohawk then turned their attention on the allies of the Mahican and attacked the Sokoki villages during the following year. The Pocumtuc, however, were spared somewhat, since they were protected by the Mahican villages located along the upper Housatonic Valley in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. Up to this point (1630), the Pocumtuc had been relatively isolated from direct contact with Europeans, but this was coming to an end. A major smallpox epidemic swept across New England in 1633-35, and at least 500 Pocumtuc fell victim to it. By 1633 English traders had begun making the overland journey from Plymouth and Boston and reached the Connecticut River. Their first permanent trading post was established just south of the Pocumtuc homeland near Windsor, Connecticut. The location effectively intercepted all furs travelling down the Connecticut for the Dutch traders on the lower river.
Having enjoyed a monopoly for several years with the trade along the Connecticut River, the Dutch were upset by the new competition and responded by fortifying their trading post at Hartford. The English countered with their own fort at Saybrook near the mouth of the river, and the Dutch were cut off. Although opposed by the Pequot, settlements followed, and the English began to occupy the Connecticut Valley. In July of 1636, the Agawam sold the first parcel of Pocumtuc land to the English, and John Pynchon built a trading post near their village at Springfield, Massachusetts. During 1637 the Pequot were destroyed during a war with the English. Settlement swept unopposed into Connecticut afterwards, and backed by the English, the Mohegan and their sachem Uncas emerged as the dominant tribe in the area. If anything, Uncas soon proved to be more ambitious and aggressive than the Pequot. Alarmed by the sudden power of the Mohegan, the Pocumtuc joined an alliance in 1640 with the Narragansett and Tunxis (Mattabesic) to oppose them. The alliance, however, had little effect. After the Mohegan defeated the Narragansett in a battle fought at Shetucket in 1643, several of the Mattabesic tribes in western Connecticut came under Mohegan control and were forced to pay tribute.
Meanwhile, attempts by English traders to lure the Mohawk from the Dutch by selling them firearms (forbidden by English law until after 1665) had forced the Dutch to reverse their previous policy and offer unlimited amounts of guns and ammunition to the Iroquois on credit. In the process, the Mahican also became well-armed, and the result was a major escalation in the violence of native warfare. Since both were Dutch allies, the Mahican and Mohawk "buried the hatchet" and by 1642 were cooperating to the extent they were sending joint war parties against the Montagnais (French allies) on the St.Lawrence River. They also were harassing and demanding tribute from the Wappinger (Munsee Delaware in the lower Hudson Valley). After groups of Wappinger moved close to the Dutch settlements for protection, Dutch soldiers massacred 80 of them at Pavonia (Jersey City). The Wappinger retaliated, and the Wappinger War (1643-45) quickly spread to include the other Delaware in New Jersey and the western end of Long Island. Some of the western groups of the Metoac on Long Island also became involved. To cope, the Dutch called on the. Mahican and Mohawk. Even the English colonists from Connecticut helped the Dutch, and by the 1645 the Delaware had been defeated with heavy losses. Many were absorbed by the Mahican, but some groups moved north to join the Pocumtuc.
The increasing violence in native warfare climaxed during the winter of 1648-49 when the Dutch-allied Iroquois overran the Huron Confederation and sent alarms throughout the French and English colonies. As the other Iroquois were systematically wiping out their remaining rivals in the Great Lakes, Mohawk war parties struck the Pocumtuc and Sokoki villages in 1650. By this time, even the Mahican were becoming concerned with the Iroquois. With their fur trade in shambles and their settlements threatened, the French encouraged an Algonquin alliance of the Pocumtuc, Sokoni, Pennacook, and Mahican to counter the Iroquois. Although asked to join, New England was more suspicious of the French than the Dutch and, not wishing to offend the Iroquois, declined. The new alliance succeeded in halting the Mohawk attacks, but the relief was only temporary, since the Mohawk were concentrating on their war against the Susquehannock in Pennsylvania. When this conflict ended in 1655, the Mohawk turned in a fury against their Algonquin enemies in the east. Encouraged by the Dutch, the Mahican in 1658 made a separate peace with the Mohawk and withdrew from the alliance leaving the Pocumtuc, Sokoki, and Pennacook to fight the Mohawk by themselves.
As if the Pocumtuc did not have enough trouble with the Mohawk, they also had problems with the Mohegan in defense of their Mattabesic allies in Connecticut. During the winter of 1658-59, there was a brief war during which the Pocumtuc sachem Onapequin led a punitive raid against the Mohegan villages. The war with the Mohawk, however, was anything but brief, and it quickly spread across western and northern New England. By 1660 it had reached the Abenaki in Maine who were attacked by the Mohawk because they were helping the Sokoki and Montagnais. The Penobscot were raided in 1662 for the same reason. Meanwhile, the Iroquois had discovered the Mahican were up to their old tricks and once again trying to arrange trade between the Dutch, Sokoki and Algonkin. When the Mahican were attacked and drawn back into the fighting in 1662, the Iroquois were at war with virtually every Algonquin tribe in New England (only exceptions: Wampanoag, Nauset, Narragansett, Niantic, and Mohegan).
Well-supplied with guns and ammunition by English and French traders (who made good profits in the process), the Algonquin at first held their own. In an exchange of raids, Algonquin and Mohawk war parties travelled both directions along the Mohawk Trail (a trade route in more peaceful times). Warriors from Squawkeag attacked the eastern Mohawk villages in 1663, but by this time the Mahican had been driven from the Hudson Valley and had retreated to the Housatonic River in western Massachusetts. By the summer of 1663, the Pocumtuc were bearing the brunt of the fighting and asked the Dutch to arrange a peace. This effort proved fruitless, however, and in December a large Mohawk and Seneca war party attacked the main Pocumtuc village at Fort Hill (Deerfield, Massachusetts). The attack failed with the Iroquois losing more than 200 warriors, but the Pocumtuc were running out of men. The Pennacook and Sokoki sent reinforcements, but in the spring of 1664, the Pocumtuc abandoned Fort Hill.
The Pocumtuc still wanted peace and approached the Mohawk directly about this. Stunned by their losses in December, the Mohawk agreed to a conference, but the Pocumtuc's allies were determined to keep fighting, and wishing to keep the Pocumtuc in the war, the Mohawk ambassadors were murdered in June while enroute to their meeting with the Pocumtuc. Followed by a Sokoki and Mahican attack on the Mohawk villages, peace became impossible. When the Mohawk resumed their attacks, the Pocumtuc were forced to abandon most of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts. Squawkeag survived as a mixed village of Pocumtuc, Sokoki, and Nipmuc, but the other Pocumtuc were forced south to Agawam and Norwottuck or east to seek refuge with the Pennacook. In the midst of this, the English had taken New York from the Dutch, and shortly afterwards signed a treaty of trade and friendship with the Mohawk. No longer concerned about the possibility of becoming involved in a war with the English, the Iroquois swept east in pursuit of the Pocumtuc's Sokoki and Pennacook allies, and the Mohawk even raided the Pennacook villages near Boston during 1665. At the same time New England traders abandoned the Algonquin and moved west to Albany to trade with the Iroquois.
The arrival of 1,200 French soldiers in Canada and their attacks on the Mohawk villages during the winter of 1665-66 brought some relief, but in forcing the Iroquois to ask the English for help, the French pushed the Iroquois into an alliance with the English. With their treaty of trade and friendship changed into a military alliance, the Mohawk resumed their war against the New England Algonquin. During the summer of 1666, the Mohawk exchanged raids with the Pennacook, Sokoki and Kennebec, but by 1668 the Mohawk had driven the Pennacook from their homeland in New Hampshire to the vicinity of the Abenaki villages in southern Maine. The Algonquin attempted to retaliate, and a war party of New England Algonquin led by a Massachuset sachem attacked a Mohawk village in 1669 only to be ambushed on their way home. While the English stood idly by, the fighting ended in 1670 and the Mohawk had cleared out most of the resident Algonquins tribes of western New England for them.
Meanwhile, English settlement had been moving slowly up the Connecticut River into western Massachusetts and the Pocumtuc homeland. In spite of the nearby warfare, lands near Springfield had been purchased from the Pocumtuc and were allotted for settlement during 1653. Their refusal to join the French-sponsored Algonquin alliance in 1650 had turned out to be a wise decision for the English, and in gratitude, the Iroquois had been careful to avoid English settlements and trading posts during the fighting. They also appreciated that the English had ended their trade and support of the Algonquins after 1664. During the 1660s there was flood of new Puritan immigration into New England, and much of this settled in the now almost-deserted Connecticut Valley. New settlements sprang up at Westfield, Northampton, Hadley, Hatfield, Deerfield, and Northfield. The Mohawks, who had no intention of occupying the area, made no objection to this but still came every year to collect tribute from the small groups of Pocumtuc who had remained in the Connecticut Valley.
As the Mohawk stood ready to crush any Algonquin uprising, it must have been galling for the Pocumtuc to pay this tribute and at the same time watch the English, who had betrayed them, take their lands. It should come as no surprise that during the King Philip's War (1675-76), many of the Pocumtuc joined Philip and the Wampanoag against the English colonists. After a series of attacks against the settlements in southeastern Massachusetts, Philip eluded the English soldiers sent after him in July and moved west to the Nipmuc country to continue the war in the Connecticut Valley. Reinforced by the Nipmuc led by Sagamore Sam and the Pocumtuc of Sancumachu, Philip's warriors attacked Northfield and Deerfield in September, while 700 of Sancumachu's Pocumtuc wiped out an entire detachment of English soldiers near Hadley. The attacks moved south afterwards and hit the settlements and farms at Westfield, Northampton, and Springfield. Even the Agawam, who had always been friendly to the English and sold them land, joined Philip. By the coming of winter, the English were on the defensive and confined to their forts.
This was probably the high-point of the war for Philip and the low-point for the English. With plenty of firearms and more than enough warriors, Philip's eventual defeat was caused by the problem that plagued Native Americans in all their wars with Europeans - the inability to feed an army in the field for an extended period. As hunger stalked his winter village at Hoosick, New York, Philip turned to the Iroquois for help. Not only was this refused, but at the urging of the governor of New York, the Mohawk entered the war on the side of the English. Forced to leave New York, Philip moved to Squawkeag and gathered a large force of warriors. Unable to wait for the start of warmer weather to resume his offensive, Philip launched a series of raids throughout New England during February, 1676. In March Sancumachu's Pocumtuc joined with the Narragansett to attack Northfield, but hunger was proving to be a greater enemy than the English. In May the English attacked a fishing camp near Turner's Falls and killed over 400 of Philip's followers including Sancumachu.
Still without food, the alliance fell apart. Philip and the Wampanoag returned to southeastern Massachusetts but were hunted down until Philip was finally trapped in a swamp and killed in August. The English and Mohawk, however, kept after Philip's followers and burned the cornfields at Squawkeag in November. For all intents and purposes, the Pocumtuc ceased to exist at this point. With the Mohawk after them, many of them joined the Sokoki and retreated north with them to their villages at Missisquoi, Cowass, and St. Francois in Quebec. Although a few small bands remained along the Connecticut River until the 1800s, most of the other Pocumtuc abandoned their homeland and moved west and settled with the Mahican in the Housatonic Valley or accepted the offer of sanctuary at Schaghticoke from the governor of New York. Mixed with Nipmuc and other refugees from New England, tribal identification in the mixed population at this village on the Hudson quickly became impossible, and the English came to refer to them as River Indians or Schaghticoke. Enough Pocumtuc, Sokoki, and Nipmuc, however, remained in the vicinity of Squawkeag after the war to make several very-questionable sales of land to the English in 1678, 1686, and 1687.
Although forced to leave Massachusetts, the Pocumtuc continued, as part of the Sokoki and St. Francois Indians, to fight the English, and in the fall of 1677, a Norwottuck war chief named Ashpelon led a series of raids against Deerfield and Hatfield. Their real opportunities for vengeance came during the King William's (1689-97) and Queen Anne's Wars (1701-13) between Britain and France, and throughout these conflicts, attacks by the St. Francois and Abenaki wreaked death and destruction throughout New England. The Pocumtuc and Nipmuc refugees at Schaghticoke, however, found themselves in the awkward position of neutrals whose loyalty was suspect to the English, while they were despised by their relatives fighting for the French. Forced to choose, there was a steady exodus to Canada from Schaghticoke until the last 60 left for the north with a war party from St. Francois in 1757.
One of the Pocumtuc from Schaghticoke who left even earlier was a Woroanoke named Grey Lock. After joining the Sokoki at Missisquoi, he became a feared and respected war leader. During Grey Lock's War (1723-27), Grey Lock's raids from his village hidden near Missisquoi terrorized most of western New England. Try as they could, the English were unable to kill or capture Grey Lock (Wawanotewat "he who fools others"), nor could they stop the attacks led by this dangerous and elusive Pocumtuc. Years later, however, they named the highest mountain in Massachusetts after him.
First Nations referred to in this Pocumtuc History:


