The covenant with God requires Jews to be loyal to God and to follow the commandments of Judaism. In return God will make the Jewish people into a great nation, give us the land of Israel and be with us, protecting us throughout history. Today, a mohel, or moyel, a Jew with special training, performs the ritual of circumcision when the baby boy is eight days old. During the ceremony, the baby is circumcised, receives his Hebrew name and is welcomed into the covenant of the Jewish people.
Over the millennia, most Jewish communities remained committed to circumcision. However, there are time periods when it fell out of favor. Jews living in Ancient Greece, over 2000 years ago, were one community that struggled with the ritual of circumcision.
Jews at the time were Hellenized, trying to assimilate into the larger Greek culture while remaining committed to their religion. At that time, Greek men participated in wrestling matches in the nude. As the Greeks did not practice circumcision, the matches made it all too plain who was Jewish and who was not. There are accounts of Jews having painful surgeries to reverse a circumcision in order to participate in these games.
In modern-day American society as a whole, circumcision has come in and out of favor. Currently, some 79% of all American men are circumcised, but newborn circumcision rates have dropped in recent decades to about 65%. Doctors continue to debate the health benefits or lack thereof from circumcision.
As reported recently in the New York Times, The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta is considering promoting routine circumcision for all baby boys born in the United States. The purpose is to reduce the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Studies in Africa have shown that circumcised men are half as likely to get HIV from an infected woman than uncircumcised men.
There is a non-governmental organization, Operation Abraham, whose mission is to encourage circumcision in Africa. Based in Jerusalem, Operation Abraham is a collaboration between the Jerusalem AIDS project and the Haddash Medical Organization. I found this to be amazing and inspiring; Israeli Jews promoting circumcision to help save Africans from AIDS.
As a rabbi, I officiate at a bris or a baby naming for a boy or a girl. The service for a newborn girl has all of the same rituals including the giving of the name and entering the covenant, without the actual circumcision. Just a few weeks ago, I officiated at a baby naming service for a boy, who was circumcised in the hospital. The parents, an interfaith couple, felt more comfortable having a medical doctor perform the circumcision, which is done on day 2. At the parent’s home, I blessed the baby boy and gave him his Hebrew name, welcoming him into the Covenant of the Jewish people.
From a Jewish perspective, circumcision is a vital and necessary part of our tradition. The ritual of circumcision makes the baby into a Jew. The baby boy receives his Hebrew name and now is a part of the people Israel. We have adapted certain parts of the ritual to meet the needs of our times. Yet the bris will remain a central and meaningful ritual in Judaism for every generation to come.
To read the article from the New York Times on circumcision: CLICK HERE


One of the most important tasks of the Project Manager is to successfully identify all the key players who can influence the project to determine its success or failure. These key players include the stakeholders as well as the external elements who are interested in the outcome of the project and can influence the project in a positive or negative manner. These elements can be individuals or organizations and their influence on the project depends on their relative power and interest in the project.
One of the most efficient means for identifying the effect and type of influence of the stake holders is by carrying out a stakeholder analysis. Based on the analysis the stakeholders can be grouped in to various categories as shown in the figure below.
A similar exercise may be carried out to identify and categorize the non-stakeholders or external player like an organization or individual who has vested interests in the success or the failure of the project.
While a stakeholder or an external player with a positive interest will influence the project to ensure its success, a stakeholder or external player with negative interest will try to influence the project to ensure its failure.
Some examples of positive and negative influences on the project are as listed below:
- A bad competitor would have a negative interest and may resort to unfair and unethical means to ensure the failure of the project. They may do this by recruiting the key project members by offering them lucrative packages or by influencing key suppliers or even by directly or indirectly providing wrong information on the project and products to the customer.
- An act of granting incentives by the Top Management to Project Team for a successful phase of a project will have a positive influence which shall motivate the team to give that extra effort to ensure the success of the project.
- A stakeholder with negative interest will engage in internal politics to create divide and mistrust among the project team which can lead to the failure of the project in the form of budget overrun, undue delays and poor quality.
It is therefore essential for a Project Manager to analyze the stakeholders and non-stakeholders to determine their level of interest as well as their type and amount of influence on the project. The information obtained from such analysis is to be used by the Project Manager to develop the strategies to minimize or nullify the negative influences to prevent the project failure and to maximize the positive influences and utilize them to ensure the success of the project.


Dichondra micrantha is a low-growing, groundcover plant that was once touted for use as a lawn in the mild west, but flea beetles quickly drove it out of favor as a grass substitute. Now a related species, D. argentea, is taking center stage nationwide as a unique, trailing accent plant for containers and hanging baskets. Dichondra has small, rounded leaves that resemble miniature water lily pads and spreads by rooting surface runners. Native to Texas and Mexico, D. argentea is a perennial hardy in zones 8 to 10 but is being used as an annual foliage plant in the horticultural trade.
‘Silver Falls’ dichondra is a vigorous plant that forms a mass of soft pewter leaves on silver stems in full sun to part shade. The fan-shaped, shimmering silvery leaves are held on plants just 2 inches tall. The trailing stems branch well without pinching. It is heat and drought-tolerant and will recover if watered after wilting. In the Midwest, dichondra has no serious insect or disease problems.
‘Silver Falls’ dichondra is great alone or in mixed containers, providing a cool contrast to green foliage and brightly colored flowers. Try it in hanging baskets, tall containers, or window boxes as an alternative to licorice plants (Helichrysum petiolare minus ‘Silver Mist). Planted near the edge of a raised bed or rock wall, it will cascade over the edge, growing 2 to 4 feet long. It can also be used as a ground cover on well-drained soils, where it will form dense mats that choke out weeds. Try pairing it with colorful foliage plants, such as ‘Purple Knight’ alternanthera or sun-tolerant coleus. ‘Silver Falls’ can even be used as a trailing filler for cut-flower arrangements.
Light: Full Sun, Part Shade
Zone: 9, 10, 11


