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Junior Quotes
In the juniors, you are kind of a star, but just because you are a good junior doesn't mean you will be a good pro.
Author Profession: Athlete
Born: September 3, 1993
Find on Amazon: Dominic Thiem
Megan Rapinoe, Michael Jordan, Arthur Ashe, Muhammad Ali, Yogi Berra, Pele, Kobe Bryant, MS Dhoni
Because, Good, Junior, Juniors, Just, Just Because, Kind, Mean, Pro, Star, Will, You
You always have to continue working, because everybody is. Once you stop, the others will overtake you.
You Stop Always Will
Movement is one of the most important things. My consistency, everything - there's a lot to improve. Coaches are never happy. But I'd like to keep improving, go deeper in the tournaments, and get as high in the rankings as possible.
Happy Consistency Never Go
I don't mind to speak about myself until a certain point, but I think there's also stuff which is for myself that nobody has to know.
Myself Mind Think Nobody
The speed you have, you can't practice it. You have to be fast from your birth on. There are other things you can practice, like flexibility or the little steps needed to stand good to the ball, but to be fast is a gift you get.
Good You Gift Your
The one-handed backhand helps you to be more aggressive in the points.
You More Aggressive Points
I like to play tiebreaks, as that is when it gets interesting. Even when I was young, I enjoyed these kind of matches.
Play Like Interesting Young
I was never the person who came up with a boom somehow. I worked slowly and consistently, making my way up the rankings, so there wasn't one special moment.
Moment Way Never Special
I'm a player, or I'm a person who needs to practice a lot; otherwise, I don't play well.
Practice Person Play Well
The less top players that are in the draw, the higher the chances get for us, obviously.
Us Top Players Get
It's a joke how tough it is to win a Slam.
Tough Win Joke How
I prefer playing ATP tournaments and Davis Cup competition rather than Olympic Games.
Competition Games Than Playing
The Olympics are very important only if you gain a medal, and that's a very difficult achievement.
Achievement You Important Difficult
I'm not a big fan of the Olympic Games. The ATP calendar is a bit complex due to the Olympic event.
Games Big Fan Big Fan
Guys like me, we have a different style that makes it hard to break in easily. When I was 18, 19, I felt like I was just a boy, body-wise and mentality-wise. I had to fix everything together.
Me Style Together Boy
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Macauley Bonne becomes Charlton's first summer signing
17th June 2019 12:00pm
Charlton Athletic are delighted to welcome Macauley Bonne to The Valley as the club's first signing of the summer.
The 23-year-old striker arrives in SE7 from Leyton Orient for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal.
The Zimbabwe international scored 49 goals in the last two seasons for the Os helping them to promotion last term.
The Addicks new signing said: "I'm delighted to be here now, it's been something that's been on the cards for a while now and so I'm delighted that it's over the line.
He explained why he chose the Addicks: "Seeing how they've had a young team for the past two seasons and they've managed to get where they have with the youth in there. I thought it was the best move for me to progress and become a better player."
Charlton boss Lee Bowyer told Valley Pass that like last summer, when Lyle Taylor was his first signing, he has prioritised bringing in a striker. He said: "If you don't score goals, you don't win games. We did the same thing last season with Lyle, he was our first signing and Macauley's ours this summer.
"We have to get people in that are going to do things in the attacking third, that's what we're focusing on and what we've been focusing on for a long time.
"Steve Gallen (the club's Head of Recruitment) has been looking at him for two years, so it's been something that we've been keeping an eye on and now it's the right time for him to come to us."
Gallen said: "Macauley's been part of the team that won the National League, and he's scored a lot of goals and as I say he's someone who we've been watching for a while. The manager and I talked about him in January as a potential replacement for Karlan (Grant) at that stage to see if we could do it. We couldn't at that stage, but we're now really pleased to get him."
Born in Ipswich, Bonne made his professional debut for Colchester United in 2013. After loan spells at Lincoln City and Woking, he joined Orient in 2017. The striker netted 25 goals in his first season and 24 goals this season.
Supporters can watch his first interview as a Charlton player on Valley Pass. Interviews with Bowyer and Gallen on the first signing of the summer. Valley Pass costs just £6.50 a month and fans can sign-up here.
Charlton season tickets are back on sale and for a limited time the club are offering Championship football at League One pricing.
DONE DEAL | Charlton complete signing of Tomer Hemed:
The 32-year-old striker has put pen to paper on a one-year contract at The Valley
DONE DEAL | Charlton sign Beram Kayal on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion:
The Israeli international becomes the Addicks third deadline day signing
DONE DEAL | Charlton sign Sam Field on loan from West Bromwich Albion:
The midfielder becomes the Addicks 10th signing of the transfer window
DONE DEAL | Josh Cullen returns to Charlton on loan from West Ham United:
Bowyer: "I'm delighted, I didn't think Josh was a possibility. I'm pleased to have someone with Josh's ability"
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NYCO holds a Séance in 2011
It was just announced this week that New York City Opera will close their 2010-11 season with the AOP-developed Stephen Schwartz opera Séance on a Wet Afternoon. Our audiences got a chance to see several workshops of Séance in 2008, and now they'll have a chance to see how it all finally came together when it has its fully staged NYC premiere on April 19, 2011. NYCO star Lauren Flanigan, who appeared in each of the AOP workshops, will return to the role of Myra, the psychic medium who hatches a nefarious kidnapping plot in order to boost her reputation.
NYCO will also produce Strauss' Intermezzo, Bernstein's A Quiet Place, and will bring back Jonathan Miller's production of Donizetti's Elixer of Love. (A bit of trivia: Jonathan Miller hosted an AOP libretto workshop of Heart of Darkness and Semmelweis in November 2008 just before AOP's workshop of Séance in the Lower East Side's Orensanz Theater.)
From NYCO's press release:
"With this season, we take another step forward on an exciting journey for New York City Opera," stated George Steel. "I'm thrilled that we have three new productions, that we're presenting four premieres of works by American composers—all of them New Yorkers—and that we're exploring new programming possibilities, both with our triple bill of mini-operas and with the new concert series. Most of all, I love the incredible range of compositional styles this season: from the transparent simplicity of Donizetti to the opulent middle-period Richard Strauss to the blend of the popular and classical worlds in Bernstein and Stephen Schwartz—all this topped off by the delicious trio of Schoenberg, Feldman and Zorn. This is what City Opera was made to do, and what makes City Opera unique."
See more about NYCO's premiere of Séance on a Wet Afternoon and the rest of the 2010-11 season here.
Other upcoming premieres of AOP-developed projects include Before Night Falls at Fort Worth Opera this May and Heart of Darkness at the Royal Opera House in 2011.
American Opera Projects, Friends of AOP, Opera news and views, Seance on a Wet Afternoon, World PremieresMatt Gray March 11, 2010 Before Night Falls, Heart of Darkness, Jonathan Miller, Lauren Flanigan, New York City Opera, opera premiere, Stephen SchwartzComment
April line-up for "Opera Grows in Brooklyn" announced
Matt Gray March 11, 2010 Abigail Fischer, Absynth, Alteouise de Vaughn, American Opera Projects, Andrew Staniland, Caleb Burhans, Clint Borzoni, Composers & the Voice, DUMBO, Emily Conbere, Florent Ghys, Galapagos Art Space, Jennifer Peterson, Kevin McFarland, Margot Alone in the Light, Martha Guth, Michael Anthony McGee, Nico Muhly, Opera Grows in Brooklyn, Opera on Tap, operamission, Ray Bradbury, Rebecca Jo Loeb, Scott C- Embler, Stephen Andrew Taylor, Tom Cipullo, Tory Browers
Before Night Falls is a "must-see" event of 2010
Friends of AOP, Press reviews and arti..., World PremieresMatt Gray March 9, 2010 Before Night Falls, Fort Worth Opera, Jorge Martin, Reinaldo Arenas, Travel and Leisure, world premiere
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New photo reignites #FakeMelania conspiracy theory
And other stories from the stranger side of life
Rick Wilking/AFP/Getty Images
The conspiracy theory that body doubles are used to stand in for Melania Trump has re-ignited after a photo was released of her boarding the presidential helicopter on the South Lawn of the White House. "Is this really Melania?" wrote one Twitter user. "Nose, jawline, and smile aren't the same as the real one." Another added: "Okay... I am not a conspiracy nut, but I have checked and she does not show her gums when she smiles, and the corners of her mouth turn up not down."
Man sets record with 516 tattoos and piercings
'Is there a fake Melania Trump?': strange clip of First Lady goes viral
A German man has set a Guinness World Record for most body modifications after making 516 changes, including tattoos, piercings and subdermal implants. Rolf Buchholz said he was never interested in body modification until he got his first tattoo at age 40. Buchholz, who previously set the world record for most piercings when they were officially counted at 453, says he will make more changes.
Farmer names green dog Pistachio
An Italian farmer was surprised when one of his eight dogs gave birth to a green-furred puppy. The little dog was the odd one out in a five-strong litter born all with white fur, the same colour as their mixed-breed mother. The farmer has named the exceptional mutt Pistachio.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week's news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscriptio
Quiz of The Week: 15 - 21 January
Quizzes and puzzles
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George Best 'haunts ex-wife's home'
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10 Sex Terms You've Probably Never Heard Of
Buck Swope
Do you browse a certain porn website or your local video library and wonder what some of the tags and titles mean? Wonder no more because we're here to educate you — in what we'll call a 'dicktionary' — so you can turn off the safe search and grab a toy or your partner. From 69 to doggy-style, bareback, or raw dog, some terms are self-explanatory, but here are 10 sex terms you (probably) were too embarrassed to ask about…
1. Squirting
C'mon, you must have some idea as to what squirting is, right? It's when those with vaginas climax to the point of squirting. There's a lot to it and a lot to the squirting fluid, but we will confirm that squirting is real.
2. Scissoring
Nope, scissoring doesn't involve any scissors or cutting. It's not really a position, but more of a technique that allows women to get their bodies maneuvered in a way that lets them have pussy-on-pussy action. If you're a fan of the show South Park, you may have heard of it...just saying.
3. Creampie
The 'creampie' results from raw-dogging when the semen is visibly leaking, dripping, or seeping from a pussy or butthole.
4. Cuckolding
While it can be used as an insult, some men like to be a cuck, as in, watching their wife or partner have intercourse with another man. That's cuckolding.
5. Bukkake
Pronounced' boo-KAK-ay,' bukkake is when one participant is cum on by two or more other participants. It's like a 'facial,' but it normally includes a lot more people.
We're not referring to surfing, kayaking, or water polo. This particular type of water sports is when urine is included in a sex act — that can be a golden shower or even the imbibing of pee.
7. Pegging
Pegging is when a female partner wearing a strap-on penetrates their male partner. This lets a partner who is normally the penetrated become the penetrator and provide some anal play for him. And it's a nice change of pace for her!
8. Pearl Necklace
Hopefully, you won't be clutching at your pearl necklace with this explanation — a figurative pearl necklace, that is. This pearl necklace is when semen is ejaculated around the neck, chest, or breasts of a partner, which resembles — you guessed it — a pearl necklace.
9. Rusty Trombone
A 'rusty trombone' is when one partner performs anilingus from behind while reaching around to the front to jerk the johnson — mimicking the actions of someone playing the trombone. When done correctly, a rusty trombone will hit all the right notes!
10. Teabagging
It involves no tea, but it does involve bags! Teabagging is when the scrotum — the ball bag and bag in this act — is placed in the mouth of a willing partner and sucked. The action of dipping the bag in and out of the mouth obviously resembles a teabag's action.
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Burnley FC Partners with Inspire Indonesia
By Frances Esguerra, Writer
Burnley FC in the Community (FCitC), the official charity of Burnley FC, announced a partnership with Inspire Indonesia, an organization dedicated to impacting Indonesia through soccer, to promote social and gender equality through a soccer-based initiative called "Pledge United". Developed to educate boys on the impact that violence against women has on women, society and men themselves, the program will be funded by the Premier League International Development Fund to provide soccer coaching and education around gender equality.
According to 2016 United Nations studies in Asia, 23% of all Asian women had been raped in their lifetime with even higher rates in certain Indonesian provinces. The Pledge United program was created to raise awareness of this significant issue and work to achieve a more peaceful, inclusive and less violent Indonesian society. Despite the over 7,000 mile distance between the UK and Indonesia, Burnley FC and Inspire Indonesia are collaborating to engage hundreds of participants, specifically males between the ages of 13 and 19, to help change the attitude off the next generation of men.
Burnley FC and Inspire Indonesia are not letting distance get in the way of tackling the pressing issue of gender inequaity and rape culture in Indonesia. With increasing awareness of the Me Too Movement, the idea of "boys will be boys" is becoming less and less acceptable, but more work needs to be done in educating young men and empowering young women about the matter. The Pledge United program uses sport to promote long-overdue social change in a culture that has remained the same for far too long. Burnley FC and Inspire Indonesia are paving the way for positive change in the lives of many.
How It Can Be Improved:
The Pledge United initiative aims to educate boys about violence against women to promote social and gender equality. With involvement by a female football club, the program can also work to empower young women by providing them with the opportunity to receive soccer coaching and mentorship from other strong women. Inspiring young women to be confident and valued is just as important as educating young men to be well-mannered and chivalrous.
Philanthropy Playmakers is a sports philanthropy consulting firm that advises non-profits, athletes and foundations. Our core competencies include fundraising strategy, strategic planning, marketing, and communications at the intersection of sports and philanthropy. To learn more, contact us.
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Home » News » Fortnite's Vending Machines Can Heal Downed Players
Fortnite's Vending Machines Can Heal Downed Players
The universe of Fortnite continues to surprise the many who battle royale in its bright, vivid world, and players have discovered something about its vending machines. Apparently, the vending machines will help players stay alive, even when downed. The machines in question are the ones that look like something that would dispense Coke and chips, except in Fortnite they're filled with medkits and shield potions.
On the official Fortnite subreddit, a popular post documented the discovery (via Gamesradar). In the post, a video shows that crawling to a vending machine after being knocked down can actually keep you alive. The player is in Quads mode when they're downed by enemy fire, but they crawl to a vending machine where they buy health back, reversing their deteriorating health. While medkits and potions bought from the machine would be useless, if you have enough gold bars you can also use it to get a patch up which still seems to work, even when downed.
For the player this was a new discovery, but other Fortnite fans seemed to have already worked this trick out. The comments underneath the post are full of people who say they knew the vending machine feature already.. Many others were happy to admit they had no idea this was possible and will undoubtedly be using the trick when playing Duos and Quads in the near future.
For those unfamiliar with being downed in Fortnite, the phenomenon occurs when a player is completely depleted of health and shield, but only in modes where you have a teammate who can revive you. Your fellow teammates have the time it takes for your regenerated health bar to deplete to get you back on your feet and aiding them in their fight.
While in a downed state, a player is unable to use weapons or items. All they can do is slowly crawl for cover and hope their teammates save them in time. Well, that or find a vending machine and pay for a patch up to keep them going a little longer as we have now discovered. Maybe try to keep a vending machine nearby whenever you can from now on. They show up on the map so it actually shouldn't be too difficult to make sure there is always one relatively close by.
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Capitol Attitude
Debate about offensive symbols, icons on Capitol Hill sprawls far beyond the Confederates
By Chad Pergram | Fox News
Trump opposes effort to rename US military bases named for confederate commanders
Reaction from National Diversity Coalition for Trump member Bruce Levell and former Bloomberg pollster Doug Schoen.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
You probably don't know much about Wade Hampton.
The same with James Zachariah George.
Or Edward Kirby Smith.
But you have probably heard a lot about Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and a host of other Confederate figures whose depictions are spread about the U.S. Capitol.
They always start with the big names every time there's a conversation about removing Confederate statues on Capitol Hill.
The discussion usually starts with Lee's statue from Virginia. Then onto the statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis from Mississippi. Next on the list is the statue of Confederate Vice President Alexander Hamilton Stephens from Georgia. Gen. Joseph Wheeler of Alabama isn't as well known as the trio listed above. But Wheeler's statue shows him in a Confederate military uniform, complete with "CSA" emblazoned on the belt buckle.
THESE ARE THE ARMY BASES NAMED FOR CONFEDERATES
These four statues are positioned in prominent locations in the Capitol. Lee used to occupy a prodigious spot in Statuary Hall, the old House chamber and close to the current House chamber. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., saw to it that Lee was relegated to a slightly less eminent location during her first term as Speaker, the Capitol Crypt. To the lay person, the "Crypt" sounds like a dark, musty cell accessorized with cobwebs. It's not. The Crypt is one level below the Capitol Rotunda on the first floor. It's a major locale in the U.S. Capitol and subject to substantial foot traffic when the House and Senate are in session – if the world isn't plunged into the throes of a pandemic. It's a primary artery for House and Senate members and aides to traverse the Capitol. Tour groups also linger extensively in the Crypt – when there are such things as tours of the U.S. Capitol.
FILE - In this June 24, 2015 file photo, a statue of Jefferson Davis, second from left, president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865, is on display in Statuary Hall on Capitol Hill in Washington. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is demanding that statues of Confederate figures such as Jefferson Davis be removed from the U.S. Capitol. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
Meantime, the statues of Lee, Stevens and Wheeler remain upstairs in Statuary Hall, a distinguished location as any in the Capitol complex.
That's why we don't think a lot about Wade Hampton, James Zachariah George and Edward Kirby Smith compared to the others. But they all harbored significant Confederate pedigrees. Hampton served as South Carolina's governor and U.S. senator. He was also a General in the Confederate Army and sympathized with the Ku Klux Klan. George of Mississippi was a Confederate Colonel. Smith was a Confederate General.
Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, came to Capitol Hill last week to testify about police abuse before the House Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary panel would usually conduct such hearings in its main hearing room in the Rayburn House Office Building. But those digs are now too cramped in the era of COVID-19. So the Judiciary Committee decamped to the much larger Congressional Auditorium in the subterranean Capitol Visitor's Center (CVC). When Philonise Floyd arrived, he walked into the auditorium right past the statues of Hampton, George and Smith.
This is where Congressional officials banished the statues of Hampton, George and Smith when the CVC opened in late 2008. The Congressional Auditorium is a grand space. But it's rarely used – although that could change in the era of social distancing. The statues of George and Smith used to occupy more distinguished real estate in the Capitol. Both were in the Hall of Columns, near the main entrance on the east side of the building. Now all are buried, truly in the basement.
In fact, the statue of Smith will soon be exiled. Florida has approved a statue swap, sending Mary McLeod Bethune. She founded the National Council for Negro Women and the National Negro College Fund. She's the partial namesake of Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, FL.
Lawmakers often note that states pick which statues they send to the Capitol. Each state gets two. But completely removing the statues could present a problem, especially if it's against the will of a state. But, it's possible the House and Senate could simply "hide" controversial statues.
2 USC 2131(e) says the following:
"The Architect of the Capitol, upon the approval of the Joint Committee on the Library and with the advice of the Commission of Fine Arts as requested, is authorized and directed to relocate within the United States Capitol any of the statues received from the States under section 2131 of this title prior to December 21, 2000, and to provide for the reception, location, and relocation of the statues received on and after December 21, 2000, from the States under such section."
In short, the law gives Congress discretion where to place a statue – be it in the Capitol Rotunda or consigned to a broom closet.
As for moving statues, Pelosi said she "did do what I had the authority to do" during her first go-around as Speaker, dispatching Lee's statue to the Crypt.
"I couldn't actually take them out," said Pelosi. "It may be up to the states to send (the statues) here. But it's not up to the states where (they) might be."
Pelosi hopes Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., and Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., lead the Joint Committee on the Library, can forge an arrangement with Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton to remove the Confederate statuary.
But the debate about offensive and questionable symbols and icons populating Capitol Hill sprawls far beyond the Confederates.
The statue of the late Sen. Pat McCarran, D-Nev., sits in the Hall of Columns. McCarran was instrumental in developing the modern Air Force. You fly into McCarran International Airport if you travel to Las Vegas. But McCarran was known as a race baiter who thought the U.S. would be "perverted, contaminated or destroyed" by what the senator regarded as "aliens."
TRUMP SAYS HIS ADMINISTRATION WILL 'NOT EVEN CONSIDER' RENAMING MILITARY BASES AFTER CONFEDERATES
Emblems of state quarters now decorate the tunnel which stretches between the Capitol and the Rayburn House Office Building. But a few years ago, the flags of all 50 states hung in the tunnel. That included Mississippi's flag. Ensconced in the upper left-hand corner of the flag is the deep blue cross against a red backdrop. It's the Confederate flag, incorporated into Mississippi's banner.
In 2015, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., authored a resolution to "remove any State flag containing any portion of the Confederate battle flag" from the House side of the Capitol. Republicans, in the majority at the time, sidetracked the resolution. House Republicans didn't want to approve such a prohibition. But what Republicans really didn't want to do was vote against Thompson's plan. So the House tabled the issue altogether.
Congressional workers removed all flags from the tunnel in 2015 and 2016 for a maintenance project. But the flags were mothballed in favor of anodyne depictions of state quarters.
Questions sometimes arise at the Capitol as to whether it is appropriate for the Senate to name rooms after the late Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., and the late Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd, D-W.Va.
The Thurmond room is an acoustically-challenged meeting space near the suite held by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. The Kentucky Republican often herds GOPers into the room for short meetings before votes or councils with committee chairs. The Byrd rooms represent the permanent office suite for the Senate Democratic Leader, be the party in the majority or minority. It's located off the Senate floor and currently occupied by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
Thurmond ran for President in 1948 on the Dixiecrat ticket, favoring "state's rights" and segregation. Thurmond collected 39 electoral votes. He also opposed the Civil Rights Act. To this day, Thurmond maintains the record for the longest, continuous, "speaking" filibuster. Thurmond held the floor for 24 hours and 18 minutes, in August, 1957, blocking a civil rights measure. The senator later modified some of his stances on civil rights over time.
Byrd rose to the level of Exalted Cyclops in the Ku Klux Klan in the 1940s. He later denounced the Klan, dropping his membership long before running for the House in 1952. The West Virginia Democrat later called his association with the KKK "the greatest mistake I ever made."
And then there is the Russell Senate Office Building, named after the late Sen. Richard Russell, D-Ga.
Schumer pushed to rename the structure which houses 35 offices of U.S. senators after the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in the summer of 2018. Russell never served as Majority or Minority Leader. Still, Russell was one of the most influential figures to ever toil in the Senate. However, Russell was also a segregationist who blocked civil rights bills and measures outlawing lynchings.
The Russell Senate Office Building in Washington D.C. (Architect of the Capitol)
There's still nothing named after McCain in the Senate, despite lots of chatter about doing so when he passed away two years ago. And the Russell Senate Office Building – is still the Russell Senate Office Building.
The Senate could change the names of any of the rooms or the Russell Senate Office Building by adopting a resolution. But nothing's on the table. There's bicameral legislation to yank out the 11 statues sprinkled across the Capitol complex of Confederate figures.
There have been various fits and starts over the years to eliminate some of the most-controversial art and statuary which adorns the U.S. Capitol. But little changes. What's unclear is if this debate will continue to focus on the Confederate statues – or morph into renaming other entities around the Capitol complex. And even if it does, it's far from clear if lawmakers will take action.
Chad Pergram currently serves as a congressional correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in September 2007 and is based out of Washington, D.C.
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Johnny McArthur
The Finalists: Zach Verhoven
There have been a decent amount of intra-league transfers added to this Atlético Ottawa squad over the past two seasons (one of them is another finalist for this award), but unlike proven talents like Ben Fisk and Ryan Telfer, Zach Verhoven came here with the air of a player with something to prove still. You can tell because he plays like it every second that he's on the pitch.
"Explosive" I think was the word I used for him during an episode of the After the Whistle podcast with Thomas Stockting. Zach continuously refuses to be a passenger when he's on the pitch. Every possession is treated like an opportunity to leave his mark on the game, on the pitch, on the fans. Every dribble, every feint, every give-and-go is determination manifest. Whether he's playing Right-Back or Right-Wing is mostly trivial because he's bombing up and down the entire right flank regardless; tracking back to recover possession, over/underlapping another player with a one-two, taking on defenders for fun. When he starts a match, he dictates how the right flank operates. When he's used as a super-sub, he dictates how the rest of the team operates.
One of the best examples of Verhoven's sheer grit and intelligence on the pitch was in the 1-1 home draw against York United on August 18. We had fallen 1-0 to an extremely weak penalty in the 65th minute. A situation like this can be deflating. Heads can drop, and depending on your mentality or motivation, a player might find it difficult to dig deep to get back out from under it. Enter Zach Verhoven in the 75th minute. In the 15 minutes he was on the pitch he was a marvel. 7 Accurate passes, all in the opposition half. 3 duels won. 3 successful tackles out of 3 attempted. The kid was on fire. In the 89th minute he made a piercing diagonal run towards the box where he ended up being dispossessed so swiftly that he spun and fell to his knees.
What happened next ended up being one of the highlights of the season. He ran back and, thanks to a stonewall put up by Milo Kapor against Álvaro Rivero, took the ball back as quickly as he had lost it before embarking on another journey towards the box. Head up, Telfer to his right, and Wright in front of him, he instead looked back and to the left where an open Alberto Soto was calling for the ball to his feet (as he so often does). Verhoven obliged him, not with a pass to his feet, but with an intelligent ball rolled towards Soto's left so that he could run onto it into open space without taking a single touch before hitting a driving low strike first time into the bottom right corner.
We all remember the celebrations. Soto lifting his jersey to show his shirt underneath sharpie'd with a tribute to his late uncle. Dylon Powley sprinting to the dub and leaping up onto the railing to greet the fans in a moment that has become the stuff of legend. Soto running back to his half roaring and punching the air towards the fans to keep them on their feet. This was the moment we knew we could make TD place a fortress (we'd go nearly a month after this game before being defeated at home). This moment does not happen without resilience. This moment does not happen without courage. This moment does not happen without Zach Verhoven.
Signing of the versatile Verhoven bolsters Atlético Ottawa's options
"Confidence" and "patience" needed as Atlético Captain still believes Ottawa can make top 4
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NBS 8401
overarching difference overrides other religious ethnic and racial sub
Overarching difference overrides other religious
School Nanyang Technological University
Course Title NBS 8401
Uploaded By gwaheire
overarching difference overrides other religious, ethnic, and racial sub-dichotomies (Gaborieau 8). Traditionally, Hindus preferred to identify themselves in a variety of ways. They would be given a proper name, referenced to a village or lineage, to the family to an event or even circumstances. Presently, the religious life of all the Hindus is focused only on the devotion of their God, which takes the form of rituals and practices that are linked to images of gods in home shrines. Their primary symbols include sacred books, temples, Brahmins that is the keystone of the castle hierarchy and the cow. Precisely, Brahmin and cows are the Hinduism traditional banners, however, the cow become the primary symbol, and those who are opposed to Hinduism uses the cow to offend the Hindu sentiment. Even in the 17 th century, cow killing was considered a regular element of a communal riot among the Muslims. In essences, the canon of Hinduism is defined by what people do, not what they think, unlike other religions. Therefore, they are more focused on the uniformity of behavior rather than of belief although both behavior and belief share some of the practices. Traditionally, Hindus are seen to believe in contradictory things, not merely from one person to the other but also within the daily religious life. Muslims accounts claimed the Hindu religion was based on idolatry, which reflects the Hindu's beliefs in the eternality of the world.
Surname 3 How does Julius Lipner define Hinduism? Julius Lipner describes Hinduism to be a way of life and an organized social and religious system free from dogmatic affirmation regarding the nature of God. It is an eternal dharma and means for Hindus to support and improve their existence in the world. The advantage of defining Hinduism in this sense is that it does away the tendency to look for the essentialist definition of the term. In essence, Hinduism is a collection of different things as a banyan tree with roots and branches interconnected both above and under the ground, many of these things being indistinguishable from the other but sharing the same regenerative life-sap with foliage which comes the most of human history. Lipner provocative answer on what Hinduism means is that it does not exist. The term is more a western abstraction of recent coinage that gives an impression
TAGS Hinduism, Islam
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The Rover Watch Online
The Rover Review
The Rover Gallery
The Rover Teaser Trailer: Robert Pattinson Battles Guy Pearce
by Joel D Amos at January 29, 2014 2:51 pm . Updated at January 29, 2014 3:11 pm . Comments
Robert Pattinson and Guy Pearce (who topped our Top 10 Villains of 2013!) star in the thriller that presents a landscape of the world a decade after the collapse of society. It is one scary scene. The film follows the story of a man who will do what he has to do to retrieve something that matters more to him than anything in the world from a ruthless gang.
The Rover also released its first poster, and is it us, or does the teaser trailer above remind you of the landscape of Mad Max? If it's half as intense, violent and vicarious as that Mel Gibson movie, audiences are in for a thrilling treat.
The film does not have a U.S. release date yet, but we'll keep you posted. Goodness knows there are tens of millions of Pattinson fans who are eager to see what he does post-Twilight Saga!
Tags: The Rover, Movie Trailers, Movie Posters
Watch The Rover Online
The Rover is an astounding piece of filmmaking, as we stated in our theatrical The Rover review. Robert Pattinson is a revelation and Guy...
The Rover Photos
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President Buhari to address the nation on Sunday
President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to address the nation on Sunday, June 12, 2022, on Democracy Day.
This was disclosed by one of the Presidents' spokespersons, Femi Adesina, via a statement issued on Saturday.
According to him, the address will form part of activities for the Democracy Day celebration.
What Adesina is saying
He said, "President Muhammadu Buhari will broadcast to the nation on Sunday, June 12, 2022, at 7am as part of activities to commemorate Nigeria's Democracy Day.
"Television, radio stations, and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority and Radio Nigeria for the broadcast.
"For the past 18 years, Nigerians have been celebrating May 29th, as Democracy Day. That was the date when for the second time in our history, an elected civilian administration took over from a military government. The first time this happened was on October 21st, 1979,"
On June 8, 2020, the Federal Government had declared June 12 as a public holiday to celebrate Democracy Day.
This was disclosed by the Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, via his Twitter handle on Monday, according to Nairametrics.
He had said, "But in the view of Nigerians, as shared by this administration, June 12th, 1993, was far more symbolic of Democracy in the Nigerian context than May 29th or even October 1st.
"June 12th, 1993 was the day when Nigerians in millions expressed their democratic will in what was undisputedly the freest, fairest and most peaceful elections since our Independence. The fact that the outcome of that election was not upheld by the then military government does not distract from the democratic credentials of that process.
"Accordingly, after due consultations, the federal government has decided that henceforth, June 12th will be celebrated as Democracy Day."
Also, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, congratulated Nigerians for the entrenchment of democratic rule in the country.
The minister also called on "Nigerians to continue to cherish the selfless efforts made to attain democracy".
He reassured "Nigerians of the Federal Government's commitment to battling the scourge of COVID-19 with the cooperation of all Nigerians".
Tags: AddressBuharinationPresidentSunday
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A deep hospitality with migrants and refugees
POST BY DHoward
Damian Howard SJ, Jesuit Refugee Service, JRS UK, pope francis, migrants
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On Sunday 14th January the Church marks the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, an opportunity to reflect on our response as Christians to an often vulnerable group of people, and to celebrate the many ways refugees and migrants enrich societies across the world.
This is the 104th such World Day of Migrants and Refugees. It may surprise some of us to learn just how long the Church has been so acutely concerned about the fate of refugees and migrants, especially if we only started taking an interest after Pope Francis' visit to the island of Lampedusa and all the media attention it aroused. In fact, Francis' work for refugees is part of a long tradition established by his predecessors, including Pope Pius XII, who published an encyclical devoted to this matter (Exsul Familia, 1959) and Pope Benedict XVI, who touched on it in his encyclical Caritas in Veritate (2009).
Pope Francis sees in the plight of refugees and migrants today a "sign of the times". There is something about what is currently happening to refugees and migrants that demands our attention if we are to remain faithful to our calling. That is why his statement for today's World Day of Migrants and Refugees is aimed not just at those with responsibility for public policy, but at all Christians and people of good will, to remind us all that "every stranger who knocks at our door is an opportunity for an encounter with Jesus Christ, who identifies with the welcomed and rejected strangers of every age (Matthew 24: 35-43)".
Welcome, protect, integrate, promote
Pope Francis calls on us to love and stand in solidarity with all migrants, and particularly with refugees, at every stage of their journey. He suggests we can do this by welcoming, protecting, promoting, and integrating them. He explains that welcoming refugees and migrants entails making it easier for them to cross the borders they need to cross, safely and legally. Importantly, the call to extend legal routes also has implications for how we treat those without "correct" documentation. For instance, we should strive to find alternatives to the use of detention – a matter which has particular significance in the UK, which detains around 30,000 people each year.
Protecting means taking concrete measures to defend dignity and rights, including policy and legal measures. That means we should protect migrants by ensuring they can access healthcare.
Integrating focuses on a "culture of encounter" that values and supports the intercultural enrichment brought by migrants and refugees. Integration is carefully distinguished from assimilation, in which host countries seek to remake migrants in their own image. Integration is mutually transformative.
Promoting means empowering migrants and refugees to "achieve their potential as human beings in all the dimensions which constitute the humanity intended by the creator." It is concerned with human flourishing.
A conversion of the heart
Pope Francis' approach to this issue is eminently practical, appealing for concrete steps of solidarity, not just warm words or abstract theory. But he calls us to a praxis that flows from a different way of thinking about human beings – one that flows from a conversion of the heart. Pope Francis challenges the widespread presuppositions of many contemporary cultures, including our own. He argues against a narrow-minded approach which grounds a person's worthiness of help on their legal status or nationality; it is their humanity that comes first.
This has long been way the Church thinks about the dignity of migrants. De Pastorali Migratorum Cura (1969) emphasised the rights of the human person in her or his entirety. More recently, Pope Benedict XVI insisted that "Every migrant is a human person who, as such, possesses fundamental, inalienable rights that must be respected by everyone and in every circumstance" (Caritas in Veritate, 62).
Pope Francis's Message of Hope is a call to holistic love in action, a love that encounters people in the world as it is, and thinks about how to change that world to help them, so we can all flourish together. It is also a call to a love that encounters people as they are, in all of their human dimensions, and on this basis cares about God's purpose for them and is willing to be transformed by them. It is a call to a deep and reciprocal hospitality.
If we are to take this vision seriously, it evidently has important international and domestic policy implications.
Think of the international debates which have been raging over the last few years about the journeys migrants take. We worry, for example, about boats navigating the treacherous waters of the Mediterranean. Usually, the question for the global community seems to be "how do we stop the boats?" This is not an holistic perspective, for it ignores the fact that they are fleeing from danger. Pope Francis' call for safer entry points, conversely, suggests we ought to ask a different question: "how do we protect those who are forced to migrate?" This approach will involve making journeys safer. It also involves ensuring that people are protected once they arrive, and that communities in destination countries respond appropriately to migrants' needs and vulnerabilities.
Action in the UK
The need to protect migrants within destination countries is, indeed, a pressing issue here in the UK, and one which the Jesuits in Britain have long been engaged with. Reading Pope Francis' words, I am reminded of the community of refused asylum seekers served by the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in Wapping in east London.
JRS UK is a vibrant and growing project, first set up by Brother Bernard Elliot SJ, whose faithful, people-centred approach remains part of its ethos today. JRS UK runs a day centre for refused asylum seekers. The people I meet there have fled to the UK for protection but can face enormous difficulty in having the validity of their case recognised. The process for determining who is a refugee in the UK is notoriously fraught with difficulty and complexity, underpinned as it is by a culture of suspicion which places a heavy burden of proof on asylum seekers who often struggle to access reliable legal support.
Many of those who are initially refused are ultimately recognised as refugees, in need of protection. But this can take years. As they fight for the safety they desperately need, they live in limbo, unable to leave, but also confronted with insuperable barriers to building a life for themselves here. Prevented from working and ineligible for any government support, they are forced into destitution and even street homelessness. They are completely dependent on charity to eat and keep warm. They rarely have space in which to relax, and are forbidden to contribute to society or to develop by working. In sum, refused asylum seekers are denied their dignity, barred from participation in society, and prevented from flourishing in their God-given humanity. And this is all because UK policy understands their worth exclusively in terms of legal status.
This situation raises a pressing question for Jesuits in the UK context: how do we offer deep hospitality to this community? How can we welcome, protect, promote, and integrate?
Offering deep hospitality
JRS UK runs a scheme to help communities host destitute, refused asylum seekers over periods of three months at a time. The offer of some emotional and physical safety and space to rest and grow for the refugee hosted is precious. Few would normally have a secure place to stay. Usually, the only way to avoid sleeping on the streets or in night buses is to rely on friends or family. That means a couch, a chair, or the floor of a cold, squalid room which needs to be vacated before anyone else is up. It is not uncommon to find yourself locked out without notice. And so they go from friend to friend with the threat of a night in the freezing cold hanging over them. Several religious communities are taking part in the scheme to offer this deep hospitality by opening their homes to destitute refugees who have found themselves homeless. This kind of hospitality is being offered by many communities of religious sisters and several Jesuit communities, including the one in Mount Street, central London, where I now live. It is a crucial ministry to refused asylum seekers.
The process of hosting refugees within the intimate setting of community life is not always easy; but those who have made this step speak of an enrichment to community life they did not expect. The refugee guest will teach them something about the grim reality of the world, shifting the conversation by bringing new perspectives to familiar situations.
By welcoming refugees, Jesuit communities and others have met Christ in a new way, the Exile with nowhere to lay His head. This is the truth of the unity of the human family, and sometimes it is only experienced at a deeper level by daring to build bridges across borders, be they cultural, religious, or legal. It is an instance of deep hospitality which has been a gift to those communities who have taken part in it, and just might be a practical a model for helping to transform society across many levels.
A man on a mission, a companion of Jesus
An extreme gift
Refugee wisdom - knows the truth about human life
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Mumbai gigs: Guitarist Matt Bacon to perform in BKC
Updated: Jan 04, 2019, 10:29 IST | Karishma Kuenzang | Mumbai
Attend a gig by one of the leading tutors at AR Rahman's music school who's here to share some guitar chops
Matt Bacon
It was fate that brought classical guitarist Matt Bacon to India. Such that he describes his move and the appointment as a teacher at AR Rahman's KM Music Conservatory in Chennai as a 'total freak accident', when we speak to him before his upcoming gig at a BKC venue. "My resume got forwarded around from a job in California, that my now-coworker Adam Grieg ended up seeing. We had a Skype call where I spoke about how I didn't exactly want to come to India, but ended up hopping on a plane bound for Chennai a week later. I've loved it since the moment I got off that flight, and into my first autorickshaw ride. Bit ironic, how that worked out," says Bacon.
Having spent four years in India now, Bacon, who grew up listening to his father play Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix and picked up the instrument at the age of eight, has worked with AR Rahman on movies and projects. In fact, he has just wrapped up filming for a Netflix show at the conservatory. "AR Rahman is a guy who just doesn't stop working — he lives, eats and breathes music, and is constantly travelling. He's inspiring," says Bacon.
Since his move, he's found the Indian music scene phenomenally busier than the US — especially for a classical musician. "The repertoire American and European audiences may be familiar with, isn't too well known here. So, it feels like I'm hearing it for the first time again as I'm playing, and I learn new things from the audience. It feels like having a new set of ears," compares the musician, whose first guitar was an Olympic white Strat — reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix's guitar.
And Bacon as a teacher is as strict as he is meticulous, it seems. "No one is allowed to play anything beyond Mary had a Little Lamb till they've done the adequate technical and theory work. Once the drive is there, there is much scope to do a variety of music at the school," says the teacher who feels that the popularity of Spanish classical guitar is increasing as students realise the benefits of the technique involved in it.
The sounds and flavours of India have also made their way into Bacon's original works, evident from his recent album release — The Crossover — which comprises songs that reflect his time in India. He has played most of the instruments except the violin and the last track is an instrumental called Masala Blues, loosely based on a raag and rhythm he heard somewhere in India. He will be playing some flamenco-influenced classics like Leyenda, lyrical and romantic Spanish guitar solos and a few Latin American tangos during his gig in the city.
On January 5, 10 pm to 1 am
At Uno Mas, Inspire number 2, BKC.
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Beryl Kingston Blog
The value of NOT touching your forelock
I thought I'd tell you a true story with a moral this morning because I'm getting tired of being told that we should get behind the present incompetent ruling party and support them instead of criticising them as they richly deserve – and I feel in that sort of mood. So here goes.
My hero was a country bumpkin, like the two in these pictures, and he was a distant and very close relation of mine, who originally lived in a village called Westward Ho, which was near Bideford in Devon. His parents were farm labourers and lived in a tied cottage that belonged to their Lord of the Manor. By all accounts they were hard working, unassuming people, who worked hard and did as they were told. His mother curtsied when she saw any of the gentry approaching and his father either touched his cap or pulled the forelock of his hair. But their son Jessie was a firebrand.
The Lord of the Manor's son was young and arrogant, used to getting his own way among the yokels. Naturally. He was a member of the ruling class and they were only labourers. It was his habit of an evening to ride into one or other of his father's various villages on one or other of his well groomed horses and take a drink or two in the local pub. There was always a group of local lads standing around outside the pub and when he arrived he would dismount and toss the reins to the nearest boy with the lordly command, 'Boy! Hold my hoss!' And the boy would obediently hold the horse for him until he came out of the pub, and then 'make a back' for him so that he could mount and the young gentleman would toss him a threepenny bit as a reward. Until the evening he tossed the reins to Jesse Garnsworthy.
I think he'd had a few by then but he was bold by nature. Instead of catching the reins, he stood his ground, looked up at his master's son and said. 'You hold yer own bloody hoss!' The young man must have been rather surprised to be answered in such a way but he didn't say anything, he simply threw the reins to another boy.
But of course that wasn't the end of the story. The next morning the Bailiffs arrived at his father's cottage with a one way railway ticket to London. Jesse was to be on the train that morning or his family would be out of their cottage and out of their jobs by the end of the week. They couldn't argue because the Lord of the Manor owned their labour and their home. So Jesse went to London. And that should have been the end of the matter.
But it wasn't, because Jesse was a determined cuss and somehow or other he got a job on one of the daily newspapers on Fleet Street. By the time I was a small child and sitting at his feet happily listening to his stories, he was a compositor working for the Daily Herald and in his own words, 'comfortably off'.
There are two morals to this story.
One is 'Nil desperandum' or 'Don't let the buggers grind you down.'
And the other is the motto of all courageous newspapers. 'Speak truth to power'.
This entry was posted on May 6, 2020. Bookmark the permalink. 10 Comments
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10 thoughts on "The value of NOT touching your forelock"
lesley2cats says:
Great story, Beryl!
berylkingston84 says:
Thank you Lesley.
pennywrite says:
Enjoyed that story! I recall the 'Daily Herald' too (just about) with its memorable knight and shield on the title.
You've got a good memory,Penny. I'd forgotten the knight and his shield.
Helen J. Christmas says:
My dad told me a story that his dad told him… it went something like this.
Lord of the Manor: "Get orf my land!"
Grandpa: "Ow did this land come to be yours then?"
Lord of the Manor: "My forefathers fought for this land!"
Grandpa: "Alright then, I'll fight you for it."
(I'm proud to say Fred Carter was a staunch member of the labour party.)
Beryl Cunnington says:
Great story fellow Beryl!
Thank you fellow Beryl
Susan Wolsten-Croft says:
Only just caught up with your blog, Beryl Sweetie. Thank you. Herald was "the" paper in our house when I was small. We still have a Lord of the Manor in our village, but her is a different kettle of fish from his father and grandfather.
Hello my darling. Times DO change.Praise be! Love to you both xx
Hold on to the good things.
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Eat healthier, and you'll help save the planet, report says
By Michael Nedelman, CNN
Published 5:51 PM EDT, Thu August 8, 2019
Would you stop eating beef to save the planet?
A climate change report published Thursday by United Nations scientists says that eating less meat and reducing food waste could slash global emissions and benefit our health and the environment.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which published the report, says that humans affect about 70% of ice-free land on Earth, and the panel previously concluded that changing our diets could contribute 20% of the effort needed to keep global temperatures from rising 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Land degradation, including deforestation, produces almost a quarter of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. Pictured: An aerial view over a chemically deforested area of the Amazon jungle caused by illegal mining activities in the river basin of the Madre de Dios region in southeast Peru, on May 17, 2019.
CRIS BOURONCLE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Change food production and stop abusing land, major climate report warns
"Balanced diets, featuring plant-based foods … and animal-sourced food produced in resilient, sustainable and low-[greenhouse gas] emission systems, present major opportunities for adaptation and mitigation while generating significant co-benefits in terms of human health," the new report says.
Food waste and meat consumption are big contributors to global warming, with food waste producing between 8% and 10% and livestock 14.5% of global emissions, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
This is partly because raising animals for food is resource-intensive, requiring the production of feed and fertilizers that result in greenhouse gases – not to mention the methane that comes from cows. It also requires land to be cleared for cattle.
"The science is in," Sujatha Bergen, director of health campaigns at the Natural Resources Defense Council's Health and Food Division, wrote on the organization's website in response to the report. "A cut in the consumption of climate-intensive foods like red meat can help save the planet."
While the report is largely geared toward policymakers, experts say there are things consumers can do to help curb the vicious cycle of climate change and land degradation.
Making healthy choices
"If the whole world, which continues to grow, eats more like us, the impacts are staggering, and the planet simply can't withstand it," Sharon Palmer, a registered dietitian nutritionist and plant-based food and sustainability expert in Los Angeles, previously told CNN.
One study, published October in the journal Nature, found that as a result of population growth and the continued consumption of Western diets high in red meats and processed foods, the environmental effects of the food system could increase 50% to 90% by 2050, "reaching levels that are beyond the planetary boundaries that define a safe operating space for humanity."
Planet Earth with a spectacular sunset.
solarseven/Shutterstock
Change your diet to combat climate change in 2019
Similarly, a study published Thursday concluded that public health and the environment have much to gain from plant protein alternatives that meet nutritional goals while scaling back on cropland, nitrogen fertilizer, water use and greenhouse gas production. It's possible, the authors say, despite "our potentially hard to overcome culinary partiality toward animal protein."
Palmer, who was not involved in this research, said that "drastically reducing animal food intake and mostly eating plant foods is one of the most powerful things you can do to reduce your impact on the planet over your lifetime."
According to the latest report by the United Nations panel, plant-based foods may include those based on coarse grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
This can lower your risk for obesity, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, according to studies like one published last month.
Palmer explained that "legumes [or pulses], such as beans, lentils and peas are the most sustainable protein source on the planet. They require very small amounts of water to grow; they can grow in harsh, dry climates; they grow in poor nations, providing food security; and they act like a natural fertilizer, capturing nitrogen from the air and fixing it in the soil. Thus, there is less need for synthetic fertilizers. These are the types of protein sources we need to rely upon more often."
There's a role for policymakers to play, according to the new report, in crafting programs – including financial incentives and awareness campaigns – that influence food demand, potentially lowering health-care costs and greenhouse gas emissions in one fell swoop. Food companies can also make changes at the industry level, according to experts.
"And all of us can collectively have an impact through the dietary choices we make every day," writes Bergen, of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Meat me in the middle
By some estimates, only about 2% of American adults are vegetarians.
So if you are not ready to give up meat entirely, experts say that a so-called flexitarian diet can incorporate plenty of fruits, vegetables and plant-based protein sources. This may include legumes, soybeans and nuts, along with modest amounts of poultry, fish, milk and eggs, and small amounts of red meat.
A report in the Lancet suggesting scientists have developed a recommended diet to boost health, prevent deaths and ensure we live sustainably -- without depleting the earth's natural resources. CREDIT: Stokkete/Shutterstock
Stokkete/Shutterstock
New 'planetary health diet' can save lives and the planet, major review suggests
The key, experts say, is not just cutting out the meat but swapping in plant-based proteins like nuts, beans and lentils.
"You don't need to be eating meat and poultry every single day to get your protein requirements," registered dietitian Rahaf Al Bochi, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, previously told CNN. "Beans and lentils are great sources of protein, as well. They also give you fiber, vitamins and a lot of antioxidants."
The US Department of Agriculture's nutrition guide, MyPlate, offers a number of tips to vary your protein sources: choosing seafood at least twice a week, making beans or soy products a main or frequent dish, and using nuts to replace meat and poultry. This could take the form of pine nuts in pesto sauce, walnuts in a salad or cashews in a veggie stir-fry, the agency says.
An easy way to get started on diets that are largely plant-based, such as the Mediterranean diet, is to cook one meal each week based on beans, whole grains and vegetables, using herbs and spices to add punch, Al Bochi says. When one night a week is a breeze, add two, and build your non-meat meals from there.
Even smaller ways of phasing out resource-heavy meats can make an impact, according to campaigns like Meatless Monday, which encourages people to hold off on the meat for just one day a week.
According to the new report, 25% to 30% of all food produced is never eaten, but 821 million people worldwide are undernourished.
If food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases after the United States and China, according to the Waste and Resources Action Programme, a nonprofit working to reduce global waste. The organization's head of food, Claire Kneller, said "the fact that more than 1 billion tonnes of food never gets consumed while 1 in 9 people go to bed hungry is a travesty."
Less food waste means less land and resources needed for farming, thus lowering greenhouse gas emissions, the report says.
Caprese Italian or Mediterranean salad. Tomato mozzarella basil leaves black olives and olive oil on wooden table.; Shutterstock ID 291753935; Job: -
Eating a plant-based diet might help prevent type 2 diabetes, study suggests
And there are "knock-on carbon benefits" that come along with not having to transport, process, retail, package and refrigerate all this extra food, according to an emailed statement by Eugene Mohareb, a lecturer in sustainable urban systems at the University of Reading in the UK.
Mohareb, who was not involved in the new report, said the goals of reducing food waste and shifting toward plant-based nutrition can go hand-in-hand.
"The emphasis on plant-based diets similarly has further benefits in the shifting from perishable animal products to pulses & legumes," he said. "These benefits include reduced cold storage requirements (throughout the supply chain, at food retailers, as well as in households) and reduced potential for food wastage due to their generally longer shelf life."
A terrible thing to waste
The US Environmental Protection Agency recommends planning meals, keeping a shopping list with quantities and buying only what you need.
The agency says that "most people don't realize how much food they throw away every day – from uneaten leftovers to spoiled produce. About 94 percent of the food we throw away ends up in landfills or combustion facilities."
"Buying in bulk only saves money if you are able to use the food before it spoils," the EPA says.
And don't forget to look in your fridge or cupboards before shopping to avoid buying stuff you already have around the house, the agency adds. If you have more of something than you'll need, you can always donate to a food pantry nearby.
The US Food and Drug Administration says it may be possible to buy "ugly" fruits or veggies – "that often get left behind at the grocery store but are safe to eat" – at a discount. These foods may have imperfections, but they are not damaged or rotten.
It's also important to read labels closely; confusion over "best if used by," "sell by" and expiration dates is estimated to cause a fifth of consumer food waste, the agency says.
At restaurants, you can ask for smaller portions or a takeaway box to prevent waste and eating too much, the FDA adds. You can reserve part of your fridge for things that need to be eaten in the next few days.
And when some food is past its prime but still useable, experts recommend getting creative: Stale bread? Make croutons. Vegetable scraps? Make soup stock.
Properly storing and freezing foods can extend their timelines, too. The FoodKeeper App – developed by the USDA, Cornell University and the Food Marketing Institute – can let you know how best to store foods and how long they'll last.
CNN's Isabelle Gerretsen, Jacqueline Howard, Sandee LaMotte, Thomas Page, Lisa Drayer and Nina Avramova contributed to this report.
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Home > Shepard Broad College of Law > ILSA Journal > Vol. 2 > Iss. 3 (1996)
Towards Global Government: Reality Or Oxymoron?
Valerie Epps
The title of this panel asks us to examine where the world is going and what is likely to be the governance structure for the foreseeable future. This is a somewhat forbidding topic, but certainly worth tackling. We want to ask ourselves whether the various forces in the world currently operative will be reformulated, and if so, what the global arrangement will look like.
Epps, Valerie (1996) "Towards Global Government: Reality Or Oxymoron?," ILSA Journal of International & Comparative Law: Vol. 2 : Iss. 3 , Article 22.
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/ilsajournal/vol2/iss3/22
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Presented by Utah Film Center at Star Hall, Moab UT
The End Of The Tour tells the story of the five-day interview between Rolling Stone reporter (and novelist) David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) and acclaimed novelist David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel), which took place right after the 1996 publication of Wallace's groundbreaking epic novel, Infinite Jest. As the days go on, a tenuous yet intense relationship seems to develop between journalist and subject. The two men bob and weave around each other, sharing laughs and also possibly revealing
The End Of The Tour tells the story of the five-day interview between Rolling Stone reporter (and novelist) David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) and acclaimed novelist David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel), which took place right after the 1996 publication of Wallace's groundbreaking epic novel, Infinite Jest. As the days go on, a tenuous yet intense relationship seems to develop between journalist and subject. The two men bob and weave around each other, sharing laughs and also possibly revealing hidden frailties, but it's never clear how truthful they are being with each other.
Star Hall
159 East Center Street, Moab, UT 84532
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Home / April Giveaway - Ideal Home Show
April Giveaway - Ideal Home Show
Thank's for popping by at the Ideal Home Show!
It was lovely to meet you.
If you havn't already done so, make sure you enter our competetion here:
There is 1 prize of a Magnetic Mobility bracelet of your choice from our in-stock €55 range.
Open to residents of Ireland and Northern Ireland aged 18 and over.
Closing date for entries is 00:01hrs GMT on Monday 25th April 2022.
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All email entries must be confirmed by email before April 25th 2022 to be valid.
In-person entries will be accepted on the day of our in person events at the Ideal Home Show in thr RDS, Dublin, April 1st-3rd and the Senior Times Show in the RDS, Dublin April 22nd-24th 2022.
The winner will be chosen at random.
The winner may choose one of our in-stock 4in1 health element bracelets OR one of our copper bracelets from our €55 range, in a size and style of their choice from our website.
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Six LGBTQ+ figures from African history
Ethel-Ruth Tawe
In honor of Pride month, we revisit the past which shows that many Africans were unapologetic about their sexuality and gender non-conformity.
Image credit Sheila Sund via Flickr CC.
As Pride month comes to a close, it offers us an opportunity to reflect on the history of sexuality in Africa. Despite the propaganda spouted by some conservative political, religious, and other forces on the continent, a close look at African history reveals that it is not gender queerness that is "un-African" but rather the laws that criminalize it. Historically, many Africans were unapologetic about their sexuality and gender non-conformity, though their personal stories remain difficult to uncover. LGBTQ+ scholarship in Africa finds that several anthropologists actively ignored or hid these realities. The multitude of accounts have been passed down through oral tradition leaving them open to misinterpretation and misconstruction, while a standard of heteronormativity remains largely unquestioned. Nevertheless, recognition and representation have a way of personifying and enabling us to better understand our identities, especially for the many undocumented queer people who are today subverting gender roles in Africa. It is important to document LGBTQ+ stories and history to reverse the erasure primarily caused by colonialism and fundamentalism.
Historically, several African cultures believed that gender was not dependent upon sexual anatomy, but was instead more energetic. The Dogon of Mali reportedly traditionally worshiped ancestral "teachers" who were described as intersex and mystical. Androgynous deities like Esu Elegba, the Yoruba god/ess of the crossroads, or Mawu Lisa, the Dahomey creator god/ess, can be viewed through a contemporary lens as possible patrons for LGBTQ+, despite being historically demonized. Many ancient matriarchal structures in Africa practiced female husbandry, where women attained wives and assumed economic responsibility over the children. In recent history, Black Dandyism (i.e "La Sapologie" in DR Congo) continues to challenge gender performativity and binaries.
Colonial powers once denigrated Africans as having primitive, bestial sexuality as proof of their inferiority. Ironically, many of these Western states now condemn the sodomy laws they installed during colonial rule. Arguably, it was not homosexuality, but rather homophobia, that was imported to Africa from the West. While contemporary labels were not affixed the same way in precolonial Africa, non-heteronormativity (self-identifying and not), is encompassed here under the umbrella of LGBTQ+ for the purpose of language. It is important to note that nuanced understandings of queer African identity may not have been constructed in the same way had they been adequately documented. This further highlights the role of language in a complicated history of othering, and why contemporary critical discourse must continue to engage, uncover, and more accurately inform our futures.
Here are 6 LGBTQ+ figures in African history that you should know
Queen Nzingha Mbande (Angola) (1600s)
Queen (or Female King) Nzingha Mbande (1583–1663) ruled the kingdoms of Ndongo and Matamba in the north of modern day Angola. She assumed power after the death of her father and brother, during a period of rapid growth in the slave trade. Nzingha led a four-decade military resistance against Portuguese dominion and is revered for her intelligence, military tactics, and diplomatic brilliance.
Nzingha's dubious sexual identity finds different accounts pointing to a heterosexual marriage, to female wives, and to a harem of men who dressed as women. She certainly transgressed gender binaries, answering only to "King," leading troops into battle, and wearing both men's and women's clothing. Her female husbandry illustrates the "queering" of gender roles in Africa, traditionally less closely identified with biological sex. Nzingha's ability to perform a queer identity can be partly attributed to her royal status and power. However, this doesn't delegitimize the reality of relationships between ordinary women based on love and desire during her time. African lesbian sexualities have largely been shaped by silence, secrecy, and repression.
King Mwanga II (Uganda) (1800s)
King Mwanga II (1868–1903) became the 31st Kabaka of Buganda (Uganda) at age 16. He was openly gay (or bisexual), a grave offense under the British Empire who tried to convert him from his "hedonistic and satanic" ways. Mwanga antagonized the British who he saw as intruders, fighting to free his country of their influence during his reign. His controversial story is associated with Martyrs' Day in Uganda which is often co-opted into a political anti-LGBTQ agenda, as Mwanga is said to have killed several of his male companions (martyrs) leading to his exile in 1899. Mwanga's pre-colonial story is proof that homosexuality was not an "import from the West" as is often claimed.
Area Scatter (Nigeria) (1970s)
Area Scatter was an Igbo gender non-conforming folkloric musician from southeast Nigeria. In the 1970s, he disappeared into the wilderness, reemerging seven months and seven days later, spiritually reborn and beautifully adorned as a woman. She claimed to be endowed by the gods with musical gifts, and her new name "Area Scatter" meant "one who comes to disorganize a place, to shock, and to reclaim." Very little is known about "the curious case of Area Scatter" aside from a rare video clip of her performing to royalty. She led a band called Ugwu Anya Egbulam famously playing her thumb piano. She was admired, praised on the streets, and widely respected at the time. Area Scatter's story shows how gender came to acquire a Eurocentric understanding and performativity in many African contexts, where queer identity and fluidity was not always subject to ridicule, threats, and attacks.
Simon Nkoli (South Africa) (1970-90s)
Simon Nkoli (1957–1998) was one of Africa's most prominent anti-apartheid, gay rights and AIDS activists. In 1983, he formed the Saturday Group, the first public, black LGBTQ+ group in Africa, established in response to implicit racism by the predominantly white Gay Association of South Africa (GASA). Nkoli was arrested in 1984 and faced the death penalty on charges of treason for his anti-apartheid activism. He came out to his colleagues in the United Democratic Front in prison, a courageous act that broke the silence around homosexuality in the liberation movement. He was acquitted and released in 1988, and soon founded GLOW which organized the first Pride parade in South Africa in 1990. Nkoli received several human rights awards globally and was one of the first gay activists to meet with President Mandela in 1994, campaigning for the protection from discrimination in the 1994 Constitution and for the repeal of the sodomy law. In 1996, South Africa became the first country in the world to provide constitutional protection to LGBTQ+. Among the earliest publicly HIV-positive African gay men, Nkoli is widely referenced and heralded; there's even a "Simon Nkoli Day" in San Francisco.
Rotimi Fani-Kayode (Nigeria) (1980s)
Rotimi Fani-Kayode (1955-1989) was a Nigerian photographer whose portraits and compositions explored the tensions between sexuality, race, spirituality, and culture. His works exalted queer black desire, and examined the relationship between erotic fantasy, ancestral ritual, and diasporic "otherness." This was informed by his complex experience of dislocation and rejection from the age of 12, after his family sought political asylum in England to escape the Nigerian Civil War. The black male body, often his own body, was the focal point of photographic inquiry into sexual difference, and conflicts between his homosexuality and his Yoruba upbringing. He fused motifs from European and African subcultures, inspired by what Yoruba priests call "the technique of ecstasy." Fani-Kayode once described his approach to photography as "… the tool by which I feel most confident in expressing myself. It is photography therefore—Black, African, homosexual photography—which I must use not just as an instrument, but as a weapon if I am to resist attacks on my integrity and, indeed, my existence on my own terms."
Binyavanga Wainaina (Kenya) (2000s)
Binyavanga Wainaina (1971–2019) was a Kenyan author and journalist. Among others, he was included in TIME Magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World" in 2014. Wainaina refused to accept the othering of Africans and adamantly advocated for feminist principles. In a 2014 tweet and essay titled "I am a Homosexual, Mum," he came out to a highly homophobic society in response to a wave of anti-gay laws passed across Africa. Wainaina's most acclaimed works include his memoir and his award-winning satirical essay "How To Write About Africa." He co-founded Kwani?, a literary magazine and collective of writers who foster the work of many young Kenyan writers.
Ethel-Ruth Tawe is a Cameroonian multidisciplinary artist, editor, and creative strategist engaging dialogue on identity, alternate realities, and diaspora culture.
As Pride month comes to a close, it offers us an opportunity to reflect on the
African homophobia and the colonial roots of African conservatism
Kamau Muiga
Turn any homophobic corner in Africa and you're guaranteed to run into a delirious celebration of "African culture," but there's nothing African about homophobia.
"I will become a straight girl"
Shona Kambarami
Almost four out of five men in South Africa surveyed had raped their first victim before the age of twenty.
Africa is more queer than you think
Chantal Zabus
The question of what constitutes 'sex' in Africa and, in particular, same-sex sex is still a blindspot.
Africa's first trans music star
Boima Tucker
The popular Kudurista, Titica, is one of the the top stars of this growing Angolan dance music form.
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Duke admin, iPhone, Cisco, and jumping to conclusions without the facts
By Alvin Alexander. Last updated: June 3 2016
Ever have one of those days when you wish you hadn't said something publicly? Kevin Miller must certainly be feeling that way these days:
"I don't believe it's a Cisco problem in any way, shape or form," said Kevin Miller, assistant director of communications infrastructure with the school's Office of Information Technology.
story at computerworld
Follow that link and you'll find that Cisco just released a patch for the ARP problem in their wireless routers that the iPhone happened to uncover.
The funny thing about this is that Miller's reaction is the same as any bad system administrator I've ever met, a knee-jerk reaction that "It can't be my network." That rhetoric doesn't solve anything at all, at any organization. (For the record, yes, there are good sys admin's that don't respond this way.)
I think the next thing that needs to happen is that this dude needs to disclose any stock holdings he has. What did he have to gain by making his public comments?
page-1
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Tossed salad and scrambled eggs —
Eliza review: Startup culture meets sci-fi in a touching, fascinating tale
Make your peace with this being a "visual novel"—because it's a must-play.
Sam Machkovech - Aug 12, 2019 4:00 pm UTC
Enlarge / Main character Evelyn looks upon her hometown of Seattle in the fascinating new visual novel Eliza.
with 24 posters participating, including story author
Developer: Zachtronics
Publisher: Zachtronics
Platform: Windows, MacOS, Linux
Release Date: Aug. 12, 2019
ESRB Rating: n/a (roughly T for Teen)
Links: Steam
"You're a computer," a graduate student says in a huff, directly to my face. "You don't know what [relationships] are like, do you?"
I don't respond. Instead, I eye him quietly, his face appearing between two informational grids, full of biometric analysis. His vitals (heart rate, voice levels) appear in a chart on the right. His word choice, and each word's associated value (positive, negative), pop up in a chat log on my left. I study him. I wait.
This person—my therapy client—continues speaking, like a freight train full of anxiety, and his rhetorical questions fall like discarded cargo as he continues. He eventually compares his distress to something out of a "self-pitying novel," which finally prompts my guiding system, named Eliza, to offer a question: "Why did you think you were so much better than those types of writers?" I see this question pop up in my augmented-reality field, and I speak it aloud, word-for-word.
This question is the only option I have in the "visual novel" game Eliza at that moment: to look at the "proxy response" generated by a computer system, then use it to guide the therapy session. At the game's outset, I'm warned very sternly not to waver from the script, and it's the kind of video game warning that you can't help but attach foreshadowing to. Like, duh. The game's plot is about emotions being interpreted by machines. We're going to break through and disobey our robotic masters. That will be this game's emotional resonance.
Or will it? So many things about Eliza will stick with me for a very long time. But perhaps the strongest of them is how this visual novel toys with player agency—and does so in a way I've yet to see, outdoing the oft-cited likes of Bioshock and Spec Ops: The Line. Forget everything you know about visual novels. Eliza is a new masterwork in the genre, and it's full of interesting answers to the graduate student's above question about empathy and sentience.
A proctor in more ways than one
Welcome to the Eliza counseling system. All of the game's dialogue is spoken out loud, and it pauses on occasion to ask you to make a "decision." But this just boils down to repeating the exact prompt given by the algorithm's analysis of your client.
It's pretty common for patients to seek some sense of human recognition, which Eliza is often able to anticipate.
Shortly after saying this, the client makes beep-boop noises as a criticism of the system. You aren't given the option to respond with a "boop-beep."
Some of the sessions get intense.
And some of them can be quite humorous.
After each session, you'll receive a rating and achievement tokens. Since you're just following the game's script, these don't mean anything (which itself probably means something).
Your smartphone also includes a bunch of emails and text messages; this is one of the least spoiler-y ones, explaining the basic thrust of how the Eliza system works.
Or you can occasionally access meditative, animated scenes that play calm music and lightly animate.
There's even a fully fledged spin on solitaire included... and, yes, it is very difficult.
For starters, it's important to consider the pedigree of this visual novel. It comes from the folks at Zachtronics, a game studio best known for such mind-bending super-sim games as Spacechem and Infinifactory. I don't point that out to raise expectations that there's some complicated simulation logic driving this visual novel's story. Rather, it's a solid reference point for how seriously this studio takes the technological and emotional details that fill out this surprisingly rich journey into the human condition.
Eliza revolves around a near-future version of Seattle (full disclosure: my real-life hometown) where a leading software and data company, Skandha, operates a series of therapy centers with an AI twist. Make an appointment using Skandha's app, then arrive at your scheduled time to sit with a proctor. Everything you say and do is recorded by the Eliza system (yes, named after a real-world AI project from the 1960s), and it follows a somewhat rigid pattern of intake, listening, leading questions, and resolution.
You play the game as Evelyn, a longtime Seattle resident desperate to start her life anew. You apply for a job as an Eliza therapy center proctor, and the game abruptly opens at the job's orientation, with only a hint of Evelyn's troubled past that has apparently led her to this strange job. The Eliza system analyzes real patients' speech patterns and word choice, then feeds algorithmically determined questions and statements to your character to repeat out loud.
Over the course of playing Eliza, you'll meet a variety of clients, with some appearing multiple times (and they'll appear in places other than your private therapy-center room). As the plot moves forward through a six-act structure, you'll also begin processing the wreckage of Evelyn's past life, all while seeing former friends and colleagues return. The first striking thing about Eliza becomes known when we see Evelyn begin to sort and understand her life through the few people she's still close to—and comparing that to the seemingly robotic interactions she leads with Skandha customers.
The game's visual novel conceit means it largely wrests control from its players. The game's Eliza system makes that clear from the get-go, as the opening series of therapy sessions stick to a script, no matter how much clients bark about the system's lack of human emotion. The result is a fascinating presentation for the usual storytelling trope of therapy, which we've seen in everything from the intense drama of The Sopranos to the cheeky fun of Frasier. From a sheer writing standpoint, Eliza is a winner, full of raw stories about emotional vulnerability and mental health, and its cast of voice actors, by and large, do great service by the script.
Souls, poetry, server farms, and pain
No, your character Evelyn (right) doesn't spend the whole visual novel staring down clients. For example, here's your boss Rae (left) talking up her reasons for believing in the Eliza system. Without spoiling this conversation, she eventually makes at least one valid and interesting point.
Evelyn also gets out to interesting events, like this nightclub moment with her longtime colleague and friend Nora.
An old, familiar face has some new ideas about gathering so much personal data.
The attention given to Seattle details, like its light rail system, is wonderful stuff for anyone familiar with the city.
I won't tell you what leads Evelyn down to this massive server farm.
Preach it, man.
Evelyn somehow finds herself in a beautiful, picturesque scene.
Yet even while Eliza cruises by in a mostly straight-line path, it's still packed with surprises, twists, and "wow"-worthy moments. Some of the game's plot turns are predictable enough, but a few changes to Evelyn's work in and around the Eliza system had me actually put my hand on my mouth as I gasped at their intensity. Some ask the pointed questions you might expect from someone who has gone through the trenches of start-up culture—who has seen ambition and ingenuity prioritized over care and decency—and it's in these moments that creator Matthew Seiji Burns' grace with the subject matter feels most pronounced and engaging. This all comes without a sense of preachiness, and thank goodness.
There's also the matter of this story revolving around reams of personal, intimate data as being relayed to a computer and that process being ballyhooed as a healthy alternative to the old way of doing things. Regular Ars Technica readers know what has happened in the real world when people have trusted their personal moments to keenly aware computer systems. Unsurprisingly, Eliza explores this darker side of data transparency (and about humans double-checking machines' interpretations), but it's also generally careful to let organic plot moments speak for themselves as opposed to smothering them in obvious, melodramatic commentary.
At times, the game casts clear aspersions upon something like this wholly hypothetical conceit: automated therapy as fed through a human host. And that can be a bit tough to stomach as a player. Would people actually pay for this type of crazy service? The reason this conceit wins out is that Eliza is less interested in selling this system's viability, or forgiving its craziest aspects, and more interested in comparing it to how human relationships already play out in the 21st century. What happens when powerful people project their hopes and assumptions onto Evelyn? What happens when friends can't shake their foolishly positive assumptions, and thus can't be a truly kind ear to Evelyn's biggest fears?
It's through this prism, studying our uneven abilities to perceive and empathize, that Eliza succeeds the most as a work of science fiction. You may not even notice the game asking crucial sci-fi questions about humanity—about souls, poetry, server farms, and pain—because of how its therapy-robot conceit sneaks its big-deal questions into the narrative.
What's more, the act of clicking through this game is pretty marvelous. When Evelyn is granted multiple conversation options, they wisely align. You're never given options outside of Evelyn's personality; rather, you're given the option to pick which of her moods and instincts to verbalize while being given a hint of all of them at once. And the game weaves its cast of characters into and out of Evelyn's life at a breezy enough clip, with only a few conversations overstaying their welcome, all while the game's static scenes benefit from a gorgeous ambient-synth soundtrack and a decidedly Seattle-looking coat of cool, comforting colors and paint strokes.
"Everyone's alone"—what if that's the connection?
Eliza launch trailer
At its worst, Eliza feels like it could have been a radio drama instead of a video game, what with its complete lack of animation and generally static scenes. But the interactivity is ultimately a crucial part of the experience. Sometimes, it's because of the Eliza therapy system's conceit, which makes you repeat and parrot a robot's synthesis of human emotions. Other times, it's because you're asked to pry into people's lives to move the plot forward. And eventually, your decisions start to carry some weight. (Without going into spoilers, this fact leads to at least one ending possibility with an all-too-neatly tied bow, but the heavy emotional hits on the way more than make up for this.)
If you read this site, that means you likely work with, or are at least keenly interested in, how strange factors push the technology sector forward. How stupid and even inhumane ideas have somehow become mass-market forces. And how we connect with each other on a personal level as automation steamrolls ahead as a potential factor in so many lines of work. Eliza is a visual novel for that exact kind of 21st-century person, and it rocked me emotionally many times, like when the main character Evelyn, voiced so wonderfully by actor Aily Kei, recalled her lowest points.
A little over halfway through the story, Evelyn pleads with a friend about the surprising shape her worst periods of depression took: "I would stay in bed even though I was awake. This blankness would come over me, and it just seemed fine to do nothing. I was by myself and I thought that was alright. That's how it is. Everyone's alone. I'm just being honest about it."
The character Evelyn's stories about depression, anxiety, and isolation in a digital age aren't necessarily universal. But through the form of this story, where we see her silently accept similar stories both at work and among her friends, it's hard not to draw a parallel to the increasingly common experience of watching pain and struggle appear on the other side of a computer screen and feeling lost as a result. Playing Eliza, at least for me, helped me process that very bizarre, nearly inhuman feeling. It felt rejuvenating.
I came out of Eliza with the sense that I'd been on a journey of juggling grief, hope, and joy through the existential dread that is living a modern, tech-filled life. And for that reason, I recommend this visual novel as a must-play experience.
Sam Machkovech Sam has written about the combined worlds of arts and tech since his first syndicated column launched in 1996. He can regularly be found losing quarters at Add-A-Ball in Seattle, WA.
Email [email protected] // Twitter @samred
LazerFX Smack-Fu Master, in training
reply Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:36 am
It's got to be something interesting — it's from Zachtronics. I mean, they're renowned, up until now, for difficult, code-like, complex puzzle games. This is a complete break from their comfort zone (And it's great to see that they've managed it so well), so this is something that's getting added to my wish list.
19 posts | registered Jun 29, 2016
marty_himself Smack-Fu Master, in training
I'm intrigued. Slight tangent but why on earth is this not released on iOS? It seems a perfect fit for iPad. Is it because Apple is really dropping the ball on the App Store and they don't care for quality releases?
This also reminds me of the Homecoming series, an excellent psychological thriller starring Julia Roberts which is on Amazon Prime.
2 posts | registered Jun 4, 2019
DropBear Wise, Aged Ars Veteran
RoninX wrote:
At least so far, your choices don't seem to have any significant effect on the plot -- not even in a minor way, like a Telltale Game.
I was about to ask that, seeing as how it's hard to tell from the article whether this even is a proper (player-choice-driven) Visual Novel or rather just a Disneyland ride type Kinetic Novel, where all you get to do is click "next". Since this does appear to technically have choices I was about to ask whether any of them matter at all (which in my definition is "at the very least leading to distinctly different outcomes at the end"), but from your reply it seems this is a "kinetic novel light" after all. Or maybe not, according to the Author's comments. Maybe it branches only right at the end? Ultimately I still have no idea what I'm looking at - but I definitely hate "experiences" on rails, no matter how exquisite they are, outside a movie theatre.
llewyn Seniorius Lurkius
Whatever floats your boat.
But personally, a computer counseling humans about how to be better people?
Does not work for me. The willing suspension of disbelief bar is set too high.
9 posts | registered Jul 17, 2011
ATimson Wise, Aged Ars Veteran
llewyn wrote:
As of a chapter-and-a-half in, I don't think it breaks disbelief at all.
So far the computer is pretty terrible. Its answer for everybody is "here's a drug, and either a video game or some breathing exercises". It's neither personalized nor helpful.
Tofystedeth Ars Tribunus Militum et Subscriptor
reply Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:45 am
LazerFX wrote:
I love Zachtronics stuff, though I've never completed one of their games. I wonder if a professional therapist would do the same thing with this that I do with all their other games, where they get super engaged and then quit 40% of the way through because it's too much like their job.
sheepless Ars Tribunus Militum et Subscriptor
reply Tue Aug 13, 2019 2:49 pm
Since it's Zachtronics, it's a must-buy, in my opinion. Their games are always fascinating.
deledrius Ars Centurion
DiavoJinx wrote:
Is Myst or The 7th Guest a visual novel and not puzzle games because there's no "failure state"?
As a point of fact, Myst has three actual failure states.
- You can be trapped forever in either of the prison books if you collect all of the pages for them and free the prisoner trapped therein, ignoring the warnings from Atrus.
- You can be trapped in the K'veer chamber with Atrus, in D'ni, if you ignore his warnings about not linking to D'ni without the Myst page, allowing you both to leave.
All of those are choices the game presents and are expected to be made by the player. In fact, those choices are largely the entire point of the game, as exploring the worlds is the vehicle by which you gain the information necessary to fill in the motivations and backstory on those characters. Failing or succeeding at making the correct choice is a crucial gameplay element.
I usually lean more toward Myst (unlike Riven, which is easily an adventure game) being a puzzle game more than an adventure, but this element is the main source of the claims that move it out of the puzzle genre and into the adventure genre. It's certainly a game (though this is all often ignored by those who only know it through inaccurate pop culture osmosis, or who have only played it so long ago they've forgotten the details).
RoninX Ars Tribunus Militum et Subscriptor
reply Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:00 pm
DropBear wrote:
This probably counts as a spoiler, so...
The story is mostly linear. The only significant choices you make are at the end, which can result in multiple, very different endings. The interesting thing from a storytelling point-of-view, is that each ending makes you view the entire story differently, in terms of what it was all about.
However, if you hate experiences on rails, you probably won't like Eliza. You have little or no control over the plot until the end. Your dialogue choices affect the tone of the story, but not the outcome.
blueblimp Smack-Fu Master, in training et Subscriptor
reply Fri Aug 16, 2019 3:17 pm
I very much enjoyed playing through Eliza. I think asking whether it's linear or non-linear is kind of missing the point (which maybe means the asker won't enjoy it). The best way to play it is to immerse yourself and not worry about the game-mechanical consequences of what you're doing. The game is exceptionally good at creating a mood. I don't get easily immersed in fiction, but Eliza had me hooked all the way through.
3 posts | registered Oct 3, 2018
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The Semantic Web: 1-2-3
This resource is also known as Stupid Berry Pickers Make Idiot Jam and that fact should add suitable weight to the following declaration: I'm new to the Semantic Web. I cobbled this fair piece together in an attempt to collect my thoughts, answered questions, path-of-learning, and requisite bookmarks so that other XML hackers may follow in my footsteps. All inaccuracies are purely my fault, so be sure to correct me.
This document is not intended to teach you RDF via my own words, but rather to hand-hold you through the "good" parts of the same journey I took. If it looks like a big link-list with menial comments from the peanut gallery, then you're not far off the mark of my intent. This is by no means definitive, nor was that the goal.
Tips, Snippets, and Answers
Sites I Almost Didn't Link To
I'm an XML hacker - with a few lines of Perl, I could get any piece of information I wanted from any XML file I had. It got to a point where I started writing my own XML documents willy-nilly, often for things that didn't really deserve XML in the first place. XML was nifty, new, and whoodoggery, "easy" to parse and read - I was suitably blinded by the light of evolutionary tech.
My first encounter with RDF, the life force behind the Semantic Web, was a year or so ago. I was immediately disgusted. This was the greatness of "WWW, Version 2.0"? It was ugly, verbose, and "hard" to read and write. I waved my hands around like a crotchety old man and moved on to greener pastures - this was one upgrade I was willing to skip, regardless of the immense powers it'd give me.
Realize that the above is the first of a "before and after" opinion on something called "RDF/XML" (see below). Whilst I'm still not a fan of RDF/XML, I now realize why it needs to be how it is, and it no longer bothers me. The above was caused by Uncertainty and Denial:
Uncertainty because the "XML" part of RDF/XML told me that I could expect the standard XML based rules to apply (specifically, where I could create any namespace with my own elements and atributes). Then, after learning more about RDF and realizing that the XML had to conform to a certain "triples" logic - even in my own namespaces - it made me worried that I missed out on the grander picture. In the limited amount of time I had to explore (way back when) it seemed too much effort to learn a second layer of rules on top of the standard XML.
Denial because of the verbosity of RDF/XML. Without trying to understand the format, I felt like saying "blech" - it seemed like an awful lot of XML for just a single triple statement. At the time, rudimentary searching told me that RDF was similar to XML in that you could have multiple blocks of RDF/XML which meant the same triple - which didn't seem to confirm some of the written benefits of RDF that "the same thing that can be stated in XML tons of different ways could only be stated in RDF/XML one way".
Recently, I've begun investigating RDF once again, fueled by a lust for FOAF, or "friend of a friend" (see below). As the initial repulsion once again surfaced, I pushed ever onward, intent on figuring out the "back end" to my beloved FOAF. With more reading came more comprehension, and these crucial concepts appeared, necessary for my XML mind set to become undone:
My initial repulsion with RDF was due to RDF/XML, an implementation of RDF transferred through XML, usable by XML parsers, but intended for those that understand the basics of RDF. RDF/XML is the default implementation of RDF, and is meant to integrate with the existing Net as smoothly as possible.
Just as RDF/XML is ugly as sin, there are much prettier implementations available (N3 and N-Triples) that make working with RDF easier. Various utilities are also available to convert the joyous N3 into RDF/XML, likewise with N-Triples. Soft introductions to these other methods are available below.
XML is meant for computers, with a frequent side-effect of being readable to humans. The ugliness of RDF/XML is meant for computers. Humans are not meant to read the RDF/XML, but they can still do so with little difficulty past the initial "code shui" gagging.
Much like XML has it's own set of rules (concerning namespaces, element names, entities, etc.), RDF/XML adds to those rules. As such, you can't just start adding XML to an RDF/XML document - there's a good chance it'll no longer be valid RDF. All XML in an RDF/XML document must conform to the concept of "triples" (explained below in some of the beginning links).
RDF/XML is still evolving. Some people involved with RDF are more interested in implementations demonstrating the use of RDF than solutions to some of the stickier problems that may or may not exist. Realize that you're getting in "early" to an entirely different ball game.
It was only after repetitive beatings of the above concepts into my angry little brain did doors start opening to what RDF could really do. I still think RDF/XML is ugly as sin - but the powerful benefits of its scars outweigh the pain. Think "beautiful ducking, ugly swan".
Note: Anything that has been emphasized is quoted from the source in question.
When I'm interested in something, I try to read everything I can find on the subject. Thus, I started with a scant few bookmarks suggested by others, started adding more (oh lord, many more), and as I write this paragraph, have merely a few more sites of interest to go. Below, I've collected and annotated some sites I find absolutely requisite to "getting" all this. They're in order of reading / comprehension level.
How Google beat Amazon and Ebay to the Semantic Web - A work of fiction. A Semantic Web scenario. A short feature from a business magazine published in 2009. It's hard to believe Google - which is now the world's largest single online marketplace - came on the scene only a little more than 8 years ago, back in the days when Amazon and Ebay reigned supreme. So how did Google become the world's single largest marketplace? Well, the short answer is "the Semantic Web"...
Making a Semantic Web - If you've paid any attention to the web standards discussions, you may have heard the phrase "Semantic Web", or perhaps even been pressured to use standards with names like "Dublin Core Metadata" or "RDF". If you've attempted to read any of the available documentation on these topics, you were probably intimidated by terms such as "reify" and all sorts of artificial intelligence concepts. This document attempts to explain what all of this chatter really means, and help you decide which parts you should care about and why. I have tried to use common-sense, real-world examples and stay away from complicated terminology.
The Semantic Web In Breadth - A soft introduction to the Semantic Web, covering the basics of URIs (the things used to give anything an identifiable resource), triples (the subjects, verbs, and objects that make up RDF statements), and how they appear in both XML and RDF/XML. Also talks briefly of RDF Schemas and DAML+OIL (both used to describe the RDF language you create or use).
The Semantic Web: An Introduction - An excellent beginner, this document is designed as being a simple but comprehensive introductory publication for anybody trying to get into the Semantic Web: from beginners through to long time hackers. It's aims of "comprehensive" and "introductory" were met wonderfully, going further in-depth than the in-breadth article above, including a decent "Further Reading".
The Semantic Web (for Web Developers) - A good document from the "In Breadth" creator (above) on how to bring the Semantic Web into our web applications. It starts with some of the basics (repetition is good, grasshopper), jumps into some comparison with XML and SOAP Web Services, and brings forth some applications using RDF right now. Also introduces concepts such as grouping, aggregation, logic and inference.
Semantic Web Points - The Semantic Web is an extension of the current web in which information is given well-defined meaning, better enabling computers and people to work in cooperation. The following is a collection of key speaking points and phrases on the Semantic Web given by members of the W3C Team or individuals associated with the Semantic Web Education and Outreach interest group. Some duplicates and dead links, but handy nonetheless.
The Semantic Web, Taking Form - A generic piece on the Semantic Web, focusing on concept discussion as opposed to examples of triples or RDF/XML. Talks a little bit about schemas and reinforces some of the goals and concerns of RDF. Hence, the only real requisite for posting RDF data is to make sure that it parses correctly, and requires minimal human intervention. This is a major point if we want to be able to create a machine readable Web of data!
RDF Primer - Part of the larger W3 RDF site, this work-in-progress is a technical introduction to the Resource Description Framework and is (comparatively) light reading. This Primer is designed to provide the reader the basic fundamentals required to effectively use RDF in their particular applications. It starts with an introduction of concepts behind RDF and the Semantic Web, jumps into some triples and how'd they look in RDF/XML, and chats a bit about RDF Schemas and defining your own vocabulary. More information about RDF/XML is available in the RDF/XML Syntax Specification.
Semantic Web and RDF Hints and Tips - It is important that on the Semantic Web, people produce data that is clean and interoperable. Some RDF techniques can currently only be learned through the RDF community, through hours of research, or through implementation experience, so this is an attempt to gather some useful but quick hints and tips into one place. Covers URI construction, RDF usage, and Schema/model design.
These are in addition to those presented in Semantic Web and RDF Hints and Tips. Most of these were yanked from my questions on mailing lists, chat logs, and private correspondence. If you've got any more suggestions to add below, email the author of this document:
The three parts of an RDF statement are officially known as subject, predicate, and object. You may occasionally find these referred to as subject, verb, and object (SVO), or rarely, an object may be called a value. You want to think of them as subject, predicate, object.
The object of an RDF statement can be a literal string (a piece of text like "hat" or "17"), or it can be a resource identified by a URI (such as http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/Person which defines the "Person" object of the FOAF vocabulary).
Use any method to create RDF files, and then convert them to XML RDF later on. If need be, model your languages using a simple notation, and then convert later. For example, by using Notation3 or NTriples, you can increase your productivity. Some people prefer to use graphical interfaces than text, which is also acceptable. - Semantic Web and RDF Hints and Tips
Basically, an XML RDF document is a collection of nodes, to some extent. the element for creating a node is <rdf:Description>. You know that all triples are comprised of subject, predicate, and object, so the basic structure is: <rdf:Description rdf:about="subject"> <predicate> object </predicate> </rdf:Description> (for when the object is a literal), and <rdf:Description rdf:about="subject"> <predicate rdf:resource="object"/> </rdf:Description> for when the object is a URI.
RDF/XML with multiple statements, converted to triples:
<!-- the subject is http://www.disobey.com/#Morbus -->
<rdf:Description rdf:about="http://www.disobey.com/#Morbus">
<foaf:nick>Morbus</foaf:nick>
<!-- triple: <...#Morbus> foaf:nick "Morbus" -->
<foaf:email rdf:resource="mailto:[email protected]" />
<!-- triple: <...#Morbus> foaf:email <mailto:[email protected]> -->
<foaf:gender rdf:resource="http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/Male" />
<!-- triple: <...#Morbus> foaf:gender <http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/Male> -->
</rdf:Description>
More RDF/XML conversions: Basically, the rdf:type predicate is special. When I have something like the below, I get the triple: <http://www.disobey.com/#Morbus> rdf:type <http://xmlns.com/.../Person> .
<rdf:type rdf:resource="http://xmlns.com/.../Person" />
But since rdf:type is used all the time, RDF/XML lets you abbreviate the above to:
<foaf:Person rdf:about="http://www.disobey.com/#Morbus" />
It gives you the same triple (note that it's a closed element). So, instead of rdf:Description, if you use a different element name, that gives the rdf:type of the node. If you don't close the element, you can put more predicates and objects inside, e.g.:
<foaf:Person rdf:about="http://www.disobey.com/#Morbus">
</foaf:Person>
The matching triples are <http://www.disobey.com/#Morbus> rdf:type <http://xmlns.com/.../Person> . and <http://www.disobey.com/#Morbus> foaf:nick "Morbus" . And that's the same as:
So you've understood the material above, and you want to do more, know more, build a better Web, blabberty blah blah. Below are some resources that should get you started, be they current RDF implementations of data and projects, launching off points for more junk to read, or places to ask questions, discuss coding, etc.
Creative Commons - Metadata is "data about data." A library card catalog is an example of everyday metadata you are probably familiar with. In the same way that a card catalog provides records of the "authors, subjects and titles" of books, Creative Commons' metadata will represent the details of licensed works that reside on the "shelf" of the web.
Dave Beckett's RDF Resource Guide - The mother lode of RDF links, articles, tutorials, and more, all categorized, and updated frequently. There's probably a ton of good stuff in here I should have linked to in this document - but I didn't have that much time or sanity.
FOAF or "Friend of a Friend" - FOAF is the primary reason this document exists. Much like anything else in the Semantic Web, FOAF is still being developed, expanded and documented, but the following resources should prove helpful: Finding friends with XML and RDF (an IBM developerWorks article), FOAF Web View (a web-based viewer of known FOAF files), FOAF-a-matic (an automated FOAF file creator), Syntax Tips (on creating valid FOAF files), and usefulinc's FOAF site (adding people, digitally signing your FOAF file, etc.).
MusicBrainz - MusicBrainz is a community music metadatabase that attempts to create a comprehensive music encyclopedia. Automatic Audio CD and digital audio track identification using community supplied and maintained data is the first goal of MusicBrainz. More information about their RDF format is available here, and here's an example of their RDF/XML.
Primer: Getting into RDF & Semantic Web using N3 - RDF/XML is the default implementation of the core RDF concepts, but there are simpler, more readable formats available. Notation 3 (or N3) is one such, and this is a quick tutorial in the subject with a decent amount of examples. See also: A Rough Guide to N3.
RDF APIs in Perl - I'm a big Perl fan, but I still haven't found a well-documented, truly cross-platform RDF parser that I'd want to call home. Whilst I can read RDF/XML using an XML parser (like XML::Simple or XML::Parser), I'd like more power (and more documentation and more code examples and ...). Of the parsers available, two predominantly stand out for me: RDFStore, which is based around the expat XML parser and Redland, which has a Perl interface to it's C library. RDF::N3 looks tasty as well.
RDF in HTML - Since there is no one standardized approach for associating RDF compatible metadata with HTML, and since this is one of the most frequently asked questions on the RDF mailing lists, this document is provided as an outline of some RDF-in-HTML approaches that the author is aware of. Covers eight different approaches of merging RDF data in common HTML webpages, and then offers a personal opinion about which two should be commonly supported.
RDF Site Summary (RSS) 1.0 - An RDF version of the popular syndication format RSS (which has multiple versions ranging from v0.90 to v0.94 and is collectively referred to as v0.9x), RSS 1.0 is probably the largest in-use example of RDF available, even though most RSS parsers only treat it as vanilla XML. I've written and maintain my own RSS aggregator named AmphetaDesk - many others exist for many types of operating systems.
RDFWeb - RDFWeb explores some interconnected applications of the semantic web. It features a distributed RDF-indexed photo archive, the friend-of-a-friend information linking system, and various other fun things. Also check out the introduction, the rdfweb-dev mailing list, #rdfig on irc.openprojects.net, and the matching chump bot. Of special interest is the co- depiction demo, which is a visual six-degrees hack.
Understanding the Striped RDF/XML Syntax - This document provides a brief introduction to the underlying structure of the RDF/XML 1.0 graph serialization syntax. The Intended audience is mainly content and tool developers familiar with XML basics, and with the RDF model, who want a minimalistic understanding of RDF's XML syntax, so they can read and write RDF/XML with more confidence.
The below are resources that may not be relevant to your learning of the Semantic Web and RDF. I've included them here mainly for my own reference, as well as to serve as a curiosity factor for those who want to dig a bit deeper. If you're bored with the above, the sites below will even be less interesting.
Annotated DAML+OIL Ontology Markup - If you're going to be design your own RDF namespaces to describe your data, you'll also want to look into describing your language so that it's machine - processable. This quick walkthru describes many of the features available, including classes, properties and their restrictions, with examples throughout.
Expressing Qualified Dublin Core in RDF/XML - Dublin Core metadata is used to supplement existing methods for searching and indexing Web-based metadata, regardless of whether the corresponding resource is an electronic document or a "real" physical object. Dublin Core metadata provides card catalog-like definitions for defining the properties of objects for Web-based resource discovery systems. - Dublin Core FAQ.
Frequently Asked Questions About RDF - Not many questions (and with two #3's, no less), but there's a few bullet points of why you should be interested in RDF, as well as a brief history with influences. Other than that, a couple of links here and there, but as a definitive FAQ of design or implementation issues, it's useless.
Semantic Web Road Map - A historical document from 1998, this is Tim Berners-Lee's road map for the future, an architectural plan untested by anything except thought experiments. While this shouldn't be used as authorative for RDF nowadays, it's a decent read on the beginnings, reasonings and design goals of the Semantic Web, and the technology that should make it happen. Historical note of interest, from Ian Glendinning: Whilst Tim Berners-Lee had the vision to see that emergent internet technologies were making the semantic web possible, the idea of calling the sum of knowledge in the world "The Semantic Web" is in fact earlier, and comes from French Post-Modernist Philosopher, Michel Foucault in "Les Mots et Les Choses" (1966) aka "The Order of Things" (1970).
Thanks to Dave Beckett, Daniel Biddle, Ian Glendinning, Sean B. Palmer, and Aaron Swartz, for looking this document over and giving scathing reviews of disgust and distemper, along with helpful thoughts and clarifications. Visual Credits: 1. Line drawing of Pljushkin, from a story by Russian writer N. Gogol, 2. A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Raphael in particular, 3. A photograph of Mister Ed, from the classic sitcom "Mister Ed", 4. "Still Falling" by Antony Gormley 1983, at Portland, 5. Unknown.
2002-09-09: Added note about origins of the term "Semantic Web", added Making a Semantic Web, and A Rough Guide to N3, and clarified the reasonings why I didn't like RDF/XML in the first place (in an attempt to meet new readers on level ground, as well as to stress I no longer feel that way), and now correctly validates under XHTML/CSS.
2002-08-20: First draft posted (no archived version - lost it).
Morbus Iff (aka Kevin Hemenway), 2002-08
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Commons: 21 October 1985
Commons Chamber
Volume 84: debated on Monday 21 October 1985
The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.
Mr. Freud
asked the Minister for the Arts if he will report on take-up of the pound-for-pound matching scheme for arts sponsorship; and if he will make a statement.
Sir George Young
Since 1 April 1985, £1·5 million has come in new sponsorship. Of this, £700,000 has come from 112 first-time sponsors taking part in the pound-for-pound matching scheme.
Does the Minister agree that the statistics that he has just given, together with those that he gave earlier to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Mr. Murphy), show what a tremendous value-for-money exercise it is to match private sponsors with public money? Does he accept that it is counter-productive not to invest more money in the scheme, because the amount of work that it takes to hook a potential sponsor and the damage done by losing him if there is insufficient money will do little to futher the scheme?
I agree with that, which is why I have just announced a further £250,000 for the scheme. One of the beneficiaries of the scheme has been Jill Freud and company, which won an award of £4,000 for a production of "Under Milk Wood", touring south and east England and Wales at the moment.
Bournemouth this week.
On the current list of winners is the Ettrick Shepherds Festival, sponsored by Mrs. David Steel, so it would appear that the Liberal party has done quite well from this Government initiative.
Mr. Crouch
Is my hon. Friend aware of the considerable achievements of regional opera in this country, not least the resounding success of Kent Opera in no less a place than my constituency's Canterbury Festival this year, and will he continue to see that regional opera is given generous support?
The regional allocations of funds is primarily a matter for the Arts Council, but I shall make sure that the council is aware of the enthusiastic support that my hon. Friend has mentioned for the arts in Kent, and particularly in Canterbury.
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Facebook: We Didn't Give Anyone Data Without User Permission
December 20, 2018 08:18 by Elizabeth Montalbano
Facebook's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year continued, with the social media company on the defense yet again over partnerships that granted high-tech companies extensive access to user data.
Personal user data that Facebook gave to business partners–including Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, Spotify and Yandex–was actually meant to help users perform certain activities on Facebook that expanded their experience as well as the scope of the platform, said Konstantinos Papamiltiadis, director of developer platforms and programs at Facebook, in a blog post.
"First, people could access their Facebook accounts or specific Facebook features on devices and platforms built by other companies like Apple, Amazon, Blackberry and Yahoo. These are known as integration partners," he wrote. "Second, people could have more social experiences–like seeing recommendations from their Facebook friends–on other popular apps and websites, like Netflix, The New York Times, Pandora and Spotify."
Papmiltiadis' post is in response to a New York Times article published Tuesday outlining how records generated in 2017 show that Facebook made so-called "special arrangements" with these and other partners to expand the scope of the service and what users themselves could access.
In the process, the company made questionable calls about sharing personal information of its 2.2 billion users, using control of that data to promote the platform itself and earn more advertising revenue.
Data misuse?
With advertising the primary way Facebook makes money, "it makes business sense for them to provide advertisers with personal data that allows ads to be more targeted and effective," said Franklyn Jones, CMO, Cequence Security. However, the security of that personal data then becomes an issue if the company isn't careful, he said.
"It's also a slippery slope that can quickly lead to personal data finding its way to the Dark Web, then being exploited for both data breaches and automated bot attacks," he said.
A 2011 agreement with the Federal Trade Commission that prohibited the social network from sharing user data without explicit permission was aimed at protecting personal data from misuse. However, the Times suggests that Facebook may have been in violation of this agreement with its partnership deals, something Papmiltiadis denies in his post.
"We've been public about these features and partnerships over the years because we wanted people to actually use them–and many people did," he wrote. "They were discussed, reviewed, and scrutinized by a wide variety of journalists and privacy advocates."
Moreover, many of the data-sharing features highlighted by the Times' article are now gone from the platform, Papmiltiadis added. These include allowing Microsoft's Bing search engine to see the names of virtually all Facebook users' friends without consent, and Netflix and Spotify's ability to read Facebook users' private messages.
Weak defense
One person who isn't buying the company's defense is former Facebook Chief Information Security Officer Alex Stamos–who recently left the company over its ties to Cambridge Analytica, a consulting firm that worked on behalf of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Stamos used Twitter to immediately criticize Facebook for its response.
"This isn't a good response to the NY Times story, because it makes the same mistake of blending all kinds of different integrations and models into a bunch of prose and it is very hard to match up the responses to the times' claims," Stamos tweeted.
The heart of the issue is transparency; Stamos' contends that Facebook is being vague about how it uses data, shedding very little light on specific instances of data-sharing and not actually responding specifically to the paper's claims.
His comment on the latest debacle reflects Stamos' long-time stance on data-breach transparency and his clash with colleagues over Facebook's handling of the Cambridge Analytica situation, something Stamos wanted the company to reveal much sooner than it actually did, though he initially defended Facebook's actions publicly.
Also read: Massive Facebook Breach Affects 90 Million Accounts
In that situation, data obtained from more than 50 million Facebook users was given to behavior research firm Strategic Communication Laboratories–a clear violation of the social network's terms of service. Cambridge Analytica is Strategic Communication's data-analytics firm and was involved in both the U.S. Presidential election and the U.K. Brexit referendum.
Data's power demands transparency
The incident is just the latest in which Facebook has been made to feel the consequences of sketchy data-sharing policies it has maintained for years. Earlier this year executives, including founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg, spent hours testifying before Senate committees about privacy issues and use of data on the social network–an often painstaking process, as most lawmakers understand little about how Facebook even works.
See also: Is 2019 Privacy Rights' Break Out Year?
The financial penalties also threaten to start adding up. In October, Facebook was fined 500,000 British pounds (about US$630,000) by the Information Commissioner's Office for its role in the Cambridge Analytica breach. The company also faces potential fine in the billions in Europe thanks to the recently enacted General Data Privacy Regulation over a data breach due to a code vulnerability revealed in October. The GDPR–which went into effect in May–requires businesses operating in Europe to notify the authorities within 72 hours of confirming a data breach. Penalties are based on company revenue, which could spell billions in losses for tech giants like Facebook.
Tags: Alex Stamos, data leak, data privacy, Facebook, GDPR, GDR, online privacy, privacy
Author: Elizabeth MontalbanoElizabeth Montalbano is a freelance writer based in Aljezur, Portugal. A seasoned technology reporter, Elizabeth's work has appeared on CNNMoney, Design News, Business Insider, ComputerWorld, The Register, InformationWeek and other publications. In her free time she enjoys surfing, traveling, music, yoga, and cooking.
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FDA approves Lilly's migraine drug as first ever cluster headache treatment
Reuters June 4, 2019
NEW YORK, June 4 (Reuters) - Eli Lilly and Co's migraine treatment Emgality on Tuesday became the first drug to gain U.S. approval for decreasing the frequency of episodic cluster headache attacks, the Food and Drug Administration said https://reut.rs/2QMtzVE.
Emgality belongs to a new class of drugs called CGRP inhibitors that are used to prevent migraines or reduce their frequency. It competes with Ajovy from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd and Amgen Inc's Aimovig, all approved within months of each other last year, creating a fierce battle for market share. The approval for a second use could help Lilly differentiate Emgality from its rivals.
Cluster headaches are recurring, intense headaches that can occur several times daily during a "cluster period." Lilly estimates that around 250,000 people suffer from the condition in the United States.
"Patients haven't had a lot of other treatment options available, or they have been using stuff that hasn't been approved and shown great evidence to help with episodic cluster headaches," Libby Driscoll, vice president of Lilly's neuroscience business unit, told Reuters.
The great majority of cluster headache cases are episodic, with attacks occurring in periods that can last from seven days to one year, followed by pain-free remission periods of at least one month.
The rest are classified as chronic, with attacks occurring for more than a year without a remission period, or with remission lasting less than a month.
Unlike migraines, which tend to be more prevalent in women, the condition is slightly more common in men.
The injected treatment is administered once a month for the length of a cluster period, which tend to last two weeks to 10 weeks on average. Cluster headache patients will be given a 300 milligram monthly dose, compared with a 120 mg per month dose for migraine prevention.
The drug will be priced the same as for migraine on a per milligram basis, but the cost will vary depending on the length of treatment. Emgality for migraines costs $6,900 a year.
Last month, Lilly said it had pulled ahead of Amgen and Teva in attracting new migraine patients. It is seeking to build on that advantage by stressing that its therapy can completely prevent headaches in a small percentage of patients. (Additional reporting by Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago; editing by Bill Berkrot)
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EXO With Repackaged "EX'ACT" Album
Date6 years and 6 months ago Views 9063By kpopchannel.tv
Source: SM Entertainment
SM Entertainment said that, "EXO is presently preparing a repackaged album and it is expected to be released in August."
It was previously reported that EXO would be making a comeback on August 19th and will have their first comeback performance through "Music Bank." Nevertheless, SM Entertainment has clarified that specific details in regards to the group's comeback schedule and music show performances has not been decided yet.
Meanwhile, EXO's official third album "EX'ACT" with double leading tracks, "Monster" and "Lucky One," has sold 76 million copies in Korea and China globally. Read more about it here. If their repackaged album manages to sell over 100 million copies, then EXO will have three consecutive albums that crossed the million copies mark! The group is currently performing for their third solo concert titled "EXO PLANET #3: The EXO'rDIUM" in Seoul. The first couple of concert days which went from July 22nd to 24th garnered an audience of 14,000 people.
An informant from SM Entertainment said that, "EXO is presently preparing a repackaged album and it is expected to be released in August."
EXO, BTS, Red Velvet, and more are nominated at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards
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SM Entertainment refuses packages containing EXO Chen merchandise
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Coronavirus: Governor postpones April local elections to June
Austin Huguelet
Springfield News-Leader
All of the News-Leader's coverage of coronavirus is being provided for free to our readers. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing at News-Leader.com/subscribe.
Local elections scheduled for April 7 in Missouri are now set for June 2.
Gov. Mike Parson used emergency powers to order the postponement Wednesday after Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, Missouri's top elections official, asked for the delay.
"Given the growing concern surrounding COVID-19 and the large number of people elections attract," Parson said in a news release, "postponing Missouri's municipal elections is a necessary step to help combat the spread of the virus and protect the health and safety of Missouri voters."
In Greene County, the change affects elections for mayors, city councils and boards of aldermen in the following cities:
The decision also affects school board elections for the Republic, Walnut Grove, Pleasant Hope and Marion C. Early districts.
Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller and other county election authorities are also asking a state appeals court to order delays in case the governor's order is overturned in court.
In an interview, Schoeller said he didn't know whether or not that would happen.
He said courts are clearly allowed to order delays when petitioned by local election authorities, though, so the county's lawsuit is a failsafe.
Despite the governor's change, many of the rules that governed the April elections will remain the same.
Residents will have to have registered to vote by March 11 and be 18 years old as of April 7 to vote in June. Write-in candidates still have until 5 p.m. to file for the ballot.
The general deadline to apply for an absentee ballot will move back to May 20; Missourians who are in the military or currently overseas will have until 5 p.m. May 29.
In-person absentee ballots may be cast until 5 p.m. on June 1 and all general absentee ballots must be received by the election authority by 7 p.m. on June 2.
Missourians who are in the military or currently overseas will have until June 5 to get their absentee ballots in.
Austin Huguelet is the News-Leader's politics reporter. Got something he should know? Call him at 417-403-8096 or email him at [email protected]. You can also support local journalism at News-Leader.com/subscribe.
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Tennis-Djokovic withdraws from ATP Player Council elections
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - ATP Finals - The O2, London, Britain - November 21, 2020 Serbia's Novak Djokovic in action during his semi-final match against Austria's Dominic Thiem REUTERS/Toby Melville
(Reuters) -World number one Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from this month's ATP Player Council elections citing the governing body's new rule that would make it a "conflict of interest" because of his role in the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA).
The Serb set up the breakaway PTPA on the eve of the U.S. Open in September and resigned as head of the player council but last month he confirmed that he had been nominated by his fellow professionals for the current elections which he accepted.
However, the new ATP rule means he has had to withdraw.
"Unfortunately, given these latest developments I feel it is now necessary to remove myself from the list of candidates," he wrote in a statement https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/1341094745498632192 on Twitter posted on Monday.
"I do not wish to create conflict or uncertainty around the player elections or create any issues that may arise."
Djokovic repeated the assertions he made several times this year that the PTPA wanted to co-exist with the sport's governing bodies but the ball was now in their court.
"The PTPA has made it clear it does not intend to be combative, it is unclear how the ATP will view the association in the future," Djokovic said.
He added that the PTPA was still in the formative stages but he was still keen to advance it to further the interests of all players, especially those in the lower ranks.
The decision to form the PTPA blindsided many players with Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal voicing their opposition.
(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury in Wellington; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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Anantara Ready to Welcome International Guests Back to Thailand With Unforgettable New Experiences
After border closures for almost 18 months, Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas is ready to welcome international guests back to Thailand following the announcement that fully vaccinated visitors from low-risk countries can travel quarantine-free to the Kingdom from November 1st.
Set to grow over the coming days, the list of "low risk" countries, including Singapore, Germany, China, UK and the US. Tourists will be allowed to visit any part of the country after meeting health and safety requirements upon travel to the country, these include showing that they are Covid-free at the time of travel with an RT-PCR test undertaken prior to departure, followed by a test in Thailand.
From the mountains in the north, to the bustling capital, down to the beaches in the south. Anantara is giving returning visitors once in a life time experiences while they are back in the Kingdom.
Jungle Bubbles in the Golden Triangle
Spend an unforgettable night observing Thailand's majestic elephants in their natural habitat from the comfort of your very own, fully furnished, transparent Jungle Bubble at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort. Perched on a wooden deck above the forest, the luxurious bubble offers uninterrupted views of Thailand's gentle giants, as well as the stunning starlit sky above. Set to launch in November is the brand-new Family Jungle Bubble accommodating up to eight people.
anantara.com/en/golden-triangle-chiang-rai/experiences/jungle-bubbles
Everyone's a winner in Chiang Mai
Anantara Chiang Mai Resort has been listed in every important reader's choice awards including Thailand's #1 resort in the 2021 Condé Nast Traveler US and UK Readers' Choice Awards. Conde Nast readers also recognized Anantara Chiang Mai as the eighth best resort in the world. The resort boasts a 100-year-old spy themed colonial restaurant where guests can feast on the brand's first cannabis infused menu.
https://www.anantara.com/en/chiang-mai
Lux Cruising on the River of King's
Loy River Song, is Thailand's latest ultra-private luxury river cruise on the Chao Phraya River, charting a route from modern day Bangkok to Siam's ancient capital of Ayutthaya. The luxury cruiser has four spacious staterooms along with large deck areas for wellness and cultural activities such as sunrise yoga, traditional dance performances or Muay Thai lessons. 24-hour butler services, chefs and resident tour guide are on hand to keep things running smoothly.
loypelavoyages.com/
Super Style Me at Anantara Siam
Impeccable style is an art form. Learn its secrets with a new weekend experience at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel that pairs luxe accommodation and a styling session with Thailand's top fashion designer — Saksit Pisalasupongs from Tube Gallery over voguish tea time. Armed with insider knowledge, hit the flagship stores from the world's most prestigious fashion houses at Siam Paragon with your own personal shopper followed by a relaxing spa treatment before showing off your stylish new look.
anantara.com/en/siam-bangkok
Sundowners in Samui
A.Shore at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort puts a modern spin on the traditional island beach shack, with its whitewashed deck adorned with rustic furnishings including the hull of a once-hardworking fishing boat transformed into a comfy private booth. Matching the décor, the menu is stylish yet informal, starring simple Mediterranean fare with Asian influences. Relax on loungers around the pool, sink into a beanbag or perch on a swing at the bar, cocktail in hand and soak up the sunset views to a soundtrack of upbeat tunes and the soft roll of the waves.
anantara.com/en/bophut-koh-samui/restaurants/a-shore-beach-bar
License to thrill in Phuket
Your mission if you choose to accept it is to enjoy the 'Golden Gun' experience at Anantara Layan Residences. Catch a private jet from Bangkok to Phuket, be whisked by chauffeur-driven limo to Villa Similan, the largest and most luxurious of the resort's residences. Enjoy martini's (shaken not stirred) by your own private butler before being presented with THE actual golden gun from the 1974 movie. A glamorous yacht cruise around Phang Nga Bay, where The Man with the Golden Gun was filmed, with free-flowing Krug champagne tops off the Bond experience.
anantara.com/en/layan-phuket
With its exquisite cuisine, vibrant markets, rich cultural traditions and breathtaking scenery, Thailand has been providing travelers to the kingdom with countless stories and Anantara in Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Hua Hin Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Phuket look forward to welcoming back guests to Thailand to add to the next chapter of travel in Thailand.
Senior Director of Public Relations & Communications
Camilla Coburn Davis
Assistant Director of Public Relations
E: [email protected]
T: +66 (0)2 365 7674
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Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs
Find us on TwitterFind us on Google+Find us on YouTubeFind us on FlickrSubscribe to our RSS feed
12:01 - 30 Jan
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OSES
Office of the Special Envoy for the Sahel
In the news today
Advocacy and Good Offices
Ministerial Coordination Platform
Technical Secretariat
Partnership with G5
Closure of OSES
Dear partners and colleagues, Please be informed that the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA) and the Office of the Special Envoy for the Sahel (OSES) have merged into a single entity, UNOWAS: United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel. For more information, you can access the new UNOWAS website at unowas.unmissions.org
The Special Envoy for the Sahel calls for enhanced partnership between Sweden and UN
Dakar, 23 March 2015- The Special Envoy for the Sahel, Mrs. Hiroute Guebre Sellassie, paid a visit to Sweden from 19-20 March 2015, in order to seek opportunities for enhanced collaboration with the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden to address challenges in the Sahel.
20150324- Press Release- The Special Envoy for the Sahel in Sweden FLW.pdf
Ms. Hiroute Guebre Sellassie calls for a leading role for the UN and EU in the Sahel
Outcome Statement of the Meeting of the Steering Committee 29 November 2013, Dakar
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Statement of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Sahel to the Security Council
New York, 25 November 2015 - Security threats continue to be the main preoccupation in the Sahel region.
Ms. Guebre Sellassie advocates for enhanced cooperation between Italy and the UN
Rome, 17 July 2015- The United Nations Special Envoy for the Sahel, Ms. Hiroute Guebre Sellassie, met with the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Paolo Gentiloni, in Rome on 17 July to discuss collaboration on the Sahel.
Copyright © 2023 United Nations
A to Z Site Index
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Mildred Doucet
Nov 24, 2008 at 9:08 AM Nov 24, 2008 at 9:09 AM
Mildred �Git� Collins Doucet, 77, a native of Golden Meadow and resident of Galliano, died Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008.
Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. today and from 8:30 a.m. to funeral time Tuesday at Falgout Funeral Home in Galliano. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Galliano, with burial in the church cemetery.
She is survived by her husband, Vincent P. Doucet; five sons, Allen Doucet and wife, Kish, Wayne Doucet and wife, Pamela, Royce Doucet, Kenny Doucet and wife, Michelle, and Kevin Doucet; one brother, Ignace Collins; three grandchildren, Kaylie, Vincent Sam and Emily Doucet; five sisters, Lauranise Charpentier, Evelyn Thibodaux, Melda Guidry, Judica Savoie and Elaine Bergeron: and three step-grandchildren, Jacob Wiltz, Mamie Wiltz and Angel Matherne.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Philozate and Theresa Gaspard Collins; three brothers, Vendon Collins Sr., Luman �Chop� Collins and Olaine Collins; two sisters, Vivian Callahan and Louella Pitre; and one grandchild, Lacey Celeste Doucet.
She was a parishioner of St. Joseph Catholic Church and a member of American Legion Ladies� Auxiliary Unit 135.
She was a devoted wife and caring mother who enjoyed cooking and spending time with her grandchildren, family and friends.
Falgout Funeral Home in Galliano is in charge of arrangements.
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The Works of William Perkins (10 vol.) + Labors of A Godly and Learned Divine Bundle (Perkins)
Perkins, William
WPLABORSBUNDLE
Special offer— receive a free copy of The Labors of a Godly and Learned Divine with the purchase of The Collected Works of William Perkins! Enjoy the theology and piety that started a revolution with this new bundle.
The Labors of A Godly and Learned Divine
William Perkins's writings were foundational to the spiritual formation of eminent saints including Richard Sibbes, John Cotton, John Preston, William Ames, and more. Now, Matthew N. Payne and J. Stephen Yuille present never-before published, unedited sermons from The Father of Puritanism. As a companion to his collected works, this volume is indispensable for all who wish to grasp the experiential piety of this godly and learned divine.
Overview of Documents
Master Perkins's Prayer before His Sermons
1. Publishing Perkins's Works
2. Robert Hill Transcription
3. Senate House Commonplace Book
4. Laurence Chaderton Manuscript
5. James Tomlin Manuscript
6. The Hutton Manuscript
7. Funeral Sermon for William Perkins
Appendix 1: Regarding Perkins upon the Lord's Prayer, 1592
Appendix 2: Perkins's Sermons on Jude 3–4 (Three Sources Compared)
Appendix 3: Catalogue of Editions of Perkins's Works
J. Stephen Yuille is professor of pastoral theology and spiritual formation, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Matthew N. Payne is a PhD candidate doing research at the University of Sydney
"William Perkins was known in his own time not only as a significant theologian but also as a powerful preacher. Until now, however, Perkins's preaching has not been accessible except in the form of commentaries and treatises posthumously edited for publication. Matthew Payne and Stephen Yuille provide a transcription of Perkins's unpublished sermons, some of which were edited and published, others never before published. Taken together with their perspicuous introduction on the posthumous collecting and editing of Perkins's works for publication, this volume opens a highly significant new door to Perkins studies and to the kind of editorial work that went into the posthumous editions of Perkins's works." —Richard A. Muller, senior fellow, Junius Institute for Digital Reformation Research
"Many people are familiar with William Perkins the theologian, but how many know Perkins the preacher? Matthew Payne and Stephen Yuille have mined the archives and produced a trove of long-lost sermons by the eminent Puritan divine. Payne and Yuille expertly introduce these gems and present them so that we too can profit from one of sixteenth-century England's greatest theologians and preachers." —J. V. Fesko, Harriet Barbour Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi
"Payne and Yuille have provided a valuable service for those who study William Perkins (1558–1602). The authors have uncovered new documents, manuscripts, and sermons; made new translations; and have expanded our understanding of the great English theologian by supplementing the published sources that have been read for centuries. This volume is an excellent and important complement to the recent new edition of Perkins's Works. Now we can gain an even fuller picture of the thought and work of this key theologian who was so important to English and American Puritans and who produced a sturdy Reformed theology that endures, joining doctrine and life to the glory of God!" —Donald K. McKim, author of Ramism in William Perkins' Theology and Everyday Prayer with the Puritans
The Works of William Perkins
The Works of William Perkins fills a major gap in Reformed and Puritan theology. Though Perkins is best known today for his writings on predestination, he also wrote prolifically on many subjects. His works filled over two thousand large pages of small print in three folio volumes and were reprinted several times in the decades after his death. However, his complete works have not been in print since the mid-seventeenth century. This modern typeset edition of the Works includes four volumes of Perkins's expositions of Scripture, three volumes of his doctrinal and polemical treatises, and three volumes of his practical writings.
Read Sample Pages
Volumes 1-4: Exegetical Works
Digest or Harmony of the Old and New Testaments
Combat between Christ and the Devil: Matthew 4:1-11
Commentary on Galatians
Commentary on Hebrews 11
Exposition of Jude
Exposition of Revelation 1-3
Volumes 5-7: Doctrinal and Polemical Treatises
An Exposition of the Symbol or Apostles' Creed
An Exposition of the Lord's Prayer
The Foundation of Christian Religion Gathered into Six Principles
Golden Chain (Foldout poster in the front)
Manner and Order of Predestination
Treatise on God's Free Grace and Man's Free Will
Fruitful Dialogue Concerning the End of the World
Against Alexander Dickson
On Memory
A Reformed Catholic
The Problem of the Forged Catholicism
A Warning against Idolatry of the Last Times
Volume 8-10: Practical Writings
A Discourse of Conscience
The First Book of the Cases of Conscience
The Second Book of the Cases of Conscience
The Third Book of the Cases of Conscience
A Treatise Tending unto a Declaration whether a Man is in the Estate of Damnation or in the Estate of Grace
The Whole Treatise of the Cases of Conscience
A Grain of Mustard Seed
A Declaration of the True Manner of Knowing Christ Crucified and The True Gain
A Faithful and Plain Exposition upon Zephaniah 2:1–2
A Treatise of Man's Imaginations
A Direction for the Government of the Tongue According to God's Word
A Discourse of the Damned Art of Witchcraft
A Resolution to the Country Man on Prognostication
Treatise on How to Live Well in All Estates
Treatise on Vocations
Right Manner of Erecting and Ordering a Family
Calling of the Ministry
Manner and Method of Preaching
Christian Equity
Treatise on Dying Well
Payne, Matthew N. & Yuille, J. Stephen
The Labors of a Godly and Learned Divine, William Perkins: Including Previously Unpublished Sermons (Payne & Yuille)
The Works of Thomas Manton, 22 Volumes
Charnock, Stephen
The Existence and Attributes of God: Updated and Unabridged 2-Volume Set (Charnock)
Johnson, Jeffrey D.
The Sovereignty of God (Johnson)
The Works of William Perkins, The 10 Volume Collection
The Works of William Perkins, Volume 2
The Works of William Perkins, Volume 10
EBOOK The Works of William Perkins, Volume 10 - EBOOK
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60-459. Definitions. As used in K.S.A. 60-460, its exceptions and in this section:
(a) "Statement" means not only an oral or written expression but also nonverbal conduct of a person intended by him or her as a substitute for words in expressing the matter stated.
(b) "Declarant" is a person who makes a statement.
(c) "Perceive" means acquire knowledge through one's own senses.
(d) "Public official" of a state or territory of the United States includes an official of a political subdivision of such state or territory and of a municipality.
(e) "State" includes the District of Columbia.
(f) "A business" as used in exception K.S.A. 60-460 (m) shall include every kind of business, profession, occupation, calling or operation of institutions, whether carried on for profit or not.
(g) "Unavailable as a witness" includes situations where the witness is (1) exempted on the ground of privilege from testifying concerning the matter to which his or her statement is relevant, or (2) disqualified from testifying to the matter, or (3) unable to be present or to testify at the hearing because of death or then existing physical or mental illness, or (4) absent beyond the jurisdiction of the court to compel appearance by its process, or (5) absent from the place of hearing because the proponent of his or her statement does not know and with diligence has been unable to ascertain his or her whereabouts.
But a witness is not unavailable (1) if the judge finds that his or her exemption, disqualification, inability or absence is due to procurement or wrongdoing of the proponent of his or her statement for the purpose of preventing the witness from attending or testifying, or to the culpable neglect of such party, or (2) if unavailability is claimed under clause (4) of the preceding paragraph and the judge finds that the deposition of the declarant could have been taken by the exercise of reasonable diligence and without undue hardship, and that the probable importance of the testimony is such as to justify the expense of taking such deposition.
History: L. 1963, ch. 303, 60-459; Jan. 1, 1964.
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Pope Condemns Easter Bomb Attacks
Pope Francis on Sunday condemned attacks that killed at least 156 people in three churches and four hotels in Sri Lanka as "such cruel violence" and said he was close to the Christian community, hit while celebrating Easter.
The blasts, which hospital and police officials said wounded more than 400 people, followed a lull in major attacks since the end of the civil war 10 years ago.
"I learned with sadness and pain of the news of the grave attacks, that precisely today, Easter, brought mourning and pain to churches and other places where people were gathered in Sri Lanka," Pope Francis told tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square to hear his Easter Sunday "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) message.
"I wish to express my affectionate closeness to the Christian community, hit while it was gathered in prayer, and to all the victims of such cruel violence," said Francis, who visited Sri Lanka in 2015.
"I entrust to the Lord those who have tragically died and I pray for the wounded and for all those who are suffering as a result of this dramatic event," he said.
A series of eight devastating bomb blasts ripped through high-end hotels and churches holding Easter services in Sri Lanka on Sunday, killing nearly 160 people, including dozens of foreigners.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also condemned the attacks — the worst act of violence since the end of Sri Lanka's civil war a decade ago — as "cowardly", and said the government was working to "contain the situation".
The powerful blasts -– six in quick succession and then two more hours later — wrought devastation, including at the capital's well-known St Anthony's Shrine, a historic Catholic Church.
Hospital sources said British, Dutch and American citizens were among the 158 dead overall, with Britons and Japanese also injured. A Portuguese man also died, the country's LUSA news agency reported.
An AFP photographer at the scene at St Anthony's saw bodies lying on the floor, some draped with scarves and clothes.
Credit: NAN
Previous Post: Explosions Hit Churches And Hotels In Sri Lanka – Over'130 killed and 400 Injured'
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Global News features
© Essity | 2929 Arch Street, Suite 2600, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 | Tel 1 610 499 3700
Global News features Global Press releases US News Images & video Essity in social media
2018 US Survey Reveals Concerns Over Handwashing and Hygiene in Public Places
Today, Essity, a global hygiene and health company with North American headquarters in Philadelphia, and the United Nations' entity Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) launched the sixth edition of the Hygiene and Health Report.
With this report, Essity and WSSCC address opportunities and challenges throughout the human life cycle, highlighting new research, best practices and possible solutions. The report shows the societal implications of prioritizing hygiene and health in decision making, whether by a policy maker, a care professional or an individual.
The Health and Hygiene Report survey (link) polled 15,530 respondents from 15 markets around the world on questions about health and hygiene behaviors, perceptions and concerns. The survey results revealed key facts and trends about how people relate to the world through the lens of hygiene.
Key highlights from the Health and Hygiene Report Survey US results (with 1,044 respondents) include:
Hygiene Habits
On average, American women wash their hands about four more times per day than men (Women: about 11 times per day; Men: about 7 times per day).
Far from everyone in the United States wash their hands when they should. For example:
Less than two thirds of Americans wash their hands after treating wounds, caring for someone who is sick, touching an animal or blowing their nose.
Most Americans (74%) feel uncomfortable around other people if they have unwashed hands.
Half of Americans (53%) prefer paper towels to dry their hands in public restrooms.
Many Americans carry out tasks while sick, despite the risk of infecting someone else.
39% have used bills and coins
26% have interacted with or bought something from a salesperson
23% have worked in an open office setting.
Americans most value going to the toilet on their own (68%) and caring for their own personal hygiene (63%) when it comes to identity and personal integrity.
Effects on Public Life
Concerns about hygiene lead many Americans to refrain from certain public activities, such as:
Visiting a public toilet (36% refrain)
Eating street food (25% refrain)
Using public transportation (14% refrain)
40% of Americans avoid eating out at food establishments due to concerns of dirty toilets and lack of hand hygiene products.
Hygiene concerns particularly affect American parents, as 4 in 10 parents worry that their child might become ill due to poor hygiene.
15% of parents worry often; 28% of parents worry all the time.
42% of parents have kept their child from participating in certain activities due to worries about hygiene.
Nearly one quarter of Americans (24%) often refrain from or rarely use the toilets in their workplace.
46% of respondents cite unhygienic or messy toilets as the main reason for not using workplace facilities.
A majority of American parents (68%) say that their children refrain from using school toilets at least weekly.
45% of respondents perceive the general hygienic conditions of school toilets to be the main barrier for their children.
Improving Hygiene
54% of Americans believe that hygiene issues should be given higher priority by politicians and decision makers.
Almost half of Americans (49%) see greater individual responsibility as the key to improving public hygiene.
7 in 10 American are interested in services based on hygiene and health technology, such as services that collect and provide the user with data.
Services that analyze and store data are of lesser interest to respondents, possibly due to concerns about privacy.
"As a leading global hygiene and health company, Essity has unique knowledge and insights to drive global dialogue about the strong connection between hygiene, health and well-being. Our hope is that these survey learnings will spark conversation, awareness and develop standards in relation to health and hygiene both globally and here in the United States," says Don Lewis, President, Essity Professional Hygiene.
About the collaboration between Essity and WSSCC:
Since 2014, Essity and WSSCC have partnered in the mission to encourage a global conversation about hygiene and health issues as well as opportunities across organizations, sectors, and countries. In 2016, we took the partnership further by jointly publishing the Hygiene Matters Report: Joining Forces for Progress. With this edition of the report, we are continuing our work. We offer new insights by combining research findings, statistical evidence, successful cases and testimonies from people whose voices are rarely heard. We also highlight solutions and actions that we identify as critical for improving hygiene and health standards across the globe and for every part of life's course. Our ambition is to inspire and invite more players to join the dialogue and partnership and to help identify sustainable solutions going forward.
About the report:
This report is the latest edition in a series of reports that Essity has published since 2008 with the aim of raising awareness about the pivotal role that hygiene, sanitation, and health play in well-being and for individuals and communities, and to highlight solutions to some of the problems we face in these areas.
The report builds on a combination of third-party information and our own data. One data source is a global survey conducted between November 20 and December 4, 2017, through web panels in 15 different countries, collecting answers from a total of 15,530 respondents. National quotas have been used to obtain accurate representation of age and gender. Questions in the survey centered on hygiene and health concerns, public hygiene, personal hygiene, menstruation, incontinence, antibiotic resistance and sustainability.
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July 16, 2016 Church, Connections, Faint Humor, Hermeneutic of Conspiracy, Inside Baseball, Synod 2015, Vatileaks II
A short fantasy in the hermeneutic of conspiracy
What follows is pure, groundless speculation. The merest fantasy in the hermeneutic of conspiracy. So, it's worth at most what you paid for it. But the question we pose has been on our mind for some time.
As the whole world knows, on July 5, Robert Cardinal Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, gave a speech at the Sacra Liturgia conference in London calling for, among other things, a return to ad orientem (versus apsidem) worship. This drew a quick, pointed correction from the Holy See Press Office, no doubt distracting them from the festive-if-bittersweet preparations for Fr. Federico Lombardi's imminent retirement. Father John Hunwicke suggests that Vincent Cardinal Nichols, archbishop of Westminster and a long-time supporter of the Holy Father's cause (even before the Conclave, if some are to be believed), was perhaps the prime mover in obtaining an unusual rebuke of a Curial cardinal. All this is, of course, well known among Catholics of all liturgical stripes now.