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|And PLENTY of ice cream/glace for tired, hot ole moi. Nothing like an ice cream to perk you up instantly is there? Do take a look at Cote Sud magazine for instant perks and mountains of inspiration!
|And PLENTY of ice cream/glace for tired, hot ole moi. Nothing like an ice cream to perk you up instantly is there? Do take a look at Cote Sud magazine for instant perks and mountains of inspiration!
This post makes me want to jump on a train to Aix right now.
I always love seeing your colors.. they are so rich..and true..never muddy..
I bought a soap in provence too..it has a hole through it..shaped like a big green olive..a savon de Marseilles and it fits on a holder that is screwed into our wall..LOVE..
Bought a refill too..as most use the dispenser..it's still almost as big as it was.
Love those olive trees..I am growing one..in the house..outdoors for summer..They are fime indoors..Go for it!
What a pretty pretty place.
Sounds like you had quite a trek...hopefully with not to much in tow. How nice to come back to these two lovely posts...I'm reminded of a summer visit to Paris when outside of a L'Occitane shop I was greeted by a lovely young woman bearing a basket of (a very generous) sample of fresh lavender. My dream has always been to be in Provence in July for the lavender harvest. If you manage to get there this year do tell all. Don't know what I've done wrong ... been a long time and I'm unable to use "Geri NJ"...so apologies, but 'anonymous' will have to do till I figure this out again!ReplyDelete
Sounds like a fun/hectic trip! I love the Cote Paris magazines...I'll have to check out the southern version.
A shop in the rue du Bac called Le Grand Comptoir is filled with colorful goodies just like those sling chairs. ;) x Katie
Thanks, Carol, for the traveling palette info and for all the inspiration. I'd be lost without my daily fix of Frenchness everyday!ReplyDelete
What a fun excursion! Love CoteSud . And love this taste of it..pass me the raspberries and cream please. And the sweet olives! XoxoReplyDelete
Such color!!!
And a grand merci for showing your travel tools....I am beginning to tire of my tiny (about 3 x 5") Schminke tin...and considering taking the extra weight of my big Schminke tin, which looks a lot like your Kremer.
Love love love your color swatches!
Gorgeous images, all, my favorite is the outdoor dining scene, out of a 19th century painting!
Absolutely love your blog. Thank you not only for all the lovely colour but the interesting info you impart. Enjoy you when I spend winters in Paris and now from Toronto where I summer.
As usual loved all your colors and tidbits....the culmination of all is the ice cream...did I send a picture of my sundae?
such an absolutely gorgeous and inspiring (art-wise) post. a perfect way to begin the day. Thank you.
Your post makes me want to go there, too. If you buy the pair of olive trees, I'll take one. They are so elegant and restrained. Are they fragrant when they bloom? I know the Russian olives (in Colorado) were heavenly scented.
So many wonderful colors! I love the photos where you include your watercolor tin.ReplyDelete
The colors so scrumptious! I too love seeing your "outils de l' artiste" !
I want the linen scarves, stripped chairs, olive tree, well,just all of it!
Thank you as always for sharing as always!
I love Aix, Rose and the spectacular colors of Provence.
Thank you Carol,
Chef Ann
A wonderful post and ending it with an Ice cream cone.. Perfect!ReplyDelete

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Seat cover for Triumph Street Triple 675 ('07-'12)€107.00SKU: D1508/RA
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Seat cover for Triumph Street Triple 675 ('07-'12)€53.00SKU: B653
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The Lambda Alpha International Simcoe Chapter hosted the Fall 2016 Toronto Land Economics Weekend. With limited time, the LEW tours and presentations focused on downtown Toronto redevelopment plans-in-process designed to craft a livable city for the increasing population. It was an amazing inaugural visit to Toronto! In addition to the two full-days of tours, I stayed on for an extra day to meander the grand city on self-guided tour including the eclectic Kensington Market and The Toronto Islands.Read More
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Atrium artwork