A small tree, rarely 60 feet high. Originally from the middle Mississippi Valley, now widely introduced as a hedge tree. Famous for supplying the best bows in America east of the Rockies. Wood is bright orange; very hard, elastic, enduring and heavy. Leaves 3 to 6 inches long. A cubic foot weighs 48 lbs.
One of the noblest forest trees, ordinarily 100 feet, and sometimes 150 feet high. Noted for its splendid clean straight column; readily known by leaf, 3 to 6 inches long, and its tulip-like flower. Wood soft, straight-grained, brittle, yellow, and very light; much used where a broad sheet easily worked is needed but will not stand exposure to the weather; is poor fuel; a dry cubic foot weighs 26 lbs. Mississippi to Atlantic, L. Ontario to Gulf.
Usually a small tree of dry sandy soil, but reaching 125 feet high in favorable regions. Its wood is dull orange, soft, weak, coarse, brittle, and light. A cubic foot weighs 31 lbs. Very durable next the ground. Leaves 4 to 7 inches long. Maine to Iowa and Texas to Atlantic.
A tall tree up to 150 feet high of low, moist woods, remarkable for the corky ridges on its bark, and the unsplit-able nature, of its weak, warping, perishable timber.
Heart-wood reddish brown, sap white; heavy, weighing 37 lbs. to cubic foot. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long. Mass. to Mo. and south to Gulf.
One of the largest of our trees; up to 140 feet high; commonly hollow. Wood, light brownish, weak; hard to split; heavy for its strength. A cubic foot weighs 35 lbs. Little use for weather work. Famous for shedding its bark as well as its leaves. Leaves 4 to 9 inches long. Canada to the Gulf.
Small tree of bottom lands, rarely 50 feet high; so called from its abundant spring crop of tiny rosy blossoms, coming before the leaves, the latter 2 to 6 inches broad. "Judas tree" because it blushed when Judas hanged himself on it (Keeler.) Its wood is dark, coarse and heavy.
A cubic foot weighs 40 lbs. Md. to Iowa and southward.
A large, splendid forest tree, 80 to 120 feet high; red in autumn. Wood hard, strong, tough and heavy but not durable. A cubic foot weighs 43 lbs. It enjoys with Beech, Hickory, etc., the sad distinction of being a perfect firewood. Thanks to this it has been exterminated in some regions.
Bird's-eye and curled Maple are freaks of the grain. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long. Its sap produces the famous maple sugar. Man. to Nova Scotia and south to Gulf.
Usually a little smaller than the Sugar Maple and much inferior as timber. Wood hard, close-grained. A cubic foot weighs 33 lbs. Leaves 5 to 7 inches long. This tree produces a little sugar. It is noted for its yellow foliage in autumn. Nova Scotia to Minn, and south to Okla. and Ga.
A fine tree the same size as the preceding. Noted for its flaming crimson foliage in fall, as well as its red leafstalks, flowers and fruit earlier. Its wood is light-colored, tinged reddish, close-grained, smooth with varieties of grain, as in Sugar Maple; heavy. A cubic foot weighs 39 lbs. Leaves 2 to 6 inches long. Que. to Minn, and So. to Gulf.
A small tree, 40 to 50 up to 70 feet high, found chiefly along streams. Wood pale, soft, close-grained, light. A cubic foot weighs 27 lbs. Poor fuel. Makes paper-pulp. Leaflets 2 to 4 inches long. Mass. to Br. Col. south to Mex. and Ala.
A tall forest tree 60 to 125 feet; usually hollow when old. Wood soft, straight-grained, weak, white, very light. A cubic foot weighs 28 lbs. It makes a good dugout canoe or sap trough. The hollow trunk, split in halves, was often used for roofing (see log-cabin). Poor firewood, and soon rots, makes good rubbing-sticks for friction fire. Its inner bark supplies coarse cordage and matting. Its buds are often eaten as emergency food. Leaves 2 to 5 inches wide. Man. to Nova Scotia and south to Texas.
A forest tree up to 100 feet high; in wet lands. Wood pale, very strong, tough, unsplittable and heavy. A cubic foot weighs 40 lbs. Used for turner work, but soon rots next the ground. Leaves 2 to 5 inches long. Mass. to Wis. and south to Gulf.
A fine forest tree on moist soil: 70 to 90 or even 130 feet high. Wood pale brown, tough, and elastic. Used for handles, springs, bows, also arrows and spears; heavy. A cubic foot weighs 41 lbs. Soon rots next the ground. Called white for the silvery under sides of the leaves; these are 8 to 12 inches long; each leaflet 3 to 5 inches long. Miss. Valley and east to Atlantic.
A tall forest tree of swampy places; 70, 80, or rarely 100 feet high. Wood dark brown, tough, soft, coarse, heavy. A cubic foot weighs 39 lbs. Soon rots next to the ground.
Late in the spring to leaf, and early to shed in the fall. The leaves are 12 to 16 inches long; its leaflets except the last have no stalk, they number 7 to 11, are 2 to 6 inches long. Nova Scotia to Man. and south to Va.
"The Forester's Manual," or Forest trees of Eastern North America, a fully illustrated Manual with map showing range of each species. By Ernest Thompson Seton, published by Doubleday, Page & Co., net, 50c. and net, $1, according to binding.
"Our Native Trees," By Harriet L. Keeler, 1900. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York City. Price, $2.


By Anne-Geneviève Bagnères, Martine Hossaert-McKey
The combo of the 2 phrases "ecology" and "chemistry" has lately come into being for researchers, biologists and chemists operating on the interface of biology and chemistry. Chemical ecology is now an entire study box in itself. so much residing species converse with one another via molecules and chemical indications known as mediators. The chemical language, utilizing chemical mediators rather than phrases, is a common language in nature, and looks quintessential to the upkeep of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Chemical conversation is by way of some distance the main used technique of conversation within the residing international. attempting to comprehend the language of nature, ecologists and chemists are confronted with the complexity and creativity of organisms. This booklet provides the main complicated and sundry points of this turning out to be self-discipline. It presents, in comparison to different on hand books which regularly take care of particularly uncomplicated platforms, twin or tritrophic relationships round a small variety of version organisms and chemical mediators, a holistic view of chemical ecology. Read more...
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Dieser Buchtitel ist Teil des Digitalisierungsprojekts Springer booklet files mit Publikationen, die seit den Anfängen des Verlags von 1842 erschienen sind. Der Verlag stellt mit diesem Archiv Quellen für die historische wie auch die disziplingeschichtliche Forschung zur Verfügung, die jeweils im historischen Kontext betrachtet werden müssen.
This moment variation expands at the earlier version with new chapters which are appropriate for rookies, in addition to extra distinct chapters that hide protein balance and garage, averting proteolysis in the course of chromatography, protein quantitation equipment together with immuno-qPCR, and the demanding situations that scale-up of construction poses to the investigator.
- Lipid-Soluble Antioxidants: Biochemistry and Clinical Applications
- Problems of the Biochemistry of the Nervous System
- Chemical Toxicity Prediction: Category Formation and Read-Across
- Tannins: biochemistry, food sources and nutritional properties
Extra info for Chemical ecology
Whether in a terrestrial or an aquatic environment, semiochemicals play a determining role in the interactions of a species with its abiotic or biotic environment. g. enzymes, transport proteins, sensory proteins), whose production and operation can be regulated by local environmental conditions. Indeed, in terrestrial and marine plants, abiotic stresses can have an impact on the emission of chemical messengers through the alteration of the phenology of the plant (growth and maturation), the allocation of resources to the production of these messengers or even via other direct physiological factors such as stomata functioning.
Floral scents: their role in nursery pollination mutualism”, Chemoecology, vol. 20, pp. 75–88, 2010. , LEJEUSNE C. , “Metabolic fingerprinting as an indicator of biodiversity: towards understanding interspecific relationships among Homoscleromorpha sponges”, Metabolomics, vol. 7, pp. 289–304, 2011. , PEDEL L. , “Biochemical trade-offs: evidence for ecologically linked secondary metabolism of the sponge Oscarella balibaloi”, PLOS One, vol. 6, no. 11, 2011. , CASAS J. , “Plant green-island phenotype induced by leaf-miners is mediated by bacterial symbionts”, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, vol.
The five-year-old seedlings of 860 seeds belonging to six genera Mabea (Euphorbiaceae), Oxandra (Annonaceae), Chemical Ecology: An Integrative and Experimental Science 33 Pachira (Malvaceae sensu lato), Parkia (Fabaceae), Protium (Burseraceae) and Swartzia (Fabaceae) have been transplanted in these two habitats. Overall, the concentration of defense metabolites (proteins, phenolic and terpene compounds) does not present any significant variation between the leaves of transplanted plants and those of plants in their original habitats.
Chemical ecology by Anne-Geneviève Bagnères, Martine Hossaert-McKey


