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Taiga, also called boreal forest, biome (major life zone) of vegetation composed primarily of cone-bearing needle-leaved or scale-leaved evergreen trees, found in northern circumpolar forested regions characterized by long winters and moderate to high annual precipitation. The taiga, "land of the little sticks" in Russian, takes its name from the collective term for the northern forests of Russia, especially Siberia.
The taiga, which is also known as the boreal (meaning northern) forest region, occupies about 17 percent of Earth's land surface area in a circumpolar belt of the far Northern Hemisphere. Northward beyond this limit, the taiga merges into the circumpolar tundra. The taiga is characterized predominantly by a limited number of conifer species—i.e., pine (Pinus), spruce (Picea), larch (Larix), fir (Abies)—and to a lesser degree by some deciduous genera such as birch (Betula) and poplar (Populus). These trees reach the highest latitudes of any trees on Earth. Plants and animals in the taiga are adapted to short growing seasons of long days that vary from cool to warm. Winters are long and very cold, the days are short, and a persistent snowpack is the norm. The taiga biomes of North America and Eurasia display a number of similarities, even sharing some plant and animal species.
During the final period of maximum cold temperatures (23,000 to 16,500 years ago) in the latter part of the Pleistocene Ice Age (which ended 11,700 years ago), species that now constitute the taiga were displaced as far south as 30° N latitude by the continental glaciers of Europe, Asia, and North America and by the hyperarid and extremely cold environments of unglaciated Asia and North America. As the glaciers began to retreat gradually about 18,000 years ago, species of the taiga began to move northward in Europe and North America. In eastern and central North America the northward movement of the forest was relatively steady and gradual. An exception to this progression occurred about 9,000 years ago in western Canada, when white spruce spread rapidly northward across 2,000 km (1,240 miles) of newly deglaciated land in only 1,000 years. This rapid migration resulted from seed dispersal facilitated by strong northward winds caused by clockwise atmospheric circulation around the remnant ice cap of northern Quebec and the western part of Hudson Bay.
Because so much of Earth's water was bound up in ice at this time, sea levels were lower than they are today, and this allowed migrations of various terrestrial species to occur. Many areas that are now islands were then connected to the nearby mainland; e.g., the British Isles were linked to Europe. As the climate warmed during the last stages of the glacial period, but before the sea level rose to its current position, some plants and animals of the mainland European taiga ecosystem migrated to Britain. This biota exists today as part of the taiga in the Highlands of Scotland. The areas of lowland central Alaska, the central Yukon territory, and the Far East region of Russia, which had climates too arid to permit the formation of ice sheets, were connected by the Bering Land Bridge, across which many species migrated. As a result, today across Alaska a gradient in plant characteristics can be observed, ranging from typical North American forms in the east to those with Eurasian characteristics in the west.
The taiga regions of North America and Eurasia are broad belts of vegetation that span their respective continents from Atlantic to Pacific coasts. In North America the taiga occupies much of Canada and Alaska. Although related transition forest types are present in the northern tier of the lower 48 United States, true taiga stops just north of the southern Canadian border. The vast taiga of Asia extends across Russia and southward into northeastern China and Mongolia. In Europe most of Finland, Sweden, and Norway are covered with taiga. A small, isolated area of boreal forest in the Scottish Highlands lacks some continental species but does contain the most widespread conifer of the Eurasian taiga, Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris).
The position of the taiga generally is controlled by the degree of warmth experienced during the growing season, the temperature of the soil, and the extreme minimum winter temperature. The taiga biome consists of three roughly parallel zones: closed-canopy forest, lichen woodland or sparse taiga, and forest-tundra. The closed-canopy forest is the southernmost portion of the taiga. It contains the greatest richness of species, the warmest soils, the highest productivity, and the longest growing season within the boreal zone. North of the closed-canopy forest is the lichen woodland—a smaller parallel zone of sparse forest or woodland in which tree crowns do not form a closed canopy. Lichen mats and tundralike vegetation make up a significant portion of the ground cover. To the north of the lichen woodland lies forest-tundra, which occurs along the northern edge of tree growth (tree line). Patches of trees consisting of only a few species dot restricted portions of the landscape, forming a complex mosaic with tundra. Many trees in the forest-tundra zone have never been known to produce viable seeds or have done so only sporadically. These trees were established during warmer climatic episodes from a few hundred to a few thousand years ago and have persisted since, usually by vegetative (asexual) reproduction. Forest fires in this zone remove trees, and, because of the lack of reproduction, only unburned patches of trees remain.
The closed-canopy forest, or southern taiga zone, on both continents is not distributed along a strictly east-west axis. At the western margin of Europe, the warming influence of the Gulf Stream allows the closed-canopy forest to grow at its northernmost location, generally between about 60° and 70° N. In western North America the Kuroshio and North Pacific currents likewise warm the climate and cause the northward deflection of the forest into Alaska and Yukon in Canada. On the eastern margin of the continents, the taiga is deflected southward to between about 50° and 60° N by the cold polar air masses that flow south along these coasts. This is the southernmost limit of the taiga, to the south of which, in humid eastern North America and Europe, lies a northern deciduous broad-leaved transition forest. In this forest small stands of boreal conifers are distributed on cooler or less-productive sites such as peaty wetlands. In the arid centre of both continents, the closed-canopy boreal forest is bordered to the south by a forest parkland of trees and grassland.
The central portions of Eurasia and North America are regions of flat or gently rolling topography. There, the northern and southern boundaries of the taiga are broad and gradual; they have fluctuated by as much as 200 km (125 miles) during the past few thousand years. A well-defined but complex boundary is formed between taiga and alpine tundra on the mountains of the Pacific edge in western North America and the Far East region of Russia. Generally, the taiga does not come into contact with the humid temperate or subpolar rainforest of coastal Alaska and British Columbia because of high mountain barriers, but some low-elevation regions have a transition zone often characterized by trees that are a hybrid of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) and white spruce (P. glauca). In Norway and Scotland a variant form of the taiga occupies extremely humid environments.
Practically all the large river systems of the taiga of Siberia, including the Ob, Yenisey, and Lena rivers, are northward-flowing. The Ob in western Siberia forms a great lowland basin with a considerable percentage of the land surface covered with poorly drained peaty wetlands. In such situations within the taiga a closed-canopy forest is generally absent.
Environmental conditions
Coldness is the dominant climatic factor in taiga ecosystems, although a surprising diversity of climates exists. Several factors—namely, the solar elevation angle, day length, and snow cover—conspire to produce this cold climate. In the taiga biome the Sun is never directly overhead (90°) as it can be in the tropics. The maximum solar angle decreases with increasing latitude. At latitude 50° N in the southern part of the taiga biome the maximum solar angle is 63.5°, and at the Arctic Circle it is only 47°. As a result, solar energy is less intense in the taiga biome because it is spread out over a greater area of Earth's surface than it is in equatorial regions. Day length also affects temperature. Long winter nights at high latitudes allow radiation emitted by the surface of Earth to escape into the atmosphere, especially in continental interiors where cloud cover is less abundant than it is near the coast. Snow cover too affects the climate, because it reflects incoming solar radiation and amplifies cooling. During winter a snowpack persists for at least five months in the southern portion of the taiga biome and for seven or eight months in the northern reaches. The taiga actually mitigates this cooling because it roughens and darkens what would otherwise be a smooth, snow-covered, energy-reflecting surface for much of the year. It has been estimated that Earth would be significantly colder without the taiga.
The northern limit of the North American taiga coincides with the mean position of the Arctic front—the boundary between Arctic and mid-continental air masses—in the summer; its southern limit coincides with the mean frontal position in the winter. Mean annual temperatures in the taiga range from a few degrees Celsius above freezing to −10 °C (14 °F) or more. Areas with a mean annual temperature below freezing are susceptible to the formation of permafrost soils (frozen ground; see below Soils).
The mean temperature of January, the coldest month, is generally less than −10 °C (14 °F) across the taiga. The taiga includes areas that experience some of the lowest temperatures on Earth, excluding Antarctica. At the height of winter an intensely cold pocket of air develops over inland areas of far eastern Siberia; mean temperatures of −50 °C (−58 °F) have been recorded in this region. As this Siberian cold air flows over the unfrozen northern Pacific Ocean, a great temperature contrast develops that results in strong, westward-moving storm systems. The movement, position, and strength of these storms control much of the weather in the Northern Hemisphere.
Boreal forests do not grow on areas surrounding the Bering Strait. A rigorous cold climate with a very short snow-free season precludes the growth of trees on the Russian side of the Bering Strait in the Chukotka region of the Russian Far East. On the North American side, in western Alaska, summers are too cool for trees to grow, because of cold air masses moving off the Bering Sea.
The growing season in the taiga is generally cool. The mean temperature of the warmest month, July, is generally between 15 and 20 °C (59 and 68 °F). Summer daytime high temperatures are typically cool to warm—20 to 25 °C (68 to 77 °F)—for much of the growing season in the taiga. Cool summer temperatures can actually produce higher photosynthetic efficiency in plants than can warmer conditions. Species adapted to cold respire less (use up less of their food stores) when photosynthesizing at cool temperatures in intense summer light than they do at higher temperatures, allowing a greater net gain in biomass (dry mass of organic matter).
Areas of the taiga located in the centre of continents generally receive 30 to 50 cm (12 to 20 inches) of annual precipitation. Precipitation totals are relatively modest in these locations because they are a significant distance from unfrozen oceans that supply moisture. Some taiga regions are semiarid and may even include grasslands interspersed with the forest. These forests are found in regions of Yukon and Alaska that occur on the leeward side of mountains which are sheltered from moisture-bearing winds, as well as in some portions of the interior of the Far East region of Russia. Annual precipitation in low elevations of these regions is 30 cm or less. The highest annual precipitation total in the taiga, which can exceed 100 cm, is in eastern North America and northern Europe. During ancient eras of colder climate, these regions also received relatively abundant precipitation, which resulted in the buildup of glacial ice sheets. Today these once heavily glaciated regions support extensive lakes, streams, and wetlands.
Extended periods of clear, dry weather in the boreal region are caused by persistent strong polar high pressure systems. If strong high pressure persists during the long days near the summer solstice, temperatures can warm to 30 °C (86 °F) or higher. Intense heating at the ground surface often produces convective storms with lightning but little rain, causing forest fires.
Taiga conifer litter is highly acidic. Soils of the more humid and southern taiga are highly leached spodosols, which are characterized by the leaching of iron, aluminum, and organic matter from the chemically and biologically distinct surface layer—horizon A—to the next layer—horizon B. Much of the soil of central and eastern Canada—granitic Canadian Shield—has been repeatedly scraped clean by glacial advances. Thus, productive forests often are restricted to portions of the landscape where soil material has been deposited by glaciers. Peaty wetlands occur where surface drainage is impeded by permafrost, youthful glacial topography, or aggraded rivers; their soils are characteristically organic soils, or histosols. Soils in much of boreal western North America and Asia are inceptisols, which have little horizon development. Very thin surface salt deposits are found in the most arid portions of the taiga.
Cold soils are characteristic of taiga regions, which overlaps the zone of permafrost. Permafrost is soil or earth material that remains below 0 °C (32 °F) for at least two years. The surface, or active, layer of permafrost thaws in the warm season and freezes in the winter, but the soil below the active layer remains continuously frozen. Because the plant rooting zone is restricted to the active layer, nutrient supply is limited and secure anchoring for roots is lacking. Some trees and other plants of the taiga (especially black spruce [Picea mariana] and tamarack [Larix laricina] in North America and larches in Siberia) can grow on permafrost if the active layer is sufficiently deep, but several species are eliminated from permafrost.
The taiga itself is an important contributing factor to the development of permafrost. The latter stages of forest growth—characterized by development of an intact forest canopy, growth of an insulating moss cover in summer, and accumulation of forest litter—may cool the soil to such an extent that permafrost develops. Warming of the soil is promoted by forest fires, which remove the canopy, moss, and forest litter layers. In the absence of an intact canopy, a deeper and more effective insulating layer of snow accumulates in the winter. The presence of dark ash following a fire increases solar energy absorption on the site for several years.
The taiga of Europe generally lacks permafrost, but east of the Ural Mountains and from central Canada northward permafrost is common. In southern and central parts of the taiga, permafrost occurs sporadically and occupies only a small percentage of the landscape that experiences the coldest temperatures. The northern portion of closed-canopy forest and the lichen woodland zone are in a region of discontinuous permafrost, where permafrost is found on north-facing slopes and in cold air drainage basins but is absent from south-facing slopes and newly deposited alluvial sites. Most of the forest-tundra is within the continuous permafrost zone.
Forest productivity in the middle and northern taiga zones is directly related to soil temperature. Warmer soils decompose organic matter more quickly, releasing nutrients for new plant growth and creating a more productive site. Productive forest types occupy warmer, south-facing slopes and river terraces, and less productive dwarf or sparse forest occupies the north-facing and basin permafrost sites.
Floodplains throughout the taiga biome are free of permafrost, high in soil fertility, and repeatedly disturbed in ways that renew the early, rapid growth stages of forest succession. Floodplains are a mosaic of productive shrubland and forest that serve as a major habitat for moose (Alces alces), which influence ecosystem structure and function.
South-central Alaska and adjacent Yukon and British Columbia support the most extensive ice sheets and glaciers in the world outside the polar desert regions of Antarctica and Greenland. Glacial meltwater is a large part of the flow of larger rivers such as the Yukon and Tanana in Alaska and the Yukon territory. Glacial meltwater carries a heavy load of suspended sediment that deposits in riverbeds and causes frequent channel shifts. Glacial river floodplains are extensive, very dynamic, and constantly renewed with fertile soil material. In the ancient past exposed deposits of glacial silt were picked up by strong winds and deposited on surrounding hillsides. Fertile soils, known as loess, resulted, on which highly productive upland forests are found today. Because the beds of glacially fed rivers are rising, the landscape through which they flow is partially drowned from the impeded drainage, often preventing forest growth and favouring the development of marshes and mires.
The biota and its adaptations
Nearly all major taxonomic groups have fewer species of animals and plants in the taiga than they have in other terrestrial ecosystems at lower latitudes. This accords with the species diversity gradient that is observed from lower to higher latitudes, with numbers of species decreasing in a poleward direction.