We were struck, however, by the unusual nature of the very public rebuke to Cardinal Sarah. Certainly he is likely seen by many as a potential leader for next time, in opposition to some candidates more simpatico to the Holy Father's program, such as Cardinal Tagle. But that was not exactly it. Consider all the things that have not drawn rebukes. Cardinal Müller has criticized at length the liberal interpretation of Amoris laetitia at length. Cardinal Burke called it non-magisterial. And Archbishop Gänswein gave an extraordinary talk that, for a time, called into question just what Benedict thought he was doing when he abdicated. Yet, to our knowledge, none of these comments drew quick, decisive rebukes from official quarters (to say nothing of the rebukes from the Pope's friends, including dear Father Spadaro). Curious.
But something else was happening at about this time: the Holy Father was handing down his Apostolic Letter motu proprio data on the competences of the Vatican financial organs, I bene temporali. As is now customary for Vatican documents of significant importance, I bene temporali is available in only Italian and Portuguese; however, the Holy See Press Office has provided a capsule summary:
The document published today responds to the need to define further the relationship between the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See and the Secretariat for the Economy. The fundamental principle at the base of the reforms in this area, and in particular at the base of this Motu Proprio, is that of ensuring the clear and unequivocal distinction between control and vigilance, on the one hand, and administration of assets, on the other. Therefore, the Motu Proprio specifies the competencies pertaining to the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See and better delineates the Secretariat for the Economy's fundamental role of control and vigilance.
(Emphasis supplied.) In short, the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See (APSA, in Vatican lingo) recovered significant responsibility for the day-to-day financial administration of the Holy See, I beni temporali § 3, from George Cardinal Pell's Secretariat for the Economy.
Veteran Vatican reporter John Allen was blunt about what this means:
There are many ways of analyzing the fault lines in the Vatican, but perhaps the most time-honored (if also often exaggerated) is the tension between an Italian old guard and pretty much everybody else. By conventional political logic, anyway, Saturday saw the Italians notch a fairly big win.
It could turn out, however, to be a Pyrrhic victory – because by taking back control over a range of financial powers, the old guard has also reclaimed the blame the next time something goes wrong.
On Saturday, Pope Francis issued a motu proprio, meaning a legal edict, delineating the division of responsibility between the Vatican's Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA) and the Secretariat of the Economy (SPE). The former is headed by Italian Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, the latter by Australian Cardinal George Pell.
In effect, the motu proprio restores several important functions to APSA that had been given to Pell's department in 2014. One local news agency bottom-lined the result this way in its headline: "The Italians win!"
(Emphasis supplied.) The Vatican line is more or less that the Holy Father has delineated clearly oversight and management by this action and he has solved the problem of letting the financial watchdog also have control over administration.
And perhaps the Vatican line would be believable, if Pell's oversight functions hadn't been undercut recently by Pietro Cardinal Parolin, the secretary of state, when the Secretariat of State, apparently with the Holy Father's permission, suspended an audit that Cardinal Pell had ordered. In other words, over the last few months, the independent authority of the Secretariat for the Economy and Cardinal Pell have been undermined significantly, always in favor of the Vatican old guard—generally Italian—that had been in charge prior to 2013. And we know what the finances at the Vatican looked like at about the same time.
In other words, reform of the Curia and the Vatican's finances, one of the Holy Father's signature initiatives—indeed, the St. Gallen group notwithstanding, one of the major reasons why he was elected in 2013, has apparently gone exactly nowhere. Certainly new organs have been established, but in the name of separation of powers, the new organs have been stripped of actual control, leaving them with policy and "oversight." But, as we have seen from the audit kerfuffle, it is unclear that the Secretariat for the Economy will be permitted to exercise complete, independent discretion in pursuing its oversight functions. Certainly the Secretariat of State has shown a willingness to intervene in favor of, well, more traditional Vatican concerns. In other words, after three years and numerous provisions and amendments and restructuring, things have not changed much. Were the Holy Father a secular politician, one might call this part of his platform "not a success."
And this brings us back to the kerfuffle over Cardinal Sarah's speech. If we were to adopt the hermeneutic of conspiracy, we would wonder whether the timing of the rebuke of Cardinal Sarah's speech had something to do with I bene temporali. What would be the best way to ensure that everyone focused on a relatively trivial matter, rather than the serious issue that the Holy Father's reform of the Curia, including the Vatican's finances, has not made huge progress, even now, three years after his election? Once upon a time, we were going to get a rewritten Pastor Bonus. Now, we'll be lucky to get anything. Certainly, keeping the motu proprio locked in those hugely widely spoken languages, Italian and Portuguese, would help. But you would want to change the news cycle, wouldn't you? And what drives page views—left and right—better than liturgy stuff?
As we say, this is rank speculation, mere fantasy, and a feverish indulgence in the hermeneutic of conspiracy. Sometimes it is helpful to clear the cobwebs with such thinking.
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Steve: "We Got Ourselves Going After Slow Start"
Steve Davis gives us his post-match reaction following 1-1 draw with high-flying Saddlers
He added: "I thought it was an open game and end to end. It wasn't a tight game and was exciting for the supporters. Two teams having a go and trying to win the game."
"We have scored again from a set piece and I was surprised to see Brad head it in because I don't think I've seen him do that too many times in training! He finished it really well into the other corner and we were back in the game and then we were looking to win it but it was also important not to lose it.
"We were much better in the second half, had more possession and had a few chances to have won it but then again Ben has made some outstanding saves to keep us in it as well. The one from Bradshaw was in front of me and I thought it was in - but he made an outstanding save.
"We were still in the game and thought that if we improved we would have a chance of getting something out of it. In the last five games, things have been tight and that is the encouraging thing to take forward. We have become tougher to beat and harder to score against even against teams that are up there.
"I think the penalty was a bit unfortunate. I didn't think there was intent there from George, but the referee gave it for handball and if he thinks so then its a penalty. Ben was even a bit unlucky not to keep the penalty out. He got a hand on it but its gone into the roof of the net.
"Because Walsall didn't take the chances, we were in the game and it gives you a chance. After the first 20 minutes, we gradually grew into the game and I thought we were doing okay, when we conceded the penalty.
Following the 1-1 draw, Steve told the club's official web-site: "I thought it was encouraging and a good result. We could have been down early on in the game. They had some great chances and Ben (Garratt) has made some good saves to deny them. We started poorly and could have been two or three goals down in the opening 15 minutes. We spoke about making a positive start to the second half and we did that.
Brad Inman headed home an equaliser just minutes into the second period after Tom Bradshaw had given the visitors the lead via the penalty spot after George Cooper had been adjudged to have handled on the half an hour mark. It was a tale of two two halves, as Crewe stayed in the game and were much improved in the second half.
Steve Davis was pleased with the response of his Crewe Alexandra players as they fought back from a goal down at half-time to earn a point against promotion hunters Walsall. Crewe extended their little unbeaten run to five games, - a feat that has not been achieved at the club since our promotion winning year of 2012.
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Innovation Tower by Zaha Hadid photographed by Edmon Leong
Ashleigh Davis | 30 September 2013 11 comments
Here's an exclusive set of images showing the inside of Zaha Hadid's Innovation Tower at the Polytechnic University in Hong Kong, sent to us by photographer Edmon Leong (+ slideshow).
Exterior image
Hong Kong-based architecture photographer Edmon Leong captured the images as some levels of the building were still being completed and faculty staff and students were moving in.
The building is now partly in use, with some floors still under construction.
Escalators in main entrance
Leong describes his journey round the building: "The first thing I saw were escalators... I was limited to angles since the entrance was heavily decorated with gold celebration balloons and student installations to mark its opening."
Leong also took some shots standing at the top of the escalators in the main entrance looking downwards.
Side view of escalator
"The rest of the space feels more like a museum than a university. You can see the design's similarity to the Guangzhou Opera House but on a smaller scale," he added.
Walking around the third floor, Leong described how you encounter a small atrium on one side and a large lecture theatre.
Roof in main entrance
"On the other side of the third floor you will find a larger atrium and this looks up to the ninth floor," he said.
Top of the main entrance escalator
"The atrium looks pretty amazing, just next to it you find a staircase leading up to the ninth floor while floors four to nine are still under construction."
Leong took a lift from the third to the ninth floor. He captured the unfinished space there and walking into a classroom with a view of the surrounding campus.
Top of the escalator
"I wish I'd had a space like this when I attended university," he said.
Small third floor atrium
"Many areas are still unfinished and I can't wait to go back and finish photographing it at my own pace."
He described the exterior and how he felt that it morphs into three different buildings.
"It looks completely different from various angles and sticks out amongst the landscape filled with box shaped buildings," he said.
Lecture theatre
"Hong Kong needs more buildings like these because its such a modern metropolis."
Zaha Hadid Architects were commissioned to complete the 76-metre high building in 2008.
Planned as the university's design school, the building is close to Hung Hom station in Kowloon.
Large atrium
The leaning tower will provide a space for more than 1500 university students.
We published a story on the Innovation Tower with a series of exterior image by Edmon Leong a few months ago.
More Zaha Hadid projects include the Serpentine Sackler Gallery that opened in London last week, images of a boutique chain interior for American shoe designer Stuart Weitzman and the forthcoming design for the National Stadium of Japan.
View from staircase to third floor
See more Zaha Hadid projects »
All images are copyright Edmon Leong and used with permission.
Edmon Leong
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Topics by WorldWideScience.org
Sample records for continental shelves
Do Continental Shelves Act as an Atmospheric CO2 Sink?
Science.gov (United States)
Cai, W.
Recent air-to-sea CO2 flux measurements at several major continental shelves (European Atlantic Shelves, East China Sea and U.S. Middle Atlantic Bight) suggest that shelves may act as a one-way pump and absorb atmospheric CO2 into the ocean. These observations also favor the argument that continental shelves are autotrophic (i.e., net production of organic carbon, OC). The U.S. South Atlantic Bight (SAB) contrasts these findings in that it acts as a strong source of CO2 to the atmosphere while simultaneously exporting dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) to the open ocean. We report pCO2, DIC, and alkalinity data from the SAB collected in 8 cruises along a transect from the shore to the shelf break in the central SAB. The shelf-wide net heterotrophy and carbon exports in the SAB are subsidized by the export of OC from the abundant intertidal marshes, which are a sink for atmospheric CO2. It is proposed here that the SAB represents a marsh-dominated heterotrophic ocean margin as opposed to river-dominated autotrophic margins. To further investigate why margins may behave differently in term of CO2 sink/source, the physical and biological conditions of several western boundary current margins are compared. Based on this and other studies, DIC export flux from margins to the open ocean must be significant in the overall global ocean carbon budget.
Benthic oxygen consumption on continental shelves off eastern Canada
Grant, Jonathan; Emerson, Craig W.; Hargrave, Barry T.; Shortle, Jeannette L.
The consumption of phytoplankton production by the benthos is an important component of organic carbon budgets for continental shelves. Sediment texture is a major factor regulating benthic processes because fine sediment areas are sites of enhanced deposition from the water column, resulting in increased organic content, bacterial biomass and community metabolism. Although continental shelves at mid- to high latitudes consist primarily of coarse relict sediments ( PIPER, Continental Shelf Research, 11, 1013-1035), shelf regions of boreal and subarctic eastern Canada contain large areas of silt and clay sediments ( FADER, Continental Shelf Research, 11, 1123-1153). We collated estimates of benthic oxygen consumption in coarse (<20% silt-clay, <0.5% organic matter) and fine sediments (20% silt-clay, 0.5% organic matter) for northwest Atlantic continental shelves including new data for Georges Bank, the Scotian Shelf, the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and Labrador Shelf. Estimates were applied to the areal distribution of sediment type on these shelves to obtain a general relationship between sediment texture and benthic carbon consumption. Mean benthic oxygen demand was 2.7 times greater in fine sediment than in coarse sediment, when normalized to mean annual temperature. In terms of carbon equivalents, shelf regions with minimal fine sediment (Georges Bank, the Grand Banks of Newfoundland-northeast Newfoundland) consumed only 5-8% of annual primary production. Benthos of the Gulf of Maine (100% fine sediment) and the Scotian Shelf (35% fine sediment) utilized 16-19% of primary production. Although 32% of the Labrador Shelf area contained fine sediments, benthic consumption of pelagic production (8%) was apparently limited by low mean annual temperature (2°C). These results indicate that incorporation of sediment-specific oxygen uptake into shelf carbon budgets may increase estimates of benthic consumption by 50%. Furthermore, respiration and production by large
Continental shelves as potential resource of rare earth elements.
Pourret, Olivier; Tuduri, Johann
The results of this study allow the reassessment of the rare earth elements (REE) external cycle. Indeed, the river input to the oceans has relatively flat REE patterns without cerium (Ce) anomalies, whereas oceanic REE patterns exhibit strong negative Ce anomalies and heavy REE enrichment. Indeed, the processes at the origin of seawater REE patterns are commonly thought to occur within the ocean masses themselves. However, the results from the present study illustrate that seawater-like REE patterns already occur in the truly dissolved pool of river input. This leads us to favor a partial or complete removal of the colloidal REE pool during estuarine mixing by coagulation, as previously shown for dissolved humic acids and iron. In this latter case, REE fractionation occurs because colloidal and truly dissolved pools have different REE patterns. Thus, the REE patterns of seawater could be the combination of both intra-oceanic and riverine processes. In this study, we show that the Atlantic continental shelves could be considered potential REE traps, suggesting further that shelf sediments could potentially become a resource for REE, similar to metalliferous deep sea sediments.
Biogeochemistry of the surficial sediments of the western and eastern continental shelves of India
Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)
Jacob, J.; Chandramohanakumar, N.; Jayaraj, K.A.; Raveendran, T.V.; Balachandran, K.K.; Joseph, T.; Nair, M.; Achuthankutty, C.T.; Nair, K.K.C.; George, R.; Ravi, Z.P.
continental shelves of India were studied for their total organic matter content and the labile constituents such as total carbohydrates and proteins to get a better understanding of the hydrological and biogeochemical differences of the two regions...
On risk assessment in the petroleum activities on the Norwegian and UK continental shelves
Avena, Terje; Pitblado, Robin
This article discusses some key principles and tools of safety management, with focus on risk analyses, risk interpretation, risk acceptance criteria and risk communication, as well as emergency preparedness. The starting point for the discussion is the experience from the activity on the Norwegian and UK continental shelves, and the implementation of new safety regulations in particular
Sediment Transport on Continental Shelves: Storm Bed Formation and Preservation in Heterogeneous Sediments
occurred during the Cretaceous period. The simulated storm bed for such an extratropical cyclone that lasts 4 days was deposited as deep as 75 m and had...Int. Assoc. Sedimentol. Spec. Publ. (2012) 44, 295-310 Sediment transport on continental shelves: storm bed formation and preservation in...xDept. of Earth Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada ABSTRACT Many storm beds are constructed of silt/sand
Stratigraphic and morphologic signatures of continental shelves, IGC 2016, Cape Town: an introduction
Green, A. N.; Cooper, J. A. G.
This special issue of Geo-Marine Letters comprises seven contributions to the session "Stratigraphic and morphologic signatures of continental shelves" of the 35th International Geological Congress held in Cape Town (Republic of South Africa) on 27 August-4 September 2016. There is an additional article not presented at the conference but falling into the same general theme. The guest editors are A.N. Green and J.A.G. Cooper. The eight articles address several contemporary themes in continental shelf geology. They include the role of antecedent conditioning on the development of shelf stratigraphy and geomorphology; erosion of submerged shorelines and their preservation during (stepped) postglacial sea-level rise; the role of glacial processes (e.g. iceberg scouring during ice-sheet retreat); and the utility of archival data in addressing contemporary issues such as Holocene climate change and global oceanographic circulation systems. The continental shelf holds important information for understanding past and present global circulation and earth-ice-atmosphere interactions including sea-level change. It is hoped that these themes will spur further research that is slowly coming to the fore in several new and innovative mapping and exploration programmes emerging from an increasing number of coastal nations.
Marine fronts at the continental shelves of austral South America - Physical and ecological processes
Acha, Eduardo M.; Mianzan, Hermes W.; Guerrero, Raúl A.; Favero, Marco; Bava, José
Neritic fronts are very abundant in austral South America, covering several scales of space and time. However, this region is poorly studied from a systemic point of view. Our main goal is to develop a holistic view of physical and ecological patterns and processes at austral South America, regarding frontal arrangements. Satellite information (sea surface temperature and chlorophyll concentration), and historical hydrographic data were employed to show fronts. We compiled all existing evidence (physical and biological) about fronts to identify regions defined by similar types of coastal fronts and to characterize them. Fronts in austral South America can be arranged in six zones according to their location, main forcing, key physical variables, seasonality, and enrichment mechanisms. Four zones, the Atlantic upwelling zone; the temperate estuarine zone; the Patagonian tidal zone and the Argentine shelf-break zone, occupy most of the Atlantic side. The Chile-Peru upwelling zone, on the Pacific, is the largest and best-known region. The Patagonian cold estuarine zone encompasses the tip of South America, connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and remains poorly studied. When observed at a continental scale, the Pacific coast dominated by two large frontal zones appears simplest than the Atlantic coast in terms of frontal richness. The extension of the continental shelf in the Atlantic coast allows for the development of a great diversity of mesoscale fronts. Though frontal zones we defined are extensive areas of the continental shelves, fronts inside the zones are comparatively small areas. Even so, they play a paramount role in ecological processes, allowing for high biological production; offering feeding and/or reproductive habitats for fishes, squids, and birds; acting as retention areas for larvae of benthic species; and promoting establishment of benthic invertebrates that benefit from the organic production in the frontal area.
The fate of particle-reactive radionuclides on the Amazon and Yangtze continental shelves
McKee, B.A.
Water column and seabed samples collected from the continental shelves adjacent to the Yangtze and Amazon Rivers were analyzed for particle-reactive radionuclides ( 234 Th, 228 Th, 210 Pb), and their respective parent nuclides ( 238 U, 228 Ra, 226 Ra). On the Amazon shelf, dissolved 238 U activities increase with increasing salinity to a shelf maximum (4.6 dpm 1 -1 ) that is much higher than the open-ocean value (2.5 dpm 1 -1 ) because uranium is desorbed from the ferric-oxyhydroxide coatings of bottom sediments and advected into the overlying water column during periodic resuspension events. As a result, measurement of only the riverine flux of dissolved 238 U underestimates (by a factor of 5) the flux of dissolved uranium from the Amazon shelf to the open ocean. K e values decrease with increased SSC and range from 10 5 ·10 6 ml g -1 for Th and from 10 4 ·10 6 ml g -1 for Po and Pb. The approach to equilibrium can best be described as a two-step process that is initially rapid (rate constants: 10-100 d -1 , during the first 30 minutes), but becomes less rapid (rate constants: 1-4 d -1 ) as equilibrium is attained. Distribution coefficients for 234 Th, 228 Th and 210 Pb exhibit large spatial variability on the Amazon shelf (range: 10 3 - 10 6 ml g -1 ) and on the Yangtze shelf (range: 10 4 - 10 6 ml g -1 ). On the Amazon shelf, particle residence time is short (2-3 hours) relative to scavenging residence time (15-20 hours) therefore, only 1-31% of equilibrium between dissolved and particulate thorium is attained. On the Yangtze shelf, particle residence time is long (12-89 hours) relative to scavenging time (2-23 hours) resulting in K d values near (97-100%) equilibrium
Fate of nutrient enrichment on continental shelves as indicated by the C/N content of bottom sediments
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Walsh, J.J.; Premuzic, E.T.; Whitledge, T.E.
The trajectory and fate of particulate matter are poorly understood processes in a spatially heterogeneous coastal ocean. Parameterization of appropriate hydrodynamics for a quantitative description of these loss processes must thus await definition of the important biological time and space scales. Since the bottom sands tend to record the history of the water column, we have selected the C/N content of shelf sediments as a possible tracer of (1) sites of nutrient introduction to the shelf by various physical mechanisms, of (2) areas of subsequent downstream utilization by the phytoplankton, and of (3) where loss of particulate matter might occur from the water column. An analysis is made of the C/N patterns of bottom surface sediments in relation to the nitrogen sources from upwelling, river runoff, and tidal mixing on the Peruvian, west African, Amazonian, Gulf of Mexico, eastern US, Bering, and North Sea shelves in an initial attempt to proscribe the particle trajectories of organic matter on the continental shelf.
The trajectory and fate of particulate matter are poorly understood processes in a spatially heterogeneous coastal ocean. Parameterization of appropriate hydrodynamics for a quantitative description of these loss processes must thus await definition of the important biological time and space scales. Since the bottom sands tend to record the history of the water column, we have selected the C/N content of shelf sediments as a possible tracer of (1) sites of nutrient introduction to the shelf by various physical mechanisms, of (2) areas of subsequent downstream utilization by the phytoplankton, and of (3) where loss of particulate matter might occur from the water column. An analysis is made of the C/N patterns of bottom surface sediments in relation to the nitrogen sources from upwelling, river runoff, and tidal mixing on the Peruvian, west African, Amazonian, Gulf of Mexico, eastern US, Bering, and North Sea shelves in an initial attempt to proscribe the particle trajectories of organic matter on the continental shelf
Particle residence times in waters of the Yangtze and Amazon continental shelves
McKee, B.A.; Nittrouer, C.A.; DeMaster, D.J.
Water column and seabed samples were analyzed for naturally occurring Th-234 to determine particle residence times in Yangtze and Amazon continental-shelf waters. On the Yangtze shelf, the water column was vertically well-mixed and suspended-sediment concentrations decreased offshore (from 230 mg/l near the river mouth to 2 mg/l in mid-shelf waters). Particle residence times increased offshore and ranged from 3.2 hours (12 m water depth) to 7.3 days (60 m water depth). Particle residence times ranged from 3 to 30 times shorter than values predicted by settling of discrete (4-8 micron) particles, suggesting that particles were settling in aggregate form. On the Amazon shelf, a two-layer estuarine flow dominated shelf circulation. Suspended-sediment concentrations on the inner shelf (10-12 m water depth) were much greater in bottom waters (range: 100-880 mg/l) than in surface waters (range 5-60 mg/l) as a result of resuspension. Particle residence times ranged from 1.1 days in surface waters to 2.5 days in bottom waters. Particles probably underwent several cycles of resuspension before permanent removal from the water column
Deep continental margin reflectors
Ewing, J.; Heirtzler, J.; Purdy, M.; Klitgord, Kim D.
In contrast to the rarity of such observations a decade ago, seismic reflecting and refracting horizons are now being observed to Moho depths under continental shelves in a number of places. These observations provide knowledge of the entire crustal thickness from the shoreline to the oceanic crust on passive margins and supplement Consortium for Continental Reflection Profiling (COCORP)-type measurements on land.
Open Shelves/Closed Shelves in Research Libraries
Rovelstad, Mathilde V.
Traces the traditional method of making books accessible through their topical arrangement on library shelves, outlines the reasons for the abandonment of this method in European research libraries, explores its modified reappearance in postwar academic libraries, and cites modern arguments against the practice of making an entire research…
Exxon shelves Fawley capacity hike
Young, I.
Exxon Chemical (Fareham, U.K.) has shelved plans to expand its 100,000-m.t./year steam cracker at Fawley, U.K. Exxon confirms it has not included the proposed expansion in the company's capital investment program for the next two to three years. 'Money is tight and this project failed to secure the investment,' the company says
Shelves around the Iberian Peninsula (II): Evolutionary sedimentary patterns; Las plataformas continentales de la Peninsula Iberica (II): Patrones sedimentarios evolutivos
Lobo, F. J.; Duran, R.; Roque, C.; Ribo, M.; Carrera, G.; Mendes, I.; Ferrin, A.; Fernandez-Salas, L. M.; Garcia-Gil, S.; Galpalsoro, I.; Rosa, F.; Barcenas, P.
We present a synthetic view of continental-shelf evolutionary patterns around the Iberian Peninsula, focusing on proposed sequence stratigraphy interpretations and attempting a comparison between Atlantic- and Mediterranean-type shelf-margin constructions. Most of the studied shelves show a dominance of regressive to low stand deposition through successive pro gradations, particularly evident in the Pliocene-Quaternary, documenting the influence of glacio-eustasy. Transgressive to high stand development predating the Last Glacial Maximum seems to be favoured off major rivers, but the highest variability is seen during post glacial evolution. Transgressive deposits tend to show a higher spatial variability, ranging from pro graded para sequences to extensive sand sheets. Holocene high- stand deposits usually show a more homogeneous character, with development of proximal wedge-shaped deposits and a distal sheet-like deposition. Atlantic continental shelves off Iberia display three different types of shelf growth: depositional shelves, shelves with restricted pro gradation and erosional shelves. They result from the interplay between depositional and hydrodynamic regimes, with the occurrence of a latitudinal gradation from erosional shelves in the Cantabrian continental shelf to depositional shelves in the northern Gulf of Cadiz shelf. Some shelf sectors do not correspond to this general pattern, as shelf sedimentation is mainly controlled by morpho-structural features (e.g., ria environments and shelves crossed by major tectonic accidents). The Mediterranean continental shelves of Iberia show two basic types, high- versus low-supply shelves, and their growth patterns are mainly a response to the amount of fluvial supply. The low-supply style is clearly the most frequent type, and it may show further complexity according to the occurrence of submarine canyons and/or morpho-structural control. (Author)
Riverine Carbon and the Sedimentary Record on the Continental Shelves
focused on the Gulf of Lions: collecting sediment samples and carrying out elemental and stable carbon isotopic analysis . The field work was carried...organisms. For example, the predominance of nitrogen-free biomacromolecules (e.g. tannin , lignin, cellulose, cutin and suberin) over proteins (C:N ≈ 3-4...are cooperating with J. Fabres and A. Calafat (CRG Marine Geosciences) in carrying out elemental and isotopic analysis on suspended material
Geologia Marina (formerly Istituto di Geologia Marina) Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Via Gobetti, 101 40129 Bologna, Italy phone: +39 (051...ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Istituto Scienze Marine, Sezione Geologia Marina,(formerly Istituto di Geologia Marina),Consiglio Nazionale delle
The safety band of Antarctic ice shelves
Fürst, Johannes Jakob; Durand, Gaël; Gillet-Chaulet, Fabien; Tavard, Laure; Rankl, Melanie; Braun, Matthias; Gagliardini, Olivier
The floating ice shelves along the seaboard of the Antarctic ice sheet restrain the outflow of upstream grounded ice. Removal of these ice shelves, as shown by past ice-shelf recession and break-up, accelerates the outflow, which adds to sea-level rise. A key question in predicting future outflow is to quantify the extent of calving that might precondition other dynamic consequences and lead to loss of ice-shelf restraint. Here we delineate frontal areas that we label as `passive shelf ice' and that can be removed without major dynamic implications, with contrasting results across the continent. The ice shelves in the Amundsen and Bellingshausen seas have limited or almost no `passive' portion, which implies that further retreat of current ice-shelf fronts will yield important dynamic consequences. This region is particularly vulnerable as ice shelves have been thinning at high rates for two decades and as upstream grounded ice rests on a backward sloping bed, a precondition to marine ice-sheet instability. In contrast to these ice shelves, Larsen C Ice Shelf, in the Weddell Sea, exhibits a large `passive' frontal area, suggesting that the imminent calving of a vast tabular iceberg will be unlikely to instantly produce much dynamic change.
Intrauterine shelves in pregnancy: sonographic observations.
Brown, D L; Felker, R E; Emerson, D S
Twenty-five shelves of tissue, all having a free edge within the uterine cavity, were identified by sonography in 24 singleton pregnancies. In no case did the shelf attach to the fetus or restrict fetal motion. The fetus was sonographically normal in 23 pregnancies, and no fetus developed amniotic-band syndrome. One fetus had anencephaly, probably unrelated to amniotic-band syndrome. Although these shelves may be due to synechiae, only eight (32%) of the patients had a history of dilatation and curettage or cesarean delivery, which predispose the patient to formation of synechiae. This experience suggests that when a shelf of tissue with a free edge is present within the pregnant uterus, there should be no concern for the development of amniotic-band syndrome as long as a complete sonographic survey of the fetus reveals no abnormalities.
Climate Modeling: Ocean Cavities below Ice Shelves
Petersen, Mark Roger [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Computer, Computational, and Statistical Sciences Division
The Accelerated Climate Model for Energy (ACME), a new initiative by the U.S. Department of Energy, includes unstructured-mesh ocean, land-ice, and sea-ice components using the Model for Prediction Across Scales (MPAS) framework. The ability to run coupled high-resolution global simulations efficiently on large, high-performance computers is a priority for ACME. Sub-ice shelf ocean cavities are a significant new capability in ACME, and will be used to better understand how changing ocean temperature and currents influence glacial melting and retreat. These simulations take advantage of the horizontal variable-resolution mesh and adaptive vertical coordinate in MPAS-Ocean, in order to place high resolution below ice shelves and near grounding lines.
Rat embryonic palatal shelves respond to TCDD in organ culture
Abbott, B.D.; Birnbaum, L.S.
TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin), a highly toxic environmental contaminant, is teratogenic in mice, inducing cleft palate (CP) and hydronephrosis at doses which are not overtly maternally or embryo toxic. Palatal shelves of embryonic mice respond to TCDD, both in vivo and in organ culture, with altered differentiation of medial epithelial cells. By contrast, in the rat TCDD produces substantial maternal, embryonic, and fetal toxicity, including fetal lethality, with few malformations. In this study the possible effects of maternal toxicity on induction of cleft palate were eliminated by exposure of embryonic rat palatal shelves in organ culture. The shelves were examined for specific TCDD-induced alterations in differentiation of the medial cells. On Gestation Day (GD) 14 or 15 palatal shelves from embryonic F344 rats were placed in organ culture for 2 to 3 days (IMEM:F12 medium, 5% FBS, 0.1% DMSO) containing 0, 1 x 10(-8), 1 x 10(-9), 1 x 10(-10), or 5 x 10(-11) M TCDD. The medial epithelial peridermal cells degenerated on shelves exposed to control media or 5 x 10(-11) M TCDD. Exposure to 10(-10), 10(-9), and 10(-8) M TCDD inhibited this degeneration in 20, 36, and 60% of the shelves, respectively, and was statistically significant at the two highest doses. A normally occurring decrease in [3H]TdR incorporation was inhibited in some GD 15 shelves cultured with 10(-10) and 10(-9) M TCDD. The medial cells of TCDD-exposed shelves continued to express high levels of immunohistochemically detected EGF receptors. The altered differentiation of rat medial epithelium is similar to that reported for TCDD-exposed mouse medial cells in vivo and in vitro. However, in order to obtain these responses, the cultured rat shelves require much higher concentrations of TCDD than the mouse shelves
Ocean wave generation by collapsing ice shelves
Macayeal, D. R.; Bassis, J. N.; Okal, E. A.; Aster, R. C.; Cathles, L. M.
The 28-29 February, 2008, break-up of the Wilkins Ice Shelf, Antarctica, exemplifies the now-familiar, yet largely unexplained pattern of explosive ice-shelf break-up. While environmental warming is a likely ultimate cause of explosive break-up, several key aspects of their short-term behavior need to be explained: (1) The abrupt, near-simultaneous onset of iceberg calving across long spans of the ice front margin; (2) High outward drift velocity (about 0.3 m/s) of a leading phalanx of tabular icebergs that originate from the seaward edge of the intact ice shelf prior to break-up; (3) Rapid coverage of the ocean surface in the wake of this leading phalanx by small, capsized and dismembered tabular icebergs; (4) Extremely large gravitational potential energy release rates, e.g., up to 3 × 1010 W; (5) Lack of proximal iceberg-calving triggers that control the timing of break-up onset and that maintain the high break-up calving rates through to the conclusion of the event. Motivated by seismic records obtained from icebergs and the Ross Ice Shelf that show hundreds of micro- tsunamis emanating from near the ice shelf front, we re-examine the basic dynamic features of ice- shelf/ocean-wave interaction and, in particular, examine the possibility that collapsing ice shelves themselves are a source of waves that stimulate the disintegration process. We propose that ice-shelf generated surface-gravity waves associated with initial calving at an arbitrary seed location produce stress perturbations capable of triggering the onset of calving on the entire ice front. Waves generated by parting detachment rifts, iceberg capsize and break-up act next to stimulate an inverted submarine landslide (ice- slide) process, where gravitational potential energy released by upward movement of buoyant ice is radiated as surface gravity waves in the wake of the advancing phalanx of tabular icebergs. We conclude by describing how field research and remote sensing can be used to test the
Arctic shelves as platforms for biogeochemical activity: Nitrogen and carbon transformations in the Chukchi Sea, Alaska
Hardison, Amber K.; McTigue, Nathan D.; Gardner, Wayne S.; Dunton, Kenneth H.
Continental shelves comprise 50% of marine denitrification. The Hanna Shoal region, part of the continental shelf system in the northeast Chukchi Sea, Alaska, is recognized for its high biodiversity and productivity. We investigated the role of sediments in organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling at five stations on the shallow Hanna Shoal. In particular, we asked (1) how much sediment organic matter is remineralized in the Chukchi Sea, and what factors drive this degradation, (2) do sediments function as a net source for fixed nitrogen (thus fueling primary production in the overlying water), or as a net sink for fixed nitrogen (thereby removing it from the system), and (3) what is the balance between sediment NH4+ uptake and regeneration, and what factors drive NH4+ cycling? We conducted dark sediment core incubations to measure sediment O2 consumption, net N2 and nutrient (NH4+, NO3-, NO2-, PO43-) fluxes, and rates of sediment NH4+ cycling, including uptake and regeneration. Rates of sediment O2 consumption and NH4+ and PO43- efflux suggest that high organic matter remineralization rates occurred in these cold (-2 °C) sediments. We estimated that total organic carbon remineralization accounted for 20-57% of summer export production measured on the Chukchi Shelf. Net N2 release was the dominant nitrogen flux, indicating that sediments acted as a net sink for bioavailable nitrogen via denitrification. Organic carbon remineralization via denitrification accounted for 6-12% of summer export production, which made up 25% of the total organic carbon oxidized in Hanna Shoal sediments. These shallow, productive Arctic shelves are ;hotspots; for organic matter remineralization.
Seabed geology of the Canadian eastern continental shelf
Piper, David J. W.
The physiography of the continental shelf off eastern Canada is irregular, developed by glacial erosion of a previously fluvially-dominated landscape. Northern shelves are deeper than southern shelves. Most surficial sediments on the shelf are relict or palimpsest. The principal modern source of sediment to the northern shelves is ice rafting and iceberg scour reworking of Quaternary sediments. Southern shelves receive sediment through erosion of Quaternary sediments; only small amounts of fine-grained sediment derived from coastal erosion and rivers escape from the coastal zone. Regional maps of sediment texture, carbonate content and heavy mineralogy consequently show differences between the northern and southern shelves. Large areas of the shelf show little net deposition. On the northern shelves, there is a surface veneer up to 0.5 m thick derived from ice rafting and iceberg turbation of underlying Quaternary sediment, modified by south-flowing currents [ WOODWORTH-LYNASet al. (this issue) Continental Shelf Research, 11, 939-961]. The overall effects of former iceberg turbation may extend to a depth of 10 m sub-bottom. On the southern shelves, bioturbation and perhaps storm-related currents rework exposed Quaternary sediments more slowly. Muds accumulate in deep basins on the shelves at rates of about 0.5 m per 1000 years; this accumulation is probably episodic and related to major storms reworking sediment from the surface sediment veneer in shallower areas of little net deposition. In water depths less than 110 m sand and gravel have formed as a result of reworking in the coastal zone during the post-glacial transgression. Over large areas of Georges Bank, the eastern Scotian Shelf and the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, such sands are mobilized during storms to form a wide suite of bedforms [ AMOS and JUDGE (this issue) Continental Shelf Research, 11, 1037-1068]. Elsewhere, particularly in deeper water, sandy surfaces appear moribund or inactive and large
78 FR 54450 - Certain Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary...
... Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty... the antidumping duty order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks from the People's Republic...\\ is certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks. The subject merchandise is currently classifiable...
77 FR 61385 - Certain Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Antidumping...
... Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 2010-2011... administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks from the... INFORMATION: Scope of the Order The scope of this order consists of shelving and racks for refrigerators...
77 FR 72324 - Certain Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks from the People's Republic of China: Countervailing...
... Shelving and Racks from the People's Republic of China: Countervailing Duty Administrative Review, 2010... countervailing duty order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks from the People's Republic of China. See Certain Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Countervailing...
... Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2011... order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks (kitchen racks) from the People's Republic of.... Scope of the Order This order covers shelving and racks for refrigerators, freezers, combined...
77 FR 12811 - Certain Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Partial...
... Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Partial Rescission of Antidumping Duty... review of the antidumping duty order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks from the People's... Appliance Shelving and Racks from the People's Republic of China, dated January 10, 2012; and Letter to the...
... Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2010... order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks (``kitchen racks'') from the People's Republic of...-1785, respectively. Scope of the Order The scope of the order consists of shelving and racks for...
... Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of the First Administrative... review of the antidumping duty order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks from the People's... administrative review of certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks from the PRC for the period March 5, 2009...
Effects of Internal Waves on Sound Propagation in the Shallow Waters of the Continental Shelves
resolves to f > 375 Hz . A frequency of 2 kHz, which is around the frequency range of a mid-frequency sonar, was used for the study and is well above...the 375 Hz threshold. 2. Gaussian Beam Option Ray trace models are unable to approximate the effects of caustics, which are regions of intense
Continental shelf drowned landscapes: Submerged geomorphological and sedimentary record of the youngest cycles
NARCIS (Netherlands)
Cohen, K.M.; Lobo, F.J.
Continental shelves today find themselves largely submerged as a consequence of the sea-level rise in the last 20,000 years, the time since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), the period of maximum ice mass and minimum ocean volume within the Last Glacial Cycle. Their geomorphology, however, is far from
Continental tectonics and continental kinetics
Allegre, C.J.; Jaupart, C.; Paris-7 Univ., 75
We present a model of continental growth which combines the results of geochemical studies and tectonic ideas about the evolution of continents through geological time. The process of continental growth is mainly controlled by surface phenomena. Continental material is extracted from the mantle along subduction zones at the periphery of oceans, and is destroyed in collision zones where it is remobilized and made available for subduction. We derive an equation for S, the portion of the Earth's surface occupied by continents, which reads as follows: dS/dt=a . √(1-S)-b . S. Coefficients a and b depend on the geometry of plates, on their number and on their velocities. We assume that they decrease exponentially with time with the same time-scale α. This model satisfies both geochemical and tectonic constraints, and allows the integration of several current observations in a single framework. (orig.)
Marine litter distribution and density in European seas, from the shelves to deep basins.
Pham, Christopher K; Ramirez-Llodra, Eva; Alt, Claudia H S; Amaro, Teresa; Bergmann, Melanie; Canals, Miquel; Company, Joan B; Davies, Jaime; Duineveld, Gerard; Galgani, François; Howell, Kerry L; Huvenne, Veerle A I; Isidro, Eduardo; Jones, Daniel O B; Lastras, Galderic; Morato, Telmo; Gomes-Pereira, José Nuno; Purser, Autun; Stewart, Heather; Tojeira, Inês; Tubau, Xavier; Van Rooij, David; Tyler, Paul A
Anthropogenic litter is present in all marine habitats, from beaches to the most remote points in the oceans. On the seafloor, marine litter, particularly plastic, can accumulate in high densities with deleterious consequences for its inhabitants. Yet, because of the high cost involved with sampling the seafloor, no large-scale assessment of distribution patterns was available to date. Here, we present data on litter distribution and density collected during 588 video and trawl surveys across 32 sites in European waters. We found litter to be present in the deepest areas and at locations as remote from land as the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone across the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The highest litter density occurs in submarine canyons, whilst the lowest density can be found on continental shelves and on ocean ridges. Plastic was the most prevalent litter item found on the seafloor. Litter from fishing activities (derelict fishing lines and nets) was particularly common on seamounts, banks, mounds and ocean ridges. Our results highlight the extent of the problem and the need for action to prevent increasing accumulation of litter in marine environments.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Christopher K Pham
Full Text Available Anthropogenic litter is present in all marine habitats, from beaches to the most remote points in the oceans. On the seafloor, marine litter, particularly plastic, can accumulate in high densities with deleterious consequences for its inhabitants. Yet, because of the high cost involved with sampling the seafloor, no large-scale assessment of distribution patterns was available to date. Here, we present data on litter distribution and density collected during 588 video and trawl surveys across 32 sites in European waters. We found litter to be present in the deepest areas and at locations as remote from land as the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone across the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The highest litter density occurs in submarine canyons, whilst the lowest density can be found on continental shelves and on ocean ridges. Plastic was the most prevalent litter item found on the seafloor. Litter from fishing activities (derelict fishing lines and nets was particularly common on seamounts, banks, mounds and ocean ridges. Our results highlight the extent of the problem and the need for action to prevent increasing accumulation of litter in marine environments.
Morphology of a submerged insular shelves in the West Alboran Basin.
Lafosse, Manfred; Le Roy, Pascal; Gorini, Christian; Rabineau, Marina; d'Acremont, Elia; Rabaute, Alain
The dynamic of the seafloor in the Western Mediterranean Sea reflects the variety of the natural processes shaping it. Each of the sub-surface features is the result of tectonic, sedimentary and oceanic processes and eustatic sea-level variations. This study is focused on the morphology of three flat bathymetric highs and on the continental shelf in the Alboran Sea that show a variety of detailed seabed features that we attribute to a combination of present-day Mediterranean water mass flows, Quaternary active folding and faulting, differential erosion linked to relative-sea-level variation and local hydrodynamic. Swath bathymetry and reflectivity data, 2D seismic lines of multiple resolutions (12 channels, SPARKER source, and TOPAS seismic lines) have been acquired during three successive cruises: the MARLBORO-1 (2011), the MARLBORO-2 (2012) and the SARAS (2012) surveys. Our study deciphers the seabed structure of the banks with morphometric measurements (slope gradient, plan curvature, and topographic index) and correlates these structures to the stratigraphy of surrounding shelf. We show that the competition between active folding of the Miocene units and the erosion linked to the late Quaternary lowstands is creates the topography of the banks. The elevations of the flat surfaces measured on the banks are close to -110m and -80m. They are interpreted as submerged depositional surfaces linked to glacial and post-glacial deposit and wave-ravinement erosional surfaces as observed in other Mediterranean continental shelves. The analysis of the altitudinal spacing of these marine terraces indicates a spatial pattern with varying uplift rates. Furthermore, the characterization of sub-aqueous dune patterns locally linked to potential cold carbonate seamount could reflect the influence of water-masses current on the stratigraphic organization.
Shelving: shelf reading and upkeep of library stock in high school ...
Research findings and experience in Library Service has greatly shown shelve management as a tool for measuring performance, satisfaction and realization of set goal. This paper examines the state of shelving activities in five high school libraries at different local government areas of Lagos State. This includes statistics ...
... Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of the Countervailing Duty... countervailable duty order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks (``Kitchen Racks'') from the People's...: Background On July 27, 2009, the Department published a CVD order on Kitchen Racks from the PRC. See Certain...
Continental Rifts
Rosendahl, B. R.
Continental Rifts, edited by A. M. Quennell, is a new member of the Benchmark Papers in Geology Series, edited in toto by R. W. Fairbridge. In this series the individual volume editors peruse the literature on a given topic, select a few dozen papers of ostensibly benchmark quality, and then reorder them in some sensible fashion. Some of the original papers are republished intact, but many are chopped into "McNuggets™� of information. Depending upon the volume editor, the chopping process can range from a butchering job to careful and prudent pruning. The collecting, sifting, and reorganizing tasks are, of course, equally editor-sensitive. The end product of this series is something akin to a set of Reader's Digest of Geology.
77 FR 21744 - Certain Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Final Results...
... Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of the Countervailing Duty... countervailable duty order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks (``Kitchen Racks'') from the People's... Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks from the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of...
77 FR 82 - Certain Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Extension of...
... Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Extension of Time Limit for the Final Results of... administrative review of the countervailing duty order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks from the... Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of the...
... Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative... countervailing duty (``CVD'') order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks from the People's Republic of...\\ See Certain Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Countervailing...
78 FR 5414 - Certain Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China; 2010-2011...
... Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China; 2010-2011; Final Results of Antidumping Duty... of the antidumping duty order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks from the People's... September 1, 2010, through August 31, 2011. \\1\\ See Certain Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks From the...
78 FR 78815 - Certain Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks from the People's Republic of China: Rescission of...
... Shelving and Racks from the People's Republic of China: Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative... administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks from the... on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks from the PRC.\\1\\ On September 30, 2013, the...
77 FR 22559 - Certain Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Extension of...
... Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Extension of Time Limit for the Preliminary Results... administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks from the... Appliance Shelving and Racks from the People's Republic of China: Selection of an Additional Mandatory...
... Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Final Results and Partial Rescission of First... duty order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks from the People's Republic of China (``PRC... Certain Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of...
Quinn, F.J.
The historical precedents to the idea of continent-wide diversion of water in North America are reviewed, starting from early perceptions of continental drainage and the era of canal building that reached its peak in the mid-1800s. The attitude that natural landscapes can be rearranged to suit human needs has persisted from that era with the proposal for continent-wide water diversion megaprojects, many involving the movement of water from Canada to the southwestern USA. Over 50 water diversions exist in Canada, with a total diverted flow of 4,400 m 3 /s. The density of interconnected and almost-connected lakes and rivers has favored such diversions. Of these diversions, 95% of their storage capacity and 96% of their flow is for hydroelectric power generation. The number of diversions in the USA is similar but water volumes are only a sixth of those in Canada, and the water is mainly used for irrigation or water supply. Experience in both countries shows that diversions are contained by political boundaries. No large-scale diversion of fresh water across the international boundary has received any government support, and no significant change in this policy is anticipated. In the water-short areas of the USA, conservation and reallocation of water resources are receiving priority. 19 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs
Observed tidal currents on the continental shelf off the west coast of India
Subeesh, M.P.; Unnikrishnan, A.S.; Fernando, V.; Agarwadekar, Y.; Khalap, S.T.; Satelkar, N.P.; Shenoi, S.S.C.
tidal currents have been widely studied around the world ocean particularly on the continental shelves and slopes (for example, Huthnance, 1989; Holloway et al., 2001; Xu et al., 2011b, 2013). The astronomical forcing mainly leads to the generation... directions. Internal tides have temporal scales from inertial to local Brunt-Väisälä frequency (f < σ < N), where σ is the internal wave frequency and f and N are inertial and buoyancy frequencies respectively. The direct astronomical forcing...
Data.gov (United States)
Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This shapefile was created to show the proximity of the Continental Divide to the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail in New Mexico. This work was done as part...
Comparative study of the topography and sediments of the western and eastern continental shelves around Cape Comorin
Hashimi, N.H.; Kidwai, R.M.; Nair, R.R.
Cochin to 37.4% off Quilon and 71.4% off Tuticorin. Differences in the 3 sedimentary environments are attributed to the variations in the depositional and erosional processes prevailing in the region...
77 FR 27029 - Certain Kitchen Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Extension of Time Limit...
... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C-570-942] Certain Kitchen Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of... certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks from the People's Republic of China, covering the review...
... Shelving and Racks From the People's Republic of China: Extension of Time Limits for the Preliminary... appliance shelving and racks from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') for the period March 5, 2009... Racks from the People's Republic of China,'' dated January 20, 2011. The Department sent its antidumping...
... Racks From the People's Republic of China: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of... countervailing duty order on certain kitchen appliance shelving and racks from the People's Republic of China... the Countervailing Duty Administrative Review of Certain Kitchen Appliance Shelving and Racks from the...
Spatial patterning and persistence of meltwater on ice shelves and the implications for ice shelf collapse
Robel, A.; MacAyeal, D. R.; Tsai, V. C.; Shean, D. E.
Observations indicate that for at least the last few decades, there has been extensive surface melting over ice shelves in Antarctica. Meltwater either collects in ponds or flows over the surface in streams that discharge to the ocean. The spatial organization and persistence of this meltwater can have a significant influence on the thermomechanical ice shelf state through albedo, turbulent heat exchange, refreezing and hydrofracture. However, as more meltwater forms on Antarctic ice shelves, there is no general theory that predicts the spatial pattern of meltwater ponded on the ice shelf surface and the volume of meltwater runoff to the ocean. Here, we show how dynamical systems tools, such as cellular automata, can be used to calculate the expected distribution of meltwater on ice shelf surfaces. These tools can also be used to explore how ice shelf surface morphology is modified by meltwater albedo and turbulent heating feedbacks. We apply these numerical approaches to new high-resolution digital elevation models for ice shelves in West Antarctica. Additionally, we survey the prospects of developing general rules of meltwater patterning by applying scaling approaches from percolation theory. We conclude by discussing the types of ice shelves that are more likely to cause ice shelf collapse through surface melt-induced hydrofracture or thermomechanical weakening.
Towards a Universal Calving Law: Modeling Ice Shelves Using Damage Mechanics
Whitcomb, M.; Bassis, J. N.; Price, S. F.; Lipscomb, W. H.
Modeling iceberg calving from ice shelves and ice tongues is a particularly difficult problem in glaciology because of the wide range of observed calving rates. Ice shelves naturally calve large tabular icebergs at infrequent intervals, but may instead calve smaller bergs regularly or disintegrate due to hydrofracturing in warmer conditions. Any complete theory of iceberg calving in ice shelves must be able to generate realistic calving rate values depending on the magnitudes of the external forcings. Here we show that a simple damage evolution law, which represents crevasse distributions as a continuum field, produces reasonable estimates of ice shelf calving rates when added to the Community Ice Sheet Model (CISM). Our damage formulation is based on a linear stability analysis and depends upon the bulk stress and strain rate in the ice shelf, as well as the surface and basal melt rates. The basal melt parameter in our model enhances crevasse growth near the ice shelf terminus, leading to an increased iceberg production rate. This implies that increasing ocean temperatures underneath ice shelves will drive ice shelf retreat, as has been observed in the Amundsen and Bellingshausen Seas. We show that our model predicts broadly correct calving rates for ice tongues ranging in length from 10 km (Erebus) to over 100 km (Drygalski), by matching the computed steady state lengths to observations. In addition, we apply the model to idealized Antarctic ice shelves and show that we can also predict realistic ice shelf extents. Our damage mechanics model provides a promising, computationally efficient way to compute calving fluxes and links ice shelf stability to climate forcing.
Changes in flow of Crosson and Dotson ice shelves, West Antarctica, in response to elevated melt
Lilien, David A.; Joughin, Ian; Smith, Benjamin; Shean, David E.
Crosson and Dotson ice shelves are two of the most rapidly changing outlets in West Antarctica, displaying both significant thinning and grounding-line retreat in recent decades. We used remotely sensed measurements of velocity and ice geometry to investigate the processes controlling their changes in speed and grounding-line position over the past 20 years. We combined these observations with inverse modeling of the viscosity of the ice shelves to understand how weakening of the shelves affected this speedup. These ice shelves have lost mass continuously since the 1990s, and we find that this loss results from increasing melt beneath both shelves and the increasing speed of Crosson. High melt rates persisted over the period covered by our observations (1996-2014), with the highest rates beneath areas that ungrounded during this time. Grounding-line flux exceeded basin-wide accumulation by about a factor of 2 throughout the study period, consistent with earlier studies, resulting in significant loss of grounded as well as floating ice. The near doubling of Crosson's speed in some areas during this time is likely the result of weakening of its margins and retreat of its grounding line. This speedup contrasts with Dotson, which has maintained its speed despite increasingly high melt rates near its grounding line, likely a result of the sustained competency of the shelf. Our results indicate that changes to melt rates began before 1996 and suggest that observed increases in melt in the 2000s compounded an ongoing retreat of this system. Advection of a channel along Dotson, as well as the grounding-line position of Kohler Glacier, suggests that Dotson experienced a change in flow around the 1970s, which may be the initial cause of its continuing retreat.
Continental Margins of the Arctic Ocean: Implications for Law of the Sea
Mosher, David
A coastal State must define the outer edge of its continental margin in order to be entitled to extend the outer limits of its continental shelf beyond 200 M, according to article 76 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The article prescribes the methods with which to make this definition and includes such metrics as water depth, seafloor gradient and thickness of sediment. Note the distinction between the "outer edge of the continental margin", which is the extent of the margin after application of the formula of article 76, and the "outer limit of the continental shelf", which is the limit after constraint criteria of article 76 are applied. For a relatively small ocean basin, the Arctic Ocean reveals a plethora of continental margin types reflecting both its complex tectonic origins and its diverse sedimentation history. These factors play important roles in determining the extended continental shelves of Arctic coastal States. This study highlights the critical factors that might determine the outer edge of continental margins in the Arctic Ocean as prescribed by article 76. Norway is the only Arctic coastal State that has had recommendations rendered by the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS). Russia and Denmark (Greenland) have made submissions to the CLCS to support their extended continental shelves in the Arctic and are awaiting recommendations. Canada has yet to make its submission and the US has not yet ratified the Convention. The various criteria that each coastal State has utilized or potentially can utilize to determine the outer edge of the continental margin are considered. Important criteria in the Arctic include, 1) morphological continuity of undersea features, such as the various ridges and spurs, with the landmass, 2) the tectonic origins and geologic affinities with the adjacent land masses of the margins and various ridges, 3) sedimentary processes, particularly along continental slopes, and 4) thickness and
The fate of terrigenous dissolved organic carbon on the Eurasian shelves and export to the North Atlantic
Kaiser, Karl; Amon, Rainer; Benner, Ronald
Dissolved lignin phenols, chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption, and fluorescence were analyzed along cross-slope mooring locations in the Barents, Laptev, and East Siberian Seas to gain a better understanding of terrigenous dissolved organic carbon (tDOC) dynamics in Arctic shelf seas and the Arctic Ocean. A gradient of river water and tDOC was observed along the continental shelf eastward into the East Siberian Sea. Correlations of carbon-normalized yields of lignin-derived phenols supplied by Siberian rivers with river water fractions and known water residence times yielded in situ decay constants of 0.18-0.58 per year. Calculations showed about 50% of annual tDOC discharged by Siberian rivers was mineralized in estuaries and on the Eurasian shelves per year indicating extensive removal of tDOC. Bioassay experiments and in situ decay constants indicated a reactivity continuum for tDOC. CDOM parameters and acid/aldehyde ratios of vanillyl (V) and syringyl (S) lignin phenols showed biomineralization was the dominant mechanism for the removal of tDOC. Characteristic ratios of p-hydroxy (P), S, and V phenols (P/V, S/V) also identified shelf regions in the Kara Sea and regions along the Western Laptev Sea shelf where formation of Low Salinity Halocline Waters (LSHW) and Lower Halocline Water (LHW) occurred. The efficient removal of tDOC demonstrates the importance of Eurasian margins as sinks of tDOC derived from the large Siberian Rivers and confirms tDOC mineralization has a major impact on nutrients budgets, air-sea CO2 exchange, and acidification in the Siberian Shelf Seas.
Study on long term creep of two different types of compressed wood sheets used in library shelves
Saeid Azimi
Full Text Available In this study, the creep behaviors of composite panels used in library shelves were investigated. For this purpose, two types of wood-composite panels (medium density fiberboard and particleboard, and three types of covering including synthetic laminates, natural veneer, and without cove, and two types of wood joints (fixed and detachable were used. Dimensions of the book-shelves were in actual shelf size, that is, 1,000 × 300 mm. Totally, 48 shelf specimens were prepared. For the creep test, a 23.5 kg loading level was applied in the center part of the shelves. Measurements on the creep behavior were carried out over 155 days at different intervals. Results indicated that the type of wood-composite as well as the type of veneer had statistically significant effect on the creep behaviors of panels. The lowest creep was observed in MDF panels. Moreover, those panels covered with natural veneer demonstrated significantly lower creep values. The type of joint also had a significant effect on the creeping behavior of the shelves, though not as conspicuous as the type of panels and veneers. Based on the results of the present research project, it is suggested that in order to increase the service life of library shelves it would be better to produce the shelves from MDF panels covered with natural veneers; these shelves should be fixed on supports.
Barrier displacement on a neutral landscape: Towards a theory of continental biogeography
Albert, James S.; Schoolmaster, Donald; Tagliacollo, Victor; Duke-Sylvester, Scott M.
Macroevolutionary theory posits three processes leading to lineage diversification and the formation of regional biotas: dispersal (species geographic range expansion), speciation (species lineage splitting), and extinction (species lineage termination). The Theory of Island Biogeography (TIB) predicts species richness values using just two of these processes; dispersal and extinction. Yet most species on Earth live on continents or continental shelves, and the dynamics of evolutionary diversification at regional and continental scales are qualitatively different from those that govern the formation of species richness on biogeographic islands. Certain geomorphological processes operating perennially on continental platforms displace barriers to gene flow and organismal dispersal, and affect all three terms of macroevolutionary diversification. For example, uplift of a dissected landscape and river capture both merge and separate portions of adjacent areas, allowing dispersal and larger geographic ranges, vicariant speciation and smaller geographic ranges, and extinction when range sizes are subdivided below a minimum persistence threshold.
A sensitivity analysis for a thermomechanical model of the Antarctic ice sheet and ice shelves
Baratelli, F.; Castellani, G.; Vassena, C.; Giudici, M.
The outcomes of an ice sheet model depend on a number of parameters and physical quantities which are often estimated with large uncertainty, because of lack of sufficient experimental measurements in such remote environments. Therefore, the efforts to improve the accuracy of the predictions of ice sheet models by including more physical processes and interactions with atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere can be affected by the inaccuracy of the fundamental input data. A sensitivity analysis can help to understand which are the input data that most affect the different predictions of the model. In this context, a finite difference thermomechanical ice sheet model based on the Shallow-Ice Approximation (SIA) and on the Shallow-Shelf Approximation (SSA) has been developed and applied for the simulation of the evolution of the Antarctic ice sheet and ice shelves for the last 200 000 years. The sensitivity analysis of the model outcomes (e.g., the volume of the ice sheet and of the ice shelves, the basal melt rate of the ice sheet, the mean velocity of the Ross and Ronne-Filchner ice shelves, the wet area at the base of the ice sheet) with respect to the model parameters (e.g., the basal sliding coefficient, the geothermal heat flux, the present-day surface accumulation and temperature, the mean ice shelves viscosity, the melt rate at the base of the ice shelves) has been performed by computing three synthetic numerical indices: two local sensitivity indices and a global sensitivity index. Local sensitivity indices imply a linearization of the model and neglect both non-linear and joint effects of the parameters. The global variance-based sensitivity index, instead, takes into account the complete variability of the input parameters but is usually conducted with a Monte Carlo approach which is computationally very demanding for non-linear complex models. Therefore, the global sensitivity index has been computed using a development of the model outputs in a
Development and Performance Evaluation of Light Shelves Using Width-Adjustable Reflectors
Heangwoo Lee
Full Text Available In recent years, there has been an increase in the consumption of energy for lighting purposes, which has led to an increase in the number of studies being conducted on this subject. Most studies have focused on light shelves, which are daylighting systems used for reducing the lighting energy required for the interiors of buildings. However, the existing light shelves cannot actively deal with external environmental factors, which often lead to an infringement of the right to light during the night when the performance of the light shelf deteriorates. Therefore, in this study, we propose a light shelf with a width-adjustable reflector and verify its validity using a testbed. The reflector of the proposed light shelf system is modularized so that the length can be adjusted in stages. The optimum width of the light shelf is calculated in terms of the energy reduction and uniformity ratio improvement, and the obtained optimum width is varied depending on the season. We find that the width-adjustable reflector can save 20% and 21.6% more lighting energy than light shelves with fixed reflector widths of 0.3 m and 0.6 m, respectively.
Continental Mathematics League.
Quartararo, Joseph
This article describes the activities of the Continental Mathematics League, which offers a series of meets for children in grades 3 though 9. In addition, a Calculus League and a Computer Contest are offered. The league allows schools to participate by mail so that rural schools can participate. (CR)
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data represents geographic terms used within the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA or Act). The Act defines the United States outer continental shelf...
Geochemistry of sediments of the western Canadian continental shelf
Macdonald, R. W.; Pedersen, T. F.
Few chemical data exist for the sedimentary environment off the Canadian west coast. Here we define the chemical nature of the shelf sediments by examining the important sources of material (natural and anthropogenic) to the region and processes relevant to diagenesis. Slightly more data exist for the continental shelf to the south (Washington) and north (Alaska), however it is clear that the sedimentary environment of these neighbouring shelves differs importantly from the Canadian portion. The British Columbia shelf receives little modern terrigenous detritus due mainly to isolation from terrestrial sediment sources by fiords, inland seas, or bypassing by shelf canyons. The chemical state of the sediments depends on the rate of supply of material, the energy of the depositional or erosional environment and the organic and inorganic composition of the material. These features in concert with bottom water characteristics control the redox state. Although no basins hosting continuous depositional records for the Holocene on the open British Columbia shelf have been identified or studied in a manner described by BUCKLEY ( Continental Shelf Research, 11, 1099-1122), some coastal embayments and fiords provide valuable historical records of post-glacial sedimentation. Such environments will prove to be increasingly useful in future studies of changes in regional climate and in establishing the chronology of natural disasters and anthropogenic impacts. Recommendations are given for a variety of research projects that would help us to understand better both chemical interactions at the seabed and Late Quaternary depositional history.
Variable Basal Melt Rates of Antarctic Peninsula Ice Shelves, 1994-2016
Adusumilli, Susheel; Fricker, Helen Amanda; Siegfried, Matthew R.; Padman, Laurie; Paolo, Fernando S.; Ligtenberg, Stefan R. M.
We have constructed 23-year (1994-2016) time series of Antarctic Peninsula (AP) ice-shelf height change using data from four satellite radar altimeters (ERS-1, ERS-2, Envisat, and CryoSat-2). Combining these time series with output from atmospheric and firn models, we partitioned the total height-change signal into contributions from varying surface mass balance, firn state, ice dynamics, and basal mass balance. On the Bellingshausen coast of the AP, ice shelves lost 84 ± 34 Gt a-1 to basal melting, compared to contributions of 50 ± 7 Gt a-1 from surface mass balance and ice dynamics. Net basal melting on the Weddell coast was 51 ± 71 Gt a-1. Recent changes in ice-shelf height include increases over major AP ice shelves driven by changes in firn state. Basal melt rates near Bawden Ice Rise, a major pinning point of Larsen C Ice Shelf, showed large increases, potentially leading to substantial loss of buttressing if sustained.
Exciton shelves for charge and energy transport in third-generation quantum-dot devices
Goodman, Samuel; Singh, Vivek; Noh, Hyunwoo; Casamada, Josep; Chatterjee, Anushree; Cha, Jennifer; Nagpal, Prashant
Quantum dots are semiconductor nanocrystallites with size-dependent quantum-confined energy levels. While they have been intensively investigated to utilize hot-carriers for photovoltaic applications, to bridge the mismatch between incident solar photons and finite bandgap of semiconductor photocells, efficient charge or exciton transport in quantum-dot films has proven challenging. Here we show development of new coupled conjugated molecular wires with ``exciton shelves'', or different energy levels, matched with the multiple energy levels of quantum dots. Using single nanoparticle and ensemble device measurements we show successful extraction and transport of both bandedge and high-energy charge carriers, and energy transport of excitons. We demonstrate using measurements of electronic density of states, that careful matching of energy states of quantum-dot with molecular wires is important, and any mismatch can generate midgap states leading to charge recombination and reduced efficiency. Therefore, these exciton-shelves and quantum dots can lead to development of next-generation photovoltaic and photodetection devices using simultaneous transport of bandedge and hot-carriers or energy transport of excitons in these nanostructured solution-processed films.
The Myanmar continental shelf
Ramaswamy, V.; Rao, P.S.
reveal a minimum of 18 m thick strata of modern muds (Fig. 2g). At the outer boundary of the Gulf of Myanmar Continental Shelf 8 Martaban (15oN Latitude), brown muds overlie coarse sands indicating that modern deltaic sediments... on the Myeik Bank (Rodolfo, 1969a). Modern sediments on the Ayeyarwady shelf General composition, Texture and Grain-size: The distribution and sediment texture on the Ayeyarwady shelf shows fine-grained sediments comprising silty-clay and clayey...
Early precursors to break-up of the Larsen Ice Shelves, Antarctica
Scambos, T. A.; Klinger, M.
Ice flux into the embayments left behind by the collapse of the Larsen A and Larsen B ice shelves surged 2- to 6-fold after their disintegration events in 1995 and 2002. Glacier imbalance in the region since the events has been persistent, with elevation changes indicating a mass loss per year of approximately twice the rate of accumulation (Scambos et al., 2014, TCryo). The proximal cause of the disintegration events was a group of processes arising from the presence of extensive surface melt lakes and hydrofracture. However, precursor changes in the ice shelves beginning more than a decade before the disintegrations have been identified, and coincide with a trend towards reduced sea ice cover and increased foehn winds. Ice flow speeds in the Larsen A and B increased, even in the period prior to the loss of critical inboard areas of the ice shelf (which began in 1998 for the Larsen B), and elevation of the ice shelf surface decreased. Ice shelf surface lowering is interpreted as resulting from actual ice shelf thinning for this area, since field studies on both the Larsen A and B noted the upper firn of the shelf was almost completely converted to ice. Examination of satellite images spanning 1963 - 2014 shows that Larsen B shear margins and some suture zones evolved significantly prior to major ice shelf retreat. Overall, these changes suggest either increased ocean-driven basal melt or effects of increased surface meltwater on grounded glacier outflow are a cause of early shelf weakening that leads eventually to disintegration. Available ocean temperature data show that modified Weddell Deep Water, having a temperature 0.1-0.4°C above the surface freezing point, is present near the former ice fronts in some 1995-2012 profiles, but to date this has not been detected within the embayments or near the glacier grounding lines.
Sea-level response to abrupt ocean warming of Antarctic ice shelves
Pattyn, Frank
Antarctica's contribution to global sea-level rise increases steadily. A fundamental question remains whether the ice discharge will lead to marine ice sheet instability (MISI) and collapse of certain sectors of the ice sheet or whether ice loss will increase linearly with the warming trends. Therefore, we employ a newly developed ice sheet model of the Antarctic ice sheet, called f.ETISh (fast Elementary Thermomechanical Ice Sheet model) to simulate ice sheet response to abrupt perturbations in ocean and atmospheric temperature. The f.ETISh model is a vertically integrated hybrid (SSA/SIA) ice sheet model including ice shelves. Although vertically integrated, thermomechanical coupling is ensured through a simplified representation of ice sheet thermodynamics based on an analytical solution of the vertical temperature profile, including strain heating and horizontal advection. The marine boundary is represented by a flux condition either coherent with power-law basal sliding (Pollard & Deconto (2012) based on Schoof (2007)) or according to Coulomb basal friction (Tsai et al., 2015), both taking into account ice-shelf buttressing. Model initialization is based on optimization of the basal friction field. Besides the traditional MISMIP tests, new tests with respect to MISI in plan-view models have been devised. The model is forced with stepwise ocean and atmosphere temperature perturbations. The former is based on a parametrised sub-shelf melt (limited to ice shelves), while the latter is based on present-day mass balance/surface temperature and corrected for elevation changes. Surface melting is introduced using a PDD model. Results show a general linear response in mass loss to ocean warming. Nonlinear response due to MISI occurs under specific conditions and is highly sensitive to the basal conditions near the grounding line, governed by both the initial conditions and the basal sliding/deformation model. The Coulomb friction model leads to significantly higher
What's Cooler Than Being Cool? Icefin: Robotic Exploration Beneath Antarctic Ice Shelves
Lawrence, J.; Schmidt, B. E.; Meister, M. R.; Glass, J. B.; Bowman, J. S.; Stockton, A. M.; Dichek, D.; Hurwitz, B.; Ramey, C.; Spears, A.; Walker, C. C.
The 2017-18 Antarctic field season marks the first of three under the RISEUP project (Ross Ice Shelf & Europa Underwater Probe, NASA PSTAR program grant NNX16AL07G, PI B. E. Schmidt). RISEUP expands our efforts to understand the physical processes governing ice-ocean interactions from beneath the McMurdo Ice Shelf (MIS) to the Ross Ice Shelf (RIS), utilizing the modular autonomous or remotely operable submersible vehicle (AUV/ROV) Icefin. The remote, aphotic regions below Antarctic shelves present a unique opportunity- they are both poorly understood terrestrial environments and analogs for similar systems hypothesized to be present on other bodies in our solar system, such as Europa and Enceladus. By developing new robotic technologies to access and explore ice shelf cavities we are advancing our understanding of how temperature, pressure, and salinity influence the ice-ocean interface, the limits of habitable environments on Earth, and what biological processes and adaptations enable the life discovered by the RISP and WISSARD programs during initial exploration beneath the RIS. These investigations further our understanding of ocean world habitability and support planned and proposed planetary missions (e.g. Europa Clipper, Europa Lander) via improved constraint of marine ice accretion processes, organic entrainment, and interface habitability. Custom built at Georgia Tech and first deployed during the 2014/15 Antarctic season, Icefin is 3.5 m, 125 kg modular vehicle that now carries a full suite of oceanographic sensors (including conductivity, temperature, depth, dissolved O2, dissolved organic matter, turbidity, pH, eH, and sonar) that can be deployed through boreholes as small as 25 cm in diameter. Here we present continued analysis of basal ice and oceanographic observations in the McMurdo Sound region from 2012-2015 with, pending anticipated field work, comparisons to preliminary data from the 2017/18 field season beneath both the McMurdo and Ross Ice
Subterfuge Hegemony: The Simmering Politics of the Shelved Hong Kong Moral and National Education Debates in the Media
Koh, Aaron
The implementation of moral and national education (MNE) in Hong Kong came to a stand-still when in 2012 anti-MNE student protests triumphantly saw it being shelved. Many perceived MNE as indoctrination and politically motivated by the leadership. Five years have gone by since the demise of the MNE. Ostensibly, the struggle for hegemonic control…
Dusting Off the Shelves: Getting the Most Value Out of Vocational Education and Training Equity Resources. Support Document
Mawer, Giselle; Jackson, Elaine
This document accompanies the report, "Dusting Off the Shelves: Getting The Most Value Out of Vocational Education and Training Equity Resources." Included in this document are: (1) Consultations; and (2) Questionnaires. [This document was produced with funding provided through the Department of Education, Science and Training. For "Dusting Off…
Creep deformation and buttressing capacity of damaged ice shelves: theory and application to Larsen C ice shelf
C. P. Borstad
Full Text Available Around the perimeter of Antarctica, much of the ice sheet discharges to the ocean through floating ice shelves. The buttressing provided by ice shelves is critical for modulating the flux of ice into the ocean, and the presently observed thinning of ice shelves is believed to be reducing their buttressing capacity and contributing to the acceleration and thinning of the grounded ice sheet. However, relatively little attention has been paid to the role that fractures play in the ability of ice shelves to sustain and transmit buttressing stresses. Here, we present a new framework for quantifying the role that fractures play in the creep deformation and buttressing capacity of ice shelves. We apply principles of continuum damage mechanics to derive a new analytical relation for the creep of an ice shelf that accounts for the softening influence of fractures on longitudinal deformation using a state damage variable. We use this new analytical relation, combined with a temperature calculation for the ice, to partition an inverse method solution for ice shelf rigidity into independent solutions for softening damage and stabilizing backstress. Using this new approach, field and remote sensing data can be utilized to monitor the structural integrity of ice shelves, their ability to buttress the flow of ice at the grounding line, and thus their indirect contribution to ice sheet mass balance and global sea level. We apply this technique to the Larsen C ice shelf using remote sensing and Operation IceBridge data, finding damage in areas with known crevasses and rifts. Backstress is highest near the grounding line and upstream of ice rises, in agreement with patterns observed on other ice shelves. The ice in contact with the Bawden ice rise is weakened by fractures, and additional damage or thinning in this area could diminish the backstress transmitted upstream. We model the consequences for the ice shelf if it loses contact with this small ice rise
The continental waters pollution
Marsily, G. de
This work deals with the continental water pollution. The sewage affect considerably the quality of some rivers water and of some basins. Moreover, a slow and general damage of natural waters has been established. The direct effects on men and on the natural medium (climatic change, aquatic ecosystems, water cycle) are given as well as the protection means (waste processing, the water-bearing bed and underground water protection, the aquatic ecosystems protection and planning) used and future to abate the water pollution. (O.L.). 17 refs., 6 tabs
Nineteenth-century collapse of a benthic marine ecosystem on the open continental shelf.
Tomašových, Adam; Kidwell, Susan M
The soft-sediment seafloor of the open continental shelf is among the least-known biomes on Earth, despite its high diversity and importance to fisheries and biogeochemical cycling. Abundant dead shells of epifaunal suspension-feeding terebratulid brachiopods ( Laqueus ) and scallops on the now-muddy mainland continental shelf of southern California reveal the recent, previously unsuspected extirpation of an extensive offshore shell-gravel ecosystem, evidently driven by anthropogenic siltation. Living populations of attached epifauna, which formerly existed in a middle- and outer-shelf mosaic with patches of trophically diverse muds, are restricted today to rocky seafloor along the shelf edge and to the sandier shelves of offshore islands. Geological age-dating of 190 dead brachiopod shells shows that (i) no shells have been produced on the mainland shelf within the last 100 years, (ii) their shell production declined steeply during the nineteenth century, and (iii) they had formerly been present continuously for at least 4 kyr. This loss, sufficiently rapid (less than or equal to 100 years) and thorough to represent an ecosystem collapse, coincides with intensification of alluvial-plain land use in the nineteenth century, particularly livestock grazing. Extirpation was complete by the start of twentieth-century urbanization, warming, bottom fishing and scientific surveys. The loss of this filter-feeding fauna and the new spatial homogeneity and dominance of deposit- and detritus-feeders would have altered ecosystem functioning by reducing habitat heterogeneity and seawater filtering. This discovery, attesting to the power of this geological approach to recent ecological transitions, also strongly increases the spatial scope attributable to the negative effects of siltation, and suggests that it has been under-recognized on continental shelves elsewhere as a legacy of coastal land use. © 2017 The Author(s).
The continental lithosphere
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Artemieva, Irina
The goal of the present study is to extract non-thermal signal from seismic tomography models in order to distinguish compositional variations in the continental lithosphere and to examine if geochemical and petrologic constraints on global-scale compositional variations in the mantle...... are consistent with modern geophysical data. In the lithospheric mantle of the continents, seismic velocity variations of a non-thermal origin (calculated from global Vs seismic tomography data [Grand S.P., 2002. Mantle shear-wave tomography and the fate of subducted slabs. Philosophical Transactions...... and evolution of Precambrian lithosphere: A global study. Journal of Geophysical Research 106, 16387–16414.] show strong correlation with tectono-thermal ages and with regional variations in lithospheric thickness constrained by surface heat flow data and seismic velocities. In agreement with xenolith data...
Virtual shelves in a digital library: a framework for access to networked information sources.
Patrick, T B; Springer, G K; Mitchell, J A; Sievert, M E
Develop a framework for collections-based access to networked information sources that addresses the problem of location-dependent access to information sources. This framework uses a metaphor of a virtual shelf. A virtual shelf is a general-purpose server that is dedicated to a particular information subject class. The identifier of one of these servers identifies its subject class. Location-independent call numbers are assigned to information sources. Call numbers are based on standard vocabulary codes. The call numbers are first mapped to the location-independent identifiers of virtual shelves. When access to an information resource is required, a location directory provides a second mapping of these location-independent server identifiers to actual network locations. The framework has been implemented in two different systems. One system is based on the Open System Foundation/Distributed Computing Environment and the other is based on the World Wide Web. This framework applies in new ways traditional methods of library classification and cataloging. It is compatible with two traditional styles of selecting information searching and browsing. Traditional methods may be combined with new paradigms of information searching that will be able to take advantage of the special properties of digital information. Cooperation between the library-informational science community and the informatics community can provide a means for a continuing application of the knowledge and techniques of library science to the new problems of networked information sources.
Shelves of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands (I): Morphology and sediment types; Plataformas de la Peninsula Iberica y las Islas Baleares (I): Morfologia y tipos de sedimentos
Fernandez-Salas, L. M.; Duran, R.; Mendes, I.; Galparsoro, I.; Lobo, F. J.; Barcenas, P.; Rosa, F.; Ribo, M.; Garcia-Gil, S.; Ferrin, A.; Carrara, G.; Roque, C.; Canals, M.
Here we present a synthesis of bed forms and sediment types on the shelves surrounding the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, after the integration several pieces of bathymetric, morphological and sedimentological datasets. The Iberian and Balearic shelves are divided into segments according to the large scale margin configuration, fluvial sediment supply and hydrodynamic regime. Their geological settings and large-scale sedimentation patterns place the investigated shelves into two broad categories: abrupt, steep and narrow sediment-starved shelves, illustrated by the Cantabrian shelf, and gentle, smooth and wide sediment-fed shelves, such as the shelves off some major flivial systems. An in-depth classification was subsequently attempted, based on morpho-sedimentary types. Under this approach, the Iberian and Balearic shelves can be classified as: (1) storm-dominated shelves, with erosional rocky floors, frequent abrasion sur- faces and coarse-grained sediments; (2) current-dominated shelves, showing a good equilibrium between sediment fluxes and coastal and shallow ocean circulation, with laterally extensive muddy belts; (3) sediment supply-dominated shelves, where extensive sub aqueous deltas develop off river mouths; and (4) wave-dominated shelves that occur off coastal stretches with minor and/or multiple fluvial sediment sources and enhanced littoral current. (Author)
Charge transport through exciton shelves in cadmium chalcogenide quantum dot-DNA nano-bioelectronic thin films
Goodman, Samuel M.; Noh, Hyunwoo; Singh, Vivek; Cha, Jennifer N.; Nagpal, Prashant
Quantum dot (QD), or semiconductor nanocrystal, thin films are being explored for making solution-processable devices due to their size- and shape-tunable bandgap and discrete higher energy electronic states. While DNA has been extensively used for the self-assembly of nanocrystals, it has not been investigated for the simultaneous conduction of multiple energy charges or excitons via exciton shelves (ES) formed in QD-DNA nano-bioelectronic thin films. Here, we present studies on charge conduction through exciton shelves, which are formed via chemically coupled QDs and DNA, between electronic states of the QDs and the HOMO-LUMO levels in the complementary DNA nucleobases. While several challenges need to be addressed in optimizing the formation of devices using QD-DNA thin films, a higher charge collection efficiency for hot-carriers and our detailed investigations of charge transport mechanism in these thin films highlight their potential for applications in nano-bioelectronic devices and biological transducers.
Goodman, Samuel M.; Singh, Vivek [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Noh, Hyunwoo [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Materials Science and Engineering Program and Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, San Diego, California 92093 (United States); Cha, Jennifer N. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Materials Science and Engineering Program and Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, San Diego, California 92093 (United States); Materials Science and Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Nagpal, Prashant, E-mail: [email protected] [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Materials Science and Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, 3415 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, 2445 Kittredge Loop, Boulder, Colorado 80309 (United States)
Goodman, Samuel M.; Singh, Vivek; Noh, Hyunwoo; Cha, Jennifer N.; Nagpal, Prashant
Quantum dot (QD), or semiconductor nanocrystal, thin films are being explored for making solution-processable devices due to their size- and shape-tunable bandgap and discrete higher energy electronic states. While DNA has been extensively used for the self-assembly of nanocrystals, it has not been investigated for the simultaneous conduction of multiple energy charges or excitons via exciton shelves (ES) formed in QD-DNA nano-bioelectronic thin films. Here, we present studies on charge conduction through exciton shelves, which are formed via chemically coupled QDs and DNA, between electronic states of the QDs and the HOMO-LUMO levels in the complementary DNA nucleobases. While several challenges need to be addressed in optimizing the formation of devices using QD-DNA thin films, a higher charge collection efficiency for hot-carriers and our detailed investigations of charge transport mechanism in these thin films highlight their potential for applications in nano-bioelectronic devices and biological transducers
Palaeomagnetism and the continental crust
Piper, J.D.A.
This book is an introduction to palaeomagnetism offering treatment of theory and practice. It analyzes the palaeomagnetic record over the whole of geological time, from the Archaean to the Cenozoic, and goes on to examine the impact of past geometries and movements of the continental crust at each geological stage. Topics covered include theory of rock and mineral magnetism, field and laboratory methods, growth and consolidation of the continental crust in Archaean and Proterozoic times, Palaeozoic palaeomagnetism and the formation of Pangaea, the geomagnetic fields, continental movements, configurations and mantle convection.
Methane gas hydrate stability models on continental shelves in response to glacio-eustatic sea level variations: examples from Canadian oceanic margins
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Majorowicz, J.; Osadetz, K.; Å afanda, Jan
Ro�. 6, �. 11 (2013), s. 5775-5806 ISSN 1996-1073 Institutional support: RVO:67985530 Keywords : marine gas hydrates (GH) * GH stability * Canadian shelf * climate change influence Subject RIV: DC - Siesmology, Volcanology, Earth Structure Impact factor: 1.602, year: 2013
Continental United States Hurricane Strikes
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Continental U.S. Hurricane Strikes Poster is our most popular poster which is updated annually. The poster includes all hurricanes that affected the U.S. since...
Constraining variable density of ice shelves using wide-angle radar measurements
Drews, Reinhard; Brown, Joel; Matsuoka, Kenichi; Witrant, Emmanuel; Philippe, Morgane; Hubbard, Bryn; Pattyn, Frank
The thickness of ice shelves, a basic parameter for mass balance estimates, is typically inferred using hydrostatic equilibrium, for which knowledge of the depth-averaged density is essential. The densification from snow to ice depends on a number of local factors (e.g., temperature and surface mass balance) causing spatial and temporal variations in density-depth profiles. However, direct measurements of firn density are sparse, requiring substantial logistical effort. Here, we infer density from radio-wave propagation speed using ground-based wide-angle radar data sets (10 MHz) collected at five sites on Roi Baudouin Ice Shelf (RBIS), Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. We reconstruct depth to internal reflectors, local ice thickness, and firn-air content using a novel algorithm that includes traveltime inversion and ray tracing with a prescribed shape of the depth-density relationship. For the particular case of an ice-shelf channel, where ice thickness and surface slope change substantially over a few kilometers, the radar data suggest that firn inside the channel is about 5 % denser than outside the channel. Although this density difference is at the detection limit of the radar, it is consistent with a similar density anomaly reconstructed from optical televiewing, which reveals that the firn inside the channel is 4.7 % denser than that outside the channel. Hydrostatic ice thickness calculations used for determining basal melt rates should account for the denser firn in ice-shelf channels. The radar method presented here is robust and can easily be adapted to different radar frequencies and data-acquisition geometries.
Sources and burial fluxes of soot black carbon in sediments on the Mackenzie, Chukchi, and Bering Shelves
Yang, Weifeng; Guo, Laodong
Black carbon (BC) has been recognized as a climate forcing and a major component in the global carbon budget. However, studies on BC in the Arctic Ocean remain scarce. We report here variations in the abundance, sources and burial fluxes of sedimentary soot black carbon (soot-BC) in the western Arctic Ocean. The soot-BC contents averaged 1.6 ± 0.3, 0.46 ± 0.04 and 0.56 ± 0.10 mg-C g-1 on the Mackenzie, Chukchi and Bering Shelves, respectively, accounting for 16.6%, 10.2% and 10.4% of the total organic carbon in surface sediment. Temporally, contents of soot-BC remained fairly stable before 1910, but increased rapidly after the 1970s on the Mackenzie Shelf, indicating enhanced source input related to warming. Comparable δ13C signatures of soot-BC (- 24.95‰ to - 24.57‰) to C3 plants pointed to a major biomass source of soot-BC to the Beaufort Sea. Soot-BC showed similar temporal patterns with large fluctuations in the Chukchi/Bering shelf regions, implying the same source terms for soot-BC in these areas. Two events with elevated soot-BC corresponded to a simultaneous increase in biomass combustion and fossil fuel (coal and oil) consumption in Asia. The similar temporal variability in sedimentary soot-BC between the Arctic shelves and Asian lakes and the comparable δ13C values manifested that anthropogenic emission from East Asia was an important source of soot-BC in the western Arctic and subarctic regions. The burial fluxes of soot-BC, estimated from both 137Cs- and 210Pb-derived sedimentation rates, were 2.43 ± 0.42 g-C m-2 yr-1 on the Mackenzie Shelf, representing an efficient soot-BC sink. Soot-BC showed an increase in buried fluxes from 0.56 ± 0.02 g-C m-2 yr-1 during 1963-1986 to 0.88 ± 0.05 g-C m-2 yr-1 after 1986 on the Chukchi Shelf, and from 1.00 ± 0.18 g-C m-2 yr-1 to 2.58 ± 1.70 g-C m-2 yr-1 on the Bering Shelf, which were consistent with recent anthropogenically enhanced BC input observed especially in Asia. Overall, the three Arctic
Sponge assemblages on the deep Mediterranean continental shelf and slope (Menorca Channel, Western Mediterranean Sea)
Santín, Andreu; Grinyó, Jordi; Ambroso, Stefano; Uriz, Maria J.; Gori, Andrea; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Gili, Josep-Maria
Sponge assemblages on continental shelves and slopes around the world have been known about for centuries. However, due to limitations of the traditional sampling systems, data about individual sponge species rather than assemblages have been reported. This study characterizes sponge assemblages over a wide bathymetric range ( 50-350 m depth) and covering the entire continental shelf and the upper slope of the Menorca Channel, an area soon to be declared a Marine Protected Area (MPA) as part of the Natura 2000 Network. Quantitative analysis of 85 video-transects (a total linear distance of 75 km), together with representative collections to confirm species identifications, allowed us to discriminate six major assemblages. Differences in the assemblages mainly corresponded to differences in substrate type and depth. On the inner continental shelf, a semi-sciaphilous Axinellid assemblage dominated the rocky outcrops. Maërl beds on the inner continental shelf were dominated by Haliclona (Reniera) mediterranea, whereas the horny sponge Aplysina cavernicola and several other haliclonids mostly dominated maërl beds and rocky substrates of the outer shelf. Soft sediments on the shelf break hosted a monospecific Thenea muricata assemblage, whereas rocky substrates of the shelf break were characterized by a mixture of encrusting, columnar and fan-shaped sponges. Finally, the upper slope was dominated by Hamacantha (Vomerula) falcula and the hexactinellid Tretodictyum reiswigi. Overall, sponge diversity showed its highest values above the shelf break, plummeting severely on the upper slope. Despite this diversity decrease, we found very high densities (> 70 ind./m2) of sponges over vast areas of both the shelf break and the upper slope.
The Asymmetric Continental Shelf Wave in Response to the Synoptic Wind Burst in a Semienclosed Double-Shelf Basin
Qu, Lixin; Lin, Xiaopei; Hetland, Robert D.; Guo, Jingsong
The primary goal of this study is to investigate the asymmetric structure of continental shelf wave in a semienclosed double-shelf basin, such as the Yellow Sea. Supported by in situ observations and realistic numerical simulations, it is found that in the Yellow Sea, the shelf wave response to the synoptic wind forcing does not match the mathematically symmetric solution of classic double-shelf wave theory, but rather exhibits a westward shift. To study the formation mechanism of this asymmetric structure, an idealized model was used and two sets of experiments were conducted. The results confirm that the asymmetric structure is due to the existence of a topographic waveguide connecting both shelves. For a semienclosed basin, such as the Yellow Sea, a connection at the end of the basin eliminates the potential vorticity barrier between the two shelves and hence plays a role as a connecting waveguide for shelf waves. This waveguide enables the shelf wave to propagate from one shelf to the other shelf and produces the asymmetric response in sea level and upwind flow evolutions.
Evolution of a Greenland Ice sheet Including Shelves and Regional Sea Level Variations
Bradley, Sarah; Reerink, Thomas; van de Wal, Roderik S. W.; Helsen, Michiel; Goelzer, Heiko
Observational evidence, including offshore moraines and marine sediment cores infer that at the Last Glacial maximum (LGM) the Greenland ice sheet (GIS) grounded out across the Davis Strait into Baffin Bay, with fast flowing ice streams extending out to the continental shelf break along the NW margin. These observations lead to a number of questions as to weather the GIS and Laurentide ice sheet (LIS) coalesced during glacial maximums, and if so, did a significant ice shelf develop across Baffin Bay and how would such a configuration impact on the relative contribution of these ice sheets to eustatic sea level (ESL). Most previous paleo ice sheet modelling simulations of the GIS recreated an ice sheet that either did not extend out onto the continental shelf or utilised a simplified marine ice parameterisation to recreate an extended GIS, and therefore did not fully include ice shelf dynamics. In this study we simulate the evolution of the GIS from 220 kyr BP to present day using IMAU-ice; a 3D thermodynamical ice sheet model which fully accounts for grounded and floating ice, calculates grounding line migration and ice shelf dynamics. As there are few observational estimates of the long-term (yrs) sub marine basal melting rates (mbm) for the GIS, we developed a mbm parameterization within IMAU-ice controlled primarily by changes in paleo water depth. We also investigate the influence of the LIS on the GIS evolution by including relative sea level forcing's derived from a Glacial Isostatic Adjustment model. We will present results of how changes in the mbm directly impacts on the ice sheet dynamics, timing and spatial extent of the GIS at the glacial maximums, but also on the rate of retreat and spatial extent at the Last interglacial (LIG) minimum. Results indicate that with the inclusion of ice shelf dynamics, a larger GIS is generated which is grounded out into Davis strait, up to a water depth of -750 m, but significantly reduces the GIS contribution to Last
Chapter D: With or Without Salt-a Comparison of Marine and Continental-Lacustrine Diatomite Deposits
Moyle, Phillip R.; Dolley, Thomas P.
Diatoms in sedimentary deposits of marine and continental, especially lacustrine, origin have similar nutrient (for example, phosphate, nitrate, and silica) and light requirements; however, their geologic ranges and physiographic environments vary. Marine diatoms range in age from Early Cretaceous to Holocene, and continental diatoms range in age from Eocene to Holocene; however, most commercial diatomites, both marine and lacustrine, were deposited during the Miocene. Marine deposits of commercial value generally accumulated along continental margins with submerged coastal basins and shelves where wind-driven boundary currents provided the nutrient-rich upwelling conditions capable of supporting a productive diatom habitat. Commercial freshwater diatomite deposits occur in volcanic terrains associated with events that formed sediment-starved drainage basins, such as the Basin and Range Province, particularly in Nevada. Marine habitats generally are characterized by stable conditions of temperature, salinity, pH, nutrients, and water currents, in contrast to lacustrine habitats, which are characterized by wide variations in these conditions. Marine deposits generally are of higher quality and contain larger resources, owing to their greater areal extent and thickness, whereas most of the world's known diatomites are of lacustrine origin. Both types of deposit are commonly mined by open-pit methods and subjected to processing designed to remove organic matter, CO2, pore water, and inorganic contaminants in order to produce purified products. The highest quality diatomites, predominantly from marine sources, are used in filtration, although both types of deposit produce filter grades, and additional end uses include fillers, additives, absorbents, and abrasives.
Adaptation of an unstructured-mesh, finite-element ocean model to the simulation of ocean circulation beneath ice shelves
Kimura, Satoshi; Candy, Adam S.; Holland, Paul R.; Piggott, Matthew D.; Jenkins, Adrian
Several different classes of ocean model are capable of representing floating glacial ice shelves. We describe the incorporation of ice shelves into Fluidity-ICOM, a nonhydrostatic finite-element ocean model with the capacity to utilize meshes that are unstructured and adaptive in three dimensions. This geometric flexibility offers several advantages over previous approaches. The model represents melting and freezing on all ice-shelf surfaces including vertical faces, treats the ice shelf topography as continuous rather than stepped, and does not require any smoothing of the ice topography or any of the additional parameterisations of the ocean mixed layer used in isopycnal or z-coordinate models. The model can also represent a water column that decreases to zero thickness at the 'grounding line', where the floating ice shelf is joined to its tributary ice streams. The model is applied to idealised ice-shelf geometries in order to demonstrate these capabilities. In these simple experiments, arbitrarily coarsening the mesh outside the ice-shelf cavity has little effect on the ice-shelf melt rate, while the mesh resolution within the cavity is found to be highly influential. Smoothing the vertical ice front results in faster flow along the smoothed ice front, allowing greater exchange with the ocean than in simulations with a realistic ice front. A vanishing water-column thickness at the grounding line has little effect in the simulations studied. We also investigate the response of ice shelf basal melting to variations in deep water temperature in the presence of salt stratification.
Morphology and stratal geometry of the Antarctic continental shelf: Insights from models
Cooper, Alan K.; Barker, Peter F.; Brancolini, Giuliano
Reconstruction of past ice-sheet fluctuations from the stratigraphy of glaciated continental shelves requires understanding of the relationships among the stratal geometry, glacial and marine sedimentary processes, and ice dynamics. We investigate the formation of the morphology and the broad stratal geometry of topsets on the Antarctic continental shelf with numerical models. Our models assume that the stratal geometry and morphology are principally the results of time-integrated effects of glacial erosion and sedimentation related to the location of the seaward edge of the grounded ice. The location of the grounding line varies with time almost randomly across the shelf. With these simple assumptions, the models can successfully mimic salient features of the morphology and the stratal geometry. The models suggest that the current shelf has gradually evolved to its present geometry by many glacial advances and retreats of the grounding line to different locations across the shelf. The locations of the grounding line do not appear to be linearly correlated with either fluctuations in the 5 l s O record (which presumably represents changes in the global ice volume) or with the global sea-level curve, suggesting that either a more complex relationship exists or local effects dominate. The models suggest that erosion of preglacial sediments is confined to the inner shelf, and erosion decreases and deposition increases toward the shelf edge. Some of the deposited glacial sediments must be derived from continental erosion. The sediments probably undergo extensive transport and reworking obliterating much of the evidence for their original depositional environment. The flexural rigidity and the tectonic subsidence of the underlying lithosphere modify the bathymetry of the shelf, but probably have little effect on the stratal geometry. Our models provide several guidelines for the interpretation of unconformities, the nature of preserved topset deposits, and the
Seismic evidence for the preservation of several stacked Pleistocene coastal barrier/lagoon systems on the Gulf of Valencia continental shelf (western Mediterranean)
Albarracín, Silvia; Alcántara-Carrió, Javier; Barranco, Andrés; Sánchez García, María José; Fontán Bouzas, �ngela; Rey Salgado, Jorge
The focus of this study is the analysis of coastal sand barriers and associated coastal lagoons on the inner continental shelf of the Gulf of Valencia (western Mediterranean), based on two W-E seismic profiles recorded seaward of the Albufera de Valencia coastal lagoon. Seismic facies identified include a number of coastal sand barriers with landward lagoons draped by contemporary continental shelf deposits. The barrier systems have been grouped into two sedimentary systems tracts, the older one corresponding to a prograding/aggrading highstand systems tract involving at least four paleo-coastal sand barrier/lagoon systems, followed landward by a transgressive systems tract comprising three such systems. All the systems have been allocated a Tyrrhenian age, the formation of individual barrier systems having been associated with successive sea-level stillstands, and their present-day position being explained by the very high regional subsidence rate. In summary, this study demonstrates that the Quaternary stratigraphic record of the Gulf of Valencia inner continental shelf is composed of littoral sand facies, in particular coastal sand barrier and lagoon deposits. These findings are in agreement with corresponding observations on other continental shelves of the western Mediterranean, showing that the formation of coastal sand barriers was a characteristic feature of this region during the Quaternary.
Whither the UK Continental Shelf?
Kemp, A.G.
The development of the oil and gas fields on the United Kingdom continental shelf has been carried out with remarkable success. However, low oil prices now threaten fresh investment and make it likely that both oil and gas output will start to fall in about 2001. The impact of a number of different price scenarios on further development is assessed. It is concluded that continuing technological improvements and the provision of adequate incentives by government should ensure a long productive future for the province. (UK)
Thermal models pertaining to continental growth
Morgan, P.; Ashwal, L.
Thermal models are important to understanding continental growth as the genesis, stabilization, and possible recycling of continental crust are closely related to the tectonic processes of the earth which are driven primarily by heat. The thermal energy budget of the earth was slowly decreasing since core formation, and thus the energy driving the terrestrial tectonic engine was decreasing. This fundamental observation was used to develop a logic tree defining the options for continental growth throughout earth history
Topographic registers of paleo-valleys on the southeastern Brazilian continental shelf
Luis Américo Conti
Full Text Available The evolution of paleo-incised-valleys in the São Paulo State region of the southeastern Brazilian continental shelf is presented in this study in relation to the post Last Glacial Maximum (LGM sea-level rises based on the submarine topography modeled by a detailed Digital Elevation Model and evidences noted in high resolution seismic profiles. The hypothesis that has guided this study is that the set of paleo-valley characteristics (i.e. the fluvial parameters of modern coastal drainage systems, the topographical shape and dimensions of the valleys and of the subsurface channels may indicate aspects of the relation between the influence of the fluvial and the eustatic variation regime in geomorphological-stratigraphic registers. Models described in the literature sustain the view that faster marine transgressions tend to increase erosion in estuaries, which may explain the lack of registers of paleo-drainage both in topography and the sub-surface in areas with wider shelves. On the other hand, on narrower shelves, with a higher slope angle, the transgression process can preserve, or even enhance, the incised valley registers during shoreface retreat. In the area studied, we observed that the dimensions and form of the continental shelf varies from the northern to the southern part of the area, affecting aspects of the geomorphological registers of the submerged incised valleys.Este trabalho apresenta aspectos da relação entre a evolução da paleo-drenagem e evolução do nível do mar pós Último Máximo Glacial (UMG para a região da plataforma continental do Estado de São Paulo. Para tal, foram analisados modelos topográficos de detalhe da região de Plataforma Continental a partir de Modelos Digitais de Terreno além de dados de subsuperfície obtidos a partir de linhas sísmicas de alta resolução. A hipótese que guiou este trabalho é de que o conjunto de características relativas aos paleo-vales (i.e. sua relação com a rede de
The physiological adaptations and toxin profiles of the toxic Alexandrium fundyense on the eastern Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea shelves.
Natsuike, Masafumi; Oikawa, Hiroshi; Matsuno, Kohei; Yamaguchi, Atsushi; Imai, Ichiro
from the Chukchi Sea was saxitoxin, while most A. fundyense strains from the eastern Bering Sea are dominated by the C2 toxin. Toxin profiles similar to those detected in Chukchi Sea have not been reported by any previous research. The dominance of a highly toxic PST variant in Chukchi A. fundyense suggests that presence of the species at low cell concentrations may cause toxin contamination of predators. This study revealed that abundant A. fundyense cysts deposited on the eastern Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea shelves potentially germinate and grow with PSP toxin contents in the local environments. In conclusion, a high risk of PSP occurrences exists on the eastern Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea shelves. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A Facies Model for Temperate Continental Glaciers.
Ashley, Gail Mowry
Discusses the presence and dynamics of continental glaciers in the domination of the physical processes of erosion and deposition in the mid-latitudes during the Pleistocene period. Describes the use of a sedimentary facies model as a guide to recognizing ancient temperate continental glacial deposits. (TW)
How Continental Bank outsourced its "crown jewels.".
Huber, R L
No industry relies more on information than banking does, yet Continental, one of America's largest banks, outsources its information technology. Why? Because that's the best way to service the customers that form the core of the bank's business, says vice chairman Dick Huber. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Continental participated heavily with Penn Square Bank in energy investments. When falling energy prices burst Penn Square's bubble in 1982, Continental was stuck with more than $1 billion in bad loans. Eight years later when Dick Huber came on board, Continental was working hard to restore its once solid reputation. Executives had made many tough decisions already, altering the bank's focus from retail to business banking and laying off thousands of employees. Yet management still needed to cut costs and improve services to stay afloat. Regulators, investors, and analysts were watching every step. Continental executives, eager to focus on the bank's core mission of serving business customers, decided to outsource one after another in-house service--from cafeteria services to information technology. While conventional wisdom holds that banks must retain complete internal control of IT, Continental bucked this argument when it entered into a ten-year, multimillion-dollar contract with Integrated Systems Solutions Corporation. Continental is already reaping benefits from outsourcing IT. Most important, Continental staffers today focus on their true core competencies: intimate knowledge of customers' needs and relationships with customers.
Contribution to the tritium continental effect
Lewis, R.R.; Froehlich, K.; Hebert, D.
The results of tritium measurements of atmospheric water vapour and precipitation samples for 1982 and 1983 are presented. The data were used to establish a simple model describing the tritium continental effect taking into account re-evaporation of tritium from the continental land surfaces and man-made tritium. (author)
The results of tritium measurements of atmospheric water vapour and precipitation samples for 1982 and 1983 are presented. The data were used to establish a simple model describing the tritium continental effect taking into account re-evaporation of tritium from the continental land surfaces. Some comments on man made tritium are given. (author)
Green icebergs formed by freezing of organic-rich seawater to the base of Antarctic ice shelves
Warren, Stephen G.; Roesler, Collin S.; Morgan, Vincent I.; Brandt, Richard E.; Goodwin, Ian D.; Allison, Ian
Although most icebergs are blue, green icebergs are seen occasionally in the Antarctic ocean. Chemical and isotopic analysis of samples from green icebergs indicate that the ice consists of desalinated frozen seawater, as does the basal ice from the Amery Ice Shelf. Spectral reflectance of a green iceberg measured near 67°S, 62°E, confirms that the color is inherent to the ice, not an artifact of the illumination. Pure ice appears blue owing to its absorption of red photons. Addition of a constituent that absorbs blue photons can shift the peak reflectance from blue to green. Such a constituent was identified by spectrophotometric analysis of core samples from this iceberg and from the Amery basal ice, and of seawater samples from Prydz Bay off the Amery Ice Shelf. Analysis of the samples by fluorescence spectroscopy indicates that the blue absorption, and hence the inherent green color, is due to the presence of marine-derived organic matter in the green iceberg, basal ice, and seawater. Thick accumulations of green ice, in icebergs and at the base of ice shelves, indicate that high concentrations of organic matter exist in seawater for centuries at the depth of basal freezing.
Comment on "Large-scale bedforms along a tideless outer shelf setting in the western Mediterranean� by Lo Iacono et al. (2010) in Continental Shelf Research vol 30, pp. 1802-1813
Flemming, B. W.
Lo Iacono et al. (2010) report the discovery of large (but degraded) subaqueous dunes on the outer continental shelf NE of Valencia, western Mediterranean Sea. They argue that the dunes, after having been generated sometime in the past, are being episodically rejuvenated by high-energy flow events to the present day. Because the height vs. wavelength relation of the dunes falls below the global mean trend predicted by the equation of Flemming (1988), they claim to have discovered a new, low-amplitude type of flow-transverse bedform which typically occurs on microtidal current-swept outer continental shelves. A close inspection of the evidence shows that the reasoning of Lo Iacono et al. (2010) is flawed and that their interpretations and conclusions are premature and unjustified.
Perennial water stratification and the role of freshwater in the mass balance of Arctic ice shelves and multiyear landfast sea ice
Jeffries, M.O.
A number of the ice shelves of northern Ellesmere Island in the Canadian High Arctic owe their origin to multiyear landfast sea ice (MLSI) growth during the post-Hypsithermal cooling ca. 3,000-4,000 BP. Since they grew in response to an arctic-wide climatic deterioration and contain evidence of occasional post-4,000 BP climatic ameliorations, they may be expected to be sensitive to future global climate changes manifested in the High Arctic. The purpose of this paper is to examine ice-ocean interactions and feedbacks, and the response of the ice shelves and the MLSI to the improved summer climate of the last ca. 100 years, and implications for the future. There is good evidence that there has been a negative surface mass balance since the turn of the century. Mass balance measurements on the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf between 1966 and 1985 indicate a total ice loss of 1.371 m at a mean annual rate of 68.5 mm. The interannual pattern of accumulation and ablation and the long-term losses on the ice shelf are similar to other Canadian High Arctic glacier mass balance records. It is evident from water and ice core records of salinity, δ 18 0 and tritium, that perennial water stratification is common below and behind the ice shelves and MLSI. The coastal waters are highly stratified, with anything from 0.5 m to 41.0 m of freshwater interposed between the overlying ice and underlying seawater. The primary source of the freshwater is summer run-off of snow-meltwater from the adjacent land and from the ice itself. There is minimal mixing between the influent freshwater and seawater, and the freshwater is either dammed behind the ice shelves and the MLSI, with subsequent under-ice freshwater outflows, or pooled in under-ice depressions
Seamounts along the Iberian continental margins; Los montes submarinos en los margenes continentales de Iberia
Vazquez, J. T.; Alonso, B.; Fernandez-Puga, M. C.; Gomez-Ballesteros, M.; Iglesias, J.; Palomino, D.; Roque, C.; Ercilla, G.; Diaz-del-Rio, V.
Seamounts are first-order morphological elements on continental margins and in oceanic domains, which have been extensively researched over recent decades in all branches of oceanography. These features favour the development of several geological processes, and their study gives us a better understanding of their geological and morphological domains. The seamounts around Iberia are numerous and provide excellent examples of the geo diversity of these morphological elements. Here we present a compilation of 15 seamounts around the Iberian Peninsula. These seamounts have different origins related to the geodynamic evolution (volcanism, extensional or compressive tectonics, and diapirism) of the domains where they are located. The current configuration of their relief has been influenced by Neogene-Quaternary tectonics. Their positioning controls the current morpho-sedimentary processes in the basins and on the margins, and high- lights the fact that downslope processes on seamount flanks (mass flows, turbidite flows, and landslides) and processes parallel to seamounts (contouritic currents) correspond to the major geological features they are associated with them. Biogenic structures commonly develop on the tops of seamounts where occasionally isolated shelves form that have carbonate-dominated sedimentation. (Author)
Video Tutorial of Continental Food
Nurani, A. S.; Juwaedah, A.; Mahmudatussa'adah, A.
This research is motivated by the belief in the importance of media in a learning process. Media as an intermediary serves to focus on the attention of learners. Selection of appropriate learning media is very influential on the success of the delivery of information itself both in terms of cognitive, affective and skills. Continental food is a course that studies food that comes from Europe and is very complex. To reduce verbalism and provide more real learning, then the tutorial media is needed. Media tutorials that are audio visual can provide a more concrete learning experience. The purpose of this research is to develop tutorial media in the form of video. The method used is the development method with the stages of analyzing the learning objectives, creating a story board, validating the story board, revising the story board and making video tutorial media. The results show that the making of storyboards should be very thorough, and detailed in accordance with the learning objectives to reduce errors in video capture so as to save time, cost and effort. In video capturing, lighting, shooting angles, and soundproofing make an excellent contribution to the quality of tutorial video produced. In shooting should focus more on tools, materials, and processing. Video tutorials should be interactive and two-way.
Continental energy plan. Canadian perspectives
The 'continental energy plan' was first mentioned by US President George Bush during his election campaign, and relates to the adjustment of energy resources development in Canada and Mexico. The US energy policy aims to reduce US dependence on middle east oil supplies, increase US energy production, increase regional integration of energy supplies throughout North America, increase US refining capacity, reduce regulatory barriers, increase use of alternative energies, and to increase support for research and development. Under the Canada/US FTA (Free Trade Agreement) and NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), not less than 50% of Canadian crude oil and natural gas are imported to the US market. As for Mexico, it exempted most portions of its energy sector from the agreement during the NAFTA negotiations. Now that Mexico itself is facing energy shortage, however, it is anticipated that under President Vincente Fox it will adopt a policy like that of Canada and start development by introducing foreign money into the fields of oil, gas, and electricity. (NEDO)
Modelling present-day basal melt rates for Antarctic ice shelves using a parametrization of buoyant meltwater plumes
Lazeroms, Werner M. J.; Jenkins, Adrian; Hilmar Gudmundsson, G.; van de Wal, Roderik S. W.
Basal melting below ice shelves is a major factor in mass loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet, which can contribute significantly to possible future sea-level rise. Therefore, it is important to have an adequate description of the basal melt rates for use in ice-dynamical models. Most current ice models use rather simple parametrizations based on the local balance of heat between ice and ocean. In this work, however, we use a recently derived parametrization of the melt rates based on a buoyant meltwater plume travelling upward beneath an ice shelf. This plume parametrization combines a non-linear ocean temperature sensitivity with an inherent geometry dependence, which is mainly described by the grounding-line depth and the local slope of the ice-shelf base. For the first time, this type of parametrization is evaluated on a two-dimensional grid covering the entire Antarctic continent. In order to apply the essentially one-dimensional parametrization to realistic ice-shelf geometries, we present an algorithm that determines effective values for the grounding-line depth and basal slope in any point beneath an ice shelf. Furthermore, since detailed knowledge of temperatures and circulation patterns in the ice-shelf cavities is sparse or absent, we construct an effective ocean temperature field from observational data with the purpose of matching (area-averaged) melt rates from the model with observed present-day melt rates. Our results qualitatively replicate large-scale observed features in basal melt rates around Antarctica, not only in terms of average values, but also in terms of the spatial pattern, with high melt rates typically occurring near the grounding line. The plume parametrization and the effective temperature field presented here are therefore promising tools for future simulations of the Antarctic Ice Sheet requiring a more realistic oceanic forcing.
Hydrodynamic Controls on Muddy Sedimentary Fabric Development on Low-Gradient Shelves: Atchafalaya Chenier Plain Subaqueous Delta
Denommee, K.; Bentley, S. J.; Harazim, D.; Macquaker, J.
Short sediment cores and geophysical data collected on the Southwest Louisiana Chenier Plain inner shelf have been studied in order to examine the sedimentary products of current-wave-enhanced sediment gravity flows (CWESGFs), a type of sediment gravity flow where the driving energy required to transport sediment across low-gradient settings is augmented by the near-bed orbital velocity of surface gravity wave and near-bed currents. Sedimentary fabrics observed on the SWLA shelf document the following flow evolution: (1) the erosion of the underlying substrate in response to wave-generated shear stresses in the bottom boundary layer, followed by (2) the deposition of ripple a crossbeded unit during wave-mediated oscillatory motions in low-viscosity suspension; (3) the deposition of subtle intercalated laminae during laminar flow at higher suspended sediment concentrations; followed by the deposition of (4) normally graded sediments during the waning phases of the flow. Significantly, the sedimentary fabrics deposited by CWESGFs on SWLA shelf show diagnostic variations from CWESGF-generated sedimentary fabrics observed on the Eel and Amazon shelves. Differences between the observed sedimentary fabrics are hypothesized to result from variations in the relative contribution of near-bed currents, wave orbital velocities, and bed slope (gravity) to the driving energy of the CWESGF, and as such can be catalogued as diagnostic recognition criteria using a prismatic ternary diagram where current-, wave-, and gravity-dominated end members form the vertices of a triangle, and wave period forms the prism axis. In this framework forcing mechanisms can be represented quantitatively, based on wave period and the relative contribution of each of the CWESGF velocity terms. This framework can be used to explore relationships between hydrodynamics and CWESGF fabrics, providing geologists with a tool with which to better recognize the depositional products of CWESGFs in the rock
Volatile components and continental material of planets
Florenskiy, K.P.; Nikolayeva, O.V.
It is shown that the continental material of the terrestrial planets varies in composition from planet to planet according to the abundances and composition of true volatiles (H 2 0, CO 2 , etc.) in the outer shells of the planets. The formation of these shells occurs very early in a planet's evolution when the role of endogenous processes is indistinct and continental materials are subject to melting and vaporizing in the absence of an atmosphere. As a result, the chemical properties of continental materials are related not only to fractionation processes but also to meltability and volatility. For planets retaining a certain quantity of true volatile components, the chemical transformation of continental material is characterized by a close interaction between impact melting vaporization and endogeneous geological processes
Exploration of the continental margins of India
Siddiquie, H.N.; Hashimi, N.H.; Vora, K.H.; Pathak, M.C.
impetus from sponsored surveys of other organizations, chiefly the oil industry, ports and harbours as well as industries disposing of their effluents in the marine environment. By now the entire western continental shelf and a large part...
Continental Contributions to Philosophy of Science
REGINE KATHER
The author reviews the book Continental Philosophy of Science, edited by Gary Gutting. Introductory remarks about the historical relationship between philosophy and science are followed by a presentation and discussion of different philosophies of science and commentaries on the eleven German and French authors whose texts are found in this volume. In addition to her assessment of Guttings's collection, the author's overall conclusion is that one characteristic trait of the Continental philos...
Coordination: southeast continental shelf studies. Progress report
Menzel, D.W.
The objectives are to identify important physical, chemical and biological processes which affect the transfer of materials on the southeast continental shelf, determine important parameters which govern observed temporal and spatial varibility on the continental shelf, determine the extent and modes of coupling between events at the shelf break and nearshore, and determine physical, chemical and biological exchange rates on the inner shelf. Progress in meeting these research objectives is presented. (ACR)
The Continental Market Seen from the UK
Romieu, Michel
In this presentation, the Chairman of a French gas company (Elf) comments on the evolution of the Continental gas market from a British point of view. He first discusses the differences between the US, British and Continental gas markets, recalls the provisions of the European Gas Directive and states why a fully competitive system is a long-term prospect in Continental Europe. Seen from the UK, the provisions of the EU directive may appear modest. Due to the long transportation, British gas companies may find it hard to compete on the gas market of Continental Europe. When Inter connector, the gas pipeline connecting the gas markets in UK and the Continent, begins operation, there will be a flow of gas from the UK to the Continent according to already signed contracts. But there may be contractual flows both ways. Gas prices will level off between the UK and Northern Europe, at least for the industry. The continental markets will change gradually, the Gas Directive and the Inter connector will help the move towards a more competitive gas industry, but the fundamentals will not change: low gas prices for the next few years, competition between the big three exporters to Continental Europe, and long-term contracts that will extend beyond 2005
Shelving 6 pack crisps
Garriga Torrecillas, Núria; Otrubova, Natalie; Worm, Robert; Larroque, Thibaut
6-Pack crisps are one of the main products sold by PepsiCo using the standard shelf storage options offered by Tesco PLC. While presenting specific packaging involves a multitude of variables. This report focusses on cognitive recognition, brand confusion and product attractiveness. PepsiCo asked the research team to investigate innovative ways of presenting the crisp 6-pack variant on instore displays. research shows that attraction is crucial in the form of expected rewards. The combination...
Effect of TCDD on the fate of epithelial cells isolated from human fetal palatal shelves (hFPECs)
Gao, Zhan; Bu, Yongjun; Zhang, Guofu; Liu, Xiaozhuan; Wang, Xugang; Ding, Shibin; Wang, Erhui; Shi, Ruling; Li, Qiaoyun; Fu, Jianhong; Yu, Zengli
Cleft palate is caused by the failure of palatal midline epithelial cells to disintegrate, which is necessary for palatal mesenchymal confluence. Although 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposure is linked to cleft palate at a high rate, the mechanism remains to be elucidated. The present study was designed to determine the effects of TCDD on the fate of epithelial cell isolated from human fetal palatal shelves (hFPECs). We demonstrate that TCDD increased cell proliferation and promoted the progression of cells from G1 to S phase as well as increased the number of cells entering the G2/M phase. We found that TCDD has no measurable effect on apoptosis of hFPECs. The protein level assays revealed that TCDD increased cyclin-dependent kinases 4 (cdk4), cyclin D1, cyclin E and p21 (Waf1/Cip1) but not cdk2, bcl-2, cyclin B1 and cyclin A. Furthermore, TCDD activated PI3K/AKT signaling, and the PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, partially abrogated TCDD-induced cell proliferation and gene modulations. TCDD treatment increased CYP1A1 mRNA and protein levels, which indicated the activation of AhR signaling. Knockdown of the AhR with siRNA suppressed TCDD-induced cell proliferation and PI3K/AKT signaling activation. Taken together, these data demonstrated that TCDD is able to promote growth of hFPECs through AhR-dependent activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway, which may account for the underlying mechanism by which TCDD causes a failure of palatal fusion. - Highlights: • TCDD promoted the cell growth with a character of significant accumulation of cells in G2/M. • TCDD treatment induced a various profile of cell cycle regulatory proteins. • PI3K/AKT pathway was involved in TCDD-induced cell proliferation and gene modifications. • AhR knockdown blocked TCDD-induced cell proliferation and PI3K/Akt signaling activation.
Gao, Zhan [School of Public Health, Xinxiang Medical University, 453003 (China); The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, 450052 (China); Bu, Yongjun; Zhang, Guofu [School of Public Health, Xinxiang Medical University, 453003 (China); Liu, Xiaozhuan [Medical College, Henan University of Science & Technology, 471023 (China); Wang, Xugang; Ding, Shibin; Wang, Erhui; Shi, Ruling [School of Public Health, Xinxiang Medical University, 453003 (China); Li, Qiaoyun; Fu, Jianhong [The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, 450052 (China); Yu, Zengli, E-mail: [email protected] [School of Public Health, Xinxiang Medical University, 453003 (China); Public Health College, Zhengzhou University, 450001 (China)
The Impact of Internal Wave Seasonality on the Continental Shelf Energy Budget
Wihsgott, Juliane U.; Sharples, Jonathan; Hopkins, Joanne; Palmer, Matthew R.; Mattias Green, J. A.
Heating-stirring models are widely used to simulate the timing and strength of stratification in continental shelf environments. Such models are based on bulk potential energy (PE) budgets: the loss of PE due to thermal stratification is balanced by wind and tidal mixing. The model often fails to accurately predict the observed vertical structure, as it only considers forces acting on the surface and bottom boundary of the water column. This highlights the need for additional internal energy sources to close this budget, and produce an accurate seasonal cycle of stratification. We present new results that test the impact of boundary layer and internal wave forcing on stratification and vertical density structure in continental shelves. A new series of continuous measurements of full water depth vertical structure, dynamics and meteorological data spanning 17 months (March'14-July'15) provide unprecedented coverage over a full seasonal cycle at a station 120 km north-east from the continental shelf break. We observe a highly variable but energetic internal wave field from the onset of stratification that suggests a continuous supply of internal PE. The heating-stirring model reproduces bulk characteristics of the seasonal cycle. While it accurately predicts the timing of the onset in spring and peak stratification in late summer there is a persistent 20 J m-3 positive offset between the model and observations throughout this period. By including a source of internal energy in the model we improve the prediction for the strength of stratification and the vertical distribution of heat. Yet a constant source of PE seems to result in a seasonal discrepancy resulting in too little mixing during strong stratification and too much mixing during transient periods. The discrepancy seen in the model is consistent with the seasonality observed in the internal wave field. We will establish the role that changing stratification (N2) exerts on the internal wave field and vice
Anthropogenic impacts on continental margins: New frontiers and engagement arena for global sustainability research and action
Liu, K. K.; Glavovic, B.; Limburg, K.; Emeis, K. C.; Thomas, H.; Kremer, H.; Avril, B.; Zhang, J.; Mulholland, M. R.; Glaser, M.; Swaney, D. P.
There is an urgent need to design and implement transformative governance strategies that safeguard Earth's life-support systems essential for long-term human well-being. From a series of meetings of the Continental Margins Working Group co-sponsored by IMBER and LOICZ of IGBP, we conclude that the greatest urgency exists at the ocean-land interface - the continental margins or the Margin - which extends from coastlands over continental shelves and slopes bordering the deep ocean. The Margin is enduring quadruple squeeze from (i) Population growth and rising demands for resources; (ii) Ecosystem degradation and loss; (iii) Rising CO2, climate change and alteration of marine biogeochemistry and ecosystems; and (iv) Rapid and irreversible changes in social-ecological systems. Some areas of the Margin that are subject to the greatest pressures (e.g. the Arctic) are also those for which knowledge of fundamental processes remains most limited. Aside from improving our basic understanding of the nature and variability of the Margin, priority issues include: (i) investment reform to prevent lethal but profitable activities; (ii) risk reduction; and (iii) jurisdiction, equity and fiscal responsibility. However, governance deficits or mismatches are particularly pronounced at the ocean-edge of the Margin and the prevailing Law of the Sea is incapable of resolving these challenges. The "gold rush" of accelerating demands for space and resources, and variability in how this domain is regulated, move the Margin to the forefront of global sustainability research and action. We outline a research strategy in 3 engagement arenas: (a) knowledge and understanding of dynamic Margin processes; (b) development, innovation and risk at the Margin; and (c) governance for sustainability on the Margin. The goals are (1) to better understand Margin social-ecological systems, including their physical and biogeochemical components; (2) to develop practical guidance for sustainable development
Contributions to knowledge of the continental margin of Uruguay. Uruguayan continental margin: Physiographic and seismic analysis
Preciozzi, F
This work is about the kind of continental margins such as a )Atlantic type passive margins which can be hard or soft b) An active or Pacific margins that because of the very frequent earthquakes develop a morphology dominated by tectonic processes. The Uruguayan continental margin belongs to a soft Atlantic margin
Atlantic continental margin of the United States
Grow, John A.; Sheridan, Robert E.; Palmer, A.R.
The objective of this Decade of North American Geology (D-NAG) volume will be to focus on the Mesozoic and Cenozoic evolution of the U.S. Atlantic continental margin, including the onshore coastal plain, related onshore Triassic-Jurassic rift grabens, and the offshore basins and platforms. Following multiple compressional tectonic episodes between Africa and North America during the Paleozoic Era that formed the Appalachian Mountains, the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Eras were dominated by tensional tectonic processes that separated Africa and North America. Extensional rifting during Triassic and Early Jurassic times resulted in numerous tensional grabens both onshore and offshore, which filled with nonmarine continental red beds, lacustrine deposits, and volcanic flows and debris. The final stage of this breakup between Africa and North America occurred beneath the present outer continental shelf and continental slope during Early or Middle Jurassic time when sea-floor spreading began to form new oceanic crust and lithosophere between the two continents as they drifted apart. Postrift subsidence of the marginal basins continued in response to cooling of the lithosphere and sedimentary loading.Geophysical surveys and oil-exploration drilling along the U.S. Atlantic continental margin during the past 5 years are beginning to answer many questions concerning its deep structure and stratigraphy and how it evolved during the rifting and early sea-floor-spreading stages of the separation of this region from Africa. Earlier geophysical studies of the U.S. continental margin used marine refraction and submarine gravity measurements. Single-channel seismic-reflection, marine magnetic, aeromagnetic, and continuous gravity measurements became available during the 1960s.
MAGSAT anomaly map and continental drift
Lemouel, J. L. (Principal Investigator); Galdeano, A.; Ducruix, J.
Anomaly maps of high quality are needed to display unambiguously the so called long wave length anomalies. The anomalies were analyzed in terms of continental drift and the nature of their sources is discussed. The map presented confirms the thinness of the oceanic magnetized layer. Continental magnetic anomalies are characterized by elongated structures generally of east-west trend. Paleomagnetic reconstruction shows that the anomalies found in India, Australia, and Antarctic exhibit a fair consistency with the African anomalies. It is also shown that anomalies are locked under the continents and have a fixed geometry.
The influence of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycles on wave-driven sea-floor sediment mobility along the central California continental margin
Storlazzi, Curt D.; Reid, Jane A.
Ocean surface waves are the dominant temporally and spatially variable process influencing sea floor sediment resuspension along most continental shelves. Wave-induced sediment mobility on the continental shelf and upper continental slope off central California for different phases of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events was modeled using monthly statistics derived from more than 14 years of concurrent hourly oceanographic and meteorologic data as boundary input for the Delft SWAN wave model, gridded sea floor grain-size data from the usSEABED database, and regional bathymetry. Differences as small as 0.5 m in wave height, 1 s in wave period, and 10° in wave direction, in conjunction with the spatially heterogeneous unconsolidated sea-floor sedimentary cover, result in significant changes in the predicted mobility of continental shelf surficial sediment in the study area. El Niño events result in more frequent mobilization on the inner shelf in the summer and winter than during La Niña events and on the outer shelf and upper slope in the winter months, while La Niña events result in more frequent mobilization on the mid-shelf during spring and summer months than during El Niño events. The timing and patterns of seabed mobility are addressed in context of geologic and biologic processes. By understanding the spatial and temporal variability in the disturbance of the sea floor, scientists can better interpret sedimentary patterns and ecosystem structure, while providing managers and planners an understanding of natural impacts when considering the permitting of offshore activities that disturb the sea floor such as trawling, dredging, and the emplacement of sea-floor engineering structures.
An overview of the Oceanograhic Program of Skidaway Institute of Oceanograhy is presented. Included are the current five year plan for studies of the Southeast Continental Shelf, a summary of research accomplishments, proposed research for 1981-1982, current status of the Savannah Navigational Light Tower, and a list of publications. (ACR)
Atmospheric residence times of continental aerosols
Balkanski, Y.J.
The global atmospheric distributions of Rn-222 are simulated with a three-dimensional model of atmospheric transport based on the meteorology of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) general circulation model. The short-lived radioactive gas Rn-222 (half-life = 3.8d) is emitted almost exclusively from land, at a relatively uniform rate; hence it is an excellent tracer of continental influences. Lead-210 is produced by decay of Rn-222 and immediately condenses to preexisting aerosol surfaces. It provides an excellent measure of aerosol residence times in the atmosphere because its source is accurately defined by the Rn-222 distribution. Results from the three-dimensional model are compared to measurements of Rn-222 and Pb-210 atmospheric concentrations to evaluate model's long-range transport over oceanic regions and to study the deposition mechanisms of atmospheric aerosols. Model results for Rn-222 are used to examine the long-range transport of continental air over two selected oceanic regions, the subantarctic Indian Ocean and the North Pacific. It is shown that the fast transport of air from southern Africa causes substantial continental pollution at southern mid-latitudes, a region usually regarded as pristine. Air over the North Pacific is heavily impacted by continental influences year round, but the altitude at which the transport occurs varies seasonally. Observations of aerosols at island sites, which are commonly used as diagnostics of continental influences, may be misleading because they do not account for influences at high altitude and because aerosols are efficiently scavenged by deposition during transport. The study of Pb-210 focuses on defining the residence times of submicron aerosols in the troposphere. Scavenging in wet convective updrafts is found to provide the dominant sink on a global scale
Relation between the continental TCZ and the TCZ over Equatorial ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
So the relationship between the continental and oceanic TCZ is complex. On the one hand, the oceanic TCZ maintains the continental TCZ by propagations, on the other it tries to suppress it by competition.
75 FR 1076 - Outer Continental Shelf Civil Penalties
... initiate civil penalty proceedings; however, violations that cause injury, death, or environmental damage... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Minerals Management Service Outer Continental Shelf Civil Penalties... daily civil penalty assessment. SUMMARY: The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act requires the MMS to...
Mud depocenters on continental shelves—appearance, initiation times, and growth dynamics
Hanebuth, Till J. J.; Lantzsch, Hendrik; Nizou, Jean
Mud accumulates on continental shelves under a variety of environmental conditions and results in a diverse formation of mud depocenters (MDCs). Their three-dimensional architectures have been in the focus of several recent studies. Due to some terminological confusion concerning MDCs, the present study sets out to define eight individual MDC types in terms of surface sediment distribution and internal geometry. Under conditions of substantial sediment supply, prodeltas (distal zones off river deltas; triangular sheets), subaqueous deltas (disconnected from deltas by strong normal-to-shore currents; wedge-like clinoforms), and mud patches (scattered distribution) and mud blankets (widespread covers) are formed. Forced by hydrodynamic conditions, mud belts in the strict sense (detached from source; elongated bodies), and shallow-water contourite drifts (detached from source; growing normal to prevailing current direction; triangular clinoforms) develop. Controlled by local morphology, mud entrapments (in depressions, behind morphological steps) and mud wedges (triangular clinoforms growing in flow direction) are deposited. Shelf mud deposition took place (1) during early outer-shelf drowning (~14 ka), (2) after inner-shelf inundation to maximum flooding (9.5-6.5 ka), and (3) in sub-recent times (near the fluvial source, (2) uni-directional, extending along advective current transport paths, and (3) progradational, forming clinoforms that grow either parallel or normal to the bottom current direction. Classical mud belts may be initiated around defined nuclei, the remote sites of which are determined by seafloor morphology rather than the location of the source. From a stratigraphic perspective, mud depocenters coincide with sea-level highstand-related, shelf-wide condensed sections. They often show a conformable succession from transgressive to highstand systems tract stages.