Direct Seeding of Rice – A Simple Solution to India’s Water Crisis?
In partnership with the Columbia Water Center, researchers from Punjab Agricultural University have initiated a multi-year project to implement and field-test diverse water-saving technologies, practices and policies aimed at reducing agricultural water use in the state of Punjab, particularly among rice farmers. The project is sponsored by the PepsiCo Foundation. In last year’s trial, the most successful project involved the installation of inexpensive tensiometers in the fields of over 500 farmers, yielding water savings of 30-35 percent.
Concurrently with the tensiometer trials, the team also recruited a smaller number of farmers to adopt a different way of cultivating rice altogether: direct seeding of rice.
In traditional rice cultivation, rice is sprouted in a nursery; sprouted seedlings are then transplanted into standing water. With direct seeding, rice seed is sown and sprouted directly into the field, eliminating the laborious process of planting seedlings by hand and greatly reducing the crop’s water requirements.
For the CWC/PAU field project, professors Kamal Vatta and Rajinder Sidhu recruited 87 farmers to use the direct seeding approach. Initial results were mixed. Because it was an unusually wet year (30 percent higher than average) with early rainfall, seeds in 35 fields did not germinate as expected; those farmers abandoned the experiment, plowed back their fields and planted rice the traditional way.
However, results from the 52 farms that remained were promising; each farm saving substantial amounts of water with no negative impact on yield. According to Professor Sidhu, water savings are at least as great as those achieved by the use of the tensiometer.
Direct seeding of rice is not a new idea; a number of farmers throughout Asia have cultivated the crop this way for decades. Perhaps most famously, beginning in the 1950s Masanobu Fukuoka, the Japanese farmer-philosopher and author of The One Straw Revolution, flouted both traditional Japanese rice cultivation and industrial production models by seeding rice directly and keeping fields dry for most of the season. Fukuoka’s method involved an elaborate system of groundcovers and crop rotation to minimize competition from weeds.
As usually practiced, however, weed control is a serious challenge for the direct seeding approach. Weeds are one of the main reasons rice is traditionally sprouted in nurseries and transplanted; standing water prevents germination of competing plants.
According to Professor Sidhu, researchers at the Punjab Agricultural University experimented with the direct seeding approach years ago but abandoned it when results showed that “the infestation of weeds is so high that it significantly reduces yield; therefore it was dropped from the research agenda.”
At the time, he says, University research focused almost exclusively on “maximizing productivity in relation to water use, rather than optimizing productivity in relation to water use.” It wasn’t until the 1990s, when awareness of a looming water crisis began to grow, that PAU researchers began to look more seriously at the water issue.
In the end though, it was field experience from a number of progressive farmers in Punjab who had taken up direct seeding on their own that spurred the University to begin a new round of experiments. The farmers claimed that they were successfully using direct seeding to grow rice, with no negative impact on yield. Around the same time, says Sidhu, a new generation of weedicides appeared on the market, allowing for a very effective suppression of weeds without standing water.
Positive results from the PAU’s own research led the University to issue a temporary recommendation to farmers for direct seeding, pending further field tests.
What is the downside? According to Sidhu, compared to using tensiometers, farmers were less enthusiastic about direct seeding, probably because it requires a completely different method of cultivation over conventional practices, and germination failure can also be an issue.
On the other hand, direct seeding of rice—especially if using weedicdes—is substantially more labor-efficient than conventional rice planting. Given the emerging issue of serious labor-shortages in the state of Punjab, techniques like direct-seeding could become much more popular fast.
And what about concern over increased use of weedicides? Sidhu says that we don’t know if there will be negative consequences from the weedicides used on direct-seeded fields. But given the emerging concern in Punjab and elsewhere over rising rates of cancer and ecological damage, it would seem to be an issue to take seriously.
Retired professor SS Johl, a long time luminary in the world of Punjab agricultural research, believes that it is possible to use direct-seeded cultivation without application of weedicides—if one has the labor. He points out that with direct seeding of rice, the labor saved upfront on transplanting can be applied later to weeding. “If you have the labor,” he says, “you should not apply weedicide.”
As a senior professor at PAU since the 1960s, Johl was a key player in Punjabi agriculture for decades, and was one of many agricultural experts who presided over the Green Revolution—known for greatly increasing food production by increasing inputs of water, pesticide and artificial fertilizer. In recent years, however, Professor Johl has become an advocate of conservation agriculture—water efficient and organic when possible.
Professor Johl started experimenting with direct-seeded rice in his own fields a few years ago. On his own fields, he says, he has recently realized a water savings of over 75 percent through direct seeding, albeit with about 10 percent loss of yield.
Most farmers don’t want to take even a 10 percent loss of income—understandably. But considering the gravity of the groundwater crisis, isn’t the possibility of saving such a vast amount of water a source of hope?
To learn more about the Columbia Water Center/Punjab Agricultural University direct seeding project, watch an interview with Kamal Vatta and Rajinder Sidhu on Youtube.


Carbon Neutral - What Does it Mean?
by L.J. Martin
Recently, there have been a lot of environmental buzzwords floating around. It can be difficult to find a clear definition. I'll explain what the term "carbon neutral" means, and why it's important.
You might think that carbon neutral simply means that something does not release any carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is true to an extent, however it is too simple a definition. It is possible to release CO2 into the atmosphere and still be carbon neutral, so long it is balanced by a CO2 reduction elsewhere.
Biofuels are carbon neutral, even though burning them releases CO2. How can this be? Well, the carbon in the biofuel comes from photosynthesis, where CO2 is captured from the atmosphere by a plant and turned into glucose. The glucose can then be turned into more complicated molecules such as sugars, starches, oils and proteins. Sugars and starches can easily be converted into bioethanol, while oils can be converted into biodiesel. Carbon is removed from the atmosphere, stored in plants for a few months, then released when the biofuel is burned. For every gram of CO2 released by burning a biofuel, there was a gram removed from the atmosphere by photosynthesis just a few months ago. This perfect balance is why biofuels are carbon neutral.
Alternatively, the term carbon neutral can be used to describe energy that does not cause the release of any CO2 at all. For instance, solar cells, wind turbines and hydroelectric turbines generate electricity without releasing CO2. Household hot water can be provided using solar-thermal water heating combined with solar cells to heat water using only the power of the sun. Nuclear power does not release CO2 during the generation process either.
There is a problem with this, however. Currently, virtually all forms of carbon neutral energy actually involve the burning of fossil fuels. The crops for biofuels are harvested using machinery that burns fossil diesel. This is because fossil fuels are a great deal cheaper than biofuels. Some ways of producing biofuels are controversial because so much fossil fuel has to be used in the production process. Some sources of bioethanol are in this grey area, and there are also concerns about environmental damage caused by the production of biofuels from crops. Solar cells, wind and hydroelectric turbines are all produced and transported using fossil fuels to some extent. The technology exists to make these things truly carbon neutral, but it is hopelessly uneconomic at this time. Nuclear power involves the burning of fossil fuels in the mining and transport of uranium, the building of power stations, and the disposal of waste. When uranium becomes scarce, mining it will consume even more fossil fuels.
Sometimes companies plant trees to offset the CO2 released by burning fossil fuels. This is not truly carbon neutral. Fossil carbon is being released into the atmosphere, and locking it up in trees is a very short term measure. To be truly carbon neutral, the carbon would have to be locked up for millions of years. Trees only live for tens or hundreds of years, after which they decay or are burned, releasing the carbon back to the atmosphere. We have no way of knowing whether people in the future will be able to keep replanting trees to keep the carbon locked up.
Scientists are trying ways to lock up carbon on a long term basis. This is called sequestration, and most experiments involve pumping carbon compounds such as CO2 into old oil wells or coal mines. This would genuinely make fossil fuels carbon neutral, but it is questionable whether enough carbon could ever be stored to offset fossil fuel use.
In summary, moving to a genuinely carbon neutral society will take time. It may take government tax breaks to make biofuels and alternative energy economically viable. People can take steps towards being carbon neutral by using biofuels and alternative energy. Where it is impossible to avoid fossil fuels, people can focus on efficiency to reduce their fossil fuel use to a bare minimum, and switch to biofuels when they become available. This will move them closer to the ideal of having no net effect on the amount of carbon in the biosphere, in other words, to be carbon neutral.