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A Magnetic Primer Designer
AbstractHow do scientists "copy" DNA? They use a process called the Polymerase Chain Reaction, or PCR. The key to making this process work is having a short piece of DNA, called a primer, that will stick to the larger piece of DNA you want to copy, called a template. In this science project, you will test how the number of matches and mismatches in a primer will affect its ability to stick, or anneal, to the DNA template during PCR.
ObjectiveTest how matches and mismatches affect the ability of primers to stick to the DNA that is copied during PCR.
All living things come with a set of instructions stored in their DNA, short for deoxyribonucleic acid. Whether you are a human, rat, tomato, or bacteria, each cell will have DNA inside of it. DNA is the blueprint for everything that happens inside the cell of an organism, and each cell has an entire copy of the same set of instructions. The entire set of instructions is called the genome. The information in the DNA is stored in a sequence of nucleotides, which contain four different nucleotide bases (A, T, C, and G). Each base binds with a specific other base to make base pairs. Figure 1 shows an example of a DNA sequence that is 12 base pairs long.
Figure 1. This is an example of a DNA sequence that is 12 base pairs long. Notice how each DNA base on the bottom sequence is paired up with a DNA base on the top sequence.
Notice that this piece of DNA has two sequences: one on the top, and one on the bottom. DNA is double stranded, which means that it has two strands. The nucleotide bases are arranged in a particular way to pair with the other strand: A pairs with T and C pairs with G. If a base is paired according to these rules, it is called a match. But if the base is not paired properly, then it is called a mismatch. Matches and mismatches can affect how the two strands of DNA pair together, and sometimes a mismatch can lead to a mutation.
The information stored in the DNA is coded into sets of nucleotide sequences called genes. Each gene has a set of instructions for making a specific protein. The protein has a certain job to do, called a function. Since different cells in your body have different jobs to do, many of the genes will be used to make protein in some cells, but not others. For example, some genes code for proteins specific to your blood cells, like hemoglobin. Other genes code for proteins specific to your pancreas, like insulin. Even though different genes are used in different cells, your cells and organs all work together in a coordinated way so that your body can function properly.
What if there is something wrong with one of your genes? This can cause problems for your body and how it functions. For example, people who have type I diabetes have problems making insulin. To help people with diabetes, scientists figured out a way to make insulin that diabetics can inject into their body. The insulin is made by a bacteria that has the human gene for insulin.
For scientists to study a gene, they need to be able to isolate it. The simplest way to isolate a gene is to clone, or basically insert, the gene into bacteria. But to do this first you need many, many copies of the gene you want to clone. How do you make copies of DNA? Using a powerful technique called polymerase chain reaction, as shown in Figure 2. PCR takes a DNA template (the DNA sequence you want copied) and copies it in four main steps:
- Melt: A high temperature (95° Celsius) will melt (separate) the two strands of the DNA template.
- Anneal: The primer, which is a short DNA sequence, will stick to (anneal to) the DNA template.
- Extend: An enzyme will copy (replicate) the DNA template strand starting with the primer.
- Repeat: The whole process will be repeated over and over, usually about 30 times.
An infographic shows a simplified version of the four steps necessary to clone genes. Starting with an extracted segment of a DNA molecule, it is first heated until the two strands that make up the DNA are separated. Then, the strands are cooled and a synthetic DNA strand called a primer is added that attaches to the end of each individual DNA strand. Next, the temperature is slightly raised and the enzyme DNA polymerase is added which build copies of the DNA strands starting at the previously added primer. Finally, the whole process is repeated until the DNA molecule segment has been copied enough times.
Figure 2. PCR is like a copy machine for DNA! (Copyright © The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, 2003)
If these first three steps are repeated 30 times, a scientist can make 1 billion copies of a single piece of DNA! That provides the scientist with plenty of DNA material to clone and study. PCR is a very important step in the discovery and manufacturing of genes that become important pharmaceuticals, like the insulin gene.
Notice that if the primer does not stick to the DNA template, then the enzyme will not have a place to start copying the template DNA, so designing a good primer is a very important first step for PCR success. In this biochemistry science project, you will build a model of a primer sticking (annealing) to a DNA template strand using magnets. How important is it for the sequence of the primer to match the template DNA sequence so that the primer is strongly attached to the template DNA? You will make matches (where the magnets will stick to each other) and mismatches (where the magnets will repel each other) to model nucleotide bases in the primer annealing to the DNA template. Will more matches make the primer stick better than a primer with mismatches?
Terms and Concepts
- Nucleotides
- Nucleotide bases
- Match
- Mismatch
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
- DNA template
- Anneal
- Primer
- How do scientists make copies of DNA?
- What does a primer do, and how does it anneal?
- How will matches or mismatches affect the ability of the primer to anneal to the DNA of interest?
Do further research by visiting the following websites, which give information about DNA and PCR:
- DNA Interactive. (2003). Manipulation: Techniques: Amplifying. Dolan DNA Learning Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Retrieved March 6, 2007.
- Learn. Genetics. Genetic Science Learning Center. (2012). What is DNA? The University of Utah. Retrieved September 18, 2012.
- Rosa, C. et al. (2012). Zooming Into DNA. The Tech Museum of Innovation. Retrieved March 6, 2007.
- Nobelprize.org. (2012, September 18). The PCR Method – A DNA Copying Machine. Retrieved March 6, 2007.
- National Center for Education Statistics. (n.d.). Create a Graph. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
Materials and Equipment
- Small, flat, relatively weak magnets (50)
- Paint pen in a light color, such as yellow, orange, or white
- Clear packaging tape, 2 inches wide
- Metric ruler
- Hole punch
- Paper clip
- Small disposable cup, such as a three ounce paper Dixie cup
- Pennies (at least 60)
- Lab notebook
Experimental Procedure
- Arrange the magnets in a stack to identify the north and south pole ends of each magnet.
- Remember that opposites attract, so your magnets will be arranged in an opposing order: N/S, N/S, N/S, etc.
- Using the paint pen mark the same pole for each magnet. If the magnets you are using already have the poles marked, then you can skip this step:
- To make sure you have the same pole marked on each magnet, mark the top of the magnet on your stack, then remove that magnet. Mark the top of the next magnet. Keep marking and removing magnets until all of them are marked.
- To check that you have done this correctly make sure that when you restack the magnets the marked side of one magnet is attracted to the unmarked side of another magnet. If two marked sides are attracted to each other then the markings are wrong. Like poles should repel one another.
- For the rest of this science project we will refer to the painted side of the magnet as the plus (+) side and the unpainted side as the minus (-) side.
- Next, make a simplified model of a DNA template strand that you will copy using PCR.
- Lay out a strip of clear packaging tape (at least 30 centimeters [cm] long), sticky side up, on a table.
- Place ten magnets along one side of the tape with the painted sides up, spacing the magnets 2 cm apart.