Temporal variability of the Circumpolar Deep Water inflow onto the Ross Sea continental shelf
Castagno, Pasquale; Falco, Pierpaolo; Dinniman, Michael S.; Spezie, Giancarlo; Budillon, Giorgio
The intrusion of Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) is the primary source of heat, salt and nutrients onto Antarctica's continental shelves and plays a major role in the shelf physical and biological processes. Different studies have analyzed the processes responsible for the transport of CDW across the Ross Sea shelf break, but until now, there are no continuous observations that investigate the timing of the intrusions. Also, few works have focused on the effect of the tides that control these intrusions. In the Ross Sea, the CDW intrudes onto the shelf in several locations, but mostly along the troughs. We use hydrographic observations and a mooring placed on the outer shelf in the middle of the Drygalski Trough in order to characterize the spatial and temporal variability of CDW inflow onto the shelf. Our data span from 2004 to the beginning of 2014. In the Drygalski Trough, the CDW enters as a 150 m thick layer between 250 and 400 m, and moves upward towards the south. At the mooring location, about 50 km from the shelf break, two main CDW cores can be observed: one on the east side of the trough spreading along the west slope of Mawson Bank from about 200 m to the bottom and the other one in the central-west side from 200 m to about 350 m depth. A signature of this lighter and relatively warm water is detected by the instruments on the mooring at bottom of the Drygalski Trough. High frequency periodic CDW intrusion at the bottom of the trough is related to the diurnal and spring/neap tidal cycles. At lower frequency, a seasonal variability of the CDW intrusion is noticed. A strong inflow of CDW is observed every year at the end of December, while the CDW inflow is at its seasonal minimum during the beginning of the austral fall. In addition an interannual variability is also evident. A change of the CDW intrusion before and after 2010 is observed.
Late-Pleistocene evolution of the continental shelf of central Israel, a case study from Hadera
Shtienberg, Gilad; Dix, Justin; Waldmann, Nicolas; Makovsky, Yizhaq; Golan, Arik; Sivan, Dorit
Sea-level fluctuations are a dominant mechanism that control coastal environmental changes through time. This is especially the case for the successive regressions and transgressions over the last interglacial cycle, which have shaped the deposition, preservation and erosion patterns of unconsolidated sediments currently submerged on continental shelves. The current study focuses on creating an integrated marine and terrestrial geophysical and litho-stratigraphic framework of the coastal zone of Hadera, north-central Israel. This research presents a case study, investigating the changing sedimentological units in the study area. Analysis suggest these represent various coastal environments and were deposited during times of lower than present sea level and during the later stages of the Holocene transgression. A multi-disciplinary approach was applied by compiling existing elevation raster grids, bathymetric charts, one hundred lithological borehole data-sets, and a 110 km-long sub-bottom geophysical survey. Based on seismic stratigraphic analysis, observed geometries, and reflective appearances, six bounding surfaces and seven seismic units were identified and characterized. These seismic units have been correlated with the available borehole data to produce a chronologically constrained lithostratigraphy for the area. This approach allowed us to propose a relationship between the lithological units and sea-level change and thus enable the reconstruction of Hadera coastal evolution over the last 100 ka. This reconstruction suggests that the stratigraphy is dominated by lowstand aeolian and fluvial terrestrial environments, subsequently transgressed during the Holocene. The results of this study provide a valuable framework for future national strategic shallow-water infrastructure construction and also for the possible locations of past human settlements in relation to coastal evolution through time.
78 FR 32184 - Importation of Fresh Apricots From Continental Spain
.... APHIS-2011-0132] RIN 0579-AD62 Importation of Fresh Apricots From Continental Spain AGENCY: Animal and... United States of fresh apricots from continental Spain. This action will allow interested persons... importation of fruits and vegetables to allow the importation of fresh apricots from continental Spain into...
78 FR 6227 - Importation of Fresh Apricots From Continental Spain
.... APHIS-2011-0132] RIN 0579-AD62 Importation of Fresh Apricots From Continental Spain AGENCY: Animal and... continental Spain. As a condition of entry, fresh apricots from continental Spain would have to be produced in... organization of Spain certifying that the fruit is free from all quarantine pests and has been produced in...
78 FR 32183 - Importation of Avocados From Continental Spain
.... APHIS-2012-0002] RIN 0579-AD63 Importation of Avocados From Continental Spain AGENCY: Animal and Plant... continental Spain (excluding the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands) into the United States. This action will... avocados from continental Spain (excluding the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands) into the United States...
Contributions to knowledge of the continental margin of Uruguay. Description of background samples in the continental margin of Uruguay
This study provide data concerning of the background sediments of the continental margin of Uruguay. There were carried out different works with witnesses in order to extract various sediment samples from the continental shelf
A diode-laser optical frequency standard based on laser-cooled Ca atoms: sub-kilohertz spectroscopy by optical shelving detection
Oates, C.W.; Bondu, F.; Fox, R.W.; Hollberg, L.
We report an optical frequency standard at 657 nm based on laser-cooled/trapped Ca atoms. The system consists of a novel, compact magneto-optic trap which uses 50 mW of frequency-doubled diode laser light at 423 nm and can trap >10 7 Ca atoms in 20 ms. High resolution spectroscopy on this atomic sample using the narrow 657 nm intercombination line resolves linewidths (FWHM) as narrow as 400 Hz, the natural linewidth of the transition. The spectroscopic signal-to-noise ratio is enhanced by an order of magnitude with the implementation of a ''shelving'' detection scheme on the 423 nm transition. Our present apparatus achieves a fractional frequency instability of 5 x 10 -14 in 1 s with a potential atom shot-noise-limited performance of 10 -16 Ï" -1/2 and excellent prospects for high accuracy. (orig.)
Regional magnetic anomaly constraints on continental rifting
Vonfrese, R. R. B.; Hinze, W. J.; Olivier, R.; Bentley, C. R.
Radially polarized MAGSAT anomalies of North and South America, Europe, Africa, India, Australia and Antarctica demonstrate remarkably detailed correlation of regional magnetic lithospheric sources across rifted margins when plotted on a reconstruction of Pangea. These major magnetic features apparently preserve their integrity until a superimposed metamorphoric event alters the magnitude and pattern of the anomalies. The longevity of continental scale magnetic anomalies contrasts markedly with that of regional gravity anomalies which tend to reflect predominantly isostatic adjustments associated with neo-tectonism. First observed as a result of NASA's magnetic satellite programs, these anomalies provide new and fundamental constraints on the geologic evolution and dynamics of the continents and oceans. Accordingly, satellite magnetic observations provide a further tool for investigating continental drift to compliment other lines of evidence in paleoclimatology, paleontology, paleomagnetism, and studies of the radiometric ages and geometric fit of the continents.
Root zone of a continental rift
Kirsch, Moritz; Svenningsen, Olaf
melt are considered to account for the compositional range exhibited by the KIC igneous rocks. U/Pb SIMS geochronological data from zircon rims yield an emplacement age of 578 ± 9 Ma. The KIC is thus younger and more depleted than coeval mafic rocks found in the Seve Nappe, and is interpreted...... to represent a high-level magma plumbing system in a late-stage continental rift. The composition and volume of rift-related igneous rocks in the Seve Nappes are inconsistent with a mantle plume origin, but are thought to record progressive lithospheric thinning and increasing involvement of an asthenospheric......Mafic magmatic rocks formed between ca. 615 and 560 Ma along the Neoproterozoic margins of Baltica and Laurentia are classically attributed to continental rifting heralding the opening of the Iapetus Ocean. We report new data for the Kebnekaise Intrusive Complex (KIC) exposed in the Seve Nappes...
Chlorine-36 dating of continental evaporites
Teh chloring-36 production, principle and experimental method of 36 Cl dating are briefly described. The ages calculated from the 36 Cl/Cl ratios are generally concordant with those obtained by using 14 C, 230 Th and magnetostratigraphic techniques. It confirms the constancy of the chlorine input ratio over the last million years and implys that 36 Cl can provide accurate dates on continental saline sediments
Swell propagation across a wide continental shelf
Hendrickson, Eric J.
The effects of wave refraction and damping on swell propagation across a wide continental shelf were examined with data from a transect of bottom pressure recorders extending from the beach to the shelf break near Duck, North Carolina. The observations generally show weak variations in swell energy across the shelf during benign conditions, in qualitative agreement with predictions of a spectral refraction model. Although the predicted ray trajectories are quite sensitive to the irregular she...
Formation of continental crust by intrusive magmatism
Rozel, A. B.; Golabek, G. J.; Jain, C.; Tackley, P. J.; Gerya, T.
How were the continents formed in the Earth? No global numerical simulation of our planet ever managed to generate continental material self-consistently. In the present study, we show that the latest developments of the convection code StagYY enable to estimate how to produce the early continents, more than 3 billion years ago. In our models, melting of pyrolitic rocks generates a basaltic melt and leaves behind a depleted solid residue (a harzburgite). The melt generated in the mantle is transported to the surface. Only basaltic rocks melting again can generate continental crust. Should the basaltic melt always reach the open air and cool down? Should the melt be intruded warm in the pre-existing crust? The present study shows that both processes have to be considered to produce continents. Indeed, granitoids can only be created in a tight window of pressure-temperature. If all basalt is quickly cooled by surface volcanism, the lithosphere will be too cold. If all basalt is intruded warm below the crust then the lithosphere will be too warm. The key is to have both volcanism and plutonism (intrusive magmatism) to reach the optimal temperature and form massive volumes of continental material.
The continental lithosphere: a geochemical perspective
Hawkesworth, C.J.; Person, G.; Turner, S.P.; Calsteren, P. Van; Gallagher, K.
The lithosphere is the cool strong outler layer of the Earth that is effectively a boundary layer to the convecting interior. The evidence from mantle xenoliths and continental basalts is that the lower continental crust and uppermost mantle are different beneath Archaen and proterozoic areas. Mantle xenoliths from Archaen terrains, principally the Kaapvaal craton in southern Africa, are significantly depleted in Fe and other major elements which are concentrated in basalts. Nd and Os isotope data on inclusions in diamonds and peridoties respectively, indicate that such mantle is as old as the overlying Archaen crust. Since it appears to have been coupled to the overlying crust, and to have been isolated from the homogenising effects of convection for long periods of time, it is inferred to be within the continental lithosphere. The mantle lithosphere beneath Proterozoic and younger areas is less depleted in major elements, and so it is more fertile, less buoyant, and therefore thinner, than the Archaen mantle lithosphere. (author). 136 refs, 14 figs
Atmospheric Residence Times of Continental Aerosols.
Balkanski, Yves Jacques
The global atmospheric distributions of ^{222}Rn and ^{210 }Pb are simulated with a three-dimensional model of atmospheric transport based on the meteorology of the NASA GISS^1>=neral circulation model. The short-lived radioactive gas ^ {222}Rn (half-life = 3.8d) is emitted almost exclusively from land, at a relatively uniform rate; hence it is an excellent tracer of continental influences. Lead -210 is produced by decay of ^{222} Rn and immediately condenses to preexisting aerosol surfaces. It provides an excellent measure of aerosol residence times in the atmosphere because its source is accurately defined by the ^{222} Rn distribution. Results from the three-dimensional model are compared to measurements of ^ {222}Rn and ^{210 }Pb atmospheric concentrations to evaluate model's long-range transport over oceanic regions and to study the deposition mechanisms of atmospheric aerosols. Model results for ^{222} Rn are used to examine the long-range transport of continental air over two selected oceanic regions, the subantartic Indian Ocean and the North Pacific. It is shown that fast transport of air from southern Africa causes substantial continental pollution at southern mid-latitudes, a region usually regarded as pristine. Air over the North Pacific is heavily impacted by continental influences year round, but the altitude at which the transport occurs varies seasonally. Observations of aerosols at island sites, which are commonly used as diagnostics of continental influences, may be misleading because they do not account for influences at high altitude and because aerosols are efficiently scavenged by deposition during transport. The study of ^{210}Pb focuses on defining the residence times of submicron aerosols in the troposphere. Scavenging in wet convective updrafts is found to provide the dominant sink on a global scale. The globally averaged residence time for ^{210 }Pb-containing aerosols in the troposphere is 7 days. The average increase in residence time
Basins in ARC-continental collisions
Draut, Amy E.; Clift, Peter D.; Busby, Cathy; Azor, Antonio
Arc-continent collisions occur commonly in the plate-tectonic cycle and result in rapidly formed and rapidly collapsing orogens, often spanning just 5-15 My. Growth of continental masses through arc-continent collision is widely thought to be a major process governing the structural and geochemical evolution of the continental crust over geologic time. Collisions of intra-oceanic arcs with passive continental margins (a situation in which the arc, on the upper plate, faces the continent) involve a substantially different geometry than collisions of intra-oceanic arcs with active continental margins (a situation requiring more than one convergence zone and in which the arc, on the lower plate, backs into the continent), with variable preservation potential for basins in each case. Substantial differences also occur between trench and forearc evolution in tectonically erosive versus tectonically accreting margins, both before and after collision. We examine the evolution of trenches, trench-slope basins, forearc basins, intra-arc basins, and backarc basins during arc-continent collision. The preservation potential of trench-slope basins is low; in collision they are rapidly uplifted and eroded, and at erosive margins they are progressively destroyed by subduction erosion. Post-collisional preservation of trench sediment and trench-slope basins is biased toward margins that were tectonically accreting for a substantial length of time before collision. Forearc basins in erosive margins are usually floored by strong lithosphere and may survive collision with a passive margin, sometimes continuing sedimentation throughout collision and orogeny. The low flexural rigidity of intra-arc basins makes them deep and, if preserved, potentially long records of arc and collisional tectonism. Backarc basins, in contrast, are typically subducted and their sediment either lost or preserved only as fragments in melange sequences. A substantial proportion of the sediment derived from
Reconstructing Rodinia by Fitting Neoproterozoic Continental Margins
Stewart, John H.
Reconstructions of Phanerozoic tectonic plates can be closely constrained by lithologic correlations across conjugate margins by paleontologic information, by correlation of orogenic belts, by paleomagnetic location of continents, and by ocean floor magmatic stripes. In contrast, Proterozoic reconstructions are hindered by the lack of some of these tools or the lack of their precision. To overcome some of these difficulties, this report focuses on a different method of reconstruction, namely the use of the shape of continents to assemble the supercontinent of Rodinia, much like a jigsaw puzzle. Compared to the vast amount of information available for Phanerozoic systems, such a limited approach for Proterozoic rocks, may seem suspect. However, using the assembly of the southern continents (South America, Africa, India, Arabia, Antarctica, and Australia) as an example, a very tight fit of the continents is apparent and illustrates the power of the jigsaw puzzle method. This report focuses on Neoproterozoic rocks, which are shown on two new detailed geologic maps that constitute the backbone of the study. The report also describes the Neoproterozoic, but younger or older rocks are not discussed or not discussed in detail. The Neoproterozoic continents and continental margins are identified based on the distribution of continental-margin sedimentary and magmatic rocks that define the break-up margins of Rodinia. These Neoproterozoic continental exposures, as well as critical Neo- and Meso-Neoproterozoic tectonic features shown on the two new map compilations, are used to reconstruct the Mesoproterozoic supercontinent of Rodinia. This approach differs from the common approach of using fold belts to define structural features deemed important in the Rodinian reconstruction. Fold belts are difficult to date, and many are significantly younger than the time frame considered here (1,200 to 850 Ma). Identifying Neoproterozoic continental margins, which are primarily
Initiation of continental accretion: metamorphic conditions
Clement, Conand; Frederic, Mouthereau; Gianreto, Manatschal; Adbeltif, Lahfid
The physical processes involved at the beginning of the continental collision are largely unknown because they are transient and therefore hardly identifiable from the rock record. Despite the importance of key parameters for understanding mountain building processes, especially the formation of deep mountain roots and their impacts on earthquakes nucleation, rock/fluid transfers and oil/gas resources in the continental crust, observations from the earliest collision stages remain fragmentary. Here, we focus on the example of Taiwan, a young and active mountain belt where the transition from oceanic subduction, accretion of the first continental margin to mature collision can be followed in space and time. We present preliminary results and provide key questions regarding the reconstruction of time-pressure-temperature paths of rocks & fluids to allow discriminating between rift-related thermal/rheological inheritance and burial/heating phases during convergence. Previous studies have focused on peak temperatures analyzed by Raman Spectrometry of Carbonaceous Matter from the deeper structural layers exposed in the Central Range of Taiwan. In the pre-rift sediments, these studies reported a positive gradient from West to Est, and values from geothermal gradients (up to 60°C/km) known in the region, and higher temperature closer to the pre-rift units. Cross sections and maps with high resolution peak temperatures are in process as well as pressure estimations to determine how the sediments were metamorphosed. In addition to this work, we report a few inherited temperatures in the 390-570 °C range, indicating recycling of organic matter from metasediments that recorded HT events, likely originated from higher grade metamorphic units of mainland China, which have been eroded and deposited in the post-rift sediments.
Fractal behavior in continental crustal heat production
N. Vedanti
Full Text Available The distribution of crustal heat production, which is the most important component in the elucidation of continental thermal structure, still remains a theoretical assumption. In general the heat production values must decrease with depth, but the form of decrease of heat production in the crust is not well understood. The commonly used heat production models are: "block model", in which heat production is constant from the surface to a given depth and the "exponential model", in which heat production diminishes as an exponential function of depth. The exponential model is more widely used wherein sources of the errors are heterogeneity of rock and long wavelength changes due to changes in lithology and tectonic elements, and as such exponential distribution does not work satisfactorily for the entire crust. In the present study, we analyze for the first time, deep crustal heat production data of six global areas namely Dharwar craton (India, Kaapvaal craton (South Africa, Baltic shield (Kola, Russia, Hidaka metamorphic belt (Japan, Nissho pluton (Japan and Continental Deep Drilling site (KTB, Germany. The power spectrum of all the studied data sets exhibits power law behaviour. This would mean slower decay of heat production with depth, which conforms to the known geologic composition of the crust. Minimum value of the scaling exponent has been found for the KTB borehole, which is apparently related to higher heat production of gneisses, however for other study areas, scaling exponent is almost similar. We also found that the lower values of scaling exponents are related to higher heat production in the crust as is the case in KTB. Present finding has a direct relevance in computation of temperature-depth profiles in continental regions.
Vedanti, N.; Srivastava, R. P.; Pandey, O. P.; Dimri, V. P.
The distribution of crustal heat production, which is the most important component in the elucidation of continental thermal structure, still remains a theoretical assumption. In general the heat production values must decrease with depth, but the form of decrease of heat production in the crust is not well understood. The commonly used heat production models are: "block model", in which heat production is constant from the surface to a given depth and the "exponential model", in which heat production diminishes as an exponential function of depth. The exponential model is more widely used wherein sources of the errors are heterogeneity of rock and long wavelength changes due to changes in lithology and tectonic elements, and as such exponential distribution does not work satisfactorily for the entire crust. In the present study, we analyze for the first time, deep crustal heat production data of six global areas namely Dharwar craton (India), Kaapvaal craton (South Africa), Baltic shield (Kola, Russia), Hidaka metamorphic belt (Japan), Nissho pluton (Japan) and Continental Deep Drilling site (KTB, Germany). The power spectrum of all the studied data sets exhibits power law behaviour. This would mean slower decay of heat production with depth, which conforms to the known geologic composition of the crust. Minimum value of the scaling exponent has been found for the KTB borehole, which is apparently related to higher heat production of gneisses, however for other study areas, scaling exponent is almost similar. We also found that the lower values of scaling exponents are related to higher heat production in the crust as is the case in KTB. Present finding has a direct relevance in computation of temperature-depth profiles in continental regions.
Magmatism and deformation during continental breakup
Keir, Derek
The rifting of continents and the transition to seafloor spreading is characterised by extensional faulting and thinning of the lithosphere, and is sometimes accompanied by voluminous intrusive and extrusive magmatism. In order to understand how these processes develop over time to break continents apart, we have traditionally relied on interpreting the geological record at the numerous fully developed, ancient rifted margins around the world. In these settings, however, it is difficult to discriminate between different mechanisms of extension and magmatism because the continent-ocean transition is typically buried beneath thick layers of volcanic and sedimentary rocks, and the tectonic and volcanic activity that characterised breakup has long-since ceased. Ongoing continental breakup in the African and Arabian rift systems offers a unique opportunity to address these problems because it exposes several sectors of tectonically active rift sector development spanning the transition from embryonic continental rifting in the south to incipient seafloor spreading in the north. Here I synthesise exciting, multidisciplinary observational and modelling studies using geophysical, geodetic, petrological and numerical techniques that uniquely constrain the distribution, time-scales, and interactions between extension and magmatism during the progressive breakup of the African Plate. This new research has identified the previously unrecognised role of rapid and episodic dike emplacement in accommodating a large proportion of extension during continental rifting. We are now beginning to realise that changes in the dominant mechanism for strain over time (faulting, stretching and magma intrusion) impact dramatically on magmatism and rift morphology. The challenge now is to take what we're learned from East Africa and apply it to the rifted margins whose geological record documents breakup during entire Wilson Cycles.
Crew coordination concepts: Continental Airlines CRM training
Christian, Darryl; Morgan, Alice
The outline of the crew coordination concepts at Continental airlines is: (1) Present relevant theory: Contained in a pre-work package and in lecture/discussion form during the work course, (2) Discuss case examples: Contained in the pre-work for study and use during the course; and (3) Simulate practice problems: Introduced during the course as the beginning of an ongoing process. These concepts which are designed to address the problem pilots have in understanding the interaction between situations and their own theories of practice are briefly discussed.
Seaweed culture and continental shelf protection
Przhemenetskaya, V F
The initial impression that the resources of the oceans were limitless has been replaced by a more rational appreciation that everything has its limits, including the seemingly infinite resources of marine plant life. In addition, experience in California, Australia, China, Japan and Korea has demonstrated that depletion of seaweed resources for commercial utilization has a deleterious effect on the biocenotic status of the continental shelf. In view of this, many countries, such as Japan, China, Korea, the Philippines and the USSR, have embarked on aquaculture programs, in which seaweeds are cultivated on marine plantations. Successful developments in this direction should go a long way to preserving the natural ecologic balance on the continental shelf, and yet provide mankind with the resources of the deep. Many difficulties remain to be resolved before aquaculture programs become fully cost effective, one of which deals with the susceptibility of a monoculture to a given predator or disease. To that end, such programs necessitate the creation of well balanced systems that would support a variety of marine plant and animal life without an adverse effect on the desired crop. 4 references, 6 figures.
A vision for a continental energy strategy
Klein, R.; Tobin, B.; Angevine, G.; Fryer, K.; Martin, L.T.
This paper presented a vision with respect to a continental energy strategy and the principles and goals that must underlie such a strategy. These principles include relying on signals emanating from energy markets to guide investment; limiting the role of government to that of ensuring that the policy and institutional framework is conducive to the development and operation of competitive and innovative energy markets; and ensuring free and open energy trade in energy commodities, both within the continent and with the rest of the world. The paper also identified a number of important factors that, would shape and condition continental energy development and trade. The paper provided an overview of the North American energy use and supply situation for the following resources: oil; natural gas; electricity; coal; nuclear power; hydroelectricity; geothermal energy; wind power; solar power; and ethanol. It also discussed the contribution of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) through increased natural gas exports. It was concluded that given the petroleum resources of the three countries and their increased value because of higher oil and gas prices, there was considerable incentive for Canada, the United States, and Mexico to streamline regulations in order to facilitate the efficient development, transportation, and use of the continent's energy resources in accordance with market conditions. 38 refs., 2 tabs., 21 figs
A Spatial Model of Erosion and Sedimentation on Continental Margins
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Pratson, Lincoln
.... A computer model that simulates the evolution of continental slope morphology under the interaction of sedimentation, slope failure, and sediment flow erosion has been constructed and validated...
A relatively reduced Hadean continental crust
Yang, Xiaozhi; Gaillard, Fabrice; Scaillet, Bruno
Among the physical and chemical parameters used to characterize the Earth, oxidation state, as reflected by its prevailing oxygen fugacity (fO2), is a particularly important one. It controls many physicochemical properties and geological processes of the Earth's different reservoirs, and affects the partitioning of elements between coexisting phases and the speciation of degassed volatiles in melts. In the past decades, numerous studies have been conducted to document the evolution of mantle and atmospheric oxidation state with time and in particular the possible transition from an early reduced state to the present oxidized conditions. So far, it has been established that the oxidation state of the uppermost mantle is within ±2 log units of the quartz-fayalite-magnetite (QFM) buffer, probably back to ~4.4 billion years ago (Ga) based on trace-elements studies of mantle-derived komatiites, kimberlites, basalts, volcanics and zircons, and that the O2 levels of atmosphere were initially low and rose markedly ~2.3 Ga known as the Great Oxidation Event (GOE), progressively reaching its present oxidation state of ~10 log units above QFM. In contrast, the secular evolution of oxidation state of the continental crust, an important boundary separating the underlying upper mantle from the surrounding atmosphere and buffering the exchanges and interactions between the Earth's interior and exterior, has rarely been addressed, although the presence of evolved crustal materials on the Earth can be traced back to ~4.4 Ga, e.g. by detrital zircons. Zircon is a common accessory mineral in nature, occurring in a wide variety of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, and is almost ubiquitous in crustal rocks. The physical and chemical durability of zircons makes them widely used in geochemical studies in terms of trace-elements, isotopes, ages and melt/mineral inclusions; in particular, zircons are persistent under most crustal conditions and can survive many secondary
Very large dune formation along the Ebro outer continental shelf (Western Mediterranean)
Lo Iacono, Claudio; Guillén, Jorge; Puig, Pere; Ribó, Marta; Ballesteros, Maria; Palanques, Albert; Farrán, Marcelli; Acosta, Juan
Large and very large subaqueous dunes have been observed in a number of outer shelf regions around the world, tipically developing on fossil sand bodies and ridges. Dunes observed on outer shelves usually display large dimensions with maximum wavelength reaching up to 500 m and heights up to 20 m. Forcing mechanisms able to induce their formation have been described as strong bottom currents related to tidal variations and water masses flowing under geostrophic conditions, generally controlled and enhanced by local geomorphologic configurations. In this study, such bed features have been recognized, mapped and measured around the Columbretes Islands (Ebro continental shelf - Western Mediterranean) with the aim to reconstruct which are the potential forcing processes that could generate them in relation to the local settings of the area. Swath-bathymetry around the Columbretes Islands was collected using 30 kHz and 180 kHz Multi Beam echo-sounders for a 50-400 m water depth range. Bathymetric data revealed the presence of three main relict sand bodies along the outer shelf, for a 80-116 m depth range, above which asymmetrical, slightly asymmetrical and symmetrical large and very large 2D and 3D subaqueous dunes were observed. Dunes range from 150 to 760 m in wavelength and from tens of cm to 6 m in height. These bedforms are composed of sandy sediments, presumably coming from the degraded relict sand bodies on which they developed, mixed to the fine fractions coming from the recent draping holocenic sediments. The orientation of the dunes is SSW and progressively turns to W directions moving towards the southernmost sector of the area, following the trend of the shelf-edge. Observed dunes display a strong asymmetric profile for those occurring along the shelf-edge (Symmetry Index (SI): 2.6) and lose progressively their asymmetry towards the inner portion of the shelf (SI: 0.5), being 0.6 the minimum SI value to classify the dunes as asymmetric. The subaqueous dunes
Modular System for Shelves and Coasts (MOSSCO v1.0 – a flexible and multi-component framework for coupled coastal ocean ecosystem modelling
C. Lemmen
Full Text Available Shelf and coastal sea processes extend from the atmosphere through the water column and into the seabed. These processes reflect intimate interactions between physical, chemical, and biological states on multiple scales. As a consequence, coastal system modelling requires a high and flexible degree of process and domain integration; this has so far hardly been achieved by current model systems. The lack of modularity and flexibility in integrated models hinders the exchange of data and model components and has historically imposed the supremacy of specific physical driver models. We present the Modular System for Shelves and Coasts (MOSSCO; http://www.mossco.de, a novel domain and process coupling system tailored but not limited to the coupling challenges of and applications in the coastal ocean. MOSSCO builds on the Earth System Modeling Framework (ESMF and on the Framework for Aquatic Biogeochemical Models (FABM. It goes beyond existing technologies by creating a unique level of modularity in both domain and process coupling, including a clear separation of component and basic model interfaces, flexible scheduling of several tens of models, and facilitation of iterative development at the lab and the station and on the coastal ocean scale. MOSSCO is rich in metadata and its concepts are also applicable outside the coastal domain. For coastal modelling, it contains dozens of example coupling configurations and tested set-ups for coupled applications. Thus, MOSSCO addresses the technology needs of a growing marine coastal Earth system community that encompasses very different disciplines, numerical tools, and research questions.
Modular System for Shelves and Coasts (MOSSCO v1.0) - a flexible and multi-component framework for coupled coastal ocean ecosystem modelling
Lemmen, Carsten; Hofmeister, Richard; Klingbeil, Knut; Hassan Nasermoaddeli, M.; Kerimoglu, Onur; Burchard, Hans; Kösters, Frank; Wirtz, Kai W.
Shelf and coastal sea processes extend from the atmosphere through the water column and into the seabed. These processes reflect intimate interactions between physical, chemical, and biological states on multiple scales. As a consequence, coastal system modelling requires a high and flexible degree of process and domain integration; this has so far hardly been achieved by current model systems. The lack of modularity and flexibility in integrated models hinders the exchange of data and model components and has historically imposed the supremacy of specific physical driver models. We present the Modular System for Shelves and Coasts (MOSSCO; http://www.mossco.de), a novel domain and process coupling system tailored but not limited to the coupling challenges of and applications in the coastal ocean. MOSSCO builds on the Earth System Modeling Framework (ESMF) and on the Framework for Aquatic Biogeochemical Models (FABM). It goes beyond existing technologies by creating a unique level of modularity in both domain and process coupling, including a clear separation of component and basic model interfaces, flexible scheduling of several tens of models, and facilitation of iterative development at the lab and the station and on the coastal ocean scale. MOSSCO is rich in metadata and its concepts are also applicable outside the coastal domain. For coastal modelling, it contains dozens of example coupling configurations and tested set-ups for coupled applications. Thus, MOSSCO addresses the technology needs of a growing marine coastal Earth system community that encompasses very different disciplines, numerical tools, and research questions.
From Plate Tectonic to Continental Dynamics
Molnar, P. H.
By the early 1970s, the basics of plate tectonics were known. Although much understanding remained to be gained, as a topic of research, plate tectonics no longer defined the forefront of earth science. Not only had it become a foundation on which to build, but also the methods used to reveal it became tools to take in new directions. For me as a seismologist studying earthquakes and active processes, the deformation of continents offered an obvious topic to pursue. Obviously examining the deformation of continents and ignoring the widespread geologic evidence of both ongoing and finite deformation of crust would be stupid. I was blessed with the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with two of the best, Paul Tapponnier and Clark Burchfiel. Continental deformation differed from plate tectonics both because deformation was widespread but more importantly because crust shortens (extends) horizontally and thickens (thins), processes that can be ignored where plate tectonics - the relative motion of rigid plates - occurs. Where a plate boundary passes into a continent, not only must the forces that move plates do work against friction or other dissipative processes, but where high terrain is created, they must also do work against gravity, to create gravitational potential energy in high terrain. Peter Bird and Kenneth Piper and Philip England and Dan McKenzie showed that a two-dimensional thin viscous sheet with vertically averaged properties enabled both sources of resistance to be included without introducing excessive complexity and to be scaled by one dimensionless number, what the latter pair called the Argand number. Increasingly over the past thirty years, emphasis has shifted toward the role played by the mantle lithosphere, because of both its likely strength and its negative buoyancy, which makes it gravitationally unstable. Despite progress since realizing that rigid plates (the essence of plate tectonics) provides a poor description of continental
Continental Transform Boundaries: Tectonic Evolution and Geohazards
Michael Steckler
Full Text Available Continental transform boundaries cross heavily populated regions, and they are associated with destructive earthquakes,for example, the North Anatolian Fault (NAFacross Turkey, the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault in Haiti,the San Andreas Fault in California, and the El Pilar fault in Venezuela. Transform basins are important because they are typically associated with 3-D fault geometries controlling segmentation—thus, the size and timing of damaging earthquakes—and because sediments record both deformation and earthquakes. Even though transform basins have been extensively studied, their evolution remains controversial because we don't understand the specifics about coupling of vertical and horizontal motions and about the basins'long-term kinematics. Seismic and tsunami hazard assessments require knowing architecture and kinematics of faultsas well as how the faults are segmented.
Moho and magmatic underplating in continental lithosphere
Thybo, Hans; Artemieva, Irina M.
interacts with the surrounding crustal rocks which leads to smearing of geophysical signals from the underplated material. In terms of processes, there is no direct discriminator between the traditional concept of underplated material and lower crustal magmatic intrusions in the form of batholiths and sill......Underplating was originally proposed as the process of magma ponding at the base of the crust and was inferred from petrologic considerations. This process not only may add high density material to the deep crust, but also may contribute low density material to the upper parts of the crust by magma...... fractionation during cooling and solidification in the lower crust. Separation of the low density material from the high-density residue may be a main process of formation of continental crust with its characteristic low average density, also during the early evolution of the Earth. Despite the assumed...
Temporal change in fragmentation of continental US forests
James D. Wickham; Kurt H. Riitters; Timothy G. Wade; Collin Homer
Changes in forest ecosystem function and condition arise from changes in forest fragmentation. Previous studies estimated forest fragmentation for the continental United States (US). In this study, new temporal land-cover data from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) were used to estimate changes in forest fragmentation at multiple scales for the continental US....
31 CFR 515.321 - United States; continental United States.
... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false United States; continental United... General Definitions § 515.321 United States; continental United States. The term United States means the United States and all areas under the jurisdiction or authority thereof, including the Trust Territory of...
... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false United States; continental United... General Definitions § 500.321 United States; continental United States. The term United States means the United States and all areas under the jurisdiction or authority thereof, including U.S. trust territories...
... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false United States; continental United... General Definitions § 535.321 United States; continental United States. The term United States means the United States and all areas under the jurisdiction or authority thereof including the Trust Territory of...
State of the soft bottoms of the continental shelf
Guzman Alvis, Angela I; Solano, Oscar David
The presented information, it is based on studies carried out on the continental shelf of the Colombian Caribbean, mainly in the Gulf of Morrosquillo and the Magdalena and Guajira departments in the last ten years. A diagnostic is done of the soft bottoms of the Colombian continental shelf
Mean Lagrangian drift in continental shelf waves
Drivdal, M.; Weber, J. E. H.
The time- and depth-averaged mean drift induced by barotropic continental shelf waves (CSW's) is studied theoretically for idealized shelf topography by calculating the mean volume fluxes to second order in wave amplitude. The waves suffer weak spatial damping due to bottom friction, which leads to radiation stress forcing of the mean fluxes. In terms of the total wave energy density E¯ over the shelf region, the radiation stress tensor component S¯11 for CSW's is found to be different from that of shallow water surface waves in a non-rotating ocean. For CSW's, the ratio ¯S11/¯E depends strongly on the wave number. The mean Lagrangian flow forced by the radiation stress can be subdivided into a Stokes drift and a mean Eulerian drift current. The magnitude of the latter depends on the ratio between the radiation stress and the bottom stress acting on the mean flow. When the effect of bottom friction acts equally strong on the waves and the mean current, calculations for short CSW's show that the Stokes drift and the friction-dependent wave-induced mean Eulerian current varies approximately in anti-phase over the shelf, and that the latter is numerically the largest. For long CSW's they are approximately in phase. In both cases the mean Lagrangian current, which is responsible for the net particle drift, has its largest numerical value at the coast on the shallow part of the shelf. Enhancing the effect of bottom friction on the Eulerian mean flow, results in a general current speed reduction, as well as a change in spatial structure for long waves. Applying realistic physical parameters for the continental shelf west of Norway, calculations yield along-shelf mean drift velocities for short CSW's that may be important for the transport of biological material, neutral tracers, and underwater plumes of dissolved oil from deep water drilling accidents.
Progress towards Continental River Dynamics modeling
Yu, Cheng-Wei; Zheng, Xing; Liu, Frank; Maidment, Daivd; Hodges, Ben
The high-resolution National Water Model (NWM), launched by U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in August 2016, has shown it is possible to provide real-time flow prediction in rivers and streams across the entire continental United States. The next step for continental-scale modeling is moving from reduced physics (e.g. Muskingum-Cunge) to full dynamic modeling with the Saint-Venant equations. The Simulation Program for River Networks (SPRNT) provides a computational approach for the Saint-Venant equations, but obtaining sufficient channel bathymetric data and hydraulic roughness is seen as a critical challenge. However, recent work has shown the Height Above Nearest Drainage (HAND) method can be applied with the National Elevation Dataset (NED) to provide automated estimation of effective channel bathymetry suitable for large-scale hydraulic simulations. The present work examines the use of SPRNT with the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and HAND-derived bathymetry for automated generation of rating curves that can be compared to existing data. The approach can, in theory, be applied to every stream reach in the NHD and thus provide flood guidance where none is available. To test this idea we generated 2000+ rating curves in two catchments in Texas and Alabama (USA). Field data from the USGS and flood records from an Austin, Texas flood in May 2015 were used as validation. Large-scale implementation of this idea requires addressing several critical difficulties associated with numerical instabilities, including ill-posed boundary conditions generated in automated model linkages and inconsistencies in the river geometry. A key to future progress is identifying efficient approaches to isolate numerical instability contributors in a large time-space varying solution. This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under grant number CCF-1331610.
Ethical Wills – a Continental Law Perspective
Frederik Swennen
Full Text Available Ethical wills are testaments, or planning instruments mortis causa alike, that contain provisions regarding the deceased's (non-economic values rather than his (economic valuables. The authors define and analyse the substance and form of ethical wills from a comparative Continental law perspective, drawing on Belgian, Dutch, French and German law. The focus primarily is on charges or conditions in restraint or constraint of (non- denominational or family choices by testamentary beneficiaries; and in this context it is contended that both the doctrine of public policy ("ordre public� and the horizontal application of the ECHR extensively restrict testamentary freedom. Nevertheless, the analogous application of estate planning techniques increasingly allows benevolent testators to plan their ethical legacy. Los testamentos éticos son testamentos, similares a instrumentos de planificación mortis causa, que contienen disposiciones relativas a los valores (no económicos del difunto, en lugar de sus objetos de valor (económico. Los autores definen y analizan el contenido y la forma de los testamentos éticos desde una perspectiva comparativa de derecho continental, basada en la legislación belga, holandesa, francesa y alemana. Se centra principalmente en los cargos o las condiciones de restricción o limitación de las opciones (aconfesionales o familiares de los herederos; y en este contexto se afirma que tanto la doctrina de política pública ("ordre public" como la aplicación horizontal del Tribunal Europeo de Derechos Humanos, restringen ampliamente la libertad testamentaria. Sin embargo, la aplicación análoga de técnicas de planificación y gestión patrimonial y sucesoria, permite cada vez más a los testadores de últimas voluntades planificar su legado ético.
Late-Pleistocene evolution of the East Mediterranean shallow continental shelf of north-central Israel
Shtienberg, Gilad; Dix, Justin; Waldmann, Nicolas; Makovsky, Yizhaq; Bookman, Revital; Roskin, Joel; Bialik, Or; Golan, Arik; Sivan, Dorit
Sea-level fluctuations are a dominant and dynamic mechanism that control coastal environmental through time. This is especially the case for the successive regressions and transgressions over the last interglacial cycle, which have shaped the deposition, preservation and erosion patterns of unconsolidated sediments currently submerged on continental shelves. The current study focuses on an integrated high-resolution marine and terrestrial litho-stratigraphic and geophysical framework of the north-central Mediterranean coastal zone of Israel. The interpretation enabled the reconstruction of the coastal evolution over the last ˜130 ka. A multi-disciplinary approach was applied by compiling existing elevation raster grids, bathymetric charts, detailed lithological borehole data-sets, a dense 110 km long sub-bottom geophysical survey and seven continuous boreholes sediment records. Based on seismic stratigraphic analysis, observed geometries, and reflective appearances, six bounding surfaces and seven seismic units were identified and characterized. Meanwhile, the chronostratigraphy of the terrestrial side was constructed through integration of magnetic susceptibility, sedimentological and geochemical analysis with 17 new OSL ages. The seismic units were correlated with the available terrestrial borehole data and then associated to the retrieved terrestrial chronostratigraphy to produce a 4D reconstruction model of the paleo-landscape. The entire unconsolidated sequence overlies a calcareous aeolianite (locally named Kurkar unit) dated from ˜131 - ˜104 ka, which represents the top of the last interglacial cycle dune sediments. The lower unconsolidated unit consists of a red silty loam dated to ˜71 ka. This Red-Paleosol unit is overlaid by a dark brown clayey silty loam This Brown-Paleosol unit dates to ˜58 - ˜36 ka and is overlaid by a dark silty clay wetland deposit dated to ˜21 - ˜10 ka. The wetland unit is topped by a quartz sand dated to ˜6.6 - 0.1 ka
VARIABILITY OF THE THERMAL CONTINENTALITY INDEX IN CENTRAL EUROPE
CIARANEK1 DOMINIKA
Full Text Available The paper presents the spatial and temporal variability of thermal continentality in Central Europe. Gorczyński's and Johansson-Ringleb's formulae were used to derive the continentality index. The study also looked at the annual patterns of air temperature amplitude (A, a component of both of these formulae, and D; the difference between the average temperatures of autumn (Sep.-Nov. and spring (Mar.-May. Records of six weather stations representing the climate of Central Europe were included in the study covering the period 1775-2012 (Potsdam, Drezden, Prague, Vienna, Krakow, Debrecen. The highest continentality index was found in Debrecen and the lowest in Potsdam. The continentality index fluctuated with time with two pronounced dips at the turn of the 19th century and in the second half of the 20th century. The highest continentality index values were recorded during the 1930s and 1940s.
The extent of continental crust beneath the Seychelles
Hammond, J. O. S.; Kendall, J.-M.; Collier, J. S.; Rümpker, G.
The granitic islands of the Seychelles Plateau have long been recognised to overlie continental crust, isolated from Madagascar and India during the formation of the Indian Ocean. However, to date the extent of continental crust beneath the Seychelles region remains unknown. This is particularly true beneath the Mascarene Basin between the Seychelles Plateau and Madagascar and beneath the Amirante Arc. Constraining the size and shape of the Seychelles continental fragment is needed for accurate plate reconstructions of the breakup of Gondwana and has implications for the processes of continental breakup in general. Here we present new estimates of crustal thickness and VP/VS from H-κ stacking of receiver functions from a year long deployment of seismic stations across the Seychelles covering the topographic plateau, the Amirante Ridge and the northern Mascarene Basin. These results, combined with gravity modelling of historical ship track data, confirm that continental crust is present beneath the Seychelles Plateau. This is ˜30-33 km thick, but with a relatively high velocity lower crustal layer. This layer thins southwards from ˜10 km to ˜1 km over a distance of ˜50 km, which is consistent with the Seychelles being at the edge of the Deccan plume prior to its separation from India. In contrast, the majority of the Seychelles Islands away from the topographic plateau show no direct evidence for continental crust. The exception to this is the island of Desroche on the northern Amirante Ridge, where thicker low density crust, consistent with a block of continental material is present. We suggest that the northern Amirantes are likely continental in nature and that small fragments of continental material are a common feature of plume affected continental breakup.
Seasonal Dynamics of Dissolved Organic Carbon Under Complex Circulation Schemes on a Large Continental Shelf: The Northern South China Sea
Meng, Feifei; Dai, Minhan; Cao, Zhimian; Wu, Kai; Zhao, Xiaozheng; Li, Xiaolin; Chen, Junhui; Gan, Jianping
We examined the distribution and seasonality of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) based on a large data set collected from the northern South China Sea (NSCS) shelf under complex circulation schemes influenced by river plume, coastal upwelling, and downwelling. The highest surface values of ˜117 μmol L-1 were observed nearshore in summer suggesting high DOC supplies from the river inputs, whereas the lowest surface values of ˜62 μmol L-1 were on the outer shelf in winter due to entrainment of DOC-poor subsurface water under strengthened vertical mixing. While the summer coastal upwelling brought lower DOC from offshore depth to the nearshore surface, the winter coastal downwelling delivered higher surface DOC to the midshelf deep waters from the inner shelf fueled by the China Coastal Current (CCC) transporting relatively high DOC from the East China Sea to the NSCS. The intensified winter downwelling generated a cross-shelf DOC transport of 3.1 × 1012 g C over a large shelf area, which induced a significant depression of the NSCS DOC inventory in winter relative to in autumn. In addition to the variable physical controls, net biological production of DOC was semiquantified in both the river plume (2.8 ± 3.0 μmol L-1) and coastal upwelling (3.1 ± 1.3 μmol L-1) in summer. We demonstrated that the NSCS shelf had various origins of DOC including riverine inputs, inter-shelf transport and in situ production. Via cross-shelf transport, the accumulated DOC would be exported to and stored in the deep ocean, suggesting that continental shelves are a potentially effective carbon sink.
Short and long term evolution of deep giant submarine dunes in continental shelf environment: the example of the 'Banc du Four' (Western Brittany, France)
Franzetti, M.; Le Roy, P.; Garlan, T.; Delacourt, C.; Thibaud, R.; Cancouet, R.; Graindorge, D.; Prunier, C.; Sukhovich, A.; Deschamps, A.
The deep sandwave dynamics is still in debate. Understanding the migration processes and the resulting evolution of their 3D internal architecture are scientifically challenging. To address these questions we realized two swath bathymetry surveys complemented with seismic reflection across the large sandwaves field named 'Banc du Four'. It is located offshore the Western Brittany and is composed of more 500 dunes. Some of the dunes' wavelengths and heights exceed 1000m and 30m respectively placing them among the largest dunes ever described. Equilibrium laws obtained from our morphological analysis are not completely in agreement with those described in previous studies of similar structures in shallow waters. Relatively high migration velocities on deep continental shelves (from 3 to 20m.yr-1) attest of their still present dynamical equilibrium. Internal-external morphological and kinematical analyses show the existence of two different dynamic regimes. Interpretation of the seismic reflection data allowed reconstructing long-term evolution of the sandbank and the establishment of progressive connections between stepped submarine channels and tidal dynamics during the last sea-level rise.
Architecture and sedimentary processes on the mid-Norwegian continental slope: A 2.7 Myr record from extensive seismic evidence
Montelli, A.; Dowdeswell, J. A.; Ottesen, D.; Johansen, S. E.
Quaternary architectural evolution and sedimentary processes on the mid-Norwegian continental slope are investigated using margin-wide three- and two-dimensional seismic datasets. Of ∼100,000 km3 sediments delivered to the mid-Norwegian shelf and slope over the Quaternary, ∼75,000 km3 comprise the slope succession. The structural high of the Vøring Plateau, characterised by initially low (∼1-2°) slope gradients and reduced accommodation space, exerted a strong control over the long-term architectural evolution of the margin. Slope sediment fluxes were higher on the Vøring Plateau area, increasing up to ∼32 km3 ka-1 during the middle Pleistocene, when fast-flowing ice streams advanced to the palaeo-shelf edge. Resulted in a more rapid slope progradation on the Vøring Plateau, these rates of sediment delivery are high compared to the maximum of ∼7 km3 ka-1 in the adjacent sectors of the slope, characterised by steeper slope (∼3-5°), more available accommodation space and smaller or no palaeo-ice streams on the adjacent shelves. In addition to the broad-scale architectural evolution, identification of more than 300 buried slope landforms provides an unprecedented level of detailed, process-based palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Channels dominate the Early Pleistocene record (∼2.7-0.8 Ma), during which glacimarine sedimentation on the slope was influenced by dense bottom-water flow and turbidity currents. Morphologic signature of glacigenic debris-flows appear within the Middle-Late Pleistocene (∼0.8-0 Ma) succession. Their abundance increases towards Late Pleistocene, marking a decreasing role for channelized turbidity currents and dense water flows. This broad-scale palaeo-environmental shift coincides with the intensification of Northern Hemispheric glaciations, highlighting first-order climate control on the sedimentary processes in high-latitude continental slopes.
UNIDADES GEOMORFOLÓGICAS DE PORTUGAL CONTINENTAL
Diamantino Insua Pereira
Full Text Available São representadas cartograficamente as unidades geomorfológicas identificadas para os 89015 km2 do território de Portugal Continental. A delimitação das unidades teve por base a análise dos padrões da textura fornecida por imagens SRTM, com revisão e adaptação posterior à altimetria e à geologia, para os quais foram usadas bases cartográficas digitais. Foram considerados três níveis taxionómicos que permitem descrever e caracterizar áreas homogéneas do ponto de vista geomorfológico. As três unidades de 1º nível baseiam-se nas unidades morfostruturais clássicas consideradas para a Península Ibérica. As dez unidades de 2º nível constituem, na sua maioria, divisões clássicas do relevo de Portugal Continental, agora agrupadas de acordo com a metodologia adoptada e designadas como unidades morfosculturais. As 56 unidades de 3º nível, ou subunidades morfosculturais, foram individualizadas com base nos padrões de relevo identificados nas imagens SRTM e na observação de campo e adquiriram uma designação baseada essencialmente nas geoformas que as individualizam e na toponímia local. As unidades geomorfológicas identificadas são descritas através de características do relevo, dissecação fluvial, estruturas, tipo de drenagem e base geológica, bem como de parâmetros numéricos gerados de forma automática, como classes de altitude e de declividade. Pretende-se que o mapa elaborado possa contribuir para a gestão territorial, em especial na tomada de decisões em conservação da natureza.
Commercial helium reserves, continental rifting and volcanism
Ballentine, C. J.; Barry, P. H.; Hillegonds, D.; Fontijn, K.; Bluett, J.; Abraham-James, T.; Danabalan, D.; Gluyas, J.; Brennwald, M. S.; Pluess, B.; Seneshens, D.; Sherwood Lollar, B.
Helium has many industrial applications, but notably provides the unique cooling medium for superconducting magnets in medical MRI scanners and high energy beam lines. In 2013 the global supply chainfailed to meet demand causing significant concern - the `Liquid Helium Crisis' [1]. The 2017 closure of Quatar borders, a major helium supplier, is likely to further disrupt helium supply, and accentuates the urgent need to diversify supply. Helium is found in very few natural gas reservoirs that have focused 4He produced by the dispersed decay (a-particle) of U and Th in the crust. We show here, using the example of the Rukwa section of the Tanzanian East African Rift, how continental rifting and local volcanism provides the combination of processes required to generate helium reserves. The ancient continental crust provides the source of 4He. Rifting and associated magmatism provides the tectonic and thermal mechanism to mobilise deep fluid circulation, focusing flow to the near surface along major basement faults. Helium-rich springs in the Tanzanian Great Rift Valley were first identified in the 1950's[2]. The isotopic compositions and major element chemistry of the gases from springs and seeps are consistent with their release from the crystalline basement during rifting [3]. Within the Rukwa Rift Valley, helium seeps occur in the vicinity of trapping structures that have the potential to store significant reserves of helium [3]. Soil gas surveys over 6 prospective trapping structures (1m depth, n=1486) show helium anomalies in 5 out of the 6 at levels similar to those observed over a known helium-rich gas reservoir at 1200m depth (7% He - Harley Dome, Utah). Detailed macroseep gas compositions collected over two days (n=17) at one site allows us to distinguish shallow gas contributions and shows the deep gas to contain between 8-10% helium, significantly increasing resource estimates based on uncorrected values (1.8-4.2%)[2,3]. The remainder of the deep gas is
Mg/Ca of Continental Ostracode Shells
Ito, E.; Forester, R. M.; Marco-Barba, J.; Mezquita, F.
Marine ionic chemistry is thought to remain constant. This, together with the belief that marine calcifiers partition Mg/Ca in a systematic manner as functions of temperature (and Mg/Ca) of water forms the basis of the Mg/Ca thermometer. In continental settings both of these assumptions are usually not true. Continental waters contain a wide variety of solutes in absolute and relative ion concentrations. Hence, waters with identical Mg/Ca may have very different concentrations of Mg and Ca and very different anions. Here we use two examples to focus on the effects of ion chemistry on Mg/Ca partitioning in continental ostracode shells and we ignore the complexities of solute evolution, which can change Mg/Ca over timescales of minutes to millennia. Palacios-Fest and Dettman (2001) conducted a monthly study of ,Cypridopsis vidua at El Yeso Lake in Sonora, Mexico. They established a relation between temperature and average shell Mg/Ca using regression analyses on averaged data. When their Mg/Ca-temperature relation is applied to monthly ,C. vidua data from Page Pond near Cleveland, Ohio, water temperatures of -8 to -1°C are obtained. The observed Mg/Ca ranges for El Yeso Lake (0.31 to 0.46) and Page Pond (0.33 to 0.46) are similar, as are their specific conductivities (700 to 850μS for El Yeso Lake; 400 to 600μS for Page Pond). However, [Ca] is 140-260 mg/L for El Yeso, but only 70-90 mg/L for Page Pond. Page Pond data, in fact, shows a good temperature shell Mg/Ca relation for .C. vidua, but the relation is different from that at El Yeso. Hence, shell Mg/Ca is a multi-valued, family of curves function of temperature and Mg/Ca of water that depends on the [Mg] and [Ca] values in water and perhaps other factors. Our second example comes from sites near Valencia, Spain and involves shell data for ,Cyprideis torosa, an estuarine ostracode that is tolerant of a wide range of salinity and can live in continental waters as long as the carbonate alkalinity to Ca ratio is
Monthly hydroclimatology of the continental United States
Petersen, Thomas; Devineni, Naresh; Sankarasubramanian, A.
Physical/semi-empirical models that do not require any calibration are of paramount need for estimating hydrological fluxes for ungauged sites. We develop semi-empirical models for estimating the mean and variance of the monthly streamflow based on Taylor Series approximation of a lumped physically based water balance model. The proposed models require mean and variance of monthly precipitation and potential evapotranspiration, co-variability of precipitation and potential evapotranspiration and regionally calibrated catchment retention sensitivity, atmospheric moisture uptake sensitivity, groundwater-partitioning factor, and the maximum soil moisture holding capacity parameters. Estimates of mean and variance of monthly streamflow using the semi-empirical equations are compared with the observed estimates for 1373 catchments in the continental United States. Analyses show that the proposed models explain the spatial variability in monthly moments for basins in lower elevations. A regionalization of parameters for each water resources region show good agreement between observed moments and model estimated moments during January, February, March and April for mean and all months except May and June for variance. Thus, the proposed relationships could be employed for understanding and estimating the monthly hydroclimatology of ungauged basins using regional parameters.
Level III and IV Ecoregions of the Continental United States
Information and downloadable maps and datasets for Level III and IV ecoregions of the continental United States. Ecoregions are areas of general similarity in the type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources.
Neotectonism - An offshore evidence from eastern continental shelf off Visakhapatnam
Subrahmanyam, A.S.; Venkateswarlu, K.; Murthy, K.S.R.; Rao, M.M.M.; Rao, K.M.; Raju, Y.S.N.
tremor provide evidence of Neo-tectonic activity in this regio. The epicentral region falls in a shallow marine environment ideal for generating a geophysical database for stable continental region earthquakes....
Late Devonian and Triassic basalts from the southern continental ...
continental margin of the East European Platform, tracers of a single heterogeneous ... Areas of Precambrian consolidation within the Late Paleozoic orogen; 3. Areas of ...... and hydrocarbon accumulations; J. Petroleum Geology. 16 183–196.
Topographic features over the continental shelf off Visakhapatnam
Rao, T.C.S.; Machado, T.; Murthy, K.S.R.
water depth and the continental shelfedge several interesting topographic features such as Terraces, Karstic structures associated with pinnacles and troughs and smooth dome shaped reef structures are recorded. The nature of these features...
ISLSCP II Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Consumption by Continental Erosion
National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ABSTRACT: The Continental Atmospheric CO2 Consumption data set represents gridded estimates for the riverine export of carbon and of sediments based on empirical...
Continental United States Hurricane Strikes 1950-2012
Persistence of Initial Conditions in Continental Scale Air Quality Simulations
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This dataset contains the data used in Figures 1 – 6 and Table 2 of the technical note "Persistence of Initial Conditions in Continental Scale Air Quality...
Seabottom backscatter studies in the western continental shelf of India
Chakraborty, B.; Pathak, D.
The study is initiated to observe the interaction effects of the sound signal with three different sediment bottoms in the shelf area between Cochin and Mangalore in the western continental shelf of India. An echo signal acquisition system has been...
Glacier-influenced sedimentation on high-latitude continental margins
Dowdeswell, J. A; Cofaigh, C. Ó
This book examines the process and patterns of glacier-influenced sedimentation on high-latitude continental margins and the geophysical and geological signatures of the resulting sediments and landform...
Sediments of the western continental shelf of India - Environmental significance
Guptha, M.V.S.
The degree of fragmentation and colour of the skeletal fragments, colouration in benthic foraminifers have been studied in surficial sediment samples collected from forty stations from the continental shelf region between Ratnagiri in the south...
and three-dimensional gravity modeling along western continental ...
R. Narasimhan (Krishtel eMaging) 1461 1996 Oct 15 13:05:22
weaknesses (lineaments) along the path of Indian plate motion over the Réunion hotspot. .... Tectonic map of western and central parts of peninsular India showing the western continental ... basaltic layers and their theoretical gravitational.
U.S. East Coast Continental Margin (CONMAR) Sediment Data
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The USGS/WHOI Continental Margin (CONMAR) Data set was compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution as a joint program of...
Caloplaca coeruleofrigida sp. nova, a species from continental Antarctica
Søchting, Ulrik; Seppelt, R.
Caloplaca coeruleofrigida Søchting & Seppelt is described from Southern Victoria Land, continental Antarctica. It is characterized by vertically elongated papillae and a pale orange pigmentation on shaded parts, and black thallus and apothecia on exposed parts of the thallus......Caloplaca coeruleofrigida Søchting & Seppelt is described from Southern Victoria Land, continental Antarctica. It is characterized by vertically elongated papillae and a pale orange pigmentation on shaded parts, and black thallus and apothecia on exposed parts of the thallus...
Shelved: The Retired Librarian's Guidebook.
Elder, Jane D.
Free-lance librarianship is discussed, and retired librarians are urged to start their own information service as a business. Because computer based storage and retrieval systems are not socially, politically, or economically integrated, and one library cannot hold all information, new needs are emerging for information services. For example, a…
Formation waters of the Norwegian Continental Shelf
McCartney, R. A.; Rein, E.
New and previously published analyses of formation waters for the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) have been evaluated and interpreted to determine the compositional distribution of formation waters in the region and factors controlling their compositions, and also to obtain information on subsurface fluid flow. Formation waters in the region are Na-Cl and Na-Ca-Cl-type waters that display a wide range of salinity (2500-212000 mg/kg Cl). Generally, the concentrations of most dissolved constituents are positively correlated with Cl so that their distribution in formation waters largely reflects the variations shown by salinity. Exceptions are SO4 which is generally low (less than 40 mg/l) regardless of Cl, and HCO3 and in-situ pH which are negatively correlated with Cl. The main factors determining the compositions of the formation waters are mixing of meteoric water (probably late-Jurassic to Eocene), ancient seawater and primary brine together with diagenetic reactions that have affected each of these components individually as well as mixtures of them. Evaluation of the distribution of salinity has helped us identify where vertical and/or lateral migration of brine from the evaporites has occurred. This has in turn provided us with information on the presence of leak-points and vertical mixing, although further investigation of the location of evaporites and basin palaeohydrogeology are required to determine whether regional lateral advection has occurred in the past. The results of this study may benefit oil exploration and production activities in the NCS including constraint of hydrocarbon migration models, economic evaluation of undrilled prospects, scale management and compartmentalisation studies. (Author)
Mapping Soil Age at Continental Scales
Slessarev, E.; Feng, X.
Soil age controls the balance between weathered and unweathered minerals in soil, and thus strongly influences many of the biological, geochemical, and hydrological functions of the critical zone. However, most quantitative models of soil development do not represent soil age. Instead, they rely on a steady-state assumption: physical erosion controls the residence time of unweathered minerals in soil, and thus fixes the chemical weathering rate. This assumption may hold true in mountainous landscapes, where physical erosion rates are high. However, the steady-state assumption may fail in low-relief landscapes, where physical erosion rates have been insufficient to remove unweathered minerals left by glaciation and dust deposition since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). To test the applicability of the steady-state assumption at continental scales, we developed an empirical predictor for physical erosion, and then simulated soil development since LGM with a numerical model. We calibrated the physical erosion predictor using a compilation of watershed-scale sediment yield data, and in-situ 10Be denudation measurements corrected for weathering by Zr/Ti mass-balance. Physical erosion rates can be predicted using a power-law function of local relief and peak ground acceleration, a proxy for tectonic activity. Coupling physical erosion rates with the numerical model reveals that extensive low-relief areas of North America may depart from steady-state because they were glaciated, or received high dust fluxes during LGM. These LGM legacy effects are reflected in topsoil Ca:Al and Quartz:Feldspar ratios derived from United States Geological Survey data, and in a global compilation of soil pH measurements. Our results quantitatively support the classic idea that soils in the mid-high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere are "young", in the sense that they are undergoing transient response to LGM conditions. Where they occur, such departures from steady-state likely increase
Biogeochemistry of southern Australian continental slope sediments
Veeh, H.H.; Crispe, A.J.; Heggie, D.T.
Sediment cores from the middle to lower slope of the southern continental margin of Australia between the Great Australian Bight and western Tasmania are compared in terms of marine and terrigenous input signals during the Holocene. The mass accumulation rates of carbonate, organic carbon, biogenic Ba. and Al are corrected for lateral sediment input (focusing), using the inventory of excess 230 Th in the sediment normalised to its known production rate in the water column above each site. The biogenic signal is generally higher in the eastern part of the southern margin probably due to enhanced productivity associated with seasonal upwelling off southeastern South Australia and the proximity of the Subtropical Front, which passes just south of Tasmania. The input of Al, representing the terrigenous signal, is also higher in this region reflecting the close proximity of river runoff from the mountainous catchment of southeastern Australia. The distribution pattern of Mn and authigenic U, together with pore-water profiles of Mn ++ , indicate diagenetic reactions driven by the oxidation of buried organic carbon in an oxic to suboxic environment. Whereas Mn is reduced at depth and diffuses upwards to become immobilised in a Mn-rich surface layer. U is derived from seawater and diffuses downward into the sediment, driven by reduction and precipitation at a depth below the reduction zone of Mn. The estimated removal rate of U from seawater by this process is within the range of U removal measured in hemipelagic sediments from other areas, and supports the proposition that hemipelagic sediments are a major sink of U in the global ocean. Unlike Mn, the depth profile of sedimentary Fe appears to be little affected by diagenesis, suggesting that little of the total Fe inventory in the sediment is remobilised and redistributed as soluble Fe. Copyright (1999) Blackwell Science Pty Ltd
Neogene sedimentation on the outer continental margin, southern Bering Sea
Vallier, T.L.; Underwood, M.B.; Gardner, J.V.; Barron, J.A.
Neogene sedimentary rocks and sediments from sites on the outer continental margin in the southern Bering Sea and on the Alaska Peninsula are dominated by volcanic components that probably were eroded from an emergent Aleutian Ridge. A mainland continental source is subordinate. Most sediment in the marine environment was transported to the depositional sites by longshore currents, debris flows, and turbidity currents during times when sea level was near the outermost continental shelf. Fluctuations of sea level are ascribed both to worldwide glacio-eustatic effects and to regional vertical tectonics. Large drainage systems, such as the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers, had little direct influence on sedimentation along the continental slope and Unmak Plateau in the southern Bering Sea. Sediments from those drainage systems probably were transported to the floor of the Aleutian Basin, to the numerous shelf basins that underlie the outer continental shelf, and to the Arctic Ocean after passing through the Bering Strait. Environments of deposition at the sites along the outer continental margin have not changed significantly since the middle Miocene. The site on the Alaska Peninsula, however, is now emergent following shallow-marine and transitional sedimentation during the Neogene. ?? 1980.
Deep observation and sampling of the earth's continental crust (DOSECC): Continental scientific drilling workshop
Research summaries are presented of ongoing or proposed deep drilling programs to explore hydrothermal systems, buried astroblemes, continental crust, magma systems, mountain belt tectonics, subduction zones, and volcanoes. Separate abstracts have been prepared for individual papers. (ACR)
Impacts of continental arcs on global carbon cycling and climate
Lee, C. T.; Jiang, H.; Carter, L.; Dasgupta, R.; Cao, W.; Lackey, J. S.; Lenardic, A.; Barnes, J.; McKenzie, R.
On myr timescales, climatic variability is tied to variations in atmospheric CO2, which in turn is driven by geologic sources of CO2 and modulated by the efficiency of chemical weathering and carbonate precipitation (sinks). Long-term variability in CO2 has largely been attributed to changes in mid-ocean ridge inputs or the efficiency of global weathering. For example, the Cretaceous greenhouse is thought to be related to enhanced oceanic crust production, while the late Cenozoic icehouse is attributed to enhanced chemical weathering associated with the Himalayan orogeny. Here, we show that continental arcs may play a more important role in controlling climate, both in terms of sources and sinks. Continental arcs differ from island arcs and mid-ocean ridges in that the continental plate through which arc magmas pass may contain large amounts of sedimentary carbonate, accumulated over the history of the continent. Interaction of arc magmas with crustal carbonates via assimilation, reaction or heating can significantly add to the mantle-sourced CO2 flux. Detrital zircons and global mapping of basement rocks shows that the length of continental arcs in the Cretaceous was more than twice that in the mid-Cenozoic; maps also show many of these arcs intersected crustal carbonates. The increased length of continental arc magmatism coincided with increased oceanic spreading rates, placing convergent margins into compression, which favors continental arcs. Around 50 Ma, however, nearly all the continental arcs in Eurasia and North America terminated as India collided with Eurasia and the western Pacific rolled back, initiating the Marianas-Tonga-Kermadec intra-oceanic subduction complex and possibly leading to a decrease in global CO2 production. Meanwhile, extinct continental arcs continued to erode, resulting in regionally enhanced chemical weathering unsupported by magmatic fluxes of CO2. Continental arcs, during their magmatic lifetimes, are thus a source of CO2, driving
Western Ross Sea continental slope gravity currents
Gordon, Arnold L.; Orsi, Alejandro H.; Muench, Robin; Huber, Bruce A.; Zambianchi, Enrico; Visbeck, Martin
Antarctic Bottom Water of the world ocean is derived from dense Shelf Water that is carried downslope by gravity currents at specific sites along the Antarctic margins. Data gathered by the AnSlope and CLIMA programs reveal the presence of energetic gravity currents that are formed over the western continental slope of the Ross Sea when High Salinity Shelf Water exits the shelf through Drygalski Trough. Joides Trough, immediately to the east, offers an additional escape route for less saline Shelf Water, while the Glomar Challenger Trough still farther east is a major pathway for export of the once supercooled low-salinity Ice Shelf Water that forms under the Ross Ice Shelf. The Drygalski Trough gravity currents increase in thickness from ˜100 to ˜400 m on proceeding downslope from ˜600 m (the shelf break) to 1200 m (upper slope) sea floor depth, while turning sharply to the west in response to the Coriolis force during their descent. The mean current pathway trends ˜35° downslope from isobaths. Benthic-layer current and thickness are correlated with the bottom water salinity, which exerts the primary control over the benthic-layer density. A 1-year time series of bottom-water current and hydrographic properties obtained on the slope near the 1000 m isobath indicates episodic pulses of Shelf Water export through Drygalski Trough. These cold (34.75) pulses correlate with strong downslope bottom flow. Extreme examples occurred during austral summer/fall 2003, comprising concentrated High Salinity Shelf Water (-1.9 °C; 34.79) and approaching 1.5 m s -1 at descent angles as large as ˜60° relative to the isobaths. Such events were most common during November-May, consistent with a northward shift in position of the dense Shelf Water during austral summer. The coldest, saltiest bottom water was measured from mid-April to mid-May 2003. The summer/fall export of High Salinity Shelf Water observed in 2004 was less than that seen in 2003. This difference, if real
Continental Influence versus marine transition in Rio de la Plata zone - internal continental shelf of the South Atlantic - a multi proxy study
Burone, L.; Franco-Fraguas, P.; Garcia-Rodriguez, F.; Venturini, N.; Brugnoli, E.; Muniz, P.; Ortega, L.; Marin, Y.; Mahiques, M.; Nagaic, R.; Bicegoc, M.; Figueiras, R.; Salaroli, A.
The terrigenous proxies contribution, the organic matter origin, the productivity, the hydrodynamic and the biological records were used to determine the imrprint of the continental influence along the Rio de la Plata and the Continental Atlantic
Structure and tectonics of western continental margin of India: Implication for geologic hazards
Chaubey, A.K.; Ajay, K.K.
characteristics of Western Continental Margin of India (WCMI) are closely related to the tectonic history of the Indian subcontinent, its break up during continental rifting, magmatic and sedimentary history, northward movement of India and finally collision... Continental Flood Basalt (DCFB) province on the western and central Indian (Duncan. 1990) as well as continental flood basalt on the Praslin Island in the Seychelles microcontinent (Devey and Stephens, 1991). The DCFB is the largest known continental flood...
Contributions to knowledge of the continental margin of Uruguay. Uruguayan continental margin: morphology, geology and identification of the base of the slope
Preciozzi, F.
This work is about the morphology, geology and the identification of the base of the slope in the The Uruguayan continental margin which corresponds to the the type of divergent, volcanic and segmented margins. Morphologically is constituted by a clearly defined continental shelf, as well as a continental slope that presents configuration changes from north to south and passes directly to the abyssal plain
Continental Fog Attenuation Empirical Relationship from Measured Visibility Data
F. Nadeem
Full Text Available Free Space Optics (FSO has the great potential for future communication applications. However, weather influenced reduced availability had been the main cause for its restricted growth. Among different weather influences fog plays the major role. A new model generalized for all FSO wavelengths, has been proposed for the prediction of continental fog attenuation using visibility data. The performance of the proposed model has been compared with well known models for measured attenuation data of Continental fog. The comparison has been performed in terms of Root Mean Square Error (RMSE.
Quaternary nanofossils on the Brazilian continental shelf; Nanofosseis calcarios do quaternario da margem continental brasileira
Antunes, Rogerio Loureiro [PETROBRAS S.A., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Pesquisas (CENPES). Gerencia de Bioestratigrafia e Paleoecologia], E-mail: [email protected]
The study of calcareous nanofossils occurring in the deposits on the Brazilian continental margin began in the late 1960s, undertaken solely by PETROBRAS. Instead of presenting an academic outlook, the purpose of these investigations is first to formulate a biostratigraphic framework to apply to oil well samples. The initial result was the first zoning for the Brazilian continental margin, which considered the deposits formed between the Aptian and Miocene series. Since the 1960s to date, many papers have been written either with details of that original zoning or applying nanofossil biostratigraphy to solve stratigraphic problems. Regardless of all the papers and studies undertaken, little attention has been paid to the Quaternary, since these deposits are normally of no interest to petroleum geology stricto sensu, especially in a large part of the Brazilian margin. On the other hand, there are a few articles and some Master's dissertations and PhD theses that were written and/or are in progress in Brazilian universities. On the other hand, elsewhere in the world, Quaternary nanofossils have been thoroughly investigated in terms of biostratigraphy and paleoceanography. It is, therefore, very clear that there is a gap between what is being done elsewhere in the world and what has been done in Brazil. In fact, this gap is not larger simply because of a few researchers in Brazilian universities who are studying this topic. The intention of this paper is to contribute toward a richer study of Quaternary nanofossils. It, therefore, contains illustrations and taxonomic descriptions of many species observed in the younger strata of the Brazilian margin basins. This article not only aspires to portray and disseminate the potential of nanofossils for the marine Quaternary study but is also an invitation to students (under and post-graduates) and university researchers - an invitation to learn a little more about the subject and spend some time studying these real gems
The study of calcareous nanofossils occurring in the deposits on the Brazilian continental margin began in the late 1960s, undertaken solely by PETROBRAS. Instead of presenting an academic outlook, the purpose of these investigations is first to formulate a biostratigraphic framework to apply to oil well samples. The initial result was the first zoning for the Brazilian continental margin, which considered the deposits formed between the Aptian and Miocene series. Since the 1960s to date, many papers have been written either with details of that original zoning or applying nanofossil biostratigraphy to solve stratigraphic problems. Regardless of all the papers and studies undertaken, little attention has been paid to the Quaternary, since these deposits are normally of no interest to petroleum geology stricto sensu, especially in a large part of the Brazilian margin. On the other hand, there are a few articles and some Master's dissertations and PhD theses that were written and/or are in progress in Brazilian universities. On the other hand, elsewhere in the world, Quaternary nanofossils have been thoroughly investigated in terms of biostratigraphy and paleoceanography. It is, therefore, very clear that there is a gap between what is being done elsewhere in the world and what has been done in Brazil. In fact, this gap is not larger simply because of a few researchers in Brazilian universities who are studying this topic. The intention of this paper is to contribute toward a richer study of Quaternary nanofossils. It, therefore, contains illustrations and taxonomic descriptions of many species observed in the younger strata of the Brazilian margin basins. This article not only aspires to portray and disseminate the potential of nanofossils for the marine Quaternary study but is also an invitation to students (under and post-graduates) and university researchers - an invitation to learn a little more about the subject and spend some time studying these real gems of
A numerical study of the Plata River plume along the southeastern South American continental shelf
Felipe M. Pimenta
Full Text Available The Rio de la Plata, one of the largest rivers on Earth, discharges into the ocean waters from basin that covers a large area of South America. Its plume extends along northern Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil shelves strongly influencing the ecosystems. In spite of this, little is known about the mechanisms that control it. Here we report results of simulations with POM carried out to investigate the roles of wind and river discharge in Plata plume dynamics. Different outflows were explored, including an average climatological value and magnitudes representative of La Niña and El Niño. Forcing the model with river discharge the average plume speed was directly related to the outflow intensity. The Plata northward extension varied from 850 to 1550 km and for average discharge a band of low salinity waters formed from the estuary up to 30ºN of South Brazilian Shelf. Upwelling and downwelling winds were applied after 130 days. The distribution of low salinity waters over the shelf was more sensitive to the wind direction than to the river outflow variability. Downwelling winds were very capable of advecting the low salinity signal downshelf. Upwelling winds were efficient in eroding the plume, which was basically detached from the coast by Ekman drift. Abnormal plume intrusions toward low latitudes may be a result of the original plume position coupled with events of persistent strong downwelling favorable winds.O Rio da Prata, um dos maiores rios da Terra, descarrega no oceano águas de uma bacia de drenagem que cobre uma ampla área da América do Sul. Sua pluma extende-se ao longo do norte da Argentina, Uruguay e sul do Brasil influenciando amplamente os ecossistemas costeiros. A despeito disso, pouco se sabe a respeito dos mecanismos que a controlam. Relatamos aqui simulações conduzidas com o modelo POM na investigação do papel dos ventos e da descarga fluvial na dinâmica da pluma do Prata. Descargas com valores médios climatol
Sediment accumulation on the Southern California Bight continental margin during the twentieth century
Alexander, C.R.; Lee, H.J.
Sediment discharged into the portion of the Southern California Bight extending from Santa Barbara to Dana Point enters a complex system of semi-isolated coastal cells, narrow continental shelves, submarine canyons, and offshore basins. On both the Santa Monica and San Pedro margins, 210Pb accumulation rates decrease in an offshore direction (from ??0.5 g cm-2yr-1 to 0.02 g cm-2yr -1), in concert with a fining in sediment grain size (from 4.5?? to 8.5??), suggesting that offshore transport of wave-resuspended material occurs as relatively dilute nepheloid layers and that hemiplegic sedimentation dominates the supply of sediment to the outer shelf, slope, and basins. Together, these areas are effectively sequestering up to 100% of the annual fluvial input. In contrast to the Santa Monica margin, which does not display evidence of mass wasting as an important process of sediment delivery and redistribution, the San Pedro margin does provide numerous examples of failures and mass wasting, suggesting that intraslope sediment redistribution may play a more important role there. Basin deposits in both areas exhibit evidence of turbidites tentatively associated with both major floods and earthquakes, sourced from either the Redondo Canyon (San Pedro Basin) or Dume Canyon (Santa Monica Basin). On the Palos Verdes shelf, sediment-accumulation rates decrease along and across the shelf away from the White's Point outfall, which has been a major source of contaminants to the shelf deposits. Accumulation rates prior to the construction of the outfall were ??0.2 g cm-2yr-1 and increased 1.5-3.7 times during peak discharges from the outfall in 1971. The distal rate of accumulation has decreased by ??50%, from 0.63 g cm -2yr-1 during the period 1971-1992 to 0.29 g cm -2yr-1 during the period 1992-2003. The proximal rate of accumulation, however, has only decreased ??10%, from 0.83 g cm -2yr-1 during the period 1971-1992 to 0.73 g cm -2yr-1 during the period 1992-2003. Effluent
Sandwave Morphologies and Dynamics in a Continental Shelf Environment : Example of the Banc du Four (western Brittany, France)
Franzetti, M.; Garlan, T.; Le Roy, P.; Delacourt, C.; Cancouët, R.; Graindorge, D.; Deschamps, A.
Marine sand dunes and sandbanks are mainly observed in continental tidal shelves (North Sea, South China Sea, North Atlantic America) and may be highly dynamic (for example up to 75 m/y in the Marsdiep inlet). So they may pose a potential risk to offshore installations and shipping. Multitemporal mapping of sandwaves, necessary to mitigate this hazard, is complicated by their dynamic character, which is still poorly understood especially in the offshore domain. In consequence, these structures are often defined as moribund at depths greater than 30 meters. The aim of this investigation is to study evolution of deeper (110 meters) complex set of sand bedforms : "Banc du Four" located in the Iroise Sea. The study area is exposed to strong tidal currents and storm waves at the junction of the Northeast Atlantic Ocean and the Western English Channel, conditions favorable to sediment dynamics. The bathymetric data, which form the basis of this study, are two Digital Terrain Modeling's (DTM's) derived from MultiBeam Echosounder (MBES) surveys : "Pourquoi-Pas?" oceanographic research vessel (R/V) in February 2009 (5 meters resolution DTM) and R/V "Albert Lucas" in August 2010 (2 meters resolution DTM). Sandwave parameters (water depth, shape, wavelength, height, symmetry index, ...) have been derived from the 2009 bathymetric data. The Banc du Four is characterized by a large sandbank (45 meters height and 2 km width) flanked by dune fields. The morphological characteristics of the dunes vary greatly (range 30 to 110 meters depth, 40 meters maximal height, 600 meters maximal width, symmetrical to asymmetrical, ...). However, this complexity can be explained by the involved sandwave dynamic (range 0 to 30 meters per year migration velocity). Spatial correlation method, applied on the two DTM's, are used to measure the migration rate. The high migration rates for deeper giant dunes bring to light the dynamic sandwave existence at depths exceeding 30-40 meters, contrary to
Age and isotope evidence for the evolution of continental crust
Moorbath, S.
Irreversible chemical differentiation of the mantle's essentially infinite reservoir for at least the past 3800 Ma has produced new continental, sialic crust during several relatively short (ca. 100-300 Ma) episodes which were widely separated in time and may have been of global extent. During each episode (termed 'accretion-differentiation superevent'), juvenile sial underwent profound igneous, metamorphic and geochemical differentiation, resulting in thick (ca. 25-40 km), stable, compositionally gradational, largely indestructible, continental crust exhibiting close grouping of isotopic ages of rock formation, as well as mantle-type initial Sr and Pb isotopic ratios for all major constituents. Isotopic evidence suggests that within most accretion-differentiation superevents - and especially during the earlier ones - continental growth predominated over reworking of older sialic crust. Reworking of older sialic crust can occur in several types of geological environment and appears to have become more prevalent with the passage of geological time. It is usually clearly distinguishable from continental growth, by application of appropriate age and isotope data. (author)
Prerequisites of Sustainable Development of Rural Tourism in Continental Croatia
Bartoluci Mato
Full Text Available The goal of this paper was to analyze the current status of rural tourism in Croatia and to identify possibilities, guidelines and methods of its sustainable development. The research has shown that rural tourism in Croatia falls behind the sun-and-beach holiday tourism in coastal Croatia and that numerous and diverse natural and social resources in Continental Croatia are insufficiently employed, especially in the Continental part of the country Past research of rural tourism in continental Croatia relied on individual entrepreneurial initiative and scarce funding resources, so that consequently a heterogeneous and fragmented rural tourism offer, based on various tourism forms and special interest tourism types, has developed in an unorganized way. However, rural tourism can become a driving force for the development of rural areas, taking into account the concept of sustainable development, based on the balance of economic, ecological and social responsibility. In the future, it should encourage development projects that ensure integrated tourist offer and thereby enable long-term sustainable development of rural tourism in continental Croatia.
Fuels management in the southern Appalachian Mountains, hot continental division
Matthew J. Reilly; Thomas A. Waldrop; Joseph J. O'Brien
The Southern Appalachian Mountains, Hot Continental Mountains Division, M220 (McNab and others 2007) are a topographically and biologically complex area with over 10 million ha of forested land, where complex environmental gradients have resulted in a great diversity of forest types. Abundant moisture and a long, warm growing season support high levels of productivity...
Early diagenesis of phosphorus in continental margin sediments
Slomp, C.P.
Most of the organic material in the oceans that reaches the sea floor is deposited on continental margins and not in the deep sea. This organic matter is the principal carrier of phosphorus (P) to sediments. A part of the organic material is buried definitely. The other part decomposes,
Continental Ice Sheets and the Planetary Radiation Budget
Oerlemans, J.
The interaction between continental ice sheets and the planetary radiation budget is potentially important in climate-sensitivity studies. A simple ice-sheet model incorporated in an energybalance climate model provides a tool for studying this interaction in a quantitative way. Experiments in which
Growth of the continental crust: constraints from radiogenic isotope geochemistry
Taylor, P.N.
Most models for evolution of continental crust are expressed in the form of a diagram illustrating the cumulative crustal mass (normalized relative to the present crustal mass) as a function of time. Thus, geochronological data inevitably play a major role in either constructing or testing crustal growth models. For all models, determining the start-time for effective crustal accretion is of vital importance. To this end, the continuing search for, and reliable characterization of, the most ancient crustal rock-units remains a worthy enterprise. Another important role for geochronology and radiogenic isotope geochemistry is to assess the status of major geological events as period either of new crust generation or of reworking of earlier formed continental crust. For age characterization of major geological provinces, using the critieria outined, the mass (or volume) of crust surviving to the present day should be determinable as a function of crust formation age. More recent developments, however, appear to set severe limitations on recycling of crust, at least by the process of sediment subduction. In modeling crustal growth without recycling, valuable constaints on growth rate variations through time can be provided if variations in the average age of the continental crust can be monitored through geological history. The question of the average age of the exposed continental crust was addressed by determining Sm-Nd crustal residence model ages (T-CR) for fine-grained sediment loads of many of the world's major rivers
Areas with special ecological values on the Dutch Continental Shelf
Lindeboom, H.J.; Kessel, J.G.; Berkenbosch, L.
In this report we are submitting proposals for the boundaries of areas on the Dutch Continental Shelf (DCS). In the National Spatial Strategy a conservation regime has been determined for five areas in the North Sea with special ecological values. RIKZ and Alterra have formulated this report in
Ooid turbidites from the Central Western continental margin of India
Rao, P.S.
Gravity displaced debris flows/turbidites have been observed in five box cores collected between water depths of 649 and 3,627 m from the Central Western continental margin of India. Studies on grain size, carbonate content, and coarse fraction...
The Statoil/Hydro fusion in a continental shelf perspective
Osmundsen, Petter
The article analysis the consequences of the Statoil/Hydro merger on the development on the Norwegian continental shelf. Various indicators of results of the market power the merger are presented and the effects of reduced competition on the markets are discussed. The advantages of the merger on the activities on the shelf are analyzed. (tk)
Clay mineral distribution on the Kerala continental shelf and slope
Rao, V.P.; Nair, R.R.; Hashimi, N.H.
Seventy-five sediment samples collected from the Kerala continental shelf and slope during the 17th and 71st Cruises of @iRV gaveshani@@ were analysed by X-ray diffraction for clay mineral cntent. The distribution of total clay (< 4~k fraction...
Statistical analysis of planktic foraminifera of the surface Continental ...
Planktic foraminiferal assemblage recorded from selected samples obtained from shallow continental shelf sediments off southwestern Nigeria were subjected to statistical analysis. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to determine variants of planktic parameters. Values obtained for these parameters were ...
CEO compensation, family control, and institutional investors in Continental Europe
Croci, Ettore; Gonenc, Halit; Ozkan, Neslihan
This paper investigates the impact of family control and institutional investors on CEO pay packages in Continental Europe, using a dataset of 754 listed firms with 3731 firm-year observations from 14 countries during 2001-2008. We find that family control curbs the level of CEO total and cash
The African Diaspora in continental African struggles for freedom ...
In light of this realization, this article discusses the contributions of the African Diaspora towards continental African liberation from European colonial domination, with a view to theorizing the implications of this history on the criticism of African Renaissance literature. Focusing on Diasporan African agency in organizing ...
Deep Crustal Melting and the Survival of Continental Crust
Whitney, D.; Teyssier, C. P.; Rey, P. F.; Korchinski, M.
Plate convergence involving continental lithosphere leads to crustal melting, which ultimately stabilizes the crust because it drives rapid upward flow of hot deep crust, followed by rapid cooling at shallow levels. Collision drives partial melting during crustal thickening (at 40-75 km) and/or continental subduction (at 75-100 km). These depths are not typically exceeded by crustal rocks that are exhumed in each setting because partial melting significantly decreases viscosity, facilitating upward flow of deep crust. Results from numerical models and nature indicate that deep crust moves laterally and then vertically, crystallizing at depths as shallow as 2 km. Deep crust flows en masse, without significant segregation of melt into magmatic bodies, over 10s of kms of vertical transport. This is a major mechanism by which deep crust is exhumed and is therefore a significant process of heat and mass transfer in continental evolution. The result of vertical flow of deep, partially molten crust is a migmatite dome. When lithosphere is under extension or transtension, the deep crust is solicited by faulting of the brittle upper crust, and the flow of deep crust in migmatite domes traverses nearly the entire thickness of orogenic crust in Recognition of the importance of migmatite (gneiss) domes as archives of orogenic deep crust is applicable to determining the chemical and physical properties of continental crust, as well as mechanisms and timescales of crustal differentiation.
Potential power-generating stations on the Atlantic Continental Shelf
Mittl, R.L.
Progress toward the installation of floating power plants, which represent a beneficial use of the continental shelf, is presented. The demonstration of the feasibility of such facilities with existing technology, and the thorough support by safety and environmental reviews, have been made possible by the efforts of engineers and scientists working toward supplying the nation's growing energy needs
Slumping on the western continental margin of India
Guptha, M.V.S.; Mohan, R.; Muralinath, A.S.
continental margin is believed to have set in motion during the beginning of Holocene. Besides, it infers that after 6 k.y. B.P. the magnitude of slumping is minimal. The slumping may be attributed to the evolution of methane gas as one of the important causes...
Continental smokers couple mantle degassing and distinctive microbiology within continents
Crossey, Laura J.; Karlstrom, Karl E.; Schmandt, Brandon; Crow, Ryan R.; Colman, Daniel R.; Cron, Brandi; Takacs-Vesbach, Cristina D.; Dahm, Clifford N.; Northup, Diana E.; Hilton, David R.; Ricketts, Jason W.; Lowry, Anthony R.
The discovery of oceanic black (and white) smokers revolutionized our understanding of mid-ocean ridges and led to the recognition of new organisms and ecosystems. Continental smokers, defined here to include a broad range of carbonic springs, hot springs, and fumaroles that vent mantle-derived fluids in continental settings, exhibit many of the same processes of heat and mass transfer and ecosystem niche differentiation. Helium isotope (3He/4He) analyses indicate that widespread mantle degassing is taking place in the western U.S.A., and that variations in mantle helium values correlate best with low seismic-velocity domains in the mantle and lateral contrasts in mantle velocity rather than crustal parameters such as GPS, proximity to volcanoes, crustal velocity, or composition. Microbial community analyses indicate that these springs can host novel microorganisms. A targeted analysis of four springs in New Mexico yield the first published occurrence of chemolithoautotrophic Zetaproteobacteria in a continental setting. These observations lead to two linked hypotheses: that mantle-derived volatiles transit through conduits in extending continental lithosphere preferentially above and at the edges of mantle low velocity domains. High CO2 and other constituents ultimately derived from mantle volatiles drive water-rock interactions and heterogeneous fluid mixing that help structure diverse and distinctive microbial communities.
Mineralogy of the carbonate sediments - western continental shelf of India
Nair, R.R.; Hashimi, N.H.
An X-ray diffraction study of forty-six sediment samples and three oolitic limestone samples from the western continental shelf of India shows that aragonite is the dominant carbonate mineral (99% maximum), followed by low-magnesium calcite (77...
Geochemistry of sediments of the eastern continental shelf of India
Mascarenhas, A.; Paropkari, A.L.; Murty, P.S.N.
The bulk and partition geochemistry of Al, Fe, Ti, Mn, Zn, and Cu have been investigated in sediments of the eastern continental shelf of India. The results show that (1) the bulk geochemistry varies from one shelf unit to the other, (2) all...
Structural lineaments from the magnetic anomaly maps of the eastern continental margin of India (ECMI) and NW Bengal Fan
Murthy, K.S.R.; Rao, T.C.S.; Subrahmanyam, A; Rao, M.M.M.; Lakshminarayana, S.
extension of 85 degrees E ridge, abutting the continental shelf off Chilka Lake and (3) trend 3, locted over the continental shelf/slope between Visakhapatnm and Paradip represents a folded (ridges and depressions) nature of the continental basement...
Global multi-scale segmentation of continental and coastal waters from the watersheds to the continental margins
KAUST Repository
Laruelle, G. G.; Dü rr, H. H.; Lauerwald, R.; Hartmann, J.; Slomp, C. P.; Goossens, N.; Regnier, P. A. G.
Past characterizations of the land-ocean continuum were constructed either from a continental perspective through an analysis of watershed river basin properties (COSCATs: COastal Segmentation and related CATchments) or from an oceanic perspective, through a regionalization of the proximal and distal continental margins (LMEs: large marine ecosystems). Here, we present a global-scale coastal segmentation, composed of three consistent levels, that includes the whole aquatic continuum with its riverine, estuarine and shelf sea components. Our work delineates comprehensive ensembles by harmonizing previous segmentations and typologies in order to retain the most important physical characteristics of both the land and shelf areas. The proposed multi-scale segmentation results in a distribution of global exorheic watersheds, estuaries and continental shelf seas among 45 major zones (MARCATS: MARgins and CATchments Segmentation) and 149 sub-units (COSCATs). Geographic and hydrologic parameters such as the surface area, volume and freshwater residence time are calculated for each coastal unit as well as different hypsometric profiles. Our analysis provides detailed insights into the distributions of coastal and continental shelf areas and how they connect with incoming riverine fluxes. The segmentation is also used to re-evaluate the global estuarine CO2 flux at the air-water interface combining global and regional average emission rates derived from local studies. © 2013 Author(s).
Laruelle, G. G.; Dü rr, H. H.; Lauerwald, R.; Hartmann, J.; Slomp, C. P.; Regnier, P. A. G.
files. Our analysis provides detailed insights into the distributions of coastal and continental shelf areas and how they connect with incoming riverine fluxes. The segmentation is also used to re-evaluate the global estuarine CO2 flux at the air–water interface combining global and regional average emission rates derived from local studies.
G. G. Laruelle
Full Text Available Past characterizations of the land–ocean continuum were constructed either from a continental perspective through an analysis of watershed river basin properties (COSCATs: COastal Segmentation and related CATchments or from an oceanic perspective, through a regionalization of the proximal and distal continental margins (LMEs: large marine ecosystems. Here, we present a global-scale coastal segmentation, composed of three consistent levels, that includes the whole aquatic continuum with its riverine, estuarine and shelf sea components. Our work delineates comprehensive ensembles by harmonizing previous segmentations and typologies in order to retain the most important physical characteristics of both the land and shelf areas. The proposed multi-scale segmentation results in a distribution of global exorheic watersheds, estuaries and continental shelf seas among 45 major zones (MARCATS: MARgins and CATchments Segmentation and 149 sub-units (COSCATs. Geographic and hydrologic parameters such as the surface area, volume and freshwater residence time are calculated for each coastal unit as well as different hypsometric profiles. Our analysis provides detailed insights into the distributions of coastal and continental shelf areas and how they connect with incoming riverine fluxes. The segmentation is also used to re-evaluate the global estuarine CO2 flux at the air–water interface combining global and regional average emission rates derived from local studies.
Laruelle, G.G.; Dürr, H.H.; Lauerwald, R.; Hartmann, J.; Slomp, C.P.; Goossens, N.; Regnier, P.A.G.
Past characterizations of the land–ocean continuum were constructed either from a continental perspective through an analysis of watershed river basin properties (COSCATs: COastal Segmentation and related CATchments) or from an oceanic perspective, through a regionalization of the proximal and
Laruelle, G. G.
Past characterizations of the land–ocean continuum were constructed either from a continental perspective through an analysis of watershed river basin properties (COSCATs: COastal Segmentation and related CATchments) or from an oceanic perspective, through a regionalization of the proximal and distal continental margins (LMEs: large marine ecosystems). Here, we present a global-scale coastal segmentation, composed of three consistent levels, that includes the whole aquatic continuum with its riverine, estuarine and shelf sea components. Our work delineates comprehensive ensembles by harmonizing previous segmentations and typologies in order to retain the most important physical characteristics of both the land and shelf areas. The proposed multi-scale segmentation results in a distribution of global exorheic watersheds, estuaries and continental shelf seas among 45 major zones (MARCATS: MARgins and CATchments Segmentation) and 149 sub-units (COSCATs). Geographic and hydrologic parameters such as the surface area, volume and freshwater residence time are calculated for each coastal unit as well as different hypsometric pro- files. Our analysis provides detailed insights into the distributions of coastal and continental shelf areas and how they connect with incoming riverine fluxes. The segmentation is also used to re-evaluate the global estuarine CO2 flux at the air–water interface combining global and regional average emission rates derived from local studies.
On the dynamics and the geochemical mechanism of the evolution of the continental crust. 1
Wetzel, K.
An investigation of the isotopic composition of oxygen in the continental crust, in the oceans, in the oceanic crust and in the upper mantle shows the dynamics of plate tectonics and continental growthto be more or less constant during the last three or four aeons independent on the geochemical mechanism of continental growth. (author)
The hot continental division: Oak forests, fire, and ecosystem management frame fuels management questions
Susan L. Stout; Matthew B. Dickinson; Gregory J. Nowacki
The Hot Continental Division is one of the larger ecoregions within the continental United States (McNab and Avers 1994), incorporating portions of 19 States and extending from the eastern seacoast to areas west of the Mississippi River (chapter 1). The Division includes the Eastern (Oceanic) and Eastern (Continental) Broadleaf Forest Provinces and two Mountain...
75 FR 73159 - Continental Tire North America, Inc., Receipt of Petition for Decision of Inconsequential...
...-0153; Notice 1] Continental Tire North America, Inc., Receipt of Petition for Decision of Inconsequential Noncompliance Continental Tire North America, Inc., (Continental),\\1\\ has determined that certain passenger car replacement tires manufactured in 2009 do not fully comply with paragraph S5.5(b) of Federal...
Mechanisms of continental subduction and exhumation of HP and UHP rocks
Burov, Evgene; Francois, Thomas; Yamato, Philippe; Wolf, Sylvie
We discuss possible scenarios of continental collision, and their relation to mechanisms of exhumation of HP and UHP rocks, inferred from thermo-mechanical numerical models accounting for thermo-rheological complexity of the continental lithosphere. Due to this complexity, mechanisms of continental
Influence of mid-crustal rheology on the deformation behavior of continental crust in the continental subduction zone
Li, Fucheng; Sun, Zhen; Zhang, Jiangyang
Although the presence of low-viscosity middle crustal layer in the continental crust has been detected by both geophysical and geochemical studies, its influence on the deformation behavior of continental crust during subduction remains poorly investigated. To illustrate the crustal deformation associated with layered crust during continental subduction, we conducted a suite of 2-D thermo-mechanical numerical studies with visco-brittle/plastic rheology based on finite-differences and marker-in-cell techniques. In the experiments, we established a three-layer crustal model with a quartz-rich middle crustal layer embedded between the upper and lower continental crust. Results show that the middle crustal layer determines the amount of the accreted upper crust, maximum subduction depth, and exhumation path of the subducted upper crust. By varying the initial effective viscosity and thickness of the middle crustal layer, the further effects can be summarized as: (1) a rheologically weaker and/or thicker middle crustal layer results in a larger percentage of the upper crust detaching from the underlying slab and accreting at the trench zone, thereby leading to more serious crustal deformation. The rest of the upper crust only subducts into the depths of high pressure (HP) conditions, causing the absence of ultra-high pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks; (2) a rheologically stronger and/or thinner middle crustal layer favors the stable subduction of the continental crust, dragging the upper crust to a maximum depth of ∼100 km and forming UHP rocks; (3) the middle crustal layer flows in a ductile way and acts as an exhumation channel for the HP-UHP rocks in both situations. In addition, the higher convergence velocity decreases the amount of subducted upper crust. A detailed comparison of our modeling results with the Himalayan collisional belt are conducted. Our work suggests that the presence of low-viscosity middle crustal layer may be another possible mechanism for
Density Sorting During the Evolution of Continental Crust
Kelemen, P. B.; Behn, M. D.; Hacker, B. R.
We consider two settings - in addition to "delamination" of arc lower crust - in which dense, mafic eclogites founder into the convecting mantle while buoyant, felsic lithologies accumulate at the base of evolving continental crust. Arc processes play a central role in generating continental crust, but it remains uncertain how basaltic arc crust is transformed to andesitic continental crust. Dense, SiO2-poor products of fractionation may founder from the base of arc crust by "delamination", but lower arc crust after delamination has significantly different trace elements compared to lower continental crust (LCC). In an alternative model, buoyant magmatic rocks generated at arcs are first subducted, mainly via subduction erosion. Upon heating, these buoyant lithologies ascend through the mantle wedge or along a subduction channel, and are "relaminated" at
the base of overlying crust (e.g., Hacker et al EPSL 11, AREPS 15). Average buoyant lavas and plutons
for the Aleutians, Izu-Bonin-Marianas, Kohistan and Talkeetna arcs fall within the range of estimated LCC major and trace elements. Relamination is more efficient in generating continental crust than delamination. Himalayan cross-sections show Indian crust thrust beneath Tibetan crust, with no intervening mantle. There is a horizontal Moho at ca 80 km depth, extending from thickened Indian crust, across the region where Tibetan crust overlies Indian crust, into thickened Tibetan crust. About half the subducted Indian crust is present, whereas the other half is missing. Data (Vp/Vs; Miocene lavas formed by interaction of continental crust with mantle; xenolith thermometry) indicate 1000°C or more from ca 50 km depth to the Moho since the Miocene. We build on earlier studies (LePichon et al Tectonics 92, T'phys 97; Schulte-Pelkum et al Nature 05; Monsalve et al JGR 08) to advance the hypothesis that rapid growth of garnet occurs at 70-80 km and 1000°C within subducting Indian crust. Dense eclogites founder
Antarctic new particle formation from continental biogenic precursors
E.-M. Kyrö
Full Text Available Over Antarctica, aerosol particles originate almost entirely from marine areas, with minor contribution from long-range transported dust or anthropogenic material. The Antarctic continent itself, unlike all other continental areas, has been thought to be practically free of aerosol sources. Here we present evidence of local aerosol production associated with melt-water ponds in continental Antarctica. We show that in air masses passing such ponds, new aerosol particles are efficiently formed and these particles grow up to sizes where they may act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN. The precursor vapours responsible for aerosol formation and growth originate very likely from highly abundant cyanobacteria Nostoc commune (Vaucher communities of local ponds. This is the first time freshwater vegetation has been identified as an aerosol precursor source. The influence of the new source on clouds and climate may increase in future Antarctica, and possibly elsewhere undergoing accelerating summer melting of semi-permanent snow cover.
Growth of the continental crust: a planetary-mantle perspective
Warren, P.H.
The lack of earth rocks older than about 3.8 Ga is frequently interpreted as evidence that the earth formed little or no subduction-resistant continental crust during the first 700 My of its history. Such models obviously imply that the pre-3.8 Ga earth was covered entirely or almost entirely by smoothly subducting oceanic crust. On the other hand, the thermal regime of the early earth probably tended to cause the oceanic crust at this time to be comparatively thin and comparatively mafic. The present earth is covered by about 50 percent oceanic crust, averaging about 7 km in thickness, and 41 percent continental crust, averaging roughly 40 km in thickness. Thus continentless-early-earth models would seem to imply a total mass of crust less than 1/3 that of the present day earth. Possible explanations are examined
Kyrö, E.-M.; Kerminen, V.-M.; Virkkula, A.; Dal Maso, M.; Parshintsev, J.; Ruíz-Jimenez, J.; Forsström, L.; Manninen, H. E.; Riekkola, M.-L.; Heinonen, P.; Kulmala, M.
Over Antarctica, aerosol particles originate almost entirely from marine areas, with minor contribution from long-range transported dust or anthropogenic material. The Antarctic continent itself, unlike all other continental areas, has been thought to be practically free of aerosol sources. Here we present evidence of local aerosol production associated with melt-water ponds in continental Antarctica. We show that in air masses passing such ponds, new aerosol particles are efficiently formed and these particles grow up to sizes where they may act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). The precursor vapours responsible for aerosol formation and growth originate very likely from highly abundant cyanobacteria Nostoc commune (Vaucher) communities of local ponds. This is the first time freshwater vegetation has been identified as an aerosol precursor source. The influence of the new source on clouds and climate may increase in future Antarctica, and possibly elsewhere undergoing accelerating summer melting of semi-permanent snow cover.
Source pool geometry and the assembly of continental avifaunas
Graves, Gary R; Rahbek, Carsten
Classical niche-assembly models propose that the composition of biotic communities in continental landscapes is determined chiefly by the autecology of species, interspecific competition, and the diversity of resources and habitats within a region. In contrast, stochastic models propose that simu......Classical niche-assembly models propose that the composition of biotic communities in continental landscapes is determined chiefly by the autecology of species, interspecific competition, and the diversity of resources and habitats within a region. In contrast, stochastic models propose...... on the assembly of avian communities with an analysis of assemblage dispersion fields, which can be visualized by overlaying the geographic ranges of all species that occur in an assemblage. Contours of species richness surrounding focal quadrats illustrate the decay rate of assemblage similarity with distance...... and exhibited complex geographical patterns that were associated with the distribution of biomes. These results are broadly consistent with the predictions of niche-assembly models but offer little support for stochastic assembly models....
COBBOOM: The Continental Breakup and Birth of Oceans Mission
Joann M. Stock
Full Text Available The rupture of continents and creation of new oceans is a fundamental yet primitively understood aspect of the plate tectonic cycle. Building upon past achievements by ocean drilling and geophysical and geologic studies, we propose "The Continental Breakup and Birth of Oceans Mission (COBBOOM� as the next major phase of discovery, for which sampling by drilling will be essential.In September 2006, fifty-one scientists from six continents gathered in Pontresina, Switzerland to discuss current knowledge of continental breakup and sedimentary basin formation and how the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP can deepen that knowledge Coffin et al., 2006. Workshop participants discussed a global array of rifted margins (Fig. 1, formulated the critical problems to beaddressed by future drilling and related investigations, and identified key rift systems poised for IODP investigations.
Integrative taxonomy for continental-scale terrestrial insect observations.
Cara M Gibson
Full Text Available Although 21(st century ecology uses unprecedented technology at the largest spatio-temporal scales in history, the data remain reliant on sound taxonomic practices that derive from 18(th century science. The importance of accurate species identifications has been assessed repeatedly and in instances where inappropriate assignments have been made there have been costly consequences. The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON will use a standardized system based upon an integrative taxonomic foundation to conduct observations of the focal terrestrial insect taxa, ground beetles and mosquitoes, at the continental scale for a 30 year monitoring program. The use of molecular data for continental-scale, multi-decadal research conducted by a geographically widely distributed set of researchers has not been evaluated until this point. The current paper addresses the development of a reference library for verifying species identifications at NEON and the key ways in which this resource will enhance a variety of user communities.
Integrative Taxonomy for Continental-Scale Terrestrial Insect Observations
Gibson, Cara M.; Kao, Rebecca H.; Blevins, Kali K.; Travers, Patrick D.
Although 21st century ecology uses unprecedented technology at the largest spatio-temporal scales in history, the data remain reliant on sound taxonomic practices that derive from 18th century science. The importance of accurate species identifications has been assessed repeatedly and in instances where inappropriate assignments have been made there have been costly consequences. The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) will use a standardized system based upon an integrative taxonomic foundation to conduct observations of the focal terrestrial insect taxa, ground beetles and mosquitoes, at the continental scale for a 30 year monitoring program. The use of molecular data for continental-scale, multi-decadal research conducted by a geographically widely distributed set of researchers has not been evaluated until this point. The current paper addresses the development of a reference library for verifying species identifications at NEON and the key ways in which this resource will enhance a variety of user communities. PMID:22666362
The origin of continental crust: Outlines of a general theory
Lowman, P. D., Jr.
The lower continental crust, formerly very poorly understood, has recently been investigated by various geological and geophysical techniques that are beginning to yield a generally agreed on though still vague model (Lowman, 1984). As typified by at least some exposed high grade terranes, such as the Scottish Scourian complex, the lower crust in areas not affected by Phanerozoic orogeny or crustal extension appears to consist of gently dipping granulite gneisses of intermediate bulk composition, formed from partly or largely supracrustal precursors. This model, to the degree that it is correct, has important implications for early crustal genesis and the origin of continental crust in general. Most important, it implies that except for areas of major overthrusting (which may of course be considerable) normal superposition relations prevail, and that since even the oldest exposed rocks are underlain by tens of kilometers of sial, true primordial crust may still survive in the lower crustal levels (of. Phinney, 1981).
ETHNOPRED: a novel machine learning method for accurate continental and sub-continental ancestry identification and population stratification correction
Background Population stratification is a systematic difference in allele frequencies between subpopulations. This can lead to spurious association findings in the case–control genome wide association studies (GWASs) used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with disease-linked phenotypes. Methods such as self-declared ancestry, ancestry informative markers, genomic control, structured association, and principal component analysis are used to assess and correct population stratification but each has limitations. We provide an alternative technique to address population stratification. Results We propose a novel machine learning method, ETHNOPRED, which uses the genotype and ethnicity data from the HapMap project to learn ensembles of disjoint decision trees, capable of accurately predicting an individual's continental and sub-continental ancestry. To predict an individual's continental ancestry, ETHNOPRED produced an ensemble of 3 decision trees involving a total of 10 SNPs, with 10-fold cross validation accuracy of 100% using HapMap II dataset. We extended this model to involve 29 disjoint decision trees over 149 SNPs, and showed that this ensemble has an accuracy of ≥ 99.9%, even if some of those 149 SNP values were missing. On an independent dataset, predominantly of Caucasian origin, our continental classifier showed 96.8% accuracy and improved genomic control's λ from 1.22 to 1.11. We next used the HapMap III dataset to learn classifiers to distinguish European subpopulations (North-Western vs. Southern), East Asian subpopulations (Chinese vs. Japanese), African subpopulations (Eastern vs. Western), North American subpopulations (European vs. Chinese vs. African vs. Mexican vs. Indian), and Kenyan subpopulations (Luhya vs. Maasai). In these cases, ETHNOPRED produced ensembles of 3, 39, 21, 11, and 25 disjoint decision trees, respectively involving 31, 502, 526, 242 and 271 SNPs, with 10-fold cross validation accuracy of
Tectonics and sedimentary process in the continental talud in Uruguay
De Santa Ana, H.; Soto, M.; Morales, E.; Tomasini, J.; Hernandez-Molina, F.; Veroslavsky, G.
The morphology and evolution of the continental margin of Uruguay is due to the interaction of an important set of sedimentary processes. The contourite and turbiditic are the most significant processes which are associated with the development of submarine canyons as well as the gravitational mass respect to major landslides. These processes generate erosional and depositional features with a direct impact on different areas of application, which have potential environmental risks (gravitational landslides, earthquakes, tsunamis) and potential economic resources
Glacial morphology and depositional sequences of the Antarctic Continental Shelf
ten Brink, Uri S.; Schneider, Christopher
Proposes a simple model for the unusual depositional sequences and morphology of the Antarctic continental shelf. It considers the regional stratal geometry and the reversed morphology to be principally the results of time-integrated effects of glacial erosion and sedimentation related to the location of the ice grounding line. The model offers several guidelines for stratigraphic interpretation of the Antarctic shelf and a Northern Hemisphere shelf, both of which were subject to many glacial advances and retreats. -Authors
USArray Imaging of Continental Crust in the Conterminous United States
Ma, Xiaofei; Lowry, Anthony R.
The thickness and bulk composition of continental crust provide important constraints on the evolution and dynamics of continents. Crustal mineralogy and thickness both may influence gravity anomalies, topographic elevation, and lithospheric strength, but prior to the inception of EarthScope's USArray, seismic measurements of crustal thickness and properties useful for inferring lithology are sparse. Here we improve upon a previously published methodology for joint inversion of Bouguer gravity anomalies and seismic receiver functions by using parameter space stacking of cross correlations of modeled synthetic and observed receiver functions instead of standard H-κ amplitude stacking. The new method is applied to estimation of thickness and bulk seismic velocity ratio, vP/vS, of continental crust in the conterminous United States using USArray and other broadband network data. Crustal thickness variations are reasonably consistent with those found in other studies and show interesting relationships to the history of North American continental formation. Seismic velocity ratios derived in this study are more robust than in other analyses and hint at large-scale variations in composition of continental crust. To interpret the results, we model the pressure-/temperature-dependent thermodynamics of mineral formation for various crustal chemistries, with and without volatile constituents. Our results suggest that hydration lowers bulk crustal vP/vS and density and releases heat in the shallow crust but absorbs heat in the lowermost crust (where plagioclase breaks down to pyroxene and garnet resulting in higher seismic velocity). Hence, vP/vS variations may provide a useful proxy for hydration state in the crust.
Seismic imaging of lithospheric discontinuities and continental evolution
Bostock, M. G.
Discontinuities in physical properties within the continental lithosphere reflect a range of processes that have contributed to craton stabilization and evolution. A survey of recent seismological studies concerning lithospheric discontinuities is made in an attempt to document their essential characteristics. Results from long-period seismology are inconsistent with the presence of continuous, laterally invariant, isotropic boundaries within the upper mantle at the global scale. At regional scales, two well-defined interfaces termed H (˜60 km depth) and L (˜200 km depth) of continental affinity are identified, with the latter boundary generally exhibiting an anisotropic character. Long-range refraction profiles are frequently characterized by subcontinental mantle that exhibits a complex stratification within the top 200 km. The shallow layering of this package can behave as an imperfect waveguide giving rise to the so-called teleseismic Pn phase, while the L-discontinuity may define its lower base as the culmination of a low velocity zone. High-resolution, seismic reflection profiling provides sufficient detail in a number of cases to document the merging of mantle interfaces into lower continental crust below former collisional sutures and magmatic arcs, thus unambiguously identifying some lithospheric discontinuities with thrust faults and subducted oceanic lithosphere. Collectively, these and other seismic observations point to a continental lithosphere whose internal structure is dominated by a laterally variable, subhorizontal layering. This stratigraphy appears to be more pronounced at shallower lithospheric levels, includes dense, anisotropic layers of order 10 km in thickness, and exhibits horizontal correlation lengths comparable to the lateral dimensions of overlying crustal blocks. A model of craton evolution which relies on shallow subduction as a principal agent of craton stabilization is shown to be broadly compatible with these characteristics.
Coupling between the continental carbon and water cycles
Gentine, P.; Lemordant, L. A.; Green, J. K.
The continental carbon adn water cycles are fundamentally coupled through leaf gas exchange at the stomata level. IN this presnetation we will emphasize the importance of this coupling for the future of the water cycle (runoff, evaporation, soil moisture) and in turn the implications for the carbon cycle and the capacity of continents to act as a carbon dioxyde sink in the future. Opprtunites from coupled carbon-water monitoring platforms will be then emphasized.
Continental drift and climate change drive instability in insect assemblages
Li, Fengqing; Tierno de Figueroa, Jos? Manuel; Lek, Sovan; Park, Young-Seuk
Global change has already had observable effects on ecosystems worldwide, and the accelerated rate of global change is predicted in the future. However, the impacts of global change on the stability of biodiversity have not been systematically studied in terms of both large spatial (continental drift) and temporal (from the last inter-glacial period to the next century) scales. Therefore, we analyzed the current geographical distribution pattern of Plecoptera, a thermally sensitive insect gro...
Biogeografía marina de Chile continental Marine biogeography of continental Chile
PATRICIO A. CAMUS
Full Text Available Por casi un siglo, varios autores han analizado los patrones de distribución de la fauna y flora marina del Pacífico de Sudamérica y de la costa de Chile en particular, con el propósito de establecer el número de las unidades biogeográficas presentes. Si bien los patrones generales actuales son relativamente bien conocidos, la mayoría de los estudios se ha enfocado en las discontinuidades distribucionales y en propuestas de clasificación más que en los factores y procesos dinámicos que han formado las unidades espaciales identificadas. Aun en el caso de las clasificaciones, las conclusiones publicadas se basan principalmente en el análisis de uno o pocos grupos seleccionados, y presentan diferencias importantes en los criterios de selección de los grupos, el número de especies involucrado y la metodología usada. Por otra parte, las discrepancias entre estudios específicos tienden a obscurecer un fenómeno relevante y de mayor escala como es la dinámica de las biotas, uno de los aspectos biogeográficos menos conocidos en Chile. En tal contexto, este trabajo presenta una revisión de literatura sobre la biogeografía marina de Chile y sus aspectos asociados, con los siguientes objetivos: (a resumir las características oceanográficas, climáticas y geomorfológicas de la costa continental de Chile; (b discutir 27 clasificaciones biogeográficas publicadas para la costa chilena, analizando los criterios y procedimientos usados por los autores, sus conclusiones principales, y la concordancia entre los estudios; (c evaluar los procesos dispersivos y vicariantes asociados a los desplazamientos y modificaciones de las biotas de la región, en función de los antecedentes disponibles sobre las condiciones existentes y los principales eventos ocurridos durante los períodos Terciario y Cuaternario; y (d proponer un escenario de cambio biogeográfico basado en determinantes históricas y su influencia en la formación, carácter y din
Short term solar radiation forecasting: Island versus continental sites
Boland, John; David, Mathieu; Lauret, Philippe
Due its intermittency, the large-scale integration of solar energy into electricity grids is an issue and more specifically in an insular context. Thus, forecasting the output of solar energy is a key feature to efficiently manage the supply-demand balance. In this paper, three short term forecasting procedures are applied to island locations in order to see how they perform in situations that are potentially more volatile than continental locations. Two continental locations, one coastal and one inland are chosen for comparison. At the two time scales studied, ten minute and hourly, the island locations prove to be more difficult to forecast, as shown by larger forecast errors. It is found that the three methods, one purely statistical combining Fourier series plus linear ARMA models, one combining clear sky index models plus neural net models, and a third using a clear sky index plus ARMA, give similar forecasting results. It is also suggested that there is great potential of merging modelling approaches on different horizons. - Highlights: • Solar energy forecasting is more difficult for insular than continental sites. • Fourier series plus linear ARMA models are one forecasting method tested. • Clear sky index models plus neural net models are also tested. • Clear sky index models plus linear ARMA is also an option. • All three approaches have similar skill.
Using continental land loading for routine data analysis
Petrov, L.
The availability of the hydrological models that are updated regularly made it feasible to apply for analysis of space geodesy data a reduction for 3D displacements caused by the changes in the continental water storage on a routine basis, as it is done for a long time with ocean loading and atmospheric pressure loading. The service of the continental storage water loading was launched in 2013. The service utilizes the outputs of several hydrological models and provides the 3D time series in the form of global maps with 1-3 hour time resolution, time series for the set of ~1000 space geodesy sites, and an on-demand web-based application that allows a user to compute and download the time series of displacements for user-specified sites. The design of such a service and experience of its running are summarized. The loading series were validated by processing all available VLBI data. Results of validation are presented. Impact of using continental water storage for data reduction on estimates of other parameters, such as station velocities, is discussed.
Modern sedimentary processes along the Doce river adjacent continental shelf
Valéria da Silva Quaresma
Full Text Available In areas of the continental shelf where sediment supply is greater than the sediment dispersion capacity, an extensive terrigenous deposits and consequently submerged deltas can be formed. The Eastern Brazilian shelf is characterized by the occurrence of river feed deltas in between starving coasts. Herein, modern sedimentary processes acting along the Doce river adjacent continental shelf are investigated. The main objective was to understand the shelf sediment distribution, recognizing distinct sedimentary patterns and the major influence of river sediment discharge in the formation of shelf deposits. The study used 98 surficial samples that were analyzed for grain size, composition and bulk density. Results revealed 3 distinct sectors: south - dominated by mud fraction with a recent deposition from riverine input until 30 m deep and from this depth bioclastic sands dominate; central north - sand mud dominated, been recognized as a bypass zone of resuspended sediment during high energy events; and north - relict sands with high carbonate content. The modern sedimentation processes along the Doce river continental shelf is dominated by distinct sedimentary regimes, showing a strong fluvial influence associated with wave/wind induced sediment dispersion and a carbonate regime along the outer shelf. These regimes seem to be controlled by the distance from the river mouth and bathymetric gradients.
The Role of the Submarine Channel Pernambuco in the Brazilian Continental Margin East
Torres, L.; Villena, H.
The Brazilian Continental Margin, which coastline measures more than 8,500km gives to Brazil continental dimensions. This huge region is conditioned by the action of process such as, sedimentals, tectonics, geomorphological and climatical, as example, which direct or in conjunction with other ones, since of continental break up between South America and Africa are going on and may be responsible for the current morphology of the margin. In accordance with this point of view, the Oriental part of the Brazilian Continental Margin, presents characteristics of a passive margin and fisiographically ''starved'', in which the continental break occur no more than 100km from de coastline and the sedimentary coverage is mainly carbonatic. The continental slope does not present great extension if compared with other parts of the Brazilian Margin and sharp gradient. The remark presence of the continental plateaus (Rio Grande Plateau and Pernambuco Plateau), which link with the continental rise and additionally the Paraiba, Pernambuco e Bahia seamounts, are the majors features in the morphology of the region between the slope and the continental rise. This paper will concentrate its focus on Bahia Seamount, with emphasis in the mainly erosive feature which cut transversally the seamounts, named Pernambuco Submarine Channel. It will be employed bathymetric multibeam and seismic data carried out by the Brazilian Continental Shelf Project (LEPLAC) in the current year and pieces of information from bibliographic researches in order to present a discussion by the hole of the Pernambuco Submarine Channel in the Occidental region of the Brazilian Continental Margin
Considering bioactivity in modelling continental growth and the Earth's evolution
Höning, D.; Spohn, T.
The complexity of planetary evolution increases with the number of interacting reservoirs. On Earth, even the biosphere is speculated to interact with the interior. It has been argued (e.g., Rosing et al. 2006; Sleep et al, 2012) that the formation of continents could be a consequence of bioactivity harvesting solar energy through photosynthesis to help build the continents and that the mantle should carry a chemical biosignature. Through plate tectonics, the surface biosphere can impact deep subduction zone processes and the interior of the Earth. Subducted sediments are particularly important, because they influence the Earth's interior in several ways, and in turn are strongly influenced by the Earth's biosphere. In our model, we use the assumption that a thick sedimentary layer of low permeability on top of the subducting oceanic crust, caused by a biologically enhanced weathering rate, can suppress shallow dewatering. This in turn leads to greater vailability of water in the source region of andesitic partial melt, resulting in an enhanced rate of continental production and regassing rate into the mantle. Our model includes (i) mantle convection, (ii) continental erosion and production, and (iii) mantle water degassing at mid-ocean ridges and regassing at subduction zones. The mantle viscosity of our model depends on (i) the mantle water concentration and (ii) the mantle temperature, whose time dependency is given by radioactive decay of isotopes in the Earth's mantle. Boundary layer theory yields the speed of convection and the water outgassing rate of the Earth's mantle. Our results indicate that present day values of continental surface area and water content of the Earth's mantle represent an attractor in a phase plane spanned by both parameters. We show that the biologic enhancement of the continental erosion rate is important for the system to reach this fixed point. An abiotic Earth tends to reach an alternative stable fixed point with a smaller
Sea-level response to melting of Antarctic ice shelves on multi-centennial timescales with the fast Elementary Thermomechanical Ice Sheet model (f.ETISh v1.0
F. Pattyn
Full Text Available The magnitude of the Antarctic ice sheet's contribution to global sea-level rise is dominated by the potential of its marine sectors to become unstable and collapse as a response to ocean (and atmospheric forcing. This paper presents Antarctic sea-level response to sudden atmospheric and oceanic forcings on multi-centennial timescales with the newly developed fast Elementary Thermomechanical Ice Sheet (f.ETISh model. The f.ETISh model is a vertically integrated hybrid ice sheet–ice shelf model with vertically integrated thermomechanical coupling, making the model two-dimensional. Its marine boundary is represented by two different flux conditions, coherent with power-law basal sliding and Coulomb basal friction. The model has been compared to existing benchmarks. Modelled Antarctic ice sheet response to forcing is dominated by sub-ice shelf melt and the sensitivity is highly dependent on basal conditions at the grounding line. Coulomb friction in the grounding-line transition zone leads to significantly higher mass loss in both West and East Antarctica on centennial timescales, leading to 1.5 m sea-level rise after 500 years for a limited melt scenario of 10 m a−1 under freely floating ice shelves, up to 6 m for a 50 m a−1 scenario. The higher sensitivity is attributed to higher ice fluxes at the grounding line due to vanishing effective pressure. Removing the ice shelves altogether results in a disintegration of the West Antarctic ice sheet and (partially marine basins in East Antarctica. After 500 years, this leads to a 5 m and a 16 m sea-level rise for the power-law basal sliding and Coulomb friction conditions at the grounding line, respectively. The latter value agrees with simulations by DeConto and Pollard (2016 over a similar period (but with different forcing and including processes of hydrofracturing and cliff failure. The chosen parametrizations make model results largely independent of spatial resolution so
Sea-level response to melting of Antarctic ice shelves on multi-centennial timescales with the fast Elementary Thermomechanical Ice Sheet model (f.ETISh v1.0)
The magnitude of the Antarctic ice sheet's contribution to global sea-level rise is dominated by the potential of its marine sectors to become unstable and collapse as a response to ocean (and atmospheric) forcing. This paper presents Antarctic sea-level response to sudden atmospheric and oceanic forcings on multi-centennial timescales with the newly developed fast Elementary Thermomechanical Ice Sheet (f.ETISh) model. The f.ETISh model is a vertically integrated hybrid ice sheet-ice shelf model with vertically integrated thermomechanical coupling, making the model two-dimensional. Its marine boundary is represented by two different flux conditions, coherent with power-law basal sliding and Coulomb basal friction. The model has been compared to existing benchmarks. Modelled Antarctic ice sheet response to forcing is dominated by sub-ice shelf melt and the sensitivity is highly dependent on basal conditions at the grounding line. Coulomb friction in the grounding-line transition zone leads to significantly higher mass loss in both West and East Antarctica on centennial timescales, leading to 1.5 m sea-level rise after 500 years for a limited melt scenario of 10 m a-1 under freely floating ice shelves, up to 6 m for a 50 m a-1 scenario. The higher sensitivity is attributed to higher ice fluxes at the grounding line due to vanishing effective pressure. Removing the ice shelves altogether results in a disintegration of the West Antarctic ice sheet and (partially) marine basins in East Antarctica. After 500 years, this leads to a 5 m and a 16 m sea-level rise for the power-law basal sliding and Coulomb friction conditions at the grounding line, respectively. The latter value agrees with simulations by DeConto and Pollard (2016) over a similar period (but with different forcing and including processes of hydrofracturing and cliff failure). The chosen parametrizations make model results largely independent of spatial resolution so that f.ETISh can potentially be
Continental transform margins : state of art and future milestones
Basile, Christophe
Transform faults were defined 45 years ago as 'a new class of fault' (Wilson, 1965), and transform margins were consequently individualized as a new class of continental margins. While transform margins represent 20 to 25 % of the total length of continent-ocean transitions, they were poorly studied, especially when compared with the amount of data, interpretations, models and conceptual progress accumulated on divergent or convergent continental margins. The best studied examples of transform margins are located in the northern part of Norway, south of South Africa, in the gulf of California and on both sides of the Equatorial Atlantic. Here is located the Côte d'Ivoire - Ghana margin, where the more complete data set was acquired, based on numerous geological and geophysical cruises, including ODP Leg 159. The first models that encompassed the structure and evolution of transform margins were mainly driven by plate kinematic reconstructions, and evidenced the diachronic end of tectonic activity and the non-cylindrical character of these margins, with a decreasing strike-slip deformation from the convex to the concave divergent-transform intersections. Further thermo-mechanical models were more specifically designed to explain the vertical displacements along transform margins, and especially the occurrence of high-standing marginal ridges. These thermo-mechanical models involved either heat transfer from oceanic to continental lithospheres across the transform faults or tectonically- or gravity-driven mass transfer in the upper crust. These models were far from fully fit observations, and were frequently dedicated to specific example, and not easily generalizable. Future work on transform continental margins may be expected to fill some scientific gaps, and the definition of working directions can benefit from the studies dedicated to other types of margins. At regional scale the structural and sedimentological variability of transform continental margins has
The petroleum resources on the Norwegian continental shelf. 2007
The petroleum resources will not last for ever. It is therefore important for Norway to look ahead so as to be prepared for the changes that will come. In this report, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate presents the current status of the petroleum resources on the Norwegian continental shelf. This is the basis on which the authorities can lay plans for the future. Since no-one can predict the future with certainty, on this occasion the Directorate is presenting four alternative scenarios for the future of Norwegian petroleum activities if the basic scenario proves incorrect. This will enable us to prepare ourselves for changes that may come, and to view the consequences of the various choices we can make. In this report, the Directorate also describes the various plays on the continental shelf, and explains the techniques used and the evaluations made when it estimates the undiscovered resources. This information is important for exploration work, particularly for new companies which need to get acquainted with the geology and the possibilities for finding oil and gas in Norway. Significant volumes remain to be produced and found on the Norwegian continental shelf. Only a third of the total resources have so far been produced, and a quarter of them have still not been discovered. Oil and gas prices are high at the moment, giving the industry and society in general good incentives to produce at a maximum rate. Oil production reached its peak a couple of years ago, but gas production is still increasing. However, the industry is finding less than it produces, which places demands on both it and the authorities. The industry must actively explore the acreage it has been allocated. The Petroleum Directorate believes that substantial resources can still be discovered in areas where production licences have been awarded. At the same time, the industry must gain access to new areas for exploration. The authorities must find an appropriate balance between concern for the
Anomalous heat flow belt along the continental margin of Brazil
Hamza, Valiya M.; Vieira, Fabio P.; Silva, Raquel T. A.