Scotch pine is the most widely distributed pine species in the world, growing from northern Scotland to the Russian Pacific shore. The relatively humid and productive taiga of northern Europe and south-central Siberia is dominated by this species. Forest management has greatly favoured this species in Scandinavia and Finland. It is a thick-barked species and easily survives light ground fires, often reaching ages of 350 to 400 years and some individuals being older than 700 years. European aspen and Siberian spruce are essentially transcontinental in distribution as well.
The species composition of Eurasian taiga is different east of central Siberia from that which prevails westward into Europe. Distinctive European species include Norway spruce (Picea abies), a large dominant species of the productive humid parts of the taiga, and Sukaczev larch (Larix sukaczewii), an early successional species (one of the first species to colonize an area after a disturbance) of European Russia. Gray (Betula populifolia) and white birch (B. pendula) occur across northern Europe and well into central Siberia. The birches often form dense stands of light- or white-barked trees that are considered a characteristic feature of the taiga. Siberian larch (Larix sibirica) and Siberian fir (Abies sibirica) are restricted to north-central Asia. Species restricted to northeastern Asia include chosenia (Chosenia arbutifolia), an early successional broad-leaved tree of floodplains; Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica), a short shrub or tree; and Asian spruce (Picea obovata).
All North American tree species are distributed across the continent except jack pine (Pinus banksiana), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), and balsam fir (Abies balsamea). Jack pine is a relatively small, short-lived, early successional tree occurring in the eastern and central parts of taiga east of the Rocky Mountains. Lodgepole pine is a longer-lived, early successional species growing in western Canada and along the Rocky Mountain axis from central Yukon southward to well south of the taiga limit. Balsam fir is a shade-tolerant, late successional, but relatively short-lived tree that occurs only in the eastern and central parts of the North American taiga.
Major taiga tree species are well adapted to extreme winter cold. The northernmost trees in North America are white spruce that grow along the Mackenzie River delta in Canada, near the shore of the Arctic Ocean. The northernmost trees in the world are Gmelin larch (Larix gmelinii) found at latitude 72°40′ N on the Taymyr Peninsula in the central Arctic region of Russia.
A representative profile of the vegetation is shown in the figure.
Other plants
A distinctive feature of the flora of taiga is the abundance and diversity of mosses. About one-third of the ground cover under taiga is dominated by moss. Much of the ground cover in older conifer stands is moss, which grows on rocks, on tree trunks, and in the pits formed by upturned trees. Extensive peaty wetlands in the boreal region are often thick accumulations of dead sphagnum and other mosses, sedges, and other plants; a living moss layer continually grows at the surface.
Lichens (a symbiotic association of a fungus and algae) constitute a significant part of the ground cover in the lichen woodland or sparse taiga. Lichens are also generally well distributed on tree trunks and especially in the canopy of older conifers throughout the taiga. Because lichens and mosses are dispersed by airborne spores that can travel long distances, many species of both groups are found across the entire circumpolar taiga.
Many vascular plants are also widespread across the circumpolar north. Some forest understory species dominate their habitats; they include twinflower (Linnaea borealis), lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), baneberry (Actaea rubra), and Swedish and Canadian dwarf cornel (Cornus suecica and C. canadensis). Several taiga plants are adapted to rapid colonization and growth in recently burned areas, such as fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium). The extensive peatlands of the boreal north support a typical flora that usually includes species such as Labrador tea (Ledum palustre), cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus), cotton grass (Eriophorum species), and crowberry (Empetrum nigrum or E. hermaphroditum). In northern Europe crowberry also grows as shrub mats under Scotch pine forests or woodlands. Crowberry has been shown to produce secondary chemical compounds that inhibit or kill Scotch pine seedlings. Periodic light ground fires reduce the abundance and vigour of crowberry and allow tree regeneration.
Specialized orchids in the forest understory include calypso (Calypso bulbosa), coralroot (Corallorrhiza trifida), and lady's slipper (Cypripedum species). The roots of these plants form particular associations with fungi (mycorrhizae). Willow shrubs (Salix species) are one of the first plants to emerge following disturbances on floodplains and occasionally on uplands as well. Important grasses across the boreal region include species of bromegrass (Bromus species), bluegrass (Poa species), reed bent grass (Calamagrostis species), and vanilla grass (Hierochloe odorata). Many freshwater aquatic plants such as sedges (Carex species) and pondweeds (Potamogeton species) are distributed widely across the boreal zone of both continents because migratory waterfowl and shorebirds are effective in dispersing their seeds. Several species of ferns are common to the taiga regions of the two continents, especially in regions of higher precipitation.
Because a winter snowpack is a dependable feature of the taiga, several mammals display obvious adaptations to it. The snowshoe, or varying, hare (Lepus americanus), for example, undergoes an annual change in colour of its pelage, or fur, from brownish or grayish in the summer to pure white in the winter, providing effective camouflage. Its feet are large in proportion to its body size, a snowshoelike adaptation for weight distribution that allows the hare to travel over the surface of snow rather than sink down into it. The lynx (Lynx canadensis) is the principal predator of the snowshoe hare (see population ecology). It too has large feet, with fur between the toes, enabling the lynx to remain on the snow's surface. Most animals of the taiga are well adapted to the cold and survive it easily if they have enough food to maintain an energy balance through the winter.
Moose are the largest browsing animals in the taiga. In the summer they eat willow and broad-leaved trees and also wade in lakes and ponds to consume aquatic plants. Throughout the winter moose eat large quantities of woody twigs and buds. Moose depend on high-quality feeding areas in the shrub zone along river floodplains and on the early successional growth of woody plants in burned or cutover forest. Intensive browsing by moose can alter the composition of the forest in its early stages of growth, often increasing the dominance of conifers, which they do not consume in as great amounts as they do broad-leaved trees. Harvesting a moose for winter food is an important and even critical element of survival for humans living in isolated rural areas of the taiga.
Moose populations are controlled by various means. Wolves (Canis lupus) prey on moose across most of the taiga, and some scientists and game managers believe that once moose numbers are depressed, wolf predation can keep moose populations low. As a result, wolf trapping or shooting programs are carried out as a game-management measure to increase prey numbers. The natural regulation of moose populations by wolf predation and the presence of wolves themselves are valued as well. As a result, programs to control wolf populations are often the subject of intense debate. Other factors control moose numbers, such as the restriction of access to plants during years of deep snow and lack of early successional woody plant growth caused by forest maturation. Where the taiga is extensively cut for forest products, moose numbers have increased greatly, often to levels that are considered undesirable for forest regeneration. Subsistence and sport hunting of moose are widely used tools of moose population management.
Another large-hoofed browsing mammal that is present seasonally in the taiga is the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) in Eurasia and the closely related caribou in North America. A large portion of the reindeer population is semidomesticated and herded by nomadic peoples such as the Sami of Scandinavia and several native peoples in northern Russia. Caribou migrate the greatest distances of any large land mammal in North America. They often move in vast herds of 500,000 animals or more, seldom stopping or pausing because they must constantly forage in these environments of generally low productivity. During the early winter, reindeer and caribou migrate south from their summer ranges in the tundra to the forest-tundra or lichen woodland, where they graze primarily on lichens. Later in winter, caribou typically move to open forests and sedge-rich lake margins or to snow-free windswept mountains. In April and May, caribou form long columns and migrate back north to the tundra.
Several mammals of the boreal region are valued for their furs, and trapping and trade in furs have been an important part of the culture, economy, and history of the region as long as humans have lived there. Important fur-bearing species include lynx and marten (Martes americana) and, in wetland habitats, beaver (Castor canadensis), American mink (Neovison vison), and muskrat (Ondatra zibethica).
In the North American taiga the northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) is adapted to consume fungi, especially underground fruiting bodies (sporocarps) of fungi that form mutually beneficial relationships (mutualism) with trees by colonizing their roots. The flying squirrel's consumption and dispersal of these underground fungi provide a significant benefit to the forest as a whole. (For further information on mutualism, see community ecology: Mutualism.)
The taiga is the migratory destination of large numbers of birds for the summer breeding season. These include several passerine songbirds typical of shrub and forest habitats, such as thrushes, flycatchers, and warblers. Many of these species consume insects in the canopy of the taiga and other habitats. Predators of these birds occur in the forest as well, such as the sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus) and the northern goshawk (A. gentilis). Populations of several taiga-breeding migratory thrushes, flycatchers, and warblers may be declining because of the loss of their wintering habitats in the tropical forests of the world and the changes to or loss of forest habitats in the temperate zones along their migratory routes.
Birds of the taiga fill a variety of niches. Some are seed consumers or dispersers, others are insect consumers. They carry out other specialized roles as well. For example, the yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) drills evenly spaced rows of small holes in the bark of trees and then visits these "wells" to obtain sap and the insects it attracts. Various other birds, mammals, and insects benefit from the sap wells too.
Woodpeckers excavate tree cavities, which subsequently are used by many species of birds and mammals. Woodpeckers are specialized predators of wood- and bark-inhabiting insects; they are thought to be important in the control of the spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) population. In searching for insects, woodpeckers chisel or strip the bark off dead or dying trees, promoting more rapid decay and the release of nutrients from dead trees. As large old trees have become rarer through forest cutting, some year-round resident woodpeckers such as the northern three-toed woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus) and the great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) have lost their habitats and declined in numbers.
Because of limited opportunities for food, few bird species remain in taiga regions through the long cold winters, although some undertake only a short migration south. Resident bird species include the common raven (Corvus corax) and the boreal and black-capped chickadees of North America and the Siberian tit (Parus species).
The extensive areas of lakes, ponds, and wetlands—especially in the glaciated part of the taiga—provide a large habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds, although the birds primarily occur in low densities across the landscape. North American shorebirds that breed in forested peatlands include common snipe (Gallinago gallinago) and yellowlegs (Tringa species). Commonly encountered waterfowl are northern pintail (Anas acuta), scaup (Aythya species), and scoters (Melanitta species).
The taiga is the home of relatively few species of insects, but extensive and usually uniform areas of habitat periodically support high populations of species that do live there. The taiga lacks the elaborate complexes of invertebrate predators and parasites that serve as stabilizers of the insect populations in warmer regions. As a result, boreal insect populations occasionally increase rapidly and cause outbreaks. Some outbreaks can injure or kill trees across widespread areas of the taiga. Once an outbreak reaches a certain size, it can become self-sustaining, much like a forest fire; the effects of the spruce budworm and spruce beetle in North America are well-documented examples. Outbreaks can be triggered by unusual weather or physical injuries that stress trees and make them vulnerable to the insects; they can end for a variety of reasons, including production of defensive chemicals by the host plants or depletion of susceptible host plants.
Perhaps the insects most noticeable to humans in the taiga are mosquitoes, which belong to several species. Mosquitoes feed on and are fed upon by many of the birds of the taiga. Wetland areas of the boreal region, such as sites having poor drainage because of permafrost, provide extensive mosquito breeding sites. Where well-oxygenated flowing water is found, biting flies are abundant. Almost all food webs that support fish in the streams of the taiga are dependent on insects.
Conifers serve as hosts for a variety of wood-boring beetles, spruce beetles, bark beetles, and ips beetles (Ips species). These insects aid in wood decomposition and nutrient release. Some beetles have outer shells with specialized indentations specifically matched to the shape and size of the spores of wood-decomposing fungi. Fungal spores become securely lodged in these cuplike structures. As the beetles burrow into wood, they inoculate it with fungi.
A variety of lepidopterans (moths and butterflies) are adapted to feeding on the leaves of boreal trees. These include defoliators and leaf rollers.
Soil organisms
The species richness and total biomass of soil organisms are significantly lower in the taiga than they are at lower latitudes. Dominant soil organisms are protozoans, nematodes, rotifers, and tardigrades. These organisms live primarily in soil water film and soil pore water. The soil fauna of the taiga is distinctive because it generally lacks large invertebrates such as millipedes, isopods (springtails), and earthworms, especially in the middle and northern taiga. Larger soil invertebrate animals perform the function of biting off (shredding) pieces of leaf litter in forest soils and passing them through their guts. As a result of this activity, a thick layer of several years' accumulation of only partially decomposed plant material is characteristic of soils in the taiga biome.
Fungi are the dominant organisms in the task of decomposition of litter in the taiga, but flushes of bacterial growth occur in response to triggering factors. The soil animals generally do not attack the forest litter directly but instead exert their influence by grazing on the fungi and bacteria. The rate of decomposition in taiga soils does not keep pace with the rate of production, causing the progressive accumulation of organic matter. At middle depths of the forest floor, small invertebrates, especially dipteran larvae, partially consume or skeletonize leaf litter before emerging as adults.
Learn More in these related Britannica articles:
Russia: TaigaSouth of the tundra lies the vast taiga (boreal forest) zone, the largest of the environmental regions. It occupies the Russian and West Siberian plains north of latitude 56°–58° N together with most of the territory east of the Yenisey River. The western taiga,…
Asia: The taigaThe taiga fauna is much richer than that of the tundra. The taiga is the haunt of brown bears, wolves and foxes, gluttons (a kind of wolverine), otters, ermines, sables, lynx, elk, forest reindeer, hares, and several kinds of squirrels. Birds include species of…
North America: The boreal forestOne of the greatest sweeps of forest in the world, the boreal forest (or taiga) extends in a vast and virtually unbroken sheet of green eastward from the Aleutian Islands through Alaska and northern Canada to the island of Newfoundland. Its conifers are…
United States: Animal life…forest at the north, the taiga, and the tundra zone into which it merges at the northern limit of tree growth are strikingly paralleled by similar vertical zones in the Rockies, and on Mount Washington in the east, where the area above the timberline and below the snow line is…
Canada: Forest regionsThe northern coniferous, or boreal, forest (taiga) is the world's second largest area of uninterrupted forest; only Russia has a greater expanse of boreal forest. The severe winter and short growing season limit the number of tree species. Among them the white and black spruce and white birch are…
More About Taiga19 references found in Britannica articles
Assorted References
- Arctic reindeer husbandry
- bog formations
- In bog
- coniferous forests
- deforestation
- gymnosperms
- Native Americans
- vegetation
- Asia