The lottery is a form of gambling in which numbers are drawn for a prize. It has many forms and can be used for charitable purposes as well as for recreational reasons. Despite its widespread popularity, it is also a source of criticism for the fact that it can become addictive. It can also have a negative effect on a person’s quality of life, even when they win the jackpot.
The word lottery comes from the Latin loteria, meaning “fall of lots.” The practice of distributing property by chance dates back to ancient times. The Old Testament has several examples of property being given away through lottery, and the Romans used it as a form of entertainment during Saturnalian feasts. In modern times, the term is most often used to refer to a government-sponsored game in which money or goods are given away to people who purchase tickets.
Some governments outlaw the game, while others endorse it and regulate its operations. Regardless of the legal status of the lottery, it is considered to be a form of gambling because people pay for the opportunity to win a prize. Lottery is used in a wide variety of ways, including for military conscription, commercial promotions in which property is given away by chance, and the selection of jury members from lists of registered voters.
In some cases, the prizes are predetermined and the number of available tickets is limited. Other lotteries involve a larger prize pool and the winners are determined by random drawing. The size of the prize is based on the total amount of money that has been paid for tickets, and any expenses or taxes are deducted from the final prize pool.
It is important for the organizers of a lottery to maintain a balance between the odds of winning and the number of participants. If the odds are too high, then there will be few winners and ticket sales will decrease. In addition, the prize must be large enough to encourage participation and stimulate ticket sales.
A lottery is a great way to raise funds for a variety of causes, including educational institutions and charitable organizations. It is a popular form of fundraising and has been around for centuries. It is also a great way to get involved in public service activities and provide citizens with the opportunity to improve their communities.
The lottery is a game of chance, and the chances of winning are slim. However, if you do win, it can be a great source of income. Just be sure to use the winnings to build an emergency fund or pay off debt. Otherwise, you may find yourself in financial trouble in the future.


Methane Gas? When I was a kid I had a copy of a publication called “The Last Whole Earth Catalog” It was a book of tools and one of the most amazing books I ever had. One thing I remember was an English chicken farmer that produced Methane gas from chicken manure in fifty-five gallon drums. A slurry was made and stored in these drums and the Methane under a small heating source would simmer to the top and the farmer would gather this gas and stored in large tire tubes used as mobile bladders. He ran his truck on this gas. From what I remember he used this truck all the time and just kept the tire tube topped up with Methane. Also mentioned was it burned clean, similar to natural gas. Except it can be produced free! The article also mentioned some used this gas for cooking in third world countries too. Could you imagine a set up with a Methane gas powered static mount American V8 turning a generator shaft for electricity, And a heat exchanger built using the cooling system on this V8 to produce hot water for a small-scale home heating system. Could this be a solution? Anyone here have any added information on the easily produced gas?


Although there is no single feature that all people with AS share, difficulties with social behavior
are nearly universal and are one of the most important defining criteria. People with AS lack the natural ability to see the subtexts of social interaction, and may lack the ability to communicate their own emotional state, resulting in well-meaning remarks that may offend, or finding it hard to know what is "acceptable". The unwritten rules of social behavior that mystify so many with AS have been termed the "hidden curriculum".
People with AS must learn these social skills intellectually through seemingly contrived, dry, math-like logic rather than intuitively through normal emotional interaction.
are able to gather information about other people's cognitive
and emotional states based on clues gleaned from the environment
and other people's facial expression
and body language
, but, in this respect, people with AS are impaired; this is sometimes called mind-blindness
.Mind-blindness is also known as a lack of theory of mind
Without theory of mind, AS individuals lack the ability to recognize and understand the thoughts and feelings of others. Deprived of this insightful information, they are unable to interpret or understand the desires or intentions of others and thereby are unable to predict what to expect of others or what others may expect of them. This often leads to social awkwardness and inappropriate behavior.
A person with AS may have trouble understanding the emotions of other people: the messages that are conveyed by facial expression, eye contact and body language are often missed. They also might have trouble showing empathy
with other people. Thus, people with AS might be seen as egotistical, selfish or uncaring. In most cases, these are unfair labels because affected people are neurologically unable to understand other people's emotional states. They are usually shocked, upset and remorseful when told that their actions are hurtful or inappropriate.
It is clear that people with AS do not lack emotions. The concrete nature of emotional attachments they might have (i.e., to objects rather than to people), however, often seems curious or can even be a cause of concern to people who do not share their perspective.This deficit in the ability to read one's own and other's emotions goes by the name alexithymia
, a Greek term coined in 1972 by P.E. Sifneos meaning literally "lack of words for emotions."
Failing to show affection — or failing to do so in conventional ways — does not necessarily mean that people with AS do not feel affection. Another important aspect of the social differences often found in people with Asperger's is a lack of central coherence
Speech and language differences
People with AS typically have a highly pedantic
way of speaking, using a far more formal language register
than appropriate for a context. A five-year-old child with this condition may regularly speak in language that could easily have come from a university textbook, especially concerning his or her special area of interest.
Literal interpretation is another common, but not universal hallmark of this condition. Attwood gives the example of a girl with AS who answered the telephone one day and was asked, "Is Paul there?" Although the Paul in question was in the house, he was not in the room with her, so after looking around to ascertain this, she simply said "no" and hung up. The person on the other end had to call back and explain to her that he meant for her to find him and get him to pick up the telephone.
Narrow, intense interests
AS in children can involve an intense and obsessive level of focus on things of interest, many of which are those of ordinary children. The difference in children with AS is the unusual intensity of said interest. Some have suggested that these "obsessions" are essentially arbitrary and lacking in any real meaning or context; however, researchers note that these "obsessions" typically focus on the mechanical (how things work) as opposed to the psychological (how people work).
Sometimes these interests are lifelong; in other cases, they change at unpredictable intervals. In either case, there are normally only one or two interests at any given time. The interests are often linked in some way that is logical only to the AS individual. In pursuit of these interests, people with AS often manifest extremely sophisticated reasoning, an almost obsessive focus, and a remarkably good memory for trivial facts (occasionally even eidetic memory
). Hans Asperger called his young patients "little professors" because he thought his patients had as comprehensive and nuanced an understanding of their field of interest as university professors.
Asperger syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