A comprehensive analysis of thermal gradient and heat flow data was carried out for sedimentary basins situated in the continental margin of Brazil (CMB). The results point to the existence of a narrow belt within CMB, where temperature gradients are higher than 30 °C/km and the heat flow is in excess of 70 mW/m2. This anomalous geothermal belt is confined between zones of relatively low to normal heat flow in the adjacent continental and oceanic regions. The width of the belt is somewhat variable, but most of it falls within the range of 100-300 km. The spatial extent is relatively large in the southern (in the basins of Pelotas, Santos and Campos) and northern (in the basins of Potiguar and Ceará) parts, when compared with those in the central parts (in the basins of South Bahia, Sergipe and Alagoas). The characteristics of heat flow anomalies appear to be compatible with those produced by thermal sources at depths in the lower crust. Hence, magma emplacement at the transition zone between lower crust and upper mantle is considered the likely mechanism producing such anomalies. Seismicity within the belt is relatively weak, with focal depths less than 10 km for most of the events. Such observations imply that "tectonic bonding" between continental and oceanic segments, at the transition zone of CMB, is relatively weak. Hence, it is proposed that passive margins like CMB be considered as constituting a type of plate boundary that is aseismic at sub-crustal levels, but allows for escape of significant amounts of earth's internal heat at shallow depths.
Geological constraints on continental arc activity since 720 Ma: implications for the link between long-term climate variability and episodicity of continental arcs
Cao, W.; Lee, C. T.
Continental arc volcanoes have been suggested to release more CO2 than island arc volcanoes due to decarbonation of wallrock carbonates in the continental upper plate through which the magmas traverse (Lee et al., 2013). Continental arcs may thus play an important role in long-term climate. To test this hypothesis, we compiled geological maps to reconstruct the surface distribution of granitoid plutons and the lengths of ancient continental arcs. These results were then compiled into a GIS framework and incorporated into GPlates plate reconstructions. Our results show an episodic nature of global continental arc activity since 720 Ma. The lengths of continental arcs were at minimums during most of the Cryogenian ( 720-670 Ma), the middle Paleozoic ( 460-300 Ma) and the Cenozoic ( 50-0 Ma). Arc lengths were highest during the Ediacaran ( 640-570 Ma), the early Paleozoic ( 550-430 Ma) and the entire Mesozoic with peaks in the Early Triassic ( 250-240 Ma), Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous ( 160-130 Ma), and Late Cretaceous ( 90-65 Ma). The extensive continental arcs in the Ediacaran and early Paleozoic reflect the Pan-African events and circum-Gondwana subduction during the assembly of the Gondwana supercontinent. The Early Triassic peak is coincident with the final closure of the paleo-Asian oceans and the onset of circum-Pacific subduction associated with the assembly of the Pangea supercontinent. The Jurassic-Cretaceous peaks reflect the extensive continental arcs established in the western Pacific, North and South American Cordillera, coincident with the initial dispersal of the Pangea. Continental arcs are favored during the final assembly and the early-stage dispersal of a supercontinent. Our compilation shows a temporal match between continental arc activity and long-term climate at least since 720 Ma. For example, continental arc activity was reduced during the Cryogenian icehouse event, and enhanced during the Early Paleozoic and Jurassic-Cretaceous greenhouse
New approaches to cost reduction on the UK continental shelf
Curtis, M I
The conference paper deals with cost reduction on the UK continental shelf. New approaches on the reduction of field development costs are compared with the cases if traditional approaches had been followed. Field developments where success in aligning the goals and objectives of the contractors and owners which led to projects being delivered on time but more than 20% below budget, are exemplified. The contractors in the alliance received 55% of the savings in addition to their normal profit. The procedure to follow in such cases, is discussed
Chronobiology of deep-water decapod crustaceans on continental margins.
Aguzzi, Jacopo; Company, Joan B
Species have evolved biological rhythms in behaviour and physiology with a 24-h periodicity in order to increase their fitness, anticipating the onset of unfavourable habitat conditions. In marine organisms inhabiting deep-water continental margins (i.e. the submerged outer edges of continents), day-night activity rhythms are often referred to in three ways: vertical water column migrations (i.e. pelagic), horizontal displacements within benthic boundary layer of the continental margin, along bathymetric gradients (i.e. nektobenthic), and endobenthic movements (i.e. rhythmic emergence from the substrate). Many studies have been conducted on crustacean decapods that migrate vertically in the water column, but much less information is available for other endobenthic and nektobenthic species. Also, the types of displacement and major life habits of most marine species are still largely unknown, especially in deep-water continental margins, where steep clines in habitat factors (i.e. light intensity and its spectral quality, sediment characteristics, and hydrography) take place. This is the result of technical difficulties in performing temporally scheduled sampling and laboratory testing on living specimens. According to this scenario, there are several major issues that still need extensive research in deep-water crustacean decapods. First, the regulation of their behaviour and physiology by a biological clock is almost unknown compared to data for coastal species that are easily accessible to direct observation and sampling. Second, biological rhythms may change at different life stages (i.e. size-related variations) or at different moments of the reproductive cycle (e.g. at egg-bearing) based on different intra- and interspecific interactions. Third, there is still a major lack of knowledge on the links that exist among the observed bathymetric distributions of species and selected autoecological traits that are controlled by their biological clock, such as the
Uncertainty in Analyzed Water and Energy Budgets at Continental Scales
Bosilovich, Michael G.; Robertson, F. R.; Mocko, D.; Chen, J.
Operational analyses and retrospective-analyses provide all the physical terms of mater and energy budgets, guided by the assimilation of atmospheric observations. However, there is significant reliance on the numerical models, and so, uncertainty in the budget terms is always present. Here, we use a recently developed data set consisting of a mix of 10 analyses (both operational and retrospective) to quantify the uncertainty of analyzed water and energy budget terms for GEWEX continental-scale regions, following the evaluation of Dr. John Roads using individual reanalyses data sets.
A Strategic Approach to the Maritime-Continental Strategy Debate
TYPE N/A 3. DATES COVERED - 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE A Strategic Approach to the Maritime-Continental Strategy Debate 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b...cesses, and 'the study ,'-,f strategi,- the,:,ry alqd histc, ry. Itl additi,:,n to his civilian gc, verr ~r,~ent expc.ri .... ence, his rrlilitary...is esset~- tial. The ,-,perati,-,nal purp,-,se ,_-,f that ,-ar~ipaig~; should n,-,t be the quix,-rti,- de ,- l ar at ,z, ry ob.je,ztive of de
Geological features and geophysical signatures of continental margins of India
Krishna, K.S.
of crustal movement had been introduced to the scientific community; and it has laid the groundwork for the development of modern plate tectonics. As years passed, more and more evidences were uncovered to support the idea that the plates were moving... to build-up of the wide and low-relief (flat) continental shelf (covered by shelf seas), slope and rise. Initially passive margins form at divergent plate boundary following break-up of the continent, then they move away with the accretion of new...
Curtis, M.I.
Diversidad de peces demersales en la plataforma continental del Ecuador
Coello, D.; Herrera, M.
A partir de información colectada de cuatro cruceros de investigación a bordo del B/l Tohalli, se analiza la diversidad de peces óseos y elasmobranquios presentes en la plataforma continental del Ecuador. Los valores medios de diversidad estimados indican que tanto las poblaciones de peces óseos y condrictios demersales hasta los 120 m de profundidad presenten heterogeneidad, con un grado significativo de organización. Las fluctuaciones en el índice de diversidad en las diferentes subáreas y ...
Changes in continental Europe water cycle in a changing climate
Rouholahnejad, Elham; Schirmer, Mario; Abbaspour, Karim
Changes in atmospheric water vapor content provide strong evidence that the water cycle is already responding to a warming climate. According to IPCC's last report on Climate Change (AR5), the water cycle is expected to intensify in a warmer climate as the atmosphere can hold more water vapor. This changes the frequency of precipitation extremes, increases evaporation and dry periods, and effects the water redistribution in land. This process is represented by most global climate models (GCMs) by increased summer dryness and winter wetness over large areas of continental mid to high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, associated with a reduction in water availability at continental scale. Observing changes in precipitation and evaporation directly and at continental scale is difficult, because most of the exchange of fresh water between the atmosphere and the surface happens the oceans. Long term precipitation records are available only from over the land and there are no measurement of evaporation or redistribution of precipitation over the land area. On the other hand, understanding the extent of climate change effects on various components of the water cycle is of strategic importance for public, private sectors, and policy makers when it comes to fresh water management. In order to better understand the extent of climate change impacts on water resources of continental Europe, we developed a distributed hydrological model of Europe at high spatial and temporal resolution using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The hydrological model was calibrated for 1970 to 2006 using daily observation of streamflow and nitrate loads from 360 gauging stations across Europe. A vegetation growth routine was added to the model to better simulate evapotranspiration. The model results were calibrated with available agricultural crop yield data from other sources. As of future climate scenarios, we used the ISI-MIP project results which provides bias-corrected climate
Preface: Biogeochemistry–ecosystem interaction on changing continental margins in the Anthropocene
Liu, K-K.; Emeis, K.-C.; Levin, L.A.; Naqvi, S.W.A.; Roman, M.
and hypercapnia in upwelling systems • Interactions between natural and social sciences for better steward- ship of continental margins. It has long been acknowledged (e.g., Doney, 2010; Liu et al., 2010) that marine ecosystems on continental margins, including... and possibly manage margin ecosystems in a changing world. Effective governance of social–ecological systems on continental margins is key to reducing the pervasive over- exploitation, depletion and destruction of marine resources and http://dx.doi.org/10...
Paleoenvironmental Evolution of Continental Carbonates in West-Central Brazil
EMILIANO C. OLIVEIRA
Full Text Available ABSTRACT This paper presents a sedimentological and stratigraphical study of Quaternary (Middle to Late Pleistocene/Holocene continental carbonates outcrops inside Pantanal Basin and its surroundings, especially in Serra da Bodoquena, Pantanal do Miranda and Corumbá/Ladário plateau, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, as well as in Serra das Araras, in the state of Mato Grosso. The aim is to understand the depositional paleoenvironments and analyse climate and tectonic influences in their genesis and evolution. The results show that the deposition of these continental carbonates started in the Middle to Late Pleistocene and have continued, with some interruptions, until the present days. Sedimentary successions were identified in the different areas, without complete correlation. Two sedimentary successions separated by an erosional surface were described in Serra da Bodoquena and Serra das Araras. In Corumbá and Pantanal do Miranda, only one succession was described. These successions were deposited in elongated lakes parallel to fault planes; small lakes, related plains and plateaus; springs related to cliffs produced by faulting; rivers conditioned by topographic variation. The climatic interpretation, without proper temporal resolution, obtained by the stable-isotope composition and stratigraphic interpretation, indicates alternation of dry and wet periods. The Neoproterozoic faults with their neotectonics and the subsidence of the Pantanal Basin, are the major control for carbonated water flow and development of depositional areas, gradually turning plateaus into slight tilted areas, allowing the evolution of depositional systems from lakes to rivers.
Permafrost warming and vegetation changes in continental Antarctica
Guglielmin, Mauro; Dalle Fratte, Michele; Cannone, Nicoletta
Continental Antarctica represents the last pristine environment on Earth and is one of the most suitable contexts to analyze the relations between climate, active layer and vegetation. In 2000 we started long-term monitoring of the climate, permafrost, active layer and vegetation in Victoria Land, continental Antarctica. Our data confirm the stability of mean annual and summer air temperature, of snow cover, and an increasing trend of summer incoming short wave radiation. The active layer thickness is increasing at a rate of 0.3 cm y −1 . The active layer is characterized by large annual and spatial differences. The latter are due to scarce vegetation, a patchy and very thin organic layer and large spatial differences in snow accumulation. The active layer thickening, probably due to the increase of incoming short wave radiation, produced a general decrease of the ground water content due to the better drainage of the ground. The resultant drying may be responsible for the decline of mosses in xeric sites, while it provided better conditions for mosses in hydric sites, following the species-specific water requirements. An increase of lichen vegetation was observed where the climate drying occurred. This evidence emphasizes that the Antarctic continent is experiencing changes that are in total contrast to the changes reported from maritime Antarctica. (paper)
Li, Fengqing; Tierno de Figueroa, José Manuel; Lek, Sovan; Park, Young-Seuk
Global change has already had observable effects on ecosystems worldwide, and the accelerated rate of global change is predicted in the future. However, the impacts of global change on the stability of biodiversity have not been systematically studied in terms of both large spatial (continental drift) and temporal (from the last inter-glacial period to the next century) scales. Therefore, we analyzed the current geographical distribution pattern of Plecoptera, a thermally sensitive insect group, and evaluated its stability when coping with global change across both space and time throughout the Mediterranean region—one of the first 25 global biodiversity hotspots. Regional biodiversity of Plecoptera reflected the geography in both the historical movements of continents and the current environmental conditions in the western Mediterranean region. The similarity of Plecoptera assemblages between areas in this region indicated that the uplift of new land and continental drift were the primary determinants of the stability of regional biodiversity. Our results revealed that climate change caused the biodiversity of Plecoptera to slowly diminish in the past and will cause remarkably accelerated biodiversity loss in the future. These findings support the theory that climate change has had its greatest impact on biodiversity over a long temporal scale.
Evolution of plant growth and defense in a continental introduction.
Agrawal, Anurag A; Hastings, Amy P; Bradburd, Gideon S; Woods, Ellen C; Züst, Tobias; Harvey, Jeffrey A; Bukovinszky, Tibor
Substantial research has addressed adaptation of nonnative biota to novel environments, yet surprisingly little work has integrated population genetic structure and the mechanisms underlying phenotypic differentiation in ecologically important traits. We report on studies of the common milkweed Asclepias syriaca, which was introduced from North America to Europe over the past 400 years and which lacks most of its specialized herbivores in the introduced range. Using 10 populations from each continent grown in a common environment, we identified several growth and defense traits that have diverged, despite low neutral genetic differentiation between continents. We next developed a Bayesian modeling approach to account for relationships between molecular and phenotypic differences, confirming that continental trait differentiation was greater than expected from neutral genetic differentiation. We found evidence that growth-related traits adaptively diverged within and between continents. Inducible defenses triggered by monarch butterfly herbivory were substantially reduced in European populations, and this reduction in inducibility was concordant with altered phytohormonal dynamics, reduced plant growth, and a trade-off with constitutive investment. Freedom from the community of native and specialized herbivores may have favored constitutive over induced defense. Our replicated analysis of plant growth and defense, including phenotypically plastic traits, suggests adaptive evolution following a continental introduction.
Late Pleistocene and Holocene mammal extinctions on continental Africa
Faith, J. Tyler
Understanding the cause of late Quaternary mammal extinctions is the subject of intense debate spanning the fields of archeology and paleontology. In the global context, the losses on continental Africa have received little attention and are poorly understood. This study aims to inspire new discussion of African extinctions through a review of the extinct species and the chronology and possible causes of those extinctions. There are at least 24 large mammal (> 5 kg) species known to have disappeared from continental Africa during the late Pleistocene or Holocene, indicating a much greater taxonomic breadth than previously recognized. Among the better sampled taxa, these losses are restricted to the terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene, between 13,000 and 6000 yrs ago. The African extinctions preferentially affected species that are grazers or prefer grasslands. Where good terrestrial paleoenvironmental records are present, extinctions are associated with changes in the availability, productivity, or structure of grassland habitats, suggesting that environmental changes played a decisive role in the losses. In the broader evolutionary context, these extinctions represent recent examples of selective taxonomic winnowing characterized by the loss of grassland specialists and the establishment of large mammal communities composed of more ecologically flexible taxa over the last million years. There is little reason to believe that humans played an important role in African extinctions.
Philosophical Intelligence: Letters, Print, and Experiment during Napoleon's Continental Blockade.
Watts, Iain P
This essay investigates scientific exchanges between Britain and France from 1806 to 1814, at the height of the Napoleonic Wars. It argues for a picture of scientific communication that sees letters and printed texts not as separate media worlds, but as interconnected bearers of time-critical information within a single system of intelligence gathering and experimental practice. During this period, Napoleon Bonaparte's Continental System blockade severed most links between Britain and continental Europe, yet scientific communications continued--particularly on electrochemistry, a subject of fierce rivalry between Britain and France. The essay traces these exchanges using the archive of a key go-between, the English man of science Sir Charles Blagden. The first two sections look at Blagden's letter-writing operation, reconstructing how he harnessed connections with neutral American diplomats, merchants, and the State to get scientific intelligence between London and Paris. The third section, following Blagden's words from Britain to France to America, looks at how information in letters cross-fertilized with information in print. The final section considers how letters and print were used together to solve the difficult practical problem of replicating experiments across the blockade.
Sedimentation on continental margins: An integrated program for innovative studies during the 1990s
Nittrourer, Charles A.; Coleman, James M.; Rouge, Baton; Flood, Roger D.; Ginsburg, Robert N.; Gorsline, Donn S.; Hine, Albert C.; Sternberg, Richard W.; Swift, Donald J. P.; Wright, L. Donelson
Continental margins are of great scientific interest, and they represent the focus of human interaction with the ocean. Their deep structure forms the transition from continental to oceanic crust, and their surface expression extends from coastal environments of estuaries and shorelines across the continental shelf and slope to either the base of a continental rise or a marginal trough. Modern continental margins represent natural laboratories for investigation of complex relationships between physical, chemical, and biological phenomena, which are sensitive to environmental conditions both on the land and in the ocean. The history of these conditions is preserved within the sedimentary deposits of continental margins. The deposits form repositories for much of the particulate material transported off the world's land masses and produced from dissolved components in the world ocean. Past deposits of continental margins have been uplifted to form many mountain ranges and sedimentary terrains of the world, which record details of Earth history and contain valuable natural resources, such as petroleum and natural gas. Modern deposits of continental margins record the more recent events that have influenced Earth and also contain natural resources (for instance, minerals, sand, and gravel), as well as anthropogenic pollutants (for example, heavy metals and pesticides). The fates of many materials beneficial and deleterious to humans are dependent on the pathways followed by sedimentary particles on continental margins.
Benthic assemblages of mega epifauna on the Oregon continental margin
Hemery, Lenaïg G.; Henkel, Sarah K.; Cochrane, Guy R.
Environmental assessment studies are usually required by a country's administration before issuing permits for any industrial activities. One of the goals of such environmental assessment studies is to highlight species assemblages and habitat composition that could make the targeted area unique. A section of the Oregon continental slope that had not been previously explored was targeted for the deployment of floating wind turbines. We carried out an underwater video survey, using a towed camera sled, to describe its benthic assemblages. Organisms were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible and assemblages described related to the nature of the seafloor and the depth. We highlighted six invertebrate assemblages and three fish assemblages. For the invertebrates within flat soft sediments areas we defined three different assemblages based on primarily depth: a broad mid-depth (98–315 m) assemblage dominated by red octopus, sea pens and pink shrimps; a narrower mid-depth (250–270 m) assemblage dominated by box crabs and various other invertebrates; and a deeper (310–600 m) assemblage dominated by sea urchins, sea anemones, various snails and zoroasterid sea stars. The invertebrates on mixed sediments also were divided into three different assemblages: a shallow (~100 m deep) assemblage dominated by plumose sea anemones, broad mid-depth (170–370 m) assemblage dominated by sea cucumbers and various other invertebrates; and, again, a narrower mid-depth (230–270 m) assemblage, dominated by crinoids and encrusting invertebrates. For the fish, we identified a rockfish assemblage on coarse mixed sediments at 170–370 m and another fish assemblage on smaller mixed sediments within that depth range (250–370 m) dominated by thornyheads, poachers and flatfishes; and we identified a wide depth-range (98–600 m) fish assemblage on flat soft sediments dominated by flatfishes, eelpouts and thornyheads. Three of these assemblages (the two
From continental to oceanic rifting in the Gulf of California
Ferrari, Luca; Bonini, Marco; Martín, Arturo
The continental margin of northwestern Mexico is the youngest example of the transition from a convergent plate boundary to an oblique divergent margin that formed the Gulf of California rift. Subduction of the Farallon oceanic plate during the Cenozoic progressively brought the East Pacific Rise (EPR) toward the North America trench. In this process increasingly younger and buoyant oceanic lithosphere entered the subduction zone until subduction ended just before most of the EPR could collide with the North America continental lithosphere. The EPR segments bounding the unsubducted parts of the Farallón plate remnants (Guadalupe and Magdalena microplates) also ceased spreading (Lonsdale, 1991) and a belt of the North American plate (California and Baja California Peninsula) became coupled with the Pacific Plate and started moving northwestward forming the modern Gulf of California oblique rift (Nicholson et al., 1994; Bohannon and Parsons, 1995). The timing of the change from plate convergence to oblique divergence off western Mexico has been constrained at the middle Miocene (15-12.5 Ma) by ocean floor morphology and magnetic anomalies as well as plate tectonic reconstructions (Atwater and Severinghaus, 1989; Stock and Hodges, 1989; Lonsdale, 1991), although the onset of transtensional deformation and the amount of right lateral displacement within the Gulf region are still being studied (Oskin et al., 2001; Fletcher et al., 2007; Bennett and Oskin, 2014). Other aspects of the formation of the Gulf of California remain not well understood. At present the Gulf of California straddles the transition from continental transtension in the north to oceanic spreading in the south. Seismic reflection-refraction data indicate asymmetric continent-ocean transition across conjugate margins of rift segments (González-Fernández et al., 2005; Lizarralde et al., 2007; Miller and Lizarralde, 2013; Martín-Barajas et al., 2013). The asymmetry may be related to crustal
Normal-Faulting in Madagascar: Another Round of Continental Rifting?
Wysession, M. E.; Pratt, M. J.; Tsiriandrimanana, R.; Andriampenomanana Ny Ony, F. S. T.; Nyblade, A.; Durrheim, R. J.; Tilmann, F. J.; Rumpker, G.; Rambolamanana, G.; Aleqabi, G. I.; Shore, P.
Analyses of seismicity and seismic structure within Madagascar suggest the current occurrence of crustal extension, which may be related to continental rifting associated with a diffuse boundary between the Somalia and Lwandle tectonic plates. Madagascar has participated in two major rifting events as part of the break-up of Gondwana: the break-away of Greater India (Madagascar, India, the Seychelles) away from mainland Africa during the Jurassic and the break-away of India from Madagascar during the Cretaceous. Seismic activity and the structures obtained from it, using data from the 2-year (2011-2013) MACOMO project, suggest that this break-up may not be finished, and that continental rifts may be developing again. There are fairly high levels of intraplate seismicity within Madagascar: over 800 events located during the 22 months of the deployment. For comparison, a 2-year deployment of seismometers within the upper Midwest of the U.S. yielded just 12 intraplate earthquakes. While the Madagascar seismicity occurs across the island, it is strongly concentrated in the central region, where Cenozoic volcanism has occurred through the Holocene, and earthquakes align along N-S-trending lineations associated with N-S-trending pull-apart graben structures. The thickness of the crust is still >40 km in this region, but it is underlain by a large low-velocity structure within the lithosphere and asthenosphere that is observed in our studies of surface-wave, body-wave, and Pn-phase tomography. Normal faulting is not observed everywhere on the island, however; seismicity in the north is largely strike-slip, and seismicity in the south appears to be largely reverse faulting. Several studies have suggested that the diffuse boundary between the Somalia and Lwandle plates runs roughly E-W across Madagascar. Extensional faulting seems to predominate only within central Madagascar, likely associated with the current volcanic activity, which also appears to be associated with the
Environmental assessment studies are usually required by a country's administration before issuing permits for any industrial activities. One of the goals of such environmental assessment studies is to highlight species assemblages and habitat composition that could make the targeted area unique. A section of the Oregon continental slope that had not been previously explored was targeted for the deployment of floating wind turbines. We carried out an underwater video survey, using a towed camera sled, to describe its benthic assemblages. Organisms were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible and assemblages described related to the nature of the seafloor and the depth. We highlighted six invertebrate assemblages and three fish assemblages. For the invertebrates within flat soft sediments areas we defined three different assemblages based on primarily depth: a broad mid-depth (98-315 m) assemblage dominated by red octopus, sea pens and pink shrimps; a narrower mid-depth (250-270 m) assemblage dominated by box crabs and various other invertebrates; and a deeper (310-600 m) assemblage dominated by sea urchins, sea anemones, various snails and zoroasterid sea stars. The invertebrates on mixed sediments also were divided into three different assemblages: a shallow ( 100 m deep) assemblage dominated by plumose sea anemones, broad mid-depth (170-370 m) assemblage dominated by sea cucumbers and various other invertebrates; and, again, a narrower mid-depth (230-270 m) assemblage, dominated by crinoids and encrusting invertebrates. For the fish, we identified a rockfish assemblage on coarse mixed sediments at 170-370 m and another fish assemblage on smaller mixed sediments within that depth range (250-370 m) dominated by thornyheads, poachers and flatfishes; and we identified a wide depth-range (98-600 m) fish assemblage on flat soft sediments dominated by flatfishes, eelpouts and thornyheads. Three of these assemblages (the two broad fish assemblages and the deep
Tectonostratigraphy of the Passive Continental Margin Offshore Indus Pakistan
Aslam, K.; Khan, M.; Liu, Y.; Farid, A.
The tectonic evolution and structural complexities are poorly understood in the passive continental margin of the Offshore Indus of Pakistan. In the present study, an attempt has been made to interpret the structural trends and seismic stratigraphic framework in relation to the tectonics of the region. Seismic reflection data revealed tectonically controlled, distinct episodes of normal faulting representing rifting at different ages and transpression in the Late Eocene time. This transpression has resulted in the reactivation of the Pre-Cambrian basement structures. The movement of these basement structures has considerably affected the younger sedimentary succession resulting in push up structures resembling anticlines. The structural growth of the push-up structures was computed. The most remarkable tectonic setting in the region is represented by the normal faulting and by the basement uplift which divides the rifting and transpression stages. Ten mappable seismic sequences have been identified on the seismic records. A Jurassic aged paleo-shelf has also been identified on all regional seismic profiles which is indicative of Indian-African Plates separation during the Jurassic time. Furthermore, the backstripping technique was applied which has been proved to be a powerful technique to quantify subsidence/uplift history of rift-type passive continental margins. The back strip curves suggest that transition from an extensional rifted margin to transpression occurred during Eocene time (50-30 Ma). The backstripping curves show uplift had happened in the area. We infer that the uplift has occurred due to the movement of basement structures by the transpression movements of Arabian and Indian Plates. The present study suggests that the structural styles and stratigraphy of the Offshore Indus Pakistan were significantly affected by the tectonic activities during the separation of Gondwanaland in the Mesozoic and northward movement of the Indian Plate, post
Is there a distinct continental slope fauna in the Antarctic?
Kaiser, Stefanie; Griffiths, Huw J.; Barnes, David K. A.; Brandão, Simone N.; Brandt, Angelika; O'Brien, Philip E.
The Antarctic continental slope spans the depths from the shelf break (usually between 500 and 1000 m) to ˜3000 m, is very steep, overlain by 'warm' (2-2.5 °C) Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW), and life there is poorly studied. This study investigates whether life on Antarctica's continental slope is essentially an extension of the shelf or the abyssal fauna, a transition zone between these or clearly distinct in its own right. Using data from several cruises to the Weddell Sea and Scotia Sea, including the ANDEEP (ANtarctic benthic DEEP-sea biodiversity, colonisation history and recent community patterns) I-III, BIOPEARL (BIOdiversity, Phylogeny, Evolution and Adaptive Radiation of Life in Antarctica) 1 and EASIZ (Ecology of the Antarctic Sea Ice Zone) II cruises as well as current databases (SOMBASE, SCAR-MarBIN), four different taxa were selected (i.e. cheilostome bryozoans, isopod and ostracod crustaceans and echinoid echinoderms) and two areas, the Weddell Sea and the Scotia Sea, to examine faunal composition, richness and affinities. The answer has important ramifications to the link between physical oceanography and ecology, and the potential of the slope to act as a refuge and resupply zone to the shelf during glaciations. Benthic samples were collected using Agassiz trawl, epibenthic sledge and Rauschert sled. By bathymetric definition, these data suggest that despite eurybathy in some of the groups examined and apparent similarity of physical conditions in the Antarctic, the shelf, slope and abyssal faunas were clearly separated in the Weddell Sea. However, no such separation of faunas was apparent in the Scotia Sea (except in echinoids). Using a geomorphological definition of the slope, shelf-slope-abyss similarity only changed significantly in the bryozoans. Our results did not support the presence of a homogenous and unique Antarctic slope fauna despite a high number of species being restricted to the slope. However, it remains the case that there may be
High water content in primitive continental flood basalts.
Xia, Qun-Ke; Bi, Yao; Li, Pei; Tian, Wei; Wei, Xun; Chen, Han-Lin
As the main constituent of large igneous provinces, the generation of continental flood basalts (CFB) that are characterized by huge eruption volume (>10(5) km(3)) within short time span (primitive CFB in the early Permian Tarim large igneous province (NW China), using the H2O content of ten early-formed clinopyroxene (cpx) crystals that recorded the composition of the primitive Tarim basaltic melts and the partition coefficient of H2O between cpx and basaltic melt. The arc-like H2O content (4.82 ± 1.00 wt.%) provides the first clear evidence that H2O plays an important role in the generation of CFB.
Behaviour of green facades in Mediterranean Continental climate
Perez, G.; Rincon, L.; Vila, A.; Gonzalez, J.M.; Cabeza, L.F.
In order to obtain data on the behaviour of green facades in buildings as a passive system for energy savings in dry Mediterranean Continental climate a long-term work has been performed. This paper presents the first results of two actions developed during 2009. First, the growth of four different climbing plants as well as their ability to provide shadow was studied. Second, monitoring for a year of a real green facade was carried out. The results confirmed the great capacity of green facades to produce shade, reducing the heat on the facade wall of the building. It was also verified that a microclimate between the wall of the building and the green curtain are created, characterized by slightly lower temperatures and higher relative humidity. This means that the green screen acts as a wind barrier and confirms the evapotranspiration effect of the plants. On the other hand, these results did not allow withdrawing conclusions about the insulation effect of green facades.
Exploration activity has reached record-breaking levels in the last couple of years, which has led to many, but small, discoveries. The NPD believes that large discoveries can still be made in areas of the shelf that have not been extensively explored. Content: Challenges on the Norwegian continental shelf; Value creation in fields; 40 years of oil and gas production; Resource management; Still many possibilities; Energy consumption and the environment; Exploration; Access to acreage; Awards of new licenses; Exploration in frontier areas; Exploration history and statistics; Resources and forecasts; Undiscovered resources; Proven recoverable resources; Forecasts; Short-term petroleum production forecast (2009-2013); Investments- and operating costs forecasts; Long-term forecast for the petroleum production; Emissions from the petroleum activity. (AG)
National Fire Risk Map for Continental USA: Creation and Validation
Zhang, Q; Wollersheim, M; Griffiths, S; Maddox, I
A nation-wide fire risk map for the continental USA has been created based on a hybrid fire risk model, incorporating a combination of static risk indicators which change very slowly over time, and dynamic risk indicators that may vary significantly from week-to-week. Static risk indicators include: terrain elevation, terrain slope, terrain aspect, and distance from roads and settlements. Each of the static risk indicators are derived from Intermap's high-accuracy NEXTMap ® USA database. The dynamic risk indicators are derived from satellite-based multi-spectral imagery and provide a snapshot of the fuel-moisture conditions during fire seasons. Each of these risk indicators are combined to produce a map provided at 5m posting and normalized to the range of 0 (very low risk) and 255 (very high risk). The map has been validated in two selected areas using historical fire information
Geochemistry of marine sediments of the Brazilian Northeastern continental shelf
Fernanda Souza do Nascimento
Full Text Available The marine sediment samples collected from the northeastern Brazilian continental shelf, at water depths between 20 and 80 m, consisted mainly of sands with an almost total absence of gravel and granules. Medium, coarse and very coarse sand grains are mostly composed of halimeda, lithothamnium, rodoliths and bioclastic sands with a carbonate content varying between 77 and 96 %. The chemistry in general shows a decreasing content of Ca (86.1 % >Si (6 % > Cl (3.6 % > Sr (0.8 % > K (0.66 % > S (0.62 % > Al (0.6 % > Na (0.55% > Mg (0.43 % > Fe (0.4 % > P (0.2 % > Br (0.04 % in the samples. There was no correlation between CaCO3 and chemical contents and grain size with depth and bio-components. With the exception of Sr of marine origin, all other elements (P, S, Br, Cl, Fe are of continental origin. The lithothamnium of some offshore samples shows higher CaCO3 content, while Mg and Na are present only in halimedas. Bioclastic sands contain no Br, and silt and clay fractions are rare and characterize samples closer to the coast. These marine bioclastic granulates are of very pure biogenic calcium carbonates and are thus highly to be recommended for economic purposes.Os granulados marinhos, da Plataforma Continental do nordeste brasileiro, coletados de profundidades entre 20 e 80 m, são predominantemente areias cascalhosas constituídas de halimedas, litotames, rodolitos e areias bioclásticas, cujos teores de carbonatos variam de 77 a 96 %. A concentração média geral de elementos químicos na ordem decrescente é Ca (86.1 % > Si (6 % > Cl (3.6 % > Sr (0.8 % > K (0.66 % > S (0.62 % > Al (0.6 % > Na (0.55 % > Mg (0.43 % > Fe (0.4 % > P (0.2 % > Br (0,04 %, independentemente da profundidade e tipo de bio-componente. Com exceção do Sr, que é de origem marinha, os demais elementos (P, S, Br, Cl, Fe são de origem continental. Elementos como Mg e Na foram restritos às halimedas em apenas duas amostras, enquanto Br não foi detectado nas areias
U-topia em O Continente de Gustavo Scheffer
Nils Goran Skare
Full Text Available Este artigo busca discutir a espacialidade cinematográfica e, para tanto, analisa o curta-metragem O Continente do cineasta paranaense Gustavo Scheffer, à luz da psicanálise lacaniana. São apresentados o conceito de nó borromeano; de metáfora, metonímia, significante fálico e significante-mestre; e de narrativa, ideologia e reificação. Descobre-se no filme uma cena fantasmática ligada à u-topia, relação que é tese deste artigo. Por fim, esboça-se uma tipologia das u-topias cinematográficas.
Continental crustal formation and recycling: Evidence from oceanic basalts
Saunders, A. D.; Tarney, J.; Norry, M. J.
Despite the wealth of geochemical data for subduction-related magma types, and the clear importance of such magmas in the creation of continental crust, there is still no concensus about the relative magnitudes of crustal creation versus crustal destruction (i.e., recycling of crust into the mantle). The role of subducted sediment in the formation of the arc magmas is now well documented; but what proportion of sediment is taken into the deeper mantle? Integrated isotopic and trace element studies of magmas erupted far from presently active subduction zones, in particular basaltic rocks erupted in the ocean basins, are providing important information about the role of crustal recycling. By identifying potential chemical tracers, it is impossible to monitor the effects of crustal recycling, and produce models predicting the mass of material recycled into the mantle throughout long periods of geological time.
Potential alternative energy technologies on the Outer Continental Shelf.
Elcock, D.; Environmental Assessment
This technical memorandum (TM) describes the technology requirements for three alternative energy technologies for which pilot and/or commercial projects on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) are likely to be proposed within the next five to seven years. For each of the alternative technologies--wind, wave, and ocean current--the TM first presents an overview. After each technology-specific overview, it describes the technology requirements for four development phases: site monitoring and testing, construction, operation, and decommissioning. For each phase, the report covers the following topics (where data are available): facility description, electricity generated, ocean area (surface and bottom) occupied, resource requirements, emissions and noise sources, hazardous materials stored or used, transportation requirements, and accident potential. Where appropriate, the TM distinguishes between pilot-scale (or demonstration-scale) facilities and commercial-scale facilities.
Continental integration and energy demand in the United States
Manning, D.J.
This presentation highlighted some of the major issues regarding energy demand in the United States and continental integration. The energy markets in Canada and the United States are economically integrated with large cross-border investment. Therefore, the energy infrastructure can be significantly affected by inconsistencies between the two countries in policy, regulatory processes and fiscal regimes. The author discussed the inelasticity in the natural gas demand in the United States in the near-term, and how natural gas consumption, particularly for power generation, is greater than North America's supply capacity. New supplies such as liquefied natural gas and arctic gas are needed to meet growing demands. The role of renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency was also discussed. It was emphasized that imbalances in supply and demand inevitably lead to price volatility and that high prices are a major obstacle to economic growth. tabs., figs
Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E)
Jensen, MP; Petersen, WA; Del Genio, AD; Giangrande, SE; Heymsfield, A; Heymsfield, G; Hou, AY; Kollias, P; Orr, B; Rutledge, SA; Schwaller, MR; Zipser, E
The Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) will take place in central Oklahoma during the April–May 2011 period. The experiment is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Ground Validation (GV) program. The field campaign leverages the unprecedented observing infrastructure currently available in the central United States, combined with an extensive sounding array, remote sensing and in situ aircraft observations, NASA GPM ground validation remote sensors, and new ARM instrumentation purchased with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding. The overarching goal is to provide the most complete characterization of convective cloud systems, precipitation, and the environment that has ever been obtained, providing constraints for model cumulus parameterizations and space-based rainfall retrieval algorithms over land that have never before been available.
Continental shelf sediment dynamics in the Anthropocene: A global shift
Oberle, Ferdinand K. J.; Puig, Pere; Martin, Jacobo
Recent technological advances in remote sensing and deep marine sampling have revealed the extent and magnitude of the anthropogenic impacts to the seafloor. In particular, bottom trawling, a fishing technique consisting of dragging a net and fishing gear over the seafloor to capture bottom-dwelling living resources has gained attention due to its destructive effects on the seabed. Trawling gear produces acute impacts on biota and the physical substratum of the seafloor by disrupting the sediment column structure, overturning boulders, resuspending sediments and imprinting deep scars on muddy bottoms. Also, the repetitive passage of trawling gear over the same areas creates long-lasting, cumulative impacts that modify the cohesiveness and texture of sediments. It can be asserted nowadays that due to its recurrence, mobility and wide geographical extent, industrial trawling has become a major force driving seafloor change and affecting not only its physical integrity on short spatial scales but also imprinting measurable modifications to the geomorphology of entire continental margins.
32 CFR Appendix G to Part 623 - Continental US Army Boundaries
... 32 National Defense 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Continental US Army Boundaries G Appendix G to Part 623 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT LOAN OF ARMY MATERIEL Pt. 623, App. G Appendix G to Part 623—Continental US Army Boundaries...
Plant speciation in continental island floras as exemplified by Nigella in the Aegean Archipelago
Comes, Hans Peter; Tribsch, Andreas; Bittkau, Christiane
Continental shelf island systems, created by rising sea levels, provide a premier setting for studying the effects of geographical isolation on non-adaptive radiation and allopatric speciation brought about by genetic drift. The Aegean Archipelago forms a highly fragmented complex of mostly continental shelf islands that have become disconnected from each other and the mainland in relatively recent geological times (ca
Oceanic-type accretion may begin before complete continental break-up
Geoffroy, L.; Zalan, P. V.; Viana, A. R.
Oceanic accretion is thought to be the process of oceanic crust (and lithosphere) edification through adiabatic melting of shallow convecting mantle at oceanic spreading ridges. It is usually considered as a post-breakup diagnostic process following continents rupturing. However, this is not always correct. The structure of volcanic passive margins (representing more than 50% of passive continental margins) outlines that the continental lithosphere is progressively changed into oceanic-type lithosphere during the stage of continental extension. This is clear at least, at crustal level. The continental crust is 'changed' from the earliest stages of extension into a typical -however thicker- oceanic crust with the typical oceanic magmatic layers (from top to bottom: lava flows/tuffs, sheeted dyke complexes, dominantly (sill-like) mafic intrusions in the lower crust). The Q-rich continental crust is highly extended and increases in volume (due to the magma) during the extensional process. At the continent-ocean transition there is, finally, no seismic difference between this highly transformed continental crust and the oceanic crust. Using a large range of data (including deep seismic reflection profiles), we discuss the mantle mechanisms that governs the process of mantle-assisted continental extension. We outline the large similarity between those mantle processes and those acting at purely-oceanic spreading axis and discuss the effects of the inherited continental lithosphere in the pattern of new mafic crust edification.
Holocene limestones of part of the western continental shelf of India
Nair, R.R.; Hashimi, N.H.; Guptha, M.V.S.
, while those on te upper continental slope (130-180 m) are algal bryozoan limestones. The limestones have a radiocarbon age ranging between 9,000 and 11,000 years. Depositional environmental on the continental shelf during the Holocene appears...
Dynamics of tidal and non-tidal currents along the southwest continental shelf of India
Aruna, C.; Ravichandran, C.; Srinivas, K.; Rasheed, P.A.A.; Lekshmi, S.
are predominantly mixed, semidiurnal in nature. Motion over any continental shelf is governed by the tide-driven oscillatory flow. In this paper, tidal and non-tidal characteristics of the waters of Southwest continental shelf of India are assessed using...
Nutrient Distributions, Transports, and Budgets on the Inner Margin of a River-Dominated Continental Shelf
Nutrient distributions, transports, and budgets on the inner margin of a river-dominated continental shelf John C. Lehrter,1 Dong S. Ko,2 Michael C...and D. C. Biggs (1993), The influence of advec- tion on the spatial variability of nutrient concentrations on the Texas- Louisiana continental shelf
Radiation stress and mean drift in continental shelf waves
Weber, Jan Erik H.; Drivdal, Magnus
The time- and depth-averaged mean drift induced by barotropic continental shelf waves (CSW's) is studied theoretically for idealized shelf topography by calculating the mean volume fluxes to second order in wave amplitude. The waves suffer weak spatial damping due to bottom friction, which leads to radiation stress forcing of the mean fluxes. In terms of the total wave energy density EÌ…Ì… over the shelf region, the radiation stress tensor component SÌ…11 for CSW's is found to be different from that of shallow water surface waves in a non-rotating ocean. For CSW's, the ratio SÌ…11/EÌ… depends strongly on the wave number. The mean Lagrangian flow forced by the radiation stress can be subdivided into a Stokes drift and a mean Eulerian drift current. The magnitude of latter depends on ratio between the radiation stress and the bottom stress acting on the mean flow. When the effect of bottom friction acts equally strong on the waves and the mean current, calculations for short CSW's show that the Stokes drift and the friction-dependent wave-induced mean Eulerian current varies approximately in anti-phase over the shelf, and that the latter is numerically the largest. For long CSW's they are approximately in phase. In both cases the mean Lagrangian current, which is responsible for the net particle drift, has its largest numerical value at the coast on the shallow part of the shelf. Enhancing the effect of bottom friction on the Eulerian mean flow, results in a general current speed reduction, as well as a change in spatial structure for long waves. Applying realistic physical parameters for the continental shelf west of Norway, calculations yield along-shelf mean drift velocities for short CSW's that may be important for the transport of biological material, neutral tracers, and underwater plumes of dissolved oil from deepwater drilling accidents.
Continental temperatures through the early Eocene in western central Europe
Inglis, G. N.; Collinson, M. E.; Riegel, W.; Wilde, V.; Farnsworth, A.; Lunt, D. J.; Robson, B.; Scott, A. C.; Lenz, O.; Pancost, R.
In contrast to the marine realm, our understanding of terrestrial temperature change during greenhouse climates is poorly constrained. Recently, branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) have been used to successfully reconstruct mean annual air temperature (MAAT) during the early Paleogene. However, despite the potential to provide new insights into terrestrial climate, the application of this proxy in lignite and coal deposits is still limited. Using samples recovered from Schöningen, Germany ( 48°N), we provide the first detailed study into the occurrence and distribution of brGDGTs through a sequence of Early Eocene lignites and associated marine interbeds. Branched GDGTs are abundant and present in every sample. In comparison to modern studies, changes in vegetation type do not appear to significantly impact brGDGT distributions; however, there are subtle differences in these distributions between lignites and siliciclastic nearshore marine interbed sediments. Using the most recent brGDGT temperature calibration, we generate the first continental temperature record from central-western continental Europe through the Early Eocene. Lignite-derived MAAT estimates range from 23 to 26°C and those derived from the nearshore marine interbeds always exceed 20°C. These estimates are consistent with other mid-latitude palaeoclimate proxy records which indicate enhanced early Eocene warmth. In the basal part of the section, warming is recorded in both the lignites ( 2°C) and nearshore marine interbeds ( 2-3°C). This culminates in a long-term temperature maximum, likely including the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO). Although this trend is relatively well established in marginal marine sediments within the SW Pacific, it has rarely been shown in other regions or terrestrial settings. Using a suite of new climate model simulations, our warming trend is consistent with a doubling of CO2 (from 560ppmv to 1120ppmv) which broadly agrees with proxy
Habitat specialization in tropical continental shelf demersal fish assemblages.
Ben M Fitzpatrick
Full Text Available The implications of shallow water impacts such as fishing and climate change on fish assemblages are generally considered in isolation from the distribution and abundance of these fish assemblages in adjacent deeper waters. We investigate the abundance and length of demersal fish assemblages across a section of tropical continental shelf at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, to identify fish and fish habitat relationships across steep gradients in depth and in different benthic habitat types. The assemblage composition of demersal fish were assessed from baited remote underwater stereo-video samples (n = 304 collected from 16 depth and habitat combinations. Samples were collected across a depth range poorly represented in the literature from the fringing reef lagoon (1-10 m depth, down the fore reef slope to the reef base (10-30 m depth then across the adjacent continental shelf (30-110 m depth. Multivariate analyses showed that there were distinctive fish assemblages and different sized fish were associated with each habitat/depth category. Species richness, MaxN and diversity declined with depth, while average length and trophic level increased. The assemblage structure, diversity, size and trophic structure of demersal fishes changes from shallow inshore habitats to deeper water habitats. More habitat specialists (unique species per habitat/depth category were associated with the reef slope and reef base than other habitats, but offshore sponge-dominated habitats and inshore coral-dominated reef also supported unique species. This suggests that marine protected areas in shallow coral-dominated reef habitats may not adequately protect those species whose depth distribution extends beyond shallow habitats, or other significant elements of demersal fish biodiversity. The ontogenetic habitat partitioning which is characteristic of many species, suggests that to maintain entire species life histories it is necessary to protect corridors of
On causal links between flood basalts and continental breakup
Courtillot, V.; Jaupart, C.; Manighetti, I.; Tapponnier, P.; Besse, J.
Temporal coincidence between continental flood basalts and breakup has been noted for almost three decades. Eight major continental flood basalts have been produced over the last 300 Ma. The most recent, the Ethiopian traps, erupted in about 1 Myr at 30 Ma. Rifting in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and possibly East African rift started at about the same time. A second trap-like episode occurred around 2 Ma and formation of true oceanic crust is due in the next few Myr. We find similar relationships for the 60 Ma Greenland traps and opening of the North Atlantic, 65 Ma Deccan traps and opening of the NW Indian Ocean, 132 Ma Parana traps and South Atlantic, 184 Ma Karoo traps and SW Indian Ocean, and 200 Ma Central Atlantic Margin flood basalts and opening of the Central Atlantic Ocean. The 250 Ma Siberian and 258 Ma Emeishan traps seem to correlate with major, if aborted, phases of rifting. Rifting asymmetry, apparent triple junctions and rift propagation (towards the flood basalt area) are common features that may, together with the relative timings of flood basalt, seaward dipping reflector and oceanic crust production, depend on a number of plume- and lithosphere- related factors. We propose a mixed scenario of `active/passive' rifting to account for these observations. In all cases, an active component (a plume and resulting flood basalt) is a pre-requisite for the breakup of a major oceanic basin. But rifting must be allowed by plate-boundary forces and is influenced by pre-existing heterogeneities in lithospheric structure. The best example is the Atlantic Ocean, whose large-scale geometry with three large basins was imposed by the impact points of three mantle plumes.
A survey of entomopathogenic nematode species in continental Portugal.
Valadas, V; Laranjo, M; Mota, M; Oliveira, S
Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) are lethal parasites of insects, used as biocontrol agents. The objectives of this work were to survey the presence of EPN in continental Portugal and to characterize the different species. Of the 791 soil samples collected throughout continental Portugal, 53 were positive for EPN. Steinernema feltiae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora were the two most abundant species. Analysis of EPN geographical distribution revealed an association between nematode species and vegetation type. Heterorhabditis bacteriophora was mostly found in the Alentejo region while S. feltiae was present in land occupied by agriculture with natural vegetation, broadleaved forest, mixed forest and transitional woodland-shrub, agro-forestry areas, complex cultivated patterns and non-irrigated arable land. Although no clear association was found between species and soil type, S. feltiae was typically recovered from cambisols and H. bacteriophora was more abundant in lithosols. Sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region indicated that S. feltiae was the most abundant species, followed by H. bacteriophora. Steinernema intermedium and S. kraussei were each isolated from one site and Steinernema sp. from two sites. Phylogenetic analyses of ITS, D2D3 expansion region of the 28S rRNA gene, as well as mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COXI) and cytochrome b (cytb) genes, was performed to evaluate the genetic diversity of S. feltiae and H. bacteriophora. No significant genetic diversity was found among H. bacteriophora isolates. However, COXI seems to be the best marker to study genetic diversity of S. feltiae. This survey contributes to the understanding of EPN distribution in Europe.
Modeling of Flood Risk for the Continental United States
Lohmann, D.; Li, S.; Katz, B.; Goteti, G.; Kaheil, Y. H.; Vojjala, R.
The science of catastrophic risk modeling helps people to understand the physical and financial implications of natural catastrophes (hurricanes, flood, earthquakes, etc.), terrorism, and the risks associated with changes in life expectancy. As such it depends on simulation techniques that integrate multiple disciplines such as meteorology, hydrology, structural engineering, statistics, computer science, financial engineering, actuarial science, and more in virtually every field of technology. In this talk we will explain the techniques and underlying assumptions of building the RMS US flood risk model. We especially will pay attention to correlation (spatial and temporal), simulation and uncertainty in each of the various components in the development process. Recent extreme floods (e.g. US Midwest flood 2008, US Northeast flood, 2010) have increased the concern of flood risk. Consequently, there are growing needs to adequately assess the flood risk. The RMS flood hazard model is mainly comprised of three major components. (1) Stochastic precipitation simulation module based on a Monte-Carlo analogue technique, which is capable of producing correlated rainfall events for the continental US. (2) Rainfall-runoff and routing module. A semi-distributed rainfall-runoff model was developed to properly assess the antecedent conditions, determine the saturation area and runoff. The runoff is further routed downstream along the rivers by a routing model. Combined with the precipitation model, it allows us to correlate the streamflow and hence flooding from different rivers, as well as low and high return-periods across the continental US. (3) Flood inundation module. It transforms the discharge (output from the flow routing) into water level, which is further combined with a two-dimensional off-floodplain inundation model to produce comprehensive flood hazard map. The performance of the model is demonstrated by comparing to the observation and published data. Output from
The Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E)
Jensen, Mark P.; Petersen, Walt A.; Bansemer, Aaron; Bharadwaj, Nitin; Carey, Larry; Cecil, D. J.; Collis, Scott M.; Del Genio, Anthony D.; Dolan, Brenda A.; Gerlach, J.; Giangrande, Scott; Heymsfield, Andrew J.; Heymsfield, Gerald; Kollias, Pavlos; Lang, T. J.; Nesbitt, Steve W.; Neumann, Andrea; Poellot, M. R.; Rutledge, Steven A.; Schwaller, Mathew R.; Tokay, Ali; Williams, C. R.; Wolff, D. B.; Xie, Shaocheng; Zipser, Edward J.
The Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E), a field program jointly led by the U.S. Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program and the NASA Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission, was conducted in south-central Oklahoma during April – May 2011. MC3E science objectives were motivated by the need to improve understanding of midlatitude continental convective cloud system lifecycles, microphysics, and GPM precipitation retrieval algorithms. To achieve these objectives a multi-scale surface- and aircraft-based in situ and remote sensing observing strategy was employed. A variety of cloud and precipitation events were sampled during the MC3E, of which results from three deep convective events are highlighted. Vertical structure, air motions, precipitation drop-size distributions and ice properties were retrieved from multi-wavelength radar, profiler, and aircraft observations for an MCS on 11 May. Aircraft observations for another MCS observed on 20 May were used to test agreement between observed radar reflectivities and those calculated with forward-modeled reflectivity and microwave brightness temperatures using in situ particle size distributions and ice water content. Multi-platform observations of a supercell that occurred on 23 May allowed for an integrated analysis of kinematic and microphysical interactions. A core updraft of 25 ms-1 supported growth of hail and large rain drops. Data collected during the MC3E campaign is being used in a number of current and ongoing research projects and is available through the DOE ARM and NASA data archives.
Continental synchronicity of human influenza virus epidemics despite climactic variation.
Geoghegan, Jemma L; Saavedra, Aldo F; Duchêne, Sebastián; Sullivan, Sheena; Barr, Ian; Holmes, Edward C
The factors that determine the pattern and rate of spread of influenza virus at a continental-scale are uncertain. Although recent work suggests that influenza epidemics in the United States exhibit a strong geographical correlation, the spatiotemporal dynamics of influenza in Australia, a country and continent of approximately similar size and climate complexity but with a far smaller population, are not known. Using a unique combination of large-scale laboratory-confirmed influenza surveillance comprising >450,000 entries and genomic sequence data we determined the local-level spatial diffusion of this important human pathogen nationwide in Australia. We used laboratory-confirmed influenza data to characterize the spread of influenza virus across Australia during 2007-2016. The onset of established epidemics varied across seasons, with highly synchronized epidemics coinciding with the emergence of antigenically distinct viruses, particularly during the 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic. The onset of epidemics was largely synchronized between the most populous cities, even those separated by distances of >3000 km and those that experience vastly diverse climates. In addition, by analyzing global phylogeographic patterns we show that the synchronized dissemination of influenza across Australian cities involved multiple introductions from the global influenza population, coupled with strong domestic connectivity, rather than through the distinct radial patterns of geographic dispersal that are driven by work-flow transmission as observed in the United States. In addition, by comparing the spatial structure of influenza A and B, we found that these viruses tended to occupy different geographic regions, and peak in different seasons, perhaps indicative of moderate cross-protective immunity or viral interference effects. The highly synchronized outbreaks of influenza virus at a continental-scale revealed here highlight the importance of coordinated public health responses in the
Uncovering the glacial history of the Irish continental shelf (Invited)
Dunlop, P.; Benetti, S.; OCofaigh, C.
In 1999 the Irish Government initiated a €32 million survey of its territorial waters known as the Irish National Seabed Survey (INSS). The INSS is amongst the largest marine mapping programmes ever undertaken anywhere in the world and provides high-resolution multibeam, backscatter and seismic data of the seabed around Ireland. These data have been used to provide the first clear evidence for extensive glaciation of the continental shelf west and northwest of Ireland. Streamlined drumlins on the mid to outer shelf record former offshore-directed ice flow towards the shelf edge and show that the ice sheet was grounded in a zone of confluence where ice flowing onto the shelf from northwest Ireland merged with ice flowing across the Malin Shelf from southwest Scotland. The major glacial features on the shelf are well developed nested arcuate moraine systems that mark the position of the ice sheet margin and confirm that the former British Irish Ice Sheet was grounded as far as the shelf edge around 100 km offshore of west Donegal at the last glacial maximum. Distal to the moraines, on the outermost shelf, prominent zones of iceberg plough marks give way to the Barra/Donegal fan and a well developed system of gullies and canyons which incise the continental slope. Since 2008 several scientific cruises have retrieved cores from the shelf and slope to help build a more detailed understanding of glacial events in this region. This presentation will provide an overview of the glacial history of the Irish shelf and will discuss ongoing research programmes that are building on the initial research findings to produce a better understanding of the nature and timing of ice sheet events in this region.
3D numerical simulations of multiphase continental rifting
Naliboff, J.; Glerum, A.; Brune, S.
Observations of rifted margin architecture suggest continental breakup occurs through multiple phases of extension with distinct styles of deformation. The initial rifting stages are often characterized by slow extension rates and distributed normal faulting in the upper crust decoupled from deformation in the lower crust and mantle lithosphere. Further rifting marks a transition to higher extension rates and coupling between the crust and mantle lithosphere, with deformation typically focused along large-scale detachment faults. Significantly, recent detailed reconstructions and high-resolution 2D numerical simulations suggest that rather than remaining focused on a single long-lived detachment fault, deformation in this phase may progress toward lithospheric breakup through a complex process of fault interaction and development. The numerical simulations also suggest that an initial phase of distributed normal faulting can play a key role in the development of these complex fault networks and the resulting finite deformation patterns. Motivated by these findings, we will present 3D numerical simulations of continental rifting that examine the role of temporal increases in extension velocity on rifted margin structure. The numerical simulations are developed with the massively parallel finite-element code ASPECT. While originally designed to model mantle convection using advanced solvers and adaptive mesh refinement techniques, ASPECT has been extended to model visco-plastic deformation that combines a Drucker Prager yield criterion with non-linear dislocation and diffusion creep. To promote deformation localization, the internal friction angle and cohesion weaken as a function of accumulated plastic strain. Rather than prescribing a single zone of weakness to initiate deformation, an initial random perturbation of the plastic strain field combined with rapid strain weakening produces distributed normal faulting at relatively slow rates of extension in both 2D and
The geographic concentration of blue carbon in the continental US
Feagin, R. A.; Hinson, A.
Salt water wetlands have the potential to be bought and sold as relatively rich reservoirs of carbon in the context of sequestration projects. However, little is known about the geographic distribution of this potential, and no coarse scale investigation has addressed this ecosystem service at the continental scale. Our objective was to determine blue carbon stocks and flux in coastal wetland soils in the United States and categorize the potential for projects by estuarine basin, state, and wetland type. We linked National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) data with the Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO) through spatial analysis within a Geographic Information System (GIS). We then calculated and mapped soil organic carbon across the continental US. Results were filtered by state, estuarine basin, wetland type, and accumulation rate, and ranking lists for each categorization were produced. The results showed that belowground carbon accumulation is concentrated in specific regions, with the richest and largest reservoirs in the Gulf and Atlantic southeastern estuaries, for example mangrove zones in Florida. Salt marshes on the southern Pacific Coast were relatively low in carbon due to small areas of coverage and the presence of sandy and inorganic soil. The geomorphic position of a wetland within a given estuary, for example on an exposed barrier island versus recessed towards inflowing headwaters, accounted for a greater degree of soil carbon variation than the wetland type, for example woody mangroves versus herbaceous marshes. The potential of a blue carbon sequestration project in relation to its location could be influential in determining wetland policy, conservation, and restoration in the coming decades.
Organic geochemistry of continental margin and deep ocean sediments
Whelan, J.K.; Hunt, J.M.; Eglinton, T.; Dickinson, P.; Johnson, C.; Buxton, L.; Tarafa, M.E.
The objective of this research continues to be the understanding of the complex processes of fossil fuel formation and migration. DOE funded research to date has focused on case histories'' of down-hole well profiles of light hydrocarbons, pyrograms, pyrolysis-GC and -GCMS parameters, and biomarker data from wells in the Louisiana and Texas Gulf Coasts the Alaskan North Slope. In the case of the Alaskan North Slope, geological data and one-dimensional maturation modeling have been integrated in order to better constrain possible source rocks, timing, and migration routes for oil and gas generation and expulsion processes.This period, biomarker analyses and organic petrographic analyses were completed for the Ikpikpuk well. In the case of the Gulf Coast, we have obtained a one-dimensional maturation model of the Cost B-1 well in E. Cameron field of the Louisiana Gulf Coast. The completed E. Cameron data set adds to the enigma of the Gulf Coast oils found on the continental shelf of Louisiana. If significant quantities of the oil are coming from relatively organic lean Tertiary rocks, then non-conventional'' expulsion and migration mechanisms, such as gas dissolved in oil must be invoked to explain the Gulf Coast oils reservoired on the Louisiana continental shelf. We are designing and starting to assemble a hydrous pyrolysis apparatus to follow, the laboratory, rates of generation and expulsion of sediment gases. Initiation of some new research to examine {delta}{sup 13}C of individual compounds from pyrolysis is also described. We are beginning to examine both the laboratory and field data from the Gulf Coast in the context of a Global Basin Research Network (GBRN). The purpose is to better understand subsurface fluid flow processes over geologic time in sedimentary basins and their relation to resource accumulation (i.e., petroleum and metal ores). 58 refs.
Can Continental Shelf River Plumes in the Northern and Southern Gulf of Mexico Promote Ecological Resilience in a Time of Climate Change?
G. Paul Kemp
Full Text Available Deltas and estuaries built by the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River (MAR in the United States and the Usumacinta/Grijalva River (UGR in Mexico account for 80 percent of all Gulf of Mexico (GoM coastal wetlands outside of Cuba. They rank first and second in freshwater discharge to the GoM and owe their natural resilience to a modular geomorphology that spreads risk across the coast-scape while providing ecosystem connectivity through shelf plumes that connect estuaries. Both river systems generate large plumes that strongly influence fisheries production over large areas of the northern and southern GoM continental shelves. Recent watershed process simulations (DLEM, MAPSS driven by CMIP3 General Circulation Model (GCM output indicate that the two systems face diverging futures, with the mean annual discharge of the MAR predicted to increase 11 to 63 percent, and that of the UGR to decline as much as 80 percent in the 21st century. MAR delta subsidence rates are the highest in North America, making it particularly susceptible to channel training interventions that have curtailed a natural propensity to shift course and deliver sediment to new areas, or to refurbish zones of high wetland loss. Undoing these restrictions in a controlled way has become the focus of a multi-billion-dollar effort to restore the MAR delta internally, while releasing fine-grained sediments trapped behind dams in the Great Plains has become an external goal. The UGR is, from an internal vulnerability standpoint, most threatened by land use changes that interfere with a deltaic architecture that is naturally resilient to sea level rise. This recognition has led to successful efforts in Mexico to protect still intact coastal systems against further anthropogenic impacts, as evidenced by establishment of the Centla Wetland Biosphere Preserve and the Terminos Lagoon Protected Area. The greatest threat to the UGR system, however, is an external one that will be imposed by the
Long-lasting Microbial Methane Release at the Aquitaine Shelf Break (Bay of Biscay): Relation with the (Plio)-Pleistocene Sedimentary Progradation of the Continental Margin
Dupré, S.; Michel, G.; Pierre, C.; Ruffine, L.; Scalabrin, C.; Ehrhold, A.; Loubrieu, B.; Gautier, E.; Baltzer, A.; Imbert, P.; Battani, A.; Deville, E.; Dupont, P.; Thomas, Y.; Théréau, E.
The recent identification of acoustic and visual gas release in the water column at the Aquitaine Shelf (140 and 220 m water depths) led to the discovery of a 200 km2 fluid system at the seafloor with 3000 bubbling sites associated with microbial methane (Dupré et al 2014; Ruffine et al. 2017). The moderate methane fluxes (measured in situ, on average 200 mLn/min per bubbling site) contribute to the formation of small-scale sub-circular authigenic carbonate mounds (with reliefs < 1 m in height) (Pierre et al. 2017). The emitted gases have neither a genetic link with thermogenic hydrocarbons from the Parentis Basin beneath, nor are issued from gas hydrate dissociation, but originate from microbial CO2 reduction. Based on estimated thickness and growth rate of authigenic carbonates, this system has lasted for at least several tens to possibly hundreds of kyears with a volume of escaping methane reaching 3.1012 Ln per 10 kyr. Seismic evidences for gas-charged layers and fossil authigenic carbonates point to organic matter source levels within the sedimentary deposits of the Late Pleistocene progradation system. The Aquitaine Shelf fluid system highlights the edge of continental shelves as preferential areas for bio-geological processes. The GAZCOGNE project is co-funded by TOTAL and IFREMER as part of the PAMELA (Passive Margin Exploration Laboratories) scientific project. References Dupré S, Berger L, Le Bouffant N, Scalabrin C, Bourillet J-F (2014) Fluid emissions at the Aquitaine Shelf (Bay of Biscay, France): a biogenic origin or the expression of hydrocarbon leakage? Cont. Shelf Res. 88:24-33 Pierre C, Demange J, Blanc-Valleron M-M, Dupré S (2017) Authigenic carbonate mounds from active methane seeps on the southern Aquitaine Shelf (Bay of Biscay, France): Evidence for anaerobic oxidation of biogenic methane and submarine groundwater discharge during formation. Cont. Shelf Res. 133:13-25 Ruffine L, Donval J-P, Croguennec C, Bignon L, Birot D, Battani A, Bayon
Crustal volumes of the continents and of oceanic and continental submarine plateaus
Schubert, G.; Sandwell, D.
Using global topographic data and the assumption of Airy isostasy, it is estimated that the crustal volume of the continents is 7182 X 10 to the 6th cu km. The crustal volumes of the oceanic and continental submarine plateaus are calculated at 369 X 10 to the 6th cu km and 242 X 10 to the 6th cu km, respectively. The total continental crustal volume is found to be 7581 X 10 to the 6th cu km, 3.2 percent of which is comprised of continental submarine plateaus on the seafloor. An upper bound on the contintental crust addition rate by the accretion of oceanic plateaus is set at 3.7 cu km/yr. Subduction of continental submarine plateaus with the oceanic lithosphere on a 100 Myr time scale yields an upper bound to the continental crustal subtraction rate of 2.4 cu km/yr.
Comparative Riftology: Insights into the Evolution of Passive Continental Margins and Continental Rifts from the Failed Midcontinent Rift (MCR)
Elling, R. P.; Stein, C. A.; Stein, S.; Kley, J.; Keller, G. R.; Wysession, M. E.
Continental rifts evolve to seafloor spreading and are preserved in passive margins, or fail and remain as fossil features in continents. Rifts at different stages give insight into these evolutionary paths. Of particular interest is the evolution of volcanic passive margins, which are characterized by seaward dipping reflectors, volcanic rocks yielding magnetic anomalies landward of the oldest spreading anomalies, and are underlain by high-velocity lower crustal bodies. How and when these features form remains unclear. Insights are given by the Midcontinent Rift (MCR), which began to form during the 1.1 Ga rifting of Amazonia from Laurentia, but failed when seafloor spreading was established elsewhere. MCR volcanics are much thicker than other continental flood basalts, due to deposition in a narrow rift rather than a broad region, giving a rift's geometry but a LIP's magma volume. The MCR provides a snapshot of the deposition of a thick and highly magnetized volcanic section during rifting. Surface exposures and reflection seismic data near Lake Superior show a rift basin filled by inward-dipping flood basalt layers. Had the rift evolved to seafloor spreading, the basin would have split into two sets of volcanics with opposite-facing SDRs, each with a magnetic anomaly. Because the rift formed as a series of alternating half-grabens, structural asymmetries between conjugate margins would have naturally occurred had it gone to completion. Hence the MCR implies that many passive margin features form prior to seafloor spreading. Massive inversion of the MCR long after it failed has provided a much clearer picture of its structure compared to failed rifts with lesser degrees of inversion. Seismic imaging as well as gravity and magnetic modeling provide important insight into the effects of inversion on failed rifts. The MCR provides an end member for the evolution of actively extending rifts, characterized by upwelling mantle and negative gravity anomalies, to failed
Thallium isotope composition of the upper continental crust and rivers - An investigation of the continental sources of dissolved marine thallium
Nielsen, S.G.; Rehkamper, M.; Porcelli, D.; Andersson, P.; Halliday, A.N.; Swarzenski, P.W.; Latkoczy, C.; Gunther, D.
The thallium (Tl) concentrations and isotope compositions of various river and estuarine waters, suspended riverine particulates and loess have been determined. These data are used to evaluate whether weathering reactions are associated with significant Tl isotope fractionation and to estimate the average Tl isotope composition of the upper continental crust as well as the mean Tl concentration and isotope composition of river water. Such parameters provide key constraints on the dissolved Tl fluxes to the oceans from rivers and mineral aerosols. The Tl isotope data for loess and suspended riverine detritus are relatively uniform with a mean of ??205Tl = -2.0 ?? 0.3 (??205Tl represents the deviation of the 205Tl/203Tl isotope ratio of a sample from NIST SRM 997 Tl in parts per 104). For waters from four major and eight smaller rivers, the majority were found to have Tl concentrations between 1 and 7 ng/kg. Most have Tl isotope compositions very similar (within ??1.5 ??205Tl) to that deduced for the upper continental crust, which indicates that no significant Tl isotope fractionation occurs during weathering. Based on these results, it is estimated that rivers have a mean natural Tl concentration and isotope composition of 6 ?? 4 ng/kg and ??205Tl = -2.5 ?? 1.0, respectively. In the Amazon estuary, both additions and losses of Tl were observed, and these correlate with variations in Fe and Mn contents. The changes in Tl concentrations have much lower amplitudes, however, and are not associated with significant Tl isotope effects. In the Kalix estuary, the Tl concentrations and isotope compositions can be explained by two-component mixing between river water and a high-salinity end member that is enriched in Tl relative to seawater. These results indicate that Tl can display variable behavior in estuarine systems but large additions and losses of Tl were not observed in the present study. Copyright ?? 2005 Elsevier Ltd.
Organic carbon-sulfur relationships in sediment cores from the western and eastern continental margins of India
Rao, P.S.; Mascarenhas, A.; Paropkari, A.L.; Rao, Ch.M.
Two sediment cores from the western continental margin (WMI, WM2) and one core from the eastern continental margin (EM) of India have been analysed to determine the relativ importance of factors such as oxidizing/reducing environment, mass...
Ages and Growth of the Continental Crust from Radiogenic Isotopes
Patchett, P. J.; Samson, S. D.
The development and application of radiogenic isotopes to dating of geologic events, and to questions of growth, evolution, and recycling processes in the continental crust are mature areas of scientific inquiry. By this we understand that many of the approaches used to date rocks and constrain the evolution of the continents are well established, even routine, and that the scope of data available on age and evolution of continents is very large. This is not to say that new approaches have not been developed in recent years, or that new approaches and/or insights cannot be developed in the future. However, the science of continental crustal evolution is definitely a domain where many of the problems are well defined, the power of the techniques used to solve them are well known, and the limitations of field and laboratory databases, as well as the preserved geologic record, are understood.From the very early days of crustal evolution studies, it was innovations and improvements in laboratory techniques that drove the pace of discovery (e.g., Holmes, 1911; Nier, 1939). This remained true through all the increments in capability reviewed in this chapter, up to the present day. Thus, continental crustal evolution is an area of Earth science where a species of very laboratory-oriented investigator, the "radiogenic isotope geologist" or "geochronologist," has made major advances, even breakthroughs, in understanding. This is true in spite of the fact that many of the individuals of the species may have lacked field expertise, or even more than a primitive level of geologic background. Because design and building of instruments like radiation detectors or mass spectrometers requires a knowledge of physics, many of the early practitioners of rock dating were physicists, like Alfred Nier (cited above). Since the 1970s, essentially all mass spectrometers have been constructed by specialized commercial firms, and the level of physics expertise among isotope geologists has
77 FR 71612 - Atlantic Wind Lease Sale 2 (ATLW2) Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental...
... Wind Lease Sale 2 (ATLW2) Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf Offshore...), Interior. ACTION: Proposed Sale Notice for commercial leasing for wind power on the Outer Continental Shelf... sale of commercial wind energy leases on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore Rhode Island and...
Initiation of continental accretion in the Betic-Rif domain
Maxime, Daudet; Frederic, Mouthereau; Stéphanie, Brichau; Ana, Crespo-Blanc; Arnaud, Vacherat
The Betic - Rif cordillera in southern Spain and northern Morocco, respectively, form one of the tightest orogenic arc on Earth. The formation of this arcuate orogenic belt resulted from the westward migration of the Alboran crustal domain, constituted by the internal zone of the orogeny and the basement of the Alboran back-arc basin, that collided with the rifted margins of Iberia and Africa at least since the early Miocene. This collision is intimately linked to the post-35-30Ma regional slab roll-back and back-arc extension in the western Mediterranean region. The geodynamics of the Betic-Rif domain, which is of great importance for the paleogeographic reconstructions of the Tethys-Altantic and the Mediterranean sea, is still largely debated. Answers will come from a more detailed structural analyses, including refinement of the time-temperature paths and kinematics of the main structural units, which is one of the main objectives of the OROGEN research project, co-financed by BRGM, TOTAL & CNRS. In this study, we focus on the well-developed flysch-type sediments now accreted in the Betics-Rif but initially deposited in a basin, north of the african margin and on the iberian margin from the Early Cretaceous to the Early Miocene. Using low-temperature thermochronology (fission-track and (U-Th)/He analyses) combined with zircon U-Pb geochronology on the flyschs deposited on the most distal part of the margin, we aim to constrain the thermal history of both the source rocks and accreted thrust sheets at the earliest stages of continental accretion. Sample have been collected in flyschs series ranging from Mesozoic, Paleogene to Neogene ages. Additional samples have been collected in the Rif where Cretaceous series are more developed. Combined with a detailed structural analysis, LT thermochronological constraints will refine the kinematics of thrust units when continental accretion started before the final thrust emplacement occurred in the Early Miocene
The liberalisation of the continental European electricity market : lessons learned
Haas, R.; Auer, H.; Keseric, N.; Glachant, J.M.; Perez, Y.
Before 1990, nearly all electricity supply companies in continental Europe (CE) were vertically integrated in a franchise market, either state-owned or under price-regulated mixed private-public ownership. In 1996, the European Commission (EC) issued a directive for a common electricity market, which launched the liberalisation of the electricity market in continental Europe (CE). The ultimate objective was to lower electricity prices throughout Europe by promoting competition in generation and supply through price deregulation and privatization. The intention of the EC was to create one common European electricity market. This paper analyzed the evolution of this market along with conditions needed to enhance competition in the long term. It also presented background information with major data on electricity supply and demand in the CE markets and outlined EC and national governments' market liberalisation initiatives and the major changes that countries have made. Currently, there are at least 7 distinct sub-markets separated by partly insufficient transmission capacity and differences in access conditions to the grid. In 2004, the total demand in the CE area was 2300 TWh. This paper also summarized generation capacity and load in CE; imports and exports between CE countries; past and current transmission issues; political issues for restructuring; providing non-discriminatory access to the market and to the grid; the new institutional and regulatory environment and the promotion of renewables. The performance of the market was also reviewed with particular reference to market access, mergers, acquisitions, market concentration, and the evolution of both wholesale and retail electricity prices. It was concluded that in order to bring about effective competition in the long run, the following conditions would be required: complete ownership separation of the transmission grid from generation and supply in all countries and sub-markets; adequate capacity margin in
Haas, R.; Auer, H.; Keseric, N. [Vienna Univ. of Technology, Vienna (Austria). Energy Economics Group; Glachant, J.M.; Perez, Y. [Paris-Sud Univ., Paris (France). ADIS-Group Reseaux Jean-Monnet
Before 1990, nearly all electricity supply companies in continental Europe (CE) were vertically integrated in a franchise market, either state-owned or under price-regulated mixed private-public ownership. In 1996, the European Commission (EC) issued a directive for a common electricity market, which launched the liberalisation of the electricity market in continental Europe (CE). The ultimate objective was to lower electricity prices throughout Europe by promoting competition in generation and supply through price deregulation and privatization. The intention of the EC was to create one common European electricity market. This paper analyzed the evolution of this market along with conditions needed to enhance competition in the long term. It also presented background information with major data on electricity supply and demand in the CE markets and outlined EC and national governments' market liberalisation initiatives and the major changes that countries have made. Currently, there are at least 7 distinct sub-markets separated by partly insufficient transmission capacity and differences in access conditions to the grid. In 2004, the total demand in the CE area was 2300 TWh. This paper also summarized generation capacity and load in CE; imports and exports between CE countries; past and current transmission issues; political issues for restructuring; providing non-discriminatory access to the market and to the grid; the new institutional and regulatory environment and the promotion of renewables. The performance of the market was also reviewed with particular reference to market access, mergers, acquisitions, market concentration, and the evolution of both wholesale and retail electricity prices. It was concluded that in order to bring about effective competition in the long run, the following conditions would be required: complete ownership separation of the transmission grid from generation and supply in all countries and sub-markets; adequate capacity
On the Rheology of Slow Slip Events Around Continental Moho
Gao, X.; Wang, K.; Wada, I.; He, J.
Slow slip events (SSEs) occur in various tectonic settings but are the most abundant around the depth of upper-plate Moho in warm-slab subduction zones such as Cascadia and Nankai, accompanied with non-valcanic tremor. The paucity or absence of these near-Moho SSEs in many other subduction zones and the relationship of these SSEs with the megathrust seismogenic zone are intriguing questions of fundamental importance. We address these questions by examining Frictional-Viscous Transitions (FVTs) along subduction faults. Our key hypothesis is that there is a sharp decrease in the frictional stength of subduction faults across its intersection with the continental Moho for two reasons: (1) Enrichment of weak hydrous minerals such as talc due to the hydration of the base of the mantle wedge, and (2) elevated pore fluid pressure in the fault zone because of serpentine (antigorite) saturation of the mantle wedge corner which retards further fluid consumption and decreases permeability. Through thermal modelling using heat flow data as constraints, we found that for Cascadia, Nankai, and Hikurangi, there are two FVTs, with the first one being shallower than the Moho. At the Moho, the fault returns to the friction mode, but with slip behaviour affected by the presence of hydrous minerals and high fluid pressure. We propose this is where near-Moho SSEs occur. Farther downdip, the second FVT occurs and serves to limit the depth extent of the SSEs. Coseismic slip is limited to be shallower than the first FVT, such that frictional slip around the Moho occurs interseismically as SSEs. This mechanism also explains the occurrence of tremor, believed to represent very small SSEs, along the San Andreas fault around the Moho depth. In a way, this mechanism is akin to the "jelly-sandwich" rheology model of the continental lithosphere, but the onset of the lower slice of bread is due to a decrease in frictional strength as opposed to an increase in viscous strength. For the other
3-D Numerical Modelling of Oblique Continental Collisions with ASPECT
Karatun, L.; Pysklywec, R.
Among the fundamental types of tectonic plate boundaries, continent-continent collision is least well understood. Deformation of the upper and middle crustal layers can be inferred from surface structures and geophysical imaging, but the fate of lower crustal rocks and mantle lithosphere is not well resolved. Previous research suggests that shortening of mantle lithosphere generally may be occurring by either: 1) a distributed thickening with a formation of a Raleigh-Tailor (RT) type instability (possibly accompanied with lithospheric folding); or 2) plate-like subduction, which can be one- or two-sided, with or without delamination and slab break-off; a combination of both could be taking place too. 3-D features of the orogens such as along-trench material transfer, bounding subduction zones can influence the evolution of the collision zone significantly. The current study was inspired by South Island of New Zealand - a young collision system where a block of continental crust is being shortened by the relative Australian-Pacific plate motion. The collision segment of the plate boundary is relatively small ( 800 km), and is bounded by oppositely verging subduction zones to the North and South. Here, we present results of 3-D forward numerical modelling of continental collision to investigate some of these processes. To conduct the simulations, we used ASPECT - a highly parallel community-developed code based on the Finite Element method. Model setup for three different sets of models featured 2-D vertical across strike, 3-D with periodic front and back walls, and 3-D with open front and back walls, with velocities prescribed on the left and right faces. We explored the importance of values of convergent velocity, strike-slip velocity and their ratio, which defines the resulting velocity direction relative to the plate boundary (obliquity). We found that higher strike-slip motion promotes strain localization, weakens the lithosphere close to the plate boundary and
Testing Predictions of Continental Insulation using Oceanic Crustal Thicknesses
Hoggard, Mark; Shorttle, Oliver; White, Nicky
The thermal blanketing effect of continental crust has been predicted to lead to elevated temperatures within the upper mantle beneath supercontinents. Initial break-up is associated with increased magmatism and the generation of flood basalts. Continued rifting and sea-floor spreading lead to a steady reduction of this thermal anomaly. Recently, evidence in support of this behaviour has come from the major element geochemistry of mid-ocean ridge basalts, which suggest excess rifting temperatures of ˜ 150 °C that decay over ˜ 100 Ma. We have collated a global inventory of ˜ 1000 seismic reflection profiles and ˜ 500 wide-angle refraction experiments from the oceanic realm. Data are predominantly located along passive margins, but there are also multiple surveys in the centres of the major oceanic basins. Oceanic crustal thickness has been mapped, taking care to avoid areas of secondary magmatic thickening near seamounts or later thinning such as across transform faults. These crustal thicknesses are a proxy for mantle potential temperature at the time of melt formation beneath a mid-ocean ridge system, allowing us to quantify the amplitude and duration of thermal anomalies generated beneath supercontinents. The Jurassic break-up of the Central Atlantic and the Cretaceous rifting that formed the South Atlantic Ocean are both associated with excess temperatures of ˜ 50 °C that have e-folding times of ˜ 50 Ma. In addition to this background trend, excess temperatures reach > 150 °C around the region of the Rio Grande Rise, associated with the present-day Tristan hotspot. The e-folding time of this more local event is ˜ 10 Ma, which mirrors results obtained for the North Atlantic Ocean south of Iceland. In contrast, crustal thicknesses from the Pacific Ocean reveal approximately constant potential temperature through time. This observation is in agreement with predictions, as the western Pacific was formed by rifting of an oceanic plate. In summary
Potential of radioactive and other waste disposals on the continental margin by natural dispersal processes
Ryan, W.B.F.; Farre, J.A.
Mass wasting, an erosional process, has recently been active at deepwater waste disposal sites on the mid-Atlantic margin of the United States. On the continental slope there is a subsea drainage network consisting of canyons, gullies, and chutes, and there are meandering channels, erosional scars, and debris aprons present on the continental rise. Fresh-looking blocks of 40 to 45 million-year-old marl and chalk (from cobble to boulder size) are strewn among canisters of low-level radioactive wastes. Some of the blocks have traveled from their original place of deposition for distances in excess of 170 km. Waste containers on the continental slope and rise cannot be considered to be disposed of permanently. The drainage network of the slope provides a natural process for collecting wastes over a catchment area, and for concentrating it with interim storage in canyons. Erosion by slumping, sliding, and debris flows ultimately will transport the wastes from the continental slope and disperse it over potentially large areas on the continental rise and abyssal plain. If it is desirable that the wastes be buried in the seafloor and isolated from the environment, then the continental slope and rise are not attractive repositories. If, however, it is deemed beneficial that the wastes ultimately be dispersed over a wide area, then the continental slope could be used as a disposal site
Precambrian continental crustal evolution of Southeastern Sao Paulo state - Brazil: based on isotopic evidences
Tassinari, C.C.G.
The isotopic studies on granitic intrusions, orthogneissic rocks and migmatitic terranes in the Southeastern Sao Paulo are presented, indicating the age and the geochemical nature of the continental crust of this area. Approximately 300 Ar, Sr and Pb isotopic age determinations are included in this paper, categorized as to their reliability and significance. Looking for the continental crust growth related to the geological time, at the end of the lower Proterozoic, at least 85% of the continental crust has already accreted and differentiated. (C.G.C.)
An inverted continental Moho and serpentinization of the forearc mantle.
Bostock, M G; Hyndman, R D; Rondenay, S; Peacock, S M
Volatiles that are transported by subducting lithospheric plates to depths greater than 100 km are thought to induce partial melting in the overlying mantle wedge, resulting in arc magmatism and the addition of significant quantities of material to the overlying lithosphere. Asthenospheric flow and upwelling within the wedge produce increased lithospheric temperatures in this back-arc region, but the forearc mantle (in the corner of the wedge) is thought to be significantly cooler. Here we explore the structure of the mantle wedge in the southern Cascadia subduction zone using scattered teleseismic waves recorded on a dense portable array of broadband seismometers. We find very low shear-wave velocities in the cold forearc mantle indicated by the exceptional occurrence of an 'inverted' continental Moho, which reverts to normal polarity seaward of the Cascade arc. This observation provides compelling evidence for a highly hydrated and serpentinized forearc region, consistent with thermal and petrological models of the forearc mantle wedge. This serpentinized material is thought to have low strength and may therefore control the down-dip rupture limit of great thrust earthquakes, as well as the nature of large-scale flow in the mantle wedge.
Wet Deposition of Perchlorate Over the Continental United States
Rajagopalan, S.; Jackson, A. W.; Anderson, T. A.
Natural perchlorate (ClO4-) has been detected in soil, vegetation, food products, and ground and drinking water supplies at various concentrations across the world. For almost a century natural perchlorate has been known to exist in Chilean nitrate deposits that are up to 16 million years old, and recent isotopic evidence has confirmed its source to be predominantly atmospheric. Although the source of natural perchlorate has been attributed to atmospheric deposition, there is almost no data available concerning the deposition rate of perchlorate from precipitation. This research effort, supported by SERDP, was designed to investigate the range of concentrations, and temporal and spatial variations in perchlorate deposition. Sub-samples of precipitation collected through the National Atmospheric Deposition program over a two year period were analyzed for perchlorate. Sample locations included 14 continental states, and Puerto Rico. Perchlorate has been detected (DL= 5 ng/L) in over 65 % of all samples tested with a mean value of 12.60 ± 13.60 ng/L and ranged from 0.5) between ClO4- and other ions (Cl-, NO3-, SO4-2, Na+, K+, Ca+2, Mg+2, and NH4+). Results from this study will have important implications to the national perchlorate issue and may aid in explaining the occurrence of non-anthropogenic perchlorate being reported in arid and semi-arid areas.
Particle flux across the mid-European continental margin
Antia, A N; Peinert, R
Results are presented from particle flux studies using sediment trap and current meter moorings along a transect at the European continental margin at 49 degrees N within the Ocean Margin Exchange (OMEX) project. Two moorings were placed, at the mid- and outer slope in water depths of 1500 and 3660 m, with traps at 600 and 1050 m and at 580, 1440 and 3220 m, respectively. Residual currents at the mid- slope follow the slope contour, whereas seasonal off-slope flow was registered at the outer slope. At 600 m on the slope fluxes are similar to those in the abyssal North Atlantic. The flux of all components (bulk dry weight, particulate organic and inorganic carbon, lithogenic matter and opal) increased with water depth. Highest fluxes were recorded at 1440 m at the outer slope, where off- slope residual currents mediate particle export. The injection of biogenic and lithogenic particles below the depth of winter mixing results in the export of particles from shallower waters. Calculated lateral fluxes of partic...
Temperature Effects Explain Continental Scale Distribution of Cyanobacterial Toxins.
Mantzouki, Evanthia; Lürling, Miquel; Fastner, Jutta; de Senerpont Domis, Lisette; Wilk-Woźniak, Elżbieta; Koreivienė, Judita; Seelen, Laura; Teurlincx, Sven; Verstijnen, Yvon; Krztoń, Wojciech; Walusiak, Edward; Karosienė, Jūratė; Kasperovi�ienė, Jūratė; Savadova, Ksenija; Vitonytė, Irma; Cillero-Castro, Carmen; Budzyńska, Agnieszka; Goldyn, Ryszard; Kozak, Anna; Rosińska, Joanna; Szeląg-Wasielewska, Elżbieta; Domek, Piotr; Jakubowska-Krepska, Natalia; Kwasizur, Kinga; Messyasz, Beata; Pełechaty, Aleksandra; Pełechaty, Mariusz; Kokocinski, Mikolaj; García-Murcia, Ana; Real, Monserrat; Romans, Elvira; Noguero-Ribes, Jordi; Duque, David Parreño; Fernández-Morán, Elísabeth; Karakaya, Nusret; Häggqvist, Kerstin; Demir, Nilsun; Beklioğlu, Meryem; Filiz, Nur; Levi, Eti E.; Iskin, Uğur; Bezirci, Gizem; Tavşanoğlu, Ülkü Nihan; Özhan, Koray; Gkelis, Spyros; Panou, Manthos; Fakioglu, Özden; Avagianos, Christos; Kaloudis, Triantafyllos; Çelik, Kemal; Yilmaz, Mete; Marcé, Rafael; Catalán, Nuria; Bravo, Andrea G.; Buck, Moritz; Colom-Montero, William; Mustonen, Kristiina; Pierson, Don; Yang, Yang; Raposeiro, Pedro M.; Gonçalves, Vítor; Antoniou, Maria G.; Tsiarta, Nikoletta; McCarthy, Valerie; Perello, Victor C.; Feldmann, Tõnu; Laas, Alo; Panksep, Kristel; Tuvikene, Lea; Gagala, Ilona; Mankiewicz-Boczek, Joana; Yağcı, Meral Apaydın; Çınar, Şakir; Çapkın, Kadir; Yağcı, Abdulkadir; Cesur, Mehmet; Bilgin, Fuat; Bulut, Cafer; Uysal, Rahmi; Obertegger, Ulrike; Boscaini, Adriano; Flaim, Giovanna; Salmaso, Nico; Cerasino, Leonardo; Richardson, Jessica; Visser, Petra M.; Verspagen, Jolanda M. H.; Karan, Tünay; Soylu, Elif Neyran; Maraşlıoğlu, Faruk; Napiórkowska-Krzebietke, Agnieszka; Ochocka, Agnieszka; Pasztaleniec, Agnieszka; Antão-Geraldes, Ana M.; Vasconcelos, Vitor; Morais, João; Vale, Micaela; Köker, Latife; Akçaalan, Reyhan; Albay, Meriç; Špoljarić Maronić, Dubravka; Stević, Filip; Žuna Pfeiffer, Tanja; Fonvielle, Jeremy; Straile, Dietmar; Rothhaupt, Karl-Otto; Hansson, Lars-Anders; Urrutia-Cordero, Pablo; Bláha, Luděk; Geriš, Rodan; Fránková, Markéta; Koçer, Mehmet Ali Turan; Alp, Mehmet Tahir; Remec-Rekar, Spela; Elersek, Tina; Triantis, Theodoros; Zervou, Sevasti-Kiriaki; Hiskia, Anastasia; Haande, Sigrid; Skjelbred, Birger; Madrecka, Beata; Nemova, Hana; Drastichova, Iveta; Chomova, Lucia; Edwards, Christine; Sevindik, Tuğba Ongun; Tunca, Hatice; Önem, Burçin; Aleksovski, Boris; Krstić, Svetislav; Vucelić, Itana Bokan; Nawrocka, Lidia; Salmi, Pauliina; Machado-Vieira, Danielle; de Oliveira, Alinne Gurjão; Delgado-Martín, Jordi; García, David; Cereijo, Jose Luís; Gomà , Joan; Trapote, Mari Carmen; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, Teresa; Obrador, Biel; Grabowska, Magdalena; Karpowicz, Maciej; Chmura, Damian; Úbeda, Bárbara; Gálvez, José �ngel; Özen, Arda; Christoffersen, Kirsten Seestern; Warming, Trine Perlt; Kobos, Justyna; Mazur-Marzec, Hanna; Pérez-Martínez, Carmen; Ramos-Rodríguez, Eloísa; Arvola, Lauri; Alcaraz-Párraga, Pablo; Toporowska, Magdalena; Pawlik-Skowronska, Barbara; Niedźwiecki, Michał; Pęczuła, Wojciech; Leira, Manel; Hernández, Armand; Moreno-Ostos, Enrique; Blanco, José María; Rodríguez, Valeriano; Montes-Pérez, Jorge Juan; Palomino, Roberto L.; Rodríguez-Pérez, Estela; Carballeira, Rafael; Camacho, Antonio; Picazo, Antonio; Rochera, Carlos; Santamans, Anna C.; Ferriol, Carmen; Romo, Susana; Soria, Juan Miguel; Dunalska, Julita; Sieńska, Justyna; Szymański, Daniel; Kruk, Marek; Kostrzewska-Szlakowska, Iwona; Jasser, Iwona; Žutinić, Petar; Gligora Udovi�, Marija; Plenković-Moraj, Anđelka; Frąk, Magdalena; Bańkowska-Sobczak, Agnieszka; Wasilewicz, Michał; Özkan, Korhan; Maliaka, Valentini; Kangro, Kersti; Grossart, Hans-Peter; Paerl, Hans W.; Carey, Cayelan C.; Ibelings, Bas W.
Insight into how environmental change determines the production and distribution of cyanobacterial toxins is necessary for risk assessment. Management guidelines currently focus on hepatotoxins (microcystins). Increasing attention is given to other classes, such as neurotoxins (e.g., anatoxin-a) and cytotoxins (e.g., cylindrospermopsin) due to their potency. Most studies examine the relationship between individual toxin variants and environmental factors, such as nutrients, temperature and light. In summer 2015, we collected samples across Europe to investigate the effect of nutrient and temperature gradients on the variability of toxin production at a continental scale. Direct and indirect effects of temperature were the main drivers of the spatial distribution in the toxins produced by the cyanobacterial community, the toxin concentrations and toxin quota. Generalized linear models showed that a Toxin Diversity Index (TDI) increased with latitude, while it decreased with water stability. Increases in TDI were explained through a significant increase in toxin variants such as MC-YR, anatoxin and cylindrospermopsin, accompanied by a decreasing presence of MC-LR. While global warming continues, the direct and indirect effects of increased lake temperatures will drive changes in the distribution of cyanobacterial toxins in Europe, potentially promoting selection of a few highly toxic species or strains.
Plastic bimodal xylogenesis in conifers from continental Mediterranean climates.
Camarero, Jesús Julio; Olano, José Miguel; Parras, Alfonso
*Seasonal radial-increment and xylogenesis data can help to elucidate how climate modulates wood formation in conifers. Few xylogenesis studies have assessed how plastic xylogenesis is in sympatric conifer species from continental Mediterranean areas, where low winter temperatures and summer drought constrain growth. *Here, we analysed intra-annual patterns of secondary growth in sympatric conifer species (Juniperus thurifera, Pinus halepensis and Pinus sylvestris). Two field sites (xeric and mesic) were evaluated using dendrometers, microcores and climatic data. *A bimodal pattern of xylogenesis characterized by spring and autumn precipitation and subsequent cambial reactivation was detected in J. thurifera at both study sites and in P. halepensis at the xeric site, but was absent in P. sylvestris where growth was largely controlled by day length. In the xeric site J. thurifera exhibited an increased response to water availability in autumn relative to P. halepensis and summer cambial suppression was more marked in J. thurifera than in P. halepensis. *Juniperus thurifera exhibited increased plasticity in its xylogenesis pattern compared with sympatric pines, enabling this species to occupy sites with more variable climatic conditions. The plastic xylogenesis patterns of junipers in drought-stressed areas may also provide them with a competitive advantage against co-occurring pines.
Long wavelength magnetic anomalies over continental rifts in cratonic region
Friedman, S. A.; Persaud, P.; Ferre, E. C.; Martín-Hernández, F.; Feinberg, J. M.
New collections of unaltered mantle xenoliths shed light on potential upper mantle contributions to long wavelength magnetic anomalies (LWMA) in continental rifts in cratonic / shield areas. The new material originates from the East African Rift (Tanzania), the Rio Grande Rift (U.S.A.), the Rhine Rift (Germany), and the West Antarctic Rift (Antarctica). The xenoliths sample the uppermost ( 0.2 or Fe geotherms (>60ºC/km) that are characteristic of rifted regions preclude any contribution to LWMA at depths >10 km. Hence, only upper basalts and hypovolcanic mafic sills would constitute potential magnetic sources. In contrast, the margins of these rifted regions consist of refractory cratonic domains, often characterized by oxidized sublithospheric mantle that host significant concentrations of primary magnetite. The higher NRMs of these peridotites (up to 15 A/m, Qn > 2.5) combined with much lower geotherms (as low as 15ºC/km) allows for a 5 to 10 km layer of uppermost mantle to potentially contribute to LWMA. Assuming that Qn values in rift margins are also gradient across the rift would primarily reflect thermal equilibration over time.
Numerical modeling of oil spills in continental and estuarine waters
Goeury, C.
The application of the European Water Framework Directive on water quality for human consumption and industrial activities creates a need for water quality assessment and monitoring systems. The MIGR'HYCAR research project (http://www.migrhycar.com) was initiated to provide decisional tools for risks connected to oil spills in continental waters (rivers, lakes and estuaries), which represent more than 50% of accidental spills in France. Within the framework of this project, a new numerical oil spill model has been developed, as part of the TELEMAC hydro-informatics system (http://www.opentelemac.org), by combining Lagrangian and Eulerian methods. The Lagrangian model describes the transport of an oil spill near the free surface. The oil spill model enables to simulate the main processes driving oil plumes: advection, diffusion, oil beaching, oil re-floating, evaporation, dissolution, spreading and volatilization. Though generally considered as a minor process, dissolution is important from the point of view of toxicity. To model dissolved oil in water, an Eulerian advection-diffusion model is used. The fraction of dissolved oil is represented by a passive tracer. This approach is able to follow dissolved hydrocarbons in the water column. Laboratory experiments were conducted to characterise the numerous kinetics of the processes listed above. In addition, meso-scale dynamic experiments in artificial channels and test cases derived from the literature are used to validate the numerical model. (author)
Supervised classification of continental shelf sediment off western Donegal, Ireland
Monteys, X.; Craven, K.; McCarron, S. G.
Managing human impacts on marine ecosystems requires natural regions to be identified and mapped over a range of hierarchically nested scales. In recent years (2000-present) the Irish National Seabed Survey (INSS) and Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Ireland's Marine Resources programme (INFOMAR) (Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute collaborations) has provided unprecedented quantities of high quality data on Ireland's offshore territories. The increasing availability of large, detailed digital representations of these environments requires the application of objective and quantitative analyses. This study presents results of a new approach for sea floor sediment mapping based on an integrated analysis of INFOMAR multibeam bathymetric data (including the derivatives of slope and relative position), backscatter data (including derivatives of angular response analysis) and sediment groundtruthing over the continental shelf, west of Donegal. It applies a Geographic-Object-Based Image Analysis software package to provide a supervised classification of the surface sediment. This approach can provide a statistically robust, high resolution classification of the seafloor. Initial results display a differentiation of sediment classes and a reduction in artefacts from previously applied methodologies. These results indicate a methodology that could be used during physical habitat mapping and classification of marine environments.
Temperature Effects Explain Continental Scale Distribution of Cyanobacterial Toxins
Evanthia Mantzouki
Full Text Available Insight into how environmental change determines the production and distribution of cyanobacterial toxins is necessary for risk assessment. Management guidelines currently focus on hepatotoxins (microcystins. Increasing attention is given to other classes, such as neurotoxins (e.g., anatoxin-a and cytotoxins (e.g., cylindrospermopsin due to their potency. Most studies examine the relationship between individual toxin variants and environmental factors, such as nutrients, temperature and light. In summer 2015, we collected samples across Europe to investigate the effect of nutrient and temperature gradients on the variability of toxin production at a continental scale. Direct and indirect effects of temperature were the main drivers of the spatial distribution in the toxins produced by the cyanobacterial community, the toxin concentrations and toxin quota. Generalized linear models showed that a Toxin Diversity Index (TDI increased with latitude, while it decreased with water stability. Increases in TDI were explained through a significant increase in toxin variants such as MC-YR, anatoxin and cylindrospermopsin, accompanied by a decreasing presence of MC-LR. While global warming continues, the direct and indirect effects of increased lake temperatures will drive changes in the distribution of cyanobacterial toxins in Europe, potentially promoting selection of a few highly toxic species or strains.
Channelization of plumes beneath ice shelves
Dallaston, M. C.; Hewitt, I. J.; Wells, A. J.
© 2015 Cambridge University Press. We study a simplified model of ice-ocean interaction beneath a floating ice shelf, and investigate the possibility for channels to form in the ice shelf base due to spatial variations in conditions at the grounding line. The model combines an extensional thin-film description of viscous ice flow in the shelf, with melting at its base driven by a turbulent ocean plume. Small transverse perturbations to the one-dimensional steady state are considered, driven either by ice thickness or subglacial discharge variations across the grounding line. Either forcing leads to the growth of channels downstream, with melting driven by locally enhanced ocean velocities, and thus heat transfer. Narrow channels are smoothed out due to turbulent mixing in the ocean plume, leading to a preferred wavelength for channel growth. In the absence of perturbations at the grounding line, linear stability analysis suggests that the one-dimensional state is stable to initial perturbations, chiefly due to the background ice advection.
Toward retail product recognition on grocery shelves
Varol, Gül; Kuzu, Rıdvan S.
This paper addresses the problem of retail product recognition on grocery shelf images. We present a technique for accomplishing this task with a low time complexity. We decompose the problem into detection and recognition. The former is achieved by a generic product detection module which is trained on a specific class of products (e.g. tobacco packages). Cascade object detection framework of Viola and Jones [1] is used for this purpose. We further make use of Support Vector Machines (SVMs) to recognize the brand inside each detected region. We extract both shape and color information; and apply feature-level fusion from two separate descriptors computed with the bag of words approach. Furthermore, we introduce a dataset (available on request) that we have collected for similar research purposes. Results are presented on this dataset of more than 5,000 images consisting of 10 tobacco brands. We show that satisfactory detection and classification can be achieved on devices with cheap computational power. Potential applications of the proposed approach include planogram compliance control, inventory management and assisting visually impaired people during shopping.
Should the Nabucco pipeline project be shelved?
Barysch, K.
It is easy to be pessimistic about the prospects of Nabucco, a pipeline designed to bring Caspian and possibly Middle Eastern gas to the EU. The financing is not yet secure, European gas demand is down, and the question of where Nabucco's gas will come from is open. Russia, meanwhile, is pushing hard for its rival South Stream pipeline. Nabucco would be good for the EU in various ways. It would make Central and East European countries a lot less dependent on Gazprom and increase the energy security of the EU as a whole. It could help reduce intra-EU divisions over Russia. It would underpin stronger ties between the EU and potential supplier countries such as Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. It could help improve EU-Turkey relations. Many of the benefits that Nabucco would bring do not accrue to the companies that are trying to build it or the banks that lend the money for it. Therefore, the EU and its governments should back Nabucco more strongly, both politically and financially.
Dallaston, M. C.
Scenario of gas-charged sediments and gas hydrates in the western continental margin of India
Karisiddaiah, S.M.; SubbaRaju, L.V.
Echosounding, high-resolution shallow seismic data were collected along track lines spaced at 20 km interval across the western continental margin of India. A detailed analysis of the underway data revealed the occurrence of methane-bearing gas...
BLM/OCS Southern California Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Baseline Studies
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Data in this file were produced by Science Applications, Inc., prime contractor on the Bureau of Land Management/Outer Continental Shelf - Southern California...
Radon-222 as an indicator of continental air masses and air mass boundaries over ocean areas
Larson, R.E.; Bressan, D.J.
Radon ( 222 Rn) has proven to be an excellent indicator of the continental nature of over-ocean air and air mass boundaries. Radon is almost exclusively of continental origin, and low-level real-time monitoring is possible with our improved radon measurement techniques. The transition from continental to maritime air in offshore and onshore winds is rather obvious and can easily be established near large islands or continents as an order-of-magnitude change in radon concentration from a few tens of picocuries per cubic meter or more to a few picocuries per cubic meter or less. Sharply changing radon concentrations are usually associated with frontal areas. Our data have offered insights into air movements, and hence transport of continental materials and pollutants over oceanic areas
Geophysical studies over the continental margins of the east coast of India
Rao, T.C.S.; Rao, V.B.
. Continuity of surface and subsurface features from profile to profile is indicated. Two major structural elements - viz. The "Marginal High", situated at the foot of the continental slope and extending along the east coast of India, and the "Marginal Basin...
Geochemistry of zinc in the sediments of the western continental shelf and slope of India
Murty, P.S.N.; Paropkari, A.L.; Rao, Ch.M.
The bulk geochemistry of zinc in the sediments of the western continental shelf and slope of India and also the partition geochemistry of the sediments of the shelf and slope regions between Ratnagiri and Mangalore have been studied. The studies...
Macrofaunal community structure in the western Indian continental margin including the oxygen minimum zone
Ingole, B.S.; Sautya, S.; Sivadas, S.; Singh, R.; Nanajkar, M.
(H`) showed a significant negative (P < 0.01) relationship between sediment Chl-a and C sub(org), suggesting food availability as a critical factor in species dominance. Results of multivariate analyses suggest that for continental margin fauna...
Human Water Use Impacts on the Strength of the Continental Sink for Atmospheric Water
Keune, Jessica; Sulis, Mauro; Kollet, Stefan; Siebert, Stefan; Wada, Yoshihide
In the hydrologic cycle, continental landmasses constitute a sink for atmospheric moisture as annual terrestrial precipitation commonly exceeds evapotranspiration. Simultaneously, humans intervene in the hydrologic cycle and pump groundwater to sustain, for example, drinking water and food production. Here we use a coupled groundwater-to-atmosphere modeling platform, set up over the European continent, to study the influence of groundwater pumping and irrigation on the net atmospheric moisture import of the continental landmasses, which defines the strength of the continental sink. Water use scenarios are constructed to account for uncertainties of atmospheric feedback during the heatwave year 2003. We find that human water use induces groundwater-to-atmosphere feedback, which potentially weaken the continental sink over arid watersheds in southern Europe. This feedback is linked to groundwater storage, which suggests that atmospheric feedbacks to human water use may contribute to drying of watersheds, thereby raising water resources and socio-economic concerns beyond local sustainability considerations.
BLM/OCS South Texas Outer Continental Shelf (STOCS) Project Sediment Data
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The South Texas Outer Continental Shelf Project (STOCS) conducted by the University of Texas and the USGS with funding from BLM/NOAA. The USGS produced geochemical...
Peterjamesia circumscripta (Leight.) D. Hawksw. (Roccellaceae: Ascomycota): First record to continental South America
Gumboski, Emerson; Eliasaro, Sionara
Peterjamesia circumscripta, previously known from Australia, Europe, North Africa, North and Central America, and Galapagos Islands was collected in southern Brazil. This is the first record of this species in continental South America.
Mining of phosphorite resources from the Indian continental shelf will help food production
Qasim, S.Z.; Nair, R.R.
of phosphorite deposits would depend on several technical and economic factors Phosphorites occur in water depths upto 200 meters of the western continental shelf of India These are the areas associated with upwelling The relationship between phosphorite deposits...
Manganese cycling and its implication on methane related processes in the Andaman continental slope sediments
Sujith, P.P.; Gonsalves, M.J.B.D.; Rajkumar, V.; Sheba, M.
In the deep subsurface sediments of the Andaman continental slope, in situ methane generation/oxidation could be coupled to the cycling of Mn, as the fluid flow characterized by high methane and Mn could occur in accretionary wedge sediments...
Holocene sea level fluctuations on western Indian continental margin: An update
Hashimi, N.H.; Nigam, R.; Nair, R.R.; Rajagopalan, G.
A new Holocene curve is generated for the western Indian continental margin. While constructing this curve careful selection of the dates were made by giving due considerations to the genetic characteristics of the dated material. This new curve...
Regional tectonic trends on the inner continental shelf off Konkan and central west coast of India
Ramana, M.V.
Satellite imagery and offshore magnetic data were analysed to correlate regional tectonic elements on the inner continental shelf off Konkan and the adjacent Deccan plateau. Three statistically important lineament trends N-S, WNW-ESE and ENE...
Seaward dipping reflectors along the SW continental margin of India: Evidence for volcanic passive margin
Ajay, K.K.; Chaubey, A.K.; Krishna, K.S.; Rao, D.G.; Sar, D.
Multi-channel seismic reflection profiles across the southwest continental margin of India (SWCMI) show presence of westerly dipping seismic reflectors beneath sedimentary strata along the western flank of the Laccadive Ridge-northernmost part...
77 FR 10707 - Safety Zone; NOBLE DISCOVERER, Outer Continental Shelf Drillship, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, Alaska
... indigenous population; (4) the lack of any established shipping fairways, fueling and supply storage... location of the DRILLSHIP NOBLE DISCOVERER on the Outer Continental Shelf and its distance from both land...
Grain Size Data from the NOAA Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program (OCSEAP)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains grain size data from samples acquired under the NOAA Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program (OCSEAP) from the Outer...
Aeolian deposition of Arabia and Somalia sediments on the southwestern continental margin of India
Chauhan, O.S.
Kaolinite, smectite, illite and chlorite as major clay minerals and palygorskite and gibbsite in minor quantities have been recorded from the slope of southwestern continental margin of India. Contribution of kaolinite, smectite and gibbsite is from...
Origins of Stratal Surfaces in Channel Fills on the New Jersey Continental Shelf
Sommerfield, Christopher K
The goal of this project was to advance an understanding of acoustic anomalies created by sub-seafloor paleochannels by investigating the geologic properties of channel-rich strata on the New Jersey continental shelf...
Basement and climate controls on proximal depositional systems in continental settings
Ventra, D.
This doctoral dissertation discusses the sedimentology and dynamics of selected, modern and ancient clastic depositional systems (alluvial fans and colluvial aprons) at continental basin margins. The focus on single depositional systems gave the opportunity to devote particular attention to
Archive of Geosample Data and Information from the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) Project.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Geological samples collected as part of the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) Project are curated by the U.S. Geological Survey, a partner in the ECS Project. To...
Variability in measured current structure on the southwest continental shelf of India
DineshKumar, P.K.; Srinivas, K.
-1 Variability in Measured Current Structure on the Southwest Continental Shelf of India P.K. Dinesh Kumar and K. Srinivas National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre P.O.Box 1913, Cochin - 682018,India Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT... WORDS: Direct current measurements, tidal currents, southwest coast of India. INTRODUCTION The circulation pattern of the eastern Arabian Sea over the southwest continental shelf of India (inferred...
Submerged reef systems on the central western continental shelf of India
Vora, K.H.; Almeida, F.
-262 255 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam -- Printed in the Netherlands Letter Section Submerged Reef Systems on the Central Western Continental Shelf of India K.H. VORA and F. ALMEIDA National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403... 004 (India) (Revision accepted October 26, 1989) Abstract Vora, K.H. and Almeida, F., 1990. Submerged reef systems on the central western continental shelf of India. Mar. Geol., 91: 255-262. Echosounding and sidescan sonar data from the western...
Influence of dynamic topography on landscape evolution and passive continental margin stratigraphy
Ding, Xuesong; Salles, Tristan; Flament, Nicolas; Rey, Patrice
Quantifying the interaction between surface processes and tectonics/deep Earth processes is one important aspect of landscape evolution modelling. Both observations and results from numerical modelling indicate that dynamic topography - a surface expression of time-varying mantle convection - plays a significant role in shaping landscape through geological time. Recent research suggests that dynamic topography also has non-negligible effects on stratigraphic architecture by modifying accommodation space available for sedimentation. In addition, dynamic topography influences the sediment supply to continental margins. We use Badlands to investigate the evolution of a continental-scale landscape in response to transient dynamic uplift or subsidence, and to model the stratigraphic development on passive continental margins in response to sea-level change, thermal subsidence and dynamic topography. We consider a circularly symmetric landscape consisting of a plateau surrounded by a gently sloping continental plain and a continental margin, and a linear wave of dynamic topography. We analyze the evolution of river catchments, of longitudinal river profiles and of the χ values to evaluate the dynamic response of drainage systems to dynamic topography. We calculate the amount of cumulative erosion and deposition, and sediment flux at shoreline position, as a function of precipitation rate and erodibility coefficient. We compute the stratal stacking pattern and Wheeler diagram on vertical cross-sections at the continental margin. Our results indicate that dynamic topography 1) has a considerable influence on drainage reorganization; 2) contributes to shoreline migration and the distribution of depositional packages by modifying the accommodation space; 3) affects sediment supply to the continental margin. Transient dynamic topography contributes to the migration of drainage divides and to the migration of the mainstream in a drainage basin. The dynamic uplift
Episodic nature of continental arc activity since 750 Ma: A global compilation
Cao, Wenrong; Lee, Cin-Ty A.; Lackey, Jade Star
Continental arcs have been recently hypothesized to outflux large amounts of CO2 compared to island arcs so that global flare-ups in continental arc magmatism might drive long-term greenhouse events. Quantitative testing of this hypothesis, however, has been limited by the lack of detailed studies on the spatial distribution of continental arcs through time. Here, we compile a worldwide database of geological maps and associated literature to delineate the surface exposure of granitoid plutons, allowing reconstruction of how the surface area addition rate of granitoids and the length of continental arcs have varied since 750 Ma. These results were integrated into an ArcGIS framework and plate reconstruction models. We find that the spatial extent of continental arcs is episodic with time and broadly matches the detrital zircon age record. Most vigorous arc magmatism occurred during the 670-480 Ma and the 250-50 Ma when major greenhouse events are recognized. Low continental arc activity characterized most of the Cryogenian, middle-late Paleozoic, and Cenozoic when climate was cold. Our results indicate that plate tectonics is not steady, with fluctuations in the nature of subduction zones possibly related in time to the assembly and dispersal of continents. Our results corroborate the hypothesis that variations in continental arc activity may play a first order role in driving long-term climate change. The dataset presented here provides a quantitative basis for upscaling continental arc processes to explore their effects on mountain building, climate, and crustal growth on a global scale.
Topographic evolution of a continental indenter: The eastern Southern Alps
Robl, Jörg; Heberer, Bianca; Prasicek, Günther; Neubauer, Franz; Hergarten, Stefan
The topographic evolution of the eastern Southern Alps (ESA) is controlled by the Late Oligocene - Early Miocene indentation of the Adriatic microplate into an overthickened orogenic wedge emplaced on top of the European plate. Rivers follow topographic gradients that evolve during continental collision and in turn incise into bedrock counteracting the formation of topography. In principle, erosional surface processes tend to establish a topographic steady state so that an interpretation of topographic metrics in terms of the latest tectonic history should be straightforward. However, a series of complications impede deciphering the topographic record of the ESA. The Pleistocene glaciations locally excavated alpine valleys and perturbed fluvial drainages. The Late Miocene desiccation of the Mediterranean Sea and the uplift of the northern Molasse Basin led to significant base level changes in the far field of the ESA and the Eastern Alps (EA), respectively. Among this multitude of mechanisms, the processes that dominate the current topographic evolution of the ESA and the ESA-EA drainage divide have not been identified and a number of questions regarding the interaction of crustal deformation, erosion and climate in shaping the present-day topography remain. We demonstrate the expected topographic effects of each mechanism in a 1-dimensional model and compare them with observed channel metrics. Modern uplift rates are largely consistent with long-term exhumation in the ESA and with variations in the normalized steepness index (ksn) indicating a stable uplift and erosion pattern since Miocene times. We find that ksn increases with uplift rate and declines from the indenter tip in the northwest to the foreland basin in the southeast. The number and magnitude of knickpoints and the distortion in longitudinal channel profiles similarly decrease towards the east. Most knickpoints probably evolved during Pleistocene glaciation cycles, but may represent the incrementally
Which resilience of the continental rainfall-runoff chain?
Fraedrich, Klaus
Processes along the continental rainfall-runoff chain are extremely variable over a wide range of time and space scales. A key societal question is the multiscale resilience of this chain. We argue that the adequate framework to tackle this question can be obtained by combining observations (ranging from minutes to decades) and minimalist concepts: (i) Rainfall exhibits 1/f-spectra if presented as binary events (tropics) and extrema world wide increase with duration according to Jennings' scaling law as simulated by a censored first-order autoregressive process representing vertical moisture fluxes. (ii) Runoff volatility (Yangtze) shows data collapse which, linked to an intra-annual 1/f-spectrum, is represented by a single function (Gumbel) not unlike physical systems at criticality, while short and long return times of extremes are Weibull-distributed. (iii) Soil moisture, interpreted by a biased coinflip Ansatz for rainfall events, provides an equation of state to the surface energy and water flux balances comprising Budyko's framework for quasi-stationary watershed analysis. (iv) Vegetation-greenness (NDVI), included as an active tracer extends Budyko's eco-hydrologic state space analysis, supplements the common geographical presentations, and it may be linked to a minimalist biodiversity concept. (v) Finally, attributions of change to external (or climate) and internal (or anthropogenic) causes are determined by eco-hydrologic state space trajectories using surface flux ratios of energy excess (loss by sensible heat over supply by net radiation) versus water excess (loss by discharge over gain by precipitation). Risk-estimates (by GCM-emulators) and possible policy advice mechanisms enter the outlook.
Continental breakup by oblique extension: the Gulf of California
van Wijk, J.; Axen, G. J.
We address two aspects of oblique extension: 1) the evolution of pull-apart basins, and how/when they may evolve into seafloor spreading segments; and 2) the formation of microcontinents. The Gulf of California formed by oblique extension. Breakup resulted in oceanic crust generation in the southern and central parts, while in the northern Gulf/Salton Trough a thick layer of (meta-)sediments overlies thinned continental crust. We propose a simple mechanism to explain this N-S variation. We assume that oblique rifting of the proto-Gulf province resulted in pull-apart basins, and use numerical models to show that such pull-apart basins do not develop into seafloor spreading segments when their length-to-width ratios are small, as is the case in the northern Gulf. In the central and southern Gulf the length-to-width ratios were larger, promoting continent rupture. The mechanisms behind this fate of pull-apart basins will be discussed in the presentation. In the southern Gulf, potential field models show that the Tamayo Bank in the southern Gulf is likely a microcontinent, separated from the main continent by the Tamayo trough. The thickness of the ocean crust in the Tamayo trough is anomalously small, suggesting that initial seafloor spreading was magma-starved and unsuccessful, causing the location of rifting and seafloor spreading to jump. As a consequence a sliver of continent broke off, forming the microcontinent. We suggest that worldwide this may be a common process for microcontinent formation.
Modes of continental extension in a crustal wedge
Wu, Guangliang
© 2015 Elsevier B.V. We ran numerical experiments of the extension of a crustal wedge as an approximation to extension in an orogenic belt or a continental margin. We study the effects of the strength of the lower crust and of a weak mid-crustal shear zone on the resulting extension styles. A weak mid-crustal shear zone effectively decouples upper crustal extension from lower crustal flow. Without the mid-crustal shear zone, the degree of coupling between the upper and the lower crust increases and extension of the whole crust tends to focus on the thickest part of the wedge. We identify three distinct modes of extension determined by the strength of the lower crust, which are characterized by 1) localized, asymmetric crustal exhumation in a single massif when the lower crust is weak, 2) the formation of rolling-hinge normal faults and the exhumation of lower crust in multiple core complexes with an intermediate strength lower crust, and 3) distributed domino faulting over the weak mid-crustal shear zone when the lower crust is strong. A frictionally stronger mid-crustal shear zone does not change the overall model behaviors but extension occurred over multiple rolling-hinges. The 3 modes of extension share characteristics similar to geological models proposed to explain the formation of metamorphic core complexes: 1) the crustal flow model for the weak lower crust, 2) the rolling-hinge and crustal flow models when the lower crust is intermediate and 3) the flexural uplift model when the lower crust is strong. Finally we show that the intensity of decoupling between the far field extension and lower crustal flow driven by the regional pressure gradient in the wedge control the overall style of extension in the models.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Corn Phenoregions in the Continental United States
Konduri, V. S.; Kumar, J.; Hoffman, F. M.; Ganguly, A. R.; Hargrove, W. W.
The delineation of regions exhibiting similar crop performance has potential benefits for agricultural planning and management, policymaking and natural resource conservation. Studies of natural ecosystems have used multivariate clustering algorithms based on environmental characteristics to identify ecoregions for species range prediction and habitat conservation. However, few studies have used clustering to delineate regions based on crop phenology. The aim of this study was to perform a spatiotemporal analysis of phenologically self-similar clusters, or phenoregions, for the major corn growing areas in the Continental United States (CONUS) for the period 2008-2016. Annual trajectories of remotely sensed normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), a useful proxy for land surface phenology, derived from Moderate Resolution Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments at 8-day intervals and 250 m resolution was used as the phenological metric. Because of the large data volumes involved, the phenoregion delineation was performed using a highly scalable, unsupervised clustering technique with the help of high performance computing. These phenoregions capture the spatial variability in the timing of important crop phenological stages (like emergence and maturity dates) and thus could be used to develop more accurate parameterizations for crop models applied at regional to global scales. Moreover, historical crop performance from phenoregions, in combination with climate and soils data, could be used to improve production forecasts. The temporal variability in NDVI at each location could also be used to develop an early warning system to identify locations where the crop deviates from its expected phenological behavior. Such deviations may indicate a need for irrigation or fertilization or suggest where pest outbreaks or other disturbances have occurred.
Generation of continental rifts, basins, and swells by lithosphere instabilities
Fourel, Loïc.; Milelli, Laura; Jaupart, Claude; Limare, Angela
Continents may be affected simultaneously by rifting, uplift, volcanic activity, and basin formation in several different locations, suggesting a common driving mechanism that is intrinsic to continents. We describe a new type of convective instability at the base of the lithosphere that leads to a remarkable spatial pattern at the scale of an entire continent. We carried out fluid mechanics laboratory experiments on buoyant blocks of finite size that became unstable due to cooling from above. Dynamical behavior depends on three dimensionless numbers, a Rayleigh number for the unstable block, a buoyancy number that scales the intrinsic density contrast to the thermal one, and the aspect ratio of the block. Within the block, instability develops in two different ways in an outer annulus and in an interior region. In the outer annulus, upwellings and downwellings take the form of periodically spaced radial spokes. The interior region hosts the more familiar convective pattern of polygonal cells. In geological conditions, such instabilities should manifest themselves as linear rifts striking at a right angle to the continent-ocean boundary and an array of domal uplifts, volcanic swells, and basins in the continental interior. Simple scaling laws for the dimensions and spacings of the convective structures are derived. For the subcontinental lithospheric mantle, these dimensions take values in the 500-1000 km range, close to geological examples. The large intrinsic buoyancy of Archean lithospheric roots prevents this type of instability, which explains why the widespread volcanic activity that currently affects Western Africa is confined to post-Archean domains.
Wu, Guangliang; Lavier, Luc L.; Choi, Eunseo
Statistics of lower tropospheric inversions over the continental United States
Zhang, Y.H.; Zhang, S.D.; Yi, F. [Wuhan Univ., Hubei (China). School of Electronic Information; Ministry of Education, Wuhan, Hubei (China). Key Lab. of Geospace Environment and Geodesy; State Observatory for Atmospheric Remote Sensing, Wuhan (China); Chen, Z.Y. [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China). Inst. of Atmospheric Sciences
The basic structure parameters of lower tropospheric inversions (LTIs) have been derived from 10 years (1998-2007) of high vertical resolution ({proportional_to}50 m) radiosonde observations over 56 United States stations. Seasonal and longitudinal variability of these parameters are presented and the formation mechanisms of LTI are also discussed. It is found that LTI seems to be a common feature over the continental United States. The LTI occurrence rates (defined as the fraction of measurements with LTI, which is calculated from the number of LTI cases divided by the number of measurements of the whole 10 years) at these 56 stations vary from 3.7% to 14.5%; the averaged base heights of LTI have a range of 3-5 km above mean sea level (a.m.s.l.); the averaged thicknesses and temperature jump ranges from 420-465m and 1.9-2.2 K, respectively. These parameters have an obvious seasonal variation. In winter, all the occurrence rates, thicknesses and temperature jumps of LTI have much larger values than those in summer. LTI occurrence rate shows an obvious west-east increasing trend in all 4 seasons. Detailed analyses reveal that dynamical instability induced by strong zonal wind shear is responsible for LTI in winter, spring and autumn; the frontal system tends to generate LTI in summer. Since the higher occurrence rate, larger temperature jump and larger thickness of LTI occur in winter, we believe strong zonal wind shear plays a more important role in the formation of LTI. (orig.)
Y. H. Zhang
Full Text Available The basic structure parameters of lower tropospheric inversions (LTIs have been derived from 10 years (1998–2007 of high vertical resolution (~50 m radiosonde observations over 56 United States stations. Seasonal and longitudinal variability of these parameters are presented and the formation mechanisms of LTI are also discussed. It is found that LTI seems to be a common feature over the continental United States. The LTI occurrence rates (defined as the fraction of measurements with LTI, which is calculated from the number of LTI cases divided by the number of measurements of the whole 10 years at these 56 stations vary from 3.7% to 14.5%; the averaged base heights of LTI have a range of 3–5 km above mean sea level (a.m.s.l.; the averaged thicknesses and temperature jump ranges from 420–465 m and 1.9–2.2 K, respectively. These parameters have an obvious seasonal variation. In winter, all the occurrence rates, thicknesses and temperature jumps of LTI have much larger values than those in summer. LTI occurrence rate shows an obvious west-east increasing trend in all 4 seasons. Detailed analyses reveal that dynamical instability induced by strong zonal wind shear is responsible for LTI in winter, spring and autumn; the frontal system tends to generate LTI in summer. Since the higher occurrence rate, larger temperature jump and larger thickness of LTI occur in winter, we believe strong zonal wind shear plays a more important role in the formation of LTI.
Urban Heat Island phenomenon in extreme continental climate (Astana, Kazakhstan)
Konstantinov, Pavel; Akhmetova, Alina
Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon is well known in scientific literature since first half of the 19th century [1]. By now a wide number of world capitals is described from climatological point of view, especially in mid-latitudes. In beginning of XXI century new studies focus on heat island of tropical cities. However dynamics UHI in extreme continental climates is insufficiently investigated, due to the fact that there isn't large cities in Europe and Northern America within that climate type. In this paper we investigate seasonal and diurnal dynamics UHI intensity for Astana, capital city of Kazakhstan (population larger than 835 000 within the city) including UHI intensity changes on different time scales. Now (since 1998) Astana is the second coldest capital city in the world after Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia [3] For this study we use the UHI investigation technology, described in [2]. According to this paper, we selected three stations: one located into city in high and midrise buildings area (including extensive lowrise and high-energy industrial - LCZ classification) and two others located in rural site (sparsely built or open-set and lightweight lowrise according LCZ classification). Also these stations must be close by distance (less than 100 km) and altitude. Therefore, first for Astana city were obtained numerical evaluations for UHI climate dynamics, UHI dependence of synoptic situations and total UHI climatology on monthly and daily averages. References: 1.Howard, L. (1833) The Climate of London, Deduced from Meteorological Observations. Volume 2, London. 2.Kukanova E.A., Konstantinov P.I. An urban heat islands climatology in Russia and linkages to the climate change In Geophysical Research Abstracts, volume 16 of EGU General Assembly, pages EGU2014-10833-1, Germany, 2014. Germany. 3.www.pogoda.ru.net
Estimates of Continental Ancestry Vary Widely among Individuals with the Same mtDNA Haplogroup
Emery, Leslie S.; Magnaye, Kevin M.; Bigham, Abigail W.; Akey, Joshua M.; Bamshad, Michael J.