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TSMC finds its 28nm dance card a little overbooked
Subject: General Tech | November 25, 2011 - 12:21 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: TSMC, 28nm, amd, krishna, wichita
The 28nm process is causing a lot of problems for tech companies especially AMD who have cancelled the follow ups to Llano and Ontario, Krishna and Wichita. Not only have they cancelled the chips but they have switched from GLOBALFOUNDRIES to TSMC to have the replacement chips designed and fabbed. This is most likely because of the low yields that have been coming out of GLOBALFOUNDRIES with Llano, AMD's most successful recent design. The low volumes hurt AMD's market share since many companies would not base a product line on a chip that might not be around in volume. As well a deal is expiring in January which had AMD only paying for good dies, instead of the more usual practice of paying for the entire wafer and dealing with the bad dies as they come
That move might not be as successful as AMD hopes when you look at this article from DigiTimes. As it turns out TSMC is concerned about their ability to meet the demand for 28nm chips from their customers. It is not just AMD that is turning to TSMC for 28nm, Altera, NVIDIA, Qualcomm and Xilinx are already customers and Broadcom, LSI Logic and STMicroelectronics may join that crowd. With so many customers utilizing the same process even small problems on TSMC's lines could lead to big drops in available chips. Let us hope the days of the 40nm problems at TSMC never come back.
"Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) continues to see orders heat up for advanced 28nm technology, despite a general slowdown in the semiconductor industry, according to industry sources. Order visibility has stretched to about six months, said the sources.
TSMC is expected to see 28nm processes account for more than 2% of company revenues in the fourth quarter of 2011. The proportion will expand further to over 10% in 2012, as more available capacity coupled with rising customer demand boost the output, the sources indicated."
Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
- Toaster oven reflow control without modifying the oven @ Hack a Day
- Making a privacy monitor from an old LCD @ Hack a Day
- Intel Breathes New Life Into Pentium @ The Inquirer
- Beaky the Robo-Bird picks our "Top Tech Turkeys of 2011" @ Ars Technica
- Best Buy Black Friday Deceptive Practices @ TechwareLabs
- Black Friday Tech Deals @ TechReviewSource
- 3rd Annual Holiday Giveaway - Black Friday @Hi Tech Legion
AMD's been having a very busy start to the year
Subject: General Tech | April 26, 2011 - 12:07 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: southern islands, wichita, krishna, llano, amd
If DigiTimes sources are right and they usually are, you should have no trouble securing a Llano part when they are released in June/July. With an expected 3,000,000 parts headed out the door there will be plenty of APUs for everybody. Even better news is that the 28nm Southern Island parts have been taped out which indicates very good things for that process technology and the chips it will produce.
"AMD is ready to start selling its new Llano-based APUs as soon as June or July and has set a goal of shipping three million units in the third quarter of 2011, accounting for 40% of AMD's total CPU shipments in the quarter, according to sources from motherboard makers.
AMD responded by stating it does not comment on unannounced products.
AMD's better-than-expected APU shipments helped the company to achieve on-year growth of 98% and on-quarter growth of 36% for its first-quarter net profit, which reached US$510 million.
The sources pointed out that the AMD's APU platform's low price has helped it receive supports from many of AMD's partners and the company in the first quarter already shipped about three million Brazos-based CPUs with 50% of the shipments being used for notebook platform.
The sources pointed out that AMD's new Llano APU will have a great chance to raise AMD's share in CPU market from around 20% in 2010 to 30%.
Taiwan-based Asustek Computer, Gigabyte Technology and Micro-Star International (MSI) have all already prepared several different motherboard models designed specifically for Llano. Since AMD's APU offers a better price, but has a similar performance as Intel's same-grade products, the competition may trigger Intel to consider a price cut to counter, the sources noted.
In addition to Llano, AMD's 28nm products including Krishna- and Wichita-based APUs and Southern Island GPU are already under tape-out."
Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
- TrendNET TEW-691GR Wireless-N Gigabit Router and TEW-687GA Wireless-N Gaming Adapter @ X-Bit Labs
- Another Major Linux Power Regression Spotted @ Phoronix
- Canon Pixma MG6120 Review @ TechReviewSource
- DemoCamp Dubai April 2011 @ t-break