- The sequence for the DNA template strand will be either all plus (+ + + + + + + + + +) OR all minus ( - - - - - - - - - - ) depending upon which side is facing forward. In the example shown in Figure 3, the strand is facing with the plus side (the painted side) towards you.
- Fold the tape over the magnets, creating a long strip of magnets embedded inside the clear tape. Your model DNA template strand should look like Figure 3.
Figure 3. Your model DNA template strand should look like this one, with 10 magnets embedded inside clear tape, all with the same side up. (In this example, the plus sides of the magnets, which are facing up, are painted with an orange dot.)
- Now you are ready to make your model primers, which will be shorter versions of your DNA template model. Each primer will be 5 magnets in length, but the sequence of the primers will be different.
- Place a strip of clear packaging tape (at least 15 cm long), sticky side up, on a table.
- Arrange 5 magnets along one side of the tape, alternating the poles of the magnets in any order you choose. Be sure to space the magnets 2 cm apart as it is important for the positions of the magnets in your primer to be in the same places as the magnets in your DNA template strand.
- Fold the tape over the magnets. Your model primer strand should look like Figure 4.
Figure 4. Your model primer strand should look like this one, but the sides facing up may be different.
- Repeat steps 5a-5c until you have made at least seven primers with different sequences.
- The primers should include one positive control (+ + + + +) and one negative control primer(- - - - - ). They can actually be the same primer flipped over!
- You can design the other six primers as any combination of 5 pluses and minuses that you want.
- Tip: You can flip primers over to test them as two different primers. For example, a primer with the sequence - - + - - could be flipped over and used as + + - + +.
- In your lab notebook, create a data table similar to Table 1.
- Write the sequences of the primers in your data table.
- Also write the number of matches and the number of mismatches for each primer sequence in your data table. Hint: When the sides of two magnets that are facing each other are different (such as one is a plus and one is a minus), it will create a match. When the sides of two magnets that are facing each other are the same
(such as both plus or both minus), it will create a mismatch.
Primer Name Primer Sequence Number of Matches Number of Mismatches Number of Pennies Trial #1 Trial #2 Trial #3 Average Positive + + + + + 5 0 Primer 1 + + + + - 4 1 Primer 2 + + + - - 3 2 ... ... Negative - - - - - 0 5
- To test the strength of each primer, you need to add weight to the primer while it is sticking (annealing) to the DNA template strand. Then you will increase the weight until the primer falls off. You will do this by attaching a small disposable cup, such as a Dixie cup, to the end of the primer and adding pennies. You will test each primer three times (in three trials total).
- At one end of each primer strand, use the hole punch to punch a hole near the end of the tape strip.
- Unfold a paperclip to make a hook.
- Slip the paperclip through the hole of one of the primer strands and then through the paper cup, so that the cup will dangle from the end of the primer strand. The primer, with hook attached, should look like Figure 5.
Figure 5. With the paper clip attached to the end of the primer strand, your setup should look similar to this one.
- Now stick the primer strand to the DNA template strand.
- If the two strands do not stick together at all, in your data table under "Number of Pennies" write "0" and skip to step 8i.
- Count the number of matches and mismatches between your primer and the DNA strand. Make sure this agrees with the numbers you wrote in your data table.
- Figure 6 shows two examples of primers with mismatches. The one on the left has two mismatches, one at the end and one in the middle. The one on the right has one mismatch, in the middle. See how the magnets repel each other where the mismatches are?
Two strips of magnets are connected with some magnets in the strips repelling against each other. Each strip contains five magnets, in the left image magnets number 3 and 5 repel while magnets 1, 2 and 4 attract. In the right image only magnet 3 repels while magnets 1, 2, 3 and 5 attract.
Figure 6. Here are two examples of primer strands with mismatches. The example on the left has two mismatches (at the end and in the middle) and the example on the right has one mismatch (in the middle).
- Figure 6 shows two examples of primers with mismatches. The one on the left has two mismatches, one at the end and one in the middle. The one on the right has one mismatch, in the middle. See how the magnets repel each other where the mismatches are?
- Hold the DNA template strand by one end so that the end of the primer with the paper cup attached will dangle from the other end.
- Add pennies, one at a time, until the primer strand falls off. While you are adding pennies to the cup, your experiment will look like Figure 7.
Two strips of magnets are connected with some magnets in the strips repelling against each other. Each strip contains five magnets, one strip has a small paper cup attached to its bottom while the other strip is suspended from above. Weight is slowly added to the suspended cup until the magnetic strip it is attached to falls away from the other magnetic strip that is secured from above.
Figure 7. As you test each primer strand, your experiment should look similar to this. (You will hold the DNA template strand from the top, which is not shown here.)
- In the data table in your lab notebook, write the number of pennies you added for the primer strand to fall off of the DNA template strand.
- For example, if the primer strand did not fall off of the DNA template strand until you added 50 pennies to the cup, then you would write 50 under the "Number of Pennies" for this primer.
- If it is the first time you are testing a certain primer, write this under "Trial #1."
- Perform steps 8c-8h a total of three times (making three trials) for each primer. In step 8h, write your results under a different trial number each time.
- Repeat steps 8c-8i with a different primer until you have tested all of your primers.
- When you have tested all of your primers three times each, calculate the average number of pennies that was needed for each primer to fall off of the DNA template strand. (Do this by averaging the three trials for each primer.)
- Make a bar graph of your averaged data, placing the number of pennies on the left side (y-axis) and the number of mismatches on the bottom (x-axis) of the graph.
- You can make a graph by hand or use a website like Create a Graph to make a graph on the computer and print it.
- Are your results what you thought they would be? Do you see a correlation between the number of mismatches in the primer strand and the number of pennies needed to make the primer strand fall off of the DNA template strand?
- What do you think this tells you about how real primers anneal to a real DNA template strand, such as how important it is to not have mismatches?
For troubleshooting tips, please read our FAQ: A Magnetic Primer Designer.
Ask an Expert
- How does the strength of the primer change as the length of the primer changes? Try making primers of different lengths, and comparing their annealing strength. Will longer primers anneal more strongly to the DNA of interest?
- How much do magnets vary in their strength? You could try this science project again but instead of testing different primer sequences, you could compare magnets of different strengths. How many more pennies does it take to separate two strands of strong magnets compared to two strands of weak ones? Be sure to keep the sequences you are testing the same so that that is not a factor. Tip: You may need a lot of pennies to test the strong magnets!
- Where does the DNA for PCR come from? You can try the Science Buddies project Do-It-Yourself DNA to make your very own DNA extraction kit. Purify DNA from strawberries and other living materials, like oatmeal, banana, or kiwi. Which foods give you the most DNA?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Ask an Expert
If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring these related careers:


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Game Description
Two weeks after the events of Nightmare Adventures: The Witch's Prison, Kiera Vale finds herself drawn back into a web of occult sciences, mysterious dark entities, and government secrets -- woven by the agency known as A.R.C.A.N.E.. Kiera is happy to receive the call, but soon after her arrival finds that things are not at all how she remembers them to be. What are these agents hiding, and why didn't they tell her the whole story? What is the true nature of the Blackwater "Witch"? Why is Dr. Thorn's young daughter locked up in a containment cell?
From the top secret labs in the depths of A.R.C.A.N.E.'s headquarters to the distant spires of alien worlds, Ms. Vale will seek answers, solve cryptic puzzles, banish evil otherdimensional creatures, and perhaps even make a new friend over a game of Piggy Princess along the way, in Nightmare Adventures: The Turning Thorn.
-Intriguing setting
-Challenging, unique puzzles
-Engaging story.


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May 25, 2004
By Paul Nesselroade
What is "The Wedge"?
Recently, a few Intelligent Design (ID) critics have created some confusion over the meaning of "The Wedge." Several statements made by ID detractors in books and blogs (web logs) have suggested "The Wedge" to be a partially concealed strategy by well-funded religious fanatics to attack science and force it to come under the thumb of a specific religious mindset. (But how concealed can it be when the acknowledged sharp edge of the wedge, Philip Johnson, writes a book entitled, The Wedge of Truth in which he delineates the strategy for all to read?) Some statements have gone so far as to suggest that the advocates of "The Wedge" are dead-set on turning the United States into a theocracy! (For examples of writings suggesting the Wedge has hidden insidious motives and conspiratorial intentions, see the articles by Massimo Pigliucci and Robert Witzel and Steve Olson's book review "Shapes of a Wedge" on page 825 of the May 7, 2004 issue of the AAAS magazine Science).
But is this an accurate characterization of "The Wedge," or is this just a baseless appeal by Darwinists to impugn the motives of their adversaries? Well, as they say, when the facts aren't on your side, argue motives. The truth is, with regard to "The Wedge," the facts can speak for themselves. First of all, let's distinguish the Wedge document from the Wedge strategy. "The Wedge" document is nothing more or less than a fundraising proposal generated in 1999 by the Discovery Institute - a think-tank in Seattle, Washington. It is posted in its entirety (as well as a response to all the misinformation that has been spread by Wedge critics) at the Discovery Institute's website here. Interested readers may want to sift through the document and see for themselves that the Wedge conspiracy charges are simply not true.
Secondly, there is the Wedge strategy. Wedge advocates are becoming increasingly more convinced that the emerging biochemical and cosmological facts implicate the involvement of intelligence in the natural world. Helping scientists as well as the general public become aware of these facts is the central plank in "The Wedge" strategy. The intent of Wedge supporters is to split apart two arguments often used in tandem to dissuade people from the consideration of design hypotheses.
One of the two arguments is philosophical in nature and plays a critical defensive role in preserving Darwinism from potentially damaging competition. The thrust of this argument goes like this: science is ill-equipped to handle inferences to design, so therefore, these inferences have to be ruled out on principle alone (i.e., science simply cannot assess the presence of design). The second argument is evidentiary in nature and serves its purpose in offensive situations. The basic thesis here is that all or virtually all of the biological and physical evidence available to us points in the direction of purposeless, blind forces. Together these arguments form a rhetorically powerful one-two punch. When Darwinists are on the offensive, out comes the "evidence" about sloppy design and vestigial organs. These arguments attempt to illustrate the absurdity of a designer who would have possibly "done it that way?" But when ID advocates advance arguments based on observations that all but demand an inference to design, the Darwinist camp quickly switches to defense and reminds everyone that, tempting as it may seem, it is impossible to generate scientific evidence in favor of design - science simply doesn't allow it. Heads, I win; tails, you lose.
Now of course a major logical flaw occurs when these two arguments are combined. Although design advocates feel both arguments are faulty, any impartial observer can see that the two arguments cannot both be correct. If, on the one hand, science cannot speak to the issue of design, then it makes no sense to a moment later speak of "evidence" that opposes design. And if it is possible to marshal scientific evidence opposing design, then it must be at least theoretically possible to marshal scientific evidence supporting design - so why is it rejected a priori?
I presume that Darwinists who are bent on protecting their theory from fair critique are aware of this logical flaw, but evidently the utility of employing both arguments makes it irresistible. It is this having-their-cake-and-eating-it-too that necessitates any wedge strategy at all. So, for instance, Wedge advocates point out, among other things, that legitimate sciences infer the presence of design all the time. In fact, entire scientific enterprises exist because design is empirically detectable (regardless of whether the nature or intentions of the designer are discernable or not). What if biological evidence continues to surface, the most honest assessment of which repeatedly merits this inference to design? What if it becomes more and more apparent that there are verifiable signs of designing intelligence in the natural world? This is indeed the juncture at which we sit. Refusing to acknowledge this does not make the evidence go away. In light of this situation, Wedge advocates are simply attempting to reopen the public forum on the presence of design in nature - a forum which has been prematurely shut down by faulty Darwinist rhetoric.
Exposing the incongruity between the naturalistic doctrine of blind, purposeless causes and the emerging scientific evidence from information theory, molecular biology, and other fields associated with origins issues, is the crux of "The Wedge" strategy. There is nothing clandestine or sinister about it. It is simple, direct, and open for all to observe. Either it will succeed because hypotheses inferring design will lead us into further scientific truth, or it will wither away due to its fruitlessness. Is it evil and pernicious to allow this idea to breathe and see what happens? Is it appropriate to repeatedly make baseless claims designed to dissuade curious observers from taking a closer look? As a Wedge advocate, I would ask you to see past the histrionic hand-wringing of the Darwinists and take a close look at the possibility of design. Examine the evidence and judge for yourself, isn't that the way science is supposed to work?
Dr. Nesselroade is Associate Professor of Psychology at Asbury College in Kentucky. Readers are welcome to respond to this column at the ARN Discussion Forum.
Copyright 2004 Paul Nesselroade. All rights reserved. International
copyright secured.
File Date: 02.23.04


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Show me your Creative Edits (Post Processing Work, Layering Textures, Photoshop Art)
post yours!
i have been playing around with Textures and different post processing techniques..
started to slow down with the seniors and this gave me an opportunity to work on my post processing skills..
i really want to learn how to manipulate layers and colors and tones.. add textures and effects from filters..
this training is a trial and error process because i have been using photoshop for about 1 1/2 years and still learning how to use all the tools.. adjustment layers and such..
if you want to become more dynamic, and competitive in this photography market or just want to improve your hobbyist satisfaction, you must improve your post processing skills.. ( I have certainly learned the Value of having a good file in camera first, but what i have learned is: the photography market demands more and a good file is only half of the equation.. you must do some good post processing too..)
you don't have to add all the stuff i am adding, but post processing is about editing out what is distracting, skin retouch, cloning out what ever is sticking out of peoples heads, fixing a tooth, pushing in tummys, etc...
basically i am encouraging for everybody to improve their skills in post processing and show me your creative edits, your Art work, and maybe we together can help others get inspired with editing..
this should be a fun thread..
so here goes..
of course i will be glad to help out on how i achieved my projects below just ask away
Some Recent Work ~ My Ever Evolving Style ~
here i added
1. a zoom layer to get that effect by her feet
2. a scratch texture
3. a rusty texture then desaturate to take the yellows and oranges out
all of this was done not to sell to her parents but to mess around with a file and see what i can create.. (classic definition of training for me when i have no teacher)
lighting was 580EX in a softbox westcott.
@ 1/4 power camera left boombed by her mom..
Senior Madness is coming to an end. but what i have learned from this senior season is to stay in communications with the parents and plan the photo orders accordingly..
i recently have stay awake till 2 AM each night for about 5 days in a row to keep up with the late orders and going to normal work @ 8a.m. makes for a long day..
but also this photo is representation of new editing techniques that i am teaching my self..
1. skin retouch (Alaina has great skin to begin with)
2. high pass and erase what area's are not needed in the high pass
3. made my own action for the silverish white over layer that makes the dreamy effect..
4. eye retouching... colors and brightness..
if i had more time i would do this for all the shots.. but as you know that will take forever..
lighting was single 580 EXII in a westcott softbox, boomed by her mother triggered by radio poppers @ 1/4 power with 1/ CTO GEL
Camera:Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Exposure:0.005 sec (1/200)
Focal Length:85 mm
ISO Speed:100
Exposure Bias:0 EV
Flash:On, Fired
IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/photos/-phamster-/4628461614/
Tiara and Sean in their magical moment..
all natural light
layered textures
a rust layer
and a bokeh layer for more effects..
Camera:Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Exposure:0.005 sec (1/200)
Focal Length:85 mm
ISO Speed:100
Exposure Bias:0 EV
Flash:Off, Did not fire
IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/photos/-phamster-/4625281089/
had a shoot with the Twins, these are there senior photos.
Meet Aryn, Megan's Twin sister.
these two were fun to work with and will have an extensive portfolio, we have worked together many times now.. and soon they can be come pro models.. LOL...
lighting was single 580EXii, in a westcott box 28x28.
power i am thinking was about 1/2 to 1/4 power, but eTTL worked great on this one
boomed just camera right aimed at her nose
triggered by ETTL via Radio Poppers really super fun and easy to work with system, running and gunning is now made possible by Radio Poppers
Camera:Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Exposure:0.006 sec (1/160)
Focal Length:85 mm
ISO Speed:160
Exposure Bias:0 EV
Flash:On, Fired
IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/photos/-phamster-/4600605029/
today i had a shoot with the twins, this is Megan, her sister Aryn was holding the lights for us..
Megan has amazing green eyes.. and i matched the bokeh layers to her eyes for some harmony..
does it work?
strobist info:
single speed light in a westcott soft box 580exII, triggered by radio poppers
@ 1/4 power.
simple shot.. great results
Camera:Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Exposure:0.008 sec (1/125)
Focal Length:85 mm
ISO Speed:100
Exposure Bias:0 EV
Flash:On, Fired
IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/photos/-phamster-/4597586548/
this one was 7 different some bokeh layers and rust and scratchy textures..
This Should close out my projects with Francesca's senior photos..
i had a chance to create something memorable for her striking beauty.. this is what we came up with..
lighting was a single Westcott 28x28 with a 580EXII triggered with Radio poppers.
power of the light was about 1/2 power @ 6 feet away boomed by her Phd Physics professor mother at Purdue.. thanks mom for helping with the light
Camera:Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Exposure:0.01 sec (1/100)
Focal Length:85 mm
ISO Speed:100
Exposure Bias:0 EV
Flash:On, Fired
IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/photos/-phamster-/4589954259/
This one was a desaturate and 2 different bokeh layers added to get a 3D effect going .. like the Bubbles are Hugging them..
Latasha wanted a photo shoot dedicated to her best friends.. so here we surround Latasha with her friends..
all natural light..
Camera:Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Exposure:0.001 sec (1/1250)
Focal Length:85 mm
ISO Speed:640
Exposure Bias:0 EV
Flash:No Flash
IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/photos/-phamster-/4564294215/
had a wonderful wedding this weekend.. Such a beautiful wedding.. very touching ceremony, everybody was shedding tears!..
Bob gave a ring to little Bella(5 year old daughter) and from there everybody was crying..
working this wedding really makes you appreciate your family , the people who matters the most..
so lucky to be apart of this and be reminded of this Marriage privilege about 12 times a year..
ring shot was natural light..
textures used
1. bokeh texture
2. scratchy metal texture
3. cut out of a cool dip kiss and then blurred to to fit corner of frame..
i think it works for me.. again it is just my art.. might not work for everybody.. but i am sure the couple will be blown away when they see this..
Camera:Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Exposure:0.006 sec (1/160)
Focal Length:85 mm
ISO Speed:100
Exposure Bias:0 EV
Flash:Off, Did not fire
IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/photos/-phamster-/4633486723/