The association between a geographical region and an mtDNA haplogroup(s) has provided the basis for using mtDNA haplogroups to infer an individual's place of origin and genetic ancestry. Although it is well known that ancestry inferences using mtDNA haplogroups and those using genome-wide markers are frequently discrepant, little empirical information exists on the magnitude and scope of such discrepancies between multiple mtDNA haplogroups and worldwide populations. We compared genetic-ancestry inferences made by mtDNA-haplogroup membership to those made by autosomal SNPs in ∼940 samples of the Human Genome Diversity Panel and recently admixed populations from the 1000 Genomes Project. Continental-ancestry proportions often varied widely among individuals sharing the same mtDNA haplogroup. For only half of mtDNA haplogroups did the highest average continental-ancestry proportion match the highest continental-ancestry proportion of a majority of individuals with that haplogroup. Prediction of an individual's mtDNA haplogroup from his or her continental-ancestry proportions was often incorrect. Collectively, these results indicate that for most individuals in the worldwide populations sampled, mtDNA-haplogroup membership provides limited information about either continental ancestry or continental region of origin. PMID:25620206
Wintertime phytoplankton bloom in the Subarctic Pacific supported by continental margin iron
Lam, Phoebe J.; Bishop, James K.B.; Henning, Cara C.; Marcus, Matthew A.; Waychunas, Glenn A.; Fung, Inez
Heightened biological activity was observed in February 1996 in the high-nutrient low-chlorophyll (HNLC) subarctic North Pacific Ocean, a region that is thought to be iron-limited. Here we provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that Ocean Station Papa (OSP) in the subarctic Pacific received a lateral supply of particulate iron from the continental margin off the Aleutian Islands in the winter, coincident with the observed biological bloom. Synchrotron X-ray analysis was used to describe the physical form, chemistry, and depth distributions of iron in size fractionated particulate matter samples. The analysis reveals that discrete micron-sized iron-rich hotspots are ubiquitous in the upper 200m at OSP, more than 900km from the closest coast. The specifics of the chemistry and depth profiles of the Fe hot spots trace them to the continental margins. We thus hypothesize that iron hotspots are a marker for the delivery of iron from the continental margin. We confirm the delivery of continental margin iron to the open ocean using an ocean general circulation model with an iron-like tracer source at the continental margin. We suggest that iron from the continental margin stimulated a wintertime phytoplankton bloom, partially relieving the HNLC condition
{sup 210}Pb-Excess and Sediment Accumulation Rates at the Iberian Continental Margin
Carvalho, F. P.; Oliveira, J. M.; Soares, A. M. [Nuclear and Technological Institute, Sacavem (Portugal)
Sediments from the continental shelf, slope, and rise at the continental margin of northern Portugal and the adjacent Iberian abyssal basin were analysed for 210Pb, {sup 226}Ra, {sup 137}Cs and {sup 14}C. Pb-210 derived sedimentation rates at the continental shelf off the Portuguese coast were 0.2-0.6 cm/a. In some cores from fine sediment deposits at the outer shelf, the {sup 210}Pb excess continuum was interrupted and sediment layers were missing, suggesting that events such as sediment slides could have occurred. Higher sedimentation rates were determined in locations at the rise of the continental slope, confirming enhanced deposition by sediment slides. In the deeper Iberian Abyssal Basin, using the {sup 14}C age of sediment layers the sedimentation rate was determined at 3.2 cm/ka, thus four orders of magnitude lower than at the continental shelf. The spatial distribution of sedimentation rates determined by radionuclide based chronologies, suggested that fine sediments from river discharges are deposited mainly at the outer continental shelf. These deposits may became unstable with time and, occasionally, originate sediment slides that are drained by the canyons and reach the deep sea. The Iberian abyssal basin receives some advective contribution of these sediment slides and the sedimentation rate is one order of magnitude higher than in other abyssal basins of the NE Atlantic Ocean. (author)
Continental distribution as a forcing factor for global-scale temperature
Barron, E J; Thompson, S L; Hay, W W
Since the advent of the continental drift hypothesis, changing continental geometries have been proposed as an explanation for long-term temperature variability. The climatic influence of a few specific past geographies has been investigated quantitatively, but these studies do not indicate the potential temperature variability due to continental positions. This problem has been examined only with simple climate models having limiting assumptions such as no cloud cover. Here idealized continental geometries are used as boundary conditions in a simulation using a general circulation model (GCM) of the atmosphere. The range in model simulated globally-averaged surface temperature is 7.4 K with a difference in polar surface temperature of up to 34 K. The simulations suggest a substantial climatic sensitivity to continental positions with the coldest global climate when land masses are in high latitudes. Although the simulations have not captured theoretical limits of climatic variability due to continental positions, present-day geography is near the cold end of this spectrum. 20 references, 1 figure.
New Insight Into The Crustal Structure of The Continental Margin Off NW Sabah/borneo
Barckhausen, U.; Franke, D.; Behain, D.; Meyer, H.
The continental margin offshore NW Sabah/Borneo (Malaysia) has been investigated with reflection and refraction seismics, magnetics, and gravity during the recent cruise BGR01-POPSCOMS. A total of 4000 km of geophysical profiles has been acquired, thereof 2900 km with reflection seismics. Like in major parts of the South China Sea, the area seaward of the Sabah Trough consists of extended continental lithosphere. We found evidence that the continental crust also underlies the continental slope land- ward of the Trough, a fact that raises many questions about the tectonic history and development of this margin. The characteristic pattern of rotated fault blocks and half grabens and the carbon- ates which are observed all over the Dangerous Grounds can be traced a long way landward of the Sabah Trough beneath the sedimentary succession of the upper plate. The magnetic anomalies which are dominated by the magnetic signatures of relatively young volcanic features also continue under the continental slope. The sedimentary rocks of the upper plate, in contrast, seem to generate hardly any magnetic anoma- lies. We suspect that the volcanic activity coincided with the collision of Borneo and the Dangerous Grounds in middle or late Miocene time. The emplacement of an al- lochtonous terrane on top of the extended continental lithosphere could be explained by overthrusting as a result of the collision or it could be related to gravity sliding following a broad uplift of NW Borneo at the same time.
Large-scale subduction of continental crust implied by India-Asia mass-balance calculation
Ingalls, Miquela; Rowley, David B.; Currie, Brian; Colman, Albert S.
Continental crust is buoyant compared with its oceanic counterpart and resists subduction into the mantle. When two continents collide, the mass balance for the continental crust is therefore assumed to be maintained. Here we use estimates of pre-collisional crustal thickness and convergence history derived from plate kinematic models to calculate the crustal mass balance in the India-Asia collisional system. Using the current best estimates for the timing of the diachronous onset of collision between India and Eurasia, we find that about 50% of the pre-collisional continental crustal mass cannot be accounted for in the crustal reservoir preserved at Earth's surface today--represented by the mass preserved in the thickened crust that makes up the Himalaya, Tibet and much of adjacent Asia, as well as southeast Asian tectonic escape and exported eroded sediments. This implies large-scale subduction of continental crust during the collision, with a mass equivalent to about 15% of the total oceanic crustal subduction flux since 56 million years ago. We suggest that similar contamination of the mantle by direct input of radiogenic continental crustal materials during past continent-continent collisions is reflected in some ocean crust and ocean island basalt geochemistry. The subduction of continental crust may therefore contribute significantly to the evolution of mantle geochemistry.
Continental growth and mantle hydration as intertwined feedback cycles in the thermal evolution of Earth
Höning, Dennis; Spohn, Tilman
A model of Earth's continental coverage and mantle water budget is discussed along with its thermal evolution. The model links a thermal evolution model based on parameterized mantle convection with a model of a generic subduction zone that includes the oceanic crust and a sedimentary layer as carriers of water. Part of the subducted water is used to produce continental crust while the remainder is subducted into the mantle. The total length of the subduction zones is calculated from the total surface area of continental crust assuming randomly distributed continents. The mantle viscosity is dependent of temperature and the water concentration. Sediments are generated by continental crust erosion, and water outgassing at mid-oceanic ridges closes the water cycle. We discuss the strongly coupled, non-linear model using a phase plane defined by the continental coverage and mantle water concentration. Fixed points are found in the phase plane at which the rates of change of both variables are zero. These fixed points evolve with time, but in many cases, three fixed points emerge of which two are stable and an intermediate point is unstable with respect to continental coverage. With initial conditions from a Monte-Carlo scheme we calculate evolution paths in the phase plane and find a large spread of final states that all have a mostly balanced water budget. The present day observed 40% continental surface coverage is found near the unstable fixed point. Our evolution model suggests that Earth's continental coverage formed early and has been stable for at least 1.5 Gyr. The effect of mantle water regassing (and mantle viscosity depending on water concentration) is found to lower the present day mantle temperature by about 120 K, but the present day mantle viscosity is affected little. The water cycle thus complements the well-known thermostat effect of viscosity and mantle temperature. Our results further suggest that the biosphere could impact the feedback cycles by
European Continental Scale Hydrological Model, Limitations and Challenges
Rouholahnejad, E.; Abbaspour, K.
The pressures on water resources due to increasing levels of societal demand, increasing conflict of interest and uncertainties with regard to freshwater availability create challenges for water managers and policymakers in many parts of Europe. At the same time, climate change adds a new level of pressure and uncertainty with regard to freshwater supplies. On the other hand, the small-scale sectoral structure of water management is now reaching its limits. The integrated management of water in basins requires a new level of consideration where water bodies are to be viewed in the context of the whole river system and managed as a unit within their basins. In this research we present the limitations and challenges of modelling the hydrology of the continent Europe. The challenges include: data availability at continental scale and the use of globally available data, streamgauge data quality and their misleading impacts on model calibration, calibration of large-scale distributed model, uncertainty quantification, and computation time. We describe how to avoid over parameterization in calibration process and introduce a parallel processing scheme to overcome high computation time. We used Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) program as an integrated hydrology and crop growth simulator to model water resources of the Europe continent. Different components of water resources are simulated and crop yield and water quality are considered at the Hydrological Response Unit (HRU) level. The water resources are quantified at subbasin level with monthly time intervals for the period of 1970-2006. The use of a large-scale, high-resolution water resources models enables consistent and comprehensive examination of integrated system behavior through physically-based, data-driven simulation and provides the overall picture of water resources temporal and spatial distribution across the continent. The calibrated model and results provide information support to the European Water
The Porcupine Basin: from rifting to continental breakup
Reston, Timothy; Gaw, Viola; Klaeschen, Dirk; McDermott, Ken
Southwest of Ireland, the Porcupine Basin is characterized by axial stretching factors that increase southward to values greater than six and typical of rifted margins. As such, the basin can be regarded as a natural laboratory to investigate the evolution and symmetry of rifting leading towards continental separation and breakup, and in particular the processes of mantle serpentinisation, and the onset of detachment faulting. We have processed through to prestack depth migration a series of E-W profiles crossing the basin at different axial stretching factors and linked by a N-S profile running close to the rift axis. Our results constrain the structure of the basin and have implications for the evolution of rifted margins. In the north at a latitude of 52.25N, no clear detachment is imaged, although faults do appear to cut down into the mantle, so that serpentinisation may have started. Further south (51.75N), a bright reflection (here named P) cuts down to the west from the base of the sedimentary section, is overlain by small fault blocks and appears to represent a detachment fault. P may in part follow the top of partially serpentinized mantle: this interpretation is consistent with gravity modelling, with numerical models of crustal embrittlement and mantle serpentinization during extension and with wide-angle data (see posters of Prada and of Watremez). Furthermore, P closely resembles the S reflection west of Iberia, where such serpentinites are well documented. P develops where the crust was thinned to less than 3 km during rifting, again similar to S. Although overall the basin remains symmetrical, the consistent westward structural dip of the detachment implies that, at high stretching factors, extension became asymmetric. Analysis of the depth sections suggests that the detachment may have been active as a rolling hinge rooting at low-angle beneath the Porcupine Bank, consistent with the presence of a footwall of serpentinites. This requires very weak
Geodetic constraints on continental rifting along the Red Sea
Reilinger, R.; McClusky, S.; Arrajehi, A.; Mahmoud, S.; Rayan, A.; Ghebreab, W.; Ogubazghi, G.; Al-Aydrus, A.
We are using the Global Positioning System (GPS) to monitor and quantify patterns and rates of tectonic and magmatic deformation associated with active rifting of the continental lithosphere and the transition to sea floor spreading in the Red Sea. Broad-scale motions of the Nubian and Arabian plates indicate coherent plate motion with internal deformation below the current resolution of our measurements (~ 1-2 mm/yr). The GPS-determined Euler vector for Arabia-Nubia is indistinguishable from the geologic Euler vector determined from marine magnetic anomalies, and Arabia-Eurasia relative motion from GPS is equal within uncertainties to relative motion determined from plate reconstructions, suggesting that Arabia plate motion has remained constant (±10%) during at least the past ~10 Ma. The approximate agreement between broad-scale GPS rates of extension (i.e., determined from relative plate motions) and those determined from magnetic anomalies along the Red Sea rift implies that spreading in the central Red Sea is primarily confined to the central rift (±10-20%). Extension appears to be more broadly distributed in the N Red Sea and Gulf of Suez where comparisons with geologic data also indicate a relatively recent (between 500 and 125 kyr BP) change in the motion of the Sinai block that is distinct from both Nubia and Arabia. In the southern Red Sea, GPS results are beginning to define the motion of the "Danakil micro-plate". We investigate and report on a model involving CCW rotation of the Danakil micro-plate relative to Nubia and magmatic inflation below the Afar Triple Junction that is consistent with available geodetic constraints. Running the model back in time suggests that the Danakil micro-plate has been an integral part of rifting/triple junction processes throughout the history of separation of the Arabian and Nubian plates. On the scale of Nubia-Arabia-Eurasia plate interactions, we show that new area formed at spreading centers roughly equals that
Building a Continental Scale Land Cover Monitoring Framework for Australia
Thankappan, Medhavy; Lymburner, Leo; Tan, Peter; McIntyre, Alexis; Curnow, Steven; Lewis, Adam
validation of land cover products. Among the upcoming missions, the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) Sentinel-2 satellites are seen as an important source of optical data for updating land cover information in Australia. This paper outlines the DLCD development, key applications that inform nationally significant issues, further work on updating the DLCD that would enable transition to a national land cover monitoring framework, challenges and approaches to delivering land cover information at higher spatial resolutions on a continental scale, and the potential value of data from the Sentinel-2 mission in supporting land cover monitoring in Australia and globally.
Vegetation physiology controls continental water cycle responses to climate change
Lemordant, L. A.; Swann, A. L. S.; Cook, B.; Scheff, J.; Gentine, P.
Abstract per se:Predicting how climate change will affect the hydrologic cycle is of utmost importance for ecological systems and for human life and activities. A typical perspective is that global warming will cause an intensification of the mean state, the so-called "dry gets drier, wet gets wetter" paradigm. While this result is robust over the oceans, recent works suggest it may be less appropriate for terrestrial regions. Using Earth System Models (ESMs) with decoupled surface (vegetation physiology, PHYS) and atmospheric (radiative, ATMO) CO2 responses, we show that the CO2 physiological response dominates the change in the continental hydrologic cycle compared to radiative and precipitation changes due to increased atmospheric CO2, counter to previous assumptions. Using multiple linear regression analysis, we estimate the individual contribution of each of the three main drivers, precipitation, radiation and physiological CO2 forcing (see attached figure). Our analysis reveals that physiological effects dominate changes for 3 key indicators of dryness and/or vegetation stress (namely LAI, P-ET and EF) over the largest fraction of the globe, except for soil moisture which exhibits a more complex response. This highlights the key role of vegetation in controlling future terrestrial hydrologic response.Legend of the Figure attached:Decomposition along the three main drivers of LAI (a), P-ET (b), EF (c) in the control run. Green quantifies the effect of the vegetation physiology based on the run PHYS; red and blue quantify the contribution of, respectively, net radiation and precipitation, based on multiple linear regression in ATMO. Pie charts show for each variable the fraction (labelled in %) of land under the main influence (more than 50% of the changes is attributed to this driver) of one the three main drivers (green for grid points dominated by vegetation physiology, red for grid points dominated by net radiation, and blue for grid points dominated by the
Mapping Mesophotic Reefs Along the Brazilian Continental Margin
Bastos, A.; Moura, R.; Amado Filho, G.; Ferreira, L.; Boni, G.; Vedoato, F.; D'Agostini, D.; Lavagnino, A. C.; Leite, M. D.; Quaresma, V.
Submerged or drowned reefs constitute an important geological record of sea level variations, forming the substrate for the colonization of modern benthic mesophotic communities. Although mapping mesophotic reefs has increased in the last years, their spatial distribution is poorly known and the worldwide occurrence of this reef habitat maybe underestimated. The importance in recognizing the distribution of mesophotic reefs is that they can act as a refuge for corals during unsuitable environmental conditions and a repository for shallow water corals. Here we present the result of several acoustic surveys that mapped and discovered new mesophotic reefs along the Eastern and Equatorial Brazilian Continental Margin. Seabed mapping was carried out using multibeam and side scan sonars. Ground truthing was obtained using drop camera or scuba diving. Mesophotic reefs were mapped in water depths varying from 30 to 100m and under distinct oceanographic conditions, especially in terms of river load input and shelf width. Reefs showed distinct morphologies, from low relief banks and paleovalleys to shelf edge ridges. Extensive occurrence of low relief banks were mapped along the most important coralline complex province in the South Atlantic, the Abrolhos Shelf. These 30 to 40m deep banks, have no more than 3 meters in height and may represent fringing reefs formed during sea level stabilization. Paleovalleys mapped along the eastern margin showed the occurrence of coralgal ledges along the channel margins. Paleovalleys are usually deeper than 45m and are associated with outer shelf rhodolith beds. Shelf edge ridges (80 to 120m deep) were mapped along both margins and are related to red algal encrusting irregular surfaces that have more than 3m in height, forming a rigid substrate for coral growth. Along the Equatorial Margin, off the Amazon mouth, shelf edge patch reefs and rhodolith beds forming encrusting surfaces and shelf edge ridges were mapped in water depths greater
The timescales of plume generation caused by continental aggregation
Honda, Satoru; Yoshida, Masaki; Ootorii, Sakie; Iwase, Yasuyuki
To understand the thermal evolution of the mantle following the aggregation of non-subductable thick continental lithosphere, we study a numerical model in which a supercontinent, simulated by high viscosity raft, HVR, covers a part of the top surface of a convection layer. We model infinite Prandtl number convection either in a three-dimensional (3D) spherical shell, 3D rectangular box (aspect ratios: 8 and 4) or two-dimensional (2D) rectangular box (aspect ratio: 8) and except for the HVR, we specify a constant viscosity. The HVR, which has a viscosity higher than that of its surrounding, is instantaneously placed on the top surface of a well-developed convection layer and its position is fixed. Our results from 3D spherical shell cases with and without phase transitions show the emergence of a large plume characterized by a long wavelength thermal anomaly (a degree one pattern) for a Pangea-like geometry. We analyze the volume averaged temperature under the HVR (=) the remaining (oceanic) area (=) and total area (=) to determine the timescale of plume generation. The difference between and (=Δ TCO) and show the existence of two characteristic timescales.Δ TCO exhibits an initial rapid increase and may become constant or continue to gradually increase. Meanwhile, shows a similar behavior but with a longer timescale. We find that these timescales associated with the increase of Δ TCO and can be attributed to the formation of large scale flow (i.e. plume) and response of the whole system to the emplacement of the HVR, respectively. For 3D spherical cases, we find that the timescale of plume generation is 1-2 Gyr, if the Rayleigh number is 10 6. To determine the effects of the viscosity of the HVR, 2D versus 3D modeling and the effects of the internal heating, we have also studied 2D and 3D rectangular box cases. A factor of about two variation exists in the timescale of plume generation. It appears that the timescale becomes greater for a smaller amount of
Numerical modeling of continental lithospheric weak zone over plume
Perepechko, Y. V.; Sorokin, K. E.
The work is devoted to the development of magmatic systems in the continental lithosphere over diffluent mantle plumes. The areas of tension originating over them are accompanied by appearance of fault zones, and the formation of permeable channels, which are distributed magmatic melts. The numerical simulation of the dynamics of deformation fields in the lithosphere due to convection currents in the upper mantle, and the formation of weakened zones that extend up to the upper crust and create the necessary conditions for the formation of intermediate magma chambers has been carried out. Thermodynamically consistent non-isothermal model simulates the processes of heat and mass transfer of a wide class of magmatic systems, as well as the process of strain localization in the lithosphere and their influence on the formation of high permeability zones in the lower crust. The substance of the lithosphere is a rheologic heterophase medium, which is described by a two-velocity hydrodynamics. This makes it possible to take into account the process of penetration of the melt from the asthenosphere into the weakened zone. The energy dissipation occurs mainly due to interfacial friction and inelastic relaxation of shear stresses. The results of calculation reveal a nonlinear process of the formation of porous channels and demonstrate the diversity of emerging dissipative structures which are determined by properties of both heterogeneous lithosphere and overlying crust. Mutual effect of a permeable channel and the corresponding filtration process of the melt on the mantle convection and the dynamics of the asthenosphere have been studied. The formation of dissipative structures in heterogeneous lithosphere above mantle plumes occurs in accordance with the following scenario: initially, the elastic behavior of heterophase lithosphere leads to the formation of the narrow weakened zone, though sufficiently extensive, with higher porosity. Further, the increase in the width of
Integrating remotely sensed surface water extent into continental scale hydrology.
Revilla-Romero, Beatriz; Wanders, Niko; Burek, Peter; Salamon, Peter; de Roo, Ad
In hydrological forecasting, data assimilation techniques are employed to improve estimates of initial conditions to update incorrect model states with observational data. However, the limited availability of continuous and up-to-date ground streamflow data is one of the main constraints for large-scale flood forecasting models. This is the first study that assess the impact of assimilating daily remotely sensed surface water extent at a 0.1° × 0.1° spatial resolution derived from the Global Flood Detection System (GFDS) into a global rainfall-runoff including large ungauged areas at the continental spatial scale in Africa and South America. Surface water extent is observed using a range of passive microwave remote sensors. The methodology uses the brightness temperature as water bodies have a lower emissivity. In a time series, the satellite signal is expected to vary with changes in water surface, and anomalies can be correlated with flood events. The Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) is a Monte-Carlo implementation of data assimilation and used here by applying random sampling perturbations to the precipitation inputs to account for uncertainty obtaining ensemble streamflow simulations from the LISFLOOD model. Results of the updated streamflow simulation are compared to baseline simulations, without assimilation of the satellite-derived surface water extent. Validation is done in over 100 in situ river gauges using daily streamflow observations in the African and South American continent over a one year period. Some of the more commonly used metrics in hydrology were calculated: KGE', NSE, PBIAS%, R 2 , RMSE, and VE. Results show that, for example, NSE score improved on 61 out of 101 stations obtaining significant improvements in both the timing and volume of the flow peaks. Whereas the validation at gauges located in lowland jungle obtained poorest performance mainly due to the closed forest influence on the satellite signal retrieval. The conclusion is that
Convective processes play a critical role in the Earth's energy balance through the redistribution of heat and moisture in the atmosphere and subsequent impacts on the hydrologic cycle. Global observation and accurate representation of these processes in numerical models is vital to improving our current understanding and future simulations of Earth's climate system. Despite improvements in computing power, current operational weather and global climate models are unable to resolve the natural temporal and spatial scales that are associated with convective and stratiform precipitation processes; therefore, they must turn to parameterization schemes to represent these processes. In turn, the physical basis for these parameterization schemes needs to be evaluated for general application under a variety of atmospheric conditions. Analogously, space-based remote sensing algorithms designed to retrieve related cloud and precipitation information for use in hydrological, climate, and numerical weather prediction applications often rely on physical "parameterizations� that reliably translate indirectly related instrument measurements to the physical quantity of interest (e.g., precipitation rate). Importantly, both spaceborne retrieval algorithms and model convective parameterization schemes traditionally rely on field campaign data sets as a basis for evaluating and improving the physics of their respective approaches. The Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) will take place in central Oklahoma during the April–May 2011 period. The experiment is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Ground Validation (GV) program. The field campaign leverages the unprecedented observing infrastructure currently available in the central United States
Climatic controls on arid continental basin margin systems
Gough, Amy; Clarke, Stuart; Richards, Philip; Milodowski, Antoni
Alluvial fans are both dominant and long-lived within continental basin margin systems. As a result, they commonly interact with a variety of depositional systems that exist at different times in the distal extent of the basin as the basin evolves. The deposits of the distal basin often cycle between those with the potential to act as good aquifers and those with the potential to act as good aquitards. The interactions between the distal deposits and the basin margin fans can have a significant impact upon basin-scale fluid flow. The fans themselves are commonly considered as relatively homogeneous, but their sedimentology is controlled by a variety of factors, including: 1) differing depositional mechanisms; 2) localised autocyclic controls; 3) geometrical and temporal interactions with deposits of the basin centre; and, 4) long-term allocyclic climatic variations. This work examines the basin margin systems of the Cutler Group sediments of the Paradox Basin, western U.S.A and presents generalised facies models for the Cutler Group alluvial fans as well as for the zone of interaction between these fans and the contemporaneous environments in the basin centre, at a variety of scales. Small-scale controls on deposition include climate, tectonics, base level and sediment supply. It has been ascertained that long-term climatic alterations were the main control on these depositional systems. Models have been constructed to highlight how both long-term and short-term alterations in the climatic regime can affect the sedimentation in the basin. These models can be applied to better understand similar, but poorly exposed, alluvial fan deposits. The alluvial fans of the Brockram Facies, northern England form part of a once-proposed site for low-level nuclear waste decommissioning. As such, it is important to understand the sedimentology, three-dimensional geometry, and the proposed connectivity of the deposits from the perspective of basin-scale fluid flow. The developed
BAHAN PENYERAP KMnO4 DAN ASAM L-ASKORBAT DALAM PENGEMASAN AKTIF (ACTIVE PACKAGING UNTUK MEMPERPANJANG MASA SIMPAN DAN MEMPERTAHANKAN MUTU BUAH DUKU (Lansium domesticum Corr. [Adsorbers for KMnO4 and L-Ascorbic Acid in the Active Packaging to Prolong the Shelve-Life and Maintain the Quality of Lanzone (Lansium domesticum Corr. Fruits
Soesiladi E Widodo
Full Text Available To develop an active packaging of lanzone (Lansium domisticum Corr. Fruits, KmnO4 as an ethylene scavenger and L-ascorbic acid as an oxygent scavenger were inserted into packaging. As direct contact of KmnO4 with agricultural product was not recommended and due to the liquid characteristic of both scavenger was carried out. This research was aimed at finding out the best adsorbers for KmnO4, L-ascorbic acid, and their combination in an active packaging to prolog the shelve-life and to maintain the quality of lanzone fruits. The result showed that 1 among the four adsorbers tested, pumice could was the best alternative as a KmnO4 or L-ascorbic acid adsorbers, and 2 spon and pumice were the best alternative adsorber for the combination of KmnO4 or L-ascorbic acid. Both adsorber were effective in prolonging the shelve-live (8-11 days longer than with out packaging and as good as using silica gel and vermiculite and maintaining the quality of lanzone fruits.
Continental Growth and Recycling in Convergent Orogens with Large Turbidite Fans on Oceanic Crust
Ben D. Goscombe
Full Text Available Convergent plate margins where large turbidite fans with slivers of oceanic basement are accreted to continents represent important sites of continental crustal growth and recycling. Crust accreted in these settings is dominated by an upper layer of recycled crustal and arc detritus (turbidites underlain by a layer of tectonically imbricated upper oceanic crust and/or thinned continental crust. When oceanic crust is converted to lower continental crust it represents a juvenile addition to the continental growth budget. This two-tiered accreted crust is often the same thickness as average continental crustal and is isostatically balanced near sea level. The Paleozoic Lachlan Orogen of eastern Australia is the archetypical example of a tubidite-dominated accretionary orogeny. The Neoproterozoic-Cambrian Damaran Orogen of SW Africa is similar to the Lachlan Orogen except that it was incorporated into Gondwana via a continent-continent collision. The Mesozoic Rangitatan Orogen of New Zealand illustrates the transition of convergent margin from a Lachlan-type to more typical accretionary wedge type orogen. The spatial and temporal variations in deformation, metamorphism, and magmatism across these orogens illustrate how large volumes of turbidite and their relict oceanic basement eventually become stable continental crust. The timing of deformation and metamorphism recorded in these rocks reflects the crustal thickening phase, whereas post-tectonic magmatism constrains the timing of chemical maturation and cratonization. Cratonization of continental crust is fostered because turbidites represent fertile sources for felsic magmatism. Recognition of similar orogens in the Proterozoic and Archean is important for the evaluation of crustal growth models, particularly for those based on detrital zircon age patterns, because crustal growth by accretion of upper oceanic crust or mafic underplating does not readily result in the addition of voluminous zircon
Phanerozoic continental growth and gold metallogeny of Asia
Goldfarb, Richard J.; Taylor, Ryan D.; Collins, Gregory S.; Goryachev, Nicolay A.; Orlandini, Omero Felipe
The Asian continent formed during the past 800 m.y. during late Neoproterozoic through Jurassic closure of the Tethyan ocean basins, followed by late Mesozoic circum-Pacific and Cenozoic Himalayan orogenies. The oldest gold deposits in Asia reflect accretionary events along the margins of the Siberia, Kazakhstan, North China, Tarim–Karakum, South China, and Indochina Precambrian blocks while they were isolated within the Paleotethys and surrounding Panthalassa Oceans. Orogenic gold deposits are associated with large-scale, terrane-bounding fault systems and broad areas of deformation that existed along many of the active margins of the Precambrian blocks. Deposits typically formed during regional transpressional to transtensional events immediately after to as much as 100 m.y. subsequent to the onset of accretion or collision. Major orogenic gold provinces associated with this growth of the Asian continental mass include: (1) the ca. 750 Ma Yenisei Ridge, ca. 500 Ma East Sayan, and ca. 450–350 Ma Patom provinces along the southern margins of the Siberia craton; (2) the 450 Ma Charsk belt of north-central Kazakhstan; (3) the 310–280 Ma Kalba belt of NE Kazakhstan, extending into adjacent NW Xinjiang, along the Siberia–Kazakhstan suture; (4) the ca. 300–280 Ma deposits within the Central Asian southern and middle Tien Shan (e.g., Kumtor, Zarmitan, Muruntau), marking the closure of the Turkestan Ocean between Kazakhstan and the Tarim–Karakum block; (5) the ca. 190–125 Ma Transbaikal deposits along the site of Permian to Late Jurassic diachronous closure of the Mongol–Okhotsk Ocean between Siberia and Mongolia/North China; (6) the probable Late Silurian–Early Devonian Jiagnan belt formed along the margin of Gondwana at the site of collision between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks; (7) Triassic deposits of the Paleozoic Qilian Shan and West Qinling orogens along the SW margin of the North China block developed during collision of South China
Alocação dos produtos nas gôndolas dos supermercados: um estudo de caso Allocation of products on supermarket's shelves: a case study
Rodrigo Coltelli Cesarino
Full Text Available Este é um estudo feito com o objetivo de verificar a eventual existência de um padrão de distribuição dos produtos nas gôndolas dos supermercados, em função do tamanho e formato das lojas. Para tal, foi conduzido um estudo de caso, em lojas de uma rede de supermercados na cidade de São Paulo, onde foi avaliada a relação existente entre as decisões de alocação de espaço e o tamanho e formato das lojas. Estando correlacionados o espaço alocado para as seções e o tamanho das lojas, tem-se uma padronização maior para as lojas da rede. Ou, se não existir tal correlação, pode existir uma maior especificidade de atendimento da demanda local para cada loja. Foram considerados, neste estudo, os formatos compacto, convencional e grande para os supermercados. Quanto ao critério de classificação das seções das lojas da rede pesquisada, foi utilizada uma própria. Os resultados sugerem que as lojas de formato compacto e convencional sejam desenhadas para atender uma demanda ainda mais localizada que as lojas de formato grande. O fato de não se rejeitar sistematicamente a hipótese nula de que a correlação entre o tamanho da loja e o tamanho da seção seja zero, para todas as seções nos três formatos de loja, é um forte indicador de que as decisões gerenciais, no tocante à alocação de espaço nas gôndolas das lojas da rede pesquisada, sejam muito mais localizadas do que poderia se esperar em uma rede. Principalmente levando-se em conta que a rede pesquisada tem a maioria de seus produtos originados a partir de um centro de distribuição.This study was done with the objective of verifying the possible existence of a pattern of distribution of the products on the supermarket's shelves, considering the size and format of the stores. A case study was conducted in stores of a great chain in the city of São Paulo, where the relationship between the space allocation decisions and the size and the format of the stores were
Effect of thicker oceanic crust in the Archaean on the growth of continental crust through time
Wilks, M.E.
Present crustal evolution models fail to account for the generation of the large volume of continental crust in the required time intervals. All Archaean plate tectonic models, whether invoking faster spreading rates, similar to today's spreading rates, or longer ridge lengths, essentially propose that continental crust has grown by island arc accretion due to the subduction of oceanic crust. The petrological differences that characterize the Archaean from later terrains result from the subduction of hotter oceanic crust into a hotter mantle. If the oceanic crust was appreciably thicker in the Archaean, as geothermal models would indicate, this thicker crust is surely going to have an effect on tectonic processes. A more valid approach is to compare the possible styles of convergence of thick oceanic crust with modern convergence zones. The best modern analog occurs where thick continental crust is colliding with thick continental crust. Oceanic crustal collision on the scale of the present-day Himalayan continental collision zone may have been a frequent occurrence in the Archaean, resulting in extensive partial melting of the hydrous underthrust oceanic crust to produce voluminous tonalite melts, leaving a depleted stabilized basic residuum. Present-day island arc accretion may not have been the dominant mechanism for the growth of the early Archaean crust
Sediment underthrusting within a continental magmatic arc: Coast Mountains batholith, British Columbia
Pearson, David M.; MacLeod, Douglas R.; Ducea, Mihai N.; Gehrels, George E.; Jonathan Patchett, P.
Though continental magmatic arcs are factories for new continental crust, a significant proportion of continental arc magmas are recycled from supracrustal material. To evaluate the relative contributions of retroarc underthrusting and trench side partial sediment subduction for introducing supracrustal rocks to the middle and lower crust of continental magmatic arcs, we present results from the deeply exposed country rocks of the Coast Mountains batholith of western British Columbia. Prior work demonstrates that these rocks underwent widespread partial melting that contributed to the Coast Mountains batholith. We utilize U-Pb zircon geochronology, Sm-Nd thermochronology, and field-based studies to document the protoliths and early burial history of amphibolite and granulite-facies metasedimentary rocks in the Central Gneiss Complex. U-Pb detrital zircon data from the structurally highest sample localities yielded 190 Ma unimodal age peaks and suggest that retroarc rocks of the Stikine terrane constitute a substantial portion of the Central Gneiss Complex. These supracrustal rocks underwent thrust-related burial and metamorphism at >25 km depths prior to 80 Ma. These rocks may also be underlain at the deepest exposed structural levels by Upper Cretaceous metasedimentary rocks, which may have been emplaced as a result of trench side underplating or intraarc burial. These results further our understanding of the mechanisms of material transport within the continental lithosphere along Cordilleran subduction margins.
Terrigenous sediment supply along the Chilean continental margin: modern regional patterns of texture and composition
Lamy, F.; Hebbeln, D.; Wefer, G.
The regional patterns of texture and composition of modern continental slope and pelagic sediments off Chile between 25°S and 43°S reflect the latitudinal segmentation of geological, morphological, and climatic features of the continental hinterland. Grain-size characteristics are controlled by the grain-size of source rocks, the weathering regime, and mode of sediment input (eolian off northern Chile vs fluvial further south). Bulk-mineral assemblages reveal a low grade of maturity. Regional variations are governed by the source-rock composition of the different geological terranes and the relative source-rock contribution of the Coastal Range and Andes, as controlled by the continental hydrology. The relative abundance of clay minerals is also predominantly influenced by the source-rock composition and partly by continental smectite neoformation. Latitudinal variations of illite crystallinities along the Chilean continental slope (and west of the Peru-Chile trench) clearly reflect modifications of the weathering regime which correspond to the strong climatic zonation of Chile.
Role of magmatism in continental lithosphere extension: an introduction to tectnophysics special issue
Van Wijk, Jolante W [Los Alamos National Laboratory
The dynamics and evolution of rifts and continental rifted margins have been the subject of intense study and debate for many years and still remain the focus of active investigation. The 2006 AGU Fall Meeting session 'Extensional Processes Leading to the Formation of Basins and Rifted Margins, From Volcanic to Magma-Limited' included several contributions that illustrated recent advances in our understanding of rifting processes, from the early stages of extension to breakup and incipient seafloor spreading. Following this session, we aimed to assemble a multi-disciplinary collection of papers focussing on the architecture, formation and evolution of continental rift zones and rifted margins. This Tectonophysics Special Issue 'Role of magmatism in continental lithosphere extension' comprises 14 papers that present some of the recent insights on rift and rifted margins dynamics, emphasising the role of magmatism in extensional processes. The purpose of this contribution is to introduce these papers.
The Athabasca Granulite Terrane and Evidence for Dynamic Behavior of Lower Continental Crust
Dumond, Gregory; Williams, Michael L.; Regan, Sean P.
Deeply exhumed granulite terranes have long been considered nonrepresentative of lower continental crust largely because their bulk compositions do not match the lower crustal xenolith record. A paradigm shift in our understanding of deep crust has since occurred with new evidence for a more felsic and compositionally heterogeneous lower crust than previously recognized. The >20,000-km2 Athabasca granulite terrane locally provides a >700-Myr-old window into this type of lower crust, prior to being exhumed and uplifted to the surface between 1.9 and 1.7 Ga. We review over 20 years of research on this terrane with an emphasis on what these findings may tell us about the origin and behavior of lower continental crust, in general, in addition to placing constraints on the tectonic evolution of the western Canadian Shield between 2.6 and 1.7 Ga. The results reveal a dynamic lower continental crust that evolved compositionally and rheologically with time.
The thermodynamic properties of the upper continental crust: Exergy, Gibbs free energy and enthalpy
Valero, Alicia; Valero, Antonio; Vieillard, Philippe
This paper shows a comprehensive database of the thermodynamic properties of the most abundant minerals of the upper continental crust. For those substances whose thermodynamic properties are not listed in the literature, their enthalpy and Gibbs free energy are calculated with 11 different estimation methods described in this study, with associated errors of up to 10% with respect to values published in the literature. Thanks to this procedure we have been able to make a first estimation of the enthalpy, Gibbs free energy and exergy of the bulk upper continental crust and of each of the nearly 300 most abundant minerals contained in it. Finally, the chemical exergy of the continental crust is compared to the exergy of the concentrated mineral resources. The numbers obtained indicate the huge chemical exergy wealth of the crust: 6 × 10 6 Gtoe. However, this study shows that approximately only 0.01% of that amount can be effectively used by man.
Influence of submarine morphology on bottom water flow across the western Ross Sea continental margin
Davey, F.J.; Jacobs, S.S.
Multibeam sonar bathymetry documents a lack of significant channels crossing outer continental shelf and slope of the western Ross Sea. This indicates that movement of bottom water across the shelf break into the deep ocean in this area is mainly by laminar or sheet flow. Subtle, ~20 m deep and up to 1000 m wide channels extend down the continental slope, into tributary drainage patterns on the upper rise, and then major erosional submarine canyons. These down-slope channels may have been formed by episodic pulses of rapid down slope water flow, some recorded on bottom current meters, or by sub-ice melt water erosion from an icesheet grounded at the margin. Narrow, mostly linear furrows on the continental shelf thought to be caused by iceberg scouring are randomly oriented, have widths generally less than 400 m and depths less than 30m, and extend to water depths in excess of 600 m.
Pan-Arctic distributions of continental runoff in the Arctic Ocean.
Fichot, Cédric G; Kaiser, Karl; Hooker, Stanford B; Amon, Rainer M W; Babin, Marcel; Bélanger, Simon; Walker, Sally A; Benner, Ronald
Continental runoff is a major source of freshwater, nutrients and terrigenous material to the Arctic Ocean. As such, it influences water column stratification, light attenuation, surface heating, gas exchange, biological productivity and carbon sequestration. Increasing river discharge and thawing permafrost suggest that the impacts of continental runoff on these processes are changing. Here, a new optical proxy was developed and implemented with remote sensing to determine the first pan-Arctic distribution of terrigenous dissolved organic matter (tDOM) and continental runoff in the surface Arctic Ocean. Retrospective analyses revealed connections between the routing of North American runoff and the recent freshening of the Canada Basin, and indicated a correspondence between climate-driven changes in river discharge and tDOM inventories in the Kara Sea. By facilitating the real-time, synoptic monitoring of tDOM and freshwater runoff in surface polar waters, this novel approach will help understand the manifestations of climate change in this remote region.
Circum-Pacific accretion of oceanic terranes to continental blocks: accretion of the Early Permian Dun Mountain ophiolite to the E Gondwana continental margin, South Island, New Zealand
Robertson, Alastair
Accretionary orogens, in part, grow as a result of the accretion of oceanic terranes to pre-existing continental blocks, as in the circum-Pacific and central Asian regions. However, the accretionary processes involved remain poorly understood. Here, we consider settings in which oceanic crust formed in a supra-subduction zone setting and later accreted to continental terranes (some, themselves of accretionary origin). Good examples include some Late Cretaceous ophiolites in SE Turkey, the Jurassic Coast Range ophiolite, W USA and the Early Permian Dun Mountain ophiolite of South Island, New Zealand. In the last two cases, the ophiolites are depositionally overlain by coarse clastic sedimentary rocks (e.g. Permian Upukerora Formation of South Island, NZ) that then pass upwards into very thick continental margin fore-arc basin sequences (Great Valley sequence, California; Matai sequence, South Island, NZ). Field observations, together with petrographical and geochemical studies in South Island, NZ, summarised here, provide evidence of terrane accretion processes. In a proposed tectonic model, the Early Permian Dun Mountain ophiolite was created by supra-subduction zone spreading above a W-dipping subduction zone (comparable to the present-day Izu-Bonin arc and fore arc, W Pacific). The SSZ oceanic crust in the New Zealand example is inferred to have included an intra-oceanic magmatic arc, which is no longer exposed (other than within a melange unit in Southland), but which is documented by petrographic and geochemical evidence. An additional subduction zone is likely to have dipped westwards beneath the E Gondwana margin during the Permian. As a result, relatively buoyant Early Permian supra-subduction zone oceanic crust was able to dock with the E Gondwana continental margin, terminating intra-oceanic subduction (although the exact timing is debatable). The amalgamation ('soft collision') was accompanied by crustal extension of the newly accreted oceanic slab, and
Nd isotope constraints on ocean circulation, paleoclimate, and continental drainage during the Jurassic breakup of Pangea
Dera, Guillaume; Prunier, Jonathan; Smith, Paul L.
, western Russia, and North America. Combined with an extensive compilation of published εNd(t) data, our results show that the continental sources of Nd were very heterogeneous across the world. Volcanic inputs from a Jurassic equivalent of the modern Pacific Ring of Fire contributed to radiogenic ε......-Tethyan, and western Russian waters varied quite similarly through time, in response to regional changes in oceanic circulation, paleoclimate, continental drainage, and volcanism. Three positive shifts in εNd(t) values occurred successively in these epicontinental seas during the Pliensbachian, in the Aalenian...
New Insight Into the Crustal Structure of the Continental Margin offshore NW Sabah/Borneo
The continental margin offshore NW Sabah/Borneo (Malaysia) has been investigated with reflection and refraction seismics, magnetics, and gravity during the recent cruise BGR01-POPSCOMS. A total of 4000 km of geophysical profiles has been acquired, thereof 2900 km with reflection seismics. The focus of investigations was on the deep water areas. The margin looks like a typical accretionary margin and was presumably formed during the subduction of a proto South China Sea. Presently, no horizontal movements between the two plates are being observed. Like in major parts of the South China Sea, the area seaward of the Sabah Trough consists of extended continental lithosphere which is characterised by a pattern of rotated fault blocks and half grabens and a carbonate platform of Early Oligocene to Early Miocene age. We found evidence that the continental crust also underlies the Sabah Trough and the adjacent continental slope, a fact that raises many questions about the tectonic history and development of this margin. The tectonic pattern of the Dangerous Grounds' extended continental crust can be traced a long way landward of the Sabah Trough beneath the sedimentary succession of the upper plate. The magnetic anomalies which are dominated by the magnetic signatures of relatively young volcanic features also continue under the continental slope. The sedimentary rocks of the upper plate, in contrast, seem to generate hardly any magnetic anomalies. Based on the new data we propose the following scenario for the development of the NW Sabah continental margin: Seafloor spreading in the present South China Sea started at about 30 Ma in the Late Oligocene. The spreading process separated the Dangerous Grounds area from the SE Asian continent and ceased in late Early Miocene when the oceanic crust of the proto South China Sea was fully subducted in eastward direction along the Borneo-Palawan Trough. During Lower and/or Middle Miocene, Borneo rotated counterclockwise and was
Preliminary three-dimensional model of mantle convection with deformable, mobile continental lithosphere
Yoshida, Masaki
Characteristic tectonic structures such as young orogenic belts and suture zones in a continent are expected to be mechanically weaker than the stable part of the continental lithosphere with the cratonic root (or cratonic lithosphere) and yield lateral viscosity variations in the continental lithosphere. In the present-day Earth's lithosphere, the pre-existing, mechanically weak zones emerge as a diffuse plate boundary. However, the dynamic role of a weak (low-viscosity) continental margin (WCM) in the stability of continental lithosphere has not been understood in terms of geophysics. Here, a new numerical simulation model of mantle convection with a compositionally and rheologically heterogeneous, deformable, mobile continental lithosphere is presented for the first time by using three-dimensional regional spherical-shell geometry. A compositionally buoyant and highly viscous continental assemblage with pre-existing WCMs, analogous to the past supercontinent, is modeled and imposed on well-developed mantle convection whose vigor of convection, internal heating rate, and rheological parameters are appropriate for the Earth's mantle. The visco-plastic oceanic lithosphere and the associated subduction of oceanic plates are incorporated. The time integration of the advection of continental materials with zero chemical diffusion is performed by a tracer particle method. The time evolution of mantle convection after setting the model supercontinent is followed over 800 Myr. Earth-like continental drift is successfully reproduced, and the characteristic thermal interaction between the mantle and the continent/supercontinent is observed in my new numerical model. Results reveal that the WCM protects the cratonic lithosphere from being stretched by the convecting mantle and may play a significant role in the stability of the cratonic lithosphere during the geological timescale because it acts as a buffer that prevents the cratonic lithosphere from undergoing global
State intervention causing inefficiency: an empirical analysis of the Norwegian Continental Shelf
Kashani, Hossein A.
State intervention in the Norwegian Continental Shelf started with the establishment of Statoil as the medium of state ownership over the found petroleum and as a tool to monitor oil companies' procurement behaviour. This paper tests the extent to which the state intervention created inefficiencies in the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) activities, as measured by data envelopment analysis, stochastic frontier analysis, Malmquist Indices, and standard regression analysis. Our results confirm such inefficiencies. Accordingly, the results provide an important insight into NCS production techniques and, more generally, into governments' abilities to influence private sector behaviour through contracts and tendering
Continental crust formation: Numerical modelling of chemical evolution and geological implications
Walzer, U.; Hendel, R.
Oceanic plateaus develop by decompression melting of mantle plumes and have contributed to the growth of the continental crust throughout Earth's evolution. Occasional large-scale partial melting events of parts of the asthenosphere during the Archean produced large domains of precursor crustal material. The fractionation of arc-related crust during the Proterozoic and Phanerozoic contributed to the growth of continental crust. However, it remains unclear whether the continents or their precursors formed during episodic events or whether the gaps in zircon age records are a function of varying preservation potential. This study demonstrates that the formation of the continental crust was intrinsically tied to the thermoconvective evolution of the Earth's mantle. Our numerical solutions for the full set of physical balance equations of convection in a spherical shell mantle, combined with simplified equations of chemical continent-mantle differentiation, demonstrate that the actual rate of continental growth is not uniform through time. The kinetic energy of solid-state mantle creep (Ekin) slowly decreases with superposed episodic but not periodic maxima. In addition, laterally averaged surface heat flow (qob) behaves similarly but shows peaks that lag by 15-30 Ma compared with the Ekin peaks. Peak values of continental growth are delayed by 75-100 Ma relative to the qob maxima. The calculated present-day qob and total continental mass values agree well with observed values. Each episode of continental growth is separated from the next by an interval of quiescence that is not the result of variations in mantle creep velocity but instead reflects the fact that the peridotite solidus is not only a function of pressure but also of local water abundance. A period of differentiation results in a reduction in regional water concentrations, thereby increasing the temperature of the peridotite solidus and the regional viscosity of the mantle. By plausibly varying the
Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) and the Continental-scale International Project (GCIP)
Vane, Deborah
A discussion of the objectives of the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) and the Continental-scale International Project (GCIP) is presented in vugraph form. The objectives of GEWEX are as follows: determine the hydrological cycle by global measurements; model the global hydrological cycle; improve observations and data assimilation; and predict response to environmental change. The objectives of GCIP are as follows: determine the time/space variability of the hydrological cycle over a continental-scale region; develop macro-scale hydrologic models that are coupled to atmospheric models; develop information retrieval schemes; and support regional climate change impact assessment.
Trans-Continental Transport of Air Pollution from Central Asia
Granberg, I.; Chen, B.; Carmichael, G.; Solomon, P.; Sofiev, M.; Sitnov, S.; Rubinstein, K.; Maximenkov, L.; Artamonova, M.; Pogarski, F.
was made in adjoint mode, aiming at evaluation of the footprint of the two observations sites - Bishkek and Lidar stations. Here the footprint is the area, which sources affected the observations within the selected period. The analysis of carry of aerosol particles on Central Tien-Shan and further on the basis of construction 4- day time back and direct trajectories is carried out, which were calculated for all days of realization of lidar measurements. The resulting trajectory air mass and density distribution of impurities, which is regionally polluted continental (RPC) air masses transported from Western air flow from Central Asia contributed significantly to the level of pollution at Japanese station Happo. Measuring the content of aerosols in the atmosphere in Central Asia held in a small number of items, and currently available data are insufficient to specify the initial conditions and / or verification of long-range transport models. It should be noted that the main source of aerosol in Central Asia is Taklamakan desert. Average value and AOT variability over it several times higher than corresponding AOT values over the rest of the region. The greatest variability aerosol over Taklamakan observed from late March to mid-May. For example, on April 22, 2008 average of the AOT in cell 5° x 5° over the western part of Taklamakan - value reached 3,171. AOT virtually throughout the region positively correlated with AOT over Taklamakan desert. The most noticeable effect makes an aerosol of Taklamakan found in the south-east Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan in the east and north of the Tibetan highlands. The impact of the Aral Sea area is restricted significantly less. In doing so, AOT in the central part of the region reveals a weak negative correlation with the AOT over the Aral Sea.
The initial superposition of oceanic and continental units in the southern Western Alps: constraints on geometrical restoration and kinematics of the continental subduction wedge
Dumont, Thierry; Schwartz, Stéphane; Matthews, Steve; Malusa, Marco; Jouvent, Marine
The tectonic contact separating continental and oceanic units is preserved at outcrop in many locations within the Western Alps. The contact has experienced prolonged and progressive deformation during Oligocene collision and subsequent 'extrusive' contraction which is approximately westerly-directed (Dumont et al., 2012). Despite variable metamorphic grade, this tectonic contact displays a relative consistency of tectonostratigraphic and structural characteristics. Removal of the Oligocene and younger deformation is a critical requirement to allow assessment of the kinematic evolution during the Eocene continental subduction phase. The best preserved relationships are observed near the base of the Helminthoid Flysch nappes, in the footwall of the Penninic thrust, or in the external part of the Briançonnais zone. Here, the oceanic units are composed of detached Cretaceous sediments, but they are underlain locally by an olistostrome containing basaltic clasts. Further to the east, the internal boundary of the Briançonnais zone s.l. (including the 'Prepiedmont units'), is frequently marked by breccia or megabreccia, but is strongly affected by blueschist-facies metamorphism and by approximately easterly directed backfolding and backthrusting. At one locality, there is compelling evidence that the oceanic and continental units were already tectonically stacked and metamorphosed (together) 32Ma ago. Some megabreccias of mixed continental/oceanic provenance can be interpreted as a metamorphic equivalent of the external olistostrome, products of the initial pulses of tectonic stacking. The overlying units are composed dominantly of metasediments, containing distributed ophiolitic megaboudins (Tricart & Schwartz, 2006). Further east again, the tectonic contact separates the Dora-Maira continental basement from the Mt. Viso units which are predominantly composed of oceanic lithosphere. Both the Dora-Maira and Mt. Viso units are eclogitic, but the HP peak is apparently
Aeromagnetic and gravity investigations of the Coastal Area and Continental Shelf of Liberia, West Africa, and their relation to continental drift
Behrendt, John C.; Wotorson, Cletus S.
An aeromagnetic survey has shown the existence of several basins in which magnetic basement depths are greater than 5 km on the continental shelf off Liberia. Magnetic diabase of 176 to 192 m.y. (Jurassic) in age intruding the Paleozoic (?) rocks and overlain by younger rocks onshore requires the distinction between "magnetic basement� and "basement.� Several lines of evidence suggest that the Paleozoic(?) rocks are less than 1 km thick; this implies that the diabase does not introduce a large error in depth-to-basement estimates. The dikes or their extrusive equivalents are traceable, on the basis of the magnetic data, beneath the younger sedimentary rock in the basins to the edge of the continental slope. The magnetic data also delineate a second zone of diabase dikes 90 km inland, parallel to the coast, which cross the entire country. The intrusion of the younger dikes probably coincides with rifting at the beginning of the separation of Africa and South America, and the associated magnetic anomaly zones appear to be parallel with and continuous into the anomaly bands in the Atlantic. A major northeast-trending break in the magnetic fabric intersects the coast near 9° W. and is associated with Eburnean age rocks (about 2000 m.y.) to the southeast as contrasted with Liberian-age rocks (about 2700 m.y.) to the northwest. Change in magnetic fabric direction inland from northeast to northwest in the coastal area allows recognition of a boundary between the Liberian-age rocks inland and Pan-African-age (about 550 m.y.) rocks in the coastal area northwest of about 9° 20'W. Sets of north-northwest-and west-northwest—trending faults of 1 to 2 km vertical displacement cut the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks onshore and can be traced into the offshore basins. Vertical displacements of several kilometers in the magnetic basement underlying the continental shelf suggest a pattern of block faulting all along the coast and continental shelf. Negative Bouguer
76 FR 15279 - Importation of Garlic From the European Union and Other Countries Into the Continental United States
...] Importation of Garlic From the European Union and Other Countries Into the Continental United States AGENCY... measures under which garlic may be imported into the continental United States from the European Union and..., Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. In this document, we refer to them as the European Union (EU) and other countries...
75 FR 68824 - Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Maryland-Request...
... No. BOEM-2010-0038] Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore..., Interior. ACTION: RFI in Commercial Wind Energy Leasing Offshore Maryland, and Invitation for Comments from... construction of a wind energy project(s) on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore Maryland. The BOEMRE...
Local discrepancies in continental scale biomass maps: a case study over forested and non-forested landscapes in Maryland, USA
Wenli Huang; Anu Swatantran; Kristofer Johnson; Laura Duncanson; Hao Tang; Jarlath O' Neil Dunne; George Hurtt; Ralph Dubayah
Continental-scale aboveground biomass maps are increasingly available, but their estimates vary widely, particularly at high resolution. A comprehensive understanding of map discrepancies is required to improve their effectiveness in carbon accounting and local decision-making. To this end, we compare four continental-scale maps with a recent high-resolution lidar-...
77 FR 52353 - Right-of-Way Grant of Submerged Lands on the Outer Continental Shelf to Support Renewable Energy...
... of Submerged Lands on the Outer Continental Shelf to Support Renewable Energy Development AGENCY... would be used to issue Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) renewable energy right-of-way (ROW) grants in order... renewable energy, but does not constitute a project easement. The ability of an ROW grantee to install such...
...-Way Grant of Submerged Lands on the Outer Continental Shelf to Support Renewable Energy Development... will use Form 0009 to issue a renewable energy right-of- way (ROW) grant on the Outer Continental Shelf....gov/Renewable-Energy Program/ Regulatory-Information/Index.aspx. DATES: The ROW grant form will be...
...; MMAA104000] Atlantic Wind Lease Sale 3 (ATLW3) Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental.... ACTION: Proposed Sale Notice for Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Maryland. SUMMARY: This document is the Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) for the sale of commercial wind...
... Management Atlantic Wind Lease Sale 2 (ATLW2) Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Rhode Island and Massachusetts-- Final Sale Notice and Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and...; MMAA104000] Atlantic Wind Lease Sale 2 (ATLW2) Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental...
Clay sediment accumulation rates on the monsoon-dominated western continental shelf and slope region of India
Borole, D.V.
Clay accumulation rates shown in sediment cores from the nearshore to outer continental shelf and slope regions in water depths of 10-1246 m on the western continental margins of India were determined by the 210Pb dating technique. The 210Pb excess...
76 FR 48861 - Notice of Issuance of Final Outer Continental Shelf Air Permit for Anadarko Petroleum Corporation
... Continental Shelf Air Permit for Anadarko Petroleum Corporation AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA... final Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) air permit for Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (Anadarko). The permit... Petroleum Corporation regarding the project. EPA carefully reviewed each of the comments submitted and...
Physiological and genomic features of highly alkaliphilic hydrogen-utilizing Betaproteobacteria from a continental serpentinizing site
Suzuki, S.; Kuenen, J.G.; Schipper, K.; van der Velde, S.; Ishii, S.; Wu, A.; Sorokin, D.Y.; Tenney, A.; Meng, X.Y.; Morrill, P.L.; Kamagata, Y.; Muyzer, G.; Nealson, K.H.
Serpentinization, or the aqueous alteration of ultramafic rocks, results in challenging environments for life in continental sites due to the combination of extremely high pH, low salinity and lack of obvious electron acceptors and carbon sources. Nevertheless, certain Betaproteobacteria have been
Biodiversity hotspots on the Dutch Continental Shelf: a marine strategy framework directive perspective
Bos, O.G.; Witbaard, R.; Lavaleye, M.S.S.; Moorsel, G.W.N.M.; Teal, L.R.; Hal, van R.; Hammen, van der T.; Hofstede, ter R.; Bemmelen, van R.S.A.; Witte, R.H.; Geelhoed, S.C.V.; Dijkman, E.M.
This report presenst hotspots of biodiversity for benthos, fish, birds, marine mammals and habitats on the Dutch Continental Shelf. These hotspots are based on a spatial application of biodiversity metrics developed in this study for the GES(Good Environmental Status)-descriptor 1 'Biological
Wilson cycle passive margins: Control of orogenic inheritance on continental breakup
Petersen, Kenni D.; Schiffer, Christian
Abstract Rifts and passive margins often develop along old suture zones where colliding continents merged during earlier phases of the Wilson cycle. For example, the North Atlantic formed after continental break-up along sutures formed during the Caledonian and Variscan orogenies. Even though suc...
77 FR 24734 - Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Renewable Energy Program Leasing for Marine Hydrokinetic Technology...
... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Ocean Energy Management [Docket No. BOEM-2012-0011] Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Renewable Energy Program Leasing for Marine Hydrokinetic Technology Testing Offshore Florida AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of the Availability of an...
Salt as a public health challenge in continental European convenience and ready meals.
Kanzler, Sonja; Hartmann, Christina; Gruber, Anita; Lammer, Guido; Wagner, Karl-Heinz
To assess the salt content of continental European convenience and ready meals. A multistage study in which, after laboratory analysis of the products' salt contents (n 32), new salt-reduced meals were developed through food reformulation. Additionally, a comprehensive survey of convenience meals from the Austrian market (n 572) was conducted to evaluate the salt contents of a wider product range. Six continental European countries participated. No subjects enrolled. The salt contents of continental European convenience and ready meals mostly exceeded 1·8 g/100 g, which is 30 % of the targeted daily intake level; some contained even more than the recommended daily intake of 6 g. The highest salt contents were found in pizzas and pasta dishes, the lowest ones in sweet meals. Large variations in salt levels were found not only between and within meal type categories, but also between similar meals from different producers. In addition, our approach to develop new salt-reduced meals showed that a stepwise reduction of the ready meals' salt contents is possible without compromising the sensory quality. To address the problem of hypertension and increased risk for CVD through high salt intake, a reduction of the salt levels in continental European convenience and ready meals is urgently needed, since they are providing a major part of the daily salt intake. Successful national-wide salt reduction strategies in the UK or Finland have already demonstrated the public health impact of this setting.
Wind forcing controls on river plume spreading on a tropical continental shelf
Tarya, A.; Vegt, van der M.; Hoitink, A.J.F.
The Berau Continental Shelf is located close to the Equator in the Indonesian Archipelago, hosting a complex of coral reefs along its oceanic edge. The Berau coral reefs have a very high biodiversity, but the area is under serious risk due to river-derived nutrients and sediments. The region is
Leveraged Buyouts in the U.K. and Continental Europe : Retrospect and Prospect
Wright, M.; Renneboog, L.D.R.; Simons, T.; Scholes, L.
Abstract: Management buy-outs have become a global phenomenon. This paper examines the key market trends in the UK and Continental Europe and identifies challenges for the future development of the market. Key recent trends include: buy-out funds raised have exceeded funds invested; evidence from
Regional, Continental, and Global Mobility to an Emerging Economy: The Case of South Africa
Lee, Jenny J.; Sehoole, Chika
This study examined mobility within the understudied region of southern Africa and particularly, the factors that drive and shape educational migration toward South Africa as a regional, continental, and global destination. Based on a survey administered to international students across seven South African universities, the findings revealed…
Kalman filter for statistical monitoring of forest cover across sub-continental regions
Raymond L. Czaplewski
The Kalman filter is a multivariate generalization of the composite estimator which recursively combines a current direct estimate with a past estimate that is updated for expected change over time with a prediction model. The Kalman filter can estimate proportions of different cover types for sub-continental regions each year. A random sample of high-resolution...
Residential expansion as a continental threat to U.S. coastal ecosystems
J.G. Bartlett; D.M. Mageean; R.J. O' Connor
Spatially extensive analysis of satellite, climate, and census data reveals human-environment interactions of regional or continental concern in the United States. A grid-based principal components analysis of Bureau of Census variables revealed two independent demographic phenomena, a-settlement reflecting traditional human settlement patterns and p-settlement...
Managing the visual effects of outer continental shelf and other petroleum-related coastal development
Philip A. Marcus; Ethan T. Smith
Five petroleum-related facilities often sited in the coastal zone during development of Outer Continental oil and gas can change the visual appearance of coastal areas. These facilities are service bases, platform fabrication yards, marine terminals and associated storage facilities, oil and gas processing facilities, and liquified natural gas terminals. Examples of...
Fire ecology of Montana forest habitat types east of the Continental Divide
William C. Fischer; Bruce D. Clayton
Provides information on fire as an ecological factor for forest habitat types occurring east of the Continental Divide in Montana. Identifies "Fire Groups" of habitat types based on fire's role in forest succession. Describes forest fuels and suggests considerations for fire management.
... safety as it ``does not affect the safety, performance and durability of the tire; the tires were built... requirements. Continental said that it performs ongoing compliance testing ``to assure tire performance'' and that ``all tires included in this petition will meet or exceed the performance requirements of FMVSS...
Estimating the formation age distribution of continental crust by unmixing zircon ages
Korenaga, Jun
Continental crust provides first-order control on Earth's surface environment, enabling the presence of stable dry landmasses surrounded by deep oceans. The evolution of continental crust is important for atmospheric evolution, because continental crust is an essential component of deep carbon cycle and is likely to have played a critical role in the oxygenation of the atmosphere. Geochemical information stored in the mineral zircon, known for its resilience to diagenesis and metamorphism, has been central to ongoing debates on the genesis and evolution of continental crust. However, correction for crustal reworking, which is the most critical step when estimating original formation ages, has been incorrectly formulated, undermining the significance of previous estimates. Here I suggest a simple yet promising approach for reworking correction using the global compilation of zircon data. The present-day distribution of crustal formation age estimated by the new "unmixing" method serves as the lower bound to the true crustal growth, and large deviations from growth models based on mantle depletion imply the important role of crustal recycling through the Earth history.
Effects of energy-related activities on the Atlantic Continental Shelf
Manowitz, B [ed.
Sixteen papers were presented and are announced separately. Coastal waters, continental shelf geology and aquatic ecosystems are studied for modelling basic data for assessment of possible environmental impacts from offshore energy development. Sediment transport and wave phenomena are modelled for understanding water pollution transport and diffusion. (PCS)
Morphology and tectonics of Mahanadi Basin, northeastern continental margin of India from geophysical studies
Subrahmanyam, V.; Subrahmanyam, A.S.; Murty, G.P.S.; Murthy, K.S.R.
the breakup of India from Antarctica. The model studies suggest that the northern part of the 85 degrees E Ridge abuts the coast at Chilika Lake. The shape of 2000 m isobath over the northeastern continental margin of India closely resembles to that of 2000 m...
Dynamic Evaluation of Two Decades of CMAQ Simulations over the Continental United States (book chapter)
This paper focuses on dynamic evaluation of the CMAQ model over the continental United States using multi-decadal simulations for the period from 1990 to 2010 to examine how well the changes in observed ozone air quality induced by variations in meteorology and/or emissions are s...
Recent sediment transport and deposition in the Nazaré Canyon, Portuguese continental margin.
de Stigter, H.C.; Boer, W.; de Jesus Mendes, P.A.; Jesus, C.C.; Thomsen, L.; van den Bergh, G.D.; van Weering, T.C.E.
Processes, pathways and fluxes of sediment transport and deposition in the Nazaré submarine canyon, Portuguese continental margin, were investigated by water column profiling of suspended particulate matter, recording of near-bottom currents and suspended particulate matter fluxes with benthic
The continental Permian-Triassic boundary in the Netherlands: Implications for the geomagnetic polarity time scale
Szurlies, M.; Geluk, M.C.; Krijgsman, W.; Kürschner, W.M.
In Central and NW Europe, the transition from the Permian to the Triassic (i.e., the Zechstein–Buntsandstein boundary interval) is developed mainly in red bed facies. This continental sedimentary succession is marked by relatively high sedimentation rates providing a high temporal resolution
Environmental heterogeneity explains the genetic structure of Continental and Mediterranean populations of Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl.
Martina Temunović
Full Text Available Tree species with wide distributions often exhibit different levels of genetic structuring correlated to their environment. However, understanding how environmental heterogeneity influences genetic variation is difficult because the effects of gene flow, drift and selection are confounded. We investigated the genetic variation and its ecological correlates in a wind-pollinated Mediterranean tree species, Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl, within a recognised glacial refugium in Croatia. We sampled 11 populations from environmentally divergent habitats within the Continental and Mediterranean biogeographical regions. We combined genetic data analyses based on nuclear microsatellite loci, multivariate statistics on environmental data and ecological niche modelling (ENM. We identified a geographic structure with a high genetic diversity and low differentiation in the Continental region, which contrasted with the significantly lower genetic diversity and higher population divergence in the Mediterranean region. The positive and significant correlation between environmental and genetic distances after controlling for geographic distance suggests an important influence of ecological divergence of the sites in shaping genetic variation. The ENM provided support for niche differentiation between the populations from the Continental and Mediterranean regions, suggesting that contemporary populations may represent two divergent ecotypes. Ecotype differentiation was also supported by multivariate environmental and genetic distance analyses. Our results suggest that despite extensive gene flow in continental areas, long-term stability of heterogeneous environments have likely promoted genetic divergence of ashes in this region and can explain the present-day genetic variation patterns of these ancient populations.
Discussion of some recent papers on ancient continental configurations reconstructed from paleomagnetic evidence
Hilten, D. van
In theory it is possible now to reconstruct the ancient continental configurations, both in latitude and in longitude, from paleomagnetic data alone. The papers that have first applied this new method are discussed. At present only the data from Africa and South America seem appropriate for
Impacts of Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) development on recreation and tourism. Volume 5. Program logic manual
The final report for the project is presented in five volumes. This volume is the Programmer's Manual. It covers: a system overview, attractiveness component of gravity model, trip-distribution component of gravity model, economic-effects model, and the consumer-surplus model. The project sought to determine the impact of Outer Continental Shelf development on recreation and tourism.
76 FR 20367 - Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Off Delaware...
... No. BOEM-2011-0008] Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Off... determination that no competitive interest exists in acquiring a commercial wind lease in the area offshore... a Request for Interest (RFI) in the Federal Register on April 26, 2010 (75 FR 21653). Bluewater Wind...
76 FR 14681 - Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Massachusetts...
... No. BOEM-2010-0063] Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore..., Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE), Interior. ACTION: Request for Interest (RFI) in Commercial Wind Energy... (BOEMRE) is reopening the comment period on the RFI in Commercial Wind Energy Leasing Offshore...
Lithospheric-scale structures from the perspective of analogue continental collision.
Sokoutis, D.; Burg, J.P.; Bonini, M.; Corti, G.; Cloetingh, S.A.P.L.
Analogue models were employed to investigate continental collision addressing the roles of (1) a suture zone separating different crustal blocks, (2) mid-crustal weak layers and (3) mantle strengths. These models confirmed that low-amplitude lithospheric and crustal buckling is the primary response
78 FR 36571 - North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Provisional Official...
... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Ocean Energy Management [MMAA104000] North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Provisional Official Protraction Diagram (OPDs) AGENCY... OPDs. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that effective with this publication two NAD 83-based OCS...
Lithosphere erosion and continental breakup : Interaction of extension, plume upwelling and melting
Lavecchia, Alessio; Thieulot, Cedric; Beekman, Fred; Cloetingh, Sierd; Clark, Stuart
We present the results of thermo-mechanical modelling of extension and breakup of a heterogeneous continental lithosphere, subjected to plume impingement in presence of intraplate stress field. We incorporate partial melting of the extending lithosphere, underlying upper mantle and plume, caused by
Kinematic and thermal evolution of the Moroccan rifted continental margin: Doukkala-High Atlas Transect
Gouiza, M.; Bertotti, G.V.; Hafid, M.; Cloetingh, S.A.P.L.
The Atlantic passive margin of Morocco developed during Mesozoic times in association with the opening of the Central Atlantic and the Alpine Tethys. Extensional basins formed along the future continental margin and in the Atlas rift system. In Alpine times, this system was inverted to form the High
Continental rift architecture and patterns of magma migration: a dynamic analysis based on centrifuge models.
Corti, G.; Bonini, M.; Sokoutis, D.; Innocenti, F.; Manetti, P.; Cloetingh, S.A.P.L.; Mulugeta, G.
Small-scale centrifuge models were used to investigate the role of continental rift structure in controlling patterns of magma migration and emplacement. Experiments considered the reactivation of weakness zones in the lower crust and the presence of magma at Moho depths. Results suggest that
Towards a Shift in Perspective for Inclusive Education Research--A Continental Approach
Korsgaard, Morten Timmermann; Mortensen, Stig Skov
With a starting point in the tradition of "geisteswissenschaftliche Pädagogik," this article presents a challenge to inclusive education research to engage a Continental perspective on educational research. The motivation is to entice inclusive education researchers to begin to ask educational questions of inclusion, as opposed to…
Scenarios for the development of the electricity economy in Continental Europe
Gutschi, Christoph; Stigler, Heinz; Jagl, Alexander; Nischler, Gernot; Huber, Christoph; Bachhiesl, Udo
ATLANTIS is a multi purpose scenario model for the investigation of effects in the electricity system of continental Europe. The model consists of a physical part for the simulation of power generation and load flow as well as an economic part for the investigation of power markets and the business development of generation and supply companies.
76 FR 71434 - Continental Tire North America, Inc., Grant of Petition for Decision of Inconsequential...
... petition and all supporting documents log onto the Federal Docket Management System Web site at: http://www...) 366-7002. Affected are approximately 28,169 size 235/55R18 100V SL Continental brand CrossContact UHP...
Compilation of 137Cs concentrations at selected sites in the continental United States
Mohr, R.A.; Franks, L.A.
This report summarizes results of cesium-137 analyses of soil samples obtained at 21 locations throughout the continental United States. The sites were all in the vicinity of operating nuclear power reactors, or those scheduled for operation. Selected fallout and meteorological data are also included
77 FR 65050 - Continental Tire North America, LLC, Mootness of Petition for Decision of Inconsequential...
... Continental's plant located in Cama[ccedil]ari-BA, Brasil. A total of approximately 16,245 of these tires have... petition, to exempt from providing recall notification of noncompliance as required by 49 U.S.C. 30118 and remedying the recall noncompliance as required by 49 U.S.C. 30120, and should be granted. NHTSA Decision...
Validating a continental-scale groundwater diffuse pollution model using regional datasets.
Ouedraogo, Issoufou; Defourny, Pierre; Vanclooster, Marnik
In this study, we assess the validity of an African-scale groundwater pollution model for nitrates. In a previous study, we identified a statistical continental-scale groundwater pollution model for nitrate. The model was identified using a pan-African meta-analysis of available nitrate groundwater pollution studies. The model was implemented in both Random Forest (RF) and multiple regression formats. For both approaches, we collected as predictors a comprehensive GIS database of 13 spatial attributes, related to land use, soil type, hydrogeology, topography, climatology, region typology, nitrogen fertiliser application rate, and population density. In this paper, we validate the continental-scale model of groundwater contamination by using a nitrate measurement dataset from three African countries. We discuss the issue of data availability, and quality and scale issues, as challenges in validation. Notwithstanding that the modelling procedure exhibited very good success using a continental-scale dataset (e.g. R 2 = 0.97 in the RF format using a cross-validation approach), the continental-scale model could not be used without recalibration to predict nitrate pollution at the country scale using regional data. In addition, when recalibrating the model using country-scale datasets, the order of model exploratory factors changes. This suggests that the structure and the parameters of a statistical spatially distributed groundwater degradation model for the African continent are strongly scale dependent.
Zircon evidence for incorporation of terrigenous sediments into the magma source of continental basalts.
Xu, Zheng; Zheng, Yong-Fei; Zhao, Zi-Fu
Crustal components may be incorporated into continental basalts by either shallow contamination or deep mixing. While the former proceeds at crustal depths with common preservation of refractory minerals, the latter occurs at mantle depths with rare survival of relict minerals. Discrimination between the two mechanisms has great bearing to subcontinental mantle geochemistry. Here we report the occurrence of relict zircons in Cenozoic continental basalts from eastern China. A combined study of zircon U-Pb ages and geochemistry indicates that detrital zircons were carried by terrigenous sediments into a subcontinental subduction zone, where the zircon were transferred by fluids into the magma sources of continental basalts. The basalts were sampled from three petrotectonic units with distinct differences in their magmatic and metamorphic ages, making the crustal contamination discernible. The terrigenous sediments were carried by the subducting oceanic crust into the asthenospheric mantle, producing both soluble and insoluble materials at the slab-mantle interface. These materials were served as metasomatic agents to react with the overlying mantle wedge peridotite, generating a kind of ultramafic metasomatites that contain the relict zircons. Therefore, the occurrence of relict zircons in continental basalts indicates that this refractory mineral can survive extreme temperature-pressure conditions in the asthenospheric mantle.
Marine magnetic anomalies over the Direction bank, off Bombay western continental shelf of India
SubbaRaju, L.V.; Subrahmanyam, V.
Total magnetic intensity data were collected over the Direction Bank, off Bombay on the western continental shelf of India and the isomagnetic anomaly map prepared at a contour interval of 25nT show NNW-SSE trend resemble those of the Dharwarians...
78 FR 59263 - Outer Continental Shelf Air Regulations Consistency Update for California
..., Nitrogen dioxide, Nitrogen oxides, Outer continental shelf, Ozone, Particulate matter, Permits, Reporting... Solvents (Adopted 10/23/78) Rule 325 Crude Oil Production and Separation (Adopted 07/19/01) Rule 326... (Adopted 04/17/97) Rule 805 Air Quality Impact Analysis and Modeling (Adopted 04/17/97) Rule 808 New Source...
From mantle roots to surface eruptions: Cenozoic and Mesozoic continental basaltic magmatism
Kämpf, H.; Németh, K.; Puziewicz, J.; Mrlina, Jan; Geissler, W.H.
Ro�. 104, �. 8 (2015), s. 1909-1912 ISSN 1437-3254 Institutional support: RVO:67985530 Keywords : continental basaltic volcanism * BASALT 2013 conference * Cenozoic * Mesozoic Subject RIV: DC - Siesmology, Volcanology, Earth Structure Impact factor: 2.133, year: 2015
Microbial origin of the phosphorites of the western continental shelf of India
Rao, V.P.; Nair, R.R.
Phosphatised algal nodules were recovered by dredging from the western continental shelf off Goa at depths ranging from 70 to 150 m. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis indicates that the phosphorus present in the algal nodules is confined to brownish...
Where does subduction initiate and die? Insights from global convection models with continental drift
Ulvrova, Martina; Williams, Simon; Coltice, Nicolas; Tackley, Paul
Plate tectonics is a prominent feature on Earth. Together with the underlying convecting mantle, plates form a self-organized system. In order to understand the dynamics of the coupled system, subduction of the lithospheric plates plays the key role since it links the exterior with the interior of the planet. In this work we study subduction initiation and death with respect to the position of the continental rafts. Using thermo-mechanical numerical calculations we investigate global convection models featuring self-consistent plate tectonics and continental drifting employing a pseudo-plastic rheology and testing the effect of a free surface. We consider uncompressible mantle convection in Boussinesq approximation that is basaly and internaly heated. Our calculations indicate that the presence of the continents alterns stress distribution within a certain distance from the margins. Intra-oceanic subudction initiation is favorable during super-continent cycles while the initiation at passive continental margin prevails when continents are dispersed. The location of subduction initiation is additionally controlled by the lithospheric strength. Very weak lithosphere results in domination of intra-oceanic subduction initiation. The subduction zones die more easily in the vicinity of the continent due to the strong rheological contrast between the oceanic and continental lithosphere. In order to compare our findings with subduction positions through time recorded on Earth, we analyse subduction birth in global plate reconstruction back to 410 My.
Early Eocene climatic optimum: Environmental impact on the North Iberian continental margin
Payros, A.; Ortiz, S.; Millán, I.; Arostegi, J.; Orue-Etxebarria, X.; Apellaniz, E.
The early Eocene climatic optimum, which constituted the peak of the long-term early Cenozoic global warming, had a significant impact on the environmental evolution of terrestrial and oceanic areas. Surprisingly, however, its influence on continental margins is poorly known. New insights are
Clay mineral distribution in the continental shelf and slope off Saurashtra, West coast of India
Rao, V.P.
Clay mineral distribution in the sediments of the west coast of India indicates that the illite and chlorite-rich sediments, derived from the Indus, occupy the continental shelf of the northern part of the Gulf of Kutch. Montmorillonite derived from...
Acoustic masking in sediments due to gases on the western continental shelf of India
Siddiquie, H.N.; Rao, D.G.; Vora, K.H.; Topgi, R.S.
Surveys carried out on the western continental shelf of India indicate that the inner and middle shelf to a depth of 50-60 m is covered by acoustically transparent clays. On the shelf off Bombay, the clays are thin near the shore where they overlie...
Relict sand waves in the continental shelf of the Gulf of Valencia (Western Mediterranean)
Albarracín, Silvia; Alcántara-Carrió, Javier; Montoya-Montes, Isabel; Fontán-Bouzas, �ngela; Somoza, Luis; Amos, Carl L.; Salgado, Jorge Rey
The presence of fossil or relict bedforms is common in the Quaternary fill of modern continental shelf due to sea level oscillations, tectonic subsidence and migration of associated sedimentary facies. The continental margin of the Gulf of Valencia has been strongly influenced by glacio-eustasy and neotectonics. High-resolution multibeam bathymetry data, seismic reflection profiles and box core samples were collected across the continental shelf of the Gulf of Valencia during the DERIVA cruises carried out in 2010 and 2011. The integrated analysis of this data set and high-resolution mapping of the relict bedforms on the Valencian continental shelf, ranging between 50 and 90 m allowed the study of previously identified system of sand waves located in front of the present-day Albufera de Valencia lagoon. The system is composed of 27 ridges with a NNE-SSW orientation, i.e. oblique to the present shoreline, in which the lateral horns point backwards. These sand waves can reach 10 m in height and 3 km in length resulting in a maximum slope of 6°. According to seismic stratigraphic and relative sea level curve reconstructions, these sand waves were formed during the Younger Dryas (~ 12-10 ky BP). Consequently, they have been classified as Holocene sand waves associated with coastal sedimentary evolution.
Robust high resolution models of the continental lithosphere: Methodology and application to Asia
Stolk, W.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/323259170
Asia is a key natural laboratory for the study of active intra-continental deformation in far-field response to the ongoing collision ofIndiaandEurasia. The resulting tectonic processes strongly depend on the thermo-mechanical structure of the lithosphere. This lithosphere can be separated into
Constraining climate sensitivity and continental versus seafloor weathering using an inverse geological carbon cycle model.
Krissansen-Totton, Joshua; Catling, David C
The relative influences of tectonics, continental weathering and seafloor weathering in controlling the geological carbon cycle are unknown. Here we develop a new carbon cycle model that explicitly captures the kinetics of seafloor weathering to investigate carbon fluxes and the evolution of atmospheric CO 2 and ocean pH since 100 Myr ago. We compare model outputs to proxy data, and rigorously constrain model parameters using Bayesian inverse methods. Assuming our forward model is an accurate representation of the carbon cycle, to fit proxies the temperature dependence of continental weathering must be weaker than commonly assumed. We find that 15-31 °C (1σ) surface warming is required to double the continental weathering flux, versus 3-10 °C in previous work. In addition, continental weatherability has increased 1.7-3.3 times since 100 Myr ago, demanding explanation by uplift and sea-level changes. The average Earth system climate sensitivity is K (1σ) per CO 2 doubling, which is notably higher than fast-feedback estimates. These conclusions are robust to assumptions about outgassing, modern fluxes and seafloor weathering kinetics.
Geophysical imaging of buried volcanic structures within a continental back-arc basin
Stratford, Wanda Rose; Stern, T.A.
Hidden beneath the ~2 km thick low-velocity volcaniclastics on the western margin of the Central Volcanic Region, North Island, New Zealand, are two structures that represent the early history of volcanic activity in a continental back-arc. These ~20×20 km structures, at Tokoroa and Mangakino, fo...
Recent foraminiferal assemblages from the continental shelf sediments of Madras, Bay of Bengal
Setty, M.G.A.P.
During the 15th cruise of INS Kistna, as part of the International Indian Ocean Expedition, several sub-surface samples were collected, (using LaFond-Dietz snapper), from the continental shelf region of the Bay of Bengal. Samples from two locations...
Atlantic update, July 1986--June 1990: Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas activities
Karpas, R.M.; Gould, G.J.
This report describes outer continental shelf oil and gas activities in the Atlantic Region. This edition of the Atlantic Update includes an overview of the Mid-Atlantic Planning Area and a summary of the Manteo Prospect off-shore North Carolina. 6 figs., 8 tabs.
Imperfections of the North-Atlantic wind-driven ocean circulation: continental geometry and windstress shape
Dijkstra, H.A.; Molemaker, M.J.
Multiple equilibria of the wind-driven gyres have been found in idealized quasi- geostrophic and shallow water models.In this paper we demonstrate that multiple equilibria persist within a reduced gravity shallow water model under quite realis- tic continental geometry and windstress orcing for
Effects of climate oscillations on wildland fire potential in the continental United States
Shelby A. Mason; Peter E. Hamlington; Benjamin D. Hamlington; W. Matt Jolly; Chad M. Hoffman
The effects of climate oscillations on spatial and temporal variations in wildland fire potential in the continental U.S. are examined from 1979 to 2015 using cyclostationary empirical orthogonal functions (CSEOFs). The CSEOF analysis isolates effects associated with the modulated annual cycle and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The results show that, in early...
77 FR 34211 - Modification of Multiple Compulsory Reporting Points; Continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii
... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 71 [Docket No. FAA-2012-0130; Airspace Docket No. 12-AWA-2] RIN 2120-AA66 Modification of Multiple Compulsory Reporting Points; Continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Final...
Transport and transfer rates in the waters of the continental shelf. Annual report
Biscaye, P.E.
The goal of govern project is to understand and quantify the processes that the transport and dispersal of energy-related pollutants introduced to the waters of the continental shelf and slope. The report is divided into sections dealing with processes associated with suspended solids; processes associated with sediments sinks for radionuclides and other pollutants; and spreading of water characteristics and species in solution
Continental Arcs as Both Carbon Source and Sink in Regulating Long Term Climate
Jiang, H.; Lee, C. T.
The long-term variability of atmospheric pCO2 is determined by the balance between the rate of geologic inputs of CO2 (e.g., magmatic/metamorphic degassing, carbonate weathering) and the rate of carbonate precipitation driven by silicate weathering. The Late Cretaceous-Early Cenozoic was characterized by elevated atmospheric pCO2 and greenhouse climate, likely due to increased magmatic flux from mid-ocean ridges and, in particular, continental arcs. However, it has been suggested that continental arc magmatism is accompanied by rapid uplift and erosion due to magmatic/tectonic thickening of the crust, thus continental arcs likely enhance the chemical weathering flux, in turn increasing the carbon sink. To assess the contribution of continental arcs to global carbon inputs and sinks, we conducted a case study in the Cretaceous Peninsular Ranges batholith (PRB) and associated forearc basin in southern California, USA, representing one segment of the Cretaceous Cordillera arc-forearc system. Arc magmatism occurred between 170-85 Ma, peaking at 100 Ma, but erosion of the arc continues into the early Eocene, with forearc sediments representing this protracted arc unroofing. During magmatism, we estimate the CO2 degassing flux from the PRB was at least 5-25*105 mol·km-2·yr-1. By calculating the depletion of Ca and Mg in the forearc sediments relative to their arc protoliths, we estimate the silicate weathering/carbonate precipitation flux to be 106 mol·km-2·yr-1 during Late Cretaceous magmatism, decreasing to 105 mol·km-2·yr-1 by the Early Eocene. We show that during active continental arc magmatism, the CO2 degassing flux is comparable to CO2 consumption driven by silicate weathering in the arc. However, after magmatism ends, a regional imbalance arises in which the arc no longer contributes to CO2 inputs but continued silicate weathering of the arc drives carbonate precipitation such that the arc indirectly becomes CO2 sink. We propose that the development of
Study of southern CHAONAN sag lower continental slope basin deposition character in Northern South China Sea
Tang, Y.
Northern South China Sea Margin locates in Eurasian plate,Indian-Australia plate,Pacific Plates.The South China Sea had underwent a complicated tectonic evolution in Cenozoic.During rifting,the continental shelf and slope forms a series of Cenozoic sedimentary basins,including Qiongdongnan basin,Pearl River Mouth basin,Taixinan basin.These basins fill in thick Cenozoic fluviolacustrine facies,transitional facies,marine facies,abyssal facies sediment,recording the evolution history of South China Sea Margin rifting and ocean basin extending.The studies of tectonics and deposition of depression in the Southern Chaonan Sag of lower continental slope in the Norther South China Sea were dealt with,based on the sequence stratigraphy and depositional facies interpretation of seismic profiles acquired by cruises of"China and Germany Joint Study on Marine Geosciences in the South China Sea�and"The formation,evolution and key issues of important resources in China marginal sea",and combining with ODP 1148 cole and LW33-1-1 well.The free-air gravity anomaly of the break up of the continental and ocean appears comparatively low negative anomaly traps which extended in EW,it is the reflection of passive margin gravitational effect.Bouguer gravity anomaly is comparatively low which is gradient zone extended NE-SW.Magnetic anomaly lies in Magnetic Quiet Zone at the Northern Continental Margin of the South China Sea.The Cenozoic sediments of lower continental slope in Southern Chaonan Sag can be divided into five stratum interface:SB5.5,SB10.5,SB16.5,SB23.8 and Hg,their ages are of Pliocene-Quaternary,late Miocene,middle Miocene,early Miocene,paleogene.The tectonic evolution of low continental slope depressions can be divided into rifting,rifting-depression transitional and depression stages,while their depositional environments change from river to shallow marine and abyssa1,which results in different topography in different stages.The topographic evolvement in the study
Double subduction of continental lithosphere, a key to form wide plateau
Replumaz, Anne; Funiciello, Francesca; Reitano, Riccardo; Faccenna, Claudio; Balon, Marie
The mechanisms involved in the creation of the high and wide topography, like the Tibetan Plateau, are still controversial. In particular, the behaviour of the indian and asian lower continental lithosphere during the collision is a matter of debate, either thickening, densifying and delaminating, or keeping its rigidity and subducting. But since several decades seismicity, seismic profiles and global tomography highlight the lithospheric structure of the Tibetan Plateau, and make the hypotheses sustaining the models more precise. In particular, in the western syntaxis, it is now clear that the indian lithosphere subducts northward beneath the Hindu Kush down to the transition zone, while the asian one subducts southward beneath Pamir (e.g. Negredo et al., 2007; Kufner et al., 2015). Such double subduction of continental lithospheres with opposite vergence has also been inferred in the early collision time. Cenozoic volcanic rocks between 50 and 30 Ma in the Qiangtang block have been interpreted as related to an asian subduction beneath Qiangtang at that time (De Celles et al., 2011; Guillot and Replumaz, 2013). We present here analogue experiments silicone/honey to explore the subduction of continental lithosphere, using a piston as analogue of far field forces. We explore the parameters that control the subductions dynamics of the 2 continental lithospheres and the thickening of the plates at the surface, and compare with the Tibetan Plateau evolution. We show that a continental lithosphere is able to subduct in a collision context, even lighter than the mantle, if the plate is rigid enough. In that case the horizontal force due to the collision context, modelled by the piston push transmitted by the indenter, is the driving force, not the slab pull which is negative. It is not a subduction driving by the weight of the slab, but a subduction induced by the collision, that we could call "collisional subduction".
Landscape patterns in rainforest phylogenetic signal: isolated islands of refugia or structured continental distributions?
Robert M Kooyman
Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Identify patterns of change in species distributions, diversity, concentrations of evolutionary history, and assembly of Australian rainforests. METHODS: We used the distribution records of all known rainforest woody species in Australia across their full continental extent. These were analysed using measures of species richness, phylogenetic diversity (PD, phylogenetic endemism (PE and phylogenetic structure (net relatedness index; NRI. Phylogenetic structure was assessed using both continental and regional species pools. To test the influence of growth-form, freestanding and climbing plants were analysed independently, and in combination. RESULTS: Species richness decreased along two generally orthogonal continental axes, corresponding with wet to seasonally dry and tropical to temperate habitats. The PE analyses identified four main areas of substantially restricted phylogenetic diversity, including parts of Cape York, Wet Tropics, Border Ranges, and Tasmania. The continental pool NRI results showed evenness (species less related than expected by chance in groups of grid cells in coastally aligned areas of species rich tropical and sub-tropical rainforest, and in low diversity moist forest areas in the south-east of the Great Dividing Range and in Tasmania. Monsoon and drier vine forests, and moist forests inland from upland refugia showed phylogenetic clustering, reflecting lower diversity and more relatedness. Signals for evenness in Tasmania and clustering in northern monsoon forests weakened in analyses using regional species pools. For climbing plants, values for NRI by grid cell showed strong spatial structuring, with high diversity and PE concentrated in moist tropical and subtropical regions. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Concentrations of rainforest evolutionary history (phylo-diversity were patchily distributed within a continuum of species distributions. Contrasting with previous concepts of rainforest community
Self-Consistent Generation of Primordial Continental Crust in Global Mantle Convection Models
Jain, C.; Rozel, A.; Tackley, P. J.
We present the generation of primordial continental crust (TTG rocks) using self-consistent and evolutionary thermochemical mantle convection models (Tackley, PEPI 2008). Numerical modelling commonly shows that mantle convection and continents have strong feedbacks on each other. However in most studies, continents are inserted a priori while basaltic (oceanic) crust is generated self-consistently in some models (Lourenco et al., EPSL 2016). Formation of primordial continental crust happened by fractional melting and crystallisation in episodes of relatively rapid growth from late Archean to late Proterozoic eras (3-1 Ga) (Hawkesworth & Kemp, Nature 2006) and it has also been linked to the onset of plate tectonics around 3 Ga. It takes several stages of differentiation to generate Tonalite-Trondhjemite-Granodiorite (TTG) rocks or proto-continents. First, the basaltic magma is extracted from the pyrolitic mantle which is both erupted at the surface and intruded at the base of the crust. Second, it goes through eclogitic transformation and then partially melts to form TTGs (Rudnick, Nature 1995; Herzberg & Rudnick, Lithos 2012). TTGs account for the majority of the Archean continental crust. Based on the melting conditions proposed by Moyen (Lithos 2011), the feasibility of generating TTG rocks in numerical simulations has already been demonstrated by Rozel et al. (Nature, 2017). Here, we have developed the code further by parameterising TTG formation. We vary the ratio of intrusive (plutonic) and extrusive (volcanic) magmatism (Crisp, Volcanol. Geotherm. 1984) to study the relative volumes of three petrological TTG compositions as reported from field data (Moyen, Lithos 2011). Furthermore, we systematically vary parameters such as friction coefficient, initial core temperature and composition-dependent viscosity to investigate the global tectonic regime of early Earth. Continental crust can also be destroyed by subduction or delamination. We will investigate
Kooyman, Robert M.; Rossetto, Maurizio; Sauquet, Hervé; Laffan, Shawn W.
Objectives Identify patterns of change in species distributions, diversity, concentrations of evolutionary history, and assembly of Australian rainforests. Methods We used the distribution records of all known rainforest woody species in Australia across their full continental extent. These were analysed using measures of species richness, phylogenetic diversity (PD), phylogenetic endemism (PE) and phylogenetic structure (net relatedness index; NRI). Phylogenetic structure was assessed using both continental and regional species pools. To test the influence of growth-form, freestanding and climbing plants were analysed independently, and in combination. Results Species richness decreased along two generally orthogonal continental axes, corresponding with wet to seasonally dry and tropical to temperate habitats. The PE analyses identified four main areas of substantially restricted phylogenetic diversity, including parts of Cape York, Wet Tropics, Border Ranges, and Tasmania. The continental pool NRI results showed evenness (species less related than expected by chance) in groups of grid cells in coastally aligned areas of species rich tropical and sub-tropical rainforest, and in low diversity moist forest areas in the south-east of the Great Dividing Range and in Tasmania. Monsoon and drier vine forests, and moist forests inland from upland refugia showed phylogenetic clustering, reflecting lower diversity and more relatedness. Signals for evenness in Tasmania and clustering in northern monsoon forests weakened in analyses using regional species pools. For climbing plants, values for NRI by grid cell showed strong spatial structuring, with high diversity and PE concentrated in moist tropical and subtropical regions. Conclusions/Significance Concentrations of rainforest evolutionary history (phylo-diversity) were patchily distributed within a continuum of species distributions. Contrasting with previous concepts of rainforest community distribution, our findings of
The development of continental crust through geological time: the South African case
Dia, A.; Allegre, C.J.; Erlank, A.J.
Nd isotopic compositions and 147 Sm/ 144 Nd ratios were measured in fifty-eight South African shales and greywackes with depositional ages ranging from 0.2 to 3.3 b.y. Elements such as the rare earths, which are poorly soluble in water and not fractionated during exogeneous processes, preserve the signature of the original crustal source. The 147 Sm/ 144 Nd ratios appear to be approximately constant throughout the time interval sampled. We calculated Nd model ages of crustal differentiation. Knowing that the shales represent a true blend of different continental areas we consider these model ages representative of the mean ages of their primitive continental sources. Then, using the inverse technique developed by Allegre and Rousseau in 1984, we computed a growth curve for the continental crust in South Africa. Two periods of important crustal genesis (Archaean and around 1.5 b.y.) can be compared with the observed geology and with other continental crust growth curves obtained in previous studies in southern Africa and in Australia. The observation of large variations in the MgO content and Ni, Cr, U and Th concentrations between Archaean South African shales and post-Archaean samples compared to the constancy of the 147 Sm/ 144 Nd ratios leads us to propose that the Archaean crust was composed of both granite (70.5%) and a mafic component (29.5%) which could have been komatiite. The small dispersion of 147 Sm/ 144 Nd ratios suggests that erosion and sedimentation processes yielded homogeneous Archaean shales. The present-day continental crust is much more heterogeneous, because it has undergone several episodes of recycling. Thus recent shales are characterized by more variable 147 Sm/ 144 Nd ratios. (orig.)
Eurasian continental background and regionally polluted levels of ozone and CO observed in northeast Asia
Pochanart, Pakpong; Kato, Shungo; Katsuno, Takao; Akimoto, Hajime
The roles of Eurasian/Siberian continental air masses transport and the impact of large-scale East Asian anthropogenic emissions on tropospheric ozone and carbon monoxide levels in northeast Asia were investigated. Seasonal behaviors of O 3 and CO mixing ratios in background continental (BC) air masses and regionally polluted continental (RPC) air masses were identified using trajectory analyses of Eurasian continental air masses and multi-year O 3 and CO data observed at Happo, a mountain site in Japan. RPC air masses show significantly higher O 3 and CO mixing ratios (annual average of 53.9±6.0 and 200±41 ppb, respectively) than BC air masses (44.4±3.6 and 167±17 ppb, respectively). Large scale anthropogenic emissions in East Asia are suggested to contribute about 10 ppb of photochemical O 3 and 32 ppb of CO at Happo. A comparative study of O 3 and CO observed at other sites, i.e., Oki Islands and Mondy in northeast Asia, showed similarities suggesting that O 3 mixing ratios in BC air masses at Happo could be representative for remote northeast Asia. However, CO mixing ratios in BC air masses at Happo are higher than the background level in Siberia. The overestimate is probably related to an increase in the CO baseline gradient between Siberia and the East Asia Pacific rim, and perturbations by sub-grid scale pollution transport and regional-scale boreal forest fires in Siberia when the background continental air masses are transported to Japan.
Magma-poor vs. magma-rich continental rifting and breakup in the Labrador Sea
Gouiza, M.; Paton, D.
Magma-poor and magma-rich rifted margins show distinct structural and stratigraphic geometries during the rift to breakup period. In magma-poor margins, crustal stretching is accommodated mainly by brittle faulting and the formation of wide rift basins shaped by numerous graben and half-graben structures. Continental breakup and oceanic crust accretion are often preceded by a localised phase of (hyper-) extension where the upper mantle is embrittled, serpentinized, and exhumed to the surface. In magma-rich margins, the rift basin is narrow and extension is accompanied by a large magmatic supply. Continental breakup and oceanic crust accretion is preceded by the emplacement of a thick volcanic crust juxtaposing and underplating a moderately thinned continental crust. Both magma-poor and magma-rich rifting occur in response to lithospheric extension but the driving forces and processes are believed to be different. In the former extension is assumed to be driven by plate boundary forces, while in the latter extension is supposed to be controlled by sublithospheric mantle dynamics. However, this view fails in explaining observations from many Atlantic conjugate margins where magma-poor and magma-rich segments alternate in a relatively abrupt fashion. This is the case of the Labrador margin where the northern segment shows major magmatic supply during most of the syn-rift phase which culminate in the emplacement of a thick volcanic crust in the transitional domain along with high density bodies underplating the thinned continental crust; while the southern segment is characterized mainly by brittle extension, mantle seprentinization and exhumation prior to continental breakup. In this work, we use seismic and potential field data to describe the crustal and structural architectures of the Labrador margin, and investigate the tectonic and mechanical processes of rifting that may have controlled the magmatic supply in the different segments of the margin.
Flux of energy and essential elements through the continental shelf ecosystem. Progress report
Pomeroy, L.R.
There are three distinct but not mutually exclusive areas of research in this contract, studies of intrusions of the west wall of the Gulf Stream onto the outer continental shelf, studies of the flux of materials across nearshore density fronts, and advances in understanding of the planktonic food web of the continental shelf. Studies of frontal events on the outer and inner continental shelf involve distinctive physical and chemical regimes and have proven to require distinctive biological approaches. The studies of the food web run through our work on both of the frontal regimes, but certain aspects have become subjects in their own right. We have developed a simulation model of the flux of energy through the continental shelf food web which we believe to be more realistic than previous ones of its type. We have examined several of the many roles of dissolved organic compounds in sea water which originate either from release by phytoplankton, digestive processes or metabolites of zooplankton, or extracellular digestion of microorganisms. Methods have been developed under this contract to measure both the chelating capacity of naturally occurring organic materials and the copper concentration in the water. It has been possible to characterize the effects, both toxic and stimulatory, of copper on photosynthesis of naturally occurring phytoplankton populations. It is possible to characterize in considerable detail the course of biological events associated with meanders of the Gulf Stream. We are now in a position to explain the limits to biological productivity of the outer continental shelf of the southeastern US and the reasons why that biological production moves through the food web in the characteristic way that it does.
Integrating regional and continental scale comparisons of tree composition in Amazonian terra firme forests
Honorio Coronado, E. N.; Baker, T. R.; Phillips, O. L.; Pitman, N. C. A.; Pennington, R. T.; Vásquez Martínez, R.; Monteagudo, A.; Mogollón, H.; Dávila Cardozo, N.; Ríos, M.; García-Villacorta, R.; Valderrama, E.; Ahuite, M.; Huamantupa, I.; Neill, D. A.; Laurance, W. F.; Nascimento, H. E. M.; Soares de Almeida, S.; Killeen, T. J.; Arroyo, L.; Núñez, P.; Freitas Alvarado, L.
We contrast regional and continental-scale comparisons of the floristic composition of terra firme forest in South Amazonia, using 55 plots across Amazonia and a subset of 30 plots from northern Peru and Ecuador. Firstly, we examine the floristic patterns using both genus- or species-level data and find that the species-level analysis more clearly distinguishes different plot clusters. Secondly, we compare the patterns and causes of floristic differences at regional and continental scales. At a continental scale, ordination analysis shows that species of Lecythidaceae and Sapotaceae are gradually replaced by species of Arecaceae and Myristicaceae from eastern to western Amazonia. These floristic gradients are correlated with gradients in soil fertility and to dry season length, similar to previous studies. At a regional scale, similar patterns are found within north-western Amazonia, where differences in soil fertility distinguish plots where species of Lecythidaceae, characteristic of poor soils, are gradually replaced by species of Myristicaceae on richer soils. The main coordinate of this regional-scale ordination correlates mainly with concentrations of available calcium and magnesium. Thirdly, we ask at a regional scale within north-western Amazonia, whether soil fertility or other distance dependent processes are more important for determining variation in floristic composition. A Mantel test indicates that both soils and geographical distance have a similar and significant role in determining floristic similarity across this region. Overall, these results suggest that regional-scale variation in floristic composition can rival continental scale differences within Amazonian terra firme forests, and that variation in floristic composition at both scales is dependent on a range of processes that include both habitat specialisation related to edaphic conditions and other distance-dependent processes. To fully account for regional scale variation in continental
Low clouds suppress Arctic air formation and amplify high-latitude continental winter warming.
Cronin, Timothy W; Tziperman, Eli
High-latitude continents have warmed much more rapidly in recent decades than the rest of the globe, especially in winter, and the maintenance of warm, frost-free conditions in continental interiors in winter has been a long-standing problem of past equable climates. We use an idealized single-column atmospheric model across a range of conditions to study the polar night process of air mass transformation from high-latitude maritime air, with a prescribed initial temperature profile, to much colder high-latitude continental air. We find that a low-cloud feedback--consisting of a robust increase in the duration of optically thick liquid clouds with warming of the initial state--slows radiative cooling of the surface and amplifies continental warming. This low-cloud feedback increases the continental surface air temperature by roughly two degrees for each degree increase of the initial maritime surface air temperature, effectively suppressing Arctic air formation. The time it takes for the surface air temperature to drop below freezing increases nonlinearly to ∼ 10 d for initial maritime surface air temperatures of 20 °C. These results, supplemented by an analysis of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 climate model runs that shows large increases in cloud water path and surface cloud longwave forcing in warmer climates, suggest that the "lapse rate feedback" in simulations of anthropogenic climate change may be related to the influence of low clouds on the stratification of the lower troposphere. The results also indicate that optically thick stratus cloud decks could help to maintain frost-free winter continental interiors in equable climates.
Enhanced CO
Pohlman, J.W.; Greinert, J.; Ruppel, C.; Silyakova, A.; Vielstädte, L.; Casso, M.; Mienert, J.; Bünz, S.
Continued warming of the Arctic Ocean in coming decades is projected to trigger the release of teragrams (1 Tg = 106 tons) of methane from thawing subsea permafrost on shallow continental shelves and dissociation of methane hydrate on upper continental slopes. On the shallow shelves (<100 m water
Dispersal of the Pearl River plume over continental shelf in summer
Chen, Zhaoyun; Gong, Wenping; Cai, Huayang; Chen, Yunzhen; Zhang, Heng
Satellite images of turbidity were used to study the climatological, monthly, and typical snapshot distributions of the Pearl River plume over the shelf in summer from 2003 to 2016. These images show that the plume spreads offshore over the eastern shelf and is trapped near the coast over the western shelf. Eastward extension of the plume retreats from June to August. Monthly spatial variations of the plume are characterized by eastward spreading, westward spreading, or both. Time series of monthly plume area was quantified by applying the K-mean clustering method to identify the turbid plume water. Decomposition of the 14-year monthly turbidity data by the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis isolated the 1st mode in both the eastward and westward spreading pattern as the time series closely related to the Pearl River discharge, and the 2nd mode with out-of-phase turbidity anomalies over the eastern and western shelves that is associated with the prevailing wind direction. Eight typical plume types were detected from the satellite snapshots. They are characterized by coastal jet, eastward offshore spreading, westward spreading, bidirectional spreading, bulge, isolated patch, offshore branch, and offshore filaments, respectively. Their possible mechanisms are discussed.
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American Psycho the Musical review
By Simon Parris on April 1, 2016 • ( 4 Comments )
Given the success of the novel and film on which it is based, American Psycho the Musical should be a tense and amusing satire thriller, so the limp, unaffecting result is a disappointment.
Reading back over my review for the London season of American Psycho, I found the show to be exciting and fresh. The music, book and production have barely changed in the intervening two years, leading to the question of what has gone wrong.
The London season was off-West End, way off-West End at the trendy Almeida Theatre in Islington. The funky, immersive space put the audience in a frame of mind that is not suggested by the bright lights, and high prices, of Broadway.
Playing Wall Street investment-banker-come-serial-killer Patrick Bateman, London's Matt Smith had a wicked smirk and devilish gleam that brought the audience into his world where he then simultaneously shocked them, thrilled them and laughed with them.
Broadway's Benjamin Walker looks the part, with an even more spectacular buff, hairless Ken doll body. To be fair, it should be mentioned that the show is still technically in previews, but Walker does not have the magic connection with the audience. Subsequently, there are no shocks at what Patrick does, little or no laughs at his dialogue and no tension at all about whether he will get caught. It is a massive role and Walker may take time to develop the confidence required.
On a similar note, the ensemble cast members all seem to have been cast for their looks. The muscular, athletic male and females physiques are frequently put on display, but the interchangeable performers are not capable of any sort of quirky or interesting characterisation in their brief speaking roles.
Worse, and this is the fault of the creative team, the use of the ensemble in songs is on the same pointless level as Ghost the Musical, in that the performers are just bodies moving jerkily in place as if in a music video clip.
Katrina Lindsay's costumes are slick and glossy, but the 1980s aesthetic, and related humour, is not taken anywhere near far enough. The clean white walls and twin revolves of Es Devlin's scenic design suit the clinical vibe, but the lack of depiction of most of the actual locations makes the story seem like it is happening in a vacuum, further reducing the stakes.
Two actresses who acquit themselves with class are Alice Ripley, in the camp role of Mrs Bateman, and Jennifer Damiano, who brings a quiet presence to the role of Patrick's burgeoning assistant Jean. Amidst the chaos, Damiano nails the 11 o'clock ballad "A Girl Before," finishing her arc as the one character to earn any audience affection.
Duncan Sheik's score includes a smattering of 1980s pop hits that had a high profile and significance in the 2000 movie. The original songs, which make up the bulk of the score, are often atmospheric but mostly forgettable.
The recognisable title, eye candy cast and pop music score may attract some threatregoers. Ultimately, even the least discerning patrons are likely to see through a hollow product, especially at Broadway prices.
American Psycho was reviewed 8pm Thursday 31 March 2016 at Schoenfeld Theatre, New York where it opens 21 April 2016
Photos: Jeremy Daniel
Categories: Broadway, Music Theatre, Reviews
Tagged as: Benjamin Walker
1776 review [2016 New York City Center Encores!]
School of Rock the Musical review
reviewedbymarkleonard says:
Oh well, maybe one to skip. Saw Benjamin Walker at the Public in "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" in 2010. That was a FANTASTIC show Off-Broadway, that didn't transfer well to the big stage later that year. Similar case with "American Psycho"? Also, Es Devlin's set design was SO incredible in 2014's "Machinal".
I left at intermission . It was very bland and for Broadway you would expect more . Wish I would have skipped it and watched the dvd.
Simon Parris says:
I totally understand your feelings Dawn. 'Bland' is a very appropriate description- it's not scary or sexy. They are marketing the show based on its well-known name and it's sexy image but once the opening night reviews come out it will be exposed for what it is
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Dido Is Caught
2020-03-26 in Action and Adventure, Animal Life, children's stories, Childrens Book, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Folk Tales and Folklore, Folklore, Yound Adult Fiction | Tags: action, adventure, animal, bakery, barn, Bear, bears, berries, Blackie, brass, buns, cage, caught, chains, child, children, children's fiction, children's stories, circus, claws, collar, dancing, Dido the dancing bear, dog, Don, efalent, elephant, ephalent, escape, fables, fairy tales, fire, fish, folklore, forest, funny, George, glade, Gruffo, hand-organ, home, honey, horn, horses, hungry, Jacko, jolly, keeper, lake, legends, Mama, master, monkey, mountain, Muffo, Music, myths, nice, ocean, papa, paws, pennies, rocks, runaway, ship, smell, soldier, somersaults, stable, storyteller, sugar, sun, sweet, tame, teeth, telegraph, tom, trap, traveled, travelled, tree, tricks, wagon, water, wild, woods | Leave a comment
One nice, warm sunny day, when it was too hot to stay inside the den among the rocks, the nice bears were all out in front, lying in the shade of the woods.
"Oh, my! How hot it is!" cried Dido, and he opened his mouth wide, and let his red tongue hang out, for animals, such as dogs and bears, cool themselves off that way. You must have seen your dog, when he had run fast, after a cat, perhaps, open his mouth and breathe fast, with his tongue hanging out.
"Let's go swimming in the lake again!" cried Dido to his brothers.
"All right," agreed Gruffo.
"We'll all go," said Mr. Bear. "Come along."
So off through the woods walked the family of bears toward the cool, blue lake, high up in the mountains. Dido could hardly wait to get there, and as soon as he saw, through the trees, the sparkle of the water he began to run. He ran so fast that he stumbled over a stone, and fell down.
"Oh, Dido!" called his mother. "You must be more careful. You must not go so fast. Something will happen to you some day if you do not look where you are going."
"I didn't hurt myself that time, anyhow," answered Dido, as he got up, and jumped into the lake. There he swam about, as did the father and mother bear, and the other two cubs. Dido splashed his brothers every time he came near them, but they did not mind, for he was such a cute little fellow and he meant no harm. Besides, it was so warm that the more water they had on them the better Gruffo and Muffo liked it.
"It makes me hungry to go in swimming," said Mrs. Bear. "I am going off in the woods to look for some berries."
"I'm coming, too," said Dido. "For I am hungry myself."
Soon Mrs. Bear found a bush on which were growing some big red berries. These she pulled off with her forepaws, which were, to her, almost like our hands are to us, and the mother bear filled her mouth with the fruit. Dido did the same, and soon he was not as hungry as he had been. Then along came Mr. Bear, with Gruffo and Muffo, and they, too, ate the red berries off the bushes.
All at once Mr. Bear stopped eating, and, lifting his nose up in the air, sniffed very hard two or three times.
"What is the matter?" asked Mrs. Bear quickly.
"I think I smell a man," answered the papa bear. "See if you can smell anything."
Mrs. Bear lifted her nose up in the air and she, also, sniffed. Bears, you know, as do most wild animals, use their noses as much as they do their eyes to tell when there is danger. And to wild animals a man, nearly always, means danger. If you were out in the woods, and could not see any one, you could not tell, just by smelling the air, whether some person was near you or not—that is, unless they had a lot of perfume on them, and then, if the wind was blowing toward you, why you might smell that.
But bears have much better noses for smelling than have we, and they can smell a man in the woods even if he has no cologne on him.
"Sniff! Sniff!" went Mr. Bear.
"Sniff! Sniff!" went Mrs. Bear.
"Yes, I can surely smell a man," the papa bear said in a low voice. "It is the first time I have known them to come around here."
"And so can I smell a man," added Mrs. Bear. "We had better get away from here."
Then the bears ran off through the woods to their den. For though big bears are very strong and can fight well, they would much rather run away from a man than fight him, unless they find they cannot get away. For when a man goes into the woods where there are bears he nearly always has a gun with him, and while bears know they are stronger than a man they also know that a gun is stronger than a dozen bears.
When Dido, with his brothers and father and mother, got back to the den in the rocks, the little bear cub saw that his father was worried about something. Mr. Bear walked up and down in front of the pile of rocks, sniffing the air, and looking on all sides.
"What is the matter, Papa?" asked Dido, in bear talk, of course.
"It's that man I smelled in the woods," said Mr. Bear. "I fear he may find our den."
"Well, what if he does?" asked Dido.
"Then it would not be safe for us to stay here," answered Mrs. Bear. "If men are coming into our woods it is time for us to go away."
"What! go away from our nice den?" asked Gruffo. For though the den was only a hole in the rocks, with a pile of leaves in one corner for a bed, still, to the bears, it was as much a home as your house is to you.
"Yes, it would not be safe to stay while men are around," said Mr. Bear. "That is the first time I have ever smelled them in our woods. Though a friend of mine, Mr. Lion, who lives farther down the mountain, said he has often seen men near his cave. Once some men on elephants chased him, but he got away."
"Have you ever seen a man?" asked Dido of his father.
"Oh, yes, often, but always afar off. And the men did not see me."
"What does a man look like?" asked Dido, for he had never seen any, though he had heard of them.
"A man is a queer creature," said Mr. Bear. "He walks up on his hind feet, as we do sometimes, but when he walks on his four feet he can only go slowly, like a baby. Even you could run away from a man on his four feet, Dido."
"How queer!" said the little bear.
"But don't try it," said Mrs. Bear quickly. "Keep away from men, Dido, for they might shoot you with one of their guns."
"What else is a man like?" the little bear asked.
"Well, he has a skin that he can take off and put on again," said Mr. Bear.
"Oh, how very funny!" cried Dido. "Take off his skin? I should think it would hurt!"
"It doesn't seem to," said the papa bear. "I don't understand how they do it, but they do."
Of course what Mr. Bear thought was skin was a man's clothes, which he takes off and puts on again. But though bears are very wise and smart in their own way, they don't know much about men, except to be afraid of them.
"I do not like it that men are coming up in our woods," said Mr. Bear. "It means danger. So be careful, Dido, and you, too, Gruffo and Muffo, that you do not go too far away. Perhaps the man has come up here to set a trap to catch us."
"What is a trap?" asked Dido.
"It is something dangerous, to catch bears," his mother told him. "Some traps are made of iron, and they have sharp teeth in them that catch bears by the leg and hurt very much. Other traps are like a big box, made of logs. If you go in one of these box traps the door will shut and you can not get out."
"What happens then?" asked Dido.
"Then the man comes and gets you."
"And what does he do with you?" the little bear cub wanted to know.
"That I cannot say," answered Mrs. Bear. "Perhaps your father knows."
Mr. Bear shook his head.
"All I know," he answered, "is that the man takes you away if he finds you in his trap. But where he takes you I do not know, for I was never caught, and I hope I never will be."
"I hope so, too," said Dido, and he sniffed the air to see if he could smell the man, but he could not.
For a number of days after that the bears did not go far from their den in the rocks. They were afraid the man might shoot them.
But, after a while, all the berries and sweet roots close by had been eaten, and the bears had to go farther off. Besides, they wanted some fish, and they must go to the lake or river to catch them. So after Mr. Bear had carefully sniffed the air, and had not smelled the man-smell, the bears started off through the woods again to get something to eat.
Dido ran here and there, sometimes on ahead and again he would stay behind, slipping up back of his brothers to tickle them. Oh, but Dido was a jolly little bear, always looking for fun.
The bears found some more red berries, and a few blue ones, and some sweet roots, and they also caught some fish, which made a good dinner for them. Then they went swimming in the lake again before going back to their den.
In the afternoon, when Gruffo was asleep in the shade, Dido went softly up to him, and poured a paw full of water in his brother's ear.
"Wuff! Ouch! What's that? Is it raining?" cried Gruffo, suddenly waking up. Then he saw that Dido had played the trick on him, and he ran after the little bear. But Dido climbed up a tree to get away, and he did it in such a funny way, his little short tail going around like a Fourth of July pinwheel, that Gruffo had to sit down and laugh.
"Oh, you are such a funny cut-up bear!" he said, laughing harder than ever, and when a bear laughs he can't very well climb a tree.
"Come on down, I won't do anything to you," said Gruffo, after a while, so Dido came down. Then he turned somersaults on a pile of soft leaves. Next he stood on his hind legs, and began striking at a swinging branch of a tree with his front paws, as you have seen a kitten play with a cord of a window curtain.
But Dido climbed up a tree to get away.
"Dido is getting to be a real cute little cub," said Mrs. Bear.
Then, all of a sudden, Dido struck at the tree branch, but he did not hit it and he fell over backward.
"Look out!" cried Mr. Bear. "You'll hurt yourself, Dido."
"I didn't hurt myself that time," said the little bear, "for I fell on some soft, green moss."
"Well, there will not always be moss for you to fall on," his mother said. "So look out."
One day, when Mr. Bear came back from a long trip in the woods, he brought some wild honey in his paws. And oh! how good it tasted to Dido and Gruffo and Muffo!
"Show me where the bee-tree is, Papa," begged Dido. "I want to get some more honey."
"It is too far away," answered the papa bear. "Besides, I saw a man in the woods as I was getting the honey out of a hollow tree. It would not be safe for you to go near it when men are around."
But the honey tasted so good to Dido that the little bear cub made up his mind that he simply must have more.
"I know what I'll do," he said to himself. "When none of the others are watching me I am going off by myself in the woods and look for a bee-tree to get some honey. I don't believe there's any danger."
So about a week after this, one day, Dido saw his two brothers asleep outside the den. Mr. Bear had gone off to the lake, perhaps to catch some fish, and Mrs. Bear was in the den, stirring up the leaves that made the bed, so it would be softer to lie on.
"Now's my chance," thought Dido, in the way bears have of thinking. "I'll just slip off in the woods by myself, and find a honey-tree. I'll bring some honey home, too," said Dido, for he was not a selfish little bear.
Walking softly, so as not to awaken his brothers, and so his mother, making the leaf-bed in the den, would not know what he was doing, away slipped Dido to the woods.
He shuffled along, now and then finding some red berries to eat, or a bit of sweet root, and every little while he would lift his nose up in the air, as he had seen his father do, and sniff to see if he could smell a man-smell.
"But I don't smell any," said Dido. "I guess it's all right."
Then, all at once, he felt a little wind blowing toward him, and on the breeze came the nicest smell.
"Oh, it's honey!" cried Dido. "It's honey! I have found the honey-tree! Oh, how glad I am!"
He hurried on through the woods, coming nearer and nearer to the honey smell all the while, until, after a bit, he saw in among the trees something square, like a box, made of little logs piled together. And inside the thing like a box was a pile of honey. Dido could see it and smell it. But he did not rush up in a great hurry.
"That doesn't look like the honey-tree father told about," the little bear cub thought. "He said he had to climb a tree. This honey is low down. Still it is honey, so this must be a honey-tree, and if it is low down so much the better for me. I will not have to climb."
Dido sniffed the air again. He wanted to see if there was a man-smell about. But all he could smell was the honey.
"Oh, I guess it's all right," said the bear cub. "I'm so hungry for that honey I can't wait! Here I go!"
Dido fairly ran into the box and began to eat the honey on the floor of it. But, no sooner had he taken a bite, than suddenly a queer thing happened.
Bang! went something behind Dido, and when he looked around he saw that the box was shut tight. A sliding door had fallen down and poor Dido was a prisoner……
From: "Dido the Dancing Bear"
DOWNLOAD LINK: https://bit.ly/2xmFe8a
2018-10-07 in Action and Adventure, Celtic Fairy Tales and Folklore, children's stories, fables, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Folk Tales and Folklore, Folklore, legends, Moral Tales, YA Action and Adventure, Yound Adult Fiction | Tags: Amber road, aotearoa, Austria, caves, children's tale, children's bedtime stories, childrens story, cornwall, dragons, England, fairies, Fairytakes, folklore, fords, funny, Germany, gnomes, gypsy, Italy, legends, lithuania, maori, mountains, new Zealand, piskies, pixies, poland, russia, south west, stories, streams, trolls, tyrol | Leave a comment
The start of October sees MAORI FOLKLORE taking a commanding lead, followed by GYPSY FOLKTALES – book 1 with our final two books – NORTH CORNWALL FAIRIES AND LEGENDS and TWENTY TALES FROM ALONG THE AMBER ROAD level pegging for 3rd place.
MAORI FOLKLORE containing 23 Maori Myths and Legends
download link: https://folklore-fairy-tales-myths-legends-and-other-stories.stores.streetlib.com/en/sir-george-grey/maori-folklore-or-the-ancient-traditional-history-of-the-new-zealanders/
GYPSY FOLKTALES Book 1 – 36 Illustrated Gypsy Tales from stories from Turkey, Romania and Bukowina
Download link: https://folklore-fairy-tales-myths-legends-and-other-stories.stores.streetlib.com/en/anon-e-mouse/gypsy-folk-tales-book-one-36-illustrated-gypsy-tales/
NORTH CORNWALL FAIRIES AND LEGENDS – 13 Legends from the land of Poldark in England's West Country
Download link: https://folklore-fairy-tales-myths-legends-and-other-stories.stores.streetlib.com/en/anon-e-mouse/north-cornwall-fairies-and-legends-13-legends-from-englands-west-country/
TWENTY TALES FROM ALONG THE AMBER ROAD – 20 Stories from Russia to Italy
Download link: https://folklore-fairy-tales-myths-legends-and-other-stories.stores.streetlib.com/en/john-halsted/twenty-tales-from-along-the-amber-road-stories-from-russia-to-italy/
For 330+ more folklore and fairytale books visit our specialist store at: https://folklore-fairy-tales-myths-legends-and-other-stories.stores.streetlib.com/en/search
JUNE BESTSELLERS
2018-07-04 in American Indian Folklore, Animal Life, Baltic Folklore and Fairy Tales, children's stories, Eastern European Folklore, fables, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Folk Tales and Folklore, Folklore, legends, Moral Tales, Native American Folklore, Norse Folklore, red-skinned, Russian Fairy and Folk Tales, Scandinavian Folklore and Fairy Tales, Uncategorized, Viking Folklore | Tags: animals, bedtime story, Bestsellers, brother, children, children's stories, fairytales, folk tales, folklore, folklore myths and legends, funny, laughter, literature, people, stories, sun, tales of fairies, tales of folk, women | Leave a comment
June's sales figures are now in. Halfway through the month we saw how the Football world cup had taken some of the focus off Hawaii, but a late rally saw Hawaiian & Polynesian themed folktale reassert themselves.
Our top four bestselling books for June were:
JUST SO STORIES – 12 illustrated Children's Stories of how things came to be
Link: https://folklore-fairy-tales-myths-legends-and-other-stories.stores.streetlib.com/en/rudyard-kipling/just-so-stories-12-illustrated-childrens-stories-of-how-things-came-to-be/
MAORI FOLKLORE – 23 Maori Myths and Legends
Link: https://folklore-fairy-tales-myths-legends-and-other-stories.stores.streetlib.com/en/sir-george-grey/maori-folklore-or-the-ancient-traditional-history-of-the-new-zealanders/
OLD PETER'S RUSSIAN TALES – 20 illustrated Russian Children's Stories
Link: https://folklore-fairy-tales-myths-legends-and-other-stories.stores.streetlib.com/en/anon-e-mouse/old-peters-russian-tales-20-illustrated-russian-childrens-stories/
HAWAIIAN FOLK TALES – 34 Hawaiian folk and fairy tales
Link: https://folklore-fairy-tales-myths-legends-and-other-stories.stores.streetlib.com/en/anon-e-mouse/hawaiian-folk-tales-34-hawaiian-folk-and-fairy-tales/
Old Indian Legends, Wonderwings and Other Fairy Stories, Wonder Tales from Baltic Wizards and The Norwegian Book of Fairy Tales did their best to out-perform each other to take fifth spot.
THE EAGLE AND THE JACKDAW from "Aesop's Fables for Children"
2012-05-05 in Fairy Tales, Folk Tales and Folklore, Folklore, Moral Tales | Tags: Æsop, Æsop's fables, bird, children, eagle, fairy tales, folk tales, folklore, funny, jackdaw, lamb, moral tales, ram, seize, shepherd | Leave a comment
An Eagle, swooping down on powerful wings, seized a lamb in her talons and made off with it to her nest. A Jackdaw saw the deed, and his silly head was filled with the idea that he was big and strong enough to do as the Eagle had done. So with much rustling of feathers and a fierce air, he came down swiftly on the back of a large Ram. But when he tried to rise again he found that he could not get away, for his claws were tangled in the wool. And so far was he from carrying away the Ram, that the Ram hardly noticed he was there.
The Shepherd saw the fluttering Jackdaw and at once guessed what had happened. Running up, he caught the bird and clipped its wings. That evening he gave the Jackdaw to his children.
"What a funny bird this is!" they said laughing, "what do you call it, father?"
"That is a Jackdaw, my children. But if you should ask him, he would say he is an Eagle."
Moral: Do not let your vanity make you overestimate your powers.
From: ÆSOP'S FABLES FOR CHILDREN
Available as a PDF eBook at: http://www.abelapublishing.com/aesop.html
33% of the profit from the sale of this book will be donated to CECILY'S FUND, a charity educating and supporting Zambian children orphaned by aids.
Three Poems from the book WHEN HEARTS ARE TRUMPS
2012-04-07 in Belonging, Poetry, Prose, Verse | Tags: ball, beauty, coming out, conquest, debutante, fashion, french courts, funny, girl, heart, life truth, love, mt desert, old fashioned, old fashioned girl, poetry, program, prose, style, three poems, uncertainty, vanity, vanity fair, verse, women | Leave a comment
Today we take a brief branch away from our usual folkore and fairy tales and have a look at three poems from the book WHEN HEARTS ARE TRUMPS. The verse in this volume were selected from works that had appeared in various periodicals, LIFE, TRUTH, TOWN TOPICS, VOGUE, and MUNSEY'S MAGAZINE during the five years 1893-1898 and whose editors kindly gave Tom Hall permission to republish them. So popular was this collection of poetry, that it had at least six editions. Read on and enjoy……….
THE OLD-FASHIONED GIRL.
There's an old-fashioned girl in an old fashioned street,
Dressed in old-fashioned clothes from her head to her feet;
And she spends all her time in the old-fashioned way
Of caring for poor people's children all day.
She never has been to cotillon1 or ball,
And she knows not the styles of the Spring or the Fall;
Two hundred a year will suffice for her needs,
And an old-fashioned Bible is all that she reads.
And she has an old-fashioned heart that is true
To a fellow who died in an old coat of blue,
With its buttons all brass,—who is waiting above
For the woman who loved him with old-fashioned love.
1 The Cotillion was a popular 18th and 19th century dance in the French Courts that preceded the Quadrille style of dancing.
A RHYMING REVERIE.
It was a dainty lady's glove;
A souvenir to rhyme with love.
It was the memory of a kiss,
So called to make it rhyme with bliss.
There was a month at Mt. Desert,
Synonymous and rhymes with flirt.
A pretty girl and lots of style,
Which rhymes with happy for a while.
There came a rival old and bold,
To make him rhyme with gold and sold.
A broken heart there had to be.
Alas, the rhyme just fitted me.
VANITY FAIR.
Oh, whence, oh, where
Is Vanity Fair?
I want to be seen with the somebodies there.
I've money and beauty and college-bred brains;
Though my 'scutcheon's not spotless, who'll mind a few stains?
To caper I wish in the chorus of style,
And wed an aristocrat after a while
So please tell me truly, and please tell me fair,
Just how many miles it's from Madison Square.
It's here, it's there,
Is Vanity Fair.
It's not like a labyrinth, not like a lair.
It's North and it's South, and it's East and it's West;
You can see it, oh, anywhere, quite at its best.
Dame Fashion is queen, Ready Money is king,
You can join it, provided you don't know a thing.
It's miles over here, and it's miles over there;
And it's not seven inches from Madison Square.
From WHEN HEARTS ARE TRUMPS compiled by Tom Hall
URL: http://www.abelapublishing.com/cg_what.html
A percentage of the profits will be donated to The BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION.
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Category: Mediation
Getting to 'Thank You'
Rewiring our Apologies…and Our Brains
by Chris Fitz
We were getting to end of dialogue. The woman who'd been robbed expressed her grace, that she didn't hold this against the boy in front of her—or his mom. He was 15, with older friends, saw her get out of her car, waited, then jump into it, grabbing her belongings and ran.
Months later, they're in the same room talking. He's apologized. He thought she'd ream him out. Instead he's experiencing her grace. "Every day, my family reminds me of this one thing I did. Now here you are, not judging me. I don't know what to say." He stops, as if paralyzed by a cocktail of overwhelming emotions, self-doubt and love.
There's a pregnant pause. As if holding the hand of a young child, I quietly ask him. "What do you say to someone who is offering you this gift of forgiveness?"