subset: commoncrawl


text:
CATIA for Engineers enables Digital Prototyping including Analysis and Simulation for design and validation of function quality and performance at all stages ofthe design.
Mechanical engineering is complex as assemblies are designed to perform a specific task with a specific target performance. Digital prototyping, combined with digital analysis and simulation, allows product development teams to virtually create and analyze a mechanical product in its environment. Mechanical engineers must be equipped with these tools so that they can gain insight into key factors in quality and performance early in the product development phase.
CATIA Composites Manufacturing Preparation
Designers benefit from powerful process-oriented tools dedicated to manufacturing detailed design of composites parts
In order to design complex production-ready composites and mass-produce composite parts, manufacturing and engineering teams require highly efficient collaboration throughout the product development process.
CATIA Composites Manufacturing Preparation provides a completely integrated CATIA environment dedicated to manufacturing detailed design of composite parts. It enables engineers to embed all manufacturing constraints early in the composites design process, such as manufacturing skin swapping, material excess definition and 3D multi-splice functionalities.
Design engineers can foster concurrent engineering with physical manufacturing thanks to the fiber deposit simulation, flattening tools with export to nesting, and cutting or laser projection shop floors.
- Improve manufacturability with feature-based modeling
- Assess manufacturability at the early stage of the design process
- Support various hand lay-up composite processes
- Benefit from close collaboration and effective concurrent engineering
- Reduce tedious geometrical tasks and incorporate know-how
Manufacturing constraints management at the early stage of the design processA swapping feature will transfer the plies from the design OML to the mold surface to account for springback. A material excess feature will automatically extend the Plies boundary from the Net to the Mfg EOP where needed. Material width check at Producibility and Flattening stages to validate that the ply fits the material roll width. A dedicated 3D multi-splice feature will help splice plies to accommodate the width of raw material. If required, Darts features can remove significant fiber distortions from plies.
Fiber simulation and flattening tools for early assessment of manufacturabilityThe Producibility feature captures the fiber deposit context inside the design environment. Different display modes assess Shear deformation with visualization of wrinkles and bridges in the ply or Deviation with fiber rotations from the theoretical direction. Actual fiber directions can be inspected locally and this information can be exported for further reuse by in-house applications. A dedicated darting feature brings immediate feedback on fiber distortion removal. Once Producibility Parameters are stored, reliable Flat Patterns can be generated. Instant flat patterns display ensures to generate the right flat patterns the first time.
Effective manufacturing export capabilities for a hand lay-up processDownstream manufacturing operations require the ability to export the Composites geometries thru a neutral DXF or IGES format to address shop floor systems: dedicated outputs are generated for Laser Projection Systems or for Nesting /Cutting purpose.
Powerful concurrent engineering and collaboration mechanismsThe CATIA V6 infrastructure offers a true collaborative composites engineering environment enabling designers to work engineering detailed design and physical manufacturing concurrently. Moreover, the associativity of the detailed design ensures consistency between design inputs and manufacturing outputs.
Benefit from the CATIA V6 infrastructure and other applicationsOne example is the ability to create and reuse rules instantiated in stacking sequences to take industrial standards and corporate know-how into account. For instance, CATIA V6's knowledgeware capabilities permit to apply Flatten Overlap Check on the plies to validate the flat patterns.