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The RT project includes a number of different runtime related technologies at Eclipse. You can get involved in RT by joining one of the efforts in a current project or proposing a new effort. RT is managed by a PMC that holds open phone meetings on a regular basis. See the meeting calendar for details and the PMC page for more details on the meeting agendas and minutes.
Visit the wiki pages of some of RT's sub-projects here:
- Eclipse Communication Framework
- Equinox
- embedded Rich Client Platform
- Gemini
- Jetty
- EclipseLink Project
- Remote Application Platform
- Riena Project
- Swordfish
- Virgo
EclipseRT and the Cloud
EclipseRT OSGi Certification
EclipseRT Marketing
A number of marketing and community activities are being organized through the RT PMC. Details can be found on the RT Marketing.
The various RT projects have regular calls to coordinate collaboration. The RT PMC has a bi-weekly call. See the meeting agendas and minutes for more detail.
All of this is tracked in the Equinox Calendar
The calendar is available in the following formats: ICal, ATOM News Feed, HTML


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REPORT: Fox provides megaphone to NYC mosque opponents
Nearly 75 percent of guests hosted to discuss cultural center opposed it
A Media Matters for America review of Fox News' evening coverage of the planned building of an Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero found that, since May, the shows have hosted at least 47 guests to discuss the project, nearly 75 percent of whom opposed the center. Just nine of the guests who appeared on the evening programs supported the building, and one guest remained neutral.
Nearly ¾ of Fox guests opposed the Islamic center
Islamic center opponents outnumbered supporters 35 to 11. A Media Matters review of Nexis transcripts of Fox News' evening programming from May 13 to August 12 showed that nearly three times the number of guests who opposed the construction of the center than those who were supportive of such efforts.
Guests who opposed the center were counted as opponents. Guests who expressed support of the plans to build the center in New York City near Ground Zero were counted as supporters. Guests who did not take a position on the issue were counted as neutral. Guests who did not express an opinion about the construction of the center but rather commented on Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf's philosophical beliefs and past statements were not included in the results:
Below are the names of the guests, the Fox News shows on which they appeared, and their position on building the Islamic center.
Fox News has repeatedly misinformed in coverage of NYC "mosque"
Fox News continues to advance misinformation about Islamic center. Fox News has repeatedly pushed the falsehood that the Islamic cultural center was "plan[ning] to launch" on "9-11." However, Daisy Khan, executive director of one of the organizations leading the project, told Media Matters that the allegation is "absolutely false" and that "the timeline has yet to be determined."
Fox also hosted a GOP candidate to baselessly suggest that "terrorist groups" are funding the center. On the August 2 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, Peter Johnson Jr. hosted George Demos, a Republican candidate in New York's 1st congressional district, to baselessly suggest that "terrorist groups" are funding the Islamic community center.
Fox promoting GOP candidate's petition, i.e. campaign website, against NYC Islamic center. On August 12, Fox & Friends hosted Republican congressional candidate Randy Altschuler and aired his ad comparing the Islamic center to the "Japanese government" erecting a "shrine to its World War II emperor in Pearl Harbor." Fox & Friends directed viewers to Altschuler's campaign website to sign a petition against building the center.
Media Matters reviewed Nexis transcripts of all original Fox News evening programming from May 13 to August 12 between 5 p.m. and 10:59 p.m. ET. (Fox News airs a repeat of The O'Reilly Factor at the 11 p.m. ET hour.) Transcripts of Fox News' evening program, Fox Report, are not available in Nexis, and therefore, the show was not included in the study.
Media Matters counted all guests who appeared in segments that involved a discussion of the controversy about building the New York City Islamic community center near Ground Zero. Each guest's position on the issue was derived from statements made during that guest's appearance. In some cases, guests expressed personal opposition to the mosque but acknowledged that the organizers had a right to build there. For instance, on the August 8 broadcast of Hannity, Juan Williams said, "I happen to agree with you [Sean Hannity] about the idea that they shouldn't build the mosque," later adding, "But that doesn't mean that we, as Americans, can say to him, 'No, you can't build here.' That's wrong." These few guests were categorized as "against" the mosque because of their personal opposition to its construction.


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What is a Hormone Imbalance?
You've probably heard of the term, "hormone imbalance" before – but what exactly does it mean? What exactly causes a hormone imbalance – and what can you do to fix it?
Hormone imbalance refers to an imbalance in your body's ability to naturally regulate its own hormones. For example, a hormone imbalance could refer to a person who has low testosterone levels, or a women who has low estrogen levels. Hormone imbalances can occur as a result of the aging process (one popular example includes when women go through menopause), or for genetic reasons.
Some of the most common hormones that could become imbalanced include:
- Estrogen
- Testosterone
- Melatonin
- Thyroid
- Cortisol
- Progesterone
- DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone)
Wondering if you have […]


text:
For the first time in U.S. history, women have overtaken men in the workplace. More specifically, they've overtaken men in professional roles. As of 2009, women represented half of all U.S. workers and are the primary or co-breadwinners in nearly two-thirds of American households. That's a far cry from1967, when women made up only one-third of all U.S. workers.
So what brought about the mass movement of women into the workplace?
It was a generation of college-educated women who rejected the prospect of following in the footsteps of their moms, spending their adult lives as housewives; it was companies that increasingly needed and sought women's white-collar office skills and an economy that required both men and women to earn an income.
But it was also due to a tiny but powerful enabler no bigger than a pinky nail: the birth control pill.
"The birth control pill gave me the opportunity to delay having children and start my own company," says Jane Wurland, 52, CEO of the skincare line Dermalogica, who had her first child at 36. "It allowed me to plan my company without having to juggle in an unplanned pregnancy," she says.
Wurland was part of a trailblazing generation of entrepreneurs, lawyers, doctors and other professionals who were able to plan when they had children. The reverberations of their choices can still be felt today. Without the birth control pill, women would almost certainly not have made it into powerful senior positions. While the political and social will to bring a critical mass of women into the workplace was certainly there--the advent of the birth control pill coincided with the second wave of feminism and the fight for equal rights--the pill gave women a tangible tool to level the playing field with men. They no longer had to be mothers first and careerists second. The pill allowed for both their entrance--and ascendance--in the workplace.
To be sure, there's no denying the pill triggered the sexual revolution for women as well. Because they no longer had to worry about getting pregnant, it freed them up to have sex outside of marriage. But it was the workplace where the pill made its most lasting impact.
"The pill made it possible for women to walk through doors that had once been closed to them, says Elaine Tyler May, author of the new book, America and the Pill: A History of Promise, Peril, and Liberation.
That was certainly the case for Gloria Feldt, 68, the former CEO of Planned Parenthood who is currently working on a book about women's relationship with power. "As someone who had three children by the time she was 20, "the pill literally saved my life," says Feldt. "Without the pill, I would have had one or two more. It enabled me to purposefully have a life that I designed. It allowed me to start college and begin a career."
On a macro level, Feldt says the pill released women. "If women are going to have control and power in society, they have to be able to control when they have children, and they have to be able to make money. The pill brought together the economics and the fertility timeline in a neat little package."
In other words, women were no longer spending their critical career-building years--their 20s and early 30s--barefoot and pregnant.
Suzanne Spaulding, 53, a principal at Bingham Consulting Group, LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm, says the birth control pill enabled her to pursue a graduate degree. "I did not have my first child until I was 30, which allowed me to complete law school and get a good start on my career." After graduating from law school, Spaulding went on to work for Sen. Arlen Specter and the Central Intelligence Agency.
For Spaulding, the contrast is her older sister. "She went back to law school with two little children at home. I was very aware that my ability to postpone childbearing alleviated a significant amount of stress."
Even for women who don't have children, like Joan Michaels, 53, president of JB Michelson & Associates, a Washington, D.C.-based marketing and communications strategy firm, give credit to the birth control pill for their climb up the ladder. "Having that control over my own body and not having to rely on a guy to do the right thing gave me an enormous amount of freedom in my career," she says.
The pill, Michaels says, eliminated the "what if." "I didn't have to consider getting pregnant in making career decisions, like getting an M.B.A., starting my own consulting practice, or traveling for work."
Ultimately, the birth control pill gave women time and control, critical commodities in the workplace. "The ability to control my pregnancies has been essential to my career," says Gloria Jacobs, 63, executive director of the Feminist Press at CUNY. "I had my first child at 35, and those years before I had children shaped who I am as a writer and an editor. I'm extremely grateful to have had that opportunity."