In their 1981 seminal best-seller Getting to Yes, Roger Fisher and William Ury outlined key principles for better negotiation. They suggest people can better get what they want through a dialogue based on deeper interests rather than demands. The principles have endured, but nearly forty years later, we are still learning.
Trauma-informed research is showing how fundamental emotional growth and psychological development are to our well-being, our ability to function as rational adults. Fisher and Ury's thesis relies on a high-functioning rationalism, a resilient emotional state in which people can feel safe and see a situation with increasing clarity. After the landmark ACES Study by Kaiser Permanente, it's now clear that a huge portion of the US, especially those living in poverty, people of color and other marginalized groups, can't as easily get to "yes." More than 1 in 5 of our neighbors go about their day-to-day in a state of threat, with reduced physical and mental health capacities over the long-term.
In traditional thinking about restorative justice, like the conversation between our youth and the woman he robbed, the goal is an apology. Saying "sorry" makes everything better, right? But try this experiment: think of three situations where someone apologized to you. What did you feel? What did you say?
Over and over in restorative dialogue—and everyday life around me—I see people responding to "I'm sorry" with "it's no problem." No problem? Why? Because it's emotionally burdensome to receive an apology. My experience is that a victim actually feels worse during the apology phase of a dialogue, not better. To ease our own burden (and feeling bad for them), we often minimize an offender's actions.
That's what the youth said to the woman he robbed. "Thank you for seeing me and not judging me." With that, the conversation changed completely. No longer lost in childish self-pity, he was finding his own words, his own power, his own clear view of the woman who met him half-way. And in that moment, the victim was also being seen, recognized, appreciated, perhaps de-victimized. The conversation quickly shifted to making things right, creating an agreement, and "yes" came quickly.
At Advoz, we've heard incredibly positive feedback on "getting to thank you." In a recent restorative dialogue, a remorseful but threatened offender was asked "what he appreciated" and began recognizing the value of others in the room – and not dwelling on his negative self-worth. It also gave victims more closure to focus on what they were thankful for, rather than the harm done. We've gone so far as to amend our Apology Letter Handout for court-referred offenders to include getting to 'thank you.'
Neuroscience suggests that getting to 'thank you' is rewiring our brains to actually release trauma and build resilience. It doesn't negate the need for an apology, but builds on it, taking the right kind of responsibility, and shifting apology to empowerment. Because with empowerment, "yes" is an easy step to take.
Anatomy of a transformative "Thank You"*
Try these "thank you's" at home or work with a spouse, family member, child or friend, and let us know the results in the comment section below.
"<What you did> made me feel <this way>."
"You showing up today made me feel hopeful."
"Your choice of words was careful and made me feel respected."
"Just bringing up this difficult topic makes me feel uncomfortable but also hopeful that we can work it out."
* Adapted from Marshall Rosenberg's Nonviolence Communication.
Chris Fitz is Director of Strategic Initiatives at Advoz
Resources for Conversations about Racism
Racism is a loaded word. In Advoz's dialogue work, mediators often first ask, "how do you feel?" Then we ask, "what do you think?" So I'll ask you, reader, "what comes up for you when you hear the word 'racism?'"
The volatility and lopsided experience of racism in America is a big reason why "neutrality" and a purely rational discourse is impossible. Unpacking this volatility, it's history, the emotional experiences we've growing up, our different media perspectives, conversations, social media feeds, diversity trainings, poignant encounters, traumatic memories, careless jokes…the list goes on. These are all fuel for a very charged conversation. Everyone–those in our mainstream race culture or marginalized race cultures–has a story to tell. In most conversations we have about racism, we are not going to "mediate an agreement," but we can facilitate understanding. So we move out of a position of "neutrality" into a concept often called "multipartiality." And while telling our diverse stories can bring us to common understanding, the stories are not the same.
To start a conversation about race, it's helpful to understand, especially from a majority-culture (White) perspective, that we don't have the same stories. We need to listen for difference to understand it. The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others in 2020 show us that African Americans and other people of color are still experiencing a kind of violence–backed by the authority of the police–largely unknown among most white people. This video about the difference between "equality" and "equity" helps to explain how our stories are not equivocal.
Equitable dialogue means making space for very different stories, different tellers, different experiences, a different "shoe" so to speak.
The volatility and lopsidedness of racism in America is also what makes it so powerful and important to have good dialogue with others. The emotional weight of racism is a huge burden, and sharing our stories in constructive ways helps us share that burden. (Though we–especially White people–want to be careful of unloading our burden and guilt on others too.)
The following is brief "field guide" to support you having a one-on-one conversation with a friend, neighbor, family member or colleague. A big shout out to Dr. Amanda Kemp, Advoz's 2018 Dignity in Dialogue awardee, for some of the inspiration for this mindful "leaning in" approach to deep dialogue:
Start as the Listener
Who is this person before me? What are my assumptions, even subtle biases about them? Can I put them aside to hear this person?
What am I curious about? What is the story behind this situation? What was this person's experience of racism as a child?
What can I learn here? Not to use as a weapon against them, but to enlighten myself?
Can I continue to put my own opinions, biases and stories aside for now?
When I notice that I am repeatedly not able to listen, I need to make that clear politely before I am totally impatient and irritable.
It helps me to think about this phase as "walking beside" someone processing their stuff. Here are some of the questions I'm asking:
Are there open-ended questions that that I could offer to help us both understand the issues and stories we're processing?
What is this person feeling? Can I reflect that and honor that in my own words? Can I recognize their own feelings with a word they've used, especially one they've used repeatedly?
Is there a story that this person needs to process?
Can I summarize what I hear them saying?
Can I name what I hear is important for this person?
Can I affirm the value that this person has? And the values that this person holds dear?
Can I ask for the opportunity, the permission to tell my own story?
Inhabit the Storyteller
To be deeply present to a conversation, and to be heard, it's helpful to find and tell my own story. This is different from my opinion on "issues." My story is always true–for me. Your listener cannot deny its validity for you.
Is there a story, a moment in my own life that's coming up for me?
Can I ask for the space to tell it?
How did it begin? What was the setting? Who was involved?
What was the key crisis moment?
How were affected, changed by that moment? What did you learn that you could or couldn't do, say or couldn't say?
How does this story impact your view of racism beyond your own experience?
End Well
What are the themes you hear that we share in this conversation?
What do you appreciate that you heard?
Can you appreciate the continued tension as well as the connection you experienced?
How would you like to follow up this conversation?
What are you motivated to do now?
Check out Amanda Kemp's TedX Talk as she walks through some examples of conversations like this, mindfully and purposefully.
For more practical resources on racism and police violence, click here.
And let us know how these conversations are going!
Chris Fitz is director of strategic initiatives at Lancaster-based Advoz: Mediation & Restorative Practices, created from the merger of Conflict Resolution Services and the Center for Community Peacemaking.
Relationships and their Critical Conflict Moments
By Mila Pilz, Executive Director, Program Operations
A woman in her early 30's called our office recently. She and her husband have two children living with them plus both of her parents, one of whom has Alzheimer's. It was becoming too much to handle, and she was unwilling to sacrifice one set of relationships for another. Could she and her adult brothers find a new way forward amid the tension and growing resentment?
At the core of Advoz's values is a belief that conflict and harm are a natural part of our lives. Sometimes, they are even beneficial for our personal and relational growth. It is how we handle that conflict and harm—the process—that makes the difference. Will our hero's family grow from the challenge or become increasingly divided and retreat to their own comfort corners? This next critical process defines the relationships and future of this family.
Her story is not unique. According to a May 2018 AARP article, "Millennials: The Emerging Generation of Family Caregivers," there are 40 million family caregivers in the United States, a quarter of which are millennials. Millennials are loosely defined, but typically considered to be those born between the years 1980-1996. This means that 1 in 4 of the family caregivers are between the ages of 22-38; the same population that according to the Pew Research Center, made up 82% of US births in 2016. The "sandwich generations," younger than previously thought, are maintaining a fine balance of taking care of their parents, their children and themselves. And it's increasingly clear that many caught in these generational transitions need support to navigate the news kinds of conflicts that emerge.
Working with Advoz staff, our hero and key family members agreed to be part of an intentional conversation, convened by Advoz mediators, to address their many challenges directly. Taking place at their home to accommodate the elders' needs, the intense session revealed new insights and options, even among family members familiar with the situation. Over three hours the family learned how afraid their father was about going to a retirement community, how the mother needed additional care, and how each of the siblings felt differently about working together. An agreement was forged that included research on retirement homes, medical and financial assistance. Even though the outcome had specific points of agreement, it was the shift in their relationships that was most salient.
For this family, and many others, "conflict" turned into "opportunity" because a mediated conversation enabled them to talk openly about difficult issues in a safe space. Their relationships could weather the storm of this life milestone and create the next big step…together.
Fall Mediation Training – New Three-Day Format
Our intrepid training team has been at the drawing board, crafting a compact and potent Basic Mediation Training in one three-day stretch. The training, which replaces the prior two-part format, still provides professionals and volunteers alike with a high quality foundational experience complete with CLEs for attorneys and CEUs for social workers, professional counselors and marriage/family therapists.
The training takes place Thursday September 28 through Saturday, September 30, 9 am – 5 pm at a the Mennonite Central Committee's Welcoming Place in Akron, PA.
Early Bird ends Sept. 8. Registration deadline is September 22.
Pre-registration is required and can be made directly from our website at: advoz.org/services/training/
This introductory training can be augmented by later advanced training opportunities and mentorship, providing a high quality preparation to resolve conflict in a number of critical situations.
Training to volunteer in Restorative Justice Victim-Offender Conferencing is also scheduled for October with an multiple guest speakers and an updated design.
Share or download here the Advoz Fall 2017 Training Flyer.
Learn More and Register Today
Living in the Process: An Intern's Investment December 3, 2020
Getting to 'Thank You' August 20, 2020
Advoz Release On Racism And Dialogue June 23, 2020
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True Blood Episode 7.01 Jesus Gonna Be Here
Angela Robinson
Additional Cast
Brett Lorenzini
Hordes of Hepatitis V-infected vampires descend on the vampire-human mixer held at Bellefleur's Bar & Grill. A bloody, vicious fight ensues, and Sookie, Bill, and the others fight off H-vamp after H-vamp until they're finally called away by their leader. In the aftermath, the gang assess the damage; Holly, Arlene, Nicole, Kevin, and Jane Bodehouse have all been kidnapped. But, the biggest blow comes when they discover Lettie Mae covered in vampire guts. "They killed my Tara," she sobs. "They killed my baby girl."
After receiving a frantic phone call from Jason about the attack on Bellefleur's, Andy leaves Adilyn with Jessica keeping watch outside the house, warning his daughter not to let Jessica in "no matter what."
Sookie sits in Bellefleur's as healthy vamps heal the wounded. She tunes into everyone's anguished thoughts and is surprised to hear everyone blaming her for bringing vampires to Bon Temps. She's further shocked to overhear Alcide's damning thoughts: "I'll never understand how you can love the dead. If only you'd walked away we wouldn't be in this mess right now." Hurt by his thoughts, Sookie walks home by herself. Alcide tries her cell repeatedly, but Sookie refuses to answer and throws her phone into the woods. Along the way, she stumbles over the body of a girl who looks a lot like her -- and is covered in vampire bites.
In Marrakesh, Pam is opposite a burly vampire named Nizar, who's standing in a big plastic bucket. They play a vampire version of Russian roulette, taking turns pulling the trigger on a gun loaded with a wooden bullet. Despite boasting that he's survived 28 times, Nizar takes the fatal bullet. To honor her for winning, the bar's proprietor gives Pam a piece of paper -- on it is information about Eric's whereabouts.
Searching for the H-vamps, Jason and Violet spot a group of vigilantes led by Vince, Sam Merlotte's bitter mayoral opponent, outside an abandoned barn. They tell Jason they're out hunting the infected vampires, though Jason reminds them that's a job best left to the law. However, the vigilantes refuse to listen to a "fangbanger cop," and Violet takes matters into her own hands, scaring the group away -- and emasculating Jason along the way. Fed up, Jason demands that Violet have sex with him. She eagerly consents; she's been waiting for him to be a man and take charge.
Lafayette returns home with James, who he was paired with for protection. He explains to James that he feels relief over Tara's death because he already grieved for her. James comforts him by telling him the story of his making: He went to offer his condolences to his best friend Danny Monoghan's family after he was killed in Vietnam. However, Danny's father beat James to death in the middle of the street, calling him a "hippie f*ggot." A neighborhood vampire took pity on him and turned him that night. "If you ask me, there's zero point in feeling pain, or fear, or grief, or regret...it doesn't matter to Tara or to the universe. It makes no fucking difference."
At home, Sookie confronts Alcide. He insists he loves her, but after the brutal attack on Bellefleur's and the True Death of Tara, Sookie decides she wants to be alone. Later that night, the pair make up and have sex.
Through a window, Adilyn and Jessica begin to reconcile over a conversation about boys, but their friendly chat doesn't last long -- an infected vampire appears at the edge of the Bellefleur's property asking "what" Adilyn is. Jessica has Adilyn drink her blood, so she'll be aware if she's in danger.
After drinking Willa's blood, Lettie Mae has a vision of Tara. She insists that her daughter isn't in heaven and needs their help, but Reverend Daniels and Willa insist she's just high. After getting Lettie Mae to sleep, the Reverend tells Willa not give his wife any more of her blood, considering her history of addiction.
Arlene, Holly and the others are chained up in the basement torture room at Fangtasia, the H-vamps new base camp. Things go from bad to worse when a vampire comes down for food, selects Kevin, and then kills him.
As dawn approaches, Jessica prepares to meet the sun in order to keep the mysterious vampire from hurting Adilyn. Right before dawn breaks, Adilyn desperately begs for Jessica to come inside. With the two of them safely inside, the vampire bursts into flames on the front steps.
The following morning, Reverend Daniels addresses a small congregation about the night's events. Lettie Mae blames her for Tara's death and tells her she's not welcome in the church, prompting Sookie to tune into the congregation's thoughts. Unable to take anymore, Sookie shouts, "I can hear you!" She assures the crowd how much she loves everyone, even if they hate her, and begs them to let her help. "For better or for worse, nobody in this town knows vampires better than me!" she explains.
True Blood Video Gallery
True Blood 7.01 (Clip 1)
Richard Linklater Developing New CBS All Access Series About Abused Animals
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170 Ridgedale Avenue
Mr. Jensen came to Madison High School in August of 2019 as an Assistant Principal
Before coming to Madison, Mr. Jensen served several roles for the school district of Hopatcong. Mr. Jensen was the Supervisor of Instructional Technology in which he was responsible for providing professional development for staff as well as assisting in the development of technology-rich instruction. He also served as the Supervisor of Humanities in which he worked with staff in curriculum development, implementing new programs, and best practices in instruction. Finally, Mr. Jensen served as a building administrator for the high school in which he handled day to day operations as well as discipline.
Prior to being an administrator, Mr. Jensen taught a variety of courses that included AP History and AP Psychology. Throughout his time at Hopatcong, Mr. Jensen also served as a coach and advisor to many different activities.
Mr. Jensen holds a Master's in Educational Leadership, a Master's in Curriculum/ Instruction and Technology, as well as a Bachelor's in Teaching/Psychology.
Mr. Jensen grew up in West Milford NJ where he met his wife and who teaches for West Milford Public Schools today. Mr. Jensen enjoys spending time with his family whenever possible. He and his wife have two sons.
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Michael Delahunt
Name Michael Delahunt [1]
Born Jun 1843 Cleveland, Oswego, New York [1, 2, 3]
Residence 1850 - 1855 Vienna, Oneida, New York [2, 4]
1850 U.S. Federal Census - Vienna, p.33
State: New York; County: Oswego; Town: Constantia; ED Date: 07/19/1850; Page: 28;
1855 New York State Census - Constantia, n.p.
State: New York; County: Oswego; Town: Constantia; ED No.: 1; ED Date: 06/18/1855; n.p.
Residence 1860 Cleveland, Oswego, New York [1]
Occupation 1860 Cleveland, Oswego, New York [1]
Military 1 May 1861 Rome, Oneida, New York [5]
Enlisted, 14th Regiment
Military 1861 - 1862 [3, 5]
Civil War Veteran, NY Co G, 14th Rgt
Died 28 Jun 1862 Mechanicsville, Hanover, Virginia [3]
Killed at Mechanicsville, VA, in Seven Days Battle before Richmond, 28 June 1862. [3, 5]
Person ID I3595 CHS Genealogy
Father Patrick Delahunt, b. 1810, Termonfeckin, Louth, Ireland , d. 11 Feb 1863, Cleveland, Oswego, New York
Mother Ann McGue, b. Abt. 1810, Ireland , d. Abt. 1871 - 1874, Cleveland, Oswego, New York
Married 2 Jul 1830 Ireland [6, 7]
Witness: Thomas Delahunt, James Sullivan [6]
[S32] 1860 United States Federal Census, 21 (Reliability: 2), 23 Jun 1860.
State: New York; County: Oswego; Town: Constantia; Village: Cleveland; ED Date: 06/23/1860; Sheet No: 21
[S41] 1850 United States Federal Census, 33 (Reliability: 1), 27 Aug 1850.
State: New York; County: Oneida; Town: Vienna; ED Date: 08/27/1850; Page: 33;
[S59] Ancestry.com, https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/21556357/person/1549308157/facts (Reliability: 1), 8 Apr 2018.
blume Family Tree: Micheal Delahunt
[S128] 1855 New York State Census, n.p. (Reliability: 2), 18 Jun 1855.
[S50] New York, Town Clerks Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War, 1861-1865, (Ancestry.com), 52 (Reliability: 1).
[S59] Ancestry.com, https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/21556357/person/1574076204/facts?_phsrc=dZb44&_phstart=successSource (Reliability: 1), 8 Apr 2018.
blume Family Tree: Patrick Delahunt
[S84] Personal Correspondence, 1 (Reliability: 1), 7 Apr 2008.
Re: Proposed Change, Patrick Delahunt
Fr: Patrick Delahunt
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Russian Bank Hit With Sanctions For Helping North Korea
By Sasha Ingber • Aug 3, 2018
The U.S. Treasury Department building in Washington announced Friday that is imposing sanctions on Russia's Agrosoyuz Commercial Bank.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP
The Treasury Department slapped sanctions on a Russian bank on Friday, accusing it of processing transactions for North Korea in violation of United Nations sanctions.
Agrosoyuz Commercial Bank knowingly facilitated "a significant transaction" on behalf of a person affiliated with North Korea's weapons of mass destruction, the agency said in a statement.
The individual was named as Han Jang Su, the Moscow-based chief representative of North Korea's primary foreign exchange bank, the Foreign Trade Bank.
The statement also detailed a long relationship between the Russian bank and North Korea. The bank held, processed and transferred millions of dollars for North Korea, despite sanctions which are meant to isolate it economically.
Agrosoyuz also knowingly opened bank accounts for North Korean front companies, according to the Treasury Department. By 2018, the bank had allowed one front company to invest nearly $2.5 million in Russian rubles in an account.
The government agency also singled out Ri Jong Won, the deputy representative of FTB in Moscow, and said that both men should be expelled from Russia under a U.N. resolution.
"The United States will continue to enforce UN and U.S. sanctions and shut down illicit revenue streams to North Korea," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. "Our sanctions will remain in place until we have achieved the final, fully-verified denuclearization of North Korea."
The sanctions come as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urges Southeast Asian countries to continue pressuring Pyongyang until North Korea gives up its nuclear weapons.
But some analysts have voiced concern that the country may not have real intentions to disarm. "Commercial satellite imagery from June 21 indicates that improvements to the infrastructure at North Korea's Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center are continuing at a rapid pace," monitoring site 38 North said in June, days after President Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Intelligence agencies detected activity at a large factory on the outskirts of the capital where North Korea's first intercontinental ballistic missiles, capable of striking the United States, were produced. "The weapons factories — and there are hundreds of facilities in North Korea, we have to remember — are just continuing to do work as normal," Joby Warrick of The Washington Post told NPR.
U.S. officials also told NBC that North Korea increased its fuel for nuclear weapons at several secret sites.
It's unclear when Russia started supporting North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs and to what extent. A study released in 2017 by the International Institute for Strategic Studies said North Korea's success with intercontinental ballistic missiles was made possible by black market purchases. Researcher Michael Elleman told NPR that it seemed that "criminal gangs were able to access something and export it from either Ukraine or Russia."
The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Russia is letting thousands of North Korean laborers into the country and giving them new permits to work.
Congress is urging the Trump administration to tighten sanctions on Russia because of its inference in U.S. elections, activity in Syria and annexation of Crimea.
On Thursday, Sen. Cory Gardner said he was putting forth a bipartisan sanctions package with Sens. Lindsey Graham, Ben Cardin, John McCain, Jeanne Shaheen and Bob Menendez. "It is one of the most hard-hitting pieces of legislation ever introduced against the Russian Federation," Gardner said.
He added that the measure "includes my language requiring the State Department to determine whether Russia merits the designation of a State Sponsor of Terror, joining Kremlin allies Iran and Syria."
The Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on a China-based trading company, Dandong Zhongsheng Industry & Trade Co. Ltd., and Korea Ungum Corporation.
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Car rent
Tips for travelers
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Main » Suburb tours
Chuhuiv
This town located at the Seversky Donets and Chuhuivka Rivers was founded in 1638 by Ukrainian Cossacks under the leadership of Hetman Yakiv Ostryanytsa. The historical centre of the town still preserves a settlement of the early medieval period, where Chuhuiv fortress was built in the late 16th century. In 1817–1857, the town was the centre of a group of military settlements. Most houses were one-storey buildings constructed of bricks and stones, and were a significant element of the town fortifications. The world famous painter I. Repin grew up in one of them. A three-storey building of the Ukrainian Military Headquarters with a clock tower (1830) has been preserved in the very centre of the city, as well as the Classical style building of the Holy Shroud Cathedral (1824–1834).
Suburb tours
Korobovy Khutory
Krasnokutsk Arboretum
Memorial Museum of H. Skovoroda and his Literary Works
Old estates
Parkhomivka Historical and Arts Museum
Pechenihy
Spasiv Skit
Svyatogorsk Laura (The Holy Mountain Monastrery)
The Marshal Konev Height Memorial
Verkhniy Saltiv
GoldenPages.ua ® 2011 Contact Information | Copyright | Site map
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AYMAN BAALBAKI
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AYMAN BAALBAKI, Lebanon (1975)
Written by Wafa Roz
Ayman Baalbaki, a contemporary visual artist, was born in 1975 in Ras-el-Dekweneh in Beirut, Lebanon. Originally from Adaisseh, a village in south Lebanon, his parents relocated to Wadi Abu Jamil neighborhood in central Beirut, where Ayman was raised. His father, Fawzi Baalbaki, and his uncle Abdelhamid Baalbaki (1940-2013) were both visual artists and educators. Also, Said, Ayman's brother, and two of his cousins, Oussama and Hoda, are now established visual artists. Ayman finished his secondary education at the Ahlieh School in Wadi Abu Jamil in 1994[1] and then earned his diploma in fine arts from the Lebanese public University in Beirut in 1998. He did a one-year mandatory military service before moving to Paris in 2000. Ayman studied Art et Espace at the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD) in Paris from 2000 to 2002 and completed his D.E.A in the art of images and contemporary art at Université Paris VIII from 2002-2003. In the summers of 2001 and 2002, Ayman attended the Ayloul Summer Academy in Amman, Jordan. A program led by renowned Syrian-German modernist Marwan Kassab Bachi (1934-2016), who later mentored Ayman.[2]
Baalbaki grew up during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990). As a young boy, he witnessed shelling, snipers, destruction, and the Israeli invasion of Beirut. Wadi Abu Jamil, previously known as the Jewish quarter, became a refugee haven for Kurds and Lebanese southerners fleeing the Israeli assaults. Baalbaki and his family stayed there for nearly two decades. In 1995, they moved to Haret Hreik in the southern suburbs of Beirut.[3] Sadly, Haret Hreik was razed to the ground during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah July war, and the Baalbaki's were displaced once again.
The memory of the Lebanese Civil War is a sensitive subject for many Lebanese. The war ended with the 1989 Ta'if Accord and the 1991 amnesty law that pardoned all political crimes before that date.[4] But, Baalbaki chooses to face the past or attend to a "devoir de mémoire,'' as he puts it. A critical and imaginative artist, Baalbaki tackled the war's painful events with cynicism, only to underscore the absurdity of war. Baalbaki's body of work, including painting, installation, and sculpture, revolves around themes such as collective memory, loss, displacement, and identity. Rapidly, Baalbaki earned international acclaim for his staggering hyper-expressive paintings.
Baalbaki's most alarming paintings are ones that depict havoc in the aftermath of war. These paintings belong to two ongoing series; one is Tammouz, which he started in 2007, as an elegy to the ravaged southern suburbs of Beirut, following the 2006 July war, and another, Contre-Jour, which he began in 2009.[5] Contre Jour is a play on words. It translates to Against Daylight in English, alluding to barbaric acts executed in broad daylight. Both series picture the destruction of individual architectural buildings in Beirut. In some of his paintings, Baalbaki depicts giant concrete bullet-riddled buildings in progressive collapse. Marked with despair and abandonment, most canvases amass crumbling ruins and debris. Baalbaki's acrylics on canvas buildings usually occupy the center of his canvas; black and grim like emblems of disaster. Baalbaki lightens the mood of his paintings with gaudy backgrounds toned in altered palettes of yellow, blue, green, or pink. At times, he mounts ready-made floral fabrics to the stretched canvas before he begins a piece.
Onto these flowery backdrops, Baalbaki applies paint in flat thick gestural brushstrokes, in an effort to re-enact modern warfare. Most paintings are untitled. Still, one is entitled Immeuble Yassine, 2010.[6] It features a ravaged building in Haret Hreik, where the Baalbakis once lived.
Baalbaki speaks of how he was inspired by the floral fabrics adopted in the 'Kitschy 'outfits of the Lebanese southerners and Kurds who inhabited Wadi Abu Jamil. Baalbaki envisages these people "kept their once left gardens and orchards in the floral fabric of their outfits." The floral fabrics also reminded him of the clothes that people hung on their balconies on laundry lines, and which they had to leave behind during the 2006 July war.[7]
As a commemoration, Baalbaki paints Beirut's civil war landmarks – famous hotels and high-rise buildings that are now peppered with shrapnel and bullets. Baalbaki painted the Burj al Murr tower, the Holiday Inn hotel, the ''Barakat sniper building'' (recently turned into the Beit Beirut Museum), and ''the Egg," a nicknamed old movie theater. In these paintings, his work takes on a personal and political dimension. These buildings are located along the infamous "green line," which once separated the militant factions of west Beirut from their rivals in east Beirut. The line was a footstep away from Wadi Abu Jamil.
Baalbaki often incorporates text into his work, either in the form of metal stencil or neon light. For example, at the bottom of The Sniper,2009,[8] acrylic on fabric mounted on canvas painting, Baalbaki places a horizontal stenciled copper sheet that reads al-qannas in Arabic, meaning sniper. Al-qannas is backlit in striking yellow, while the painting features the tall hulky building of the Holiday Inn hotel, which was a sniper's nest during the war. The pop sign gives the painting a look of some Egyptian movie poster. Baalbaki's Holiday Inn testifies to the transformation of a touristic haven, a place where movies were shot, to a fortress of war. Likewise, in 2009, during a solo show in London, Baalbaki displayed a blue neon light installation onto the glass façade of the gallery's entrance. It read "Ceci n'est pas la Suisse," also the title of the show. His 'pop art' intervention resonates with Rene Magritte's surreal image-word painting "Ceci n'est pas une pipe;" it mocks the fact that Lebanon was famously called "the Switzerland of the Middle East" before the war. Baalbaki said, "I wanted to incorporate in my work a textual aspect which is omnipresent in Arab culture."[9]
Baalbaki's understanding of the significance of text in Arab culture goes back to his formative education years. His father was keen on teaching his children traditional Arabic poetry, specifically the pre-Islamic odes, al-Mu'allaqat. Besides learning the verses, Baalbaki gained insight from the thematic structure of the poems. Author Michel Fani was the first to relate Baalbaki's art, contextually, to the thematic structure of al-Mu'allaqat. Fani explains, "three themes are at the heart of pre-Islamic poetry: a special relationship to space and place, wandering, and identity." And then asks, "are they not exactly what guides Ayman Baalbaki's brush and inspiration?"[10]
Indeed Baalbaki depicts displacement and wandering in a sequence of installations entitled Destination X, which he started as early as 2004. Drawing from Arte Povera, he deploys pre-used or cheap everyday objects. Destination X, 2010, for example, which was shown in Liverpool in 2010, comprises of a worn-out red Fiat placed on a rotating platform with a neon light rim around it.[11] The car is loaded with household furniture and beddings all tied up in a bundle on the roof of the vehicle: floral mattresses, pillows, bags, chairs, and plastic buckets. The bright colors and clumsy setup suggest frivolousness, even when the theme is not humorous at all. This play, in contrast between material and context, is also realized in Baalbaki's 2013 Murano glass sculptures depicting car tires and X shaped metal barriers as border checkpoints.
In one of his most celebrated and controversial sequence of portraiture known as al-Mulatham (the masked), Baalbaki experiments with the often-contradictory themes of anonymity and visibility. Large-scale paintings, in acrylic on fabric laid on canvas, feature one gigantic bust view portrait of a fida'i (a freedom fighter) against a vibrant flowery background.[12] The head and face are obscured in a white and red checkered keffiyeh, and only the shadowed sharp eyes are spared. Though stunning in their animated patterns and bright colors, the portraits echo uncertainty and disillusionment. Baalbaki explains that these portraits "incarnate both hope and despair." He also adds, "in every portrait, I seek to offer a different interpretation and a new way of reading." [13]Curiously, author Michel Fani perceives al- Mulatham as Baalbaki's self-portrait in the guise of a fida'i. The word fida'i is usually associated with Palestinian freedom fighters. However, it generally translates to "the one who sacrifices himself" and is associated with Christ as savior. Therefore, the fida'i can be anyone seeking redemption or salvation.
In al-Mulatham, Baalbaki examines the keffiyeh as an iconographic symbol. The keffiyeh, a white square cotton scarf checkered in black or red, was initially used as a traditional headdress and soon evolved into a glorified symbol of the Palestinian resistance. In the west, it has become a symbol of Islamist extremists. However, for Baalbaki, Al-Mulatham is neither a glorified symbol nor a symbol of terror. Though Baalbaki's keffiyeh is imposing, it is painted with frenzied red and white brush strokes. The fida'i holds no weapons and is drawn against a 'kitschy' background. Al-Mulatham is a complex and often misread masked hero.
What is most remarkable about Baalbaki is his signature expressionist style. This is best exemplified in one of his seminal mixed media on canvas paintings entitled The Middle East, 2014 measuring 207.5x407.5 cm.[14] Approaching the large-scale artwork, one is faced with an explosion of paint in all directions - paint splashed, smeared, and dripping. The painting features the carcass of a wrecked Middle East Airlines airplane with the green cedar tree logo marked on its remaining red tail. At a closer look, the viewer discovers that cut out prints and floral fabric lie underneath a thick stratum of burgundy, grey, red and turquoise color palette. This painting registers the bombing of the Beirut airport by Israeli forces in 1982. One more artwork dedicated to Lebanon's eclipsed turbulent history.
"Most of the time, I don't do preparatory studies," says Baalbaki. "I start to paint spontaneously, and the painting takes over. It's very violent,"[15] he adds. The artist draws inspiration from German Expressionism, Neo-Expressionism, and Abstract Expressionism or Tachisme. Baalbaki surely applies paint in aggressive brushstrokes. At other times, he uses spray paint, or strikes masses of acrylic paint from a distance onto his canvas. He completes the desired picture in nearly one sitting. However, he revisits a painting several times before considering it done. This process sometimes takes him years.[16]
A free soul and an inspiring artist, Baalbaki currently lives and works in Beirut, Lebanon.
[1] Roz Wafa. Ayman Baalbaki Interview. Personal, May 16&19, 2020.
[2] Issa, Rose. "Biography ." Essay. In Ayman Baalbaki, Beirut Again and Again, 100. London: Beyond Art Production, 2011.
[4]"The Ta'if Accord that ended the war in 1989 failed to resolve or even address the core conflicts of the war, including the sectarian division of power in Lebanon," "The Historiography and the Memory of the Lebanese Civil War." Portail Sciences Po, October 25, 2011. https://www.sciencespo.fr/mass-violence-war-massacre-resistance/fr/document/historiography-and-memory-lebanese-civil-war.html.
[6] Tammouz Destruction & Loss,". In Ayman Baalbaki, Beirut Again and Again, 47. London: Beyond Art Production, 2011.
[8] Issa, Rose. "Ayman Baalbaki in Conversation with Rose Issa." Essay. In Ayman Baalbaki, Beirut Again and Again, 18. London: Beyond Art Production, 2011.
[9] "Breakfast at Baalbaki's - Artbahrain." Accessed May 21, 2020. http://artbahrain.org/wp2017/breakfast-at-baalbakis/.
[10] Fani, Michel. "Ayman Baalbaki: Searching for Lebanon's Soul." Essay. In Ayman Baalbaki, Beirut Again, and Again, 25. London: Beyond Art Production, 2011.
[11] " 'Errance' Displacement & Wandering ." Essay. In Ayman Baalbaki, Beirut Again, and Again, 76. London: Beyond Art Production, 2011.
[12] The Middle East,2014, mixed media painting is part of DAF collection.
[13] "Breakfast at Baalbaki's - Artbahrain." Accessed May 21, 2020. http://artbahrain.org/wp2017/breakfast-at-baalbakis/.
[14] One of the Al-Mulatham, acrylic on fabric laid on canvas, paintings dated 2013, (250x200cm) is part of DAF collection.
[15] Stoughton, India. "Ayman Baalbaki." Executive Life, October 13, 2016. http://life.executive-magazine.com/art-culture/artists/ayman-baalbaki.
[16] Roz Wafa. Ayman Baalbaki Interview. Personal, May 16 &19, 2020.
"Ayman Baalbaki: Switzerland It Ain't (Ceci N'est Pas La Suisse)." Ayman Baalbaki: Switzerland it ain't (Ceci n'est pas la Suisse) | OneArt.org. Accessed May 21, 2020. http://www.oneart.org/galleries/ayman-baalbaki-switzerland-it-aint-ceci-nest-pas-la-suisse.
Amaya-Akkermans, Arie. "The Here of the Elsewhere." The Mantle. Accessed May 21, 2020. http://www.mantlethought.org/a...
Associated Press. "Scars of Lebanon's Civil War in Beirut 30 Years after Guns Fell Silent - in Pictures." The National. The National, April 13, 2019. https://www.thenational.ae/wor...
ABC News. ABC News Network. Accessed May 21, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/h...
Agial Art Gallery & Saleh Barakat Gallery - Baalbaki, Ayman. Accessed May 21, 2020. http://www.agialart.com/Artists/Details_e/6/Baalbaki-Ayman.
"Breakfast at Baalbaki's - Artbahrain." Accessed May 21, 2020. http://artbahrain.org/wp2017/breakfast-at-baalbakis/.
Dagen, Philippe. "The Arab Spring Hits Paris." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, November 1, 2011. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2011/nov/01/arab-spring-art-exhibition-paris.
Issa, Rose, Ayman Baalbaki, Beirut Again and Again, London: Beyond Art Production, 2011.
"Laughter into Tears: Ayman Baalbaki's Destination X." Satellite Gallery Blog, August 17, 2013. https://satellitegallery.wordpress.com/2013/08/17/laughter-into-tears-ayman-baalbakis-destination-x/.
Proctor, Rebecca Anne. "'You Make a Decision to Continue': Amid a Crushing National Deficit, Beirut's Art Scene Finds Creative Ways to Stay Afloat." artnet News, October 1, 2019. https://news.artnet.com/market/beirut-2-1662709.
Stoughton, India. "Ayman Baalbaki." Executive Life, October 13, 2016. http://life.executive-magazine.com/art-culture/artists/ayman-baalbaki.
The Historiography and the Memory of the Lebanese Civil War." Portail Sciences Po, October 25, 2011. https://www.sciencespo.fr/mass-violence-war-massacre-resistance/fr/document/historiography-and-memory-lebanese-civil-war.html.
"The Inherited Wars." Guggenheim, June 16, 2016. https://www.guggenheim.org/blogs/map/the-inherited wars. wars.
Saleh Barakat . "Ayman Baalbaki /Blobak/." Ayman Baalbaki /Blobak/. Beirut, Lebanon: Saleh Barakat Gallery,2016.
Wilson-Goldie, Kaelen. "The Art of War." The National. The National, November 3, 2008. https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/art/the-art-of-war-1.513835.
Blowback, Saleh Barakat Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
Recent Works, Rose Issa Projects Space, London, UK
Hanoi / Hong Kong, Luce Gallery, Torino, Italy
Beirut again and again, Rose Issa Projects, London,UK
Ciel chargé de fleurs, Luce Gallery, Turin, Italy. (solo)
Ceci n'est pas la Suisse, Rose Issa Projects, London, UK
Apocalyptic Transfiguration, Agial Art Gallery, Lebanon.
T-Marbouta, Beirut, Lebanon
Ici est ailleurs,Agial Art Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
Présence Absence, Maison du Liban, France
13th. Cairo Biennale, Cairo, Egypt
Arabicity/Orouba, MEI Art Gallery, Washington DC, USA
Glasstress 2019, Berengo Centre for Contemporary Art and Glass, Murano, Italy
45th Bahrain Annual Fine Arts Exhibition, Bahrain
A la plume, au pinceau, au crayon: dessins du monde arabe, Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, France
Le Monde arabe vu par ses artistes, Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, France
Scripted reality,Lawrie Shabibi, London, UK
Group exhibition, Beit Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
Hommage à Marwan, Galerie Pankow, Berlin, Germany
Drucksache, Galerie Pankow, Berlin, Germany
Face Value: Portraiture (A Gallerist's Personal Collection), Saleh Barakat Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
Ourouba: The Eye of Lebanon, BAF, curated by Rose Issa, Beirut, Lebanon
Thin Skin: six artists from Beirut, Taymour Grahne Gallery, New York
Glasstress: White Light / White Heat, 55th Venice biennale, Palazzo Franchetti, Italy
Safar/Voyage: Contemporary works by Arab, Iranian and Turkish artists, MOA, Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver, Canada
25 ans de créativité Arabe, Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, France
25 years of Arab Creativity, Abu Dhabi Festival, UAE
Art is the answer!,Villa Empain (Boghossian Foundation), Brussels, Belgium
Traits d'Union – Paris et l'art contemporain arabe, The Venue, Beirut, Lebanon
Traits d'Union – Paris et l'art contemporain arabe, Musée National de Sanaa, Yemen
Re-Orientation II, Rose Issa Projects, London, UK
"The Future of a Promise",54thVenice biennale, Italy
Contemporary Lebanese Art Exhibition, Royal College Of Art, London, UK
Traits d'Union – Paris et l'art contemporain arabe, Villa Emerige, Paris, France
The Future of a Promise, 54th Venice biennale, Italy
Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art, Christie's, Dubai, UAE
Beirut City Center, Beirut, Lebanon
Nujoom: Constellations of Arab Art from The Farjam Collection, Dubai, UAE
Convergence: New Art From Lebanon, Washington, USA
Connecting Heavens, Green Art Gallery, Dubai, UAE
Arabicity: Such A Near East, Liverpool, UK
Arabicity, Beirut exhibition center, Beirut, Lebanon
Kasa 10.yil, Sabanci University's "Kasa Art Gallery", Istanbul, Turkey
In the Middle of the Middle,Sfeir-Semler, Beirut, Lebanon
Rafia Gallery, Damascus, Syria
Bos laf, Sabanci University's "Kasa Art Gallery", Istanbul, Turkey
Shatana workshop, Shatana, Jordan
Homage to Léopold-Sédar Senghor, Beirut, Lebanon
Arteclassica, 3era. Feria de Arte, Buenos Ayres, Argentina
National Museum of Niger, Niamey, Niger
XXIII biennial of Alexandria of the countries of the Mediterranean, Egypt
Studio 4-11, Belfast, UK
EL BAB, Shams – Theatre of Beirut, Lebanon
Cm³,CIUP, France
Cerfs-volants d'artistes, Maison du Liban, CIUP, France
Imagining the Book, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt
Manufacture des Oeillets(ENSAD), Paris, France
Mulhouse 002, Acadamy of art in France, Mulhouse, France
Zara Gallery, Amman, Jordan
Darat Al Funun, Amman, Jordan
CIUP, France
Association of the Lebanese Artists, Beirut, Lebanon
Cultural center of Southern Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon
JABAL 98, Tripoli, Lebanon
Lebanese cultural Movement, Tyr, Lebanon
Empreintes, Maraya Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon.
Jeux de la francophonie 2005, Silver Medal (painting), Niamey, Niger
Cm³(first prize), CIUP, France
"EMPREINTES"(first prize), organized by Maraya Gallery and Lebanese
Ministry of Culture and Higher Education, Beirut, Lebanon
Beirut and Again and Again, edited by Rose Issa, Beyond Art Productions
Can one many save the (art world), Georges Rabbath and Nayla Tamraz, Alarm Editions
Ayman Baalbaki, Transfiguration Apocalyptique, Agial Art Gallery
Ramzi and Saeda Dalloul Art Foundation, Beirut, Lebanon
KA Collection, Beirut, Lebanon
British Museum, UK
The Mokbel Art Collection, Beirut, Lebanon
Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, France
Tate Modern, London, UK
Ayman Baalbaki Transfiguration Apocalyptique
Joseph Tarrab- Alain Tasso
Agial Art gallery, English, 2008
Ayman Baalbaki blōbak
Saleh Barakat Gallery, English, 2016
La culture est un objet de consommation
josée hansen
d'Lëtzebuerger Land, French, 2016
Download document | land.lu
فن أيمن بعلبكي اكتشاف للذّات من خلال تجربة الحرب
سلاف زكريا
Bidayat Mag, Arabic, 2016
Download document | bidayatmag.com
العالم منزلي: لقاء مع أيمن بعلبكي
ستيفن تايت ترجمة: يامن صابور
Awan Media, Arabic, 2019
Download document | awanmedia.net
عن أيمن
أسامة غنم
بلاد الأرز ... عندما يكون الفن والجمال أداة للانتقام!
كيرستن كنيب ترجمة: نادر الصراص
dw.com, Arabic, 2012
Download document | dw.com
INDIA STOUGHTON
Life Executive magazine, English, 2015
Download document | life.executive-magazine.com
موضوع الأطلال في أعمال أيمن بعلبكي
نايلة تمرز ترجمة: يامن صابور
أيمن بعلبكي: التلذّذُ بالسلبيّ والنماءُ فيه
بول أردان ترجمة: ثائر ديب
Breakfast at Baalbaki's
Valerie Didier-Hess
Art Bahrain, English, 2017
Download document | artbahrain.org
Object lessons: from a political work by Ayman Baalbaki to photo albums of Bonnie and Clyde
Gabriella Angeleti, Margaret Carrigan and Kabir Jhala
The Art Newspaper, English, 2019
Download document | theartnewspaper.com
Contemporary art: Spotlight falls on the collectible generation
Abigail Fielding-Smith
Financial Times, English, 2011
Download document | ft.com
From war zone to haven: the view from Beirut
Maya Jaggi
Exposition «Arabicity» à Beyrouth
Iris Nadolny
BAB, French, 2010
Download document | babelmed.net
Arabicity signals a bright future for Beirut's art
Kaelen Wilson-Goldie
The National, English, 2010
Download document | thenational.ae
Exposition Collective, Traits d'union, Paris et l'art contemporain arabe, Multimédia, Villa Emerige, Paris, France
Art Limited, French, 2011
Download document | artlimited.net
The Arab spring hits Paris
Philippe Dagen
The Guardian, English, 2011
Download document | theguardian.com
Exposition « Traits d'union, Paris et l'art contemporain arabe »
Thierry Savatier
Savatier Blog, French, 2011
Download document | savatier.blog
'Thin Skin': 'Six Artists from Beirut'
New York Times, English, 2014
Download document | nytimes.com
Six Contemporary Artists from Lebanon at Taymour Grahne Gallery
Lisa Pollman
Culture Trip, English, 2017
Download document | theculturetrip.com
THE HERE OF THE ELSEWHERE
Arie Amaya-Akkermans
The Mantle, English, 2014
Download document | themantle.com
Thin Skin. Six Artists from Beirut
Wall Street International Magazine, English, 2014
Download document | wsimag.com
Taking a sense of place - and moving it
The Daily Star, English, 2006
Download document | dailystar.com.lb
أيمن بعلبكي يهندس خراب الروح
بيار أبي صعب
Al Akhbar, Arabic, 2008
Download document | al-akhbar.com
AYMAN BAALBAKI: "BEIRUT AGAIN AND AGAIN"
Rose Issa, English, 2011
Download document | roseissa.com
BLOWBACK' AT SALEH BARAKAT ART GALLERY
Agenda Culturel, English
Download document | agendaculturel.com
أيمن بعلبكي وتدوينات الحرب
نزار عثمان
Al Modon, Arabic, 2016
Download document | almodon.com
أیمن بعلبكي...« الإنفجار» الكبیر
نیكول یونس
أيمن بعلبكي يجعل من الركام جمالاً
مهى سلطان
al hayat, Arabic, 2016
Download document | أيمن-بعلبكي-يجعل-من-الركا&-جمالاً
أيمن بعلبكي يرسم العدمية خارج الزمان والمكان
ميموزا العراوي
Al Arab, Arabic, 2016
Download document | alarab.co.uk
مَسْرحة الانهيار العظيم
الفنان أيمن بعلبكي
Travail à quatre mains Jean Boghossian et Ayman Baalbaki
Ayman Baalbaki 2015
Highlights from the Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art Sale in Dubai
SWITZERLAND IT AIN'T
Voices from Lebanon: Social & Cultural Reflections
Eyes East Bound - 13th Cairo Biennale
ARABICITY/OUROUBA
SCRIPTED REALITY
Tribute to Marwan
Face Value: Portraiture
Glasstress White Light / White Heat
Art is the answer !
THE FUTURE OF A PROMISE: 54TH VENICE BIENNALE
Convergence: New Art from Lebanon
Une sélection d'œuvres de 23 artistes de la Donation Claude & France Lemand
A la plume, au pinceau, au crayon : dessins du monde arabe
AYMAN BAALBAKI Artwork
Al Mulatham الملثم
BABYLON TOWER
Related with AYMAN BAALBAKI
Arthaus: 'Beirut Year Zero' Art Show to Aid Beirut Blast Victims
Channeling 'anger into art', artists in Beirut process blast
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708-534-0016 (24 hrs)
Monee Funeral Home
Providing quality funeral services in the South Suburban Chicago area since 1891
Robert "Bob" E Wendt
Funeral Home: Crete Funeral Home - Crete, IL (Map-it)
Cemetery: Assumption Cemetery 19500 S Cottage Grove, Glenwood, Illinois (Map-it)
Robert "Bob" E. Wendt age 79 of Crete, Illinois passed away on January 5, 2021. Beloved husband of Lynn (Nee Mascitti). Loving father of Chris Sfarzo and Michael (Finace Connie) Cosenza. Cherished grandfather of Michelle, Brielle and Sterling Robert. Fond brother of Marge (Late Edward) Frey. Uncle of many Nieces and Nephews
Family and friends will meet at Assumption Catholic Cemetery (Chapel) Glenwood, Illinois for a committal service on Saturday, January 9, 2021 at 10:00 A.M. Arrangements entrusted to Crete Funeral Home, 1182 Main Street, Crete, Illinois Info: (708) 672-7600.
Full Obituary Send Flowers
U.S. Veteran
Eugene E. Borak
Funeral Home: Kerr-Parzygnot Funeral Home - Chicago Heights, IL (Map-it)
Eugene 'Gene' E. Borak age 73 lifelong resident of Chicago Heights, Illinois passed away on January 5, 2021. Loving husband to Doreen (nee Nardoni); beloved father to Maria Renee (James) Kelly, Robert Louis Borak, Eugene Edward (Kimiko) Borak Jr., and David Joseph (Meredith) Borak. Cherished grandfather to 12; great grandfather to 2. Dear brother to Richard Borak and the late Joseph Borak. Fond uncle to many nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Lottie (nee Bystrzycki). Gene worked as a packager for 25 years at Innophos Manufacturing, member of the American Legion Post # 131 and served proudly in the U.S. Army. He will be missed by everyone who knew him.
Due to the current circumstances and restrictions caused by Covid-19, we ask that you please follow the state's guidelines of wearing masks/face coverings and social distancing. On behalf of the family and the funeral home staff, we would like to thank you for your cooperation.
Visitation with a Service Saturday, January 9th, visitation from 12 Noon until the time of service at 4pm at Kerr-Parzygnot Funeral Home 540 Dixie Hwy. (at Joe Orr Rd.), Chicago Heights, IL 60411. Info: (708) 754-0016
Kathleen L Guelfo
Funeral Home: Monee Funeral Home - Monee, IL (Map-it)
Kathleen L. Guelfo (nee Osborn) age 77 of Monee, Illinois passed away on December 30, 2020. Loving mother to Tracy (Dan) Swinford and Terri Guelfo. Cherished grandmother to Sarah and John. Preceded in death by her parents William and Louise (nee Brueggeman) Osborn.
Arrangements entrusted to Monee Funeral Home 5450 Wilson St. (at Governors Hwy.), Monee, IL 60449. Info: (708) 534-0016.
Cheryl L. Bilinski
Place of Service: St. Christopher Church 4130 147th Street, Midolthian, IL (Map-it)
Cemetery: Holy Cross Cemetery 801 Michigan City Road, Calumet City, Illinois (Map-it)
Cheryl L. Bilinski age 77 of Crestwood, Illinois passed away on December 28, 2020. Loving sister to Terry (Peggy) Bilinski. Preceded in death by her parents Louis and Virginia (nee Szczepankiewcz) Bilinski.
Visitation Monday, January 4th from 4pm to 8pm at Kerr-Parzygnot Funeral Home 540 Dixie Hwy. (at Joe Orr Rd.), Chicago Heights, IL 60411. Everyone to meet at church on Tuesday for 10AM mass at St. Christopher Church, 4130 147th Street, Midlothian, Illinois . Interment: Holy Cross Cemetery, Calumet City, Illinois. Info: (708) 754-0016
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the American Cancer Society, https://www.cancer.org/
Esther M. Bobek
Place of Service: St. Liborius Catholic Church 71 W 35th Street, Steger, Illinois (Map-it)
Cemetery: Resurrection cemetery 7201 Archer Avenue, Justice, Illinois (Map-it)
Esther M. Bobek (nee Wojtczak) age 96 of Crete, Illinois passed away on December 25, 2020. Loving wife to the late Frank (2003); beloved mother to Cynthia (Thaddeus) Kulma. Beautiful grandmother to Thia Spezialy, Joyelle (Kelly) Mikus and Lindsey (Gabriel) McGee; great grandmother to Kylie (Trey) Fankhauser, Chloe Mikus, Ryan Mikus, Rocco Spezialy, Maximus McGee and Amelia McGee. Great Great grandmother to Maverick Fankauser and Jack Fankhauser.
Visitation Thursday, December 31st from 8:00A.M. until 9:30A.M. at the Crete Funeral Home, 1182 Main Street, Crete, Illinois. Funeral mass 10:00A.M. at St. Liborius Church, 35th and Halsted Blvd., Steger, Illinois. Entombment: Resurrection Cemetery, Justice, Illinois. Info: (708) 672-7600.
Ronald L Eskridge
Cemetery: Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery 27034 South Diagional Road, Elwood, Illinois (Map-it)
Ronald L. Eskridge age 82 of Park Forest, Illinois formerly of Chicago, Illinois and Schneider, Indiana passed away on December 24, 2020. Ron graduated from Lowell High School in Lowell, Indiana Class of 1957. Loving brother to Robert (Charlene) Eskridge. Preceeded in death by his siblings Shirley (late Joseph) Cassady, Carol (late William Bryan) Mahone, David (late Patricia) Eskridge and Karin Eskridge. Dear son to the late Wilbur and late Goldie (nee Smallwood) Eskridge. Beloved uncle to many nieces and nephews. Ron retired from Rich Township High School District as a Janitor-Custodian; he grew up playing baseball with a lifelong love for Chicago Sports especially for the Cubs and Bears. Ron was an avid bowler and was apart of a bowling league for many years, he also enjoyed horse racing as well as casinos from time to time. Ron served proudly in the U.S. Army. Ron will be missed by everyone who knew him.
Arrangements entrusted to Kerr-Parzygnot Funeral Home 540 Dixie Hwy. (at Joe Orr Rd.), Chicago Heights, IL 60411. Burial at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois on Tuesday, December 29th at 12:30PM, will be leaving from the funeral home at 11:15AM. Info: (708) 754-0016
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The Kerr-Parzygnot family of funeral homes' tradition of quality service to families in the south suburban Chicago area in their times of needs has endured for over a hundred years.
Since the opening of the W. E. Kerr funeral home in 1891 through today, the staff of the six Kerr-Parzygnot Funeral Homes have prided themselves on providing comfort and guidance to families during a difficult time.
When choosing a funeral home to help you say farewell to a loved one, it is important to choose a funeral home that has a knowledgeable, professional staff that can not only offer a complete range of services read more about us...
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Europe Street News
News on citizens' rights in Europe
Why are only 11% of business founders in Paris from outside France?
22nd October 2017 22nd October 2017 Claudia Delpero 0 Comments companies, France, startup
Paris is the economic hub of France, generating nearly a third of the country's GDP, and the city has served as the birthplace of dozens of hot start-ups. Despite its attractiveness, however, the city lags in one key measure. According to the "Global Start-up Ecosystem Report 2017" only 11% of start-ups in Paris have founders from outside the country, compared to 46% in Silicon Valley, 42% in London or 43% in Berlin.
Cities and regions in Europe are competing for new businesses and are trying to create a fertile entrepreneurial ecosystem, yet we know little about why entrepreneurs decide to launch their venture in a particular place – that influence founders' choices. With these questions in mind, we started a small survey as part of a master's thesis. We were specifically interested in the opinion of entrepreneurs who founded ventures outside France. Twenty-five entrepreneurs answered the survey: seven were from Italy, seven from France, two from the USA, two from India, and one each from Austria, China, Denmark, Germany, Greece, India, Spain and Portugal. Fourteen respondents were first-time entrepreneurs while eleven were serial entrepreneurs, having already started two ventures or more. Thirteen of those founded their venture in the UK, eight in the US and two in Germany.
When looking at all respondents, "start-up experience" was the main driver (average is 4.12 out of 5) in choosing a city/region where to start a company, followed by "performance" (3.68/5), "funding" (3.6/5), "market reach" (3.64/5), "access to talent" (2,84/5), "personal reasons" (2.92/5), and "housing and living costs" (1.64/5). The main reasons for not choosing Paris were "perceived Internationality" (11), "poor start-up experience" (10), "lack of funding" (8), "poor performance" (7), "limited market reach" (6), "personal reasons" (5), "house and living costs" (2).
A deeper look
Looking closer at the data, serial entrepreneurs and first-time entrepreneurs had a significantly different approach to the question of where to start. In general, serial entrepreneurs emphasised factors such as funding, performance, and start-up experience. Experienced entrepreneurs were more aware of the venture-capital environment and performance-orientation, and therefore opted for better-funded start-up ecosystems such as London, Silicon Valley or New York. A French cofounder of a start-up focusing on renewable energy, based in the US and operating in Kenya, stated that the decision of registering the company in the US was mainly based on monetary aspects (funding, exit opportunities) and start-up experience:
"In the U.S., everything is facilitated when you open a new business: company registration, network, investors and potential buyers are easier to get compared to the European scene."
First-time entrepreneurs were sensible to more personal factors. Many choose a city because of personal connections (friends, network), and recent graduates were more sensitive to housing and living costs in choosing a city. Five out of 24 mentioned this factor as one of the two principal reasons why they didn't choose Paris for opening their new business.
Why Paris can lose out
When entrepreneurs were asked to choose the two main reasons that prevented them from choosing Paris, "poor start-up experience" and "low perceived internationality (spread of English language)" were mentioned the most. A French co-founder of an e-commerce venture started at the Paris campus of ESCP Business School declared:
"We founded our start-up in the last semester of our master in Paris. In the team we are two French people [cf: a designer and a developer] taking care of the technical part and a German guy taking part of the commercial side of the business […] We moved to Berlin because it was very difficult for our business guy to talk to investors, clients and commercial partners."
Other factors mentioned were "poor performance" and "lack of funding". First-time entrepreneurs highlighted "personal reasons" and "high housing and living costs" far more than experienced entrepreneurs. Despite such criticism, respondents mentioned that Paris' innovation ecosystem was growing fast and pursuing ambitious goals. Moreover, "inadequate talent pool" was mentioned by just two of the 25 respondents.
With only 25 respondents, this is a rather small sample. But the responses were consistent, and were confirmed in random follow-up interviews. Our findings could thus serve as the basis for a larger, more systematic study. In particular, the differentiation between first-time and serial entrepreneurs is an interesting avenue for future research.
By Martin Kupp, Associate Professor for Entrepreneurship and Strategy, ESCP Europe, co-written with Fabrizio Curtale, a masters student at ESCP Europe. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Photo via Pixabay.
← This is the letter Theresa May sent to EU nationals in the UK
Free movement, strong economy, just society: the aspirations of young Brits →
EU to establish new agency on labour mobility
14th March 2018 Claudia Delpero 0
What to check when shopping online after Brexit
12th September 2019 Claudia Delpero 0
Can Sweden and Germany take over the UK for digital entrepreneurship?
27th November 2016 Claudia Delpero 0
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Two dead dolphins 'forgot to breathe after taking heroin substitute following zoo's weekend-long rave'
Shadow and Chelmers died within five days of each other at Connyland in Switzerland
Bosses at the park had rented land near the dolphins' training pool to rave organisers
By Rob Preece
Published: 12:45 EST, 6 May 2012 | Updated: 12:45 EST, 6 May 2012
Two dolphins who died a slow, agonising death at a zoo after it hosted a rave were probably killed by a party-goer's heroin substitute, according to a leaked toxicology report.
The dolphins, called Shadow and Chelmers, died within five days of each other at a zoo in Switzerland last November.
Bosses at the park had rented land near the dolphins' training pool to organisers of a weekend rave party for thousands of clubbers.
Slow and painful death: A toxicology report concluded that Shadow was probably killed by a party-goer's heroin substitute
Before the party: Shadow had been one of the star attractions at the Connyland zoo in Switzerland
Prosecutors said at the time that they were considering negligence charges because they believed antibiotics given by zoo vets were to blame for the deaths at Connyland in Lipperswil.
But another toxicology report carried out at the time, leaked to Swiss media, has raised new questions about what happened.
Tests conducted by the forensics institute in St Gallen found the heroin substitute Buprenorphin in the animals' urine.
Don't leave me Mum! Baby Kukena finds his (very wobbly) feet... I'm not a zebra! Boy in black-and-white stripes unfazed as...
Dolphin in marine park 'was killed by noise from a two-day...
Dutch marine biologist and dolphin expert Cornelis van Elk said: 'Opiates are extremely dangerous for underwater mammals and would never be used in any legitimate treatment.
'The reason is that dolphins are conscious breathers which means they actively decide when to come to the surface to breathe, for which they need to be awake.
'Even when sleeping, there is part of the brain that automatically controls the breathing instinct in the same way as it does for people when asleep.
'Drugging them with opiates could well cause this part of the brain to switch off with fatal consequences.'
Putting on a show: Bosses at the park had rented land near the dolphins' training pool to organisers of a weekend rave party for thousands of clubbers
It was originally suggested by keepers that rave-goers could have caused the death by feeding the dolphins illegal recreational drugs but prosecutors had rejected this, blaming the zoo's vets.
Connyland spokesman Erich Brandenberger said it would ask questions about why the initial theory had not been followed up and why the zoo's vets had been blamed.
Shadow and Chelmers died after what staff described as a 'drawn out and painful' death.
Connyland keeper Nadja Gasser told local media: 'The death went on for over an hour.
'It was horrendous. I have not been able to sleep since.
'When we went to start the dolphin training we noticed the same thing that had happened to Shadow was happening with Chelmers.
Investigation: Prosecutors initially considered negligence charges because they believed antibiotics given by the zoo's vets were to blame for the deaths
'He was drifting under the water and was clearly in trouble and so we jumped into the water.
'We tried to hold him. He was shaking all over and was foaming at the mouth.
'Eventually we got him out of the water. His tongue was hanging out. He could hardly breathe.
'He was given adrenalin, but it didn't help.
'After an hour the dolphin died.'
Questions: Bosses at Connyland want to know why the zoo's vets were blamed for the deaths of Shadow and Chelmers
Furious animal activists say they warned both the marine park and local planners - who gave permission for the rave - of the dangers before the event.
They had been concerned that the high levels of noise could damage the marine mammals' immune system, sensitive sonar and hearing.
Connyland has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Connyland zoo: Two dead dolphins 'killed by heroin substitute'
Bill Clinton appears to doze off at Biden's inauguration
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Movie filmed in Jackson Heights: "7 to the Palace"
July 28, 2008 July 24, 2009 Emma3 Comments
The Colombian community of Jackson Heights, Queens had the wonderful character-propelled drama Maria Full of Grace. Now desis (like me!) have this new film, coming out next year- 7 to the Palace.
Naseeruddin Shah
This movie stars some FABULOUS desi actors, including: Aasif Mandvi (a prolific TV/theater/indie film actor), Naseeruddin Shah (a huge star in India; the father from Monsoon Wedding), Ajay Naidu (Office Space and many bit parts), and Madhur Jaffrey (acting in the US since the 1970s; also a cookbook writer). At the end of August, Aasif Mandvi will ALSO be visting the SAYA! (where I work/volunteer). You may have seen him as the ER doctor in the first season of CSI or on The Colbert Report. He had a major part in the romantic comedy American Chai (a film shot in NYC and NJ). He had the role of Ali Hakim (the Persian salesman) in Oklahoma! on Broadway. I saw him a few times at a small Upper West Side cafe; I used to student-teach in that neighborhood. He lived VERY close to 72nd St and Broadway. BTW, both Aasif and Ajay are natives of Chicago.
Aasif Mandvi Ajay Naidu
As for non-desis… Dean Winters (from the gritty prison drama Oz and the police drama Law and Order: Special Victim's Unit) will have a role, too. Wow!!! I loved his character on Oz, and can't wait to see how he looks/acts in this movie! He is a VERY charming/engaging actor. He can play a boyish, manipulative criminal (Ryan O'Reilly on Oz) or an earnest, green cop (Det. Brian Cassidy on SVU). Some ladies may know him best from SATC where he played Carrie's friend with benefits. Dean is actually Irish (like Ryan), BUT also Italian; he grew up in NYC and Arizona. It's ALWAYS a pleasure to see ANY actor from Oz IMHO!
Chris Meloni & Dean Winters
There were people set up at the corner of 75th Street and 37th Avenue last week. There was a little tent and table with snacks and drinks. No one seemed to be taking notice of the (mostly young and white) group of production assistants milling about. (But this is the type of stuff that catches my eye, and I was coming from the Starbucks over at the corner of 78th.) One of the restaurants looked different because the film crew had changed the awning (it read Tandoori Palace; I'm pretty sure that wasn't so before).
One day, there was a sign on the corner looking for extras; I was TOO shy to go! Darn!!! Maybe I will get a second chance for 5 minutes of fame…
Movie Review: "Persuasion" (BBC: 1995)
July 23, 2008 January 20, 2013 Emma2 Comments
Persuasion is perhaps one of Jane Austen's most personal novels. The central idea for the story, loving someone even when hope is gone, comes from a terrible incidence in her older sister Cassandra's life. The young naval officer she was engaged to marry died at sea. He wanted to seek his fortune before settling down. Cassandra retired from society after this loss, vowing to never marry. For many years, Cassandra kept house for Jane, while the more famous sis wrote. Perhaps this book was a way to give her big sis a happy ending!
Eight years ago, Anne (Amanda Root), daughter of a nobleman, Sir Walter Elliot (Corin Redgrave), fell deeply in love with Frederick Wentworth (Ciaran Hinds), brother of the local curate (preacher; pastor). Wentworth was in the navy, and not too much older than Anne (who was just 19). He was not from a distinguished family, and had yet to prove his merit (meaning: get rich). Lady Russell, Anne's neighbor (acting in lieu of her deceased mother), persuaded her to refuse Frederick's hand. "He had nothing but himself to recommend him," Lady Russell comments.
At the start of the film, Anne is 27, and considered an "old maid." Her father pays little attention to her, probably seeing her as another burden. (Sir Walter spends more than is prudent.) Though her superficial, older sister (Elizabeth) is 29, it is hinted (in the book) that she's waiting around for a super-rich beau. The younger sis, Mary (Sophie Thompson, sister of Emma Thompson), is a mother of two sons, and settled comfortably with a gentleman farmer, Charles Musgrove
Things get so bad financially, that Sir Walter's lawyer suggests the Elliot family "retrench" to Bath, a resort town where they can still live respectably. They can rent out their house (on a big estate, Kellynch Hall) to Admiral Croft, a very gentleman-like naval officer and his wife. Anne is (visibly) upset when she hears this- Mrs. Croft is the elder sister of Frederick! Lady Russell remembers the "disappointment," but has no regret about it. However, Anne is still in love with her first love.
Captain Wentworth comes to Uppercross (where Anne is staying for a time); he is introduced to all the Musgroves. Both of the unmarried Musgrove girls, Louisa and Henrietta, seek his attention. At a dinner, Wentworth comments to someone that Anne "was so altered that he'd hardly have known her." What will happen now that the tables are reversed? Anne's family has its good name, but very little money. Wentworth has made a considerable fortune at sea, and is therefore a great catch for any single gal. Anne looks weighed down by life; Wentworth is social and upbeat in all types of company. Have his feelings changed? How will they ever get together?
You have to remember that in Austen's time, single people (usually) did not have long courtships or engagements. They were often in company, so had little chance to talk alone about crucial matters (how they really feel about each other and so forth). People usually hung out with their neighbors, cousins, and others in their social rank (when they were on vacation or in London). It wasn't polite to go blabbing your (true) opinions in public. But, people did write letters- this is crucial in Persuasion.
The lead actors are very good at conveying their emotions, however subtle, in this film. A lot has to be said without words, or the movie would not be true to the book or its time period. Sophie Thompson, as Mary, is also very good (as she is in Emma). She has some subtle comedic moments; Mary likes to create little dramas (she's a typical bored housewife). Another small, but notable character, is Mrs. Croft (Fiona Shaw). Anne is drawn to her warm personality. She is a very kind, energetic, and well-traveled older woman. The Crofts, though they have no children, are a very loving/compatible couple (both in the book and film). In one dinner scene she says that "we [women] none of us want to be in calm waters all our lives." Very true!
Jane Austen said that the character of Anne was "almost too good to be true." Anne is described as capable (she nurses her injured nephew) and down-to-earth (she visits an old, sick school friend instead of visiting a high-ranking relation). Like many Austen heroines, she likes reading, long walks, and intelligent conversations. She is not obsessed with rank, unlike the rest of her family. She is unbowed by the flattery of her cousin, Mr. Elliot, who heaps attention on her in Bath. So, she's a gal you can root for!
The look of this film is very authentic, in my opinion. The actors are not overly glamorous, nor do they over-act (like in some tongue-in-cheek adaptations of Jane Austen). Yes, there are a few moments of humor, but the issue at hand is serious. Love (and life) may pass these characters by if they don't communicate and take some action to hook up! Check this film out if you're looking for an adaptation that is intelligent. I've seen it several times, and consider it the best adaptation of Austen on film (aside from the Pride and Prejudice mini-series with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle). This film gives modern audiences a view into Austen's characters' minds.
Emma at MoMA
July 19, 2008 July 19, 2008 Emma1 Comment
Hey readers (are there MANY out there?) If you are reading, please put in comments!
I went to MoMA this evening with two of my (younger) gal pals; I also met a few other (very sweet) college folks. Most of these college undergrads/recent grads had gone to Stuyvesant High School. Currently, I'm teaching a SHSAT prep class at South Asian Youth Action (SAYA!). The students (7th-8th graders) are hoping to get a high score on the SHSAT, so they can attend Stuy, Brooklyn Tech, Bronx Science, or another specialized high school here in NYC.
The museum was abuzz with languages (not unusual); the Dali exhibit was especially popular. It was COOL to see many young people interested in art; some were not yet in college! I noticed that several were artists (sketch pads in their bags) and photographers (with nifty cameras). There were many tourists from Spain also. I REALLY liked a some of Dali's stuff, especially the paintings where he used (shades of) blue and red in abundance. Not everything he did was disturbing, as I discovered. Many people said the work was "curious" though. A lady (most likely a tourist from out of state) was frustrated when she couldn't figure out the painting the book turning into a nude woman. "Where is the woman?" she asked her husband, then some other people around us. "I don't see it. I see a book. It's supposed to be in there, but I don't see it!" LOL- My friend and I had to laugh! I liked the painting "Narcissus" (maybe because I like Greek mythology). On one side, you see the figure of the young man, then the flower on the opposite side. The colors were cool, too.
I found out a few NEW things from this exhibit. Dali collaborated not only with the famed Spanish director, Luis Bunel, but with Alfred Hitchcock! Hitchcock chose Dali to create the dream sequences seen in Spellbound (starring Gregory Peck and Ingrid Bergman). I told my mom about this, and she thought it was very cool (she LOVES 1940s films, especially Spellbound). The producer, David O. Selznick, thought that Dali's ideas were TOO extreme, but Hitchcock thought the artist would bring something out of the ordinary to this 1945 picture.
Dali was friends with Luis Bunel, Frederico Garcia Lorca, the Marx Brothers, and Andy Warhol. I recall some stuff about Garcia Lorca because my final project in an advanced Spanish class (WAAAAY back in undergrad) was to research his life and work, then give an oral presentation. The teacher and few other students said I did a REALLY good job! A surprising thing about Garcia Lorca: he didn't live "in the closet;" he was "out" and open about his life as a gay man (when it wasn't the norm). This reminded me of Oscar Wilde who lived part of his life as an "out" man (with the support of his mother, no less)!
Okay, I'm going off-topic too much. You should check out the Dali exhibit when you have a chance. Fridays are FREE (so there are MANY people there). The line moves FAST after 6pm, one friend said. It was quick today around 4pm. It was CRAZY hot and humid today, so it was good to be doing something INSIDE!
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African Development Bank and African Union to roll-out a continent-wide electricity market Masterplan
The Masterplan also will inform the energy component of a Programme for Infrastructure Development (PIDA) Action Plan
The Continental Power System Master Plan will ensure that competitive electricity markets are developed at regional and continental levels
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, December 12, 2019/APO Group/ --
The African Development Bank (AfDB.org) and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) have agreed to jointly develop a blueprint for a pan-continental electricity network and market.
The agreement to set up a Continental Power System Master Plan between the Bank and AUDA-NEPAD was unveiled, on November 29th, during a three-day workshop on the sidelines of Programme for Infrastructure Development (PIDA) Week held in Cairo. The workshop also produced the Masterplan's terms of reference.
"The Continental Power System Master Plan will ensure that competitive electricity markets are developed at regional and continental levels, creating unique opportunities to optimally utilize Africa's vast energy resources for the benefit of Africa," said Professor Mosad Elmissiry, a Senior Energy Advisor to AUDA-NEPAD's CEO.
The workshop was aimed at advancing the launch of an Integrated Continental Transmission Network (ICTN) to link national power utilities into regional power pools and, ultimately, into a continent-wide transmission network. Plans also include setting up a market for electricity trading.
The Masterplan also will inform the energy component of a PIDA Action Plan, which focuses on key regional integration projects.
Development of a unified electricity transmission network and market for electricity trading are viewed as a critical priority to improve the lives of people across the continent.
"Most state-owned electric utilities in Africa today are unable to secure the financial resources needed to implement required segments of regional interconnectors and associated national feeder lines," said Angela Nalikka, the Bank's manager for National and Regional Power Systems, to explain the impetus for the partnership. "The Bank plans to encourage private sector participation in transmission projects in the continent."
Olufemi Terry
email: [email protected]
Ifeyinwa Miriam Emelife
Chief Government & Regional Organizations Partnership Officer
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB.org) is Africa's premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org
African Development Bank and African Union to roll-out a continent-wide electricity market Masterplan The Masterplan also will inform the energy component of a Programme for Infrastructure Development (PIDA) Action Plan ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, December 12, 2019/APO Group/ -- The African Development Bank (AfDB.org) and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) have agreed to jointly develop a blueprint for a pan-continental electricity network and market. The agreement to set up a Continental Power System Master Plan between the Bank and AUDA-NEPAD was unveiled, on November 29th, during a three-day workshop on the sidelines of Programme for Infrastructure Development (PIDA) Week held in Cairo. The workshop also produced the Masterplan's terms of reference. "The Continental Power System Master Plan will ensure that competitive electricity markets are developed at regional and continental levels, creating unique opportunities to optimally utilize Africa's vast energy resources for the benefit of Africa," said Professor Mosad Elmissiry, a Senior Energy Advisor to AUDA-NEPAD's CEO. The workshop was aimed at advancing the launch of an Integrated Continental Transmission Network (ICTN) to link national power utilities into regional power pools and, ultimately, into a continent-wide transmission network. Plans also include setting up a market for electricity trading. The Masterplan also will inform the energy component of a PIDA Action Plan, which focuses on key regional integration projects. Development of a unified electricity transmission network and market for electricity trading are viewed as a critical priority to improve the lives of people across the continent. "Most state-owned electric utilities in Africa today are unable to secure the financial resources needed to implement required segments of regional interconnectors and associated national feeder lines," said Angela Nalikka, the Bank's manager for National and Regional Power Systems, to explain the impetus for the partnership. "The Bank plans to encourage private sector participation in transmission projects in the continent." Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
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Tahira Khan Merritt Child abuse, child sex groomers, Emotional Abuse, Injuries, Pedophilia, Psychiarty, Rape Victims, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, Sexual exploitation, Trauma Abuse, Campus rape, Child Abuse, children, criminal, emotional, Rape, Sexual Abuse, Sexual violence, victims, youth 0
Child Sexual Groomers and how to banish them by Daniel Pollack
Cockroaches, those infamous, hearty and adaptable bugs, can withstand hostile temperatures that few other creatures can endure. Chameleons, known for their ability to change their appearance, can effortlessly merge with their environment. In the desert? Go brown. In the jungle? Go green.
Child sexual groomers are far superior to roaches and chameleons. The challenge to law enforcement and the general public is that groomers hide in plain sight, not by enduring intense scrutiny or by blending in, but by appearing so positively friendly and caring.
The news headlines from just the past few weeks give a vivid picture of the many faces of child sexual groomers:
Continue Reading article at Youth Today's website
By Daniel Pollack is a professor at Yeshiva University's School of Social Work and a frequent expert witness in cases involving child abuse and foster care. Contact: [email protected]; 212-960-0836.
Tahira Khan Merritt Child abuse, Clergy abuse, Emotional Abuse, Injuries, Medical Treatment, Pedophilia, Psychiarty, Rape Victims, Sexual Assault, Sexual exploitation, Sexual violence, Trauma Abuse, assault, Child Abuse, children, church, civil, clergy, emotional, PTSD, Rape, Sexual Abuse, victims 0
The Science of Dissociative Amnesia in Childhood Sexual Abuse Cases
Netflix's documentary series The Keepers investigates the mysterious 1969 murder of Sister Cathy Cesnik, a Catholic nun.
The show has received acclaim not only for the suspenseful story but also for its subject matter. Part of the story involves a victim recovering memories of her childhood sexual abuse and how those memories fit into the overall story of the young nun's murder. But how and why are traumatic memories "repressed" and "recovered"?
What is dissociative amnesia—the correct term for the traumatized mind protecting itself? According to the American Psychological Association, dissociation occurs when a memory is not lost forever but is unavailable for retrieval for some time. Reputable scientists believe that stressful experiences, like sexual abuse, can be so traumatic that the brain protects the individual from the pain of the memory. These blocked memories can cause issues like anxiety, PTSD, and dissociative disorders.
In the cases our firm has litigated over the past twenty years, we have represented several individuals who have experienced dissociative amnesia due to the sexual abuse they suffered as children. If you have not watched The Keepers, please do. I am told the documentary is very affirming for survivors especially those violated by clergymen.
Tahira Khan Merritt Campus rape, LGBT, Rape Victims, Reporting Rape, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Title IX Abuse, assault, Campus rape, Child Abuse, gay, lesbian, LGBT, schools, sexual orientation, transgender 0
Article: http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20131218/NEWS01/312180023/Lawsuit-says-gay-students-bullied
By Tahira Khan Merritt
A lawsuit filed Tuesday against Moss Point School District in South Mississippi claims gay students are routinely bullied. The Southern Poverty Law Center filed the case in U.S. District Court against Moss Point School District, board, superintendent and the former principal of Magnolia Junior High School.
The victim, 17-year-old Destin Holmes, alleges she and other gay and transgender students, or those who are perceived to be, are subjected to name calling and other slurs like "freak" and "it". One student even attempted suicide as a result of the bullying according to the suit papers.
Bullying in whatever form , whether targeting a child's sexual orientation or physical appearance is totally unacceptable in our society especially our educational institutions. The effects of this form of abuse can be life-long and devastating to victims. Lawsuits such as this one are necessary to hold organizations and individuals who engage in, condone, promote or enable bullying be held accountable.
Pamela Anderson blog
Tahira Khan Merritt Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape Victims, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, Sexual violence Abuse, assault, Child Abuse, children, Rape, Sexual Abuse, Sexual violence, victim, youth 0
This week, actress and animal activist Pamela Anderson disclosed during a speech given at the Cannes Film Festival in France to her animal rights charity—The Pamela Anderson Foundation—, the horrific sexual abuse she suffered as a child. http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/18/showbiz/pamela-anderson-sex-abuse/. She told the audience that because of the abuse she had a hard time trusting humans so animals became her "real friends." While celebrities often use their fame to raise money and awareness for a cause, to "make a difference" in the world , it is unusual for a famous person to disclose such a private "secret". Child sexual abuse is still a taboo subject for many. When a famous person makes such a public disclosure they risk scrutiny of their image. For Ms. Anderson who is known for her "sexy" roles and controversial "sex tapes", could her fans view her differently? I certainly hope so. Ms. Anderson's brave disclosure could help victims who have harbored painful memories of childhood sexual abuse come forward find their own to voice. She can empower others with her story of survival.
Pope Francis apology
Tahira Khan Merritt Child abuse, Clergy abuse, Pedophilia, Rape Victims, Sexual Abuse, Sexual exploitation Abuse, assault, Child Abuse, children, Rape, Sexual Abuse, Sexual violence, youth 0
LESS TALK, MORE ACTION: ARE THE POPE'S WORDS HOLLOW?
Yesterday, Pope Francis promised Catholic Bishops "will be held accountable" for failing to protect children from sexual abuse.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/07/world/pope-clerical-sex-abuse/index.html?sr=fb070714popescandalVODtoplink).
Acknowledged by some as the Pope's strongest statement yet of what abuse victims and their advocates have been saying for decades: that Catholic Bishops who have covered-up clergy sexual abuse are just as guilty as their perpetrators. Pope Francis' comments were made following a private Mass with six selected victims of church sexual abuse— three men and three women—representing Britain, Ireland and Germany. He met with them for about 30 minutes in his private residence at Casa Santa Marca. According to a text of the statement provided by the Vatican, the Pope apologized to them for their abuse and asked for forgiveness.
In response, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP
(http://www.snapnetwork.org) through its President, Barbara Blaine, told CNN: "Let's not mistake this meeting today for real action. The meeting today will not make children safer."
I agree. Like papal pronouncements before his, Francis's words acknowledge the harm priests have inflicted on children. But to be truly accountable, Francis must follow up his sentiment with decisive action, such as: directing bishops, their lobbyist and lawyers not to fight pro-victim legislation but to allow survivors access to the courts and make public the identities and files of priest-perpetrators as well as their bishop-enablers. If not, why not? Only through such action and openness can real change be effected. Tired words are not enough.
On behalf of victims and their families, Tahira Khan Merritt has successfully litigated many cases of clergy sexual abuse involving the Roman Catholic Church. If you or a loved one is a survivor of sexual abuse or sexual assault, caused or enabled by the negligence and/or gross negligence of any religious institution such as the Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Baptist Church, the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church and the like, the Law Office of Tahira Khan Merritt stands ready to help you with your legal needs. Contact our office today at 214-503-7300 or through our website https://tkmlawfirm.com/
You can also find us on social media at www.facebook.com/childrensexabuseattorneys
Sexual abuse and exploitation in youth sports
Tahira Khan Merritt Campus rape, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape Victims, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, Sexual exploitation, Title IX Abuse, Campus rape, Child Abuse, Rape, Sexual Abuse, sports, youth 0
The Child You Save May Be Your Own: Parental Responsibility In Preventing Sexual Exploitation in Youth Sports
It's mid-August. Children are back to school for academics, activities and athletics. Youth sports in particular can offer children valuable life lessons about team work and commitment but, as we have seen recently in the Jerry Sandusky case, they can also teach us parents that we must be vigilant about the potential for sexual abuse in a sports settings. If you have a child-athlete who wants to participate in school or league-sponsored events, it is important that you educate yourself and your child about measures that can be taken to prevent their sexual exploitation and their peers' as well.
Here are some basic questions you should ask any youth organization about its sexual-abuse safeguards:
Does it have policies and procedures to address sexual abuse and exploitation? If not, why not?
Does it conduct background checks on coaches and others, including volunteers who supervise and have access to children?
Does it communicate with parents and guardians regarding activity schedules?
Additionally, you should consider these areas of inquiry:
Besides the coach, are there other adults present to assist in supervising children during team events and practices, including any off-site travel?
Does it use a locker room for children to dress in, and, if so, is there more than one adult present in any locker room where there are children?
Does the coach or other involved adults pay equal attention to all children?
Does the coach or other involved adults seek ways to spend time alone with children outside of the sport activity?
Does the coach or other involved adult engage in atypical communication with children, such as texting or social media?
In developing protocols for youth-serving organizations, The Unites States Centers for Disease Control emphasize that organizations that "work with children and youth must strive to create safe environments for youth, employees, and volunteers so that young people can grow, learn, and have fun. It is vital that youth-serving organizations create a culture where child sexual abuse is discussed, addressed, and prevented."[http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pub/preventingchildabuse.html]. The Sandusky case, for example, could be used to identify what sexual predators in positions of authority, such as coaches, have done to gain the trust of children.
So please take time before school is underway to talk with your child about sexual abuse in youth sports. The child you save may be your own.
The Law Office of Tahira Khan Merritt stands ready to help you with your legal needs. If your child was sexually abused by a coach or volunteer in a youth sports related environment, our law firm can help. For almost twenty years, we have exclusively represented victims of sex crimes in civil cases against institutions, youth sports organizations, schools, youth camps, churches, daycares, scouting and the like. You may confidentially contact our office at 214-503-7300 or through our website : https://tkmlawfirm.com/.
You can also connect with The Law Office of Tahira Khan Merritt through LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook to stay up to date on the latest information on issues important to survivors of sexual assault and sexual abuse and their families.
100 Children Porn Bust
Tahira Khan Merritt Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape Victims, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, Sexual violence Abuse, Child Abuse, Rape, Sexual Abuse 0
Silence : The Deadly Enabler of Child Sex Abuse
A recent article Dallas Morning News article emphatically demonstrates how crucial it is not only for suspicions of pedophilic conduct to be reported to civil authorities, but for parents to take such preventative action. A 28 year old man and his 17 year old accomplice( posing as a 6th grade student) at Hurst Elementary school in Tarrant county lured and sexually abused at least 100 children. http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2014/11/hurst‑police‑hand‑over‑child‑porn‑suspect‑who‑posed‑as‑teens‑father‑to‑federal‑agents.html/
The news report highlighted a Arlington mother who instinctively saved her son from becoming victim 101:
"A 28-year-old man accused of luring potential sexual abuse victims by enrolling a 17-year-old accomplice in a Hurst elementary school was investigated by Grapevine police in 2012 after a woman reported that he had picked up her 4-year-old son and asked to baby-sit the boy. . . . When the woman asked Wesson what experience he had caring for children, he replied, 'work in Christian youth ministries,' she wrote. . . . In my head, all I heard was, 'I want to molest your son, and groom him with Christianity and aquatic sea life.'. . . The Arlington woman wrote an email to the management of Sea Life Aquarium at Grapevine Mills to complain about Randy Wesson, who was an 'education associate.' Aquarium managers immediately suspended Wesson. . . . Grapevine police were alerted on Feb. 2, 2012, by the aquarium's parent company. Officers investigated but found no evidence of a crime. However, Detective Rebecca Graves forwarded the information to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which also looked into Wesson, but 'no suspicious activity [was] located to suggest behaviors associated with pedophilia." . . . The investigation revealed no criminal history, Graves noted in the police report on Feb. 14, 2012. 'Based upon these findings, THIS CASE IS CLOSED.' "
"Wesson told officers that he had sexually abused more than 100 children ages 7 to 14 and possessed about 42,000 child pornography images . . . no children in the porn images have been identified. Included in the thousands of images on Wesson's media devices are three photos depicting pornographic acts involving prepubescent boys that were singled out. . . . Teague said they are relying on parents to talk to their children. 'We would really like for the parents to figure out if there was any exposure.' . . . 'A very disturbing case.' Julie Evans, executive director of Alliance for Children, said the case illustrates that parents need to be talking to their youngsters about boundaries and HOW TO ASK FOR HELP."
But what will become of the 100 who have apparently gone unreported? Would there have been 99 if number 1 had been reported and pursued? Until probable abusers are properly reported, civil authorities cannot hold perpetrators and enablers accountable, and parents cannot seek timely help from civil attorneys for those children who may be doomed to suffer lifelong effects of such insidious injuries. Parents also need to know how to ask for help—and from whom. There are definitely "Dos and Don'ts" that could critically impact any potential civil case.
Law enforcement cannot help if they do not receive proper reports. Civil attorneys cannot help if they do not receive timely reports. No victim should have his or her future stamped CASE CLOSED.
The Law Office of Tahira Khan Merritt exclusively represents victims of sexual abuse and sexual assault. We stand ready to help you with your legal needs. If you or your child were sexually assaulted or sexually abused, our law firm can help explain your legal remedies. For almost twenty years, we have represented victims of sex crimes in civil cases against institutions, including colleges and universities, religious organizations, such as the Catholic church, Baptist church, Greek Orthodox church, Episcopal Church, and Presbyterian church among others. We have also represented victims of sexual abuse in schools, youth sports organizations, youth camps, daycares, scouting and the like. You may confidentially contact our office at 214-503-7300 or through our website : https://tkmlawfirm.com/. You can also become a fan of our firm on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. We post articles and other information helpful to survivors, including current media on abuse cases nationwide, wellness, self-care and other mental health news.
Signs of Sexual Trauma in Children: Red Flags
Tahira Khan Merritt Child abuse, Clergy abuse, Pedophilia, Rape Victims, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, Sexual violence, Trauma Abuse, Child Abuse, Rape, Sexual Abuse, Substance Abuse 0
Statistics about sexual assault of children from the nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization are shocking. According to RAINN:
15% of sexual assault and rape victims are under age 12.
29% are age 12-17;
44% are under age 18;
Girls ages 16-19 are 4 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault;
7% of girls in grades 5-8 and 12% of girls in grades 9-12 said they had been sexually abused;
3% of boys grades 5-8 and 5% of boys in grades 9-12 said they had been sexually abused.
https://www.rainn.org/statistics
Here are some changes in behavior parents should be concerned about. These red flags can be subtle and gradual:
Sudden fears of certain places or people;
Sudden and frequent anxiety (being clingy, having nightmares);
Sudden depression (such as withdrawal, low self-esteem, thinking about or frequently crying);
Extreme anger ( tantrums, aggression, or acting out against authority figures such as teachers);
Sudden isolation from peers or family members;
Skipping school;
Anger outbursts;
Regression not consist with their biological age, such as bed wetting;
Fear of being touched;
Changes in Grades;
Use of substances;
Sexual or violent acting out with other children, pets or toys;
Running away;
Self-mutilation;
Talking about suicide;
Excessive play with their own private body parts not consistent with healthy sexual development;
Drawing or "play-acting" violent or sexual scenes.
Some physical signs, which may or may not accompany behavioral changes include:
Changes in eating habits;
Changes in sleep habits;
Frequent stomachaches;
Changes in appearance;
Physical pain or itching in the genital area;
Underwear stained with blood or other discharge;
Rectal bleeding;
Problems walking or sitting.
Please talk to your doctor or the counselor at your child's school if your child shows any or many of these signs. If you suspect sexual abuse, contact law enforcement: do not question or interrogate your child. Specially trained professionals with law enforcement are qualified to interview your child and gather evidence necessary to prosecute the perpetrator or perpetrators.
You can also become a fan of our firm on Facebook. We post articles and other information helpful to survivors, including current media on abuse cases nationwide, wellness, self-care and other mental health news. www.facebook.com/childrensexabuseattorneys
You can also follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/MerrittTahira
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Frog fungus damages immune system even when eliminated
The amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendribatidis (Bd), has a significant effect on the immune system of Australian tree frogs even after the fungus has been cleared. Dr Sam Young, a veterinarian at Mogo Zoo, NSW,, led the research team at James Cook University's One Health Group (Young et al 2014). Her work demonstrated that experimentally infecting green tree frogs (Litoria caerulea) caused multiple defects in systemic host immunity with both antibody and cell mediated immune fuctions affected.
Sierra Leonne orders Ebola lockdown
Sierra Leone has ordered a lockdown to help control Ebola virus. The government has stated that people must stay at home from 18 to 21 September. Read the story in All Africa - http://allafrica.com/stories/201409070012.html
Ebola in West Africa
No sign of the epidemic abating. The cumulative case curve contnues to climb exponentially. Cases in Nigeria continue to increase (now 21) with cases now occurring outside Lagos in Port Harcourt.
Ebola in Africa - Crisis as another epidemic begins!
The West African Ebola outbreak is continuing unabated. By the 22nd August there had been 2,615 cases and 1,427 deaths, a case fatality rate of 55%. A very high number of health workers have become infected; 240 with 120 deaths. See report by WHO - http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/ebola/25-august-2014/en/. WHO identifies inadequate infection control as causing these cases. However, has transmission of Ebolavirus changed in West Afrca?
Atoifi rushes into the digital age!
Our research capacity strenthening work at Atoifi, Solomon Islands, has been hampered by the slowness and unreliablity of the broadband satellite link. However, that changed last week with the upgrade of the hardware and the bandwidth due to combined inputs from WHO Tropical Diseases Research and the Seventh Day Adventist Pacific mission. The former provided funding while the latter (Michael, Kevin and Harry) set up new hardware and configured software to get an outstanding result.
Sierra Leone amends Public Health Act to make hiding Ebola patients a crime
Sierra Leone parliament on 22 August made it a crime to hide Ebola patients. Legally defining an "Ebola patient" may be challenging prior to confirmation by laboratory testing. Does the law refer to confirmed cases only or include suspect cases also? Story is at Al Jazeera.
Other regulatory actions by countries include border closures by Senegal, Cote d'Ivore and South Africa. Senegal has banned flights to and from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Brussels Airlines has also cancelled flights to these countries.
Ebola epidemic now in Nigeria
Ebola virus (EBOV) has now started an epidemic in Nigeria. This was initiated by the Liberian man who flew into Lagos, collapsed at the airport, was hospitalised and died. Six secondary cases have been detected and one, a nurse who cared for the Liberian, has died. The West African Ebola epidemic is very serious. Not only is the virus still spreading in all 4 countries, but it will start to adapt to transmission in an urban environment. WHO reports a cumulative total of 1,172 cases with 932 deaths, a case fatality rate of 54%.
Moving Ebola patients by plane
Two US citizens infected with Ebola virus (EBOV) are to be brought home in a specially equiped plane carrying an Aeromedical Biological Containment Unit. They will be housed in a PC3 isolation unit inside a negative pressure unit. See the CNN report and watch the informative video.
Ebola virus takes the plane - from Liberia to Lagos
A man has died in Lagos, Nigeria, from Ebolavirus disease (EBV) after flying from Liberia. See report on ABC News. The flight was not direct; he transited in Togo.
Polio expands - travelers need to be vaccinated.
The number of countries with polio and the total number of cases increased so much in 2014 that the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an emergency. In 2013, 416 cases occurred in five countries, then, in the first six months of 2014, the numbers were 106 and nine countries. WHO has made polio the world's second Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
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The Best Steals Nordstrom Rack Has To Offer
If you're like me, the virus has put a hold on many things, but online shopping is certainly not one of them. In fact, every time boredom strikes, I can't help but browse all of the sales currently happening. Like, Tom Ford is literally 60% off Nordstrom Rack right now… how does one resist such an opportunity?
The answer: we don't.
I'm justifying this spending by telling myself I would have spent this money going out to dinner on single meals, but instead now I'm investing in pieces that will last me a lifetime. Cost per wear, if you may.
So, I'm going to give you a breakdown of my favorite sales at a little store called Nordstrom Rack, where designer items go when all else fails. Here are a few must haves so you can feel ~cool for the summer~ ….or whichever season we're finally allowed back in public again.
As a little black dress is a staple in all wardrobes, a little (medium/large) tote should be as well. Black is on trend every day of every season, and that will never change. Marc Jacobs is having a super sale (50% sitewide), but Nordstrom is one-upping their sale with 60% or more off their Marc Jacobs inventory.
There are a few choices for black totes, but The Tag 27 Leather Tote is my personal favorite. It differs from the basic tote (which is good, because you can also get that at Zara for $20) and still adds some zest to a classic look. It also comes in pink, which is less practical than the black, but do you. Both colors are currently retailing for $149.47 (originally $395) at a 62% discount.
Marc Jacobs The Tag 27 Leather Tote
Neon had a moment last summer, and tie-dye is having its moment this summer. But, given the fact that 2020 has been put on hold thus far, a neon bag will hold its power for a second season and can still be considered a staple statement piece when paired with the correct outfit.
I am loving the Atlas Neon Leather Shoulder Bag from Rag & Bone, which is currently retailing for $299.97, at a 52% discount. Brands like Gucci have released their color collections for summer, which retail around 2k, so this piece is a steal. The braided strap gives it an edgy touch, and can be paired with a leather jacket to complete the vibe or a classic monochromatic blazer/bike short outfit to add some spice and contrast. Either way, it's a worthy purchase in my book.
Rag & Bone Atlas Neon Leather Shoulder Bag
I used to not give a sh*t about sunglasses, but then I moved to NYC and realized that $10 sunglasses from Forever 21 were social suicide. Of course, I'm not bashing anyone who doesn't want to splurge on sunglasses, but if you do seek designer shades, Nordstrom Rack has you covered. I literally can't narrow it down to a single recommendation, so I'll share a few of my current favorites.
If you've been on Instagram, you've seen the rising trend in monochromatic pastel sunglasses. This pair from Prada sticks out to me, because it's not the impractical tiny sunglasses we saw last summer, but it still brings the sunshine to your look. I'm drawn to the green, but if the pink brings out your inner Barbie, then so be it. Originally retailing for $258, you can now get this pair for $119.97, at 54% off, which is a rarity for Prada, so take advantage.
Prada 56mm Cat Eye Sunglasses
Tom Ford sunglasses are a hit or miss for me (some of the styles are TOO ugly-chic) but when they're good, they're great. The Anna style are my absolute favorite because they literally look good on everyone. They're the perfect dose of subtle and sexy, and the gold accent makes everything better. Originally retailing at $430 (ouch), a 63% discount has allowed for us to purchase them at $159.97. If you know Tom Ford, you know this is a worthy STEAL.
Tom Ford Anna 49mm Modified Cat Eye Bar Sunglasses
Keeping the spirit of tie dye/pastels alive, these Gucci aviators are a chic seasonal way to take your look to the next level, and just looking at them makes me crave summer. I'm not even actually sure if we'll be able to socialize this summer, but that won't stop the sun from shining, and glasses are a long-term necessity. I like this pair because the style itself is simple, unlike some of Gucci's more, shall we say, unconventional pairs, but still gives you a flash. OG price was $390, and these cuties are 67% off (best deal yet) so you can grab them for $129.97. Worth it.
GUCCI 59mm Aviator Sunglasses
Shoes are hard because trends change with the wind, but there are a few styles that never expire. A strappy sandal, a white sneaker, and booties all have stood the test of time.
Unpopular opinion, but when it comes to sandals, I care less about the designer and more about the actual look. I've gotten more compliments on my Steve Madden basics than my Louboutins, and that sums it up in my book. The Sam Edelman Ariella Ankle Strap Sandal is the best kind of basic and comes in black and nude, the only two colors that ACTUALLY matter in a shoe. They're currently on sale for $31.98, originally retailing at $100, and are well worth it.
Sam Edelman Ariella Ankle Strap Sandal
Sneakers have taken the fashion world by storm over the last few years, and can now be paired with a suit or dress and still make sense. To this day, my go-to combo remains an all white sneaker with a white tube sock. It's comfy, it's chic, and it's cool. I love the Arelle Exaggerated Sole Sneaker from Steve Madden (in white). They're only 40% off (rude) but currently an extra 20% (nice) and retailing at $47.98 instead of $100. Cute.
Steve Madden Arelle Exaggerated Sole Sneaker
I know the thought of purchasing booties in May is rather nauseating, but I promise it's worth it. Stuart Weitzman is 68% off at Nordstrom Rack, which I found rather shocking, but also thrilling. It's a bit jarring how many businesses are hurting, but I will humbly take the discounted booties in the meantime. The Quinn Block Heel Bootie was my choice purchase this time around, because a classic black bootie is always a safe, chic bet. These are still typically more than I'd spend on a bootie at $189.97… but, they were originally $595, so if there was ever a time to splurge on a shoe, it's now.
Stuart Weitzman Quinn Block Heel Bootie
The bulk of Nordstrom Rack deals fall in the clothing department, which has just about everything you can think of. Narrowing down 40,000+ choices to my top favorites—no problem. It's a tough job but someone's gotta do it, so please thank me in the form of DMing me with your favorite sales happening. I can shop more and you can save money, a win/win.
I'm starting with leggings, because that is the closest thing to a pant I've put on in two months. They're debatably the most important piece of clothing in and out of quarantine, and therefore, brand/quality matters. 90 Degree By Reflex has their Interlink Side Pocket High Waist Leggings on super sale right now, and once again I'm shocked because these are a hot commodity. They're a whopping 75% off and currently retailing for $19.97 (originally $78). These leggings have pockets, and I assume you're sold by that statement alone, so I'll move on.
90 Degree By Reflex Interlink Side Pocket High Waist Leggings
All leggings need their partner-in-crime, a comfy sweatshirt. There are a million and one cute sweatshirts available, but my current favorite is the Champion Campus French Terry Cropped Crew Neck Pullover. I feel sort of like a hype kid for loving this (maybe I've been watching too much TikTok???) but IDC because it's cute. It's on sale for $36.97, which might crush your soul given that Champion used to be $5 at Walmart back in the day, but times are changing and it's better than its $55 original price tag.
Champion Campus French Terry Cropped Crew Neck Pullover
As mentioned earlier, summer is still up in the air, but warm weather is not. So, you might as well be prepared in the event that we are allowed outside in the coming months with some cute pieces! Let's think positively.
I have such a thing for modernized prairie dresses, and I think they bring sunshine to anyone's look. This is a staple for me starting May 1, and I essentially wear different versions of the same dress daily until it snows again (half kidding). REFORMATION has a great sale going on at Nordstrom Rack, and the Napa Wrap Midi Dress is on sale for $79.97—that's a 63% discount from the original $218 price tag. I firmly believe that all-purpose dresses are always worth the purchase because they work for work, happy hour, your best friend's baby shower, and your next vacation.
Reformation Napa Wrap Midi Dress
If there is ONE item that actually has never gone out of style, it's the jean jacket. Like, there are photos of my 60-year-old parents rocking jean jackets throughout their lives, and it's still a closet staple now all these years later. One would assume that 90% of us have the classic denim jacket in our closets, and it's time to spruce things up. I am loving this Rag & Bone Snakeskin Print Crop Fray Denim Jacket because it's keeping the animal print spirit alive, but in a new form. No, I don't want to see your cheetah bodysuit or booties again this year, but YES, I do want to see your secretly snakeskin jean jacket. This one in particular is 68% off, previously $495, but now $157.48. A ssssssteal.
Rag & Bone Snakeskin Print Crop Fray Denim Jacket
And there we have it. Wow. So many deals, so little time. Honestly, Nordstrom Rack is adding new cute stuff daily (I'm not being paid to say this, in fact I'm only losing money every time I am on their site) and helps me get the designer clothes I want at a price I can actually (almost) afford. So if and when you are ready to shop till you drop, you know where to find the best deals.
You know you love me, xoxo, quarantined girl.
Images: @socialcut / Unsplash; Nordstrom Rack
Betches may receive a portion of revenue if you click a link and purchase a product or service. The links are independently placed and do not influence editorial content.
Gucci Is In Trouble For Another Culturally Insensitive Design
No one said being a fashion designer was easy, but there's one basic rule that really shouldn't be that hard to remember: try not to piss off an entire religious/cultural/ethnic group. It seems pretty obvious that cultural appropriation isn't cool in 2019, but apparently the people over at Gucci have forgotten…for the second time this year.
A few months ago, Gucci raised some major eyebrows when white male models in their Milan Fashion Week show were wearing turbans as accessories on the runway. There's nothing wrong with wearing a hat, but people were upset that the accessories closely resembled the dastaar, the turbans worn by those in the Sikh religion. The turbans, which have deep significance in the Sikh faith, have been worn for hundreds of years.
Dear @gucci, the Sikh Turban is not a hot new accessory for white models but an article of faith for practising Sikhs. Your models have used Turbans as 'hats' whereas practising Sikhs tie them neatly fold-by-fold. Using fake Sikhs/Turbans is worse than selling fake Gucci products pic.twitter.com/sOaKgNmgwR
— Harjinder Singh Kukreja (@SinghLions) May 16, 2019
People were already upset about the accessories being worn on the runway, but last week, the turbans went up for sale on the Nordstrom website. Officially called the "Indy Full Turban", the retail price was a casual $790. Yikes. Aside from the look of the turban, it's an extremely bad look to rip off an Indian religion and then call the item "Indy." I have many, many questions about how anyone at Gucci thought this was a good idea, let alone the dozens of people who must have approved this before it made it to the racks at Nordstrom.
This is beyond aggravating. Did someone at @gucci even bother to figure out what a dastaar (turban) means to Sikhs? Did it cross your minds to consider the history behind our identity? My people are discriminated against, even killed, for wearing a turban. pic.twitter.com/G62edSmjhf
— Aasees Kaur (@SouthernSikh) May 14, 2019
Like I mentioned before, this isn't even the first time in 2019 that Gucci has caused major controversy over one of its designs. Back in February, there was an uproar over a turtleneck sweater that looked way too similar to blackface makeup. Also, it looks impractical and uncomfortable, but the main issue was the blackface.
Fashion can't seem to learn from its mistakes. Back in February 2018, dozens of iterations of the balaclava walked the @gucci runway in Milan. Based on vintage DIY knit ski masks, no one clocked them at the time for having any racist connotations…or maybe they went unnoticed among the layers and layers of styling. Rihanna even wore one version just a couple months later at Coachella. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Last night though, a knit black turtleneck balaclava with red cut-out lips resembling blackface that wasn't on the runway, caught twitter's attention…and Gucci's almost immediately. Within a few hours, they pulled the sweater from sale and issued an apology. All things considered, it's probably clear now that these brands are severely lacking the cultural context and knowledge to avoid these same pitfalls. If these global brands are serious about their commitment to increasing corporate diversity, it needs to happen at all levels and departments, not just the creative teams. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ • #gucci #skimask #fashion #knitwear #blackface #blackhistorymonth #luxury #luxurybrand #europeanfashion #turtleneck #balaclava #diy #knittingpattern #vintageknitting #pinterest #pinterestfail #rihanna #milanfashionweek #mfw #mfwss18 #ss18 #dietprada
A post shared by Diet Prada ™ (@diet_prada) on Feb 7, 2019 at 8:55am PST
In the wake of this scandal, Gucci immediately pulled the product from its site, and it issued what seemed like a very solid apology for what they had done. In his official statement about the controversy, the Gucci President and CEO acknowledged that the company was lacking "cultural diversity and awareness," and committed to an ambitious plan to fix things. They announced that they were hiring "global and regional directors for diversity and inclusion," as well as three different programs aimed at increasing representation and awareness moving forward.
Gucci's first four initiatives in a long-term plan of actions designed to further embed cultural diversity and awareness in the company.
A post shared by Gucci (@gucci) on Feb 15, 2019 at 3:57pm PST
As opposed to some other companies and designers, who have been defensive and/or dismissive when responding to issues like this (looking at you, Dolce & Gabbana), it really seemed like Gucci got the issue, and was committed to fixing things in the future. With this most recent drama with the turban, now I'm not so sure. Gucci has yet to release a statement about the new controversy, but Nordstrom has changed the name of the item to "Head wrap" and says that it's sold out. Sure, Jan.
This is definitely not the first time that a fashion brand has made a completely avoidable blunder like this, and I'm sure it won't be the last. Just like we all know that it's not appropriate to wear a Native American headdress to Coachella (I hope we all know this by now), brands like Gucci really should know better. Maybe now you'll think twice before Instagramming that photo with your Gucci belt clearly visible.
Images: Getty Images; @Singhlions, @southernsikh / Twitter; @diet_prada, @gucci / Instagram
This Story About A Fake Socialite Who Scammed All Of New York Is Wild
Fans of Gossip Girl and/or The Bling Ring, you are in luck. Over the past few months, the story of the first big "scammin' for the 'Gram" con artist has come out, and it is wild. I'm already excited for the movie. Here's the story. On the surface, Anna Delvey (born Sorokin, age 27) is basically everyone you follow on Instagram. She was rich, she always dressed in designer clothes, and she frequented restaurants whose entrées cost more than your rent. She also happened to be a massive fucking fraud (allegedly), and is currently in jail on charges of alleged grand larceny and theft of services. So, how did this complete rando casually adopt the lifestyle of a Kardashian? (No, this is not a how-to guide. Note the part where she's in jail.) Let's take a look. The Cut did an amazing job reporting on it, and you should definitely read the complete story, but if you don't have time to read it all right now but don't want to sound stupid at happy hour when literally everyone is talking about it, here's our shorter breakdown for you to read first.
What Did Anna Delvey Do?
What's sad/brilliant is how fucking easy it all sounds. Anna shows up with her "ambiguously accented" English, giant Céline sunnies, and a seemingly endless supply of cash. Naturally, people fall all over themselves to befriend this assumed trust fund baby. They spend a few months enjoying extravagant gifts, dinners, and weekend getaways—until Anna's credit card "stops working," and someone needs to cover the bill.
In total, Anna allegedly scammed an estimated $275,000, including at least $50,000 in unpaid NYC hotel fees alone. Am I appalled for the individuals Delvey ripped off? Absolutely. Am I the tiniest bit impressed at her innate gift for spending money like a billionaire? Um, yeah. The list of Delvey's purchases—not including the thousands on airfare, hotels, and decadent vacations—covers a $3,500 private jet rental, multiple Tesla rentals, $4,500 personal training sessions, Gucci sandals, Alexander Wang leggings, Supreme hoodies, $800 highlights, $400 eyelash extensions, cryotherapy, multiple iPhones, and a case of 1975 Dom Perignon. Wait, is this my Pinterest page or someone's rap sheet? V confusing.
Actual footage of Delvey walking through her hotel lobby:
So, Who TF Was This Girl?
As for the origin story of Anna Delvey, we know she grew up in Russia, went to school in Germany/London, and then got an internship in Paris at Purple magazine. As I assume happens to most people who intern at fashion magazines in Paris, this is where Anna took a turn into becoming a horrible person. The next few years of her life are hazy, but basically she emerges into New York's social scene. By 2013, she was a Fashion Week regular, attended "all the best parties," hosted celebrity dinners with random guests like Macaulay Culkin and Martin Shkreli, and was, as one acquaintance put it, part of "the 200 or so people you see everywhere." Delvey was reportedly not, as you might expect, "superhot…or super-charming; she wasn't even very nice." All that mattered was that she was in the right places, wearing the right clothes, and appearing to spend the right amount of money.
Why Did No One Stop Her?
The big question, obviously, is how she kept the alleged scam up so long. At the rate she was burning money, the fact that she didn't have the capital to back it up definitely should have come up sooner. And the reason it didn't is definitely not because she had an airtight story or was particularly good at lying. To begin with, this girl was claiming to be a German heiress without really speaking German. As this Independent article points out (a little too gleefully IMO—we get it, Americans are dumb), "a quick quiz in German could have cleared it all up very speedily." But honestly, no one who was around Delvey had any interest in finding out if her story was fake—people just wanted her to keep buying shit, trusting that the payment would eventually come through.
As for how she covered it when payment didn't come through—which was often—Delvey allegedly claimed unsuccessful wire transfers from a (nonexistent) trust fund in Germany. She also reportedly fabricated a financial adviser named Peter W. Hennecke who corresponded on her behalf when she attempted to get a loan of $25 to $35 million from various banks. The phone number associated with Hennecke was found to be a burner from a supermarket, his email was an AOL account, and when people started asking questions, Delvey literally pretended Hennecke had died. I cannot make this up. Ultimately, her debts caught up to her, and she was arrested outside rehab facility Passages in Malibu. How very Lohan of her.
What's She Doing Now?
As mentioned, Delvey is currently in jail, a turn of events she's taken surprisingly well. "People seem to think it's horrible," Delvey says about literal prison, "but I see it as like, this sociological experiment." Many quotes from Delvey's time in jail give me pause, like when she marvels over her cellmates' accounts of identity theft ("I didn't realize it was so easy"), and the tidbit that "the murderers were the most interesting to her."
Essentially, this girl is troubled—a fact equally on display in her still-existing Instagram account, which features terrible selfies interspersed with pictures of literally blank white space. Also, most of the comments on these pictures are from clearly fake accounts, with 5-10 posting the same comment verbatim within minutes. This is not the Instagram account of someone who is okay.
If there's a lesson to learn here, it's that owning designer athleisure and keeping a stack of $100 bills handy is a great way to convince people you have a trust fund. Seriously though, it's an extreme example of how the Instagram existence we crave is more often than not an illusion, specifically designed to blind people with displays of money while obscuring the reality underneath. Maybe if we were less desperate to make our lives LOOK wealthy and fabulous, we wouldn't be so eager to believe someone like Delvey, who displayed more than a few red flags. And maybe we could stop breeding criminals whose primary goal is to spend more money on bottle service and sweatpants from Supreme. Just a thought.
Images: Giphy (5)
5 Accessories You Should Literally Never Buy
It's no secret that most betches aren't like… amazing at budgeting their money. But like, who can really blame you? You suck at cooking, but pretend to be vaguely health conscious, so a lot of your money goes towards kind of expensive salads. (How much are salads even supposed to be? I genuinely have no idea, but every time I buy a salad, I'm like "Wait, that felt kind of overpriced.") Betches are a really interesting demographic financially, because like, you'll swipe your card for a $200 pair of jeans that make your butt look dope without blinking, but your Google search history includes things like "Will cheap alcohol make me drunk faster?" and "Does generic Plan B work?" What, you Googled that for your roommate? Right.
Anyway, I'm obviously not a financial expert or anything, but I'm a self-proclaimed shopping expert, so I feel like it's my duty to help you out here. Actually, I don't think I should even go as far as to say that I'm a self-proclaimed expert. I think I just like hearing myself talk. But yeah, there's tons of shit you just straight up shouldn't be buying and I'm here to save you from that. Here are five things you should literally never buy.
1. Fake Gucci Loafers
Steve Madden just released about a million pairs of shoes that are straight rip-offs of the Gucci Princetown Loafer Mule. At $80, these loafers are pretty much just a glorified knockoff, but they're produced by a brand you're familiar with so you don't have to go into some creepy stockroom on Canal Street to get them.
I'm not telling you to splurge on the $800 Gucci shoes and I'm definitely not bashing fast fashion. Stores like Zara and H&M are awesome for picking up inexpensive clothing that evokes a similar-looking vibe to high-end designs. However, the line between being inspired by luxury fashion and blatantly ripping it off is so fine, my Kat Von D liquid eyeliner couldn't draw it. These shoes are honestly such a scam, buying them is basically one step away from wiring money to the guy from Nigeria emailing you to send him money because his funds are tied up in Europe. There are so many other styles of inexpensive, non-tacky shoes in the world to choose from. You have literally no reason to purchase these, ever.
2. Designer Headphones
I have a lot of unpopular opinions regarding Lilly Pulitzer that I'll either keep to myself or save for a later date (quick preview: I think wearing boxy tunics covered in a neon seashell print is the dumbest shit you can do), but in regards to this list, do not buy Lilly Pulitzer, or any other designer ear buds. They're pretty much the crappy ear buds that came with your iPod touch a million years ago, but with a design that might make them easier to describe when you undeniably leave them at the gym in two weeks and ask the guy at the front desk if he's seen them.
Beats by Dr. Dre has $100 in-ear headphones that you should probably just spring for. Sure, they're $80 more and don't have a floral design (which seems like a plus to me, but no judgement), but by the time you've gone through a few pairs of shitty headphones, you'll have wished you just bought these instead.
3. Expensive, Trendy Sunglasses
You know how they say you should try to keep a plant alive before you get a dog? And that you should learn to take care of a pet before you have kids? Well, I say screw all of that and buy yourself a pair of expensive sunglasses if you want to know how responsible you really are. Plot spoiler: You're irresponsible AF and might as well just spent that $200 on Candy Crush lives because it'll last way longer.
You should definitely buy designer sunglasses if you like, HAVE to have a particular design or know that you'll be able to hold onto them for a while. For example, Ray Ban Wayfarers are a good idea, because they're a classic style and you can spot a knock-off from a mile away. However, if you're just looking for a pair of glasses that look like something you saw on Kylie Jenner's Snapchat, it's not really worth it to spend a lot. There's really no point in getting Illesteva glasses when you can get a pair that looks exactly like them literally anywhere else for less, because they're probably just a fad that you'll forget about when you watch Kylie's story tomorrow and she's wearing yet another pair. (And if it sounds like I'm contradicting myself on what I said about the faux Guccis, give it another read. The point is to find something similar, not a total knockoff.)
4. Tacky Phone Cases
I get it. You've been in line at Forever 21 for 15 long minutes and are trying to decide if the $6 choker you're about to get is even worth it. The bins by the counter, which are actually just strategically placed black holes, are starting to look appealing. You take a look through and find a glitter phone case, and it's less than $10 so you decide to get it.
Unless you want your life to be ruined, you should absolutely put that tacky phone case down. There's a 0% chance it'll save your phone during your next bender. All of the junky phone cases in the world aren't worth a scratch on the most valuable 4.7 inches of property you own (aka, your phone screen). The only thing more brutal than having a shattered phone screen is having to pay to get it fixed, so just be a decent human being and buy a legitimate phone case, like perhaps one from Shop Betches.
5. Cheap Watches
In case you haven't noticed, nobody really needs watches anymore because we're just always on our phones, which also tell the time if you didn't realize. Also, manually changing the time on something when Daylight Saving Time happens is such a buzzkill. Yes I know that doesn't happen very frequently, but of the watches I own, none of them have ever been changed with Daylight Saving Time. It's just like, too much work for my busy lifestyle.
Anyway, don't spend money on dumb cheap watches. They'll probably turn your wrist green, or break or something. Who needs a crappy watch to tell them what time it is when you have your Uber driver constantly calling you to tell you he's been waiting outside for five minutes and is about to dip out?
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New campaign hopes to rebrand the Twin Cities
Laura Yuen
St. Paul, Minn.
January 22, 2008 8:00 a.m.
Ron Mickus and Don Eddy, two friends who regularly meet at the Tin Cup bar on Rice Street in St. Paul
MPR Photo/Laura Yuen
The way Karyn Gruenberg sees it, one of the first things the Twin Cities ought to do is stop calling itself the Twin Cities. She said a lot of people who aren't from here mistake the Twin Cities for Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, or even Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn..
"What the brand company came up with is, our brand is Minneapolis, our brand product is St. Paul. It's not the Twin Cities, so we have to do away with it," said Gruenberg.
The Lexington Restaurant in St. Paul, Minn.
Gruenberg is Vice President of Meet Minneapolis, the city's convention and visitors group. She's one of the main players behind the new initiative called "Minneapolis Saint Paul, More to Life." Besides dumping the Twin Cities nickname, she wants the two communities to think of themselves as a single entity.
The strategy is part of a broader plan to make the area more competitive in recruiting young, talented workers. She said it is a pressing concern for some Minnesota companies, especially as baby boomers retire.
Nearly three years ago, Gruenberg's organization hired a New York firm to survey outsiders' perceptions of the area. Half of the people who had no connection to the Twin Cities said there was no reason to visit.
On a long list of favorite cities, Minneapolis came in second to last above Cincinnati.
Yet, people who were familiar with Minneapolis-St. Paul loved it. They ranked the cities third, below only San Francisco and Seattle.
But asking longtime St. Paulites to associate themselves with folks across the river will be tricky. At the Tin Cup on Rice Street in St. Paul, old friends Ron Mickus and Don Eddy have been sidling up to the bar for a decent chunk of their 70 or so years.
"I'm from St. Paul," said Ron.
"How do feel about calling it Minneapolis-St. Paul from now on?"
"I'm not too much in favor of calling it Minneapolis-St. Paul. I don't like the name Minneapolis," Ron explained.
"I don't even go over there," Don said.
"Why's that?"
"Two reasons. I get lost is one reason. The second reason is I don't want to get beat up over there. So I stay home," said Don.
Mickus and Eddy are supposed to be the foot soldiers in this marketing war. Gruenberg says the residents wield far more power than traditional advertising.
"The local community are our brand champions. They're the walking, talking advertisements. If they don't understand what the branding and the message and what it is we have to offer, then the outside world won't understand it," said Gruenberg.
Work on the campaign began long before Minneapolis-St. Paul bid to host the Republican National Convention. But now that 15,000 members of media are expected to flock here for the event in September, the marketing effort seems more imperative than ever.
Gruenberg says companies like 3M, Target, and General Mills have contributed nearly $2.5 million for the effort. Many public relations and advertising firms are working on the branding campaign for free.
Gruenberg says while the cameras are in town, residents should promote the area's culture, creativity and abundance of lakes. And they should quit playing up the weather and how hardy they are.
"Complain about the weather, that's all we've got to talk about," said Kent, a gray-haired man sipping his vodka at the dimly lit Lexington Restaurant on Grand Avenue.
"Weather is a constant. It's hot, it's cold, it's an ice breaker, no pun intended," Kent explained.
Getting people to visit the area is one thing. Getting them to stay is another.
Minnesotans are polite, but Gruenberg says they don't allow newcomers into their social circles. She cites one study that says it takes about four years for recent transplants to feel like they're part of the community. Her solution? Ask that new person from Texas or New York to come to your house for dinner.
At the Tin Cup, Ron Mickus and Don Eddy say that will take some work:
"It's hard to invite someone you first meet," said Don.
"You got to know 'em first for a little bit. I wouldn't just say, come on over," explained Ron.
The brand champions of St. Paul apparently haven't gotten the script yet.
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Home » Celebrities » Prince Harry Sweetly Surprised Kids on a Video Call and It Has Us Super Emotional
Prince Harry Sweetly Surprised Kids on a Video Call and It Has Us Super Emotional
Prince Harry just granted three award winners the ultimate surprise.
The Duke of Sussex appeared virtually in a new video courtesy of the Well Child organization, a national U.K. charity that gives children and young people with serious illnesses the best chance to thrive at home with their families. For the virtual appearance, Harry revisited three previous winners of the Well Child Awards, an annual ceremony that recognizes the inspiring work and stories of affected children across the country.
The trio were stunned when Harry appeared on their screens, and instantly beamed once they realized they were chatting with the Duke of Sussex again. The duke applauded them for their bravery and recognition from Well Child, and they also talked about how they have all been faring amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
"Your bravery, your strength, your optimism, your everything is just so unbelievably inspiring, incredibly refreshing as well. There's never enough time in the day, or days in the week, to recognize every single one of you and recognize all your achievements," said Harry. "But you guys know how many kids, and how many young people your ages, are struggling through life, but coming out on top every single day, and are inspiring their parents."
Evie Toombes, 19, reflected on previous award ceremonies, where she met Harry and his wife, Duchess Meghan, when the awards were able to be held in person, before the pandemic.
Toombes said that she remembered "how positive the evening was" and how "it was a celebration of everything we can do and I think all of us need to focus on that. I have definitely carried that through and continue to carry it through."
What Taylor Swift's No Body, No Crime Is Really About
Elsa Pataky flaunts her incredible figure during family beach outing
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'Modi Ji Ki Beti' grabs attention at NFDC Film Bazaar
By KalingaTV Bureau On Nov 21, 2019 0
Panaji, Nov: A film titled "Modi Ji Ki Beti" is under production. Although the subject of the film is under wraps, it is said to be a comedy-action film.
The film marks the directorial debut of ad-filmmaker Eddy Singh, and its title caught the attention of many at the ongoing Film Bazaar in Goa.
Singh had fun and motivational chat with Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar at the Film Bazaar venue. "It was a pleasure meeting him and some great industry people whom I have admired and I look forward to working with," said the director.
Also read: BMC Forms Squads For Verification Of Functioning Of Kalyan Mandaps In Bhubaneswar
"It's my pleasure to introduce our film 'Modi Ji Ki Beti', a comedy action film. A promising film which serves entertainment as well as a social message too," he added.
The cast and other details about the movie are yet to be revealed.
'Chandrayaan-2's scientific objectives fully accomplished'
Twinkle's Insta pic of Mumbai auto gets over 50K likes
Watch: Mother elephant teaches baby to cross road, video…
PURE EV ecoDryft- India's most affordable electric…
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Switzerland // Company & People News/Dredge Mining
As shipowners continue to eye their future fuel choices, container shipping giant MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) has joined the Hydrogen Council as a steering member, aiming to foster cross-sector collaboration that will accelerate R&D related to clean hydrogen derived fuels and solutions.
MSC says the the initiative is part of its wider approach to decarbonization which has already seen the company pioneer the use of biofuels as a blended marine fuel and now sees MSC work with others to advance the exploration viability of hydrogen and fuels derived from it as potentially viable fuel sources for container shipping.
"MSC is actively engaging with a wide range of stakeholders to accelerate the development of clean hydrogen fuels for shipping. The future of shipping and decarbonization will rely on strong partnerships from both the perspective of technology collaboration and procurement. There must be a massive injection of energy and capital into R&D efforts to bring alternative fuels and alternative propulsion technologies to the marketplace to decarbonise all industries in the longer term. Initiatives such as the Hydrogen Council provide just the right platform to accelerate R&D, as well as to facilitate cross-industry collaboration," said Bud Darr, Executive Vice President, Maritime Policy & Government Affairs, MSC Group.
"The future of shipping and decarbonization will rely on strong partnerships from both the perspective of technology collaboration and procurement," he continued.
The Hydrogen Council is a global CEO-led initiative that brings together leading companies with a united vision and long-term ambition for hydrogen to foster the clean energy transition.
Yanmar America Hires Carl J. Micu
Yanmar America said it has hired Carl J. Micu as division manager of power solutions. He will oversee all engine sales and be responsible for the strategic development of long-term sales growth plans and annual sales targets related to industrial engines, commercial and large marine engines in the Americas. Prior to Yanmar, Micu served 15… Read More
Norway Moves Quickly to Start Undersea Mining
Norway aims to discover new resources beneath the sea, but its push into mining has raised environmental concerns. Norway could license companies for deep-sea mining as early as 2023, its oil and energy ministry told Reuters. That could place it among the first countries to harvest seabed metals. Copper, zinc and other metals are in… Read More
Valeport introduces new SWiFT CTD profiler
Designed with the intention of a seamless workflow, the new SWiFT CTD is the next generation of Valeport's popular SWiFT profiler range and delivers enhanced accuracy and versatility for those requiring CTD measurements. The SWiFT CTD profiler from Valeport, a leading oceanographic and hydrographic instrumentation manufacturer, provides survey-grade sensor technology coupled with the convenience of… Read More
ACOPNE welcomes Lori Brownell, P.E., D. NE as a new member of the ACOPNE Board of Trustees
ACOPNE welcomes Lori Brownell, P.E., D. NE as a new member of the ACOPNE Board of Trustees. Ms. Brownell will serve as the navigation engineering representative on the Board thru October 2023. Currently, as Port Houston's Director of Channel Improvement, Ms. Brownell leads the team to focus on the next generation of widening and deepening improvements to the Port… Read More
Maritime Industry New Hires
Martijn Luth General Manager at Infrastructure Alternatives, Inc. Rockford, Michigan, United States MORE INFO Jason Marchioni General Manager at North American Aggregates Cranford, New Jersey, United States
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The Brief | February 11, 2019
Economist event lookbook, Zimbabwe's rural loan fund, lease-to-own motorbikes in Uganda, boosting trucking livelihoods
Photo by André Filipe on Unsplash
ImpactAlpha
Greetings, Agents of Impact!
Featured: ImpactAlpha Original
The Economist stages a debate on the future of impact investing. "Wall Street meets Mother Teresa." That's the headline for the "debate" kicking off The Economist's third annual impact investing forum in New York on Tuesday. Does the motion – "impact investing will turn out to be the most profitable way to invest" – get at the right questions? In a minor ImpactAlpha tradition, we've name-checked the headliners who will be offering their takes, including on investments in climate adaptation, refugees and other emerging sectors (ImpactAlpha is a media sponsor of the event). In the mock debate will be Goldman Sachs' John Goldstein, the Beeck Center's Lisa Hall, IGNIA's Michael Chu, and Ronald Gilson, a professor at Columbia and Stanford.
This year's muddled message may be a signal of the uncertainty that is grasping impact as an investment approach. Whether finance can solve the problems that finance helped create remains an open question. Is impact investing the solution, or part of the problem? Managers are indeed raising assets on impact theses. Ellevest's Sallie Krawcheck will speak about gender-lens portfolios. Catherine Berman will talk about CNote's products for "everyday investors." JUST Capital's Martin Whittaker will discuss JUST's rankings of companies on public priorities determined by polling. Impact investing has grown with the bull market, as the agenda notes, but in that same period so have greenhouse gas emissions, the poverty gap and a global refugee crisis. The Economist claims Tuesday's event will "demand more of the business leaders at the helm of the global economy."
Read, "The Economist stages a debate on the future of impact investing," by Jessica Pothering, on ImpactAlpha.
Dealflow: Follow the Money
Zimbabwe's Masiyiwa launches $100 million loan fund for rural entrepreneurs. One of Africa's ten wealthiest men, Strive Masiyiwa, and his wife, Tsitsi, are launching the Masiyiwa Rural Challenge Fund to make loans to small businesses in rural Zimbabwe. Four out of five Zimbabweans work in the informal economy. More than two-thirds don't have bank accounts, a function of mistrust after Zimbabwe's 2008 economic collapse. Masiyiwa, who built his wealth in the telecom business, is financing the initiative. The fund will originate low-interest loans of $1,000 to $10,000, half of them to women. Masiyiwa says he has challenged his philanthropist friends "to join us to expand it across Africa." Learn more.
Tugende secures $5M loan from PG Impact Investments for lease-to-own motorbike taxis. Motorbike taxis, or "boda-bodas," are a mainstay of transportation in Kampala's traffic-choked streets. Without the ability to buy a motorcycle outright, most drivers rent their bikes. Kampala-based Tugende offers lease-to-own financing on motorcycles for Uganda's boda-boda drivers. The mission is to improve asset ownership, boost drivers' incomes, and improve road safety. The company has 10,000 customers and has completed 7,000 leases since launching in 2013. Swiss impact investing firm PG Impact Investments' loan will help Tugende expand its lending services. Here's more.