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"Koch Brothers Exposed" chronicles the damage being done to individuals, communities and our democracy by two billionaires who are using their vast wealth to rewrite the rules of government to suit their ends. But the Koch brothers are a symbol of a greater problem of the power of money in politics—in particular, the ability of some über-rich people and large corporations to put their massive thumbs on the scale of democracy in ways that manipulate and ultimately overwhelm the will of the people.
That is the reason the Campaign for America's Future has been longtime critics of the "Citizens United" ruling and have supported a multi-pronged strategy for bringing the scales of political influence back into balance, in which "We, the People," not the One Percent, determine the direction of the country.
Koch Brothers: Obstacles To Broad Prosperity
Charles and David Koch, billionaire businessmen, are the founders of a group they call "Americans for Prosperity." But what the group actually does is support extreme right-wing candidates who actively fight against the economic interests of workers and their families. The Koch brothers have been behind:
- A $45 million effort to buy control of Congress. That's the amount of money Forbes magazine says Americans for Prosperity spent in the 2010 elections. That money helped Republicans control the House with the most extreme group of conservatives elected in modern history. With this group firmly in control, every effort by the Obama administration to move legislation to revive the economy has been thwarted and previous successes in health care and financial reform have come under unrelenting attack. The stream of anti-regulation, anti-labor legislation passed by the Tea Party-besotted House is pretty much lifted straight from the Koch brothers legislative agenda.
- The destructive efforts of the American Legislative Exchange Council to co-opt state and local governments. Rather than promoting state and local governments as entities that are particularly equipped to respond to the public interest because of their proximity to the people, ALEC mounts campaigns that leave state and local governments facilitating private greed rather than serving the public good. In August The Nation's Lisa Graves explained that "of all the Kochs' investments in right-wing organizations, ALEC provides some of the best returns: it gives the Kochs a way to make their brand of free-market fundamentalism legally binding." Examples include legislation that allows energy companies to avoid fines for polluting, that push privatization of public education, and that prevent states and localities from regulating the rogue behavior of financial institutions.
- ALEC's efforts to suppress voter turnout. The Koch brothers' fingerprints are all over the efforts by various Republican governors and legislatures to pass voter ID laws that use trumped-up allegations of voter fraud to deliberately disenfranchise voters most likely to oppose their agenda. "It was ALEC's draft legislation that inspired a spate of recently passed voter ID laws that, if allowed to stand, are expected to marginalize the impact of students and people of color at the polls in Texas, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Kansas," Adele Stan reported for the AFL-CIO blog. Patrick Caldwell at the American Prospect wrote that "the rules are often configured specifically to favor the Republican base at the expense of excluding likely Democrats."
- Their assault on public workers. Scott Walker won the governorship of Wisconsin and the ability to execute his attack on public workers there with the help of $43,000 in direct contributions from the Koch Industries political action committee and indirectly through the $1 million that Koch's PAC gave to the Republican Governors Association. The Kochs are also major supporters of Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who earlier this year credited "the strong support" of Americans for Prosperity for his now faltering attempt to strip Ohio state workers of their bargaining rights.
- The dominance of extremist candidates in the 2012 presidential race. Koch bothers money can be found in the pockets of at least three of the most extreme Republican presidential candidates: Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and, especially, Herman Cain. Rachel Maddow reported that the Cain connections include a campaign manager from the Wisconsin chapter of Americans for Prosperity, a now ex-spokesperson from another Americans for Prosperity affiliate, and the economic advisor who came up with Cain's infamous "9-9-9" tax plan, who was a member of Americans for Prosperity's advisory board. This is no surprise, because, as the Associated Press has reported, Cain has historically been a shill for the Americans for Prosperity legislative agenda.
- A planned multimillion-dollar effort by the 1 Percent to determine the outcome of the 2012 presidential election. The Koch brothers and a core group of super-rich conservatives earlier this year commandeered a hotel near Palm Springs, Calif., and together pledged $100 million to oppose President Obama's re-election, with the Koch brothers pledging $60 million of the total. That's just the start: POLITICO reported that the billionaire Koch brothers alone have announced their intention to spend more than $200 million on elections this fall and "potentially much more" through Americans for Prosperity and other fronts. That money, along with hundreds of millions more from other Wall Street and corporate titans, will prop up a Republican opponent who has so far failed to generate the levels of grassroots financial support the party's candidates received in 2008. We've already seen how a single billionaire can keep a failed campaign on life support. Imagine a general election in which the voices and contributions of millions of people can be trumped by the bankrolls of a handful of moguls in a single hotel meeting room.
Unregulated, unaccountable corporations. Extremist elected officials who disdain the concept of a government serving the common good. Workers stripped of the ability to negotiate collectively for fair pay, working conditions and benefits. Hundreds of millions of corporate dollars drowning out the voices of working-class and middle-class people. Voters forced to jump over ever-higher obstacles to vote for candidates who represent them, assuming those candidates can even get on ballots. This is the Koch brothers' dystopia. What they are defending is indefensible.
1 Percenters United
Adelson. Friess. Kovner. Simmons. Thiel. The breadth and power of the super PACs is due in large part to the power of billionaire backers like these men. Their money has given life to campaigns and candidates that might not have gotten far just on their ability to attract rank-and-file voters. The way these benefactors spread their considerable wealth around — a few hundred thousand dollars here, a million there — you could be forgiven for thinking it looks like they are betting on politics the way one might bet on horse races. In fact, Campaign for America's Future co-director Robert Borosage compared super PACs to the Wall Street derivatives buyers. These super PACs entered 2012 having already raised $75 million during the previous year. As they spread vast sums of money among their favored candidates and shift their loyalties between candidates, that makes it clear that these guys aren't gamblers. They're investors, which means they expect returns.
Their behavior has already lowered the bar for candidates who would rather run campaigns without the taint of shadowy, big-money donors. Their dollars have unleashed a tsunami of negative ads that all too often play fast and loose with the facts. It all is helping to erode public trust in our democracy. After the Citizens United decision, 79 percent of respondents to a survey for Common Cause and other groups believed that members of Congress are "controlled" by those who finance their campaigns. Just as the excesses of Wall Street undermined faith in our economy, the excesses of super PACs are undermining the public's faith in democracy.
What You Can Do
Petition the SEC to End Secret Campaign Donations
Add your voice to the thousands calling on the Securities and Exchange Commission to require all publicly traded corporations to disclose their campaign spending to the public. Today, corporate executives of publicly traded companies don't have to tell the public, or even their shareholders, when they use corporate money to fund political campaigns. The Supreme Court's majority opinion in Citizens United assumed a world in which informed citizens knew whose money was being used to influence an election. This SEC requirement is the bare minimum we should do to turn that assumption into a reality.
Get Your Member of Congress to Support the DISCLOSE Act
The DISCLOSE (Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections) Act would require organizations involved in political campaigning to disclose the identity of their large donors, and to reveal their identities in any political ads they fund. It would also bar foreign corporations, government contractors and certain other corporate recipients of federal aid from making political donations. Predictably, a long list of corporate and right-wing interests are allied against the bill, from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to the American Conservative Union.
Help Build Support For A Constitutional Amendment
Corporations are not people, and money is not speech. What is obvious to all of us should be explicit in the United States Constitution. Organizations and concerned individuals around the country are laying the groundwork for a constitutional amendment this spring with a push for 100 resolutions by local and state governments supporting the overturning of Citizens United. You can join with such groups such as Move to Amend and Democracy Is For People to restore democracy to We, the People.


text:
Lead Man Convicted of Scamming Mother-in-Law
LEAD, S.D. (AP) - A jury has convicted a former Lead man of helping scam his mother-in-law.
Fifty-three-year-old Kenneth Thomason and his wife, Kimberly, were accused of tricking her mother into signing over her interest in a Lead hotel in 2008. Authorities say the couple sold the hotel and fled to the Dominican Republic with the money.
The Rapid City Journal reports that Kenneth Thomason was convicted of aggravated grand theft by deception and could face more than 15 years in prison.
Kimberly Thomason earlier pleaded guilty to being an accessory and was sentenced to eight months in jail.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Material may not be redistributed.


text:
ModelingPlatform/July 28, Telephone Conference
Modeling Working Group Telephone Conference July 28, 2010
- Robert Blust, UBS AG
- Yves Bontemps, SWIFT
- Christophe Gregoire, Alcatel-Lucent
- Jean-Francois Decauwers, Alcatel-Lucent
- Olivier Moises, Alcatel-Lucent
- Martin Mandischer, itemis AG
- Stephan Eberle, Geensys
- Kenn Hussey, Cloudsmith
- Dominique Toupin, Ericsson
- Francis Bordeleau, Zeligsoft
- Ian Skerrett, Eclipse Foundation
- Eike Stepper, CDO
- ??, Obeo
Agenda Items:
1. Cooperation with Zeligsoft 2. Status: Architecture mapping and project identification 3. Status: Gap analysis 4. Next steps
- gap analysis
- Feedback on schedule for planning
1. Cooperation with Zeligsoft
Ian and Stephan explained the cooperation with Zeligsoft.
2. Status: Architecture mapping and project identification 3. Status: Gap analysis
Stephan elaborated on the progress of the gap analysis. He explained the requirement/architecture mapping and the identification of eclispe projecte, the dentification of detailed capabilities and first estimated for Xpand, Xtend and CDO. Stephan asked the user companies for feedback on priorities established on the level of detailed capabilities.
4. Next steps
- gap analysis
Martin proposed to have a joint study with zeligsoft. There were no objections
- Feedback on schedule for planning (Martin)
Martin asked for an agreement on a revised schedule. The MPIWG deliverable planned for the end of august was replaced by a bi-weekly update on the progress. This document update will be accompanied by a joint conference call. A joint gap analysis will be ready be the end of september. The roadmap which is based on the gap analysis will be delivered at the end of october. UBS, SWIFT, Alcatel-Lucent agreed upon this revised schedule.
Ian invited to the next conference call on August 18th.