That the source behind two accessible terminals may be regarded as a constant voltage generator in series with a source impedance. The value of the voltage is that appearing with terminals open circuited and the impedance is that measured at the terminal with all voltage sources open circuited. Often regarded as the dual of Norton's theorem.
What is THEVENIN'S THEOREM?
Edited and fact checked by Pam: Google +
The Science Dictionary is the most comprehensive source of science definitions online with over 38K science terms written and created by our global team of scientists and academic professionals. ...more


Law: friend or foe?
We frequently hear nowadays that respect for law has declined. some cite the law itself as too permissive; others say it often goes unenforced. The average citizen, having appealed to the legal system for justice, may find it cold, distant, and at times corrupt. We may well ask, "Is the law friend or foe?"
There is an answer, a definitive answer. A little word history helps. The term legalm shares the same root as logosm and logicm (in the seminal tongue that linguists call Indo-European). So this may remind us that what is legal implies that which is logical, a product of intelligence. That fact by itself is encouraging: viewing the concept of pure law as intelligent frees it from the darkness of nonintelligence and irrationality.
What is the source of intelligence? It must be the divine creator, god. In Christian Science, Mind is a synonym for God, revealing the nature of the Supreme Being as wholly intelligent. That God is Mind establishes His intelligence as perfect, for he is also Truth. Being omnipotent, He excludes the possibility of any other mental power, any other mind.
And since He is Love, the thoughts He imparts are wholly and impartially good.
What sort of ideas would this exalted Being conceive? Perfect ones. His ideas are expressed by perfect, immortal man and a perfect, orderly universe. Spirit, God, made neither mortals nor variable, mortal laws. In the Christian Science textbook, Mary Baker Eddy n1 states: "Spirit never created matter. There is nothing in Spirit out of which matter could be made, for, as the Bible declares, without the Logos, the AEon or Word of God, 'was not anything made that was made.'" n2
n1 Mrs. Eddy is the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science.
n2 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,m p. 335.
Having made a perfect universe, God, as the one intelligent, loving Mind, is perfectly able to maintain it. God's law is just as perfect as the ideas it governs. Nothing exists apart from its benign influence, and everything, including the most infinitesimal idea, is blessed and protected by it.
The implications of this are far- reaching: We are under God's law.m This law gives no support to sin or disease. That's why it's possible to deny legality to unfairness, corruption -- even illness -- when these human concepts threaten us. Such denial, a potent prayer, lets the enlightening law of Christ, Truth, into thought, replacing "illegal" inharmony with the facts of our real being.
We can begin to make use of this law by gaining a more expansive love for God and man. As we abide bym this law, we abide inm it -- in the consciousness of divine Love, satisfied, healed, protected.
I once had a distressing, pounding headache. Many of the healing truths of Christian Science came to me, and I applied them to the problem, including the fact that I existed only as the perfect, spiritual, and painless image of God. Nothing happened. In fact, things became worse. So I dug in. I knew I had invoked the very sinew of the universe in my behalf, the spiritual law that brooks no opposition. I became filled with a sense of the omnipotent, unchallengeable, and irreversible nature of the law I had appealed to. I saw that a painful error had no law to support it. Total freedom followed in moments.It seemed a miracle. Mrs. Eddy explains the event: "A miracle fulfils God's law, but does not violate that law." Further on she adds, "The miracle introduces no disorder, but unfolds the primal order, establishing the Science of God's unchangeable law." n1
n3 ibid.,m pp. 134-135.
If any of us are in a legal difficulty, we can trust the justice of God's law , too. No cold, inhuman institution, no callous person, no mindless system, can ever challenge God's love for man. God knows and creates only His perfect ideas , man and the universe. He cares for them forever. And our understanding of this can support and strengthen the capacity of a legal system to function justly.
Law: friend or foe? Since nothing was made but by God, Love, Mind, true law is only good. It is demonstrably our ally. Our strength is seen in the Psalmist's words: "The law of the Lord is perfect." n4
n4 Psalms 19:7.
DAILY BIBLE VERSE The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Psalms 62:7


Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by pain in all parts of the body. It is also known as fibromyalgia syndrome. Symptoms of fibromyalgia are extensive pain and fatigue and some or all of the following:
- Persistent headaches
- Stiff muscles
- Irritable bowels
- Brain fog (often referred to as Fibro fog)
What are the causes?
The medical profession is still working to tie down the exact cause of fibromyalgia but its onset has been observed to coincide with the following:
- Disturbed sleep patterns and problems sleeping
- Depressed hormone levels
- Nerve and pain related problems
The trigger conditions for the changes in the body listed above are not fully understood and how they lead to fibromyalgia.
Who does fibromyalgia affect?
The worldwide number of fibromyalgia is in the millions, with 1 in 20 people around the world suffering from it! Since its causes are unknown it means everyone is susceptible to fibromyalgia. Looking at the figures there are by far more women sufferers than men. Most people with the condition are between the ages of 30 and 60 years, but children can also among fibromyalgia sufferers worldwide. Diagnosis of fibromyalgia is usually a case of elimination since its initial symptoms are similar to many other diseases. Doctors often perform testing to eliminate other conditions until they are confident it is indeed fibromyalgia.
What is the treatment?
There is no known permanent cure for fibromyalgia syndrome and symptoms will come and go, with varying severity. Treatments to alleviate and control the symptoms are available and could include:
- Relaxation techniques to relieve stress
- Developing better sleeping habits
- Floating therapy
- Strong painkillers and other prescription drugs
- Gentle exercise
- Oxygen therapy
- Dietary changes
Positive mental changes go a long way in providing comfort and pain alleviation to people with fibromyalgia.


Mobile Information Literacy Module 2 Slides
The Mobile Information Literacy curriculum is a growing collection of training materials designed to build literacies for the millions of people worldwide coming online every month via a mobile phone. Most information information and digital literacy curricula were designed for a PC age, and public and private organizations around the world have used these curricula to help newcomers use computers and the internet effectively and safely. The better curricula address not only skills, but also concepts and attitudes. The central question for this project is: what are the relevant skills, concepts, and attitudes for people using mobiles, not PCs, to access the internet? As part of the Information Strategies for Societies in Transition project, we developed a six-module curriculum for mobile-first users. The project is situated in Myanmar, a country undergoing massive political, economic, and social changes, and where mobile penetration is expected to reach 80% by the end of 2015 from just 4% in 2014. Combined with the country’s history of media censorship, Myanmar presents unique challenges for addressing the needs of people who need the ability to find and evaluate the quality and credibility of information obtained online, understand how to create and share online information effectively, and participate safely and securely.
Day, S. (2015). Mobile Information Literacy Curriculum. Seattle: Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies & the Technology & Social Change Group, University of Washington Information School.
mobile information literacy, information literacy, digital information literacy, digital literacy, mobile-centric, mobile-first, mobile phones, smart phones, Myanmar ICTs, libraries, curriculum, training, training of trainers, Internet