text: Though the Western practice of eating out is now widespread, Russians love to entertain at home, and if you're invited over always bring a small present, be it some flowers (if you're male) or some chocolates (if female). Tipping is in vogue only at high-end eating and drinking establishments, and five to ten percent should cover it. In churches, women should cover their head and shoulders, and men in shorts may be refused entry; you'll also notice that Russians avoid turning their back to the iconostasis that screens the altar. Russians are rather superstitious; you'll see people rubbing the noses of the dog statues at the Metro Ploshad Revolutsii in Moscow for good luck. Old-fashioned chivalry is alive and well, with men opening doors for women and offering to help with heavy lifting. You'll notice young people giving up their seats to the elderly on public transport; follow their example before being told to.


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To order an image, navigate to the fulldisplay and click "request this image"on the blue toolbar.
Engraving by G. E. Perine & Co. (N.Y.)
Approximate size of image: 7 cm x 8.3 cm; whole page (visible in large image): 22.8 cm x 15.2
From Portraits of American Abolitionists (a collection of images of individuals representing a broad spectrum of viewpoints in the slavery debate) Photo. 81.18
This portrait depicts Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906).


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thanks for the tips
very useful!
When I was in college I interned for some very large corporations and swore to myself that I would never work for gigantic companies ever again. I hated the lack of purpose and direction in my internships and I also did not like the layers upon layers of bureaucracy. So when I graduated college I decided that I will work for a startup. I did join a small profitable startup and met a group of extremely intelligent people and worked with them for over a year. Since then I have joined a couple more small private companies and I have learned a lot about startups and I would like to share my experience here.
1. Have Realistic Expectations - Lets face it, not everyone who joins a startup can become a millionaire because 90% of startups fail. If you are a lowly rank and file employee like me it is also pretty hard to become extremely rich off the option grants . It does not mean that it is impossible to profit handsomely off a startup if you choose well and join early. I have seen a few of my coworkers run off with hundreds of thousands dollars worth in company stock because they have been with a company for many years. Since startups are usually small, you can also expect to have less benefits than larger companies. For example, I have never had 401k matching, but I have an extremely flexible work schedule to make up for it.
2. Find a List of Startups - Recently a great site called VentureLoop.com appeared and it lets you search for positions at startups. The job postings are mostly posted by the venture capitalists that are funding the startups and instead of going to each venture capital company's page you can search it all at VentureLoop. Other methods of finding names of startups include networking, or search for lists of companies that received venture funding. Lists of these are sometimes published in newspapers and business journals. Once you have a list of names you can start narrowing down the companies you want to target.
3. Research and Estimate the Current Value of the Company - If you want to get rich off of pre-IPO stock options, it is best to have an idea how much the company you would like to join is worth right now. Some friends have asked me what I thought of Facebook, which is touted as one of the hottest companies in the Valley right now. I told them that I thought the valuation is way too high at $15 billion . The way stock options work is that your strike price is whatever the last valuation of the company is as determined by the company's board or a sale event. So if anyone joined Facebook now they would have a very high strike price. Then again, Facebook may be pumped up some more. Generally, when you receive an offer from a startup you are able to ask how many shares of stock are outstanding and how much each share is worth. However, if you are just doing research on your own, you can only estimate the company's valuation from news clippings.
4. Research the Company's Product - This is one of the most important things you can do. The first startup I joined is really excellent in terms of working environment, but I was not interested in the product at all. Even though the product is profitable I did not feel a connection to it. So if you are interested in a startup, you should see if you would actually buy the product. If the product is available to try then by all means get a copy and play around with it. Since the product is something you will work with day in and day out it is important that you like it. You should also have a good idea of whether or not the product would sell and if you have faith in the company's product, then it is a good sign.
5. Research the Company's Competition - It is best to join a startup that has no competition at all. That means they have a fresh idea and they are the leader in the marketplace. However, it is very rare to find a company like that and the barrier to entry for many startups is very low. If you do find a company with competition you should see if the competition is doing better. Generally, you want to join the leader of the pack because there is more of a chance for the frontrunners to survive.
6. Try to Get an Interview - So you have your sights set on a great company, do you have an interview? The best way to get interviews in startups is through networking. Look up the company name in LinkedIn and see if you find anyone you know. Otherwise, look on the company website directly and submit your resume. You can also call the company and just ask if you can speak with someone. There is not always a position available, but it does not hurt to try.
7. Negotiate Your Offer - If you happen to get an offer from an excellent startup, congratulations! All the startups I have joined have been quite selective and have had fairly difficult interviews. Now you must negotiate your offer at least once. I did not know this when I just graduated college but apparently just by asking nicely you can often get more stock options or more money. The worst thing they can do is say they can not offer you any more, but usually a company that has just put you through eight or nine rounds of interviews really want to hire you. They have used up their precious resources to interview you and they would not reject you just because you asked for a better offer.
8. Work Hard and Play Hard - Startups are places where everyone have to wear a lot of different hats and do more than just the job description. There are times where you have to work fairly long hours, but there is often free drinks and food along with it. Some companies even have game rooms for people to spend time. I have met a lot of fun and young people in the startups I joined, and there are always opportunities to play.
Right now I am still working for a startup, and I am enjoying it very much. One thing I would like to stress is that if you are young you will learn so much more at a startup as opposed to a large conglomerate with 200,000 employees. You will learn to do things efficiently and become more independent. The downside is that there may not be as many training programs or perks like pension or paid maternity leave. However, there is always the dream of the IPO.
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Must one be young to learn at a start-up? Or have fun? Drat! And news clippings? What are those? :o
Nice article, well written. I'd emphasize the usefulness of growing one's network more though and suggest folks try a bit harder to get a warm introduction to the companies they like. People like to hire people they know, or people that know someone they know. Ya know?
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Easton Press Alan Alda books:
Never Have Your Dog Stuffed - signed first edition - 2005
Never Have Your Dog Stuffed
He's one of America's most recognizable and acclaimed actors–a star on Broadway, an Oscar nominee for The Aviator, and the only person to ever win Emmys for acting, writing, and directing, during his eleven years on M*A*S*H. Now Alan Alda has written a memoir as elegant, funny, and affecting as his greatest performances.
"My mother didn't try to stab my father until I was six," begins Alda's irresistible story. The son of a popular actor and a loving but mentally ill mother, he spent his early childhood backstage in the erotic and comic world of burlesque and went on, after early struggles, to achieve extraordinary success in his profession.
Yet Never Have Your Dog Stuffed is not a memoir of show-business ups and downs. It is a moving and funny story of a boy growing into a man who then realizes he has only just begun to grow.
It is the story of turning points in Alda's life, events that would make him what he is–if only he could survive them.
From the moment as a boy when his dead dog is returned from the taxidermist's shop with a hideous expression on his face, and he learns that death can't be undone, to the decades-long effort to find compassion for the mother he lived with but never knew, to his acceptance of his father, both personally and professionally, Alda learns the hard way that change, uncertainty, and transformation are what life is made of, and true happiness is found in embracing them.
Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, filled with curiosity about nature, good humor, and honesty, is the crowning achievement of an actor, author, and director, but surprisingly, it is the story of a life more filled with turbulence and laughter than any Alda has ever played on the stage or screen.