text:
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text:
The T's offer: Your name here on T stations. But nobody was willing to pay the price
It looks like travelers won't be taking the JetBlue Line to the Airport T station any time soon.
That's because the MBTA's attempt to sell station naming rights failed to get on track.
The transit agency received just one naming proposal by a Thursday deadline. And JetBlue, the sole supplicant, didn't come up with the $1.2 million needed to rename the Blue Line, said MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced the sponsorship opportunity in December, offering to sell the name on landmark stations and lines.
Bidding started at $1 million for the Airport, Downtown Crossing, Park Street, Back Bay, North Station, State Street, Boylston, and South stations. Yawkey commuter station started at $500,000.
The Blue, Green, and Red lines were available, too — at a premium. Blue Line bidding began at $1.2 million. The Red Line? That would cost you $1.6 million
. Most expensive of all: the Green Line, at $2 million.
Was that too many greenbacks for the Green Line?
"The minimum bid prices had to include the significant costs associated with replacing the transit system's signage to reflect any name changes and comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act,'' Pesaturo said.
The naming sale was directed by the Legislature as part of its quest to come up with fresh money to patch the state's tattered transportation network.
The lack of bidder interest did not shock transit authorities, given the low attendance at a January conference for interested bidders, said Pesaturo.
But the T hasn't given up. You can still see your name in bright lights at a station: Pesaturo said the agency will keep its "eyes and ears open'' for those who have the fortune to pay for transit fame.


text:
I can't seem to find anyone to hit with! I'm a 4.5 living in forest hills but out of practice and really wanting to get back into it. I'm 29, male, and usually play at the National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows/Corona Park.
Please write if you want to hit!,
Views: 318
Replies to This Discussion
I am looking to play tennis doubles with you or someone else in Queens during this week of 8/22. Let me know your availability. I have 1 person and we are looking for someone else. I am a 4.0 player and my friend is 3.0. Let me know if you can make it.
Hi Eric
I am a 4.0 if you are interested let me know.
You still looking? I'm a 4.0- and would like to hit at the ntc.
Yes you can email me at [edit: please share private info via PM or Friend Request]
Hi, I'm looking to hit at the National Tennis Center.
I don't mind getting a few people together and warm up and do singles round robbins if anyone is interested?
Thinking of four people max and gives me a chance to hit with different people.
I'm a 4.5-5.0 looking to better skills.
Hi Eric,
I also live in forest hills, and play at NTC. I am interested in playing with you sometimes in the near future, preferably Mon! It is going to be around 50's, lets play. Thanks.
Hey Eric, I have a court tomorrow Monday from 9am to 11am. Let me know if interested. Michael
Hi Eric, contact me for hitting. I often play at National.
[edit: please share private info via PM or Friend Request]
Hi Eric,
I'm free on weekends, let me know if you can hit we could play at St. Johns- courts are very good and free or we can play at NTC.
still want to hit ? I don't know my ranking, but I am decent
i'm interested in playing. same level as you. i'm at 646 420 5154. phil
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text:
A super trailer for the new season shows the reality stars on an emotional trip to the border of their Iranian homeland
The Shahs of Sunset are back!
Bravo's reality show, which follows a group of Persian pals in Los Angeles who love to party, will begin its third season on Nov. 5. – and it promises to be wilder and more emotional than ever.
In a first look at the new season (watch below), Asa, GG, Lilly, MJ, Mike and Reza are living the good life in clubs, on yachts, even whitewater river-rafting. But there will be plenty of drama as well.
Not only does his business partnership with Mike seem to be unraveling, but Reza will face personal demons he believed he'd already conquered. Meanwhile, the fiery GG is trying to redeem herself among the group after a tumultuous second season.
Last season's new girl, Lilly, is (still) feuding with MJ, who is trying to mend her relationship with best friend Reza.
But perhaps the most emotional scenes in a trailer for the season are from a trip to Turkey, planned by Persian Pop Priestess and Diamond Water entrepreneur Asa.
On the trip, the group will reconnect with their heritage and come as close to their Iranian homeland as they can.
Bonus look at the Shahs:


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Dear Madam,
"Great company, great price. I was thoroughly impressed with World Tour Plan. The package seemed a lot, however, once we started the tour, we realized how amazing the pricing was considering everything we did, where we stayed and every other thing that was included. I'd recommend the World Tour Plan to anyone. Not only is it a great price, but you see everything you would want to see in Bhutan, and you see things you wouldn't have thought to see. You also get to do things you wouldn't think to do. The staff were incredible as well. Couldn't have asked for a better trip!"
Priti Shroff
"Had a blast! Everyone should travel with World Tour Plan ! A different way to travel but a great way to make real friends and properly get to know a country."
James MC Dermott
"All the hotels were clean, had good bathroom and good food.I would recommend to keep tourist in hotels far from the city.Hotel Kingaling in Wangdue and Hotel Galingkha were exceptionally great.over all good choice of hotel. Had the most perfect transportation. The car was in great shape and we had a excellent driver.he was professional, understanding, and very good company . I would recommend this car and driver ( Tshering)
Excellent guide service provided by Palden was very knowledgeable friendly understanding and made all effort to make my stay excellent ,he is very good guide,i believe my journey became much better because of this great guide."
Shishir Sinha
"Excellent, company and staff they looked after me very well and made the slowly trip for me. Will definitely recommend to my friends and family"
Rebecca Marisa Hopkirk
"Room was clean and quite, staff was friendly,very nice room and nice staff though the service at dinner was bit formal. Sonam was very good and friendly guide and good companion to have throughout the trips.She is very passionate about what she does and caring for her guest,she is also very knowledgeable about Buddhism and explained at temple the various stories.
I enjoyed Druk Path trek though would prefer more challenging next time/.I enjoyed the staff very much.much. Tshering Namgay and particularly Ugyen .Ugyen was very fun but also very considerate and did all he could to please me with food .All of them did hard duty to make my visit a pleasant one. Would be nice if rafting is more exciting."
Severin Elisabeth Marie Erceg
"Tshering did a great job of driving didn't feel worried at all. Whenever I wanted to take a picture he gladly stopped. Sonam is a great guide. Very accommodating to any desire I had. Over all Sonam did a fantastic job.Tour overall was fantastic, such a peaceful and wonderful country, truly the last Shangri-La in the world. The Bhutanese people are so pleasant .I look forward to one day returning to Bhutan."


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Geeks We Love: Jason Chen of Gizmodo
Shows like Beauty and the Geek give male geeks a bad rep. I have news for you folks, not all geeks think pocket-protectors and worn corduroy pants are trendy. In fact, I know plenty of fellas that showcase the very best of geekiness: smarts, passion, chic clothing, success in their field and the ability to program your TiVo, computer or Blackberry when you're not in the mood. In an effort to celebrate this month of love, I have put together a series of interviews with some of the most interesting geeky guys out there to prove that geeks are just as lovable as A-list actors.
When it comes to guy gadget sites, Gizmodo.com has earned a reputation as a go-to source for all things geeky - combining breaking news, gadget reviews and a saucy grown-up nerd attitude you can't help but love. The site's cool content and buzz is created by a team of geeks that are dedicated to keeping the rest of the world updated on the inner-workings of the gizmo world around the clock and not afraid to admit how many hours they spend playing Xbox or cruising the internet. Among these fearless techie leaders is Jason "JC" Chen, a technology writer/associate editor for the site, who is known to make a "Wii in my pants" joke now and again. While Jason is happily attached, he agreed to share some of his secrets with us. To find out what makes Jason such an alluring geek,
GS: So, tell my few readers that haven't heard of you a little about yourself…
JC: I've been a freelance tech writer for Gizmodo.com for about a year. Before that I was a software engineer working at various startups in the Bay Area, two of which were an online music startup and a network appliance startup. I got in to the business because I love technology, I love writing and I love comedy writing, and after seeing Gizmodo I thought that was the perfect intersection of the three.
GS: Tell me the geekiest thing about yourself:
JC: Getting tickets with a buddy for and then attending the grand opening of the Star Trek ride in Las Vegas. It was pretty awesome, I have to admit.
GS: And what's the geekiest thing about your significant other:
JC: Other than dating me? Probably being more obsessed than me with World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XI when we were playing that.
GS: Wow, sounds like you've met your match. When did you guys meet?
At work, about three years ago, back when I was a software engineer.
GS: And now for our High Fidelity moment, what are your Top 5 Favorite Gadgets?
JC: MacBook Pro, Cingular 8525, Xbox 360, iPod, and the Zune
GS: What about the Top 5 Luxury Gadgets You Really Want:
JC:Mac Pro, 30-inch Dell or Apple Cinema Display, iPhone!, Sharp's 108-inch LCD, TiVo Series 3
GS: Your first computer was a:
JC: I'd probably have to say a 286 if we're talking PCs, but I had one of those top-loading Nintendo Famicoms back in the early 80s when I was a kid.
GS: What are your favorite websites?
JC: Penny Arcade, pbfcomics.com, Boing Boing, Digg, TV Squad, Fark, Lifehacker, Kotaku, and of course Gizmodo.
GS: What is your Valentine's Day plan?
JC: It's still early, I need to have a plan already? No seriously, I have no idea.
GS: Okay, now the age-old question - who makes the final decision when it comes to gadgets for the home?
JC: I do, but she has a lot of say - but can be overridden with a veto!
GS: Who solves tech problems at home?
JC: Me, again. She's not all that technical despite being a software engineer. Once I have something set up the way I like it, I don't like to fiddle around with it for fear of causing me hours of work again.
GS: Are you going to buy an iPhone?
JC: Definitely! I'm going to buy a Zune Phone when it comes out as well. I love smartphones (I have a Windows Mobile smartphone now) so the iPhone looks great. I love not having to carry around two devices when one will do.
GS: How do you feel about people calling you a "geek?"
In my teens I didn't like it so much, but I've come to be comfortable with the fact that I'm a geek. Geeks are becoming kinda cool now, so it's actually working out quite well. No delusions of grandeur though - I'm still a geek.
GS: How many hours do you spend online a day?
JC: I'm pretty much wired all the time with my phone and my laptop, so I'd probably say all the hours that I'm not sleeping, I'm most likely online. I'm probably going to have my face melt off from radiation before I'm 40.
GS: How many hours does your partner spend online a day?
JC: About eight hours a day, and all of that is at work. She doesn't do much online stuff at home.
GS: What is one geeky habit you're trying to quit?
JC: Playing so much Xbox 360, I'd have to say. My nearly 24,000 Xbox 360 gamerpoints shout to me that I need to play less.
GS: So, are you the Beauty or the Geek in your relationship?
The Geek, for sure.
GS: What has been your (or your significant other's) greatest contribution to the tech/blog industry – don't be modest.
JC: Well I did break exclusive Zune images and stories before its release, but I'd have to say the greatest contribution to the tech industry is sticking a Wii, a PS3 and a Zune down my pants.
Want more Jason Chen? Check out his archive at Gizmodo.com! Want access to other Geeks We Love? Check out Om Malik of GigaOM!