Geography is a dedicated field within the curriculum for analyzing and resolving issues regarding the environment and its harmony with sustainable development. It is a vital link between the natural and social sciences, requiring spatial awareness and scientific aptitude in order to be fully mastered. Understanding geography creates an awareness of place. Moreover, understanding geography helps a student make sense of the significance of current and historical events, whether of economic, political, or social aspects.
Although the introduction to geography starts at around secondary one or two, many students fail to appreciate the subject for it may appear uninteresting when taught through the memorization of facts. In consequence, they fail to do well on tests or completely forget concepts after the examination period.
Geography is actually a very promising subject that opens a gateway to numerous fields of further study and even career paths. SEAB’s geography syllabus states that a geography student is must acquire a vast array of skills and knowledge as they learn more about the current socio-environmental issues that occur in different parts of the world across cultures. It is widely considered one of the more difficult humanities subjects in Junior College (JC), even more so than History. JC geography students are required to be knowledgeable and critical in order to develop a deeper understanding of geographical theories. Students of geography must use higher order thinking skills to analyze and synthesize information. Geography uses multiple complex visual representations such as maps, and graphs require interpretation. As students develop their understanding of the important themes of geography, their awareness of cultural biodiversity–how and why people live the way they do–forges a deeper connection with society in different contexts. Having the ability to interpret complicated sources of data, along with the ability to articulate logical arguments in proving theories, is crucial.
Students who work hard and receive tuition help in geography are ensured to achieve stellar mastery of the subject. It also be enhances their research and data-gathering skills, sifting through related literature and being able to identify relevant information. Often enough, English tuition is needed along with geography tuition in order to maximize learning for students who are lagging behind. Home tuition can be beneficial to students and can be applied to multiple subjects. Geography tuition will be able to help students develop a strong passion for the subject and do better for exams.
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At TutorBee, we provide only the best, most qualified humanities private home tutors for Geography tuition, Social Studies tuition, and History tuition in Singapore. So, whether you’re looking for pure or combined humanities, need a male or female tutor, or prefer MOE humanities teachers, we endeavor to meet all your tutoring requirements.
Sign up today for our GCSE, O-Level or A-Level geography tuition, and give your child the additional learning advantage.


Educating Children Through Musical Equipment
The way children learn and how they develop has long been a fascination of psychologists across the world. There have been many studies to try to decipher ways in which to enhance children’s learning experiences and improve children’s play equipment to aid their development. Recent studies have highlighted the influence music may have on a child’s ability to learn.
A fantastic example of how music can benefit children is through the use of both musical playground equipment and music lessons. When children play in the school playground, they are given the freedom and space to explore and investigate new things for themselves. By using a variety of different playground activities, the children will learn a range of skills which can then be transferred to the classroom. Similarly, engaging children in music lessons not only helps break up their school day and keep them focused, but it allows for structure to be put in place to specifically develop certain talents.
Scientists have found that children can use musical instruments to develop their motor and co-ordination skills from very young age which is essential for their later life. By improving their co-ordination through dancing and singing, children can then transfer these new skills to the classroom where it can assist in activities such as learning to write and holding a pencil.
By learning songs and singing along to music tracks, it also helps young children to learn words which will then become useful in spelling. If children understand songs then they begin to get an understanding for what words mean and how they sound. When they start learning to spell, they therefore have a foundation to build upon. Another aspect of learning through music would be the extension in vocabulary. Children find it very easy to learn songs off by heart and without knowing it, are extending their vocabulary.
There are also several social benefits of playing with musical instruments both individually and within a group. At school children play and interact with each other which assists them in building confidence, self-esteem and the ability to work within a team. It can also help them understand boundaries and appropriate behaviour. Musical instruments and musical playground equipment give children the opportunity to create music by working together giving them a great sense of achievement. This allows them to improve their social skills whilst still enjoying themselves.
The use of musical education has become increasing popular especially with Key Stage 1 children due to the many benefits both academically and socially. So why not improve your playground surfaces by adding some imaginative musical playground equipment and incorporating music lessons into the curriculum.


This cute worksheet helps little learners with letter sounds. Have your child (or your class) fill in the missing first letter for each of the fun cupcake animals.
You can make this reusable by printing it on cardstock and laminating it. Have the kids write their answers in dry erase marker so that one sheet makes it through a whole classroom, or one child can practice over and over.
You can also get the matching Farm Animal Cupcake clipart in lineart or color!
Just right click on the image below to get the free letter sound printable worksheet.


An official website of the United States government
The proportion of the population with jobs was the highest in the Midwest in 2001.
In the Midwest, 66.7 percent of the population was employed on average in 2001. The percentages for the other three regions were clustered within a narrow range: 64.0 percent of those in the West were employed, 62.5 percent in the South, and 62.2 percent in the Northeast.
In the nation as a whole, 63.8 percent of the population had jobs.
These data on employment are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. Additional information is available from Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment, 2001 (BLS Bulletin 2556).
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Regional variation in employment in 2001 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2003/apr/wk4/art02.htm (visited May 29, 2023).


Sometimes, when you’re giving your cat a bit of a fuss, you’ll find they lift their butt as you stroke down their back. This “elevator butt” is just another example of slightly odd cat behavior that we humans might not instantly understand!
But there’s method behind their madness, and by raising their bum in their air cats might actually be trying to tell you something. Let’s find out what it might mean.
Why Do Cats Raise Their Butts When You Stroke Them?
Here are some of the common reasons why cats might raise their butt when you stroke or scratch them:
1. They’re Enjoying It
One of the most likely and loveliest reasons for your cat raising their butt or arching their back when you stroke them is that they want you to keep going! By lifting their bum and tail, they’re getting closer to you and almost forcing you to hit the right spot!
It’s a massive compliment and means they’re enjoying your attention and affection. So, go on, give them another scratch for good measure!
2. They’re In Season
When female cats are in season, their behavior changes drastically. They’re usually more vocal and they might writhe around and rub against you. It’s actually quite common for cat owners to mistakenly think they’re in pain.
Fear not, though, this is normal behavior for cats who are in estrus. They often adopt the lordosis position, with their bottom raised and their tail held to one side. This is because they’re preparing for mating or trying to attract a male.
3. It’s Their Instinct
When cats are very young kittens, their mother will do all their grooming. Kittens will often push their butts towards their mom during this bonding moment, to help her get them clean and to make sure she reaches all the right spots.
Also Read: Best Cat Grooming And Deshedding Gloves
4. They’re Greeting You
Cats will often give other cats’ butts a sniff as a form of greeting. Although it’s not socially acceptable behavior for humans, for cats it’s pretty normal! This behavior can extend to raising their butt or sticking their bum in your face when they’re greeting their humans!
5. They Have Fleas
Pesky parasites like fleas can make your cat really itchy, especially around their back end. So, if your cat seems particularly keen for you to scratch their butt, or if they start doing little scratching movements with their hind legs, you might have a flea infestation on your hands.
Keep an eye out for coarse-feeling fur, bald patches, red bumps, or scabs on the skin. You might even see live fleas crawling around or spot some black sandy flea dirt.
6. They’re Itchy
Even if your cat doesn’t have any parasites, they could still be itchy. Allergies and infections are just some of the reasons for itchiness. If your cat suddenly seems keen for you to scratch a particular area, watch out for signs that the skin is sore, red, or inflamed or that they are overgrooming.
7. They’re Scent Marking
Cats have scent glands in lots of places in the skin all over their body. The highest numbers of scent glands tend to be around their face, paws, and tail base. When you brush your hand against them, you’ll pick up their smelly compounds known as pheromones.
As humans, our sense of smell isn’t that great, so you probably won’t notice it. However, these pheromones are a crucial part of cat communication. By marking you with their scent, they’re not just letting other cats know that you’re bonded with them, they’re also reassuring themselves by surrounding themselves with their familiar scent.
8. There’s A Health Issue
It’s unusual for a cat raising their rears to be a sign of a problem. That being said, it’s important to get any behavior change checked out by a veterinarian, just in case. After all, if your cat suddenly starts raising their butt, or moving their back or tail differently, it could be a sign of itchiness, fleas, spine pain, or sensitivity.
It could even be a symptom of a cat bite abscess at the base of the tail or an issue with their anal glands or nerves.
Do You Need To Worry If Your Cat Raises Their Butt When You Touch Them?
Most of the time, it’s normal cat behavior for cats to lift their bum and tail when you touch them. It usually means that they’re enjoying the moment and want you to continue giving them a good scratch.
However, if you’ve never noticed your cat do it before, then suddenly they start doing it regularly, it’s best not to dismiss it as a sign of love or happiness. Itchy or irritated skin, parasites, or pain could all cause your cat’s posture to change when you stroke them. So, speak to your vet and book a checkup.
Also Read: Why Do Cat Tails Shake Or Quiver?
Thankfully, in most scenarios, it’s normal for cats to raise their tails and back end when they’re being stroked. However, no one knows your furry family member better than you do. So, if you think there’s something not right, or your cat is behaving differently from normal, it’s best to get some expert advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my cat raising her bum?
Cats raise the base of their tails for lots of reasons, but it’s usually a sign they want you to keep going and that you’re scratching in just the right spot that they can’t easily reach. Your stroking will also be helping with the transfer of pheromones, so they’ll be comforting themselves and making themselves feel safe and secure, as well as letting other felines know you belong to them.
Female cats who are not neutered will also raise their back end when they’re in season. If your cat’s behavior has changed, though, it could be a sign of a health issue. In that case, you should contact a veterinarian or certified veterinary behaviorist for advice.
Why do cats raise their hindquarters when you pet them?
Cats usually raise their bottoms when you pet them because they’re enjoying it. However, it could also be because their skin is itchy due to fleas, an allergy, or another cause. It might also mean that they’re experiencing pain or discomfort in their back or tail.
Why do female cats lift their bum?
If your cat hasn’t been spayed, they might be lifting their bum because they’re in season. The lordosis position is something female cats do when they are ready to mate, and it involves raising their back end and holding their tail to one side.
If your female cat is in season, you might also notice them yowling and being generally very noisy, and they’ll probably be desperate to get outside.
Why do cats lift their tail when you pet them?
There are a variety of reasons cats lift their tails when they’re petted. Usually, it’s because they’re happy and want you to continue petting them because it feels good. However, if they haven’t always behaved this way, it could be a sign of a problem, so it’s best to ask your veterinarian to check for an underlying issue.