Hear Tugende's Michael Wilkerson on ImpactAlpha's podcast, "Financing Uganda's Boda Bodas to Boost Drivers' Livelihoods."
Harlem Capital backs Sudu to support minority-run trucking businesses. Atlanta-based Sudu runs a marketplace to connect small trucking companies to corporations like Walmart and UPS. New York-based Harlem Capital has invested an undisclosed amount of capital to help improve transparency, efficiency and carbon-reduction in the trucking market. Harlem Capital's Jarrid Tingle also touted Sodu's impact on wealth-creation for women and minority business owners. Harlem joins Sudu's early funders including Atlanta Seed Company, Comcast Ventures Catalyst Fund, Plug and Play, and corporate-backed Engage Ventures. Read on.
Agents of Impact: Follow the Talent
RSF Social Finance is seeking a senior director of credit… Travel accessories company Away is hiring a social impact director in New York… Also in New York, Tideline is recruiting an impact investing analyst / coordinator… Professional learning platform Gerson Lehrman Group is accepting applications for its diversity scholarship… Applications are open for the Imperia Global Innovation Incubator for women… I-Dev, ImpactHub and ImpactAssets are hosting a commemoration for Jason Spindler (see, "Agent of impact remembered: The legacy of I-DEV's Jason Spindler") on Feb. 13 in San Francisco.
— February 11, 2019.
The Economist stages a debate on the future of impact investing
Zimbabwean business mogul launches $100 million loan fund for rural entrepreneurs
Harlem Capital backs Sudu to support minority-run trucking businesses
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Team Fortress 2 is Officially Available For Mac
Gossip July 29, 2019 July 29, 2019 No Comments on Team Fortress 2 is Officially Available For Mac
As you know Steam has been available on Mac for some time but the number of games that are compatible with Mac is still low. In order to expand its audience Valve made its bestseller game Team Fortress 2 available on Mac. For a long time, there has been a war between Mac and PC and PC was winning the war because most of the games on the market are compatible with PC, but now times have changed a bit. If you don't know Team Fortress 2 has been released in 2007 as a part of Orange Box and it's the best multiplayer FPS game online.
Why is Team Fortress 2 best online multiplayer game? First of all, Valve does and amazing and it is releasing all sorts of updates and improvements. New maps, new weapons, new gaming mods is everything that you need to keep the game fresh and interesting. Second, Valve is doing a lot of testing and balancing in order to make all classes equal. In addition there are achievements that you can achieve so there's something for you to do at all times. You can even get new weapons and make your own for each class. And now greatest update and improvement for Team Fortress 2 is Mac compatibility. Speaking of new weapons and items, Mac users that purchase Team Fortress 2 will get special item for their character in a form of iPod headphones. Sadly those headphones won't be available for PC users.
Bottom line is that PC users are happy and Mac users are happy as well because they'll get to play one of the best multiplayer games on their computers after a long time. In the end, Valve was the happiest because it has expanded the market.
Gossip mac, steam, team fotress 2, valve
Huxley, the MMOFPS is still alive – beta, release date, screenshots & trailer
GDC: How "Metal Gear" Came to Be
FORMULA ONE 2007 - F1 Season Review - KIMMI RAIKKONEN - Grand Prix 1 Rg Free DVD
FORMULA ONE 1991 - F1 Season Review - AYRTON SENNA Grand Prix 1 - Reg Free DVD
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Fife is Ready for Renewal
Ready For Renewal, launched this last month in Fife, is a joint campaign led by the STUC, GMB and Unite the Union. We're calling on EDF to do the right thing and build their new turbine jackets in the Fife yards.
Building these turbine jackets in the Fife yards, 10 miles away from where the wind turbines are to stand would bring hundreds if renewable energy jobs to the area, avoid the environmental damage of shipping the work abroad while improving the local economy.
Over the coming days we will be looking at what key environmental activists are saying about the campaign asks, and how it relates to creating a greener economy.
Mary Church, Head of Campaigns, Friends of the Earth Scotland has expressed her support, stating:
"We urgently need to build the clean energy economy in Scotland to do our fair share of tackling the climate emergency. But the new clean economy must be created in a way that ensures the benefits and costs are shared fairly, both internationally and here in Scotland.
"Building turbine jackets in Indonesia for our renewable energy infrastructure means offshoring the climate-change emissions associated with manufacture, and creating significant extra emissions by shipping the turbines half way around the world.
"Crucially, it also means losing the opportunity to create decent manufacturing work in Fife, that could help kick start the badly need Just Transition for workers and communities currently dependent on high carbon industries here in Scotland. EDF should think again about the real costs of sub-contracting this work far away from the shores on which the turbines will eventually stand."
We have invited EDF to attend a community meeting on Thursday the 20th of June, from 6pm-8pm at Buckhaven Communiy Education. All are welcome to attend, let's show EDF the strength of the local community. Our Facebook campaign page has more details of the event here.
June 13, 2019 stucblog
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Sabé (Queen's Decoy) - POTJ - Basic
Name: Sabé (Queen's Decoy)
Collection: Power Of The Jedi
Number: N/A
Source: The Phantom Menace
Availability: June 2001
License: Hasbro
As one of the royal handmaidens, Sabé assists Queen Amidala with her elaborate wardrobe, hairstyles, and make-up. The handmaidens act as bodyguards to the Queen and are chosen for their intelligence, courage, and loyalty. Sabé is the Queen's most valued handmaiden, and has been trained to act as the Queen's decoy in times of danger.
In the Power Of The Jedi line, Hasbro proved to collectors that they had the ability to make great Queen Amidala figures, as well as figures based on her decoy. Sabé (Queen's Decoy) was born out of Hasbro's desire to create all of the various outfits of Queen Amidala from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, even if it technically wasn't Padmé Amidala herself. Just as the climax to Episode I was about to explode, Amidala plead with the Gungan people to assist them in their fight from freedom on the planet of Naboo. Sabe did all the talking and when it seemed that she was getting nowhere with Boss Nass, Padmé spoke up to plead her case further. The Gungans agreed to help the struggling band of Naboo royalty and the Battle of Naboo forever became history in the Star Wars books. Sabé's decoy skills came in handy in the Theed Palace as well. She fooled the Neimoidians and the "real" Queen Amidala was able to gain the upper hand on their take back of the palace. Sabe played Queen Amidala multiple times in The Phantom Menace, but perhaps we saw her most aggressively in this outfit in particular in the film. She sports a large blaster and her primary goal is to draw attention away from Padmé so she can complete her mission. It was a very clever setup if you think about it.
Sabé (Queen's Decoy) is actually another excellent action figure in the Power Of The Jedi line. The articulation of this action figure is far from where most collectors would like to see it, but once again Hasbro designs an excellent figure with perfect proportions and authenticity that should please most everyone interested in collecting. Hasbro could have taken the easy way out and reuse the same face sculpt for all of the Queen Amidala type action figures, but what makes Sabé (Queen's Decoy) neat is that she actually has a distinctly different likeness that the one given to Queen Amidala (Theed Invasion). The reason why this works incredibly well and so poignantly is because two different characters are represented by these action figures, and Hasbro ensured that this came through clearly on the sculpts. You look at Sabé (Queen's Decoy) and you actually feel that the face looks differently than the portrait of Queen Amidala (Theed Invasion). At this scale, we find this a tremendous success and are impressed by how well the differences are. Yet at the same time, a cursory glance may allow you to think that they look identical. That's exactly how a decoy should work. This action figure is an absolute success in this regard.
Sabé (Queen's Decoy) comes with six points of articulation. However, the only real meaningful articulation you get from it reside in the head and shoulders (and hips). The lower legs are essentially statuesque. Although she comes with swivel hips, the long skirt that covers them prevents any normal range of movement. The figure is still a success in our opinion despite this. Her arms are limited too. They come in closely to her body, since they are meant to be brandishing the included blaster, but are functional enough to looks normal at ease. Her head doesn't move that freely either, thanks to her long ponytail. But again, all of these limiting factors don't prevent us from appreciating the excellent sculpt and beautiful paint job of this action figure. We don't think we could expect a better likeness of this character in 3.75" scale. Hasbro has truly worked hard to make this action figure as screen specific as possible. The Phantom Menace may have had its share of faults and not all of the characters may have resonated with fans, but Hasbro is making all of these characters look excellent in the action figure line. We can't wait to see who is next in the line of Padmé's wardrobe changes. Although this isn't Amidala, it's still counts as one of the Queen's looks, and we think the look is flawless.
Collector Notes
Sabé (Queen's Decoy)
Status: Sabé (Queen's Decoy) is an all-new figure.
Articulation Count: 6 points
Articulation Details: swivel head, 2 swivel shouldera, swivel waist, 2 swivel hips
Accessory Count: 1
Accessory Details: blaster
Date Stamp: 2001
Assortment Number: 84455/84137
Retail: $5.99 USD
Market Value: Click here to check the latest prices based on listings.
Power Of The Jedi
Added: May 4, 2014
Category: Power Of The Jedi
Reviewer: Paul Harrison
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Image: picture-alliance/dpa/H. He
Coronavirus: Sydney uni offers stranded students subsidy
Ankita Mukhopadhyay
02/21/2020 February 21, 2020
Western Sydney University told DW that this option would enable students to travel into Australia via another country. Travel to Australia is currently restricted for foreign nationals arriving from mainland China.
https://p.dw.com/p/3Y6Mo
Western Sydney University in Australia is offering students who have recently been in China a one-off subsidy of 1,500 Australian dollars (€920, $990) to travel into Australia via another country, on advice from the Australian Department of Health. A university spokesperson told DW on Friday that this option would enable students to bear the additional expense of traveling into Australia while meeting the restrictions imposed in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
"For students who choose not to take up this offer, the University will continue to support them with online resources and remote learning activities," the spokesperson said.
Western Sydney University's move follows a directive by the Australian government on February 1 to deny entry to anyone who has left or traveled in transit through mainland China. The directive applies to anyone except Australian nationals and permanent residents, New Zealand citizens resident in Australia, immediate relatives of Australian citizens and permanent residents and diplomats. The ban was initially in force until February 14, but has now been extended through February 29.
"Our students are keen to travel to Australia and start the new academic year as soon as possible," the university said.
The travel restrictions apply to most people who were in China within 14 days of arrival in AustraliaImage: Reuters/Australia Department Of Defence
The government has allowed people to travel into Australia if they can prove that they weren't in mainland China within the previous 14 days. Universities Australia, an umbrella organization with 39 Australian universities among its members, said that Chinese students who had spent more than 14 days in another country as instructed would soon arrive in Australia to start their studies.
"The Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly advised that if these students had no recent contact with people with coronavirus, they would be welcomed to Australia. As always, every university's priority is the health and welfare of all students, here and abroad," Universities Australia Chief Executive Catriona Jackson told DW.
While Western Sydney University didn't explicitly mention that its new scheme was for Chinese students, Universities Australia said that universities were "working hard to offer students who remain in China a range of options." These include accessing course content online, postponing course start dates, delaying assessments or allowing students to defer studies without extra charge.
Chinese students are important to Australian universities
The move comes shortly before the start of the new academic year at Australian universities. Chinese students make up a significant portion of the student population in Australia. In 2018, they contributed 11 billion Australian dollars to the country's economy, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Abbey Shi, general secretary at the University of Sydney's student council told the Financial Times that Australia's travel ban would damage Australia's reputation among Chinese students.
The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, has infected over 75,000 people and killed 2,236 people in China. It has also spread to 30 countries. As of February 19, 15 cases have been confirmed in Australia.
Every evening, DW sends out a selection of the day's news and features. Sign up here.
Coronavirus: South Korea reports 52 more cases; restrictions in Seoul, Daegu
Of the new cases, 39 have been traced back to a church in the southern city of Daegu. It has been declared as a "special care zone," as has neighboring Cheongdo County. In Seoul, rallies were halted to stop the spread. (21.02.2020)
Health 02/21/2020 February 21, 2020
Coronavirus: Timeline of the deadly virus in China and worldwide
Since first cases were confirmed in December 2019, the flu-like 2019-nCoV virus exploded into a major health emergency, killing hundreds of people and infecting thousands more. Scientists scramble for a vaccine. (17.02.2020)
Health 04/08/2020 April 8, 202021 images
www.homeaffairs.gov.au
Uyghur communityCOVID-19UN Permanent Security CouncilAustraliaChina
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Later, the SOCOs having been and gone, with all their evidence gathered from the Rest Room in the Milking Parlour used by the Mystery Man, copies of CCTV footage, though nothing had been spotted other than grainy images of a bulky figure staggering away from the 'cows' and being helped inside by one of the Mature Milk Maids – Meg – for there were no cameras inside the building, and there was no indication of him leaving, and every inch of the spotlessly clean interior had been examined minutely with only the tang of carbolic Soap in the air; now the meticulous WPC Isa Urquhart together with Trainee WPC Gertie Mountcastle was completing the Timeline, with it's rows for the people who had been at the Milking Parlour from the moment the Mystery Man arrived with the troupe of 'cows' until the discovery of his disappearance by Isa, and the columns which broke down the day into five minute parts, and which showed who had been inside or outside the Milking Parlour throughout that time-frame; and meanwhile DI Gordon Brevity was interviewing the bibulous Farmer Farmer back at The Cowgate and Grassmarket Community Policing Hub (having been thoroughly dissatisfied with the Statement already given to DS Goldy Brevity in his Farm House) and there was a distinct easing of the atmosphere around and within the Milking Parlour when the minatory Farmer farmer's menacing look had been removed – even the Czech and Slovak Milk Maids were singing some of their traditional songs fro their distant homeland and and even Gertie, perhaps not quite an oniomaniac, nevertheless felt her urge to go shopping had eased and she was enjoying a mug of Cocoa with Isa, Meg and Bess, the other Milk Maids having returned to their Hostel in Oxgangs: "I think," sighed Isa, as she relaxed, her boots and socks removed and her feet on Meg's lap where they were most relaxingly massaged, "I think we did a bit of a bodge this morning, taking so long to believe The Gadfly" - we might have caught up with this Mystery Man if we had listened to him and believed what he told us!" "but surely no-one can accuse us of carelessness and sloppy thinking?" asked Gertie, "as soon as we had confirmation of his story from the Ski Slope's CCTV we got right on to it," and Isa reached out and took one of Gertie's hands in hers: "cold hand, warm heart – you are truly loyal, Gertie, and I love you for it, but nonetheless, a quicker response might had collared that Dude!" and Bess took Gertie's other hand in hers and opening her bodice, demonstrated her tried and tested - and acclaimed throughout the Dairy Industry – Hand Warming Bosoms, much to Gertie's intense delight!
(by MissTeriWoman)
bibulous
minatory
oniomania
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Bowers & Wilkins Formation Bar with Formation Bass
By Scott Wasser | September 24, 2019
In my time covering the CE industry, I've had the pleasuring of reviewing many of the top-performing soundbars in the market, and yet, there's no question that the Bowers & Wilkins Formation Bar and Formation Bass combo delivers the best sound I've ever heard in a 2.1 or 3.1 soundbar system. That said, given their price tags--$1,199 for the B&W Formation Bar and $999 for the B&W Formation Bass subwoofer--it wouldn't be out of line to ask if these new wireless AV offerings are worth the considerable coin the company asks for them.
It's a classic conundrum in luxury goods. Is a $25,000 Rolex worth it when a $25 Timex will keep similarly accurate time and require far less maintenance? Is a pair of Nike Air Zoom Kobe 1 sneakers worth $30,000 when you can buy a pair of equally comfortable Skechers for $50 or $100? Is a $122,000 BMW M850i Convertible worth $77,000 more than a Mustang GT Premium Convertible considering both delivers comparable, sun-drenched driving excitement. Value, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. That's true whether you're talking about watches, shoes, automobiles, or audio equipment. Yes, people pay for performance, but they also pay for panache and prestige.
Bowers & Wilkins (B&W as they are known to those of us who have been around long enough) have been delivering performance, panache, and prestige for half a century. Countless reviews of B&W speakers extol their performance. Their styling can be quirky, but that quirkiness has also garnered plenty of design awards too. If you needed additional proof of pedigree: automakers such as BMW, Maserati, and McLaren wouldn't license the Bowers & Wilkins name if it didn't carry some heft. The fact the company's speakers are used at Abbey Road Studio only adds to the audiophile mystique. It is fair to say that Bowers & Wilkins is one of the loftier brands in the world of specialty audio, but with the Formation lineup, they're playing around in somewhat new territory.
The Formation Bar and Formation Bass deliver exceptional performance, in a package that's both modern and mid-century influenced. They are part of a new wireless ecosystem that B&W calls the Formation Suite. Jerry Del Colliano reviewed the Formation Wedge wireless speaker. Andrew Robinson, one of our top reviewers and enthusiasts of all things wireless, delved into the allure of a Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo system, which has a form factor somewhat similar to, say, the B&W 800 series bookshelves. He also covered the Bowers & Wilkins Formation Audio box, which allows you to turn more traditional audiophile products into wireless audiophile systems. So, with this review of the Bar and Bass combo, we'll have covered the entire Formation Suit.
The Formation ecosystem is noteworthy in that it allows one to connect one or many audio products/speakers via a robust and reliable proprietary mesh network. The system is designed for simple setup and provides high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit audio streaming and synchronized sound to all the speakers on the network. If I had to describe the setup of the Formation Bar and Bass, that word would be: simplicity. The setup instructions are essentially 15 words (16 if you count the ampersand): "Download and open the Bowers & Wilkins app. Turn on your Formation device. Follow the prompts."
The app reminds you to turn on Bluetooth on your phone and plug in the Formation Bar and Bass if you haven't already done so. It then identifies them via Bluetooth and enables you to connect the system to your home network. The Bass syncs wirelessly and automatically to the Bar once both components are on the network. That's all there is to it. Unlike most other soundbar/subwoofer setups, there's no need to link the Formation Bar and Bass; the app will do it for you. The app also enables you to assign a location name ("Media Room" for example) and provides sliders for volume, bass, and treble. You also can easily configure the Formation Bar to work with your universal or TV remote's volume control. You set that up through the app, too.
The only other setup step is connecting the included Toslink cable from a TV's optical audio output to the input on the Formation Bar. Other than an Ethernet port, which seems superfluous given how well Bowers & Wilkins's mesh wireless network performs, you won't find any other inputs on the Formation Bar. Its lack of an HDMI port is puzzling, given that the bar is aimed at the home theater market. No HDMI means no hi-resolution Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD.
It also means no Consumer Electronic Control (CEC). The Formation Bar partially compensates by not needing to be turned on or off. Instead, it automatically enters a sleep state when no input signal is detected for a while and wakes up when it receives one, whether that be through the optical cable or an AirPlay-compatible streaming source such as Spotify or Roon.
It would be nice to have more onboard streaming options, specifically Chromecast. But my biggest concern about the Formation Bar's operation is that it behaves like Rip Van Winkle if it isn't used for several days. It enters a deep sleep state that drops the volume to 10 percent, where it remains until you change it with the app. Cranking the TV remote's volume to max will barely have any effect until you raise the master volume with the app. You won't run into this problem if the Formation Bar is used daily or even every few days. But remember to have your phone or tablet containing the Formation app handy when you sit down to use the Bar after a vacation. This is more of an inconvenience than a technical issue, and there's actually a very good reason for it. Both the Formation Bar and Bass are prodigious powerplants, delivering up to 240 and 250 watts of audio excellence, respectively. But in sleep mode, each consumes less than six watts. That conserves energy and extends amplifier life in these components, which lack conventional on/off switches.
The large and tapered (48.8 inches wide by 4.3 inches high and 4.2 inches deep at its center, with a weight of 12.1 pounds) Formation Bar's power comes from six 40-watt amplifiers. The Bar contains nine drivers: six 2.5-inch midrange/bass cones and three one-inch double-dome tweeters. They're grouped to deliver three discreet channels of audio with a frequency response rating of 40Hz-28kHz. The Formation Bass, which could pass for a miniature whiskey barrel designed by Bulgari or Piaget, weighs 26.7 pounds and measures 17.3 inches wide, 9.2 inches high, and 9.3 inches deep. It features a pair of opposed 6.5-inch, long-throw drivers. The design is intended to eliminate distortion--which it did remarkably well--and the Bass has a frequency response rating of 20-150Hz.
The Formation Bar and Formation Bass delivered performance befitting their elegance, price, and manufacturer's reputation. I was impressed with the ease of setup and operation even before the components delivered their first audio notes, and became absolutely enamored with them afterward. The Bar and Bass melded perfectly without any crossover settings to tweak, and the system provided an expansive soundstage while delivering pinpoint imaging and crystalline clarity with both vocals and instruments.
Listening to the opening harmonies of "Because" on the Compact Disc soundtrack from The Beatles Love album was mesmerizing. Closing my eyes, the presence and spaciousness of the music transported me to the Cirque Du Soleil theater at the Mirage in Las Vegas, where I first heard George and Giles Martin's reimagining of the song. All the other music I auditioned sounded similarly great. B&W's soundbar system will not disappoint music-lovers.
Movie lovers might wish for surround sound but there's nothing else about the Formation Bar and Bass that will leave a movie enthusiast truly wanting. The powerful system filled my 25- by 16-foot room with enough audio impact to satisfy even the most avid action film fan. Explosions and crashes during Mission: Impossible--Fallout felt concussive yet clearly defined enough to avoid sounding like they occurred in a cave.
Other effects were rendered with the same clarity and expansive soundstage as music. And even subtle dialogue came through crisp and clear, as you would expect from audiophile components.
High Points
The Formation Bar and Bass deliver audiophile quality sound unsurpassed by any soundbar I've heard.
The proprietary wireless technology built into the system makes integration with your home network and other Formation components a breeze.
The system has an aesthetic that would look at home at Tiffany's as well as Magnolia.
Low Points
The absence of HDMI connectivity means you can't use your TV's Audio Return Channel (ARC) or Consumer Electronic Control (CEC), so you won't be able to play the latest hi-res film audio formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Bummer.
The master volume level will reset itself to about 10 percent if the system is idle for several days. You'll need to use the app to boost it before the TV remote's volume control will have a practical effect.
Comparison and Competition
If you're looking for a direct competitor to B&W's Formation Bar and Bass, please let me know when you find one. I'm not aware of any other high-end, audiophile-grade soundbars that deliver this level of connectivity with this much style. The closest competitors may be Sennheiser's AMBEO 3D 5.1.4 system ($2,500). GoldenEar's SuperCinema 3D Array XL ($2,500 with optional subwoofer, plus however much you want to spend on amps) and Yamaha's YSP-5600 ($1,950 with optional subwoofer) are also in the conversation. Perhaps MartinLogan and Paradigm's latest Play-Fi-based soundbars compete, too, at a much lower price point?
Summing up Bowers & Wilkins' Formation Bar and Formation Bass brings us full circle to the question posed at the top of the review. The Bowers & Wilkins Bar and Bass are unequivocally amongst the best conceived, superb sounding, and elegant soundbar systems money can buy. The product isn't perfect in its first generation, but it does so much right, looks so good, and sounds so much better than anything else that I've heard in the category that it is hard not to heap praise on the pairing. If you've got the cheese to afford such a setup, prepare for an audiophile experience paired with world-class good looks and super-simple ease of use, and that isn't a description you've ever heard us use to describe many soundbars.
• Visit the Bowers & Wilkins website for more product information.
• Bowers & Wilkins Formation Wedge Wireless Speaker Reviewed at HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo Wireless Loudspeakers Reviewed at HomeTheaterReview.com.
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The new EU-UK trading relationship could deliver more UK economic pain
02 December 2020 Raj Badiani
Many UK companies fear the impact of any post Brexit trade deal on their supply chains, the increased red tape, and their sales to the EU.
UK services could be worst hit sector when the UK leaves the EU Single Market, implying deep economic costs.
Failed EU-UK trade talks will spark a new UK recession during 2021.
We advocate a cautious assessment for prospects for UK growth in 2021-22. The UK faces a new spike in COVID-19 infections; the return of tough containment measures, alongside incurring inevitable economic costs from when it leaves the EU Customs Union and Single Market on 31 December 2020.
A free trade agreement (FTA) for goods between the European Union (EU) and UK should be concluded by end-2020 despite talks floundering on the issue of regulatory alignment and how to achieve it. EU insists that it will only allow the UK "zero tariff, zero quota" access to the EU Single Market if the UK commits legally to a set of "level playing field" principles that minimize the risk that it will undercut the EU on environmental regulation, workers' rights and state aid to business.
A slimmed down Brexit trade deal is a likely outcome, which broadly excludes most services. However, there could be some access to the Single Market for some UK services based on equivalence. This is not a stable outcome, with equivalence at risk of being withdrawn at short notice as a result of regulatory divergence.
Many UK firms not ready for the new EU trading relationship
UK exporters will face additional checks for safety and security documentation, customs papers and, in some cases, regulatory compliance from the start of 2021. This is likely to apply whether there is a trade deal or not.
Business surveys suggest that many UK firms are not fully ready. The Institute of Directors' survey conducted last September reveals that only 60% of business that expected to be affected by the end of the transition period thought they would be fully prepared by end-2020. Many UK firms admit COVID-19 has halted preparations.
The Confederation of British Industry warns that many UK companies have "already had their resilience stripped away" by COVID-19, and are concerned about "their supply chain, the bureaucracy, the red tape they're going to have to deal with, the markets they lose".
UK manufacturers could encounter new non-tariff barriers in the face of any regulatory divergence between the UK and the EU, implying new checks and delays to verify compliance with EU rules.
The Bank of England's Decision Maker Panel confirms that many UK businesses remain uncertain about the EU-UK future trading relationship.
Fears of UK port disruptions
A new system called the Customs Declaration Service (CDS) is to be introduced but the UK Association for International Trade warns that the new 'untested, incomplete' IT system is likely to cause widespread chaos at UK ports. The new system has been designed to handle the transit of more than 17,000 goods every day but the new network is said to take 45 minutes longer than currently for a single customs declaration.
Th National Audit Office said that although the government had made progress updating customs systems and other infrastructure it still expected 'widespread disruption' after the transition period ends.
The lack of focus on UK services in trade talks
The EU-UK trade talks deal has focused on UK manufacturing, given its large export base, while the services sector has received less attention. Indeed, Catherine McGuinness, head of the City of London Corporation's policy and resources committee warns that UK's services industry is emerging as the "neglected child" of the EU-UK talks on a future relationship and could be worst hit sector.
UK services are vital to its economy, accounting for 46% of its total exports, with the EU by far being its largest market, particularly for its financial services.
The EU is removing the regulatory barriers to trade in services by mutual recognition of member states' rules alongside setting supranational rules to regulate some sectors. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) settles any dispute between cross-border service providers and public policy requirements of a member state.
A comprehensive trade deal including services will be difficult to achieve if the UK insists on full sovereignty of its parliament and precedence over the sovereignty of all other parliaments and no jurisdiction of the ECJ in English law. This suggest any EU-UK trade deal will struggle to address regulatory compliance and non-tariff barriers to the trade in services, implying UK services providers will face obstacles when trading with the EU member states.
Failed EU-UK trade talks will extend UK economic pain
The failure of the UK to reach a trade agreement with EU will damage the UK economy. The Bank of England warns that that the long-term effects "would be larger than the long-term effects of COVID." Meanwhile, our no-trade deal assessment is similarly gloomy, with the UK likely to face a new recession during 2021 after tougher COVID-19 containment measures set to spark new GDP losses in the final quarter of 2020. Our no-trade scenario assumes that UK GDP would contract both in 2021 and 2022 before growth returns in 2023.
Posted 02 December 2020 by Raj Badiani, Economics Director, Europe, IHS Markit
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Kunst /
Beeldende Kunsten /
Relics. Damien Hirst
Auteur:Francesco Bonami, Abdellah Karroum, Michael Craig-Martin, Nicholas Serota
Uitgever:SKIRA
A groundbreaking work, the catalog Relics accompanies the largest exhibition ever realized on Damien Hirst, surveying the oeuvres of the highly acclaimed British artist.
Published on the occasion of Relics, Hirst's first retrospective exhibition in Doha, Qatar, this richly illustrated book Relics. Damien Hirst offers a different perspective on the work of one of the best-known artists working today. Tracing Hirst's career from his emergence on the art scene in the Young British Artists movement to his present status as one of the most controversial and highly regarded artists of his generation, this volume offers a complete overview on his wide-ranging practice, which includes installation, painting, sculpture, and drawing and challenges the boundaries between art, science, and popular culture.
The book Relics. Damien Hirst gathers over one hundred works, combining historic oeuvres with more recent projects: from The Kingdom to The History of Pain, from Pharmacy to For the Love of God, to the spot, spin, and butterfly paintings. With an essay by Francesco Bonami, an interview with the artist by Nicholas Serota, director of the Tate Britain, and essays by the Qatari writer Sophia Al Maria and the Pakistani writer Mohsin Hamid, the volume offers an original point of view on Hirst's oeuvre, whose works have become collective icons of our civilization.
Francesco Bonami is an Italian art curator and writer who directed the Venice Biennale in 2003 and curated the Whitney Biennial in 2010. He is currently the artistic director of Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo in Turin. Sir Nicholas Serota has been director of the Tate Britain since 1988. He was director of the Whitechapel Gallery, London, and The Museum of Modern Art, Oxford. Sophia Al Maria is an artist, writer, and filmmaker. Mohsin Hamid is the author of the best-seller The Reluctant Fundamentalist.
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Home > Journals > Journal of Field Ornithology > Volume 74 > Issue 3 > Article
1 July 2003 Does fledging equal success? Post-fledging mortality in the Black-fronted Tern
Rachel J. Keedwell
Rachel J. Keedwell1,*
1Ecology Group, Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston Nor
*[email protected]
J. of Field Ornithology, 74(3):217-221 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1648/0273-8570-74.3.217
Fledging success is widely used as an index of reproductive success in avian studies, but survival of young after fledging is rarely estimated. In this study, I used radio telemetry to measure rates and causes of mortality of 63 Black-fronted Terns (Sterna albostriata) in the immediate post-fledging period on the Ohau River, South Island, New Zealand, in 1998–2000. Juvenile survival for four weeks after fledging was 0.795. Mean daily survival increased from 0.972 in the first week after fledging to 0.995 in the second week and 1.00 for the third and fourth weeks. Introduced predators such as feral cats (Felis catus) and Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) were responsible for a minimum of nine out of 12 deaths, and all except one death occurred at the natal colony prior to dispersal. Larger, heavier juveniles that fledged at a younger age tended to have higher survival after fledging, but survival could not be accurately predicted based on measurements of growth. These results indicate that the post-fledging period can be an important period for mortality in young birds, and that survival until dispersal from the natal colony is the best measure of Black-fronted Tern reproductive success currently available.
Rachel J. Keedwell "Does fledging equal success? Post-fledging mortality in the Black-fronted Tern," Journal of Field Ornithology 74(3), 217-221, (1 July 2003). https://doi.org/10.1648/0273-8570-74.3.217
Received: 24 May 2002; Accepted: 1 November 2002; Published: 1 July 2003
+ SAVE TO MY LIBRARY
Journal of Field Ornithology
juvenile mortality
reproductive success
Sterna albostriata
Rachel J. Keedwell "Does fledging equal success? Post-fledging mortality in the Black-fronted Tern," Journal of Field Ornithology, 74(3), 217-221, (1 July 2003)
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My favourite album
My favourite album: Meat Is Murder by the Smiths
Our writers are picking their favourite albums. Here, Katharine Viner explains her hunger for the Smiths' second album
Katharine Viner
Fri 14 Oct 2011 10.44 EDT First published on Fri 14 Oct 2011 10.44 EDT
'Freewheeling, exciting, political' … Meat Is Murder by the Smiths
It would be easy to be appalled by the Smiths if you came across them now. There is Morrissey's tendency for unpleasant Little Englander outbursts. His laddy gang of followers, suedeheaded meatheads with football terrace chants. And, worst of all, David Cameron's repeated claim that they're one of his favourite bands. From a distance, the Smiths look unlovable, safe, and strangely, considering Morrissey's gladioli-wielding androgyny, overwhelmingly male.
Well, they were none of those things at the time. If you were a teenager in the 80s, perhaps – what are the chances? – misunderstood and alone in a fraying household in a northern city with only books and records to save you, well, you might have fallen for them too.
The album I have chosen is 1985's Meat Is Murder. The Smiths' eponymous debut is their most astonishing record, The Queen Is Dead their best, but Meat Is Murder is my favourite: freewheeling, exciting, political, with Morrissey's words and Marr's music interlacing perfectly.
It starts as if in the middle of something – you're already part of this. Meat Is Murder is local and British from the first line – "Belligerent ghouls run Manchester schools" – and expresses fury at a kind of school life that has been forgotten. When the album was released, corporal punishment was still legal – it wasn't banned until 1986 – and everyone had a particularly sadistic teacher like Morrissey's "spineless swines". Mine was Miss Grant, who had a flat bat on which she had chalked two faces, one happy and one down-in-the-mouth – if the smiling face was showing, the bat would be hitting someone that day. The brilliantly titled Barbarism Begins at Home, during which Morrissey yelps as if in pain, is also about children being hit – "a crack on the head is what you get for asking". There's a lot of violence in the Smiths.
Rusholme Ruffians, with Johnny Marr's rockabilly riff, is about Manchester too and makes the city (home of much of the history of British feminism, socialism, vegetarianism and the Guardian) sound exciting, a place where things happen. Who wouldn't want to be ruffian from Rusholme? I was from the other side of the Pennines, but pilgrimages to the city (because of the Smiths) gave me style (old men's coats from Affleck's Palace, the second-hand clothes and records emporium that opened in 1982), rare Smiths 12ins (What Difference Does It Make? with Morrissey on the front instead of Terence Stamp), photos in front of Salford Lads Club, chance meetings with Morrissey's ex-girlfriend (artist Linder Sterling, working in Deansgate Waterstone's), and, just a little bit, a sense of possibility.
It's a record full of yearning("I want the one I can't have, and it's driving me mad"), the humiliating obviousness of when you want something ("It's written all over my face"), low expectations ("Please keep me in mind"), the melodrama of youth("This is the final stand of all I am"), and romance ("My faith in love is still devout").
It's also funny. "I'd like to drop my trousers to the Queen," sings Morrissey on Nowhere Fast. "Every sensible child will know what this means. The poor and the needy are selfish and greedy on her terms." It's hard to hear the song without wondering if Morrissey is already, on only his second album, parodying himself: "If the day came when I felt a natural emotion, I'd get such a shock I'd probably jump in the ocean."
I love the way What She Said, one of the best Smiths songs, is told from a female perspective – it's rare for male songwriters to write about women with empathy rather than desire – and how it taps into a certain kind of teenage girl's fantasies: "What she read, all heady books, she'd sit and prophesise … It took a tattooed boy from Birkenhead to really open her eyes." And the tune! Morrissey beats a path to your head, but it's Marr who carries the words to your heart.
And then, right at the end, the title track: a great political song, and the best ever written about animal rights. (Even famous vegetarian Paul McCartney, who has written tracks about the British in Northern Ireland, revolutionary politics and 9/11, has never written a song about vegetarianism. He once told me he'd always found it curiously hard to commit one to paper, even though he'd tried, and that he greatly admired the Smiths' effort.) Meat Is Murder's sinister opening, full of strange noises that conjure up an abattoir, moves into a terrible, beautiful melody. "The carcass you carve with a smile, it is murder … And the turkey you festively slice, it is murder." The song made me stop eating meat, and I haven't eaten it since.
Sometimes I wonder if a love affair with the Smiths is an 80s, self-absorbed, teenage thing, something you grow out of – perhaps when the day comes "that you feel a natural emotion". But those witty, thoughtful lyrics; that beautiful guitar; an album containing the great line, "a double bed, and a stalwart lover for sure – these are the riches of the poor". It's a wonderful thing.
How to write the perfect album review
As the Guardian launches 3 million new album pages, Alexis Petridis offers tips on how to write the perfect review
Published: 2 Aug 2011
Write your review of almost any album ever released
On the Guardian website, you can now review or star rate more than 3 million albums – or add any record to your list of favourites
My favourite album: the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack
In the first of a new series where Guardian and Observer writers pick their favourite albums of all time, Alexis Petridis hails the definitive disco record
My favourite album: Back in Black by AC/DC
Continuing our new series in which Guardian and Observer writers pick their favourite albums ever – with a view that you might do the same – Kitty Empire hails some casual sexism and eye-rolling double entendres. Oh, and those riffs ...
My favourite album: The Smell of Our Own by the Hidden Cameras
My favourite album: Pirate's Choice by Orchestra Baobab
Published: 5 Oct 2011
My favourite album: His 'n' Hers by Pulp
Published: 8 Sep 2011
My favourite album: Astral Weeks by Van Morrison
More more on this story
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Obama Meeting Ukraine's New PM at White House
U.S. President Barack Obama is hosting Ukraine's interim prime minister at the White House Wednesday, as the standoff between Russia and the West over the Ukrainian region of Crimea continues.
This is President Obama's first meeting with interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and is meant to underscore U.S. support for the new government and the Ukrainian people.
As part of the talks, Mr. Yatsenyuk and President Obama will discuss financial assistance for Ukraine. The U.S. has already pledged $1 billion in aid.
The Ukrainian interim prime minister's visit to Washington comes as Crimea, with its majority-Russian population, prepares for a Moscow-backed referendum Sunday on joining Russia.
The U.S. State Department announced Wednesday that Secretary of State John Kerry will meet with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, on Friday in London for talks on Ukraine ahead of Sunday's referendum.
Also, in a statement released Wednesday, the leaders of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations called on Russia to, in their words, "cease all efforts to change the status of Crimea contrary to Ukrainian law and in violation of international law" and "immediately halt actions" supporting the referendum on Crimea's future status.
The G7 includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.
The G7 leaders said they will not recognize the referendum's outcome. They also said Russia's "annexation" of Crimea would violate the United Nations Charter and that, should Moscow take such a step, the G7 member countries will take further action, both collectively and individually.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday that the European Union will impose sanctions on Russia if it does not move to set up a contact group to discuss the Crimea crisis. Ms. Merkel also said that the EU could sign a political association agreement with Ukraine's new government during an EU summit next week.
The Reuters news agency reports that EU member states have agreed on the wording of sanctions on Russia, including asset freezes and travel restrictions against some individuals. Reuters says EU officials indicate the sanctions are unlikely to target Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lavrov, in order to protect channels of communication.
A vote on the sanctions could come as early as Monday.
French President Francois Hollande told Mr. Putin in a phone call Wednesday that "annexation" of Crimea would be unacceptable, but that there was still time to prevent a "dangerous" escalation of the crisis.
On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 403 to six to condemn Russia for violating Ukraine's sovereignty in Crimea. The resolution also calls for international monitors to go to the region.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov by phone Tuesday that it is "unacceptable" for Russian forces and "irregulars" to keep taking matters into their own hands in Ukraine. A State Department spokeswoman said Kerry told Lavrov the U.S. respects the fact that Russia has interests in Crimea, but that does not justify military intervention in the region.
The crisis in Crimea began late last month after ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych fled Kyiv following three months of protests against his withdrawal from a European Union trade deal.
Moscow has officially denied that its troops are participating in the occupation of Crimea. But witnesses say military personnel in unmarked uniforms arrived in Russian-registered vehicles earlier this month and freely admit to being Russian.
On Tuesday, the Crimean regional legislature adopted a "declaration of independence" with the intention of eventually becoming part of Russia. Ukraine's interim government and the West have dismissed the entire independence process in Crimea as illegitimate.
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PCC Presentation and L.A. Times Editorial on Book Selection Process
Should El Salvador Return To Its Original National Currency? El Colon And Not The Dollar…
Pasadena City College Courier Newspaper
Posted by Randy Jurado Ertll on Apr 11, 2010 in Uncategorized | 3 comments
http://media.www.pcccourier.com/media/storage/paper1346/news/2010/04/01/News/Local.Authoractivist.Speaks.To.Students.About.Empowerment-3898596.shtml
Randy Jurado Ertll reads his book "Times of Darkness" in Creveling Lounge. Ertll is a Salvadoran American writer, community organizer and activist.
Local author/activist speaks to students about empowerment
By: Sara Medina
Posted: 4/1/10
Being tough and not being scared were the words Salvadoran author Randy Jurado Ertll ended with after the reading of his new book "Hope in Times of Darkness."
"You need to keep going," Ertll said on Tuesday in the Creveling Lounge, where he read excerpts from his book, which focuses on his life growing up in South Central Los Angeles, and his avoiding gang life through education.
"Hope" discusses Ertll's belief that education is the most effective way for children as well as young adults avoid unhealthy lifestyles.
"My passion is empowering youth," said Ertll during the 90-minute long presentation. "When I was growing up, no one really cared. That's why I wrote this book. I want to instill in their minds that writing is power. Knowledge is power."
Ertll is the executive director of the Pasadena-based non-profit group El Centro de Accion Social, which carries out prevention programs through local schools Jefferson Elementary, Washington Middle and John Muir School.
"Through education, you can have other opportunities," said Ertll.
He shared bits of his own rough upbringing and spoke of the change needed to put children on the right path.
"We have to give hope," he said. "There's hope somehow. Whether you can't pay rent or get an education because you don't have your papers. There's hope."
He told the crowd that one teacher in particular inspired him to continue with his education simply by caring about him.
The book, which Ertll said "transcends nationality" is something he hopes troubled youth will relate to, and eventually use to become "the exception."
Ertll said that the challenge is to get the message of the book out to people.
"It's important for me to get the word out and the messages within the book so the students will know about it," he said. "There's no point in writing a book if nobody knows about it or reads it."
© Copyright 2010 Courier
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Miss McGarr's Diary ~ Where were you in 1992?
Miss McGarr's Diary
Where were you in 1992?
1990, author, book, Diary, Family, Lifestyle, Love, Romance, Travel, Writing
Posted on December 25, 2017 by Karen McGarr
At home, England
Festive Christmas Day with Florence and her gang, filled with presents and delicious food, including my all-time favourite; Christmas Pudding with Brandy sauce. Oh my!
"Karen love," Florence uttered, long after the table was cleared. "You must fess up to William."
"I have a funny feeling he's going to show up on your doorstep!"
"Don't be silly, he lives on an island, thousands of miles away from here."
"I know love, but I just think with him being so keen and reconnecting with you he might make an appearance."
"He won't," I stated.
"I wouldn't be so sure."
"Don't worry, he won't."
She gave me a questioning look
"I ehm, I gave him a fake address and number."
"Oh, Karen!"
"I know, I know but, ugh, it was all so weird, with Shelby squealing and me panicking about missing the flight and all that. I was completely caught off guard!"
Her look told me she didn't agree with me.
"You think I should've told him the truth?"
She nodded. "I think you owe it to him to at least tell him the truth about the circumstances under which you met. The other stuff is up to you."
I sighed deeply. "You're right. I should tell him."
She smiled. "Can you write to him?"
"Then I think you should spill the beans and make it clear you don't want to see him again…unless of course you do."
"I don't know if I do or not. I've been thinking about the fun we had in Antigua but I don't know if I'm flattered because he made such an effort to find me or because I really liked him."
She nodded in agreement. "I think starting with the truth is the first step, then see where it goes from there. At least that way when he shows up on your doorstep professing his undying love, he'll at least know your real name!"
I came home and penned a ten-page letter that I already put in the post.
lincolnlifesite · December 25, 2017
Reblogged this on Lincoln Life Blog.
Karen McGarr · December 25, 2017
Miss McGarr's Diary
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BA Flight Crew
Trolley Dolly
Karen McGarr on September 24th, 1991
Little Miss Travelle… on September 24th, 1991
Karen McGarr on September 1st, 1991
butterflies and boun… on September 1st, 1991
Karen McGarr on August 25th, 1991
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Routed Conservative ranks remain bitterly divided over Europe
THE previous UK Conservative government finally foundered in May on the rock of the European Union, and the prospect of closer integration with the continent still haunts and divides the Tory party.
December 10, 1997 5:00 pm
If anything, the party's opposition to the Union has continued to grow ever since and is now in inverse proportion to its standing with the British electorate.
Under their new leader, the youthful William Hague, the Tories have effectively ruled out any British participation in the single currency for at least ten years and intend to vote against the Amsterdam Treaty because it opens the door to UK participation in the social chapter.
"With a single currency, we might all have topay the price with high interest rates and rising unemployment. What is at stake is the power of a British government to run the British economy in the interests of British businesses and the British people," said Hague, justifying his opposition to the euro.
In marked contrast, Labour is pushing for early ratification of the treaty, is committed in principle to the euro and finds itself in the mainstream of much continental political thinking with its support for more legislative powers for the European Parliament and for EU social, employment and environmental initiatives.
The turn around in political allegiances in less than 25 years could hardly be more marked. In 1972, it was a Conservative government under the then Prime Minister Edward Heath which took the historic decision to join the Union and Labour which was opposed on the grounds that the whole set-up was merely a capitalist club.
Now one of UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's chief mentors is the former European Commission President and leading Liberal Democrat Lord Jenkins. Labour is nurturing close links with continental politicians – some cabinet members are even taking French lessons as part of a determined effort to strengthen the entente cordiale with Paris – and there is every appearance of well-established communication channels between the government and the European Commission.
In contrast, the former Conservative minister and now External Trade Commissioner Sir Leon Brittan appears to be a voice in the wilderness. Late last month, he once again tried to stem the tide of Euroscepticism in his own party, insisting that the Union was turning towards Conservative objectives by "enshrining the principles of sound public finance through the single currency".
He also warned, after a couple of disastrous by-election results for the party, that there was no domestic political mileage to be gained by "trying to distinguish the Conservative Party from the Labour Party by taking a clear-cut Eurosceptic line".
Some of Brittan's pro-European Tory colleagues in the UK have gone even further. Former government Minister Ian Taylor resigned from his post as Northern Ireland spokesman in protest at the hardening in tone on the Union, and moderate MP Peter Temple-Morris left the party last month after being accused by Hague of disloyalty.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine has openly defied his new leader by confirming that he would campaign for British entry into a single currency. "Let's be absolutely clear. There is going to be a single currency. Short of nuclear war or some event on that scale, the Europeans are going to do it. The only issue is when Britain joins, because join we will," he said, explaining his stance.
He has been joined by former Finance Minister Kenneth Clarke, who has announced that he will campaign publicly for UK participation in the euro in any future referendum.
That pledge has raised the intriguing prospect of Clarke crossing swords with his immediate Tory predecessor Norman Lamont, who presided over the UK's embarrassing departure from the Exchange Rate Mechanism, and who firmly believes "the Tories will be utterly irrelevant if they do not wholeheartedly oppose a single currency".
The divisions in the Tory ranks over the Union show no signs of abating and are likely to be a source of unwanted friction between Conservative MEPs and their colleagues in the European Parliament's Christian Democratic group.
Ireland United States
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The Waiting Supper
Whoever had perceived the yeoman standing on Squire Everard's lawn in the dusk of that October evening fifty years ago, might have said at first sight that he was loitering there from idle curiosity. For a large five-light window of the manor-house in front of him was unshuttered and uncurtained, so that the illuminated room within could be scanned almost to its four corners. Obviously nobody was ever expected to be in this part of the grounds after nightfall.
The apartment thus swept by an eye from without was occupied by two persons; they were sitting over dessert, the tablecloth having been removed in the old-fashioned way. The fruits were local, consisting of apples, pears, nuts, and such other products of the summer as might be presumed to grow on the estate. There was strong ale and rum on the table, and but little wine. Moreover, the appointments of the dining-room were simple and homely even for the date, betokening a countrified household of the smaller gentry, without much wealth or ambition—formerly a numerous class, but now in great part ousted by the territorial landlords.
One of the two sitters was a young lady in white muslin, who listened somewhat impatiently to the remarks of her companion, an elderly, rubicund personage, whom the merest stranger could have pronounced to be her father. The watcher evinced no signs of moving, and it became evident that affairs were not so simple as they first had seemed. The tall farmer was in fact no accidental spectator, and he stood by premeditation close to the trunk of a tree, so that had any traveller passed along the road without the park gate, or even round the lawn to the door, that person would scarce have noticed the other, notwithstanding that the gate was quite near at hand, and the park little larger than a paddock. There was still light enough in the western heaven to brighten faintly one side of the man's face, and to show against the trunk of the tree behind the admirable cut of his profile; also to reveal that the front of the manor-house, small though it seemed, was solidly built of stone in that never-to-be surpassed style for the English country residence—the mullioned and transomed Elizabethan.
The lawn, although neglected, was still as level as a bowling green—which indeed it might once have served for; and the blades of grass before the window were raked by the candle-shine, which stretched over them so far as to touch the yeoman's face in front.
Within the dining-room there were also, with one of the twain, the same signs of a hidden purpose that marked the farmer. The young lady's mind was straying as clearly into the shadows as that of the loiterer was fixed upon the room—nay, it could be said that she was quite conscious of his presence outside. Impatience caused her foot to beat silently on the carpet, and she more than once rose to leave the table. This proceeding was checked by her father, who would put his hand upon her shoulder and unceremoniously press her down into her chair, till he should have concluded his observations. Her replies were brief enough, and there was factitiousness in her smiles of assent to his views. A small iron casement between two of the mullions was open, and some occasional words of the dialogue were audible without.
'As for drains—how can I put in drains? The pipes don't cost much, that's true; but the labour in sinking the trenches is ruination. And then the gates—they should be hung to stone posts, otherwise there's no keeping them up through harvest.' The Squire's voice was strongly toned with the local accent, so that he said 'drains' and 'geats' like the rustics on his estate.
The landscape without grew darker, and the young man's figure seemed to be absorbed into the trunk of the tree. The small stars filled in between the larger, the nebulae between the small stars, the trees quite lost their voice; and if there was still a sound, it was from the cascade of a stream which stretched along under the trees that bounded the lawn on its northern side.
At last the young girl did get to her feet and secure her retreat. 'I have something to do, papa,' she said. I shall not be in the drawing-room just yet.'
'Very well,' replied he. 'Then I won't hurry.' And closing the door behind her, he drew his decanters together and settled down in his chair.
Three minutes after that a woman's shape emerged from the drawing room window, and passing through a wall-door to the entrance front, came across the grass. She kept well clear of the dining-room window, but enough of its light fell on her to show, escaping from the dark-hooded cloak that she wore, stray verges of the same light dress which had figured but recently at the dinner-table. The hood was contracted tight about her face with a drawing-string, making her countenance small and baby-like, and lovelier even than before.
Without hesitation she brushed across the grass to the tree under which the young man stood concealed. The moment she had reached him he enclosed her form with his arm. The meeting and embrace, though by no means formal, were yet not passionate; the whole proceeding was that of persons who had repeated the act so often as to be unconscious of its performance. She turned within his arm, and faced in the same direction with himself, which was towards the window; and thus they stood without speaking, the back of her head leaning against his shoulder. For a while each seemed to be thinking his and her diverse thoughts.
'You have kept me waiting a long time, dear Christine,' he said at last. 'I wanted to speak to you particularly, or I should not have stayed. How came you to be dining at this time o' night?'
'Father has been out all day, and dinner was put back till six. I know I have kept you; but Nicholas, how can I help it sometimes, if I am not to run any risk? My poor father insists upon my listening to all he has to say; since my brother left he has had nobody else to listen to him; and tonight he was particularly tedious on his usual topics—draining, and tenant-farmers, and the village people. I must take daddy to London; he gets so narrow always staying here.'
'And what did you say to it all?'
'Well, I took the part of the tenant-farmers, of course, as the beloved of one should in duty do.' There followed a little break or gasp, implying a strangled sigh.
'You are sorry you have encouraged that beloving one?'
'O no, Nicholas ... What is it you want to see me for particularly?'
'I know you are sorry, as time goes on, and everything is at a dead-lock, with no prospect of change, and your rural swain loses his freshness! Only think, this secret understanding between us has lasted near three year, ever since you was a little over sixteen.'
'Yes; it has been a long time.'
'And I an untamed, uncultivated man, who has never seen London, and knows nothing about society at all.'
'Not uncultivated, dear Nicholas. Untravelled, socially unpractised, if you will,' she said, smiling. Well, I did sigh; but not because I regret being your promised one. What I do sometimes regret is that the scheme, which my meetings with you are but apart of, has not been carried out completely. You said, Nicholas, that if I consented to swear to keep faith with you, you would away and travel, and see nations, and peoples, and cities, and take a professor with you, and study books and art, simultaneously with your study of men and manners; and then come back at the end of two years, when I should find that my father would by no means be indisposed to accept you as a son-in-law. You said your reason for wishing to get my promise before starting was that your mind would then be more at rest when you were far away, and so could give itself more completely to knowledge than if you went as my unaccepted lover only, fuming with anxiety as to how I should be when you came back. I saw how reasonable that was; and solemnly swore myself to you in consequence. But instead of going to see the world you stay on and on here to see me.'
'And you don't want me to see you?'
'Yes—no—it is not that. It is that I have latterly felt frightened at what I am doing when not in your actual presence. It seems so wicked not to tell my father that I have a lover close at hand, within touch and view of both of us; whereas if you were absent my conduct would not seem quite so treacherous. The realities would not stare at one so. You would be a pleasant dream to me, which I should be free to indulge in without reproach of my conscience; I should live in hopeful expectation of your returning fully qualified to boldly claim me of my father. There, I have been terribly frank, I know.'
He in his turn had lapsed into gloomy breathings now. 'I did plan it as you state,' he answered. 'I did mean to go away the moment I had your promise. But, dear Christine, I did not foresee two or three things. I did not know what a lot of pain it would cost to tear myself from you. And I did not know that my stingy uncle—heaven forgive me calling him so!—would so flatly refuse to advance me money for my purpose—the scheme of travelling with a first-rate tutor costing a formidable sum o' money. You have no idea what it would cost!'
'But I have said that I'll find the money.'
'Ah, there,' he returned, 'you have hit a sore place. To speak truly, dear, I would rather stay unpolished a hundred years than take your money.'
'But why? Men continually use the money of the women they marry.'
'Yes; but not till afterwards. No man would like to touch your money at present, and I should feel very mean if I were to do so in present circumstances. That brings me to what I was going to propose. But no—upon the whole I will not propose it now.'
'Ah! I would guarantee expenses, and you won't let me! The money is my personal possession: it comes to me from my late grandfather, and not from my father at all.'
He laughed forcedly and pressed her hand. 'There are more reasons why I cannot tear myself away,' he added. 'What would become of my uncle's farming? Six hundred acres in this parish, and five hundred in the next—a constant traipsing from one farm to the other; he can't be in two places at once. Still, that might be got over if it were not for the other matters. Besides, dear, I still should be a little uneasy, even though I have your promise, lest somebody should snap you up away from me.'
'Ah, you should have thought of that before. Otherwise I have committed myself for nothing.'
'I should have thought of it,' he answered gravely. But I did not. There lies my fault, I admit it freely. Ah, if you would only commit yourself a little more, I might at least get over that difficulty! But I won't ask you. You have no idea how much you are to me still; you could not argue so coolly if you had. What property belongs to you I hate the very sound of; it is you I care for. I wish you hadn't a farthing in the world but what I could earn for you!'
'I don't altogether wish that,' she murmured.
'I wish it, because it would have made what I was going to propose much easier to do than it is now. Indeed I will not propose it, although I came on purpose, after what you have said in your frankness.'
'Nonsense, Nic. Come, tell me. How can you be so touchy? '
'Look at this then, Christine dear.' He drew from his breast-pocket a sheet of paper and unfolded it, when it was observable that a seal dangled from the bottom.
'What is it?' She held the paper sideways, so that what there was of window-light fell on its surface. 'I can only read the Old English letters—why—our names! Surely it is not a marriage-licence?'
'It is.'
She trembled. 'O Nic! how could you do this—and without telling me!'
'Why should I have thought I must tell you? You had not spoken "frankly" then as you have now. We have been all to each other more than these two years, and I thought I would propose that we marry privately, and that I then leave you on the instant. I would have taken my travelling-bag to church, and you would have gone home alone. I should not have started on my adventures in the brilliant manner of our original plan, but should have roughed it a little at first; my great gain would have been that the absolute possession of you would have enabled me to work with spirit and purpose, such as nothing else could do. But I dare not ask you now—so frank as you have been.'
She did not answer. The document he had produced gave such unexpected substantiality to the venture with which she had so long toyed as a vague dream merely, that she was, in truth, frightened a little. I—don't know about it!' she said.
'Perhaps not. Ah, my little lady, you are wearying of me!'
'No, Nic,' responded she, creeping closer. 'I am not. Upon my word, and truth, and honour, I am not, Nic.'
'A mere tiller of the soil, as I should be called,' he continued, without heeding her. 'And you—well, a daughter of one of the—I won't say oldest families, because that's absurd, all families are the same age—of the longest chronicled families about here, whose name is actually the name of the place.'
'That's not much, I am sorry to say! My poor brother—but I won't speak of that. . . . Well,' she murmured mischievously, after a pause, 'you certainly would not need to be uneasy if I were to do this that you want me to do. You would have me safe enough in your trap then; I couldn't get away!'
'That's just it!' he said vehemently. 'It is a trap—you feel it so, and that though you wouldn't be able to get away from me you might particularly wish to! Ah, if I had asked you two years ago you would have agreed instantly. But I thought I was bound to wait for the proposal to come from you as the superior!'
'Now you are angry, and take seriously what I meant purely in fun. You don't know me even yet! To show you that you have not been mistaken in me, I do propose to carry out this licence. I'll marry you, dear Nicholas, tomorrow morning.'
'Ah, Christine! I am afraid I have stung you on to this, so that I cannot——'
'No, no, no!' she hastily rejoined; and there was something in her tone which suggested that she had been put upon her mettle and would not flinch. 'Take me whilst I am in the humour. What church is the licence for?'
'That I've not looked to see—why our parish church here, of course. Ah, then we cannot use it! We dare not be married here.'
'We do dare,' said she. 'And we will too, if you'll be there.'
'If I'll be there!'
They speedily came to an agreement that he should be in the church-porch at ten minutes to eight on the following morning, awaiting her; and that, immediately after the conclusion of the service which would make them one, Nicholas should set out on his long-deferred educational tour, towards the cost of which she was resolving to bring a substantial subscription with her to church. Then, slipping from him, she went indoors by the way she had come, and Nicholas bent his steps homewards.
Instead of leaving the spot by the gate, he flung himself over the fence, and pursued a direction towards the river under the trees. And it was now, in his lonely progress, that he showed for the first time outwardly that he was not altogether unworthy of her. He wore long water-boots reaching above his knees, and, instead of making a circuit to find a bridge by which he might cross the Froom—the river aforesaid—he made straight for the point whence proceeded the low roar that was at this hour the only evidence of the stream's existence. He speedily stood on the verge of the waterfall which caused the noise, and stepping into the water at the top of the fall, waded through with the sure tread of one who knew every inch of his footing, even though the canopy of trees rendered the darkness almost absolute, and a false step would have precipitated him into the pool beneath. Soon reaching the boundary of the grounds, he continued in the same direct line to traverse the alluvial valley, full of brooks and tributaries to the main stream—in former times quite impassable, and impassable in winter now. Sometimes he would cross a deep gully on a plank not wider than the hand; at another time he ploughed his way through beds of spear-grass, where at a few feet to the right or left he might have been sucked down into a morass. At last he reached firm land on the other side of this watery tract, and came to his house on the rise behind—Elsenford—an ordinary farmstead, from the back of which rose indistinct breathings, belchings, and snortings, the rattle of halters, and other familiar features of an agriculturist's home.
While Nicholas Long was packing his bag in an upper room of this dwelling, Miss Christine Everard sat at a desk in her own chamber at Froom-Everard manor-house, looking with pale fixed countenance at the candles.
'I ought—I must now! ' she whispered to herself. I should not have begun it if I had not meant to carry it through! It runs in the blood of us, I suppose.' She alluded to a fact unknown to her lover, the clandestine marriage of an aunt under circumstances somewhat similar to the present. In a few minutes she had penned the following note: —
October 13, 183-
DEAR MR. BEALAND—Can you make it convenient to yourself to meet me at the Church to-morrow morning at eight? I name the early hour because it would suit me better than later on in the day. You will find me in the chancel, if you can come. An answer yes or no by the bearer of this will be sufficient. CHRISTINE EVERARD.
She sent the note to the rector immediately, waiting at a small side-door of the house till she heard the servant's footsteps returning along the lane, when she went round and met him in the passage. The rector had taken the trouble to write a line, and answered that he would meet her with pleasure.
A dripping fog which ushered in the next morning was highly favourable to the scheme of the pair. At that time of the century Froom-Everard House had not been altered and enlarged; the public lane passed close under its walls; and there was a door opening directly from one of the old parlours—the south parlour, as it was called—into the lane which led to the village. Christine came out this way, and after following the lane for a short distance entered upon a path within a belt of plantation, by which the church could be reached privately. She even avoided the churchyard gate, walking along to a place where the turf without the low wall rose into a mound, enabling her to mount upon the coping and spring down inside. She crossed the wet graves, and so glided round to the door. He was there, with his bag in his hand. He kissed her with a sort of surprise, as if he had expected that at the last moment her heart would fail her.
Though it had not failed her, there was, nevertheless, no great ardour in Christine's bearing—merely the momentum of an antecedent impulse. They went up the aisle together, the bottle-green glass of the old lead quarries admitting but little light at that hour, and under such an atmosphere. They stood by the altar-rail in silence, Christine's skirt visibly quivering at each beat of her heart.
Presently a quick step ground upon the gravel, and Mr. Bealand came round by the front. He was a quiet bachelor, courteous towards Christine, and not at first recognizing in Nicholas a neighboring yeoman (for he lived aloofly in the next parish), advanced to her without revealing any surprise at her unusual request. But in truth he was surprised, the keen interest taken by many country young women at the present day in church decoration festivals being then unknown.
'Good morning,' he said; and repeated the same words to Nicholas more mechanically.
'Good morning,' she replied gravely. 'Mr. Bealand, I have a serious reason for asking you to meet me—us, I may say. We wish you to marry us.'
The rector's gaze hardened to fixity, rather between than upon either of them, and he neither moved nor replied for some time.
'Ah!' he said at last.
'And we are quite ready.'
'I had no idea——'
'It has been kept rather private,' she said calmly.
'Where are your witnesses?'
They are outside in the meadow, sir. I can call them in a moment,' said Nicholas. 'Oh—I see it is—Mr. Nicholas Long' said Mr. Bealand, and turning again to Christine, 'Does your father know of this?'
'Is it necessary that I should answer that question, Mr. Bealand?'
'I am afraid it is—highly necessary.'
Christine began to look concerned.
'Where is the licence?' the rector asked 'since there have been no banns.'
Nicholas produced it, Mr. Bealand read it, an operation which occupied him several minutes—or at least he made it appear so; till Christine said impatiently, 'We are quite ready, Mr. Bealand. Will you proceed? Mr. Long has to take a journey of a great many miles today.'
'And you?'
'No. I remain.'
Mr. Bealand assumed firmness. 'There is something wrong in this,' he said. 'I cannot marry you without your father's presence.'
'But have you a right to refuse us?' interposed Nicholas. 'I believe we are in a position to demand your fulfilment of our request.'
'No, you are not! Is Miss Everard of age? I think not. I think she is months from being so. Eh, Miss Everard?'
'Am I bound to tell that?'
'Certainly. At any rate you are bound to write it. Meanwhile I refuse to solemnize the service. And let me entreat you two young people to do nothing so rash as this, even if by going to some strange church, you may do so without discovery. The tragedy of marriage—— '
'Tragedy?'
'Certainly. It is full of crises and catastrophes, and ends with the death of one of the actors. The tragedy of marriage, as I was saying, is one I shall not be a party to your beginning with such light hearts, and I shall feel bound to put your father on his guard, Miss Everard. Think better of it, I entreat you! Remember the proverb, "Marry in haste and repent at leisure." '
Christine, spurred by opposition, almost stormed at him. Nicholas implored; but nothing would turn that obstinate rector. She sat down and reflected. By-and-by she confronted Mr. Bealand.
'Our marriage is not to be this morning, I see,' she said. 'Now grant me one favour, and in return I'll promise you to do nothing rashly. Do not tell my father a word of what has happened here.'
'I agree—if you undertake not to elope.'
She looked at Nicholas, and he looked at her. 'Do you wish me to elope, Nic?' she asked.
'No,' he said.
So the compact was made, and they left the church singly, Nicholas remaining till the last, and closing the door. On his way home, carrying the well-packed bag which was just now to go no further, the two men who were mending water-carriers in the meadows approached the hedge, as if they had been on the alert all the time.
'You said you mid want us for zummat sir?'
'All right—never mind,' he answered through the hedge. 'I did not require you after all.'
At a manor not far away there lived a queer and primitive couple who had lately been blessed with a son and heir. The christening took place during the week under notice, and this had been followed by a feast to the parishioners. Christine's father, one of the same generation and kind, had been asked to drive over and assist in the entertainment, and Christine, as a matter of course, accompanied him.
When they reached Athelhall, as the house was called, they found the usually quiet nook a lively spectacle. Tables had been spread in the apartment which lent its name to the whole building—the hall proper—covered with a fine open-timbered roof, whose braces, purlins, and rafters made a brown thicket of oak overhead. Here tenantry of all ages sat with their wives and families, and the servants were assisted in their ministrations by the sons and daughters of the owner's friends and neighbours. Christine lent a hand among the rest.
She was holding a plate in each hand towards a huge brown platter of baked rice-pudding, from which a footman was scooping a large spoonful, when a voice reached her ear over her shoulder: 'Allow me to hold them for you.'
Christine turned, and recognized in the speaker the nephew of the entertainer, a young man from London, whom she had already met on two or three occasions. She accepted the proffered help, and from that moment, whenever he passed her in their marchings to and fro during the remainder of the serving, he smiled acquaintance. When their work was done, he improved the few words into a conversation. He plainly had been attracted by her fairness.
Bellston was a self-assured young man, not particularly good-looking, with more colour in his skin than even Nicholas had. He had flushed a little in attracting her notice, though the flush had nothing of nervousness in it—the air with which it was accompanied making it curiously suggestive of a flush of anger and even when he laughed it was difficult to banish that fancy.
The late autumn sunlight streamed in through the window panes upon the beads and shoulders of the venerable patriarchs of the hamlet, and upon the middle-aged, and upon the young; upon men and women who had played out, or were to play, tragedies or tragicomedies in that nook of civilization not less great, essentially, than those which, enacted on more central arenas, fix the attention of the world. One of the party was a cousin of Nicholas Long's, who sat with her husband and children.
To make himself as locally harmonious as possible, Mr. Bellston remarked to his companion on the scene—
'It does one's heart good,' he said, 'to see these simple peasants enjoying themselves.'
'O Mr. Bellston!' exclaimed Christine; 'don't be too sure about that word "simple"! You little think what they see and meditate! Their reasonings and emotions are as complicated as ours.'
She spoke with a vehemence which would have been hardly present in her words but for her own relation to Nicholas. The sense of that produced in her a nameless depression thenceforward. The young man, however, still followed her up.
'I am glad to hear you say it,' he returned warmly. I was merely attuning myself to your mood, as I thought. The real truth is that I know more of the Parthians, and Medes, and dwellers in Mesopotamia—almost of any people, indeed—than of the English rustics. Travel and exploration are my profession, not the study of the British peasantry.'
Travel. There was sufficient coincidence between his declaration and the course she had urged upon her lover, to lend Bellston's account of himself a certain interest in Christine's ears. He might perhaps be able to tell her something that would be useful to Nicholas, if their dream were carried out. A door opened from the hall into the garden, and she somehow found herself outside, chatting with Mr. Bellston on this topic, till she thought that upon the whole she liked the young man. The garden being his uncle's, he took her round it with an air of proprietorship; and they went on amongst the Michaelmas daisies and chrysanthemums, and through a door to the fruit-garden. A green-house was open, and he went in and cut her a bunch of grapes.
'How daring of you! They are your uncle's.'
'O, he won't mind—I do anything here. A rough old buffer, isn't he?'
She was thinking of her Nic, and felt that, by comparison with her present acquaintance, the farmer more than held his own as a fine and intelligent fellow; but the harmony with her own existence in little things, which she found here, imparted an alien tinge to Nicholas just now. The latter, idealized by moonlight, or a thousand miles of distance, was altogether a more romantic object for a woman's dream than this smart new-lacquered man; but in the sun of afternoon, and amid a surrounding company, Mr. Bellston was a very tolerable companion.
When they re-entered the hall, Bellston entreated her to come with him up a spiral stair in the thickness of the wall, leading to a passage and gallery whence they could look down upon the scene below. The people had finished their feast, the newly-christened baby had been exhibited, and a few words having been spoken to them they began, amid a racketing of forms, to make for the greensward without, Nicholas's cousin and cousin's wife and cousin's children among the rest. While they were filing out, a voice was heard calling—
'Hullo!—here, Jim; where are you?' said Bellston's uncle. The young man descended, Christine following at leisure.
'Now will ye be a good fellow,' the Squire continued, 'and set them going outside in some dance or other that they know? I'm dog-tired, and I want to have a few words with Mr. Everard before we join 'em—hey, Everard? They are shy till somebody starts 'em; afterwards they'll keep gwine brisk enough.'
'Ay, that they wool,' said Squire Everard.
They followed to the lawn; and here it proved that James Bellston was as shy, or rather as averse, as any of the tenantry themselves, to acting the part of fugleman. Only the parish people had been at the feast, but outlying neighbours had now strolled in for a dance.
'They want "Speed the Plough," ' said Bellston, coming up breathless. 'It must be a country dance, I suppose? Now, Miss Everard, do have pity upon me. I am supposed to lead off; but really I know no more about speeding the plough than a child just born! Would you take one of the villagers?—just to start them, my uncle says. Suppose you take that handsome young farmer over there—I don't know his name, but I dare say you do—and I'll come on with one of the dairyman's daughters as a second couple.'
Christine turned in the direction signified, and changed colour—though in the shade nobody noticed it. 'Oh, yes—I know him,' she said coolly. 'He is from near our own place—Mr. Nicholas Long.'
'That's capital—then you can easily make him stand as first couple with you. Now I must pick up mine.'
'I—I think I'll dance with you, Mr. Bellston,' she said with some trepidation. 'Because, you see,' she explained eagerly, 'I know the figure and you don't—so that I can help you; while Nicholas Long, I know, is familiar with the figure, and that will make two couples who know it—which is necessary, at least.'
Bellston showed his gratification by one of his angry-pleasant flushes—he had hardly dared to ask for what she proffered freely; and having requested Nicholas to take the dairyman's daughter, led Christine to her place, Long promptly stepping up second with his charge. There were grim silent depths in Nick's character; a small deed spark in his eye, as it caught Christine's, was all that showed his consciousness of her. Then the fiddlers began—the celebrated Mellstock fiddlers who, given free stripping, could play from sunset to dawn without turning a hair. The couples wheeled and swung, Nicholas taking Christine's hand in the course of business with the figure, when she waited for him to give it a little squeeze; but he did not.
Christine had the greatest difficulty in steering her partner through the maze, on account of his self-will, and when at last they reached the bottom of the long line, she was breathless with her hard labour. Resting here, she watched Nic and his lady; and, though she had decidedly cooled off in these later months, began to admire him anew. Nobody knew these dances like him, after all, or could do anything of this sort so well. His performance with the dairyman's daughter so won upon her, that when 'Speed the Plough' was over she contrived to speak to him.
'Nic, you are to dance with me next time.'
He said he would, and presently asked her in a formal public manner, lifting his hat gallantly. She showed a little backwardness, which he quite understood, and allowed him to lead her to the top, a row of enormous length appearing below them as if by a magic as soon as they had taken their places. Truly the Squire was right when he said that they only wanted starting.
'What is it to be?' whispered Nicholas.
She turned to the band. 'The Honeymoon,' she said.
And then they trod the delightful last-century measure of that name, which if it had ever been danced better, was never danced with more zest. The perfect responsiveness which their tender acquaintance threw into the motions of Nicholas and his partner lent to their gyrations the fine adjustment of two interacting parts of a single machine. The excitement of the movement carried Christine back to the time—the unreflecting passionate time, about two years before—when she and Nic had been incipient lovers only; and it made her forget the carking anxieties, the vision of social breakers ahead, that had begun to take the gilding off her position now. Nicholas, on his part, had never ceased to be a lover; no personal worries had as yet made him conscious of any staleness, flatness, or unprofitable ness in his admiration of Christine.
'Not quite so wildly, Nic,' she whispered. 'I don't object personally; but they'll notice us. How came you here?'
'I heard that you had driven over; and I set out—on purpose for this.'
'What—you have walked?'
'Yes. If I had waited for one of uncle's horses I should have been too late.'
'Five miles here and five back—ten miles on foot—merely to dance!'
'With you. What made you think of this old "Honeymoon" thing?'
'O! it came into my head when I saw you, as what would have been a reality with us if you had not been stupid about that licence, and had got it for a distant church.'
'Shall we try again?'
'No—I don't know. I'll think it over.'
The villagers admired their grace and skill, as the dancers themselves perceived; but they did not know what accompanied that admiration in one spot, at least.
'People who wonder they can foot it so featly together should know what some others think,' a waterman was saying to his neighbor. 'Then their wonder would be less.'
His comrade asked for information.
'Well—really I hardly believe it—but 'tis said they be man and wife. Yes, sure—went to church and did the job a' most afore 'twas light one morning. But mind, not a word of this; for 'would be the loss of a winter's work to me if I had spread such a report and it were not true.'
When the dance had ended she rejoined her own section of the company. Her father and Mr. Bellston the elder had now come out from the house, and were smoking in the background. Presently she found that her father was at her elbow.
'Christine, don't dance too often with young Long—as a mere matter of prudence, I mean, as volk might think it odd, he being one of our own neighbouring farmers. I should not mention this to 'ee if he were an ordinary young fellow; but being superior to the rest it behoves you to be careful.'
'Exactly, papa,' said Christine.
But the revived sense that she was deceiving him threw a damp over her spirits. 'But, after all,' she said to herself, 'he is a young man of Elsenford, handsome, able, and the soul of honour; and I am a young woman of the adjoining parish, who have been constantly thrown into communication with him. Is it not, by nature's rule, the most proper thing in the world that I should marry him, and is it not an absurd conventional regulation which says that such a union would be wrong?'
It may be concluded that the strength of Christine's large-minded argument was rather an evidence of weakness than of strength in the passion it concerned, which had required neither argument nor reasoning of any kind for its maintenance when full and flush in its early days.
When driving home in the dark with her father she sank into pensive silence. She was thinking of Nicholas having to trudge on foot all those miles back after his exertions on the sward. Mr. Everard, arousing himself from a nap, said suddenly, 'I have something to mention to 'ee, by George—so I have, Chris! You probably know what it is?'
She expressed ignorance, wondering if her father had discovered anything of her secret.
'Well, according to him you know it. But I will tell 'ee. Perhaps you noticed young Jim Bellston walking me off down the lawn with him? —whether or no, we walked together a good while; and he informed me that he wanted to pay his addresses to 'ee. I naturally said that it depended upon yourself; and he replied that you were willing enough; you had given him particular encouragement—showing your preference for him by specially choosing him for your partner—hey? "In that case," says I, "go on and conquer—settle it with her—I have no objection." The poor fellow was very grateful, and in short, there we left the matter. He'll propose tomorrow.'
She saw now to her dismay what James Bellston had read as encouragement. 'He has mistaken me altogether,' she said. 'I had no idea of such a thing.'
'What, you won't have him?'
'Indeed, I cannot!'
'Chrissy,' said Mr. Everard with emphasis, 'there's noobody whom I should so like you to marry as that young man. He's a thoroughly clever fellow, and fairly well provided for. He's travelled all over the temperate zone; but he says that directly he marries he's going to give up all that, and be a regular stay-at-home. You would be nowhere safer than in his hands.'
'It is true,' she answered. 'He is a highly desirable match, and I should be well provided for, and probably very safe in his hands.'
'Then don't be skittish, and stand-to.'
She had spoken from her conscience and understanding, and not to please her father. As a reflecting woman she believed that such a marriage would be a wise one. In great things Nicholas was closest to her nature; in little things Bellston seemed immeasurably nearer than Nic; and life was made up of little things.
Altogether the firmament looked black for Nicholas Long, notwithstanding her half-hour's ardour for him when she saw him dancing with the dairyman's daughter. Most great passions, movements, and beliefs—individual and national—burst during their decline into a temporary irradiation, which rivals their original splendour; and then they speedily become extinct. Perhaps the dance had given the last flare-up to Christine's love. It seemed to have improvidently consumed for its immediate purpose all her ardour forwards, so that for the future there was nothing left but frigidity.
Nicholas had certainly been very foolish about that licence!
This laxity of emotional tone was further increased by an incident, when, two days later, she kept an appointment with Nicholas in the Sallows. The Sallows was an extension of shrubberies and plantations along the banks of the Froom, accessible from the lawn of Froom-Everard House only, except by wading through the river at the waterfall or elsewhere. Near the brink was a thicket of box in which a trunk lay prostrate; this had been once or twice their trysting-place, though it was by no means a safe one; and it was here she sat awaiting him now
The noise of the stream muffled any sound of footsteps, and it was before she was aware of his approach that she looked up and saw him wading across at the top of the waterfall.
Noontide lights and dwarfed shadows always banished the romantic aspect of her love for Nicholas. Moreover, something new had occurred to disturb her; and if ever she had regretted giving way to a tenderness for him—which perhaps she had not done with any distinctness—she regretted it now. Yet in the bottom of their hearts those two were excellently paired, the very twin halves of a perfect whole; and their love was pure. But at this hour surfaces showed garishly, and obscured the depths. Probably her regret appeared in her face.
He walked up to her without speaking, the water running from his boots; and, taking one of her hands in each of his own, looked narrowly into her eyes.
'Have you thought it over?'
'What?'
'Whether we shall try again; you remember saying you would at the dance?'
'Oh, I had forgotten that!'
'You are sorry we tried at all!' he said accusingly.
'I am not so sorry for the fact as for the rumours,' she said.
'Ah! rumours?'
'They say we are already married.'
'I cannot tell exactly. I heard some whispering to that effect. Somebody in the village told one of the servants, I believe. This man said that he was crossing the churchyard early on that unfortunate foggy morning, and heard voices in the chancel, and peeped through the window as well as the dim panes would let him; and there he saw you and me and Mr. Bealand, and so on; but thinking his surmises would be dangerous knowledge, he hastened on. And so the story got afloat. Then your aunt, too—'
'Good Lord!—what has she done?'
'The story was told her, and she said proudly, "O yes, it is true enough. I have seen the licence. But it is not to be known yet." '
'Seen the licence? How the——'
'Accidentally, I believe, when your coat was hanging somewhere.'
The information, coupled with the infelicitious word 'proudly,' caused Nicholas to flush with mortification. He knew that it was in his aunt's nature to make a brag of that sort; but worse than the brag was the fact that this was the first occasion on which Christine had deigned to show her consciousness that such a marriage would be a source of pride to his relatives—the only two he had in the world.
'You are sorry, then, even to be thought my wife, much less to be it.' He dropped her hand, which fell lifelessly.
'It is not sorry exactly, dear Nic. But I feel uncomfortable and vexed, that after screwing up my courage, my fidelity, to the point of going to church, you should have so muddled—managed the matter that it has ended in neither one thing nor the other. How can I meet acquaintances, when I don't know what they are thinking of me?'
'Then, dear Christine, let us mend the muddle. I'll go away for a few days and get another licence, and you can come to me.'
She shrank from this perceptibly. 'I cannot screw myself up to it a second time, she said. I am sure I cannot! Besides, I promised Mr. Bealand. And yet how can I continue to see you after such a rumour? We shall be watched now, for certain.'
'Then don't see me.'
'I fear I must not for the present. Altogether——'
'I am very depressed.'
These views were not very inspiriting to Nicholas, as he construed them. It may indeed have been possible that he construed them wrongly, and should have insisted upon her making the rumour true. Unfortunately, too, he had come to her in a hurry through brambles and briars, water and weed, and the shaggy wildness which hung about his appearance at this fine and correct time of day lent an impracticability to the look of him.
'You blame me—you repent your courses—you repent that you ever, ever owned anything to me!
'No, Nicholas, I do not repent that,' she returned gently, though with firmness. 'But I think that you ought not to have got that licence without asking me first; and I also think that you ought to have known how it would be if you lived on here in your present position, and made no effort to better it. I can bear whatever comes, for social ruin is not personal ruin or even personal disgrace. But as a sensible, new risen poet says, whom I have been reading this morning:—
The world and its ways have a certain worth:
And to press a point while these oppose
Were simple policy. Better wait.
As soon as you had got my promise, Nic, you should have gone away—yes—and made a name, and come back to claim me. That was my silly girlish dream about my hero.'
'Perhaps I can do as much yet! And would you have indeed liked better to live away from me for family reasons, than to run a risk in seeing me for affection's sake? O what a cold heart it has grown! If I had been a prince, and you a dairymaid, I'd have stood by you in the face of the world!'
She shook her head. 'Ah—you don't know what society is—you don't know.'
'Perhaps not. Who was that strange gentleman of about seven-and-twenty I saw at Mr. Bellston's christening feast?'
'Oh—that was his nephew James. Now he is a man who has seen an unusual extent of the world for his age. He is a great traveller, you know.'
'Indeed.'
'In fact an explorer. He is very entertaining.'
'No doubt.'
Nicholas received no shock of jealousy from her announcement. He knew her so well that he could see she was not in the least in love with Bellston. But he asked if Bellston were going to continue his explorations.
'Not if he settles in life. Otherwise he will, I suppose.'
'Perhaps I could be a great explorer, too, if I tried.'
'You could, I am sure.'
They sat apart, and not together; each looking afar off at vague objects, and not in each other's eyes. Thus the sad autumn afternoon waned, while the waterfall hissed sarcastically of the inevitableness of the unpleasant. Very different this from the time when they had first met there.
The nook was most picturesque; but it looked horridly common and stupid now. Their sentiment had set a colour hardly less visible than a material one on surrounding objects, as sentiment must where life is but thought. Nicholas was as devoted as ever to the fair Christine; but unhappily he too had moods and humors, and the division between them was not closed.
She had no sooner got indoors and sat down to her work-table than her father entered the drawing-room. She handed him his newspaper; he took it without a word, went and stood on the hearth-rug, and flung the paper on the floor.
'Christine, what's the meaning of this terrible story? I was just on my way to look at the register.'
She looked at him without speech.
'You have married—Nicholas Long?'
'No, father.'
'No? Can you say no in the face of such facts as I have been put in possession of?'
'But—the note you wrote to the rector—and the going to church?'
She briefly explained that their attempt had failed.
'Ah! Then this is what that dancing meant, was it? By——, it makes me——. How long has this been going on, may I ask?'
'This what?'
'What, indeed! Why, making him your beau. Now listen to me. All's well that ends well; from this day, madam, this moment, he is to be nothing more to you. You are not to see him. Cut him adrift instantly! I only wish his volk were on my farm—out they should go, or I would know the reason why. However, you are to write him a letter to this effect at once.'
'How can I cut him adrift?'
'Why not? You must, my good maid!'
'Well, though I have not actually married him, I have solemnly sworn to be his wife when he comes home from abroad to claim me. It would be gross perjury not to fulfil my promise. Besides, no woman can go to church with a man to deliberately solemnize matrimony, and refuse him afterwards, if he does nothing wrong meanwhile.'
The uttered sound of her strong conviction seemed to kindle in Christine a livelier perception of all its bearings than she had known while it had lain unformulated in her mind. For when she had done speaking she fell down on her knees before her father, covered her face, and said, Please, please forgive me, papa! How could I do it without letting you know! I don't know, I don't know!'
When she looked up she found that, in the turmoil of his mind, her father was moving about the room. You are within an ace of ruining yourself, ruining me, ruining us all!' he said. 'You are nearly as bad as your brother, begad!'
'Perhaps I am—yes—perhaps I am!'
'That I should father such a harum-scarum brood!'
'It is very bad; but Nicholas——'
'He's a scoundrel!'
'He is not a scoundrel!' cried she, turning quickly. He's as good and worthy as you or I, or anybody bearing our name, or any nobleman in the kingdom, if you come to that! Only—only'—she could not continue the argument on those lines. 'Now, father, listen!' she sobbed: 'if you taunt me I'll go off and join him at his farm this very day, and marry him tomorrow, that's what I'll do!'
'I don't taant ye!'
'I wish to avoid unseemliness as much as you.'
She went away. When she came back a quarter of an hour later, thinking to find the room empty, he was standing there as before, never having apparently moved. His manner had quite changed. He seemed to take a resigned and entirely different view of circumstances.
'Christine, here's a paragraph in the paper hinting at a secret wedding, and I'm blazed if it don't point to you. Well, since this was to happen, I'll bear it, and not complain. All volk have crosses, and this is one of mine. Well, this is what I've got to say—I feel that you must carry out this attempt at marrying Nicholas Long. Faith, you must! The rumour will become a scandal if you don't—that's my view. I have tried to look at the brightest side of the case. Nicholas Long is a young man superior to most of his class, and fairly presentable. And he's not poor—at least his uncle is not. I believe the old muddler could buy me up any day. However, a farmer's wife you must be, as far as I can see. As you've made your bed, so ye must lie. Parents propose, and ungrateful children dispose. You shall marry him, and immediately.'
Christine hardly knew what to make of this. 'He is quite willing to wait, and so am I. We can wait for two or three years, and then he will be as worthy as——'
'You must marry him. And the sooner the better, if 'tis to be done at all. . . . And yet I did wish you could have been Jim Bellston's wife. I did wish it! But no.'
'I, too, wished it and do still, in one sense,' she returned gently. His moderation had won her out of her defiant mood, and she was willing to reason with him.
'You do?' he said surprised.
'I see that in a worldly sense my conduct with Mr. Long may be considered a mistake.'
'H'm—I am glad to hear that—after my death you may see it more clearly still; and you won't have long to wait, to my reckoning.'
She fell into bitter repentance, and kissed him in her anguish. 'Don't say that!' she cried. 'Tell me what to do?'
'If you'll leave me for an hour or two I'll think. Drive to the market and back—the carriage is at the door—and I'll try to collect my senses. Dinner can be put back till you return.'
In a few minutes she was dressed, and the carriage bore her up the hill which divided the village and manor from the market-town.
A quarter of an hour brought her into the High Street, and for want of a more important errand she called at the harness-maker's for a dog-collar that she required.
It happened to be market-day, and Nicholas, having postponed the engagements which called him thither to keep the appointment with her in the Sallows, rushed off at the end of the afternoon to attend to them as well as he could. Arriving thus in a great hurry on account of the lateness of the hour, he still retained the wild, amphibious appearance which had marked him when he came up from the meadows to her side—an exceptional condition of things which had scarcely ever before occurred. When she crossed the pavement from the shop door, the shopman bowing and escorting her to the carriage, Nicholas chanced to be standing at the road-waggon office, talking to the master of the waggons. There were a good many people about, and those near paused and looked at her transit, in the full stroke of the level October sun, which went under the brims of their hats, and pierced through their button-holes. From the group she heard murmured the words: 'Mrs. Nicholas Long.'
The unexpected remark, not without distinct satire in its tone, took her so greatly by surprise that she was confounded. Nicholas was by this time nearer, though coming against the sun he had not yet perceived her. Influenced by her father's lecture, she felt angry with him for being there and causing this awkwardness. Her notice of him was therefore slight, supercilious perhaps, slurred over; and her vexation at his presence showed distinctly in her face as she sat down in her seat. Instead of catching his waiting eye, she positively turned her head away.
A moment after she was sorry she had treated him so; but he was gone.
Reaching home she found on her dressing-table a note from her father. The statement was brief:
"I have considered and am of the same opinion. You must marry him. He can leave home at once and travel as proposed. I have written to him to this effect. I don't want any victuals, so don't wait dinner for me."
Nicholas was the wrong kind of man to be blind to his Christine's mortification, though he did not know its entire cause. He had lately foreseen something of this sort as possible.
'It serves me right,' he thought, as he trotted homeward. 'It was absurd—wicked of me to lead her on so. The sacrifice would have been too great—too cruel!' And yet, though he thus took her part, he flushed with indignation every time he said to himself, 'She is ashamed of me!'
On the ridge which overlooked Froom-Everard he met a neighbour of his—a stock-dealer—in his gig, and they drew rein and exchanged a few words. A part of the dealer's conversation had much meaning for Nicholas.
'I've had occasion to call on Squire Everard,' the former said; 'but he couldn't see me on account of being quite knocked up at some bad news he has heard.'
Nicholas rode on past Froom-Everard to Elsenford Farm, pondering. He had new and startling, matter for thought as soon as he got there. The Squire's note had arrived. At first he could not credit its import; then he saw further, took in the tone of the letter, saw the writer's contempt behind the words, and understood that the letter was written as by a man hemmed into a corner Christine was defiantly—insultingly—hurled at his head. He was accepted because he was so despised.
And yet with what respect he had treated her and hers! Now he was reminded of what an agricultural friend had said years ago, seeing the eyes of Nicholas fixed on Christine as on an angel when she passed: 'Better a little fire to warm 'ee than a great one to burn 'ee. No good can come of throwing your heart there.' He went into the mead, sat down, and asked himself four questions:
1. How could she live near her acquaintance as his wife, even in his absence, without suffering martyrdom from the stings of their contempt?
2. Would not this entail total estrangement between Christine and her family also, and her own consequent misery?
3. Must not such isolation extinguish her affection for him?
4. Supposing that her father rigged them out as colonists and sent them off to America, was not the effect of such exile upon one of her gentle nurture likely to be as the last?
In short, whatever they should embark in together would be cruelty to her, and his death would be a relief. It would, indeed, in one aspect be a relief to her now, if she were so ashamed of him as she had appeared to be that day. Were he dead, this little episode with him would fade away like a dream.
Mr. Everard was a good-hearted man at bottom, but to take his enraged offer seriously was impossible. Obviously it was hotly made in his first bitterness at what he had heard. The least thing that he could do would be to go away and never trouble her more. To travel and learn and come back in two years, as mapped out in their first sanguine scheme, required a staunch heart on her side, if the necessary expenditure of time and money were to be afterwards justified; and it were folly to calculate on that when he had seen today that her heart was failing her already. To travel and disappear and not be heard of for many years would be a far more independent stroke, and it would leave her entirely unfettered. Perhaps he might rival in this kind the accomplished Mr. Bellston, of whose journeyings he had heard so much.
He sat and sat, and the fog rose out of the river, enveloping him like a fleece; firs this feet and knees, then his arms and body, and finally submerging his head. When he had come to a decision he went up again into the homestead. He would be independent, if he died for it, and he would free Christine. Exile was the only course. The first step was to inform his uncle of his determination.
Two days later Nicholas was on the same spot in the mead, at almost the same hour of eve. But there was no fog now; a blusterous autumn wind had ousted the still, golden days and misty nights; and he was going, full of purpose, in the opposite direction. When he had last entered the mead he was an inhabitant of the Froom valley; in forty-eight hours he had severed himself from that spot as completely as if he had never belonged to it. All that appertained to him in the Froom valley now was circumscribed by the portmanteau in his hand.
In making his preparations for departure he had unconsciously held a faint, foolish hope that she would communicate with him and make up their estrangement in some soft womanly way. But she had given no signal, and it was too evident to him that her latest mood had grown to be her fixed one, proving how well-founded had been his impulse to set her free.
He entered the Sallows, found his way in the dark to the garden-door of the house, slipped under it a note to tell her of his departure, and explaining its true reason to be a consciousness of her growing feeling that he was an encumbrance and a humiliation. Of the direction of his journey and of the date of his return he said nothing.
His course now took him into the high road, which he pursued for some miles in a north-easterly direction, still spinning the thread of sad inferences, and asking himself why he should ever return. At daybreak he stood on the hill above Shottsford-Forum, and awaited a coach which passed about this time along that highway towards Melchester and London.
Some fifteen years after the date of the foregoing incidents, a man who had dwelt in far countries, and viewed many cities, arrived at Roy-Town, a roadside hamlet on the old western turnpike road, not five miles from Froom-Everard, and put up at the Buck's Head, an isolated inn at that spot. He was still barely of middle age, but it could be seen that a haze of grey was settling upon the locks of his hair, and that his face had lost colour and curve, as if by exposure to bleaching climates and strange atmospheres, or from ailments incidental thereto. He seemed to observe little around him, by reason of the intrusion of his musings upon the scene. In truth Nicholas Long was just now the creature of old hopes and fears consequent upon his arrival—this man who once had not cared if his name were blotted out from that district. The evening light showed wistful lines which he could not smooth away by the worldling's gloss of nonchalance that he had learnt to fling over his face.
The Buck's Head was a somewhat unusual place for a man of this sort to choose as a house of sojourn in preference to some Casterbridge inn four miles further on. Before he left home it had been a lively old tavern at which High-flyers, and Heralds, and Tally-hoes had changed horses on their stages up and down the country; but now the house was rather cavernous and chilly, the stable-roofs were hollow-backed, the landlord was asthmatic, and the traffic gone.
He arrived in the afternoon, and when he had sent back the fly and was having a nondescript meal, he put a question to the waiting-maid with a mien of indifference.
'Squire Everard, of Froom-Everard Manor, has been dead some years, I believe?'
She replied in the affirmative.
'And are any of the family left there still?'
'O no, bless you, sir! They sold the place years ago—Squire Everard's son did—and went away. I've never heard where they went to. They came quite to nothing.'
'Never heard anything of the young lady—the Squire's daughter?'
'No. You see 'twas before I came to these parts.'
When the waitress left the room, Nicholas pushed aside his plate and gazed out of the window. He was not going over into the Froom Valley altogether on Christine's account, but she had greatly animated his motive in coming that way. Anyhow he would push on there now that he was so near, and not ask questions here where he was liable to be wrongly informed. The fundamental inquiry he had not ventured to make—whether Christine had married before the family went away. He had abstained because of an absurd dread of extinguishing hopeful surmise. That the Everards had left their old home was bad enough intelligence for one day.
Rising from the table he put on his hat and went out, ascending towards the upland which divided this district from his native vale. The first familiar feature that me this eye was a little spot on the distant sky—a clump of trees standing on a barrow which surmounted a yet more remote upland—a point where, in his childhood, he had believed people could stand and see America. He reached the further verge of the plateau on which he had entered. Ah, there was the valley—a greenish-grey stretch of colour—still looking placid and serene, as though it had not much missed him. If Christine was no longer there, why should he pause over it this evening? His uncle and aunt were dead, and tomorrow would be soon enough to inquire for remoter relatives. Thus, disinclined to go further, he turned to retrace his way to the inn.
In the backward path he now perceived the figure of a woman, who had been walking at a distance behind him; and as she drew nearer he began to be startled. Surely, despite the variations introduced into that figure by changing years, its ground-lines were those of Christine?
Nicholas had been sentimental enough to write to Christine immediately on landing at Southampton a day or two before this, addressing his letter at a venture to the old house, and merely telling her that he planned to reach the Roy-Town inn on the present afternoon. The news of the scattering of the Everards had dissipated his hope of hearing of her; but here she was.
So they met—there, alone, on the open down by a pond, just as if the meeting had been carefully arranged.
She threw up her veil. She was still beautiful, though the years had touched her; a little more matronly—much more homely. Or was it only that he was much less homely now—a man of the world—the sense of homeliness being relative? Her face had grown to be pre-eminently of the sort that would be called interesting. Her habiliments were of a demure and sober cast, though she was one who had used to dress so airily and so gaily. Years had laid on a few shadows too in this.
'I received your letter,' she said, when the momentary embarrassment of their first approach had passed. 'And I thought I would walk across the hills today, as it was fine. I have just called at the inn, and they told me you were out. I was now on my way homeward.'
He hardly listened to this, though he intently gazed at her. 'Christine,' he said, 'one word. Are you free?'
'I—I am in a certain sense,' she replied, colouring. The announcement had a magical effect. The intervening time between past and present closed up for him, and moved by an impulse which he had combated for fifteen years, he seized her two hands and drew her towards him.
She started back, and became almost a mere acquaintance. 'I have to tell you,' she gasped, that I have—been married.'
Nicholas's rose-coloured dream was immediately toned down to a greyish tinge.
'I did not marry till many years after you had left,' she continued in the humble tones of one confessing to a crime. 'Oh Nic,' she cried reproachfully, 'how could you stay away so long?'
'Whom did you marry?'
'Mr. Bellston.'
'I—ought to have expected it.' He was going to add, 'And is he dead?' but he checked himself. Her dress unmistakably suggested widowhood; and she had said she was free.
'I must now hasten home,' said she. 'I felt that, considering my shortcomings a tour parting so many years ago, I owed you the initiative now.'
'There is some of your old generosity in that. I'll walk with you, if I may. Where are you living, Christine?'
'In the same house, but not on the old conditions. I have part of it on lease; the farmer now tenanting the premises found the whole more than he wanted, and the owner allowed me to keep what rooms I chose. I am poor now, you know, Nicholas, and almost friendless. My brother sold the Froom-Everard estate when it came to him, and the person who bought it turned our home into a farm-house. Till my father's death my husband and I lived in the manor-house with him, so that I have never lived away from the spot.
She was poor. That, and the change of name, sufficiently accounted for the inn-servant's ignorance of her continued existence within the walls of her old home.
It was growing dusk, and he still walked with her. A woman's head arose from the declivity before them, and as she drew nearer, Christine asked him to go back. 'This is the wife of the farmer who shares the house,' she said. 'She is accustomed to come out and meet me whenever I walk far and am benighted. I am obliged to walk everywhere now.'
The farmer's wife, seeing that Christine was not alone, paused in her advance, and Nicholas said, 'Dear Christine, if you are obliged to do these things, I am not, and what wealth I can command you may command likewise. They say rolling stones gather no moss; but they gather dross sometimes. I was one of the pioneers to the gold-fields, you know, and made a sufficient fortune there for my wants. What is more, I kept it. When I had done this I was coming home, but hearing of my uncle's death I changed my plan, travelled, speculated, and increased my fortune. Now, before we part: you remember you stood with me at the altar once, and therefore I speak with less preparation than I should otherwise use. Before we part then I ask, shall another again intrude between us? Or, shall we complete the union we began?'
She trembled—just as she had done at that very minute of standing with him in the church, to which he had recalled her mind. 'I will not enter into that now, dear Nicholas,' she replied. 'There will be more to talk of and consider first—more to explain, which it would have spoiled this meeting to have entered into now.'
'Yes, yes; but——'
'Further than the brief answer I first gave, Nic, don't press me tonight. I still have the old affection for you, or I should not have sought you. Let that suffice for the moment.'
'Very well, dear one. And when shall I call to see you?'
'I will write and fix an hour. I will tell you everything of my history then.'
And thus they parted, Nicholas feeling that he had not come here fruitlessly. When she and her companion were out of sight he retraced his steps to Roy-Town, where he made himself as comfortable as he could in the deserted old inn of his boyhood's days. He missed her companionship this evening more than he had done at any time during the whole fifteen years; and it was as though instead of separation there had been constant communion with her throughout that period. The tones of her voice had stirred his heart in a nook which had lain stagnant ever since he last heard them. They recalled the woman to whom he had once lifted his eyes as to a goddess. Her announcement that she had been another's came as a little shock to him, and he did not now lift his eyes to her in precisely the same way as he had lifted them at first. But he forgave her for marrying Bellston; what could he expect after fifteen years?
He slept at Roy-Town that night, and in the morning there was a short note from her, repeating more emphatically her statement of the previous evening—that shewished to inform him clearly of her circumstances, and to calmly consider with him the position in which she was placed. Would he call upon her on Sunday afternoon, when she was sure to be alone?
'Nic,' she wrote on, 'what a cosmopolite you are! I expected to find my old yeoman still; but I was quite awed in the presence of such a citizen of the world. Did I seem rusty and unpractised? Ah—you seemed so once to me!'
Tender playful words; the old Christine was in them. She said Sunday afternoon, and it was now only Saturday morning. He wished she had said to-day; that short revival of her image had vitalized to sudden heat feelings that had almost been stilled. Whatever she might have to explain as to her position—and it was awkwardly narrowed, no doubt—he could not give her up. Miss Everard or Mrs. Bellston, what mattered it?—she was the same Christine.
He did not go outside the inn all Saturday. He had no wish to see or do anything but to await the coming interview. So he smoked, and read the local newspaper of the previous week, and stowed himself in the chimney-corner. In the evening he felt that he could remain indoors no longer, and the moon being near the full, he started from the inn on foot in the same direction as that of yesterday, with the view of contemplating the old village and its precincts, and hovering round her house under the cloak of night.
With a stout stick in his hand he climbed over the five miles of upland in a comparatively short space of time. Nicholas had seen many strange lands and trodden many strange ways since he last walked that path, but as he trudged he seemed wonderfully like his old self, and had not the slightest difficulty in finding the way. In descending to the meads the streams perplexed him a little, some of the old foot-bridges having been removed; but he ultimately got across the larger, water-courses, and pushed on to the village, avoiding her residence for the moment, lest she should encounter him, and think he had not respected the time of her appointment.
He found his way to the churchyard, and first ascertained where lay the two relations he had left alive at his departure; then he observed the gravestones of other inhabitants with whom he had been well acquainted, till by degrees he seemed to be in the society of all the elder Froom-Everard population, as he had known the place. Side by side as they had lived in his day here were they now. They had moved house in mass.
But no tomb of Mr. Bellston was visible, though, as he had lived at the manor-house, it would have been natural to find it here. In truth Nicholas was more anxious to discover that than anything being curious to know how long he had been dead. Seeing from the glimmer of a light in the church that somebody was there cleaning for Sunday he entered, and looked round upon the wails as well as he could. But there was no monument to her husband, though one had been erected to the Squire.
Nicholas addressed the young man who was sweeping. 'I don't see any monument or tomb to the late Mr. Bellston?'
'O no, sir; you won't see that,' said the young man drily
'Why, pray?'
'Because he's not buried here. He's not Christian-buried anywhere, as far as we know. In short, perhaps he's not buried at all; and between ourselves, perhaps he's alive.'
Nicholas sank an inch shorter. 'Ah,' he answered.
'Then you don't know the peculiar circumstances, sir?'
'I am a stranger here—as to late years.'
'Mr. Bellston was a traveller—an explorer—it was his calling; you may have heard his name as such?'
'I remember.' Nicholas recalled the fact that this very bent of Mr. Bellston's was the incentive to his own roaming.
'Well, when he married he came and lived here with his wife and his wife's father, and said be would travel no more. But after a time he got weary of biding quiet here, and weary of her—he was not a good husband to the young lady by any means—and he betook himself again to his old trick of roving—with her money. Away he went, quite out of the realm of human foot, into the bowels of Asia, and never was heard of more. He was murdered, it is said, but nobody knows; though as that was nine years ago he's dead enough in principle, if not in corporation. His widow lives quite humble, for between her husband and her brother she's left in very lean pasturage.'
Nicholas went back to the Buck's Head without hovering round her dwelling. This then was the explanation which she had wanted to make. Not dead, but missing. How could he have expected that the first fair promise of happiness held out to him would remain untarnished? She had said that she was free; and legally she was free, no doubt. Moreover, from her tone and manner he felt himself justified in concluding that she would be willing to run the risk of a union with him, in the improbability of her husband's existence. Even if that husband lived, his return was not a likely event, to judge from his character. A man who could spend her money on his own personal adventures would not be anxious to disturb her poverty after such a lapse of time.
Well, the prospect was not so unclouded as it had seemed. But could he, even now, give up Christine?
Two months more brought the year nearly to a close, and found Nicholas Long tenant of a spacious house in the market-town nearest to Froom-Everard. A man of means, genial character, and a bachelor, he was an object of great interest to his neighbours, and to his neighbours' wives and daughters. But he took little note of this, and had made it his business to go twice a week, no matter what the weather, to the now farmhouse at Froom-Everard, a wing of which had been retained as the refuge of Christine. He always walked, to give no trouble in putting up a horse to a housekeeper whose staff was limited.
The two had put their heads together on the situation, had gone to a solicitor, had balanced possibilities, and had resolved to make the plunge of matrimony. 'Nothing venture, nothing have,' Christine had said, with some of her old audacity.
With almost gratuitous honesty they had let their intentions be widely known. Christine, it is true, had rather shrunk from publicity at first; but Nicholas argued that their boldness in this respect would have good results. With his friends he held that there was not the slightest probability of her being other than a widow, and a challenge to the missing man now, followed by no response, would stultify any unpleasant remarks which might be thrown at her after their union. To this end a paragraph was inserted in the Wessex papers, announcing that their marriage was proposed to be celebrated on such and such a day in December.
His periodic walks along the south side of the valley to visit her were among the happiest experiences of his life. The yellow leaves falling around him in the foreground, the well-watered meads on the left hand, and the woman he loved awaiting him at the back of the scene, promised a future of much serenity, as far as human judgment could foresee. On arriving, he would sit with her in the 'parlour' of the wing she retained, her general sitting-room, where the only relics of her early surroundings were an old clock from the other end of the house, and her own piano. Before it was quite dark they would stand, hand in hand, looking out of the window across the flat turf to the dark clump of trees which hid further view from their eyes.
'Do you wish you were still mistress here, dear?' he once said.
'Not at all,' said she cheerfully. 'I have a good enough room, and a good enough fire, and a good enough friend. Besides, my latter days as mistress of the house were not happy ones, and they spoilt the place for me. It was a punishment for my faithlessness. Nic, you do forgive me? Really you do?'
The twenty-third of December, the eve of the wedding-day, had arrived at last in the train of such uneventful ones as these. Nicholas had arranged to visit her that day a little later than usual, and see that everything was ready with her for the morrow's event and her removal to his house; for he had begun look after her domestic affairs, and to lighten as much as possible the duties of her housekeeping.
He was to come to an early supper, which she had arranged to take the place of a wedding-breakfast next day—the latter not being feasible in her present situation. An hour or so after dark the wife of the farmer who lived in the other part of the house entered Christine's parlour to lay the cloth.
'What with getting the ham skinned, and the black-puddings hotted up,' she said, 'it will take me all my time before he's here, if I begin this minute.'
'I'll lay the table myself,' said Christine, jumping up. 'Do you attend to the cooking.'
'Thank you, ma'am. And perhaps 'tis no matter, seeing that it is the last night you'll have to do such work. I knew this sort of life wouldn't last long for 'ee, being born to better things.'
'It has lasted rather long, Mrs. Wake. And if he had not found me out it would have lasted all my days.'
'But he did find you out.'
'He did. And I'll lay the cloth immediately.'
Mrs. Wake went back to the kitchen, and Christine began to bustle about. She greatly enjoyed preparing this table for Nicholas and herself with her own hands. She took artistic pleasure in adjusting each article to its position, as if half-an-inch error were a point of high importance. Finally she placed the two candles where they were to stand, and sat down by the fire.
Mrs. Wake re-entered and regarded the effect. 'Why not have another candle or two, ma'am ?' she said. ' 'Twould make it livelier. Say four.'
'Very well,' said Christine, and four candles were lighted. 'Really,' she added, surveying them, 'I have been now so long accustomed to little economies that they look quite extravagant.'
'Ah, you'll soon think nothing of forty in his grand new house! Shall I bring in supper directly he comes, ma'am?'
'No, not for half an hour; and, Mrs. Wake, you and Betsy are busy in the kitchen, I know; so when he knocks don't disturb yourselves; I can let him in.'
She was again left alone, and, as it still wanted some time to Nicholas's appointment, she stood by the fire, looking at herself in the glass over the mantel. Reflectively raising a lock of her hair just above her temple she uncovered a small scar. That scar had a history. The terrible temper of her late husband—those sudden moods of irascibility which had made even his friendly excitements look like anger—had once caused him to set that mark upon her with the bezel of a ring he wore. He declared that the whole thing was an accident. She was a woman, and kept her own opinion.
Christine then turned her back to the glass and scanned the table and the candles, shining one at each corner like types of the four Evangelists, and thought they looked too assuming—too confident. She glanced up at the clock, which stood also in this room, there not being space enough for it in the passage. It was nearly seven, and she expected Nicholas at half-past. She liked the company of this venerable article in her lonely life: its tickings and whizzings were a sort of conversation. It now began to strike the hour. At the end something grated slightly. Then, without any warning, the clock slowly inclined forward and fell at full length upon the floor.
The crash brought the farmer's wife rushing into the room. Christine had well-nigh sprung out of her shoes. Mrs. Wake's enquiry what had happened was answered by the evidence of her own eyes.
'How did it occur?' she said.
'I cannot say; it was not firmly fixed, I suppose. Dear me, how sorry I am! My dear father's' hall-clock! And now I suppose it is ruined.'
Assisted by Mrs. Wake, she lifted the clock. Every inch of glass was, of course, shattered, but very little harm besides appeared to be done. They propped it up temporarily, though it would not go again.
Christine had soon recovered her composure, but she saw that Mrs. Wake was gloomy. 'What does it mean, Mrs. Wake?' she said. 'Is it ominous?'
'It is a sign of a violent death in the family.'
'Don't talk of it. I don't believe such things; and don't mention it to Mr. Long when he comes. He's not in the family yet, you know.'
'O no, it cannot refer to him,' said Mrs. Wake musingly.
'Some remote cousin, perhaps,' observed Christine, no less willing to humour her than to get rid of a shapeless dread which the incident had caused in her own mind. 'And—supper is almost ready, Mrs. Wake?'
'In three-quarters of an hour.'
Mrs. Wake left the room, and Christine sat on. Though it still wanted fifteen minutes to the hour at which Nicholas had promised to be there, she began to grow impatient. After the accustomed ticking the dead silence was oppressive. But she had not to wait so long as she had expected; steps were heard approaching the door, and there was a knock.
Christine was already there to open it. The entrance had no lamp, but it was not particularly dark out of doors. She could see the outline of a man, and cried cheerfully, 'You are early; it is very good of you.'
'I beg pardon. It is not Mr. Bellston himself—only a messenger with his bag and greatcoat. But he will be here soon.'
The voice was not the voice of Nicholas, and the intelligence was strange. 'I—I don't understand. Mr. Bellston?' she faintly replied.
'Yes, ma'am. A gentleman—a stranger to me—gave me these things at Casterbridge station to bring on here, and told me to say that Mr. Bellston had arrived there, and is detained for half an hour, but will be here in the course of the evening.'
She sank into a chair. The porter put a small battered portmanteau on the floor, the coat on a chair, and looking into the room at the spread table said, 'If you are disappointed, ma'am, that your husband (as I s'pose he is) is not come, I can assure you he'll soon be here. He's stopped to get a shave, to my thinking, seeing he wanted it. What he said was that I could tell you he had heard the news in Ireland, and would have come sooner, his hand being forced; but was hindered crossing by the weather, having took passage in a sailing vessel. What news he meant he didn't say.'
'Ah, yes,' she faltered. It was plain that the man knew nothing of her intended re-marriage.
Mechanically rising and giving him a shilling she answered to his 'good-night,' and he withdrew, the beat of his footsteps lessening in the distance. She was alone; but in what a solitude.
Christine stood in the middle of the hall, just as the man had left her, in the gloomy silence of the stopped clock within the adjoining room, till she aroused herself, and turning to the portmanteau and greatcoat brought them to the light of the candles, and examined them. The portmanteau bore painted upon it the initials 'J. B.' in white letters—the well-known initials of her husband.
She examined the greatcoat. In the breast-pocket was an empty spirit flask, which she firmly fancied she recognized as the one she had filled many times for him when he was living at home with her.
She turned desultorily hither and thither, until she heard another tread without, and there came a second knocking at the door. She did not respond to it; and Nicholas—for it was he—thinking that he was not heard by reason of a concentration onto-morrow's proceedings, opened the door softly, and came on to the door of her room, which stood unclosed, just as it had been left by the Casterbridge porter.
Nicholas uttered a blithe greeting, cast his eye round the parlour, which with its tall candles, blazing fire, snow-white cloth, and prettily-spread table, formed a cheerful spectacle enough for a man who had been walking in the dark for an hour.
'My bride—almost, at last!' he cried, encircling her with his arms.
Instead of responding, her figure became limp, frigid, heavy; her head fell back, and he found that she had fainted.
It was natural, he thought. She had had many little worrying matters to attend to, and but slight assistance. He ought to have seen more effectually to her affairs; the closeness of the event had over-excited her. Nicholas kissed her unconscious face—more than once, little thinking what news it was that had changed its aspect. Loth to call Mrs. Wake, he carried Christine to a couch and laid her down. This had the effect of reviving her. Nicholas bent and whispered in her ear, 'Lie quiet, dearest, no hurry; and dream, dream, dream of happy days. It is only I. You will soon be better.' He held her by the hand.
'No, no, no!' she said, with a stare. 'O, how can this be?'
Nicholas was alarmed and perplexed, but the disclosure was not long delayed. When she had sat up, and by degrees made the stunning event known to him, he stood as if transfixed.
'Ah—is it so?' said he. Then, becoming quite meek, 'And why was he so cruel as to—delay his return till now?'
She dutifully recited the explanation her husband had given her through the messenger; but her mechanical manner of telling it showed how much she doubted its truth. It was too unlikely that his arrival at such a dramatic moment should not be a contrived surprise, quite of a piece with his previous dealings towards her.
'But perhaps it may be true—and he may have become kind now—not as he used to be,' she faltered. 'Yes, perhaps, Nicholas, he is an altered man—we'll hope he is. I suppose I ought not to have listened to my legal advisers, and assumed his death so surely! Anyhow, I am roughly received back into—the right way!'
Nicholas burst out bitterly: 'O what too, too honest fools we were!—to so court daylight upon our intention by putting that announcement in the papers! Why could we not have married privately, and gone away, so that he would never have known what had become of you, even if he had returned? Christine, he has done it to . . . But I'll say no more. Of course we—might fly now.'
'No, no; we might not,' said she hastily.
'Very well. But this is hard to bear! "When I looked for good then evil came unto me, and when I waited for light there came darkness." So once said a sorely tried man in the land of Uz, and so say I now! . . . I wonder if he is almost here at this moment?'
She told him she supposed Bellston was approaching by the path across the fields, having sent on his greatcoat, which he would not want walking.
'And is this meal laid for him, or for me?'
'It was laid for you.'
'And it will be eaten by him?'
'Christine, are you sure that he is come, or have you been sleeping over the fire and dreaming it?'
She pointed anew to the portmanteau with the initials 'J. B.', and to the coat beside it.
'Well, good-bye—good-bye! Curse that parson for not marrying us fifteen years ago!'
It is unnecessary to dwell further upon that parting. There are scenes wherein the words spoken do not even approximate to the level of the mental communion between the actors. Suffice it to say that part they did, and quickly; and Nicholas, more dead than alive, went out of the house homewards.
Why had he ever come back? During his absence he had not cared for Christine as he cared now. If he had been younger he might have felt tempted to descend into the meads instead of keeping along their edge. The Froom was down there, and he knew of quiet pools in that stream to which death would come easily. But he was too old to put an end to himself for such a reason as love; and another thought, too, kept him from seriously contemplating any desperate act. His affection for her was strongly protective, and in the event of her requiring a friend's support in future troubles there was none but himself left in the world to afford it. So he walked on.
Meanwhile Christine had resigned herself to circumstances. A resolve to continue worthy of her history and of her family lent her heroism and dignity. She called Mrs. Wake, and explained to that worthy woman as much of what had occurred as she deemed necessary. Mrs. Wake was too amazed to reply; she retreated slowly, her lips parted; till at the door she said with a dry mouth, 'And the beautiful supper, ma'am?'
'Serve it when he comes.'
'When Mr. Bellston—yes, ma'am, I will.' She still stood gazing, as if she could hardly take in the order.
'That will do, Mrs. Wake. I am much obliged to you for all your kindness.' And Christine was left alone again, and then she wept.
She sat down and waited. That awful silence of the stopped clock began anew, but she did not mind it now. She was listening for a footfall in a state of mental tensity which almost took away from her the power of motion. It seemed to her that the natural interval for her husband's journey thither must have expired; but she was not sure, and waited on.
Mrs. Wake again came in. 'You have not rung for supper——'
'He is not yet come, Mrs. Wake. If you want to go to bed, bring in the supper and set it on the table. It will be nearly as good cold. Leave the door unbarred.
Mrs. Wake did as was suggested, made up the fire, and went away. Shortly afterwards Christine heard her retire to her chamber. But Christine still sat on, and still her husband postponed his entry.
She aroused herself once or twice to freshen the fire, but was ignorant how the night was going. Her watch was upstairs, and she did not make the effort to go up to consult it. In her seat she continued; and still the supper waited, and still he did not come.
At length she was so nearly persuaded that the arrival of his things must have been a dream after all, that she again went over to them, felt them, and examined them. His they unquestionably were; and their forwarding by the porter had been quite natural. She sighed and sat down again.
Presently she fell into a doze, and when she again became conscious she found that the four candles had burned into their sockets and gone out. The fire still emitted a feeble shine. Christine did not take the trouble to get more candles, but stirred the fire and sat on.
After a long period she heard a creaking of the chamber floor and stairs at the other end of the house, and knew that the farmer's family were getting up. By-and-by Mrs. Wake entered the room, candle in hand, bouncing open the door in her morning manner, obviously without any expectation of finding a person there.
'Lord-a-mercy! What, sitting here again, ma'am?'
'Yes, I am sitting here still.'
'You've been there ever since last night?'
'Then—'
'He's not come.' 'Well, he won't come at this time o' morning,' said the farmer's wife.
'Do 'ee get on to bed, ma'am, You must be shrammed to death!'
It occurred to Christine now that possibly her husband had thought better of obtruding himself upon her company within an hour of revealing his existence to her, and had decided to pay a more formal visit next day. She therefore adopted Mrs. Wake's suggestion and retired.
Nicholas had gone straight home, neither speaking to nor seeing a soul. From that hour a change seemed to come over him. He had ever possessed a full share of self-consciousness; he had been readily piqued, had shown an unusual dread of being personally obtrusive. But now his sense of self, as an individual provoking opinion, appeared to leave him. When, therefore, after a day or two of seclusion, he came forth again, and the few acquaintances he had formed in the town condoled with him on what had happened, and pitied his haggard looks, he did not shrink from their regard as he would have done formerly, but took their sympathy as it would have been accepted by a child.
It reached his ears that Bellston had not appeared on the evening of his arrival at any hotel in the town or neighbourhood, or entered his wife's house at all. 'That's a part of his cruelty,' thought Nicholas. And when two or three days had passed, and still no account came to him of Bellston having joined her, he ventured to set out for Froom-Everard.
Christine was so shaken that she was obliged to receive him as she lay on a sofa, beside the square table which was to have borne their evening feast. She fixed her eyes wistfully upon him, and smiled a sad smile.
'He has not come?' said Nicholas under his breath.
'He has not.'
Then Nicholas sat beside her, and they talked on general topics merely like saddened old friends. But they could not keep away the subject of Bellston, their voices dropping as it forced its way in. Christine, no less than Nicholas, knowing her husband's character, inferred that, having stopped her game, as he would have phrased it, he was taking things leisurely, and, finding nothing very attractive in her limited mode of living, was meaning to return to her only when he had nothing better to do.
The bolt which laid low their hopes had struck so recently that they could hardly look each other in the face when speaking that day. But when a week or two had passed, and all the horizon still remained as vacant of Bellston as before, Nicholas and she could talk of the event with calm wonderment. Why had he come, to go again like this?
And then there set in a period of resigned surmise, during which
So like, so very like, was day to day,
that to tell of one of them is to tell of all. Nicholas would arrive between three and four in the afternoon, a faint trepidation influencing his walk as he neared her door. He would knock; she would always reply in person, having watched for him from the window. Then he would whisper—
'He has not come?'
'He has not,' she would say.
Nicholas would enter then, and she being ready bonneted, they would walk into the Sallows together as far as to the spot which they had frequently made their place of appointment in their youthful days. A plank bridge, which Bellston had caused to be thrown over the stream during his residence with her in the manor house, was now again removed, and all was just the same as in Nicholas's time, when he had been accustomed to wade across on the edge of the cascade and come up to her like a merman from the deep. Here on the felled trunk, which still lay rotting in its old place, they would now sit, gazing at the descending sheet of water, with its never-ending sarcastic hiss at their baffled attempts to make themselves one flesh. Returning to the house they would sit down together to tea, after which, and the confidential chat that accompanied it, he walked home by the declining light. This proceeding became as periodic as an astronomical recurrence. Twice a week he came—all through that winter, all through the spring following, through the summer, through the autumn, the next winter, the next year, and the next, till an appreciable span of human life had passed by. Bellston still tarried.
Years and years Nic walked that way, at this interval of three days, from his house in the neighbouring town; and in every instance the aforesaid order of things was customary; and still on his arrival the form of words went on—
So they grew older. The dim shape of that third one stood continually between them; they could not displace it; neither, on the other hand, could it effectually part them. They were in close communion, yet not indissolubly united; lovers, yet never growing cured of love. By the time that the fifth year of Nic's visiting had arrived, on about the five-hundredth occasion of his presence at her tea-table, he noticed that the bleaching process which had begun upon his own locks was also spreading to hers. He told her so, and they laughed. Yet she was in good health—a condition of suspense, which would have half-killed a man, had been endured by her without complaint, and even with composure.
One day, when these years of abeyance had numbered seven, they had strolled as usual as far as the waterfall, whose faint roar formed a sort of calling voice sufficient in the circumstances to direct their listlessness. Pausing there, he looked up at her face and said, 'Why should we not try again, Christine? We are legally at liberty to do so now. Nothing venture, nothing have.'
But she would not. Perhaps a little primness of idea was by this time ousting the native daring of Christine. 'What he has done once he can do twice,' she said. 'He is not dead, and if we were to marry he would say we had "forced his hand," as he said before, and duly reappear.'
Some years after, when Christine was about fifty, and Nicholas fifty-three, a new trouble of a minor kind arrived. He found an inconvenience in traversing the distance between their two houses, particularly in damp weather, the years he had spent in trying climates abroad having sown the seeds of rheumatism, which made a journey undesirable on inclement days, even in a carriage. He told her of this new difficulty, as he did of everything.
'If you could live nearer,' suggested she.
Unluckily there was no house near. But Nicholas, though not a millionaire, was a man of means; he obtained a small piece of ground on lease at the nearest spot to, her home that it could be so obtained, which was on the opposite brink of the Froom, this river forming the boundary of the Froom-Everard manor; and here he built a cottage large enough for his wants. This took time, and when he got into it he found its situation a great comfort to him. He was not more than five hundred yards from her now, and gained a new pleasure in feeling that all sounds which greeted his ears, in the day or in the night, also fell upon hers—the caw of a particular rook, the voice of a neighbouring nightingale, the whistle of a local breeze, or the purl of the fall in the meadows, whose rush was a material rendering of time's ceaseless scour over themselves, wearing them away without uniting them.
Christine's missing husband was taking shape as a myth among the surrounding residents; but he was still believed in as corporeally imminent by Christine herself, and also, in a milder degree, by Nicholas. For a curious unconsciousness of the long lapse of time since his revelation of himself seemed to affect the pair. There had been no passing events to serve as chronological milestones, and the evening on which she had kept supper waiting for him still loomed out with startling nearness in their retrospects.
In the seventeenth pensive year of this their parallel march towards the common bourne, a labourer came in a hurry one day to Nicholas's house and brought strange tidings. The present owner of Froom-Everard—a non-resident—had been improving his property in sundry ways, and one of these was by dredging the stream which, in the course of years, had become choked with mud and weeds in its passage through the Sallows. The process necessitated a reconstruction of the waterfall. When the river had been pumped dry for this purpose, the skeleton of a man had been found jammed among the piles supporting the edge of the fall. Every particle of his flesh and clothing had been eaten by fishes or abraded to nothing by the water, but the relics of a gold watch remained, and on the inside of the case was engraved the name of the maker of her husband's watch, which she well remembered.
Nicholas, deeply agitated, hastened down to the place and examined the remains attentively, afterwards going across to Christine, and breaking the discovery to her. She would not come to view the skeleton, which lay extended on the grass, not a finger or toe-bone missing, so neatly had the aquatic operators done their work. Conjecture was directed to the question how Bellston had got there; and conjecture alone could give an explanation.
It was supposed that, on his way to call upon her, he had taken a short cut through the grounds, with which he was naturally very familiar, and coming to the fall under the trees had expected to find there the plank which, during his occupancy of the premises with Christine and her father, he had placed there for crossing into the meads on the other side instead of wading across as Nicholas had done. Before discovering its removal he had probably overbalanced himself, and was thus precipitated into the cascade, the piles beneath the descending current wedging him between them like the prongs of a pitchfork, and effectually preventing the rising of his body, over which the weeds grew. Such was the reasonable supposition concerning the discovery; but proof was never forthcoming.
'To think,' said Nicholas, when the remains had been decently interred, and he was again sitting with Christine—though not beside the waterfall—'to-think how we visited him! How we sat over him, hours and hours, gazing at him, bewailing our fate, when all the time he was ironically hissing at us from the spot, in an unknown tongue, that we could marry if we chose!'
She echoed the sentiment with a sigh.
'I have strange fancies,' she said. 'I suppose it must have been my husband who came back, and not some other man.'
Nicholas felt that there was little doubt. 'Besides—the skeleton' he said.
'Yes. . . . If it could not have been another person's—but no, of course it was he.'
'You might have married me on the day we had fixed, and there would have been no impediment. You would now have been seventeen years my wife, and we might have had tall sons and daughters.'
'It might have been so,' she murmured.
'Well—is it still better late than never?'
The question was one which had become complicated by the increasing years of each. Their wills were somewhat enfeebled now, their hearts sickened of tender enterprise by hope too long deferred. Having postponed the consideration of their course till a year after the interment of Bellston, each seemed less disposed than formerly to take it up again.
'Is it worth while, after so many years?' she said to him. 'We are fairly happy as we are—perhaps happier than we should be in any other relation, seeing what old people we have grown. The weight is gone from our lives; the shadow no longer divides us: then let us be joyful together as we are, dearest Nic, in the days of our vanity; and
With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.'
He fell in with these views of hers to some extent. But occasionally he ventured to urge her to reconsider the case, though he spoke not with the fervour of his earlier years.
Autumn 1887.
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Quantification of the smoking-associated cancer risk with rate advancement periods: meta-analysis of individual participant data from cohorts of the CHANCES consortium
José Manuel Ordóñez-Mena1,2,
Ben Schöttker1,2,
Ute Mons2,
Mazda Jenab3,
Heinz Freisling3,
Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita4,5,6,7,
Mark G. O'Doherty8,
Angela Scott8,
Frank Kee8,
Bruno H. Stricker9,
Albert Hofman9,
Catherine E. de Keyser9,
Rikje Ruiter9,
Stefan Söderberg10,
Pekka Jousilahti11,
Kari Kuulasmaa11,
Neal D. Freedman12,
Tom Wilsgaard13,
Lisette CPGM de Groot14,
Ellen Kampman14,
Niclas Håkansson15,
Nicola Orsini15,
Alicja Wolk15,
Lena Maria Nilsson16,
Anne Tjønneland17,
Andrzej Pająk18,
Sofia Malyutina19,
Růžena Kubínová20,
Abdonas Tamosiunas21,
Martin Bobak22,
Michail Katsoulis23,
Philippos Orfanos24,
Paolo Boffetta23,25,
Antonia Trichopoulou23,24 &
Hermann Brenner1,2,26,27
on behalf of the Consortium on Health and Ageing: Network of Cohorts in Europe and the United States (CHANCES)
BMC Medicine volume 14, Article number: 62 (2016) Cite this article
Smoking is the most important individual risk factor for many cancer sites but its association with breast and prostate cancer is not entirely clear. Rate advancement periods (RAPs) may enhance communication of smoking related risk to the general population. Thus, we estimated RAPs for the association of smoking exposure (smoking status, time since smoking cessation, smoking intensity, and duration) with total and site-specific (lung, breast, colorectal, prostate, gastric, head and neck, and pancreatic) cancer incidence and mortality.