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On Jul 12, 2007, at 4:02 PM, Ralph H Castain wrote:
The commit has been made - it is r15390. This commit restored the ability to execute singletons and singleton comm_spawn, both in single node and multi-node environments. It alsoincludes a first step in our plan to reduce the ORTE system to the minimumfunctionality required to support Open MPI (more on that separately). Short description of major changes:1. singletons now fork/exec a local daemon to manage their operations. This was required not only to resolve the current problem, but also to deal withthreading issues in the progress engine down the road.2. the orte daemon code now resides in libopen-rte. This was needed so that mpirun could fully provide all daemon services since we no longer allowmultiple daemons to share a node (so an orted could not co-reside with mpirun).3. daemons no longer use the orte triggering system during startup. Instead, they directly call back to their parent pls component to report ready tooperate.I have modified all the pls components except xcpu and poe (don't understand either well enough to do it). Full functionality has been verified for rsh, SLURM, and TM systems. Compile has been verified for xgrid and gridengine, and hopefully those environments will work - though I could not verify thatwas true.Note that singletons will *not* operate in Windows environments at thistime. The ability to fork/exec the local daemon would need to be addedfirst, assuming Windows can support singletons (I honestly don't know).Please let me know of any problems. Ralph On 7/12/07 1:45 PM, "Ralph H Castain" <r...@lanl.gov> wrote:Yo folksSeveral of us are stuck waiting for this commit to hit. Rather than wastingthe next several hours, I'm going to make the commit now.So please be advised: if you do an update after this commit hits, you will need to autogen. You may want to wait until a convenient time before doingthe update. Thanks Ralph On 7/12/07 7:53 AM, "Ralph H Castain" <r...@lanl.gov> wrote:Yo allI have a fairly significant change coming to the orte part of the code base that will require an autogen (sorry). I'll check it in late this afternoon(can't do it at night as it is on my office desktop). The commit will fix the singleton operations, including singletoncomm_spawn. It also takes the first step towards removing event- drivenoperations, replacing them with more serial code (to be explained separately). As part of all this, I had to modify the various plscomponents. For those I could not compile, I made a first cut at them thatshould (hopefully) allow them to continue to operate.Any of you using TM: we discovered that the trunk is not working currently on that environment. We are investigating - it has nothing to do with thiscommit, but predates it.Just wanted to give you a heads-up. Please refrain from making changes to the orte codebase today, if you could - it would simplify the commit andensure we don't lose your changes. Thanks Ralph _______________________________________________ devel mailing list de...@open-mpi.org http://www.open-mpi.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/devel_______________________________________________ devel mailing list de...@open-mpi.org http://www.open-mpi.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/devel_______________________________________________ devel-core mailing list devel-c...@open-mpi.org http://www.open-mpi.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/devel-core


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Served cold or warm, the crispness of the green beans and the creaminess of the cannellinis make for a filling yet refreshing dish. A perfect vegetable side for the summer.
Italian Bean Salad
1 lb. green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary needles, finely chopped
14 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsely, chopped
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, shaved, for serving
1.) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously and add green beans. Cook until vibrant green yet still crisp; 3 minutes. Drain, and plunge into a bowl of ice water for a minute or so to stop the green beans from cooking any further. Drain.
2.) Combine green beans, cannellini beans, parsley, salt, and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
3.) Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and rosemary and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic becomes fragrant; 30 seconds. Add to beans and stir to coat.
4.) Using a vegetable peeler, shave cheese over salad, and serve.


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Annie's River Cottage
Annie's River Cottage is located in Center Point, Texas on a bluff overlooking the Guadalupe River. Nestled on eight secluded acres of beautiful hill country land, guests have access to 600 feet of the river right outside the back door. A Texas Ranger originally built the Cottage in 1890 for his family. The present owner bought the house from the Ranger's last surviving daughter, Annie, who lived in the house for 99 years. Annie's River Cottage has one private bedroom with a king-size bed and private bath and an open room with two twin beds and a second bath. The lovely sunroom has two sets of French doors, which provide guests with beautiful views of the river from the inside or allow them to enjoy the views from the large outdoor rock deck. The owner has furnished the Cottage with period pieces distinct to the hill county. Although the Cottage retains the flavor of 1900s hill country living with features such as a claw foot tub and a wraparound front porch, it has many modern features such as an upgraded kitchen and refurbished bathrooms. This is the perfect Cottage for a weekend retreat from life in the busy city.
- Located in Center Point, Texas - 35 minutes from Fredericksburg -10 minutes from Comfort
- Back patio area overlooking the Guadalupe River
- Nice views of the river with access for fishing
- 1 Bedroom with a King-size bed
- 2 twin-size beds in open room
- 2 Bathrooms - 1 with a Claw-foot tub and shower - 1 with a large walk-in shower (located in Master Bedroom)
- Full kitchen with basic utensils
- No Breakfast
- No TV
- Original long leaf pine floors throughout the house
- Living Room
- Breakfast area
- Antiques
- Beaded Board walls
- Sun Room
- Central Heat & Air
- Deer Feeder
- Wild Turkeys
- Front porch with chairs and a swing
- Old working windmill on property
Rates & Restrictions
- Check Rates & Availability
- Rates are based on double occupancy
- $35.00 each additional person per night
- Two night stay required at ALL times
- No Children
- No Pets
- No Smoking
- Maximum Occupancy – 4
- Stay 6 nights & get the 7th night FREE Note: You must contact us to receive discount


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What vegetables cause gas?
Q. would like a list of vegetables that are known to cause gas.thank you
A. Adding more fiber to your diet from fruit, vegetables, beans, or whole grains can cause temporary gas that may decrease over time (roughly 2-4 weeks) as your body adjusts. The amount of gas will vary from individual to individual. It's important to eat fruit and vegetables, not only because of the fiber, but the many other important nutrients and beneficial compounds that we don't even fully understand yet. The following tips may also help prevent gas:
- Eat more slowly
- Chew food thoroughly
- Walk for 10-15 minutes after eating
- Do not chew gum
- Do not drink carbonated beverages
- Avoid artificial sweeteners, such as sorbitol and mannitol, found in some sugar-free foods, gums and candies.


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Traffic sucks, so why not start your morning off with some music? You provide the toast and we'll provide the jams.
Teezar is the greatest band in rokk history.
Teezar was birthed into this world by Scuzz Denimz and Rokk Steddy in Missouri, 1976. No other group has ever created "solid gold rockin dynamite" that even compares with Teezar's brilliance.
Scuzz and Rokk were last seen in DeSoto, MO in 1989, living together in a trailer with a beat up drum kit, a three string bass, and a $50 Harmony guitar. At the request of one legendary music writer, they recorded two final tracks for "three containers of Nyquil, a carton of Dorals and a six pack of Stag beer."
Once you've finished with "Bakkstage Pass," listen to "She's A Teezar!" and "Dirty Bandage".
This is their portrait:
Photo Credit: Teezar via Last Days Of Man On Earth