The curriculum at Elstree is vibrant and academically ambitious. At the hear…
Religious Studies is largely Bible-focused, in keeping with Elstree’s strong Christian ethos and history. With the school’s crest resembling a cross and its motto declaring ‘clarity out of obscurity’, the department aims to make clear the main teachings of the Bible and tackle many of life’s big questions. The children study segments of the Bible narrative each term in the lower school, while a two-term Bible Overview in Year 6 bridges the crossing to the Common Entrance syllabus in the final two years. We want pupils to enjoy and remember their lessons, and encourage drama in the classroom and the grounds outside, while assemblies (Prayers) and weekend church services also complement their learning.
With religion commanding attention in the news, pupils learn about five World Religions across the year groups. They spend a term in Years 5-7 on Judaism, Islam and Christianity respectively, studying their beliefs and impact on life today. The Common Entrance syllabus is incredibly broad in the area of World Religions, incorporating study of the founders, core beliefs, holy books, festivals, and places of worship of main religions. The pupils enjoy trips to London’s Jewish Museum, a local Mosque, Church and Hindu Temple. We aim for pupils to grow up with a sense of respect and understanding as they enter the wider world.
The Common Entrance course is called Theology, Philosophy and Religion, which provides opportunity for curiosity and for digging deeper into selected Bible texts, philosophical views, and religious beliefs. The exam challenges both knowledge and understanding of a wide range of topics, and we give generous time for exploring wider questions on CE topics like ‘what is God like?’, ‘is civil disobedience justified?’, ‘are people morally responsible for their environment?‘, and ‘should religious festivals always be fun?’ These often make for colourful discussions and opinionated short essays!
Head of Department: Andy Prichard


Two of man's closest relatives in the animal kingdom will be on the edge of extinction within a decade, unless drastic conservation measures are put in place immediately.
By Tim Hirsch
BBC environment correspondent
That is the alarming conclusion of a major international study of gorillas and chimpanzees in the forests of Western Equatorial Africa, published in the scientific journal Nature.
The dense jungles of the Republic of Congo and Gabon were previously thought to be the last stronghold of the two species, since deforestation in this region has been much less intense than in other parts of Africa.
But a comprehensive survey of ape numbers in Gabon between 1998 and 2002 has revealed a dramatic decline in the population in recent years, caused by a combination of commercial hunting for bush meat, and the deadly Ebola virus which has also attacked local people.
By comparing the figures with a survey carried out in the early 1980s, the researchers conclude that on a conservative estimate, gorillas and chimpanzees have declined by more than half within 20 years.
Gabon and Congo account for around 80% of the world's gorillas and most of the common chimpanzees, so this is described by the study as a major conservation crisis.
"Without aggressive investments in law enforcement, protected area management and Ebola prevention, the next decade will see our closest relatives pushed to the brink of extinction," the Nature paper says.
Gorilla and chimp numbers have dropped more than 50% since 1983
"The stark truth is that if we do not act decisively our children may live in a world without wild apes."
One of the major problems facing the apes is that they are now being killed for their meat on a commercial scale, where hunting used to be confined to local villagers providing food for themselves.
The real thing
The timber trade has driven roads deep into the forest, providing easier access for hunters to areas previously out of reach. Bush meat finds a ready market in the towns and cities of the region - this has long ceased to be a subsistence activity.
And rivalling hunting as a threat to the apes is Ebola haemorrhagic fever, steadily spreading through Gabon and Congo. The epidemic is now approaching Odzala National Park, which boasts the world's highest recorded gorilla and chimpanzee densities.
The lead author of the study, Peter Walsh of Princeton University, US, says he recognises that people have become accustomed to dire warnings about endangered species.
He told BBC News Online: "Environmentalists are always saying the sky is falling in, but in this case it is.
"The reason we published this in Nature is because we realised people would have those objections. We did a careful scientific study with a lot of data - they sent it out to the best experts in the world, and they all said yes this is valid.
"The populations are crashing really quickly. In the course of about 10 years we're going to be in the situation where gorillas and chimpanzees are going to go from being widely distributed and abundant to being just in a few small pockets.
"That's bad because in the long term those small pockets just won't be sustainable, we won't be able to protect 10 here and 50 there - it will be impossible.
"The idea that our closest relatives would go extinct is shattering to us. We don't want to have people looking back in 20 years and say they didn't do enough - they knew what to do but they didn't do it.
"This is a problem for the global community - everybody in the world has to get together and do something about this."