This is a meta-analysis of 19 population-based prospective cohort studies with individual participant data for 897,021 European and American adults. For each cohort we calculated hazard ratios (HRs) for the association of smoking exposure with cancer outcomes using Cox regression adjusted for a common set of the most important potential confounding variables. RAPs (in years) were calculated as the ratio of the logarithms of the HRs for a given smoking exposure variable and age. Meta-analyses were employed to summarize cohort-specific HRs and RAPs.
Overall, 140,205 subjects had a first incident cancer, and 53,164 died from cancer, during an average follow-up of 12 years. Current smoking advanced the overall risk of developing and dying from cancer by eight and ten years, respectively, compared with never smokers. The greatest advancements in cancer risk and mortality were seen for lung cancer and the least for breast cancer. Smoking cessation was statistically significantly associated with delays in the risk of cancer development and mortality compared with continued smoking.
This investigation shows that smoking, even among older adults, considerably advances, and cessation delays, the risk of developing and dying from cancer. These findings may be helpful in more effectively communicating the harmful effects of smoking and the beneficial effect of smoking cessation.
Although the global age-standardized smoking prevalence has decreased over the last 30 years, absolute numbers of smokers have increased with nearly one billion daily smokers worldwide in 2012 [1]. Today, smoking is a well-established risk factor for many common cancers [2–10]. However, associations with breast and prostate cancer are still a matter of debate [11–13]. The findings for these outcomes are often summarized with meta-analyses of published aggregate data. These are often subject to limitations regarding the estimations and conversions performed on the published data, the lack of or the variability of confounder adjustment between studies, the heterogeneity in the methodology employed, the variability of available data, and the populations included. Conducting meta-analyses of individual participant data would overcome such methodological shortcomings [14].
Standard epidemiological risk estimates, such as risk ratios, may not always be easily understood by the general population [15, 16] and might fail to properly communicate the harmful impact of smoking on cancer development and mortality. Rate advancement periods (RAPs) are designed to enhance quantification and communication of the harmful effect of smoking and the beneficial effect of quitting [17–19]. Thus, if the age at which a given level of cancer risk is reached is 65 years for never smokers and 55 years for current smokers, the RAP for current smoking would be 10 years, as the time would be advanced (or shortened) by this amount. Furthermore, if the age for that given level of risk is 59 years for those who have quit smoking for a defined time (e.g., 10-19 years) the RAP for quitting, expressed relative to current smoking, would be -4 years, as the time would be delayed by 4 years. Moreover, for cancers with available effective screening measures, RAPs may also provide useful information for a possible adaptation of the age at initiation of screening.
Therefore, we sought to quantify for the first time with RAPs the association of smoking exposure with total and site-specific cancer incidence and mortality using data from 19 population-based cohorts participating in the Consortium on Health and Aging: Network of Cohorts in Europe and the United States (CHANCES).
CHANCES is a coordinated multi-country study which aims at facilitating the harmonization of data from on-going prospective cohort studies in Europe and the USA in order to produce evidence on aging-related health characteristics and on determinants of healthy aging among the elderly in these countries (www.chancesfp7.eu) [20]. From all available participating studies in CHANCES, a total of 897,021 participants from 19 cohorts with cancer incidence/mortality data and smoking characteristics were included. Additional file 1: Table S1 provides an overview of the most important cohort characteristics. More detailed descriptions of included cohorts are openly available on the internet [21]. All included CHANCES cohorts obtained informed consent from all participants and were conducted according to the declaration of Helsinki.
Definition of endpoints
Vital status and information on the cause of death was obtained from regional or state registries for all cohorts. Cancer incidence was ascertained by active follow-up or record linkage with national/regional cancer registries for most cohorts, except the HAPIEE cohorts and the SENECA study in which follow-up for cancer incidence was not performed. The main endpoints were total cancer incidence and mortality, as defined by codes C00-C97 according to the 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). Additional endpoints were incidence and mortality of the most frequent cancers in the CHANCES data that are known to be related to smoking, i.e., head and neck (C00-16, C30-32), gastric (C16), colon and rectum (C18 -20), pancreatic (C25), and lung cancer (C34), as well as cancers for which an association with smoking has not yet been established, i.e., breast (C50) and prostate cancer (C61).
Smoking exposure assessment
Smoking status, categorized as never (reference), former, and current smoker was the main exposure and was available for all studies. Time since smoking cessation (≤9, 10 to 19, and ≥ 20 years ago) was available for all studies except for the Rotterdam study. Additionally, information on time since smoking cessation could not be harmonized for NIH-AARP and MORGAM FI studies. Current smokers were set as reference for the analyses of cancer risk with respect to time since smoking cessation. Smoking intensity (≤9, 10 to 19, or ≥ 20 smoked cigarettes per day) was available for all cohorts except SENECA. Duration of smoking (≤19, 20 to 39, or ≥ 40 years) was available for all cohorts but NIH-AARP.
For analyses with cancer mortality outcomes, we included all participants with complete information on smoking status and vital status [n = 856,039 (95 %)]. For the analyses with cancer incidence outcomes, we only included participants without a prevalent cancer [n = 803,910 (90 %)]. Participants with missing values for the covariates included in the multivariable model [n = 76,441 (9 %)] were excluded from the analysis. Other approaches to deal with missing values, such as multiple imputation, may lead to bias [22] and do not increase precision substantially when missing data are less than 10 % [23].
Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for the association of smoking exposure with cancer outcomes. We created two different models: one adjusted for age and sex only; and a multivariable model that included the most important common potential confounder variables for all endpoints that were also common to all included cohorts, i.e., age (continuous, years), sex, education (primary or less, more than primary but less than university or college, and university or college), vigorous physical activity (yes, no), history of diabetes (yes, no), BMI (continuous, kg/m2), and daily alcohol intake (continuous, g/day). In MORGAM Finland and Sweden cohorts physical activity was not available and therefore not adjusted for.
RAPs for a given smoking exposure variable ("smok_expo") were calculated from the HRs for that given smoking exposure variable and the HR for age obtained in the Cox models by applying the following formula: RAPsmok_expo = (log HRsmok_expo)/(log HRage). The calculation of their 95 % confidence intervals has been described in more detail elsewhere [24]. This calculation of the RAPs assumes that the risk of the disease exponentially increases with age, which is a fair assumption for cancer and is commonly made in Cox regression models including age as a linear term.
For both HRs and RAPs, sex- and age-stratified (younger or older than 65 years) analyses were conducted. Risk estimates for each cohort were derived from the individual participant data using a common analysis-script that runs in SAS, version 9.3 (Cary, NC, USA).
In order to allow for the variability of the true effect size between cohorts, meta-analyses with random effects models were used to derive summary HRs and RAPs [25]. Heterogeneity was tested for significance using Cochran's Q test and quantified by the I2 estimate [26]. It was regarded as negligible if not significant (P < 0.05) or I2 < 30 %. Otherwise, if significant (P < 0.05), it was classified as moderate (30 % < I2 < 50 %), substantial (50 % < I2 < 75 %), or considerable (I2 > 75 %). When the heterogeneity was considerable, stratification of the meta-analyses according to cohort characteristics was carried out in order to examine possible sources of heterogeneity. Meta-analyses and tests of heterogeneity were derived in Microsoft Excel 2010 (Redmond, WA, USA) using the formulas described by Borenstein et al. [27]. Dose-response relations were assessed by meta-analysis for dose-response data using the Greenland and Longnecker method [28] and a random effects model as described elsewhere [29]. All statistical tests were two-sided using an alpha level of 0.05. This report was prepared in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines for the reporting of meta-analyses with individual participant data studies [30].
Socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics of the participants at baseline across cohorts are shown in Table 1. The average age of participants was 60 years (ranging from 46 to 74 years). The proportion of men was similar in most cohorts, except for cohorts of men (COSM and MORGAM NI) or women (EPIC-Elderly NL and SMC). Despite variation across cohorts, the majority of participants were overweight, had an education under the university level (except NIH-AARP), and low consumption of alcohol. In total, 346,559 (39 %) participants were never smokers, 368,808 (41 %) former smokers, and 140,672 (16 %) current smokers.
Table 1 Socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics at baseline of the participants included for cohorts in the CHANCES consortium
Association of smoking exposure with total and respiratory tract cancer incidence and mortality
The differences in risk estimates between the model adjusted only for age and sex and the multivariable model were lower than 10 % (data not shown); thus, only the results for the multivariable model are reported in detail. Smoking status was associated with increasing total, lung, and head and neck cancer incidence and mortality (Table 2). RAPs for current smokers ranged from 7.9 to 30.0 years and were stronger for cancer mortality than incidence outcomes, with the exception of lung cancer. Longer time since smoking cessation was associated with decreasing cancer incidence and mortality, with largest risk reductions for lung cancer followed by head and neck cancer and lastly total cancer. Higher smoking intensity and duration were associated with larger advancements in total, lung, and head and neck cancer risk and mortality (Additional file 2: Table S2).
Table 2 Associations of smoking status and time since smoking cessation with total, lung, head and neck cancer incidence and mortalitya,b
Overall, considerable heterogeneity between studies was observed (I2 > 75 %), particularly for total and lung cancer outcomes. Risk estimates were largest in the United States, followed by Eastern Europe, and then by other regions of Europe (Additional files 3 and 4: Tables S3 and S4 for total and lung cancer, respectively). Larger effects were seen with shorter follow-ups, more recent initiation of the study, and among studies with lower numbers of cases.
Association of smoking exposure with digestive tract cancer incidence and mortality
Smoking status was also associated with higher colorectal, gastric, and pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality (Table 3). RAPs for colorectal, gastric, and pancreatic cancer incidence were similar to those for mortality. Being a current smoker (compared with never smoking) significantly advanced the risk of developing colorectal, gastric, and pancreatic cancer by 3.6, 5.6, and 7.6 years, respectively. Quitting smoking (compared with not quitting) significantly delayed the risk of development of, and death from, colorectal (up to 3.2 years), gastric (up to 5.6 years), and pancreatic cancer (up to 10.4 years). Higher smoking intensity and duration were in most cases associated with larger advancements in digestive tract cancer risk and mortality (Additional file 5: Table S5). The degree of heterogeneity between studies in the meta-analyses was mostly negligible (P > 0.05 and I2 < 30 %).
Table 3 Associations of smoking status and time since smoking cessation with colorectal, gastric and pancreatic cancer incidence and mortalitya,b
Association of smoking exposure with sex-specific cancer incidence and mortality
Smoking status was significantly associated with moderate increases in breast cancer incidence and mortality, although RAPs suggested larger advancements in the risk of both outcomes (Table 4). Smoking intensity was furthermore tentatively associated with breast cancer incidence and more strongly associated with breast cancer mortality (Additional file 6: Table S6).
Table 4 Associations of smoking status and time since smoking cessation with sex-specific cancer incidence and mortalitya,b
Smoking status was associated with lower prostate cancer incidence, but associated with higher prostate cancer mortality (although not reaching statistical significance). RAPs for current smokers suggested a 2.9 year delay in prostate cancer risk compared with never smokers; but an advancement of 1.9 years in the risk of dying from prostate cancer. Overall, time since smoking cessation was not significantly associated with prostate cancer outcomes, but a 1.7 year delay in the risk of dying from prostate cancer was observed among those who stopped smoking more than 20 years previously, compared with those who were still smokers at the initiation of the study. Smoking intensity was also inversely associated with prostate cancer incidence but associated with increased mortality (Additional file 6: Table S6).
Sex- and age-stratified analyses of smoking exposure and cancer incidence and mortality
Overall, smoking status was associated with cancer incidence and mortality for all sites with few differences between men and women (Fig. 1). Only for lung and gastric cancer incidence, stronger risks were observed among former or current smoking men when compared with women. In both men and women, longer time since smoking cessation was associated with significant decreases in total, lung, and pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality (Fig. 2). RAPs were homogeneous among sexes.
Sex-stratified association of smoking status with cancer incidence and mortality. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for cancer incidence and mortality are depicted on the vertical axis for current and former smokers (never smokers as reference). Cohort-specific HRs and 95 % CIs were pooled with meta-analyses separately for men (black squares) and women (white squares)
Sex-stratified association of time since smoking cessation with cancer incidence and mortality. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for cancer incidence and mortality are depicted on the vertical axis for smoking cessation ≤ 9 years ago, 10–19 years ago, or ≥ 20 years ago (current smokers as reference). Cohort-specific HRs and 95 % CIs were pooled with meta-analyses separately for men (black squares) and women (white squares)
Overall, the associations of smoking status and time since smoking cessation with cancer outcomes were similar for younger and older adults (under and above 65 years, respectively). Only for lung cancer incidence and mortality, a clearly larger relative increase in cancer risk among current smokers (Fig. 3), and a larger relative reduction in cancer risk with longer time since smoking cessation (Fig. 4) was observed among younger compared with older adults. The results with RAPs were homogeneous among age groups.
Age-stratified association of smoking status with cancer incidence and mortality. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for cancer incidence and mortality are depicted on the vertical axis for current and former smokers (never smokers as reference). Cohort-specific HRs and 95 % CIs were pooled with meta-analyses separately for older than 65 years old (black circles) and younger than 65 years old (white circles)
Age-stratified association of time since smoking cessation with cancer incidence and mortality. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for cancer incidence and mortality are depicted on the vertical axis for smoking cessation ≤ 9 years ago, 10–19 years ago, or ≥ 20 years ago (current smokers as reference). Cohort-specific HRs and 95%CIs were pooled with meta-analyses separately for older than 65 years old (black circles) and younger than 65 years old (white circles)
In this large individual participant meta-analysis of 19 cohort studies including data from 897,021 adults from Europe and the United States, we observed that current smoking advanced the risk of developing and dying from any cancer by almost 8 and 10 years, respectively, compared with never smokers. The benefit of quitting was observed both immediately and in the long run with as much as 2 years delay in the risk of developing and dying from cancer in those who quit only less than 10 years ago. This benefit increased to almost 8 years delay in the risk of cancer death among those who quit more than 20 years ago.
Overall, relative risk estimates for smoking were larger for cancer mortality than for cancer incidence. There may be two main explanations for this finding: first, smoking is more strongly associated with cancers that have a poor prognosis, such as lung cancer. Second, smoking also adversely affects prognosis after cancer diagnosis as underlined in the 2014 Report of the Surgeon General [2]. The association of smoking exposure with the different cancer sites greatly varied in magnitude, with HRs and RAPs being largest for lung, followed by head and neck, pancreatic, gastric, colorectal, and breast cancer, in this declining order. Inconsistent associations of smoking exposure with prostate cancer incidence and mortality were observed.
Large heterogeneity between studies was observed for total and lung cancer, the main contributor being the study location, with larger effect sizes observed in North America than in Europe. Such geographical difference has previously been described for lung cancer [4]. Other cohort characteristics, such as the year of initiation of the study and the length of follow-up, may have also contributed to the heterogeneity although to a lesser degree. In particular, stratification of our analyses by sex or age did not reduce the heterogeneity. For all other cancer sites, heterogeneity was largely negligible.
The magnitudes of the effects observed were comparable to those previously seen in the literature, especially for lung [4], head and neck [7], gastric [8], and pancreatic cancer [9, 10]. For colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer there has been more debate as to whether smoking is a true risk factor. We will therefore discuss these cancer sites in the following paragraphs.
Previous studies on colorectal cancer have mostly focused on the impact of smoking on incidence [5]. We provide substantial evidence that cigarette smoking increases colorectal cancer mortality. In previous meta-analyses, larger increases in risk among former smokers than current smokers were often observed suggesting a long lasting effect of smoking [5, 6]. Although in our study current smokers had increased colorectal cancer incidence and mortality, risk reductions were not visible for time since smoking cessation shorter than 20 years, which reinforces the before-mentioned suggestions. We also observed increased colorectal cancer incidence and mortality with greater smoking intensity and duration, which further suggests a causal role of smoking in colorectal cancer development. Furthermore, little to no variation by sex and age was observed, therefore suggesting that the impact of cigarette smoking and time since smoking cessation on colorectal cancer is independent of sex and age.
Previous studies have reported weak associations of tobacco smoking with breast cancer incidence which is in line with our findings [11, 31–33]. There has been debate as to the extent to which the effect of smoking on breast cancer incidence might be due to confounding by alcohol consumption [31–33]. While some have observed increased breast cancer risks associated with smoking among nondrinkers [31], and others among drinkers [32], a more recent analysis concluded that risk did not differ by alcohol consumption [33]. In our analyses we observed statistically significant advancements in the risk of breast cancer incidence and mortality among current and former smokers compared with never smokers, even after adjusting for alcohol consumption. However, no consistent associations with time since cessation, smoking intensity, and duration were observed.
Our finding that current smokers had lower prostate cancer incidence than never smokers is consistent with reports from previous studies [13, 34]. However, this apparent protective effect seems to be confined only to low-grade/localized prostate tumors, whereas higher-grade/advanced prostate tumors were directly associated with smoking [13]. We observed higher prostate cancer mortality among current smokers and an advancement of nearly 2 years of the risk of prostate cancer death among current smokers. We also observed a delay in the risk of prostate cancer mortality by nearly 2 years after 20 years since smoking cessation. Furthermore, both higher smoking intensity and duration were associated with increased prostate cancer mortality. A plausible explanation for the apparent differences between prostate cancer incidence and mortality may be that current smokers might be less likely to seek medical attention and undergo prostate cancer screening than never smokers, therefore being less often diagnosed with low-grade/localized tumors. Alternatively, mechanisms have been proposed by which cigarette smoking could protect against prostate cancer [13, 34].
Our main advantage was the availability of harmonized individual participant data for the estimation of cohort-specific risk estimates. This allowed us to define and use similar categories of exposure, similar disease endpoints, and common multivariable models among the included studies. Our investigation also included only prospective cohort studies, which reduces the potential of biases, often of concern in retrospective studies, such as recall and selection bias. Finally, due to the large sample size of our analyses we were able to assess the association of smoking exposure with cancer endpoints among older adults (>65 years) and thereby to provide specific evidence that the detrimental effects of smoking and the benefits of cessation prevail even at old age.
Our main limitation refers to the assessment of smoking status, which relies on the validity of the participants' responses in the questionnaires. Since we only employed baseline data, some of the current smokers at baseline may have quit during follow-up, thus cancer risk among current smokers may have been underestimated. On the other hand, some quitters may have resumed smoking which could have led to an overestimation of cancer risk among former smokers. Although we adjusted for the most important common confounders, due to the lack of relevant covariates in some of the included cohorts, the possibility of residual confounding cannot be excluded. Dietary variables or family history of cancer have been related to smoking status [35–37]. However, due to their weak effects on cancer risk, their influence in the association of smoking with cancer is expected to be very small. Finally, despite our large sample size we could only focus on the most common cancer sites across all included cohorts.
We showed that smoking increases cancer incidence and mortality in all sites (except for prostate cancer incidence) and that quitting smoking is still beneficial at old age. Lastly, although there have been other attempts to quantify the benefits of smoking cessation in years by which the excess in cancer risk is decreased [38, 39], we have shown for the first time with RAPs how smoking significantly advances the risk of developing and dying from major cancers, being a better communication tool than the concept of risk alone. Risk communication is especially crucial in promoting smoking cessation and RAPs could be easier to grasp for the general public considering the benefits of quitting. RAPs are certainly less susceptible to the sort of bias highlighted by Peto [40], whereby the fact that relative risks fall after quitting implies nothing about absolute risks (which grow more slowly). Given the higher susceptibility of older adults to the harmful effects of smoking and the lack of smoking-specific public health policies aimed at this group [41, 42], the results of this study underline the need for continued and enhanced efforts to decrease tobacco smoking prevalence in Europe and the United States.
The included studies have been approved by local ethics committees: COSM: Regional Ethical Review Board at Karolinska Institutet (Stockholm, Sweden); EPIC-Elderly: Ethics Committee of the International Agency for Research on Cancer and at each participating centre; EPIC-Elderly DK: The National Committee on Health Research Ethics; EPIC-Elderly ES: Comité de Ética de Investigación Clínica (CEIC); EPIC-Elderly GR: ethics committees of the University of Athens Medical School and the Hellenic Health Foundation; EPIC-Elderly NL: Institutional Review Board of the University Medical Center Utrecht and the Medical Ethical Committee of TNO Nutrition and Food Research; ESTHER: Medical Faculty of the University of Heidelberg and the Medical Association of Saarland; HAPIEE: University College London (Great Britain), National Institute of Public Health (Prague, Czech Republic), Jagiellonian University (Krakow, Poland), and Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (Kaunas, Lithuania); MORGAM FI: 1980s: no ethics approval required for observational studies (but current laws allow the use of these data for public health research), 1990s: Ethics committee of the National Public Health Institute (KTL), 2002: Ethics Committee of Epidemiology and Public Health in Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa; MORGAM NI: Queen's University of Belfast Ethical Committee (Belfast, Northern Ireland); MORGAM SE: Research Ethics Committee of Umeå University (Umeå, Sweden); NIH-AARP: Special Studies Institutional Review Board of the NCI; RES: Erasmus University Medical Centre (Rotterdam, the Netherlands); SENECA: Local ethics approval was obtained by the SENECA participating centres; SMC: Regional Ethical Board at Karolinska Institutet (Stockholm, Sweden); TROMSØ: Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics and the Data Inspectorate of Norway; VIP: Regional Ethical Review Board of Umeå University (Umeå, Sweden).
Informed consent has been obtained from all participants included in the analyzed studies, and the studies are being conducted in accordance with the declaration of Helsinki.
The CHANCES participating cohorts' data are available only to the collaborating scientists from the respective CHANCES participating centers. The data may be available upon request for some of the participating centers but not for all due to relevant data protection laws.
CHANCES:
Consortium on Health and Aging: Network of Cohorts in Europe and the United States
COSM:
Cohort OF Swedish Men
CZ:
DK:
EPIC:
European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition
ESTHER:
Epidemiologische Studie zu Chancen der Verhütung, Früherkennung und optimierten Therapie chronischer Erkrankungen in der älteren Bevölkerung (German)
GR:
HAPIEE:
Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial Factors in Eastern Europe
HR:
Hazard ratio
International Classification of Diseases
LT:
MORGAM:
Monica Risk, Genetics, Archiving and Monograph, which included the cohorts
MORGAM FI:
FINRISK Study (Finland)
MORGAM NI:
PRIME Belfast Study (Northern Ireland)
MORGAM SE:
Northern Sweden Study (Norrbotten county only)
NIH-AARP:
National Institute of Health – American Association of Retired Persons
NL:
RAPs:
Risk or rate advancement period
RS:
Rotterdam Study
RU:
SENECA:
Survey in Europe on Nutrition and the Elderly a Concerned Action
SMC:
Swedish Mammography Cohort
VIP:
Västerbotten Intervention Programme
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We would like to thank Konstantinos Tsiotas (EPIC-Elderly), Julian Gardiner (HAPIEE), Jukka Kontto (MORGAM), Jane Wang (NIH-AARP) and John Hutilainen (VIP) for the preparation of the variables and assistance with the data analyses.
This work was supported by the FP7 framework program of DG-RESEARCH in the European Commission (Grant no. 242244). The CHANCES project (www.chancesfp7.eu) is coordinated by the Hellenic Health Foundation, Greece. The Cohort of Swedish Men (COSM) and the Swedish Mammography Cohort (SMC) were supported by research grants from the Swedish Research Council and the Swedish Cancer Foundation. The ESTHER study was funded by the Baden-Württemberg state Ministry of Science, Research and Arts (Stuttgart, Germany), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Berlin, Germany), and the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (Berlin, Germany). The EPIC Greece study was funded by the Hellenic Health Foundation. The EPIC Netherlands study was funded by European Commission (DG SANCO), Dutch Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sports (VWS), The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the Netherlands Cancer Registry (NKR), the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZONMW), the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and Statistics Netherlands. The EPIC Spain study was supported by Health Research Fund (FIS) of the Spanish Ministry of Health RTICC 'Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Cáncer (Grant numbers: Rd06/0020/0091 and Rd12/0036/0018), Regional Governments of Andalucía, Asturias, Basque Country, Murcia (project 6236) and Navarra, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Redes de Investigación Cooperativa (RD06/0020). The EPIC Sweden study was funded by the Swedish Cancer Society, the Swedish Scientific Council and the Regional Government of Skåne. The EPIC Denmark study was funded by the Danish Cancer Society. The HAPIEE study was funded by the Welcome Trust (064947 and 081081), the US National Institute on Ageing (R01 AG23522), and a grant from Mac Arthur Foundation. MORGAM PRIME was supported by grants from the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Merck, Sharp & Dohme-Chibret Laboratory and the Department of Health and Social Services and Personal Safety for Northern Ireland. In addition to the FP7 funding for CHANCES, the MORGAM project received funding from the European Union FP7 projects ENGAGE (HEALTH-F4-2007-201413) and BiomarCaRE (278913). This supported central coordination, workshops and part of the activities of the MORGAM Data Center at THL in Helsinki, Finland. MORGAM Participating Centers are funded by regional and national governments, research councils, charities, and other local sources. The National Institutes of Health (NIH)-AARP cohort was funded by the Intramural Program of the National Cancer Institute. The Rotterdam Study (RS) is supported by the Erasmus Medical Center and Erasmus University Rotterdam; the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research; the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development; the Research Institute for Diseases in the Elderly; the Netherlands Genomics Initiative; the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science; the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sports; the European Commission; and the Municipality of Rotterdam. The SENECA study was funded as a Concerted Action within the EURONUT programme of the EU. The TROMSØ Study was funded by the Norwegian Research Council and performed by the University of Tromsø in cooperation with the National Health Screening Service. The Västerbotten Intervention Program (VIP) was supported by grants from the Västerbotten County Council, the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research, and the Swedish Research Council. The study's funders had no influence on the design of the study, analysis and interpretation of the data, writing, review, approval or submission of the manuscript.
Network Aging Research (NAR), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
José Manuel Ordóñez-Mena, Ben Schöttker & Hermann Brenner
Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 581, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
José Manuel Ordóñez-Mena, Ben Schöttker, Ute Mons & Hermann Brenner
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
Mazda Jenab & Heinz Freisling
Department of Chronic Diseases, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, the School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
Department of Social & Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
UKCRC Centre of Excellence for Public Health, Queens University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
Mark G. O'Doherty, Angela Scott & Frank Kee
Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Bruno H. Stricker, Albert Hofman, Catherine E. de Keyser & Rikje Ruiter
Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Cardiology, and Heart Center, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
Stefan Söderberg
National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland
Pekka Jousilahti & Kari Kuulasmaa
Nutritional Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
Neal D. Freedman
Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
Tom Wilsgaard
Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Lisette CPGM de Groot & Ellen Kampman
Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Niclas Håkansson, Nicola Orsini & Alicja Wolk
Nutritional Research, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, and Arcum, Arctic Research Centre at Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
Lena Maria Nilsson
Diet, Genes and Environment, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
Anne Tjønneland
Jagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Health Sciences, Krakow, Poland
Andrzej Pająk
Institute of Internal and Preventive Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia
Sofia Malyutina
National Institute of Public Health, Prague, Czech Republic
Růžena Kubínová
Institute of Cardiology of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
Abdonas Tamosiunas
Department Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
Martin Bobak
Hellenic Health Foundation, Athens, Greece
Michail Katsoulis, Paolo Boffetta & Antonia Trichopoulou
University of Athens, Medical School, Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Athens, Greece
Philippos Orfanos & Antonia Trichopoulou
Institute for Translational Epidemiology and Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
Paolo Boffetta
German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
Hermann Brenner
Division of Preventive Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
José Manuel Ordóñez-Mena
Ben Schöttker
Ute Mons
Mazda Jenab
Heinz Freisling
Mark G. O'Doherty
Angela Scott
Frank Kee
Bruno H. Stricker
Albert Hofman
Catherine E. de Keyser
Rikje Ruiter
Pekka Jousilahti
Kari Kuulasmaa
Lisette CPGM de Groot
Ellen Kampman
Niclas Håkansson
Nicola Orsini
Alicja Wolk
Michail Katsoulis
Philippos Orfanos
Antonia Trichopoulou
Correspondence to Hermann Brenner.
JMOM designed the analyses, analyzed the data and conducted the meta-analyses. JMOM and HB wrote the first draft of the manuscript. BS, UM, HF, BBdM, MGOD, FK, NDF, NH, NO, AW, LMN, MB, MK, PO, PB and AT critically reviewed the manuscript. PB and AT coordinated the CHANCES Consortium. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. José Manuel Ordóñez-Mena is the guarantor of this work.
Main characteristics of cohorts participating in the current CHANCES investigation (Table S1). (DOC 56 kb)
Associations of smoking intensity and duration with total and respiratory (DOC 89 kb)
Stratification of meta-analyses and reassessment of heterogeneity for the association of smoking status with total cancer incidence and mortality according to the general cohort characteristics (Table S3). (DOC 82 kb)
Stratification of meta-analyses and reassessment of heterogeneity for the association of smoking status with lung cancer incidence and mortality according to the general cohort characteristics (Table S4). (DOC 79 kb)
Associations of smoking intensity and duration with total and digestive tract cancer incidence and mortality (Table S5). (DOC 88 kb)
Associations of smoking intensity and duration with sex-specific cancer incidence and mortality (Table S6). (DOC 70 kb)
Ordóñez-Mena, J.M., Schöttker, B., Mons, U. et al. Quantification of the smoking-associated cancer risk with rate advancement periods: meta-analysis of individual participant data from cohorts of the CHANCES consortium. BMC Med 14, 62 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-016-0607-5
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Ocean City Announces 2022 Calendar of Events - America's Greatest Family Resort | Official Site of Ocean City, NJ
Home » News & Events » Events » Ocean City Announces 2022 Calendar of Events
Ocean City Announces 2022 Calendar of Events
What's Happening in Ocean City, NJ 1/5/22
Save the Dates for All Your Favorites
Ocean City greeted the new year in style with spectacular First Night and First Day celebrations, and the city is planning a full calendar of special events for 2022.
It's not too early to start planning for family fun in the new year, including all of the biggest annual events.
The city's Martin Luther King Jr. Ceremony will kick things off and bring the community together to honor Dr. King's legacy on Monday, Jan. 17. The event will start at noon and move to the Ocean City Music Pier this year.
The spring season opens with Girls Weekend from April 1 to April 3, and the OC Con Comic Book and Memorabilia Show on April 2.
The madcap Doo Dah Parade falls on April 9 this year and will feature the usual brigade of basset hounds. The Mr. Mature America Pageant returns on that evening of April 9 and caps off a day dedicated to humor.
The Great Egg Hunts on April 9 and April 16 will follow the same new format implemented this year – with children invited to stop by participating boardwalk stores in their search for eggs and treats.
After two cancellations during the pandemic, the Spring Block Party returns on May 14. Because Mother's Day falls on May 8 this year, the popular event is a week later than usual, which should make for great weather. The Fall Block Party is on for Oct. 8 with fireworks scheduled for 9 p.m. that evening.
Night in Venice – Ocean City's premier summer event – is set for Saturday, July 23. Look for announcements soon on this year's theme.
The Baby Parade will return for the 112th time on Thursday, Aug. 11.
Fall events include the Ocean City Airport Festival and Parachute Pyrotechnic Show on Sept. 17 with the Boardwalk Aerobatic Air Show on Sept. 18.
If part of your New Year's resolution is to get back in running shape, the OCNJ Half Marathon on Oct. 2 is a great race and a great goal.
After a successful debut in 2021, Dog Day on the Boardwalk and the Humane Society's Howl-O-Ween Parade will return on Oct. 22.
Be sure to check back throughout the year for additions and updates to our event calendar.
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ASV Bible (iiKgs.9)
« Prev 2 Kings 9 Next »
9 1And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead. 2And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber. 3Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith Jehovah, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not. 4So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. 5And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of us all? And he said, To thee, O captain. 6And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of Jehovah, even over Israel. 7And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Jehovah, at the hand of Jezebel. 8For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab every man-child, and him that is shut up and him that is left at large in Israel. 9And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. 10And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.
11Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man and what his talk was. 12And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, I have anointed thee king over Israel. 13Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew the trumpet, saying, Jehu is king.
14So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram was keeping Ramoth-gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria; 15but king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, If this be your mind, then let none escape and go forth out of the city, to go to tell it in Jezreel. 16So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.
17Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace? 18So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not back. 19Then he sent out a second on horseback, who came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. 20And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not back: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.
21And Joram said, Make ready. And they made ready his chariot. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu, and found him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many? 23And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah. 24And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and smote Joram between his arms; and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot. 25Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, Jehovah laid this burden upon him: 26Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith Jehovah; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith Jehovah. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of Jehovah.
27But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden-house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot: and they smote him at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there. 28And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David.
29And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah. 30And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and attired her head, and looked out at the window. 31And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Is it peace, thou Zimri, thy master's murderer? 32And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. 33And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down; and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trod her under foot. 34And when he was come in, he did eat and drink; and he said, See now to this cursed woman, and bury her; for she is a king's daughter. 35And they went to bury her; but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. 36Wherefore they came back, and told him. And he said, This is the word of Jehovah, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall the dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel; 37and the body of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel, so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.
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We are very delighted that you have shown interest in our enterprise. Data protection is of a particularly high priority for the management of AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. The use of the Internet pages of AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. is possible without any indication of personal data; however, if a data subject wants to use special enterprise services via our website, processing of personal data could become necessary. If the processing of personal data is necessary and there is no statutory basis for such processing, we generally obtain consent from the data subject.
The processing of personal data, such as the name, address, e-mail address, or telephone number of a data subject shall always be in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and in accordance with the country-specific data protection regulations applicable to AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o.. By means of this data protection declaration, our enterprise would like to inform the general public of the nature, scope, and purpose of the personal data we collect, use and process. Furthermore, data subjects are informed, by means of this data protection declaration, of the rights to which they are entitled.
As the controller, AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. has implemented numerous technical and organizational measures to ensure the most complete protection of personal data processed through this website. However, Internet-based data transmissions may in principle have security gaps, so absolute protection may not be guaranteed. For this reason, every data subject is free to transfer personal data to us via alternative means, e.g. by telephone.
The data protection declaration of AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. is based on the terms used by the European legislator for the adoption of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Our data protection declaration should be legible and understandable for the general public, as well as our customers and business partners. To ensure this, we would like to first explain the terminology used.
a.Personal data
b.Data subject
c.Processing
d.Restriction of processing
e.Profiling
f.Pseudonymisation
g.Controller or controller responsible for the processing
h.Processor
i.Recipient
j.Third party
k.Consent
AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o.
Ivanska Cesta 30/B
Phone: +421 2 208 50 590
Website: www.acg-air.com
Data Protection Coordinators / Officers
Any data subject may, at any time, contact our Data Protection Coordinators / Officers directly with all questions and suggestions concerning data protection.
Jana Lehotova
[email protected]
The Internet pages of AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. use cookies. Cookies are text files that are stored in a computer system via an Internet browser.
Through the use of cookies, AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. can provide the users of this website with more user-friendly services that would not be possible without the cookie setting.
The website of AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. collects a series of general data and information when a data subject or automated system calls up the website. This general data and information are stored in the server log files. Collected may be (1) the browser types and versions used, (2) the operating system used by the accessing system, (3) the website from which an accessing system reaches our website (so-called referrers), (4) the sub-websites, (5) the date and time of access to the Internet site, (6) an Internet protocol address (IP address), (7) the Internet service provider of the accessing system, and (8) any other similar data and information that may be used in the event of attacks on our information technology systems.
When using these general data and information, AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. does not draw any conclusions about the data subject. Rather, this information is needed to (1) deliver the content of our website correctly, (2) optimize the content of our website as well as its advertisement, (3) ensure the long-term viability of our information technology systems and website technology, and (4) provide law enforcement authorities with the information necessary for criminal prosecution in case of a cyber-attack. Therefore, AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. analyzes anonymously collected data and information statistically, with the aim of increasing the data protection and data security of our enterprise, and to ensure an optimal level of protection for the personal data we process. The anonymous data of the server log files are stored separately from all personal data provided by a data subject.
The website of AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. contains information that enables a quick electronic contact to our enterprise, as well as direct communication with us, which also includes a general address of the so-called electronic mail (e-mail address). If a data subject contacts the controller by e-mail or via a contact form, the personal data transmitted by the data subject are automatically stored. Such personal data transmitted on a voluntary basis by a data subject to the data controller are stored for the purpose of processing or contacting the data subject. There is no transfer of this personal data to third parties.
a.Right of confirmation
b.Right of access
c.Right to rectification
d.Right to erasure (Right to be forgotten)
If one of the aforementioned reasons applies, and a data subject wishes to request the erasure of personal data stored by AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o., he or she may, at any time, contact any employee of the controller. An employee of AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. shall promptly ensure that the erasure request is complied with immediately.
Where the controller has made personal data public and is obliged pursuant to Article 17(1) to erase the personal data, the controller, taking account of available technology and the cost of implementation, shall take reasonable steps, including technical measures, to inform other controllers processing the personal data that the data subject has requested erasure by such controllers of any links to, or copy or replication of, those personal data, as far as processing is not required. An employees of AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. will arrange the necessary measures in individual cases.
e.Right of restriction of processing
If one of the aforementioned conditions is met, and a data subject wishes to request the restriction of the processing of personal data stored by AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o., he or she may at any time contact any employee of the controller. The employee of AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. will arrange the restriction of the processing.
f.Right to data portability
In order to assert the right to data portability, the data subject may at any time contact any employee of AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o..
g.Right to object
AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. shall no longer process the personal data in the event of the objection, unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override the interests, rights and freedoms of the data subject, or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
If AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. processes personal data for direct marketing purposes, the data subject shall have the right to object at any time to processing of personal data concerning him or her for such marketing. This applies to profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing. If the data subject objects to AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. to the processing for direct marketing purposes, AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. will no longer process the personal data for these purposes.
In addition, the data subject has the right, on grounds relating to his or her particular situation, to object to processing of personal data concerning him or her by AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. for scientific or historical research purposes, or for statistical purposes pursuant to Article 89(1) of the GDPR, unless the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out for reasons of public interest.
In order to exercise the right to object, the data subject may contact any employee of AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o.. In addition, the data subject is free in the context of the use of information society services, and notwithstanding Directive 2002/58/EC, to use his or her right to object by automated means using technical specifications.
h.Automated individual decision-making, including profiling
If the decision (1) is necessary for entering into, or the performance of, a contract between the data subject and a data controller, or (2) it is based on the data subject's explicit consent, AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o. shall implement suitable measures to safeguard the data subject's rights and freedoms and legitimate interests, at least the right to obtain human intervention on the part of the controller, to express his or her point of view and contest the decision.
If the data subject wishes to exercise the rights concerning automated individual decision-making, he or she may, at any time, contact any employee of AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o..
i.Right to withdraw data protection consent
If the data subject wishes to exercise the right to withdraw the consent, he or she may, at any time, contact any employee of AIR CARGO GLOBAL, s.r.o..
j.Data protection for applications and the application procedures
The data controller shall collect and process the personal data of applicants for the purpose of the processing of the application procedure. The processing may also be carried out electronically. This is the case, in particular, if an applicant submits corresponding application documents by e-mail or by means of a web form on the website to the controller. If the data controller concludes an employment contract with an applicant, the submitted data will be stored for the purpose of processing the employment relationship in compliance with legal requirements. If no employment contract is concluded with the applicant by the controller, the application documents shall be automatically erased two months after notification of the refusal decision, provided that no other legitimate interests of the controller are opposed to the erasure. Other legitimate interest in this relation is, e.g. a burden of proof in a procedure under the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG).
Data protection provisions about the application and use of Adobe Analytics (Omniture) / Adobe marketing cloud
On this website, the controller has integrated components of the enterprise Adobe. Adobe Analytics (Omniture) and Adobe Marketing Cloud (hereinafter referred to as "Omniture") is an instrument that allows for more efficient online marketing and web analysis. Omniture is part of Adobe Marketing Cloud. Adobe Marketing Cloud enables real-time analysis of visitor flows on Internet sites. The real-time analysis includes project reports and allows an ad-hoc analysis of site visitors. Customer interactions are presented in such a way as to give the controller a better overview of users' online activities of this website by displaying the data in simple and interactive dashboards and converting them into reports. This enables the controller to obtain information in real-time and to identify problems that occur more quickly.
The operating company for these services is Adobe Systems Software Ireland Limited, 4-6 Riverwalk, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24, Republic of Ireland.
Omniture sets a cookie on the information technology system of the data subject (cookies have already been explained in advance, which may be read above). The controller ensures that the tracking data transferred to the Adobe data center is anonymized prior to geolocation. The anonymization is implemented by replacing the last part of the IP address. The controller has made server-sided settings, which are used to anonymize the IP address of the data subject prior to processing for geolocation and range measurement. Adobe will use the data and information obtained via our website to analyze the user behavior of the data subject on behalf of the controller. Adobe will also use the data to create reports on user activity on our behalf, as well as provide other services to our enterprise related to the use of our website. The IP address of the data subject is not merged with other personal data by Adobe.
As stated above, the data subject may, at any time, prevent the setting of cookies through our website by means of a corresponding setting of the Internet browser used, and thus permanently deny the setting of cookies. Such a setting of the Internet browser used would also prevent Omniture from setting a cookie on the information technology system of the data subject. Cookies may also be deleted by Omniture at any time via an Internet browser or other software programs.
The data subject also has the possibility of objecting to and preventing the collection of data generated by the Adobe cookie on the use of this website and the processing of this data by Adobe. For this purpose, the data subject must click on the opt-out button under the link http://www.adobe.com/de/privacy/opt-out.html, which sets an opt-out cookie. The opt-out cookie used for this purpose is placed on the information technology system used by the data subject. If the data subject deletes the cookies from his system, then the data subject must call up the link again and set a new opt-out cookie.
With the setting of the opt-out cookie, however, the possibility exists that the websites of the controller are not fully usable anymore by the data subject.
The applicable data protection provisions of Adobe may be accessed under http://www.adobe.com/privacy.html.
Data protection provisions about the application and use of Jetpack for WordPress
On this website, the controller has integrated Jetpack. Jetpack is a WordPress plug-in, which provides additional features to the operator of a website based on WordPress. Jetpack allows the Internet site operator, inter alia, an overview of the visitors of the site. By displaying related posts and publications, or the ability to share content on the page, it is also possible to increase visitor numbers. In addition, security features are integrated into Jetpack, so a Jetpack-using site is better protected against brute-force attacks. Jetpack also optimizes and accelerates the loading of images on the website.
The operating company of Jetpack Plug-Ins for WordPress is the Automattic Inc., 132 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94107, UNITED STATES. The operating enterprise uses the tracking technology created by Quantcast Inc., 201 Third Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, UNITED STATES.
Jetpack sets a cookie on the information technology system used by the data subject. The definition of cookies is explained above. With each call-up to one of the individual pages of this Internet site, which is operated by the controller and on which a Jetpack component was integrated, the Internet browser on the information technology system of the data subject is automatically prompted to submit data through the Jetpack component for analysis purposes to Automattic. During the course of this technical procedure Automattic receives data that is used to create an overview of website visits. The data obtained in this way serves the analysis of the behaviour of the data subject, which has access to the Internet page of the controller and is analyzed with the aim to optimize the website. The data collected through the Jetpack component is not used to identify the data subject without a prior obtaining of a separate express consent of the data subject. The data comes also to the notice of Quantcast. Quantcast uses the data for the same purposes as Automattic.
The data subject can, as stated above, prevent the setting of cookies through our website at any time by means of a corresponding adjustment of the web browser used and thus permanently deny the setting of cookies. Such an adjustment to the Internet browser used would also prevent Automattic/Quantcast from setting a cookie on the information technology system of the data subject. In addition, cookies already in use by Automattic/Quantcast may be deleted at any time via a web browser or other software programs.
In addition, the data subject has the possibility of objecting to a collection of data relating to a use of this Internet site that are generated by the Jetpack cookie as well as the processing of these data by Automattic/Quantcast and the chance to preclude any such. For this purpose, the data subject must press the 'opt-out' button under the link https://www.quantcast.com/opt-out/ which sets an opt-out cookie. The opt-out cookie set with this purpose is placed on the information technology system used by the data subject. If the cookies are deleted on the system of the data subject, then the data subject must call up the link again and set a new opt-out cookie.
The applicable data protection provisions of Automattic may be accessed under https://automattic.com/privacy/. The applicable data protection provisions of Quantcast can be accessed under https://www.quantcast.com/privacy/.
Provision of personal data as statutory or contractual requirement; Requirement necessary to enter into a contract; Obligation of the data subject to provide the personal data; possible consequences of failure to provide such data
The List of Plug-ins being used
1. Contact Form 7 (Contact form).
2. Popup Builder.
3. Slider Revolution (Slider Revolution slider).
4. SVG Support (Upload SVG files to the Media Library and render SVG files inline for direct styling/animation of an SVG's internal elements using CSS/JS).
5. WP Statistics (Complete Analytics and Statistics for your site!).
6. WP Super Cache (caching plugin).
7. Google maps.
This Privacy Policy has been generated by the Privacy Policy Generator of the External Data Protection Officers that was developed in cooperation with the Media Law Lawyers from WBS-LAW.
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Home › Events › Ryohei Kan Talk Session Andrew Taylor Finissage
Ryohei Kan Talk Session with Andrew Taylor & Finissage
Talk: 6.30-8.00PM
Finissage: 8.00-9.00PM
Yamamoto Keiko Rochaix is pleased to announce a talk session for the current exhibition 'As you see it' of Ryohei Kan, co-organised with the Japan Society. The artist will be in conversation with Andrew Nishiyama Taylor, a practicing architect with full insights of Japanese sensitivity and architecture.
The session will take place on the last day of the exhibition, 17th May from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.
After the session is completed, we will celebrate the end of the exhibition with the finissage reception through 9pm.
Ryohei Kan
Born 1983 in Ehime, Japan, in 1983. Lives and works in Tokyo.
Diploma Meisterschüler from the Academy of Fine Arts Munich, Germany under Prof. Florian Pumhösl. PhD and MFA, both in oil painting from the Tokyo University of the Arts. Solo exhibitions include 'In the Walls' Shiseido Gallery, Tokyo, 2017, 'Room A.EG_05', Academy of Fine Arts Munich, Munich, 2014, 'White Cube', Tokyo Wonder Site Hongo, Tokyo, 2013, and 'Black Box', Yokoi Fine Art, Tokyo 2010. Selected group exhibitions include 'Shell Artists Slection', National Art Center, Tokyo, 2018, 'The Pandora's Box: Finding the Wondrous in the Geidai Collection, The University Art Museum, The Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, 2017, 'First Attacks!', Space Wunderkammer, Tokyo, 2014, 'Tokyo Wonder Wall 2012' The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, 2012. Selected awards include; runner up, Shiseido Art Egg, 2017, Grand-prix, The 1st Makurazaki International Art Award, 2016, Judge's Award, Shell Art Award 2012, 2012. Public collections include The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts and Makurazaki Nameikan Cultural Resource Center, Makurazaki, Japan.
Andrew Nishiyama Taylor
Andrew Nishiyama Taylor is a practicing architect at Make Architects in London, and has worked on a variety of residential and commercial projects for the firm since joining in 2012. Prior to his time at Make, Andrew worked in the studio of Arata Isozaki in Tokyo on civic and cultural projects, including the design of a mobile concert hall to tour Tohoku, the northern district in Japan, in collaboration with Anish Kapoor.
Outside of practice, Andrew has been a guest tutor in architecture studios of Central Saint Martins in London and the Welsh School of Architecture in Cardiff.
The gallery would like to extend its gratitude to the Japan Society and Mr. Andrew Taylor for their support.
Yamamoto Keiko Rochaix
[email protected]
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BlogHome » Agranimo featured in CNN Chile
Agranimo featured in CNN Chile
Agranimo
"How can agriculture adapt to climate change through technology?
Global warming is a reality that is becoming more and more evident, what is not so clear is how to change to help deal with this phenomenon effectively and quickly. Agranimo is a Russian-Chilean initiative that has found what seemed unattainable, a formula that rationalises crops through real-time monitoring."- CNN Chile.
We are very excited to be featured in the CNN Chile programme that focused on the companies rooting for sustainable changes and raises very important questions: How can companies cope with the effects of climate change? What are the practical solutions available to mitigate the effects and forecast the risks?
Read the transcribed text in English
It is the music of water, fresh and abundant, typical of other times. Since 1912 the boat of the German Fountain has been sailing on an imaginary sea in the Forest Park. We are in 2019 and this has been transformed into a river of water wasted in the midst of the drought that is advancing in the country's cities and also in the countryside.
It is here that the consequences of climate change are felt more strongly than ever, with a mega-drought that has already been going on for 10 years with a 30 percent deficit in rainfall between Coquimbo and La Araucanía. As in Isla de Maipo, where despite everything they still resist the changes.
"It's always been an old-fashioned view. The person responsible for irrigation has been doing irrigation and it is difficult to give him another task" says Camilo Hernández in charge of Viña Terramater
However, adaptation is urgent. And the challenges are not just for jobs, but for the entire agricultural sector.
"The same paradigm has already changed in recent years and no longer seeks to maximize production only, but also to do it in the best possible way, to do it as efficiently as possible, and that is where technology comes in. If, for example, with the litres of water you have an efficiency of only three litres of water from ten to the plant, you are capable of taking that to nine with technology," says Adolfo Donoso, scientific director at Agranimo.
How to do it? To help answer that question Agranimo was created. A Russian-Chilean startup dedicated to rationalizing agriculture through real-time monitoring of climate factors affecting crops.
"The technology we have developed consists of two parts. First – is a one-meter moisture probe, which has four levels of soil measurement. And what it does is, it is installed in a one-meter hole made with the drill and then it communicates, when there is the internet, everything to the cloud and to the platform, through this small station, which also works as a black box, and as climate sensors. This climate information is what allows us to do everything there is: the alerts, alarms, and development with artificial intelligence. While the sensor is what allows us to have a water status of the orchard," explains Donoso.
Currently, Agránimo provides services in Chile to more than 30 producers of apples, cherries, avocados, walnuts, hazelnuts, blueberries and olives. And it works outside the country with research centres in Puerto Rico, Germany and Russia. Its creators started out concerned with more efficient irrigation, but have expanded their work to what they call microclimate analysis.
"The farmer's job is to see how the climate, the environment changes and do something to give the plant better conditions, anything to make the plant grow and have better results," says Nikita Gulin, co-founder of Agranimo.
And the scope of this application is not limited to fieldwork. They are now considering extending their services to distributors of agricultural products, eventually, to the whole world. The idea is that those who buy from outside will know what product to expect.
"Every supermarket in China, in Germany, anywhere in the world that buys, has to worry about the microclimate of a field that is in Maule, for example. That is why we realized that with this analysis we can share this microclimate emergency with all the participants of the chain and thus share a little bit of the cost of the whole system. Because everyone gets the value from this and the cost has to be shared as well. Not only the farmer pays, but the whole chain pays – the logistics company, the supermarket, the importer, exporter, all the participants. This is our vision for the fruit industry in general," says Gulin.
There are many plans and little time left. The climatic emergency is advancing and more and more scenes like these will be only the memory of times when it could still be wasted.
Agranimo is Top 25 IOT/WT INNOVATION WORLD CUP finalist
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What is the difference between a shot scene and a sequence?
A shot consists of a single take, which can be several seconds or several minutes long. A scene is composed of several shots, while a sequence is composed of scenes. Finally, narrative films are composed of sequences.
What does jump cut mean?
A jump cut is is an abrupt transition, typically in a sequential clip that makes the subject appear to jump from one spot to the other, without continuity. This can happen when two sequential shots of the same subject in the same scene are cut together from camera positions that vary only slightly.
Why is a jump cut used?
A jump cut is a cut between two sequential shots in a video where the camera angle doesn't change or only changes slightly. As a result, the subject appears to jump in the frame. Historically in film, jump cuts have been used to show an unsettling moment or unease for a character on screen.
What does it mean when a movie is shot in sequence?
A sequence shot is a shot, a long take, that includes a full narrative sequence containing multiple scenes in its duration, meaning different locations or different time periods. The term is usually used to refer to shots that constitute an entire scene. Such a shot may involve sophisticated camera movement.
What is a good subtitle?
A good subtitle provides context for the title. It's informative, letting you know who should read the book and how it will help them. Your subtitle should also tell readers who the book is for, but that doesn't mean you have to name the audience.
What do you call the first part of a movie?
A title sequence (also called an opening sequence or intro) is the method by which films or television programmes present their title and key production and cast members, utilizing conceptual visuals and sound.
How do you define a scene in a movie?
In filmmaking and video production, a scene is generally thought of as a section of a motion picture in a single location and continuous time made up of a series of shots, which are each a set of contiguous frames from individual cameras from varying angles.
What is a 3/4 shot?
A 3/4 shot is any image where subject has been cropped at around the knees. American shot is sometimes used to specifically refer to composition where several subjects in interaction (e.g. partners in dialogue) have been cropped that way; and sometimes, it is indeed used more loosely as a synonym for 3/4 shot.
What is the average shot?
There is no standard size for a single shot, except in Utah, where a shot is defined as 1 US fl oz (29.6 ml). Elsewhere in the U.S., the standard size is generally considered to be 1.25–1.5 US fl oz (37–44 ml). A double shot in the U.S. may be 2 fluid ounces or more.
What do you call two books?
TL;DR: Use diptych for one novel published in two halves, dilogy or duology for two completely different but still ordered novels, but just series when ordering doesn't matter. Less commonly used words for related collections include cycle, saga, and legendarium.
How do you know if a book title is trademarked?
If you want to see if a title has been trademarked, you can use TESS, the online search at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Then you can start the trademark process. You may be able to copyright your work yourself, but it's better to have an intellectual property attorney to help you with a trademark application.
How long can a book title be?
As a rule of thumb, a non-fiction title should be 5 words or less. Subtitles are generally three to seven words in length. For non-fiction, the title is shorter and the subtitle is longer. In non-fiction if you choose a long title, your subtitle must be longer.
What is a subtitle used for?
Subtitles: An Overview Subtitles are translated captions of audio files, often foreign language films, motion pictures, or television programs. In public settings, subtitles transcribe a film's native language to the audience's language.
How many shots are in a sequence?
No. There is no rule. Sequences can have 10 – 15 shots, even more depending on the sequence. However, it cannot be called a sequence unless it has at least 3 shots.
What is a shot length?
The average shot length (ASL) of a film is one of its cinemetrical measures. For example, The Mist has a length of 117 minutes and consists of 1292 shots, so the ASL is 5.4 seconds, while Russian Ark is a single 96-minute long take, so an ASL of 96 minutes or about 5,760 seconds, a factor of 1,000 difference.
What is a full shot?
In photography, filmmaking and video production, a wide shot (sometimes referred to as a full shot or long shot) is a shot that typically shows the entire object or human figure and is usually intended to place it in some relation to its surroundings.
What are three basic types of shots that can make a sequence?
Three-shot sequences usually employ a combination of wide (long), medium and close-up shots to depict the same subject from three distances. Often, different angles are used for each shot. A good three-shot sequence to practice is to start wide (at the greatest distance) and move progressively closer to the subject.
What is the second title called?
Subtitle: a secondary or subordinate title of a literary work, usually of explanatory character. I know we usually think of that word in the "I prefer to read my foreign movies" context, but this is definition #1 and, I suspect, the original meaning. I would probably said it was the "long title".
How do you write subtitles?
8 tips to writing a killer subtitle for your book.
Never write a "rescue subtitle." The best subtitle will never be able to rescue a bad title.
Get the rhythm right.
Speak to your audience.
Flip it upside down if it helps.
Don't use a subtitle you don't want to talk about.
Study other people.
Exhibit progression.
Be willing to go without.
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Chinese Way>Life
Lotus Painter Cai Qibao
The studio is small and cramped. One has to edge one's way along it to avoid knocking over the tools of his trade – brushes, sticks of ink, paper, inkstones, and stamps – and a pile of letters on his work table. Cai Qibao jokes that his studio is possibly the smallest in Beijing.
Looking down on Zhongguancun South, a busy street in downtown Beijing, from an old office building, Cai's two-room studio feels cocooned from the city's hectic life. The other room holds a tea table, where Cai offers guests a cup of tea or a shot of wine before giving them a demonstration of how he paints. In the tearoom, a horizontally placed work of calligraphy announces the name of Cai's workplace, "Jing Feng Ge" or Peaceful Wind Studio.
On the walls are paintings and works of calligraphy, including a portrait of Cai Xiang (1012-1067) in court costume. Cai was a prominent calligraphy master and senior official during the Northern Song Dynasty, and Cai Qibao is his direct descendant. The 44-year-old artist is a council member of the Traditional Chinese Painters' Association.
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5 Movie Cars That Are Out to Get You
January 26, 2011 By Lorraine Marie
Having someone run over by a car driven by a psychotic maniac is pretty standard in a lot of horror films. But what's even scarier is having someone run over by a car that has a mind of its own. There are several movies that feature evil, driverless cars that will kill you in a heartbeat. Here are five movies featuring cars that are out to get you – and they'll do it without any help from human drivers.
1. The Car (1977) – This aptly titled film stars James Brolin and Kathleen Lloyd and is directed by Elliot Silverstein. The car referred to in the title is a black coupe that mysteriously appears in a small Utah community and starts running over people. It's Captain Wade Parent's job to try to stop this evil car, which the movie strongly implies is possessed by a demon.
2. Christine (1983) – Christine is based on the novel by Stephen King, and is directed by John Carpenter. It stars Keith Gordon, John Stockwell and Alexandra Paul. "Christine" is a red and white 1958 Plymouth Fury that Arnie Cunningham finds and decides to restore. His friends find out that the car has a deadly past and that they need to destroy it to save Arnie. However, the car has other ideas and it goes on a rampage through town killing anyone who has ever damaged her. Whenever Christine is badly damaged, she is able to regenerate and make herself look as good as new.
3. Duel (1971) – Duel is a television movie starring Dennis Weaver. It was Steven Spielberg's directorial debut in terms of feature length films. The evil car in question in this movie is a Peterbilt 281 gasoline tanker truck. David Mann encounters said truck in the middle of the desert and spends the rest of the movie trying to evade the truck as it tries to kill him.
4. Maximum Overdrive (1986) – Stephen King strikes again with Maximum Overdrive, a film based on one of his short stories. He also directed this movie – it was his first and last attempt at ever doing such a thing again. The movie is about a group of big rig trucks that come to life and try to kill a group of people trapped in a truck stop. Emilio Estevez stars as Bill Robinson, the leader of the group who tries to keep everyone alive. A title card at the end of the movie suggests that aliens caused the trucks to come to life in an attempt to stage a takeover.
5. Wheels of Terror (1990) – Wheels of Terror is a television movie directed by Christopher Cain. It stars Joanna Cassidy as a mother whose daughter is kidnapped by a black Dodge Charger. Although it is strongly implied that there is a driver, he is never shown. The car appears to have a life of its own as it rips through the desert on a killing and kidnapping spree.
Author Byline:
This post is by Ryan Embly from CarRentalExpress (CRX). If you're looking for very safe and very affordable car rentals then visit CRX today.
Filed Under: Horror, Movies Tagged With: fictional cars, killer cars, scary cars
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Japan's SBI Holdings to Close Mining Operations in Russia Due to Ongoing War: Report
Tokyo-based online financial services company SBI Holdings will shut down its crypto mining operations in Siberia, Russia.
The company argued that the war between Russia and Ukraine is among the reasons behind this decision.
Pullout From Siberia
The pullout decision was taken in view of the geopolitical uncertainty due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and a drop in crypto mining profitability due to a prolonged market downturn, media reports said on Friday, attributing the information to an unnamed SBI Holdings spokesperson.
"Chief Financial Officer Hideyuki Katsuchi announced the plan to sell machinery and withdraw earlier this week," Bloomberg said in its coverage.
However, it's not clear when it will complete the withdrawal.
The development follows the group's decision to suspend mining operations in Serbia soon after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February. Other than the mining rig in Serbia, SBI Holdings has no other crypto business in Russia. Its commercial banking unit SBI Bank LLC in Moscow will continue its operation.
Media reports said the decision contributed to a pretax loss of 9.7 billion yen ($72 million) and a net loss of 2.4 billion yen ($17.5 million) in the three months ending June 30. This was the group's first quarterly loss in a decade.
Russia as a Mining Destination
Siberia was emerged as the sunrise crypto mining destination over the past few years, given the low energy costs. The trend picked up steam after China banned crypto mining operations in May 2021.
According to estimates provided by the Ministry of Industry of Russia in May 2022, crypto miners account for over 2% of Russia's total energy consumption, more than that of agriculture.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is said to be keen on Russia emerging as a crypto mining hub, implying it can make use of "surplus electricity" and well-trained personnel.
Also, Russian lawmakers approved a bill draft in June that proposes to provide an exemption of value-added tax to "digital asset issuers" and their "information systems operators."
Russian Crypto Mining Hits Roadblock
But the war seems to have put a spanner in Russia's ambition to become a key mining destination.
In one of the first sanctions against a crypto mining company, the US Treasury Department went after BitRiver, one of the largest bitcoin mining companies, because of its Russia operations. However, US sanctions have not dissuaded BitRiver from launching a crypto mining project with Russian oil major Gazpromneft.
Among crypto miners, Compass Mining announced the closure of its mining operations in Siberia and offered to liquidate hardware worth $30 million.
Several high-profile companies, including Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal, left Russia in the wake of the US sanctions.
The post Japan's SBI Holdings to Close Mining Operations in Russia Due to Ongoing War: Report appeared first on CryptoPotato.
Tagged: Adoption Bitcoin Blockchain Crypto Cryptocurrency Government Japan Regulation
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Women cyclists are more prone to common gynecological problems, but not serious sexual or urinary dysfunction
by Elizabeth Fernandez, University of California, San Francisco
Credit: University of California, San Francisco
Women bicycle riders are more likely to experience urinary tract infections, genital numbness and saddle sores, but not more likely to have serious sexual and urinary symptoms than non-cyclists. In fact, high-intensity female cyclists had better sexual function, according to a new study led by UC San Francisco.
The research, which analyzed data from women athletes in five countries, including the United States, investigated whether cycling negatively impacts urinary and sexual function in women.
Previous small studies have demonstrated a possible relationship between cycling and sexual dysfunction, which has led to wide scale assumptions that biking could impair urinary or sexual function. However, the new study showed no worse sexual or urinary function in women cyclists than non-cyclists, although the authors noted that the problematic genital symptoms could possibly lead to issues related to sexual dysfunction down the road.
The study will be published March 13, 2018, in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
"We found that lifetime miles ridden was associated with better sexual function, as measured by a common, validated questionnaire," said first author Thomas W. Gaither, a UCSF medical student.
"One of the more novel findings of the study is that lifetime miles ridden were directly correlated with saddle sores and urinary tract infections," Gaither said. "These findings may be considered by some as minor, however, saddle sores and infections may inhibit sexual activity. If we could find a way to prevent saddle sores and infections, we believe that cycling might improve the sexual health of women."
Women bicycle riders now make up about half of all cyclists in the U.S., an 8 percent increase from 2011, recent surveys have reported. The health benefits are numerous, including improved heart function and lower rates of obesity. Still, there have been reports linking cycling to urinary or sexual dysfunction.
For the new study, participants were recruited from major cycling, swimming and running organizations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Swimmers and runners were recruited as a comparison group.
Survey participants were divided into two groups: low-intensity and high-intensity riders. High-intensity riders were defined as women who had cycled for more than two years and rode their bikes more than three times weekly, averaging more than 25 miles each time.
Altogether, 3,118 women completed the survey. Of those, 34 percent were non-cyclists, 53 percent were low-intensity cyclists, and 13 percent were high-intensity cyclists. The majority of participants were white, under age 40, single and normal weight. In addition to the Female Sexual Function Index, they also completed the American Urological Symptom Index questionnaire.
The cyclists were queried on numerous factors: bike type (mountain, road, hybrid, recumbent); saddle type (wide, unpadded, long); frequency of wearing padded shorts; amount of time standing while cycling; saddle angle; handlebar height; and type of riding surface (urban, rural, off road).
The researchers adjusted for a number of factors, including age, race, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes and tobacco use.
The researchers confirmed an association between cycling and genital numbness and saddle sores, but no association between cycling intensity or duration and sexual or urinary function. This study also showed some indication of improved sexual function among high-intensity bike riders, as measured by significantly greater scores on the Female Sexual Function Index and a lower odds of reporting sexual dysfunction than non-cyclists. They said further study is warranted, particularly concerning a possible link between cycling and urinary tract infections.
Cycling does not damage men's sexual or urinary functions
More information: Cycling and Female Sexual and Urinary Function: Results From a Large, Multinational, Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of Sexual Medicine. doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.02.004
Journal information: Journal of Sexual Medicine
Provided by University of California, San Francisco
Citation: Women cyclists are more prone to common gynecological problems, but not serious sexual or urinary dysfunction (2018, March 14) retrieved 16 July 2019 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-03-women-cyclists-prone-common-gynecological.html
Bike fanatics shouldn't worry about effects on sexual health
Handlebar level can affect sexual health of female cyclists
Bicycle handlebar position affects female genital sensation
A call for greater attention to older women's sexual health
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Seattle City Council approves law that'll give Uber, Lyft drivers minimum wage of $16 per hour
Richard Vogel/AP
The Seattle City Council unanimously approved raising the minimum pay for Uber and Lyft drivers on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)
The Seattle City Council unanimously approved a law on Tuesday that will raise the minimum pay for Uber and Lyft drivers.
In a statement on the Seattle mayor's website, Mayor Jenny Durkan celebrated the city council passing her Fare Share Plan that would make ride-hailing companies pay their drivers the $16 minimum hourly wage, which will go into effect Jan. 1, 2021.
"The pandemic has exposed the fault lines in our systems of worker protections, leaving many front line workers like gig workers without a safety net," Mayor Durkan said. "It is more important than ever that we add to the economic resilience of our community of drivers. The Fare Share plan guarantees that drivers will receive fair pay and can provide for themselves and their families."
The ordinance guarantees drivers will earn at least $0.56 per minute and $1.33 per mile driven while transporting passengers.
The measure uses a formula for drivers' compensation so they would be paid fairly when they're less busy.
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Towards altruistic practices at work ?
In 2016, members of Karuna-Shechen followed a seminar with Frédéric Laloux, author of Reinventing Organizations. Specialized in processes of People's Change, Frédéric accompanied the members of Karuna in their wish to better organize themselves and preserve both performance and core values. They wanted to find the right balance between the rapidity of the decision-making processes of pyramidal models and the bond of trust that can be found in horizontal models. This workshop also allowed the team to find more simplicity, authenticity and meaning in their daily work practices.
To learn more about managerial theories of altruism at work, we invite you to attend a round table discussion between Matthieu Ricard and Frédéric Laloux on February 23, 2021. You can also find resources here.
Karuna-Shechen is an NGO that acts and advocates for a more altruistic world. There are several definitions of altruism, the most common being "the willingness to care and devote oneself to others". Based on this observation and the desire to improve their internal organization, the members of the association decided to create a work environment where altruistic practices are cultivated on a daily basis. Karuna is, in its own way, a living organism. Taking care of each of its members – from the employee to the donor, from the volunteer to the beneficiary – is to ensure the sustainability of a just action.
An inclusive organization to cultivate everyone's creativity
The first proposal was to establish an internal structuring on the model of opal organizations, presented in Frédéric Laloux's book. This idea is based on three principles: self governance, reliance and ego reduction.
Looking at the principle of self-governance, Karuna structured itself into "circles of expertise" – action in the field, communication and fundraising, logistics, etc. – and each of them being responsible for a specific area of expertise. Any member can join a circle if he or she wishes to and has the skills, the idea being that such an organization stimulates everyone's creativity, draws its strength from the motivation and empowerment of its members.
This implies a form of flexibility with regard to each person's responsibilities and tasks, also taking advantage of new arrivals and new skills to redistribute work more efficiently. Catherine, who coordinates the link with the philanthropists, confides to me: "The more time passed, the more I felt a form of fulfillment within Karuna with the use of these tools: the empowerment given to each person, the responsibility, the ability to be fully oneself without wearing a mask".
On the other hand, Karuna's functioning is very much centered around an atypical advice process: most projects and strategic decisions give rise to large group discussions. In a classical structure, it is often a small group or the leader alone who makes these decisions. Within Karuna, the project leader remains the final decision-maker but time is set aside to learn from each other's opinions. This allows to build smarter projects, but also to do it with the group's support.
Moving from idea to practice – quite a challenge
Such a transition requires time and support from teams and the pre-existing system. "Moving to such a model is difficult: you need a leader who is willing to put his or her usual 'powers' back into play and accept that the team is self-managing. But this means an ability to let go on the part of managers," according to Erick, a member of the international board.
It also requires a complete change in the way we evaluate our effectiveness, analyses Catherine: "At some point, a model must be measured by success. But how do you measure them? Is it the decrease in turnover? Is it the enthusiasm of employees and stakeholders? More impact in the field? At Karuna we are still evolving: the road is very long, we are aware that we can do more and it takes time, intelligence and adaptability".
Beyond this organization, many tools have emerged from our exchanges with Frédéric, which however struggled to be concretely part of the daily work life. "I arrived in Karuna at a time when the tools had emerged but were not being used [by all the teams]. This is the difficulty that all organizations have when they carry out a People's Change project: to bring down theoretical tools into everyday work. We all had this desire to move towards more benevolence, more reliance, but we didn't really know how to do it while preserving our efficiency and impact," says Quentin, CEO of the association.
Working tools to cultivate intention, listening and expression of emotions
The first tool selected by Karuna members was the practice of a short lay meditation before the beginning of each work meeting. Sometimes just 1 minute of meditation practice before addressing an important topic can make a big difference. "At the beginning it is surprising, but after a while it becomes indispensable, especially in Zoom meetings: it allows everyone to settle," says Réjane, Communication and Fundraising intern. Shalav, our operations manager in Nepal, also confides to me: "Meditation creates a positive atmosphere where everyone pays attention to each other without judgment. The silence is also pleasant and has a profound impact on all of us: it interrupts the daily hustle and bustle of our busy days".
A round-table discussion of everyone's "inner weather", consisting of sharing the emotions we feel, is also practiced.
"Giving clues to your colleagues about how you feel is essential, even more so when you are distanced. It keeps you connected and helps you understand people's reactions," according to Réjane. Franck, the director of Advocacy, adds: "For a long time we have considered that a company is a machine and that each individual is an interchangeable, replaceable cog. In this vision, we don't care about people's emotions. Taking an interest in the emotions of our colleagues means taking care of the organization as a whole. It's an illusion to say that work and personal life can be completely separate: as we work with our emotions, let's create a space to express them! That's the starting point for the inner weather."
This tool is practiced by our European teams but also by our teams in Asia. Shalav tells me: "The employees have gradually integrated this tool in their daily work life. Inner weather is a universal tool that largely transcends differences in language, culture and country". For Quentin, "some people will think that these tools are a waste of time: yet they allow us to develop a mutual understanding and an authentic bond that helps us work better together. It brings a collective creativity without filter, without judgment."
Strengthening our bond and empowering each of us, dispite distance
The way Karuna works is not perfect. However, it allowed us to cultivate a culture of caring and trust that is essential. Quentin, who became CEO of the association in 2019, remembers: "When I took up my position a little over a year ago, I felt very well supported by all the teams. It allowed me to find my rightful place as CEO, without feeling that I was constantly being evaluated or judged".
This organization of work has found all the more resonance since the beginning of the pandemic, which has forced us to work remotely. Franck says: "Teleworking shows even more the importance of caring, of taking an interest in others. Emotions are harder to feel through a screen: that's why sharing emotions is even more essential in today's context".
Karuna functions like a tree: it is rooted in the values of secular Buddhism and radiates with its branches. And when a branch is dying, the whole organism suffers. Erick confides to me: "An organization is really a living being: it must always be cared for, with compassion. In the end, the only constant is change."
← The Covid Emergency Program continues!
Women, LEADERS of change! →
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Trump's interference admission raises difficult questions for Democrats
By Chuck Todd and Mark Murray and Carrie Dann with NBC News Politics • Updated: 13/06/2019
President Donald Trump speaks during a joint news conference with Poland's President Andrzej Duda in at the White House on June 12, 2019. - Copyright Kevin Lamarque Reuters
WASHINGTON — What's stunning about President Trump's admission that he'd accept dirt from a foreign government to help him win an election is not that he said it.
After all, we already know that he and those around him asked for — and accepted — that help in 2016. ("If you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing"… "If it's what you say, I love it.")
What's stunning is that everyone should now know that the sitting president of the United States cannot ensure a fair election in 2020.
ABC News: "Your campaign this time around, if foreigners, if Russia, if China, if someone else offersyou information on opponents, should they accept it or should they call the FBI?"
Trump: "I think maybe you do both. I think you might want to listen. I don't -- there's nothing wrong with listening. If somebody called from a country - Norway - we have information on your opponent. Oh. I think I'd want to hear it."
ABC News: "You want that kind of interference in our elections?"
Trump: "It's not interference. They have information. I think I'd take it. If I thought there was something wrong, I'd go maybe to the FBI, if I thought there was something wrong, but when somebody comes up with oppo research, right, they come up with oppo research. Oh, let's call the FBI. The FBI doesn't have enough agents to take care of it. When you go and talk, honestly, to congressmen, they all do it. They always have, and that's the way it is. It's called oppo research."
So the question becomes, especially for Democrats: What do you do now?
Do Democrats, who have passed and worked on legislation to curb election interference by foreign governments, finally try to put real pressure on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to take it up?
Do they step up their impeachment rhetoric? (How credible now is the argument to simply defeat Trump at the ballot box?)
And if you're a Democratic presidential candidate like Joe Biden — who's already seen Team Trump meddle around with Ukraine — do you have to respond with your own help from other foreign governments?
It's a real dilemma.
Play by the rules and possibly lose? Or play the same game your opponent is playing?
Yes, foreign interference mattered in 2016
Here's a reminder of how Russian interference affected a presidential race that ultimately was decided by fewer than a combined 80,000 votes in three states:
It led to the ouster of the chair of the Democratic National Committee.
It produced Hillary-versus-Bernie chaos entering the Democratic convention in Philadelphia.
It helped launch scores of stories looking into internal Clinton communications - from John Podesta hacked emails.
And it aided part of Donald Trump's closing message, with him mentioning the word "WikiLeaks" some 140 times in the final month of the general election.
Obstruction of justice in plain sight?
With all of the attention on Trump's comments about foreign interference, don't ignore this tweet President Trump fired off about someone who's already pleaded guilty in the Russia investigation.
And about someone who COULD change his legal strategy and cooperation.
"General Michael Flynn, the 33 year war hero who has served with distinction, has not retained a good lawyer, he has retained a GREAT LAWYER, Sidney Powell. Best Wishes and Good Luck to them both!"
2020 Vision: Schultz bows out (at least for now)
Howard Schultz's statement on Wednesday that back surgeries have forced him to take off the rest of the summer from the 2020 campaign trail — at least — is a big deal.
Remember that the combined third-party vote that Gary Johnson and Jill Stein received in 2016 — 4.3 percentage points — helped Donald Trump win a presidential race when he received less than 46 percent of the popular vote.
Bottom line: The smaller the third-party vote in 2020, the higher percentage Trump needs to win for re-election.
On the campaign trail today
John Hickenlooper discusses his plan for contraception in DC… Beto O'Rourke also raises money in the nation's capital… Seth Moulton is in Boston… And Julian Castro does a Fox News town hall in Arizona.
Data Download: The number of the day is … 84 percent
Eighty-four percent.
That's the share of voters who support legislation that would require candidates for federal office and their campaigns to report any contacts with foreign governments or foreign entities to the FBI, according to an April poll from Law Works conducted by Hart Research Associates.
The online poll found that almost all Democrats (93 percent) and three-quarters of Republicans (76 percent) back the passage of such a bill.
The Lid: Life is a highway
Don't miss the pod from yesterday, when we looked at how Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are jostling for some of the same voters.
Shameless plug
It's a big night for our colleagues over at NBC Nightly News.
Lester Holt sits down with Jason Kander, who is opening up for the first time about withdrawing from the Kanas City mayoral race last year after announcing he was suffering from and needed treatment for PTSD.
Andrea Mitchell interviews Anita Hill, in her first broadcast interview since Vice President Joe Biden announced his run for office.
And Harry Smith interviews Democratic contender Mayor Pete Buttigieg for Nightly's new series, "My Big Idea."
So don't forget to tune in!
ICYMI: News clips you shouldn't miss
Reid Epstein writes in the New York Times on "How Pete Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren Cracked the Code of the 2020 Race."
Trump's campaign has ignored some city governments' request for help with security costs related to his political events.
Pete Buttigieg wantsa "new Marshall Plan" to create economic prosperity for black Americans.
Duncan Hunter's wife is changing her plea to guilty in the criminal case over campaign money misuse.
And Republicans won't have to deal with what would have been a nasty primary challenge to Thom Tillis after all.
Trump agenda: In contempt
The House oversight panel has votedto hold William Barr and Wilbur Ross in contempt over the withholding of documents related to the administration's decision to add a citizenship question to the Census.
The Washington Post looks at the rise of Trump trade advisor Peter Navarro.
Two more oil tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman yesterday.
2020: Beto vs. Biden
Beto O'Rourke on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" this morning:
Willie Geist: "Is Joe Biden a return to the past?"
Beto O'Rourke: "He is. And that cannot be who we are going forward."
2020 candidates have a lot to say about Trump's ABC interview last night.
POLITICO writes that some Democrats are starting to question Joe Biden's age.
Steve Bullock says he should be in the first debate.
Kamala Harris has put forward a new set of proposed executive actions to help Dreamers.
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Linda Coulter has a simple message
Bryan Kelsen
Linda Coulter (left) posed with Rochelle Redinger, 5, recently.
Linda Coulter's message is simple: Don't drink and drive.
She has suffered for someone else's failure to follow this wisdom.
On the evening of June 13, as she and her family were traveling home from a girls softball tournament in Albuquerque, their van was struck head-on by a truck whose driver was intoxicated.
Mrs. Coulter's husband, David, died instantly, she thinks, and her youngest daughter, Chelsea, 6, died a little while later — after she had been taken away by emergency personnel.
The driver of the truck, John Hamilton of Raton, N.M., also died in the accident, which occurred two miles north of Trinidad on Interstate 25. He was driving the wrong way.
His blood alcohol level was 0.283, according to a spokeswoman in the Trinidad office of the Colorado State Patrol (0.10 is considered driving while under the influence of alcohol).
Mrs. Coulter doesn't remember the accident, but she had to be removed from the crushed Suburban van with the "jaws of life." She suffered a torn vena cava (one of the two large veins carrying blood to the heart), a collapsed lung, broken and cracked ribs, broken collar bone and scapula, torn liver, a broken leg and many broken facial bones. Her spleen and gall bladder had to be removed, she required 13 units of blood, and five plates and 25 screws were used during the five-hour surgery to repair her face.
"It's still numb from the eyes down," she says from an easy chair in the living room of her St. Charles Mesa home. "New doctors would come in and look at my chart and say, `You're lucky to be alive.' "
She is, indeed, lucky to be alive and she says she's thankful her daughters Heather and Katy were traveling in their friend Autumn Redinger's van.
Autumn's sister, Rochelle, 5, was in the back of the Coulters' Suburban with Chelsea and was seriously injured in the accident. Her skull was fractured, her neck was broken, her lungs were bruised and her spleen lacerated. (Rochelle's hair fell out before the accident because she has a disease, alopecia universalis.)
"Miraculously, she didn't need any surgery," says her mother, Donna Redinger. "She was in intensive care for four days and in the hospital for 12 days."
The Redingers were traveling behind the Coulters and arrived at the scene of the accident right after it happened. Mike Redinger broke the back window of the Suburban (which was on its side), climbed in and handed out his daughter and Chelsea. He tried to get Mrs. Coulter out of the van but her leg was pinned.
"It was a nightmare," Mrs. Redinger remembers. "I don't know if it was a stranger's car if we would have broken in and gotten people out, but when it's your family in there and there's gasoline all over . . ."
Mrs. Coulter's oldest daughter, Jennifer, 15, was in the front seat next to Coulter, and she escaped with a broken finger and some scratches near one eye. Both Jennifer and Coulter were wearing seatbelts, Mrs. Coulter says.
Mrs. Coulter wants to talk about the accident "if we can keep one person from being hit by a drunk driver.
"It's torn our family apart. It's something we never thought would happen. We don't drink. Even if you did drink, it would hit you hard.
"My husband was a very good driver — I never had any qualms about his driving. We were your basic all-American family."
Mrs. Coulter says she might feel angrier about the accident if the other driver hadn't died. As it is, she feels "a great sadness. I've had a hard time coping with things. I'm feeling frustrated and at a loss and upset for the girls. We need to find a new car — my part in the past always was to pick the color. I'm at a total loss. All these decisions are overwhelming."
But she's convinced her family will make it.
"I want people to know we're going to be OK. We don't want sympathy — we've had so much friendship. We might make some mistakes along the way but we'll make it.
"People say, `How did you have the strength to go on?' You either do or you don't. I had three girls I had to take care of."
Mrs. Coulter says her daughter, Jennifer, "has got a lot of hostility" about what happened but 10-year-old Heather won't talk about it. Katy, 13, says she isn't really angry and she's able to show photos of her family's red van and Hamilton's white truck taken after they were mangled in the accident.
Mrs. Coulter has not looked at the photos or at the videotape of her husband's and daughter's funeral.
She is walking with crutches and says she has at least another month of physical therapy. She is on short-term leave of absence from her job as a Target warehouse worker and she's not sure what will happen at the end of her leave.
One bright light this summer has been the friendship and support her family has received.
"It's just phenomenal. The community has just come together for us. People have called and said, `What can we do, what can we do?' We have had calls and letters from people we don't even know."
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Additional Greek Village parking could be available as early as August 2020.
Since Greek Village was first developed, there has been rapid growth in the University of South Carolina's Greek community. As a result, parking issues near Greek Village have arisen during mandatory meal periods required by the organizations. To address these concerns, the university's Board of Trustees Building and Grounds Committee considered a plan on Friday, Sept. 27 to make 800 parking spaces available by utilizing a number of surface parking options located immediately adjacent to Greek Village. These spaces would be exclusively for the use of fraternity and sorority members during meal periods.
This solution would cost significantly less than an older proposal to construct a multi-level parking deck and delivers convenient parking options that more quickly meet the needs of the Greek community.
Note: The project received phase one approval from the Building and Grounds Committee and full Board of Trustees on Oct. 11, 2019.
The project to make the 800 spaces available during lunch and dinner services would take place in two stages. The first stage of the project would make available 500 spaces by August 2020. An additional 300 spaces would be available by January 2022. The total project is estimated to cost approximately $7.5 million and can be paid in full using previously collected fees. The plan eliminated the Greek Village parking fee effective Fall 2019.
Stage One – 500 parking spaces by August 2020
Utilize the existing paved "AD3" lot directly across from the Greek Village at Blossom and Lincoln Streets for the exclusive use of fraternity and sorority members with chapter houses in Greek Village during meal periods.
The intramural field at Gadsden and Devine Streets would be repurposed for commuters currently utilizing the AD3 lot. The parking lot will initially be gravel and subject to future improvements after 2020 as part of a state approved project.
Stage Two – 300 parking spaces by January 2022
Create a paved lot on land along Devine Street between Thirsty Fellow and the railroad tracks. Currently, the land is the site of two university buildings used for multiple academic programs.
The project, which requires state approval, would involve demolition of the buildings and relocation of academic activities currently taking place at the site.
Grading of the site, storm water drainage, paving and landscaping is included in the project cost. Safety features like cameras, lighting and call boxes are also included.
Student Participation and Feedback
Any students that have questions or want to be part of this exciting project should email the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life.
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Legal History Workshop Schedule, Winter/Spring 2020
***Please note the location for this term's sessions***
Anyone wishing to be added to the distribution list, please email Jim Phillips [email protected]
OSGOODE SOCIETY LEGAL HISTORY WORKSHOP, 2019-2020:
WINTER TERM 2020
All sessions start at 6.30. All sessions in Betty Ho Classroom, Flavelle House, Faculty of Law (except Wednesday January 15th.)
Wednesday January 15: Lara Tessaro, University of Kent: 'Cosmetically Constitutional: A Legal Form for Material Substance, 1932-195?" Falconer Hall room 3 (change from original schedule).
Wednesday January 29: Coel Kirkby, University of Sydney: 'Out of Africa: Decolonization and the Rebirth of British Jurisprudence'
Wednesday February 12: Joan Sangster, Trent University: 'The Right to Criticize: Labour Relations Law and the Silencing of Feminist Labour Activists'
Wednesday February 26: Kris Kinsinger, Osgoode Hall Law School: 'To Entrench or Not to Entrench? Canadian Constitutionalism and the Bill of Rights Debate'
Wednesday March 11: Shelley Gavigan, Osgoode Hall Law School: 'Improper Intimacies and Patriarchal Relations in Canada's North-West Territories: Methodological, Ethical, and Interpretative Challenges in the Nineteenth-Century Criminal Court Records.'
Wednesday March 25: Elizabeth Koester, University of Toronto: 'Eugenics in the Ontario Legislature: Dr. Forbes Godfrey and his Private Member's Bills, 1910 to 1921.'
Wednesday April 1: Erika Chamberlain and Rande Kostal, Western University: 'The reinvention of Canadian private law, 1970-1995: Jordan House as case study"
Alford, Seven Absolute Rights: Recovering the Foundations of Canada's Rule of Law
Coming March 2020 from McGill-Queen's University Press, Ryan Alford, Seven Absolute Rights: Recovering the Foundations of Canada's Rule of Law.
For 150 years, Canada's constitutional order has been both flexible and durable, ensuring peace, order, and good government while protecting the absolute rights at the core of the rule of law. In this era of transnational terrorism and proliferating emergency powers, it is essential to revisit how and why our constitutional order developed particular limits on the government's powers, which remain in force despite war, rebellion, and insurrection.
Seven Absolute Rights surveys the historical foundations of Canada's rule of law and the ways they reinforce the Constitution. Ryan Alford provides a gripping narrative of constitutional history, beginning with the medieval and early modern context of Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, and the constitutional settlement of the Glorious Revolution. His reconstruction ends with a detailed examination of two pre-Confederation crises: the rebellions of 1837-38 and the riots of 1849, which, as he demonstrates, provide the missing constitutionalist context to the framing of the British North America Act. Through this accessible exploration of key events and legal precedents, Alford offers a distinct perspective on the substantive principles of the rule of law embedded in Canada's Constitution.
In bringing constitutional history to life, Seven Absolute Rights reveals the history and meaning of these long-forgotten protections and shows why they remain fundamental to our freedom in the twenty-first century.
Posted by Mary Stokes at 9:44 AM No comments:
Anderson, Freeing Trade in North America
McGill-Queens University Press has published Freeing Trade in North America:
An overview of the North American Free Trade Agreement and its successor, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement by University of Alberta political scientist Greg Anderson.
Conceived in an era of rapid post-Cold War economic liberalization, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), signed in 1994, brought together Canada, Mexico, and the United States with the aim of creating a regional trade bloc that eliminated the friction and costs of trade between the three nations.
Without an overarching institutional framework, NAFTA never sought to attain the levels of integration achieved by the European Union - for many it was a missed opportunity - and never quite fulfilled its potential as a single market. And under Donald Trump's administration a trilateral trade agreement has become increasingly precarious.
Freeing Trade in North America explains the theory behind the politics and economics of trade in North America, offering an accessible and concise analysis of the key provisions, shortcomings, and past revision efforts of the governments involved. At a time of increasing protectionism and heightened awareness of trading relationships, the book highlights the lessons to be learned from the fraught history of one of the largest trade blocs in the world.
Chris Moore to speak on Canadian Parliamentary history in comparative context Jan 17/20 at Yorkminster Park
Canadian historian, history blogger, and Osgoode Society author (and friend) Christopher Moore will be appearing as part of the speakers' series at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church on January 17th 2020 (co-sponsored with the Churchill Society for Parliamentary Democracy.)
The lecture will be held at Cameron Hall, 7 pm. (Yorkminster Park is at Yonge and Heath Streets, just north of St. Clair on the east side of Yonge, a few minutes walk from the subway.)
Chris is an engaging and very knowledgeable speaker, and the topic is certainly topical: Parliaments and Power: Canada in the Parliamentary World. It's pay what you can (suggested $10).
Alford, Seven Absolute Rights: Recovering the Foun...
Chris Moore to speak on Canadian Parliamentary his...
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Home Read The Book Ritual Forces You to Confront Loss and Attachment
The Book Ritual Forces You to Confront Loss and Attachment
Jordan Ashley
The Book Ritual is a unique title in which you talk with and destroy a physical book. The simplistic game is characterised by its use of an 'alternative controller'. in this case a book and bin or shredder.
You are primarily interacting with a physical object. Destroying a book is just not something many people want to do. This art installation of a game forces you to confront why you feel that way. You'll discuss loss, how loss has made you felt, and your emotional attachment to both people and objects. It's a low-key but hard-hitting journey.
The Book Ritual recommends certain equipment, a book you're okay with tossing and a USB connected shredder. A lot of players probably won't have one, so a bin will work just as well. You choose a book, literally any book, and interact with it. This book is actually a human that has become trapped in the form of literature. It's been there so long that it's forgotten what's its like to be human, so you have to help it remember how emotions feel.
Shred Your Friends
The Book Ritual needs you to perform some tasks to progress. These involve talking to the book, but also drawing in the book. Desecrating pages to have a conversation with the human inside, drawing pictures and giving it a face. While doing this you might feel some twang from having permanently ruined the physical object. It's okay to have an attachment to books. A format you can feel happy to keep, organise and display. It's the kind of attachment to a physical object that is culturally acceptable.
The game plays with this attachment. Within the drawing on pages you're loosing whatever is written on them. By destroying what the book was, you create something you can interact with. Each play through will yield a differently destroyed book. There's a lot of shredding. The book will be entirely ruined by the end of The Book Ritual. It'll became some shreds of a souvenir of the experience.
In destroying the book to provoke a relationship with an actual human, the game raises feelings about attachment to the inanimate. Surely its better to have the attachment to a person than to a physical object? Well, the person is just a character in a game so it's not quite as easy as that. The game doesn't attack you for feeling this way towards a physical object, but it does make you think about why. Why do we associate objects with memories and then treat them as if they are embolic of our good memories? Why is physical media something we feel a sense of ownership over, a sense that prevents us from destroying it? The Book Ritual has no answers to these questions, it invites you to consider them.
A Heart to Spine Conversation
Outside of the destruction, The Book Ritual is a heart to heart conversation with someone who has forgotten what emotions feel like. They'll ask penetrating questions about loosing someone in the past. Asking you to remember deaths, break ups, whenever you felt you'd lost something. Igniting analyse of that loss. It doesn't equate the loss of the physical object with the emotional loss, but it uses the metaphor to provoke the player to actually experience their feelings. If you've lost a loved one or a relationship recently, this can get pretty raw at times. It's not an unpleasant experience, it becomes cathartic.
The game elevates feeling normal emotions to the the end goal of conversing with the book. In doing so it legitimises then, making you feel like you've achieved something for recognising and accepting your own feelings. It's special in this way. Despite destroying something physical that you didn't want too, you've felt something from it.
The Book Ritual is one of the strangest games in a while. It's the kind of game that can teach you about your feelings. It's innovative and emotional. By elevating feelings of loss and destroying physical objects, it provides an almost therapeutic release for those feelings. The game raises more questions than it answers. It doesn't aim to solve your feelings of loss, or make a point about physical objects and attachment. Instead it provokes you to look at these things yourself and to actually feel your emotions, to be honest with yourself about them.
An early build of The Book Ritual is currently available.
Jordan Ashley lives in the middle of the UK with two dogs who routinely beat him on Mario Kart. He's a big fan of playing Wind Waker over and over again while ignoring all other tasks. He also likes Craft Beer and screaming at Splatoon.
Latest posts by Jordan Ashley (see all)
NPCs Massacre Game Shows Steam Still Isn't Doing Enough - March 11, 2019
Anthem Reviews Aren't Being Censored - February 27, 2019
Donkey Kong 64: A Marxist Interpretation - February 18, 2019
Alternative Controller
The Book Ritual
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Complications in GNE myopathy patients: A nationwide repository questionnaire survey in Japan
Wakako Yoshioka, Reiko Shimizu, Yuji Takahashi, Yuriko Oda, Sumiko Yoshida, and 4 more
GNE myopathy is a rare autosomal recessive adult-onset distal myopathy caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in GNE. Although some complications associated with GNE myopathy have been reported, little is known about whether they are disease-specific and how often they present. This study aimed to characterize complications of GNE myopathy.
We conducted a questionnaire survey of GNE myopathy patients registered in a national registry in Japan. The questionnaire requested information regarding immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), cardiac involvement, respiratory involvement, sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), and psychiatric diseases.
The response rate was 62.4% (126/198), yielding a total of 51 male and 75 female participants. Of the participants, 4.1% (5/123) had a diagnosis of ITP, and 16.3% (8/49) of males and 6.6% of females (5/76) had a diagnosis of SAS. In total, 0.8% (1/126) of participants had pervasive developmental disorder and 14.7% (16/109) had a psychiatric disease.
The frequencies of ITP and SAS among Japanese GNE myopathy patients were higher than those observed in the general Japanese population. Routine blood tests and evaluation of sleep-disordered breathing should be considered in order to better manage GNE myopathy patients.
muscle disease
immune thrombocytopenia
sleep apnea syndrome
GNE myopathy
GNE myopathy is a rare adult-onset progressive myopathy caused by biallelic GNE pathogenic variants. The disorder is also referred to as distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles (DMRV), Nonaka myopathy, and hereditary inclusion body myopathy (hIBM), and is now recognized as a global disorder with an estimated frequency of about 1/1,000,000. The frequency is higher in Japan, with a total of about 250–400 Japanese patients. GNE myopathy preferentially affects the tibialis anterior muscles first and slowly progresses to involve proximal leg musculature and the upper limbs, usually sparing the quadriceps femoris muscles even in advanced stages [1]. While recent studies have reported on progression and genotype-phenotype correlations [2, 3, 4], little is known about complications associated with the disorder.
Data from three cohorts of GNE myopathy patients have been published: a data analysis of 269 patients from the patient-reported registry of the GNE Myopathy Disease Monitoring Program (GNEM-DMP; a global registry of GNE myopathy) [2], a data analysis of 121 Japanese patients from Remudy-GNE myopathy (a nationwide registry of Japanese GNE myopathy patients) [3], and a natural history study of 24 Japanese GNE myopathy patients [4]. These studies were focused on progression of the disease and genotype-phenotype correlations, although a limited medical history analysis of concomitant conditions was included. For instance, in the GNE-DMP registry study, several cases of cardiac conduction abnormalities, cardiomyopathy, and respiratory difficulty were reported, with respiratory difficulties observed in advanced stages of the disease [2]. In the Remudy-GNE myopathy study, 34% (26/77) of participants had respiratory dysfunction, and several had a history of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and complications of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia [3]. However, these studies were not focused on complications, and data on complications were obtained by a free description-type question, rendering it difficult to extract information regarding frequency and risk. Accordingly, the present study aimed to collect comprehensive and accurate data regarding complications of GNE myopathy via a questionnaire survey using close-ended questions. Understanding complications of GNE myopathy may allow for early management and intervention in this patient population.
A national registry for neuromuscular diseases in Japan (Remudy; http://www.remudy.jp/) was developed in 2009 and supported by Intramural Research Grants (26 − 7) for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders from the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP). Patient diagnoses were confirmed genetically based on biallelic GNE pathogenic variants or clinically by monoallelic pathogenic variant combined with typical clinical symptoms and pathological findings such as rimmed vacuoles. Details regarding the registry have been described previously [3, 5].
Participants and questionnaire survey
A questionnaire with a linkable anonymized ID was distributed to 202 GNE myopathy patients (80 males and 122 females) who were registered in the Remudy database as of April 2019. The questionnaire was mailed to the patients, and those who responded did so by postal mail or e-mail (PDF file) via the Remudy homepage. Reminders were sent to those who had not responded. The Patient Association of Distal Myopathies (PADM) also e-mailed their patients to request cooperation with the survey.
The questionnaire requested the following information: muscle symptoms, treatment, and systemic complications. Systemic complications such as ITP, cardiac involvement, respiratory involvement, SAS, and psychiatric diseases were included in the questionnaire, and participants were asked to include any other complications they had (Supplementary Table 1). Information regarding age of disease onset, pathogenic variants, height, body weight, and respiratory function were collected from the Remudy database. Age of disease onset was defined as the age when participants became aware of GNE myopathy symptoms, rather than the age at diagnosis or when test abnormalities were detected.
Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD), median, range, frequency, and percentage, as indicated. We calculated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the frequency of complications and compared them with the frequency reported for the general Japanese population using Fisher's exact test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. All statistical analyses were performed using EZR on R 3.5.2 and R commander 2.5-1.
Background characteristics
Of the 198 GNE myopathy patients (78 males and 120 females) who received the questionnaire, the 126 (51 males and 75 females) (62.4%) who responded were considered participants of this study (Fig. 1). Mean participant age was 48.9 ± 12.1 years (median, 48 years; range, 25–76 years) and mean age of onset was 29.1 ± 9.4 years (median, 29 years; range, 12–62 years). There were no significant differences in distribution of ages among participants and non-participants (data not shown). Of the participants, 98.4% (124/126) were diagnosed genetically with biallelic GNE pathogenic variants, 23.0% (29/126) were homozygotes, and 75.4% (95/126) were compound heterozygotes, while 1.6% (2/126) were diagnosed clinically with a single heterozygous pathogenic variant combined with clinical symptoms and pathological features. Two pathogenic variants were frequent among participants: 88.8% (112/126) carried both or either of c.620A > T (p.D207V) and c.1807G > C (p.V603L). Of those harboring these pathogenic variants, 10.3% (13/126) were able to walk without assistance, 45.2% (57/126) used assistive devices such as sticks or orthoses for walking, and 43.7% (55/126) were unable to walk (Table 1).
Participant characteristics
Mean age (years) [SD]
At survey
48.9 [12.1]
29.1 [ 9.4]
Assistive device usage *1
Wheelchair usage *2
Walking ability at survey
% [95% CI]
Ambulant without assistance
10.3 [ 5.6–17.0]
Ambulant with assistive devices
45.2 [36.4–54.3]
Non-ambulant
0.8 [ 0.0- 4.3]
Genetic diagnosis*3
Homozygotes
23.0 [16.0-31.4]
p.V603L homozygotes
Compound heterozygotes
p.D207V / p.V603L
p.D207V / other pathogenic variant
p.V603L / other pathogenic variant
Heterozygotes
1.6 [ 0.2–5.6]
(All p.V603L heterozygotes)
*1 Analyzed 95 participants who currently or previously used assistive devices and responded to the questionnaire.
*2 Analyzed 80 participants who currently or previously used a wheelchair and responded to the questionnaire.
*3 Data from the Remudy database. Other data were obtained from the questionnaire.
Among the participants, 4.1% (5/123) had a previous or current diagnosis of ITP (123/126 participants analyzed due to missing data) (Table 2). All five participants who had a diagnosis of ITP were compound heterozygotes carrying c.1807G > C (p.V603L) in one allele. The pathogenic variant of the other allele was c.131G > C (p.C44S), c.395G > A (p.R132H), c.1351C > T (p.R451*), c.1664C > T (p.A555V), or c.1864G > A (p.A622T). Disease duration and age of onset did not differ between participants with or without ITP (data not shown).
Sleep apnea syndrome and respiratory dysfunction
Respiratory function data of 56 participants who were tested with a spirometer within two years of the questionnaire survey were analyzed. There was no correlation between forced vital capacity (%FVC) and age of onset or disease duration (Figs. 2a, 2b). Mean age of onset and mean disease duration of the seven participants with low %FVC (< 60%) were 17.4±4.6 years (median, 15 years; range, 14–28 years) and 26.3±6.2 years (median, 27 years; range, 17–36 years), respectively, suggesting a younger age of onset and longer disease duration compared to the entire study population.
SAS was diagnosed in 10.4% (13/125) of participants, corresponding to 16.3% (8/49) of males and 6.6% (5/76) of females in the study population. Of these, 4.0% (5/125) were currently using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), 1.6% (2/125) previously used CPAP, and 4.8% (6/125) had never used CPAP (125/126 participants analyzed due to missing data). There were no significant differences between participants with and without SAS for disease duration (p = 0.078) (Fig. 2c), % forced vital capacity (%FVC) (p = 0.31) (Fig. 2d), body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.07) (Fig. 2e), and current age (p = 0.15).
Cardiac complications
In total, 17.4% (21/125) of participants indicated having a current or past history of cardiac abnormalities: 9.9% (12/125) with arrhythmia, 1.7% (2/125) with valvular heart disease, 1.7% (2/125) with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, 0.7% (1/125) with coronary artery disease, and 3.3% (4/125) did not know the name or the category of the disease (125/126 participants analyzed due to missing data) (Table 2).
Systemic complications
Frequency in GNEM participants
Immune thrombocytopenia*1
Previous / current diagnosis
Never diagnosed
Sleep apnea syndrome*2
Previous diagnosis
6.6 [ 2.2–14.7]
Currently using CPAP
Previously used CPAP
Never used CPAP
Heart complications
Diagnosis unknown
No abnormality
CPAP: continuous positive airway pressure, GNEM: GNE myopathy
*1 Analyzed 121/126 participants due to missing data (no response) or answer unknown.
Developmental disorders and psychiatric diseases
None of the participants indicated having an intellectual disorder, but 0.8% (1/126) reported having pervasive developmental disorder, in particular, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In total, 14.7% of participants reported having a psychiatric disease: neurosis (n = 7), depression (n = 4), alcohol abuse (n = 1), and anorexia (n = 1). The breakdown for those with neurosis was as follows: adjustment disorder (n = 4), panic disorder (n = 2), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (n = 1). One participant with depression also experienced anorexia. Four participants did not know the name of the disorder. The frequency of those who had experienced problematic behavior during school years was 3.2% (4/123): truancy (n = 4), attempted suicide (n = 2), and domestic violence (n = 1) (Table 3).
Developmental disorders, psychiatric diseases and problematic behavior
Pervasive developmental disorder
0.8 [0.0-4.3]
99.2 [9.6–100.0]
Psychiatric diseases*
6.4 [2.6–12.8]
1.8 [0.2–6.5]
Problematic behavior*
Had problematic behavior
Never had problematic behavior
GNEM: GNE myopathy
* Multiple answers allowed.
To our knowledge, we describe the first comprehensive survey of complications among GNE myopathy patients. This survey will contribute to better manage GNE myopathy patients and help physicians provide early diagnosis and treatment.
Previous studies have reported thrombocytopenia in three Japanese GNE myopathy patients [6], two Chinese siblings with GNE myopathy [7], and a Caucasian woman with GNE myopathy [8], but no study had assessed its frequency in a larger cohort of GNE myopathy patients. In the present study, 4.1% (5/123) of participants had a diagnosis of ITP. However, given the lack of data on the frequency of ITP collected in the same manner for the general Japanese population, the risk is difficult to evaluate. Nonetheless, based on the reported frequency of ITP for the general Japanese population of 2.16/100,000/yr1)[9], about 0.2% of Japanese people are estimated to have ITP, suggesting that the frequency of ITP among GNE myopathy patients is much higher than that of the general Japanese population.
Pathogenic GNE variants lead to decreased enzymatic activities of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase (UDP-GlcNAc 2-epimerase) / N-acetylmannosamine kinase (ManNAc kinase), the rate-limiting enzyme of sialic acid biosynthesis encoded by the GNE gene [10]. UDP-GlcNAc 2-epimerase was reported to regulate cell surface sialylation in human hematopoietic cell lines and the function of specific cell surface adhesion molecules [11]. Moreover, a correlation between the shortening of mean platelet life span after removal of sialic acid and an increase in platelet-associated IgG has been reported [12]. These results suggest that pathogenic GNE variants may lead to cell surface hyposialylation and impair cell surface adhesion molecules in platelets, inducing antigens that bind to IgG on the platelet membrane, ultimately leading to thrombocytopenia. The high incidence of ITP observed in GNE myopathy patients in our survey suggests a potential relationship between pathogenic GNE variants and ITP, highlighting the importance of conducting routine blood tests in these patients. Further studies on this topic, such as a matched cohort study comparing GNE myopathy patients with the general population, are warranted.
The frequency of SAS in the general Japanese population is estimated to be about 3.3% in males and 0.5% in females [13]. In the present survey, 16.3% of males and 6.6% of females had a diagnosis of SAS. Although those who indicated having SAS in our survey might include those whose SAS had been cured, overall the results point to Japanese GNE myopathy patients having a higher frequency of SAS than the general Japanese population. SAS is reportedly associated with many muscle diseases, such as acid maltase deficiency [14, 15], Duchenne muscular dystrophy [16], myotonic dystrophy [17], oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy [18], facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy [19], and inflammatory myopathy [20]. Specific features of neuromuscular diseases, such as pharyngeal weakness, macroglossia, bulbar manifestations, and low lung volume, might increase the susceptibility of patients to sleep-disordered breathing. To our knowledge, no study has reported on the association between SAS and GNE myopathy. The main risk factor for obstructive SAS is obesity and BMI [21]. Therefore, we compared BMI between participants with and without SAS, but found no significant difference between the two groups (data not shown). In addition, no correlation was observed between the frequency of SAS and %FVC, indicating that diaphragm weakness is unlikely to be a major cause of SAS among GNE myopathy patients. Muscle weakness of the upper airway muscles could contribute to SAS, however, they are not evaluated in majority of GNE myopathy patients. Upper airway muscle function had better be examined among GNE myopathy patients. Since SAS is considered to pose a greater risk for death than diabetes mellitus and stroke [22], screening for SAS in GNE myopathy patients will be important for early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention.
Frequencies of valvular heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and coronary artery disease in the general Japanese population have been reported to be 20%, 0.02%, and 0.8%, respectively [23–25]. Frequencies of valvular heart disease and coronary artery disease did not significantly differ between our study population and the general Japanese population. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was observed in 1.7% (2/125) of participants, although the number of the affected individuals are so small and difficult to glean useful comparison. Two GNE myopathy siblings with cardiomyopathy have been reported previously [26]. In contrast, disease-specific cardiac involvement was not observed in the present survey and the previous GNEM-DMP survey [2]. While it is possible some patients may not be regularly monitoring cardiac function, prospective data collection will be necessary to draw conclusions.
Frequencies of developmental disorders, psychiatric diseases, and problematic behaviors were not significantly higher in the present study population compared to the general Japanese population [5, 27–30], suggesting that GNE myopathy may not impact central nervous system development and may not be associated with psychiatric diseases. Interestingly, our previous Remudy-questionnaire survey conducted among Becker muscular dystrophy patients revealed that 7.2% and 12.0% of participants had developmental disorders and problematic behavior, respectively [31]. These frequencies are higher than that observed in our present study population. Psychiatric diseases observed among physically disabled patients tend to be lumped together, but it is important to be aware that the risk of developing a psychiatric disease differs by underlying disease.
This study has some limitations. First, the range of 95% CIs was wide and thus may have hindered the detection of significant differences due to the small sample size. Nonetheless, it is difficult to secure a large sample size with this very rare disease, and the present study represents one of the largest surveys of complications in GNE myopathy patients conducted to date. Second, self-reported data are not objective and it was difficult to obtain details of the disease for some of the questions as the patients did not remember the name of the disease. Third, there may have been selection bias, as those with severe phenotypes may have been more willing to participate in the national registry. Fourth, we did not adopt a matched case-control design, therefore, other factors such as age or frequency of medical examination might have affected the frequency. Notwithstanding these potential limitations, we believe that this first and largest survey of complications in GNE myopathy patients will raise awareness among physicians which could potentially lead to early diagnosis and early therapeutic invention.
In conclusion, GNE myopathy was found to be associated with ITP and SAS. For better management of GNE myopathy patients, physicians should be mindful of these complications and test for blood cell counts and sleep-disordered breathing in routine clinical assessments. A natural history study of a large GNE myopathy patient cohort, including an assessment of these complications, would be highly informative.
DMRV
distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles
FVC
forced vital capacity
GNEM-DMP
GNE Myopathy Disease Monitoring Program
hIBM
hereditary inclusion body myopathy
ManNAc
UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine
NCNP
National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
PADM
Patient Association of Distal Myopathies
Remudy
national registry for neuromuscular diseases in Japan
UDP-GlcNAc
UDP-N-acetylglucosamine
Ethics approval and consent to participate: All patients registered in Remudy were informed that their data would be removed from the registry or shared with them immediately upon request. The registration process was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the NCNP (A2011-079). The present study was also approved by the same committee (A2018-105), and patients were informed that refusal to participate would not affect their medical care and that their consent would be confirmed by the return of their questionnaires.
Consent for publication: All patients were provided with an explanation of the objectives, design, benefits, and risks of the study, and that their responses would be published. Consent for publication was considered to have been provided upon receipt of a response to the questionnaire.
Availability of data and material: Any data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, Madoka Mori-Yoshimura, upon reasonable request.
Competing interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.
Funding: This work was partly supported by Research on Intractable Diseases of Health and Labor Sciences Research Grants, Comprehensive Research on Disability Health and Welfare Grants, Research and Development Grants for Comprehensive Research for Persons with Disabilities and Practical Research Project for Rare / Intractable Diseases from the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, AMED, Health and Labor Science Research Grants, and an Intramural Research Grant (29-3, 29-4) for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders from the NCNP.
Authors contributions: All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Wakako Yoshioka and Madoka Yoshimura-Mori. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Wakako Yoshioka and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Acknowledgements: We are grateful to the members of Remudy and the members of the Patient Association for Distal Myopathies in Japan (PADM) for their collaboration.
Nishino I, Carrillo-Carrasco N, Argov Z. GNE myopathy: current update and future therapy. J Neurosurg Psychiatry 2015;86:385-392.
Pogoryelova O, Gonzalez Coraspe JA, Nikolenko N, Lochmuller H, Roos A. GNE myopathy: from clinics and genetics to pathology and research strategies. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2018;13:70.
Mori-Yoshimura M, Hayashi YK, Yonemoto N, Nakamura H, Murata M, Takeda S, et al. Nationwide patient registry for GNE myopathy in Japan. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2014;9:150.
Mori-Yoshimura M, Oya Y, Yajima H, Yonemoto N, Kobayashi Y, Hayashi YK, et al. GNE myopathy: a prospective natural history study of disease progression. Neuromuscul Disord 2014;24:380-386.
Nakamura H, Kimura E, Mori-Yoshimura M, Komaki H, Matsuda Y, Goto K, et al. Characteristics of Japanese Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy patients in a novel Japanese national registry of muscular dystrophy (Remudy). Orphanet J Rare Dis 2013;8:60.
Izumi R, Niihori T, Suzuki N, Sasahara Y, Rikiishi T, Nishiyama A, et al. GNE myopathy associated with congenital thrombocytopenia: a report of two siblings. Neuromuscul Disord 2014;24(12):1068-1072.
Zhen C, Guo F, Fang X, Liu Y, Wang X. A family with distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles associated with thrombocytopenia. Neurol Sci 2014;35(9):1479-1481.
Paul P, Liewluck T. Distal myopathy and thrombocytopenia due to a novel GNE mutation. J Neurol Sci 2020;415:116954.
Kurata Y, Fujimura K, Kuwana M, Tomiyama Y, Murata M. Epidemiology of primary immune thrombocytopenia in children and adults in Japan: a population-based study and literature review. Int J Hematol 2011;93(3):329-335.
Hinderlich S, Weidemann W, Yardeni T, Horstkorte R, Huizing M. UDP-GlcNAc 2-Epimerase/ManNAc Kinase (GNE): A Master Regulator of Sialic Acid Synthesis. Top Curr Chem 2015;366:97-137.
Keppler OT, Hinderlich S, Langner J, Schwartz-Albiez R, Reutter W, Pawlita M. UDP-GlcNAc 2-epimerase: a regulator of cell surface sialylation. Sci 1999;284(5418):1372-1376.
Kotzé HF, van Wyk V, Badenhorst PN, Heyns AD, Roodt JP, Lötter MG. Influence of platelet membrane sialic acid and platelet-associated IgG on ageing and sequestration of blood platelets in baboons. J Thromb Haemost 1993;70(4):676-680.
Society. TJC. Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Disordered Breathing in Cardiovascular Disease(JCS 2010). Circ J 2010;74(Suppl.11):1053-1084.
Margolis ML, Howlett P, Goldberg R, Eftychiadis A, Levine S. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in acid maltase deficiency. Chest 1994;105(3):947-949.
Mellies U, Ragette R, Schwake C, Baethmann M, Voit T, Teschler H. Sleep-disordered breathing and respiratory failure in acid maltase deficiency. Neurology 2001;57(7):1290-1295.
Suresh S, Wales P, Dakin C, Harris MA, Cooper DG. Sleep-related breathing disorder in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: disease spectrum in the paediatric population. J Paediatr Child Health 2005;41(9-10):500-503.
Quera Salva MA, Blumen M, Jacquette A, Durand MC, Andre S, De Villiers M, et al. Sleep disorders in childhood-onset myotonic dystrophy type 1. Neuromuscul Disord 2006;16(9-10):564-570.
Dedrick DL, Brown LK. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome complicating oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy. Chest 2004;125(1):334-336.
Della Marca G, Frusciante R, Dittoni S, Vollono C, Buccarella C, Iannaccone E, et al. Sleep disordered breathing in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. J Neurol Sci 2009;285(1-2):54-58.
Selva-O'Callaghan A, Sampol G, Romero O, Lloberes P, Trallero-Araguás E, Vilardell-Tarrés M. Obstructive sleep apnea in patients with inflammatory myopathies. Muscle Nerve 2009;39(2):144-149.
Hannon TS, Rofey DL, Ryan CM, Clapper DA, Chakravorty S, Arslanian SA. Relationships among obstructive sleep apnea, anthropometric measures, and neurocognitive functioning in adolescents with severe obesity. J Pediat 2012;160(5):732-735.
Yaggi HK, Concato J, Kernan WN, Lichtman JH, Brass LM, Mohsenin V. Obstructive sleep apnea as a risk factor for stroke and death. NEJM 2005;353(19):2034-2041.
Doi K, Ogawa H, Ishigami K, Ikeda S, Aono Y, Hamatani Y, et al. Impact of Valvular Heart Disease on Mortality, Thromboembolic and Cardiac Events in Japanese Patients With Atrial Fibrillation- The Fushimi AF Registry. Circ J 2020;84(5):714-722.
Miura K, Nakagawa H, Morikawa Y, Sasayama S, Matsumori A, Hasegawa K, et al. Epidemiology of idiopathic cardiomyopathy in Japan: results from a nationwide survey. Heart 2002;87(2):126-130.
Yatsuya H, Iso H, Li Y, Yamagishi K, Kokubo Y, Saito I, et al. Development of a Risk Equation for the Incidence of Coronary Artery Disease and Ischemic Stroke for Middle-Aged Japanese- Japan Public Health Center-Based Prospective Study. Circ J 2016;80(6):1386-1395.
Chai Y, Bertorini TE, McGrew FA. Hereditary inclusion-body myopathy associated with cardiomyopathy: report of two siblings. Muscle Nerve 2011;43(1):133-136.
Ministry of Health and Welfare. Our mental health. 2011. http://www.mhlw.go.jp/kokoro/speciality/detail.html. Accessed 20 June 2020.
Inagaki M. Ministry of Health and Weflare Intellectual disorder. https://www.e-healthnet.mhlw.go.jp/information/heart/k-04-004.html. Accessed 20 June 2020.
The Nippon Foundation. Fact-finding investigation of truancy. 2018. https://www.nippon-foundation.or.jp/app/uploads/2019/01/new_inf_201811212_01.pdf. Accessed 20 June 2020.
Hattori S. Survey of suicide conducted by The Nippon Foundation in 2016: Results and suicide prevention. Mind Soc 2017;48(1):52-57.
Mori-Yoshimura M, Mizuno Y, Yoshida S, Minami N, Yonemoto N, Takeuchi F, et al. Social involvement issues in patients with Becker muscular dystrophy: A questionnaire survey of subjects from a patient registry. Brain Dev 2018;40(4):268-277.
SupplementaryTable1.pdf
Questionnaire used in the survey
|
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For once, tire degradation wasn't primary race focus
By Mike MillerSep 9, 2013, 8:15 AM EDT
Whereas some Grand Prix present the teams with two fairly similar strategic options, often one slightly faster than the other, but both feasible, this particular track and tire combination left no one in much doubt about the fastest way from lights to flag.
Pirelli's two hardest compounds in the range meant tire wear was a minimal factor here and that, along with the circuit layout in Italy, meant one stopping the race was predicted beforehand to be around nine seconds faster than trying to two stop.
The softer compounds degrade quickly, which means drivers either have to control their pace to make them last, or turn their race into a series of short sprints with multiple stops, this weekend most were able to push from start to finish without suffering performance drop off.
It's something that raises more questions about the show. Do we want, as fans, to watch races with an element of uncertainty and strategic battles, or see, as the drivers want, cars going as fast as they can all the way through, but with everyone doing more or less the same thing? Pirelli can't win either way.
The other peculiarity about this historic circuit is the excessive pit lane loss time. A long pitlane, running parallel to one of the fastest points of the circuit, means that if you're in the pits doing 80kph, at the recently introduced speed limit, your rivals going past on the main straight are doing over 300kph at the same time. It's another key factor that pushes everyone towards the one stop race.
Sunday we saw just that, almost all of the main contenders starting out on single pitstop plan, starting on the medium tire and changing to the hard between laps 22 and 27. Some were forced into alternate strategies through incident, Kimi Raikkonen after a collision on lap one and Hamilton after an early slow puncture, possibly picked up after running over debris at the first chicane.
For Raikkonen the early pitstop effectively ruined any chance of a positive result, but the car did show remarkable pace and his overall race time from lap two to the end was faster than Alonso's and just shy of race winner Sebastian Vettel's. It shows what he might have done had he started in a good position and stayed out of trouble, but how many times have we said that?
Lewis converted to a two stop race after his puncture and again showed good pace, like Kimi, a fast car out of position. Where he struggled to make further progress up the order was a lack of ultimate top speed on the long straights. He, along with team mate Rosberg, had a quick car in terms of lap time, but they achieved the laptime with a higher downforce level than some others and that cost them at the overtaking points in the lap. It's traditionally a key strategic differentiator around this unique circuit, the way you gear your car and the downforce required to keep enough grip through the slower speed corners.
Gear ratios have to be decided on a Saturday before qualifying and teams often make the decision based on where they think they can qualify for the race. If you're Sebastian Vettel, you select your ratios on the basis you think you can get out front, break the DRS gap and stay there. If you end up out of position in qualifying or after an incident in the race and are forced into fighting your way back through the field, you want a top gear that'll allow you to reach the higher top speeds attainable through DRS use, which you'll have a lot of, approaching the slower cars in front.
The only top team to make a bit of a gamble on strategy today was Ferrari. Alonso made a great start and was quickly allowed to pass team mate, Massa to take the fight to Red Bull. With Alonso running in second behind Vettel as the pitstop window approached, the current world champion pitted first with his right front tire heavily flat-spotted. Ferrari then had decisions to make. The first of those surprised me a little.
Vettel had exited the pitlane behind Filipe Massa, with both Ferraris still to stop and yet the team brought their number two driver in almost immediately while Alonso stayed out in front. That decision allowed Vettel the free space and clear air to push on his new tires, where perhaps had he stayed out for another few of laps Massa could've been used to carefully control the pace of their main rival behind.
With Alonso still running at a competitive speed, the team opted to leave him out for another five laps, simply to gamble on something slightly different to Red Bull. The hope was that with Alonso on fresher tires at the end of the race, he may have been able to close the gap and make a last lap challenge for the win.
It was a brave call and the only thing they could've done today. Fernando's part was executed flawlessly, but the pace of the lead RB9 was just too fast and whilst second was a great result from fifth on the grid, he could do nothing to stop the gap in the championship opening up just a little bit further.
Follow @F1elvis
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Innovation Platform
Senator Kim Carr
Latest News /
A step into the unknown
Posted by Kim Carr 5sc on May 22, 2014
ACPET HIGHER EDUCATION SYMPOSIUM
MARRIOTT HOTEL, SYDNEY
***CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY***
Thank you for the invitation to speak to you once again, at a pivotal moment for the future of higher education in Australia.
I am grateful to ACPET's national chair, Martin Cass, and the council's board of directors for giving me this opportunity.
This is not the era of benign neglect that the Prime Minister foreshadowed last year.
This Government's plans, if realised, would represent a seismic shift in the way this country functions.
The compact between government, students and providers would be torn up, its values and principles set aside.
We are entering a Brave New World — a world we did not vote for, and still cannot see in any detail.
A Brave New World, moreover, that looks curiously akin to the failed experiments of the Cameron Government in the United Kingdom.
I think we can be forgiven for some misgivings.
The words of Professors Kwong Lee Dow and Valerie Braithwaite, in their review of regulation which I released when I was minister, are worth recounting …
"It is easy to recommend apparently straightforward amendments to the legislation which appear agreed by everyone. But this is worryingly simplistic. Patching individual pieces of legislation can fix functional irritations, but will not necessarily change the way in which legislation is being applied and why."
Surely we can agree that it is the spirit in which any policy shifts – including deregulation – should be approached.
So let me begin by restating the two basic principles upon which Labor's higher education policy rests, because these are the principles by which we will judge these measures.
We will resist any change that threatens to undermine the quality of Australia's higher-education institutions.
And we will ensure that social equity, not just participation, is maintained. The compact at the core of HECS must be upheld.
It is about excellence and equity together - not one at the expense of the other.
It is about harnessing talent where it lies.
It is about equipping this nation, and all its people, for the future.
These are values that ACPET has endorsed.
I am aware that debate about Australia's higher education system often mischaracterises it as a split between public universities and private providers.
I hold that this is a false dichotomy.
The system Labor oversaw when we left office was in fact a partnership between university and non-university actors – both public and private. A partnership designed to deliver tertiary education in the national interest.
Public and private providers – 120 in fact – receive funding of various degrees from the Commonwealth – competing on quality and course offerings.
Only 37 of these are regarded as public universities; 59 are TAFEs with the balance often referred to as private providers.
I want to emphasis today that my view of what makes a great tertiary institution is not its management structure but the quality of the education it provides.
The question of excellence is paramount in teaching and research.
When I spoke to an ACPET conference in 2001, the reputation of your industry was threatened by the prevalence of fly-by-night operators with the flimsiest of credentials or none at all.
ACPET came to me to work co-operatively to improve the competitive environment in your industry.
To remove crooks from the industry, because poor quality assurance was damaging it. Criminals were operating in an environment of fragmented and ineffective regulation.
And together we made progress in cleaning up the industry.
As a result there are now universal protocols and accepted standards with which providers of higher education must comply.
There are no more shopfront degree mills. No more purported universities run out of diving shops, whisky wholesalers or post office boxes.
One of the lessons of that history is that the conflict some like to pretend exists between markets and regulation is an illusion.
Without regulation, no market can function properly.
Poorly regulated, or unregulated, markets allowed charlatans to flourish, tainting the reputations of genuine educators and threatening Australia's international education industry.
Because quality is the key to our international reputation. It's our most precious asset.
I worry that it is once again up for negotiation today.
Because what are we seeing from the Government we elected on the promise of no changes to university funding? And no cuts to education?
In the name of competition, deregulation and all-round belt-tightening, the Abbott Government intends to reduce the level of Commonwealth funding of the cost of degrees, and to remove the cap on fees so that providers can charge whatever the market can bear.
It is an excuse to withdraw public investment from higher education.
They want to create – I emphasise create – an artificial quasi-market.
But they will court disaster if they fail to ensure that a proper regulatory framework is in place before scores of new entrants rush to claim government funds.
The budget papers reveal that the introduction of competition and the expansion of the demand-driven system – coupled with a reduction of Commonwealth assistance per student – will in fact save this government $1.1 billion over the forward estimates.
It is not an expansion of higher education, but a contraction in funding.
That means creating a level playing field for old and new providers will not be a simple matter.
There are some key questions that the Government needs to come to grips with quickly. They are questions you might want to pose to the Minister this afternoon.
First, price. How will the Government determine the appropriate subsidy per place? I note its intention to pay teaching-only institutions a different rate to universities, which historically have used between 10 and 30 per cent of their teaching funds to cross-subsidise research.
Paying teaching institutions a lower rate will lessen the risk of a blow-out in costs. But it might also raise questions about smaller public universities that are less active in research, perhaps creating pressure on some of them to become teaching-only institutions, too. Nor might that be the only consequence of universities and other providers competing for funds. Some private providers have argued that if they are to get less than universities because they are teaching-only institutions, there should also be recognition of costs they bear but universities do not.
For example, private providers have to pay for their buildings, whereas university property is taxpayer-funded. Does that mean that in fairness universities should pay rent to the taxpayers?
The fact that some private providers have already raised such a question about a deregulated system is an indication that there is a long way to go before an appropriate distribution of funding between universities and other providers can be determined.
There is also the question of how students are to be protected as providers enter and leave the market, which will happen more frequently in a weakly regulated system. There are already measures in place that protect international students — such as the Tuition Protection Service — but it may become necessary to provide domestic students with the same protections.
How will the Government set standards of reporting?
With public subsidy comes public responsibility. I support calls for greater public accountability, including the provision of completion and retention rates, which are so important in measuring the success of pathway courses.
And lastly, how will the Government ensure that it gets the regulation right?
The sandstone universities have something of a head start when it comes to building a reputation in the community. But private providers do not have that luxury.
I vividly recall that, as minister in August last year, I was advised by the department that they had run the ruler over providers to determine who was or was not low-risk.
From an immigration perspective, only 142 of about 1030 non-university providers were found to be low or medium-risk.
From a business-risk perspective, only 55 per cent of those 142 were low-risk.
There is another possible consequence of opening up the market. Might not some of the largest foreign institutions, such as Yale, Oxford or Singapore, also consider establishing themselves in Australia, taking advantage of the public subsidies and low risk?
So it worries me that the government has given no indication of how it might deal with any of the issues of regulation.
Even now, there is now a bill before the Parliament that is of acute concern.
The bill seeks to make changes to the national regulator - TEQSA.
The budget will reduce the regulator's capacity by cutting $31 million over 4 years - half its funding over the next four years.
The bill will remove TEQSA's continuous quality assessment function.
If the bill is made law, who will undertake that task?
The bill will also allow additional powers to be delegated to any Commonwealth officer. Not just a TEQSA official. Is it possible that this could mean an immigration compliance officer?
That is how poorly the legislation is drafted.
The appointments of the current Commissioners will be terminated, and new Commissioners appointed. And the roles of Chief Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer will be split.
And finally the Minister will have greater power to give directions to TEQSA, and will be required to approve TEQSA's schedule of fees.
I am concerned about the potential for increased political interference in TEQSA's operations.
As we are seeing with the Australian Research Council.
So that is why Labor has moved to refer the TEQSA bill to a Senate committee inquiry.
All of this suggests to me that we are not seeing what the Prime Minister likes to describe as a 'grown-up government' in action.
This higher education shambles — I hesitate to call it a strategy — has all the hallmarks of policy on the run.
It is policy driven by the imperatives of a fabricated budget emergency. An excuse for austerity.
The reality is that these policies have been around for a long time.
They reflect the same ideology that would have us privatise CSIRO.
Privatise the ABC and SBS.
Ideology, not evidence, drives the agenda.
If we were in any doubt, the Commission of Audit's report would have put them to rest.
We are kidding ourselves if we think that its more appalling excesses have been laid to rest.
Labor will outline its response in full once we have the detail of the legislation before us.
But we will not betray our compact with you - the compact we forged in the interests of the sector, the students, and the nation that needs your services.
Tweets by @SenKimCarr
Authorised by Kim Carr Australian Labor Party (Victorian Branch) Docklands.
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