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Curry, Warriors cool off Suns
OAKLAND, Calif. — Stephen Curry found other ways to contribute when his shooting skills let him down a bit.
Curry had career highs of 16 assists and 13 rebounds to go with 14 points, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Phoenix Suns 115-86 Friday night for their fourth straight victory.
"It's very weird," Curry said. "Coming in to help the bigs I was able to snag a lot of rebounds early. I've never really done that at any level."
Curry set the tone for the Warriors' largest margin of victory since a 31-point win over the depleted Los Angeles Lakers on opening night.
"He was spectacular," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. "I love the way he competed. It was impressive the way he ran the team and kept his foot on the gas pedal."
Curry said it was Golden State's most complete game of the season.
"We didn't have any lapses," he said. "This is something we envisioned at the beginning of the season when we were all healthy."
Klay Thompson scored 21 points and David Lee added 17 for the Warriors, who matched their longest winning streak of the season. Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green had 11 apiece.
"It was good to get one of these wins," Lee said. "Phoenix is ahead of us in the standings. I love the way our team is playing."
P.J. Tucker had 11 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Suns, who had won three straight and eight of nine.
"It was total breakdown on everything," coach Jeff Hornacek said. "That's the first egg that we've laid for the season. You're going to have those games every once in a while. They really attacked us and we were slow to everything."
Curry, who played 1 minute of the fourth quarter, had a rough shooting night and made just one of six 3-point attempts. He more than made up for it with his passing and rebounding for his third career triple-double.
His 16 assists were the most by a Warriors player since Tim Hardaway had 19 on Jan. 8, 1990.
"He did an unbelievable job," Lee said. "I thought he was having a decent night, but I didn't realize how good until I looked up and saw the numbers."
The Suns missed their final six shots of the first half, allowing the Warriors to open a 59-40 advantage heading into the break.
Lee, who added seven rebounds, had his consecutive double-double streak end at 10 games. Andrew Bogut was held to six rebounds, ending his career-best streak of 10-plus rebounds at 10 games.
The Warriors opened a double-digit lead in the second quarter and were never seriously threatened after that.
"Their guards did a great job," Hornacek said. "Obviously, Curry with the triple-double. He's got a great feel for the game. Even Klay Thompson got in a lot of foul trouble and still ends up shooting 9 for 11. They did a nice job."
The Suns, who last played Monday, scored at least 100 points in each of their previous eight games and were looking for their longest road winning streak in nearly three years.
Instead, they were handed their worst defeat of the season.
"I don't know what it was," Suns guard Eric Bledsoe said. "We were just a step slow to everything they did. They were a step faster than us and we paid the price."
The Suns were held to season lows in field goal percentage (.360) and 3-point percentage (.174).
The game was tied at 10 midway through the first quarter. The Warriors never trailed after Curry hit a 3-pointer with 7:44 left in the period, and took a 28-22 lead into the second.


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I'm sure that most readers have their frame size dialed-in. Our customers are generally experienced cyclist who've owned enough bikes to know what fits. But we do get an e-mail every week or so asking advice on frame size selection. So here it is.
Now, I don't claim to be an expert on fit and find that even those who do are often not. I've been sized for a frame at least four times using various methods by self-proclaimed experts and been assured that I require a 57cm, a 59cm, a 60cm and a 61cm frame. My perfect top tube length is definitely, 58cm, 59cm, or 60cm, depending on the expert. So here is my non-expert advice on picking a VO frame size:
I generally recommend getting a traditionally-sized frame, one that's larger than many race bike oriented shops would recommend. The traditionally sized frame will allow you to get the handlebars to proper height without a super-tall stem. And it will allow a reasonable stem extension that does not put too much of your weight over the front wheel. The frame will handle better, be more comfortable, and you'll look better riding it.
To measure PBH put on your cycling shoes and stand upright with you back to a wall. Spread your feet to about the same width as bike pedals. Now hold a large book square against the wall and raise it firmly against the aforementioned nether region. Have someone measure from the floor to the top of the book. Do this carefully to the closest millimeter. That is you very own PBH. With PBH in hand we can select the frame size based on stand-over height.
Of course this method is not going to work if you plan on using upright bars. In that case go for the longer top tube since upright bars generally sweep back.
Remember that this post is about buying the right sized VO frame and this method will do exactly that. You'll need more information and experience to find your best position on the frame (or to order a custom frame). A good place to start fine tuning would be by reading Bill Boston's site.


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About Malibu Cusser
Maybe I'm missing something here, but what exactly is the point of seizing his computers and issuing a restraining order against him? Since the project is hosted on Github, everything he's done with the project can reasonably be expected to be found there, and there's nothing stopping someone else from forking it and releasing a version.
As soon as someone mentions 'terrorism', everyone seems to forget that this program isn't about collecting data on people with suspected ties to terrorists. They are collecting data on EVERYONE, regardless of your affiliation. EVERYONE. How exactly can people still think this is about catching terrorists?!
There is nothing that would prevent them from strictly targeting the right group of people IF this was really about terrorism. Why hasn't any 'journalist' asked the people trotting out terrorism the simple question: "Why is data being collected on everyone, instead of only people with suspected terrorism ties?" After all, isn't that allegedly what those laws were supposed to be about?
From Mirriam-Webster, terrorism is:
Systematic use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and thereby to bring about a particular political objective.
"stated that he targeted or focused on that group because he wanted to instill fear in them that any time they leave their homes they could be targeted by police."
Isn't claiming something is hackerproof pretty much the best way to insure it becomes the most hacked product in history?
To make the analogy less bad, the comparison should really be between someone that's never had Starbucks, or never had coffee, and someone buying an app. The marginal costs in that situation seem to be lined up better. I wonder how many more regulars the coffee shops would get if they offered a $0.99 demo?
That article should be taken out and shot.
I like the adoption of the 'Carreon Effect' into everday parlance. It can easily be used in the context of someone who has created a huge spectacle, but wants everyone to ignore it, such as: 'Nothing to see here, Carre(y)-on!'
Erickson just did it wrong. He should have applied for a patent for "a system or method of assigning musical notes to the numbers or numerical sequences of established mathematical constants." Then he could have filed in East Texas and been home free.
First of all, thanks! Your trolling inspired me to actually read the bill, and the codes that it will affect. In addition to what you cite above, it basically authorizes the US Marshall service to "(C) issue administrative subpoenas in accordance with section 3486 of title 18, solely for the purpose of investigating unregistered sex offenders (as defined in such section 3486)."
Great. Who wouldn't want unregistered sex offenders (as definined in such section 3486) to be investigated. But wait, 'unregistered sex offender' not only isn't defined in section 3486, it doesn't appear to be defined anywhere (Please point me to the definition if you happen to find it, and I'll correct my post.)
The wikipedia non-citation "The bill does not, however, allow for unwarranted governmental surveillance.[citation needed]" is certainly accurate, but [citation needed] seems to be an understatement. This bill couples an enormous store of personal information with immunity to the ISP's that provide the data, and only a subpeona required to access it (legally). No potential for abuse there.
Since the government has demonstrated restraint in requesting subpeonas in the past, surely, they'll exercise similiar restraint if/when this bill passes. Since unregistered sex offender isn't explicitly defined, one could probably argue that pretty much anyone falls into this category.
They wouldn't do that though, right?
So where is the spying? Well, there isn't any, because there's no way the government would request subpoenas for this information that would include innocents, right? Since IP addresses are always tied to a particular person.
What about the huge data warehouse? Oh, you mean besides the ones that the ISP's already keep? Well there isn't one, as long as the government doesn't decide some point down the road that well, you guys already have all this data, and we can access pretty much anything, at any time, why don't you just send that directly to us? We could be so much more efficient at catching unregistered sex offenders if we didn't have any oversight...
Forgive me, just ignore that totally unlikely strawman, something like that could never happen.
I bet TrueCar.com appreciates the interest the dealers are generating for their service. If middlemen are complaining, then TrueCar is obviously doing something right. I'll now be sure to use them the next time I buy a car.
Thanks dealers!
You seem to be adding something to the 'gift' line that isn't there. It doesn't say "Allow users to gift movies to friends for free". Steam allows anyone to purchase a game and gift it to friends. Everyone would still get paid.
It is an irresponsible response and a disservice to people who used to rely on them for entertainment. It is also an abuse of power given the monopolies these companies enjoy in the marketplace today. It�s a dangerous and troubling development when the platforms that used to serve as gateways to entertainment intentionally skew the facts to incite their lawmakers in order to further their corporate interests.
A so-called "necessary law" is yet another gimmick, albeit a dangerous one, designed to punish American jobs creators. It is our hope that the White House and the Congress will call on those who intend to pass this "law" to stop the hyperbole and PR stunts and engage in meaningful efforts to combat copyright infringement.
Netflix has/had been massively successful in it's campaign to get people to embrace streaming with all of the excellent moves it made at first. I have to think that many more people now get their entertainment through this avenue that would at this point had Netflix never bet it all on streaming.
Now, the studios/MPAA are going to reverse all of that, and all these people that have come to rely on watching movies/shows/whatever over the net are going to have trouble finding that movie/show/whatever they want to watch. They'll search for it, and the wonderful 'DVD only' caption will pop up.
Does anyone honestly think these people are then just going to pony up more dough and add DVD's by mail back to their subscription? Or rush out to the store and buy what they want to watch?
My money is on them clicking over to their favorite browser and searching for an alternative to netflix, and finding torrents or whatever, since there aren't any *legal* alternatives.
I think the MPAA did much worse than kill the golden goose this time. I think they just introduced an entire new group of disgruntled consumers to 'piracy'.
We should be seeing a lawsuit from the Rolling Stones soon, since the site is called rolling, and it's about music. That makes is similar enough doesn't it?
I wonder how many Sabitch's voted in those elections?
Nice one DH. Didn't think you were really thinking this.