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At KraftMaid®, it's never been just about the products we make. It's also about the people we make them for. Our customers' high expectations drive us to continually improve everything we do. That's why we recently invested millions of dollars and thousands of man-hours to create the DuraKraft Plus Finishing System.
We're so confident in the quality of our finishes, we back our cabinetry with a lifetime limited warranty. It's because we believe that our kitchens should look as beautiful in 20 years as they do the day they're installed. It's one more reason to design a kitchen that bears the name 'KraftMaid.'
The four pillars of the DuraKraft Plus Finishing System:
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- State-of-the-art sanding machines — the first of their kind in the US
- Utilization of hand-sanding that's typically reserved for custom cabinetry
- Exclusive cleaning tool removes dust so the finish applies evenly from door to door
- Joint sealant is now applied to select painted doors to reduce the appearance of fine lines
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- Hand-detailing creates an artistic touch that you won't find most anywhere else
- Three coats of catalyzed enamel on door fronts and two coats on door backs for a durable rich finish
- Hand-wiping the stain ensures that the color absorbs and enhances the woods natural characteristics
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Last Friday morning September 18th, eight women (just happened to be one gender this time!) arrived for three days of intense manuscript map painting. They came from California, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Virginia, New York, and Connecticut–all advanced students, with cartography experience gained at previous workshops here or in other contexts. Hazel Jarvis–talented painter, mapmaker, and art instructor–taught with me on Saturday and Sunday. As a bonus, Elizabeth Porcher Jones, a workshop attendee and phenomenal calligrapher, demonstrated her art for us yesterday. Watching her form letters in her exquisite hand, all of us were transfixed. She often combines cartography with calligraphy:
Hazel and I did a little formal teaching, but mostly we acted as map-making midwives as attendees composed and then began to execute their projects– All hands were busy:
Workshop maps varied from student to student: an environmental anthropologist mapped her family's Irish heritage; the calligrapher mapped a camp her son had attended; an eclipse-chaser mapped a lunar eclipse she witnessed in Niger; a graphic artist mapped her family's migration from China to Cuba, Guatamala, and the United States; a linguist mapped two childhood years her family lived in Penang; a neuroscientist mapped a recent hiking trip in the Dolomites; the Californian mapped her very favorite and her least favorite restaurants in LA in saturated 1950's design style; and a master gardener (also the only townie in the group–she lives down the street from me) commemorated her brother's beautifully restored Victorian house in the context of its neighborhood.
Mapmakers need sustenance, of course, and breaks from the studio. We ate and drank and enjoyed sunny September warmth:
Nobody finished her map in three days: these are complex and ambitious projects, and I don't expect to see final results for some time. Hand-painted maps take hours: maybe that bucks current trends, but there's great value in endeavors that blossom over time, and great pleasure in performing each step with care. Hazel and I hope we gave them enough guidance to continue on their own–with recourse, if they need it, to the Redstone Studios 24-hour Cartographic Hotline. I usually correspond with my students long after our weekend together. For us and for them, there's value in the journey. Part of the mapmaking journey is our shared interest in maps and, invariably, in each other's lives and interests. We make maps here, but we also form friendships and support each other's creativity and visions. It's just three days, but it's three days carved out of busy lives for a rarefied purpose.
I'll be teaching a 3-day intro workshop at the Osher Map Library in Portland ME from June 24-26 2015. Contact me if you're interested: email@example.com; 860 575 4640.


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Genealogy is like a jigsaw puzzle, but you don't have the box top, so you don't know what the picture is supposed to look like. As you start putting the puzzle together, you realize some pieces are missing, and eventually you figure out that some of the pieces you started with don't actually belong to this puzzle. I'll help you discover the right pieces for your puzzle and assemble them into a picture of your family.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Whoops! Forgot Where I Was
2 comments:
So how did you advise her to proceed? And did the patron find her famous family member?ReplyDelete
I agreed with her hypothesis that the story probably would have appeared in the newspaper. I suggested she look for the family in city directories so she could narrow her search area and then use the Chronicling America site to get an idea of what newspapers were published for the time and location(s). Then she can try to find the newspapers online or on microfilm.ReplyDelete
All comments on this blog will be previewed by the author to prevent spammers and unkind visitors to the site. The blog is open to everyone, particularly those interested in family history and genealogy.


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I have a friend who can look her husband straight in the eyes, even when confronted with irrefutable evidence, and convincingly swear that her 'this season' Louboutins was purchased for an obscene discount from a hawker in Canal Street [not true - I've watched her in action on Fifth Avenue]. Another has the passwords of her boyfriend's e-mail and social networking accounts while he, of course, is blissfully unaware that his every virtual move is being monitored by his seemingly un-tech savvy girlfriend.
When I share the chilling tittle-tattle with my friend Jimmy, he kindly describes them as "undercover angels." "Women," he offers, "are born with an extra strand in their DNA. Men can fidget around with gadgets, but women have an antenna inside them. They're born spies."
As flippant as it may sound, there may be something to Jimmy's observations.
Last week, in a stunning departure from protocol, the head of Mossad – Israel's national intelligence agency - singled out his female field agents for praise. "Women have a distinct advantage in secret warfare because of their ability to multitask," Tamir Pardo said to Israel's Lady Globes. He also added that women are "better at playing a role" and superior to men when it comes to "suppressing their ego in order to attain the goal."
"Women are gifted at deciphering situations. Contrary to stereotypes, you see that women's abilities are superior to men in terms of understanding the territory, reading situations, spatial awareness. When they're good, they're very good."
Wait - hold fire. So can we infer from this that we're better at map-reading and navigating the streets?
I'm taking a moment here to think of every woman who has unfairly lost an argument with a member of the opposite sex. Over directions.
While some may find the observations of Mossad's spy chief surprising – is it really? We've been conditioned by popular culture – spy movies with protagonists such as James Bond and Jason Bourne which perpetuate the myth that the best spies are men, and that women's contribution to espionage – with names like 'Pussy Galore' and 'Strawberry Fields' - is limited to the role of 'honeytrapper.'
What Mr Pardo has effectively done is lift the lid on the role of women in arguably one of the most dangerous professions on earth. "We're all afraid," he says. "Fear crosses gender lines."
A young Israeli Brit, Simon Cohen tells me: "When I was serving [for Israel], I noticed that most of the instructors were female. After asking why, I was told there is a better response from the lads as we apparently learn better..."
Intriguing. I felt that there was only one way to understand the makings of a female spy: track, locate and interview one.
One of the CIA's best-kept secrets
Lindsay Moran worked for the CIA for five years. Trained at the infamous 'Farm' in surveillance, counter-surveillance and survival techniques such as weapons training and defensive driving [driving backwards fast while only looking at the rear-view mirror], she was posted to Eastern Europe where her job focused on recruiting 'agents' who would then pass intelligence to the CIA.
She tells me that that one of the CIA's best-kept secrets is that their most talented spies are women. "The women in my training class and those with whom I later served were always the top recruiters of foreign agents – which is the bread and butter of the secret service."
So, what exactly is it about women that gives them a day to day advantage in this profession? Well - apart from the 'femme fatale' business.
People Skills
Being able to make friends easily, to read people – determine their motivations and vulnerabilities. "When we received training about how to 'spot and assess' potential sources, it came naturally to the women. I felt like I'd been doing it my whole life," Lindsay explains.
Street smarts vs Physical strength
Contrary to popular belief that you need to be physically fit to outmaneuver the enemy, it's actually the ability to read the danger potential of a person or situation – in other words, having the smarts, which is the key to survival on the ground. "Women are already attuned to the security of their environment. We are always on the lookout for suspicious characters, people who might be following us, dangerous situations. We've compensated for being the physically 'weaker sex' by developing these street smarts."
Women have the "nurturing instinct"
The main focus of an operations officer – which is just a technical term for being an agent or spy – is handling foreign 'assets' or sources. Some may say this is not dissimilar to a mothering role. "You have to train your sources to look out for their own security. Very often you're dealing with not the most reliable, stable or trustworthy individuals – just like kids – and you must safeguard them against any number of threats."
Women are better listeners
Handling an agent requires listening to their concerns or complaints. "Many of the men in my training class had to be instructed on how to listen or on how to elicit information. It came naturally to us women," Lindsay explains.
Women spies have a built in 'cover story'
According to Lindsay, women always have the advantage in creating a reasonable sounding excuse for why they might be meeting with a man in a parked car, hotel room or dark restaurant on the edge of town. "The standard cover story is we're having an affair. It's plausible under any circumstances and in any part of the world."
So that's the reality of the spying game for women. As for the movie-version, we'll just have to wait and see if James Bond will ever be replaced by a Jane...
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