Adrenaline, also called epinephrine, is a hormone secreted by your adrenal glands, which sit on top of each of your kidneys. Once released by these glands, adrenaline produces a variety of effects on your body, including increases in your heart rate. These effects are triggered through interactions with certain portals on the surfaces of your cells called adrenergic receptors.
When you experience emotional stress or encounter a physically dangerous situation, your body prepares itself for prompt action by triggering your “fight-or-flight” response. This response begins in a region of your brain called the hypothalamus, which sounds the alarm and triggers increased production of adrenaline in your adrenal glands. These glands also increase the production of another hormone called cortisol. While cortisol suppresses nonessential activity and prepares your body for damage repair, adrenaline speeds up your heart rate, increases your energy supplies and raises your blood pressure.
Adrenaline's Heart Effects
Adrenaline in your bloodstream achieves its effects on your heart rate by stimulating the adrenergic receptors on cells throughout your heart tissue. Once stimulated, these receptors pass the fight-or-flight message to a specialized type of protein called a G-protein. In turn, G-proteins stimulate other substances inside your cells that trigger a cascading alert effect. The overall result of this process is an increase in your heart rate, as well as an increase in the force of each individual heart contraction.
Excessive Adrenalin Production
Under normal circumstances, your body will limit your fight-or-flight response to times of genuine emergency and return to normal function when appropriate. However, if your fight-or-flight response is triggered repeatedly or stays active long-term, the resulting increase in your blood levels of adrenaline and cortisol can significantly disrupt normal functional processes throughout your body. In addition to heart disease, potential consequences of this disruption include obesity, depression, sleep disturbances, worsening of existing skin conditions, digestion problems and memory impairment.
Adrenaline in your bloodstream also triggers the relaxation of smooth muscle cells throughout your body. When you experience significant physical or emotional stress, your adrenal gland produces two other hormones, called norepinephrine and dopamine, in addition to adrenaline and cortisol. Along with adrenaline, norepinephrine and dopamine belong to a class of substances called catecholamines. Your doctor may test your blood or urine for the presence of excessive catecholamines if you have high blood pressure or a tumor called a pheochromocytoma, which is known to abnormally increase levels of both adrenaline and norepinephrine.


PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUNTING 1 MIDTERM
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Financial Accounting Practice Midterm 1 - YouTube
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Principles of Accounting Chapters 1 - 4 Flashcards | Quizlet
Transactions involving the purchase and sale of (1) long-term resources such as land, buildings, equipment, and machinery, and (2) any resources not directly related to a company's normal operations. $ made that goes back into company to buy things needed.
Accounting I Mid-term - ProProfs Quiz
Accounting I Mid-Term for the entire First Quarter of learning. Suppose a person wants to start an accounting business and donates $500 to their business, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. C. Great American Accounting Password. D.4.1/5
ACCOUNTING 15 SUMMER 2004 MIDTERM EXAM
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Financial Accounting midterm - Principle of Financial
View Notes - Financial Accounting midterm from ACC FA at New York University. Principle of Financial Accounting Practice exam Mid-Term Exam 1 Professor Xiaojing Meng Name _


Query: NC_013501:176073 Rhodothermus marinus DSM 4252, complete genome Lineage: Rhodothermus marinus; Rhodothermus; Rhodothermaceae; Bacteroidetes Order II; Bacteroidetes; Bacteria General Information: Isolation: Submarine alkaline hot spring at Reykjanes; Country: Iceland; Temp: Thermophile; Temp: 65C; Habitat: Hot spring, Marine. This organism is a thermophilic bacterium which can grow at temperatures of up to 77 degrees C and at salt concentrations of over 6% NaCl. It has been isolated from shallow water geothermal habitats in Iceland, Portugal and Italy.
- Sequence; - BLASTN hit (Low score = Light, High score = Dark) - hypothetical protein; - cds: hover for description
General Information: Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus causes Huanglongbing (also called citrus greening disease) in citrus in Asia. This organism causes a lethal infection to the tree and is transmitted from tree to tree by the sap-sucking Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri. Once infected the citrus tree turns yellow (huanglongbing means yellow dragon disease) and the fruit remains green.


What is Creatine?
Creatine is a supplement commonly known and used by athletes to increase athletic performance. It does this by improving energy supply to muscle tissues. Creatine is a molecule that occurs naturally in muscle cells. It is used during high-intensity workouts such as lifting. Creatine helps your body to produce energy by producing a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is your body’s primary energy source. The following will go over the other benefits of Creatine.
BENEFITS OF CREATINE ON THE BRAIN
However, creatine also improves cognitive function and memory. See it as a “turbo booster” for our brain and muscles. The human brain depends on a constant energy supply, which it’s needed for proper functioning. Energy supply impairments can jeopardize brain function and even lead to the pathogenesis of neuro-degenerative diseases. Depleted levels of creatine have been shown in the brains of patients with depression, anxiety, sleep deprivation and post-traumatic stress disorder. That being said, one of the therapeutic agents for restoring the brains energy from these conditions is creatine.
WHERE CAN CREATINE BE FOUND NATURALLY?
Approximately half of the daily requirement for creatine comes from dietary sources (mostly from meats). The other half is naturally produced in our bodies. Creatine is not present in plant-based foods. As a result, plasma and muscle levels of creatine are commonly lower in vegans and vegetarians. Thus, creatine supplementation for these type of individuals should be a must to keep their brains and muscles overall health.
HOW MUCH CREATINE SHOULD BE TAKEN?
When used in appropriate doses, creatine is very safe to take. It is only a concern to us when creatine is taken in high doses because it could be unsafe and could damage the liver, kidneys, or heart. However, We consider creatine to be an essential supplement for people over the age of 50.
For optimal brain function and overall health, we recommend taking daily 3 grams of creatine monohydrate for women and 5 grams for men. Our approved form would be non flavored powder and with an 8 oz cup of water.
MEDICAL HEALTH INSTITUTE QUALITY GUARANTEE
We work with and would only recommend NSF certified supplements, though. This certification is what makes a supplement trustworthy. If they are not NSF certified, most manufacturers use binders, fillers, and excipients to decrease their cost and boost profit margins. They may also contain heavy metals, GMO materials, solvent residues, microbial and environmental contaminants. NSF certifications are costly and expose everything about the supplement’s values and ingredients. Your health is way too important not to insist that the supplements you are taking, have the purity, quality, clinical formulation, and safety needed.
Mention this article and receive $75 off on our startup process. For more information on the benefits of Creatine, please visit this article on BuiltwithScience.com


What is the name for the study of insects?
The scientific term for the study of insects is Entomology.
The science in it’s modern form began during the 17th century following the introduction of microscopy. This allowed study and description of the insects anatomy’s in much greater detail.
These days most of the work done in entomology relates to learning how to better control the types of insects which are seen as pests.


How to Revise
We all study, learn and think differently. Some students may appear not to revise and will often brag about it. When the exam results come out these students have excellent results?
Now the reason they got excellent results is they did revise and they were telling you porkies when they bragged about not revising. So take no notice you make sure you revise.
If you need any convincing about revision and studying then watch this interview with Richard Feynman (a famous scientist).
For what it is worth, here are my tips on how to revise:
- Break your study into one hour revision slots.
- Take a 10 minute break between revision slots (no longer or you may find it difficult to return to study).
- Revise a topic until you understand it.
- Once you understand the topic that is not enough you must return to the topic numerous times.
- Drink plenty of water while you are studying.
- Always answer any exercises that appear in your notes.
- Attempt all questions that appear in previous examination papers.
- When you get bored with a topic - tough revise it again.
- Finally remember there are no short cuts - revision requires dedication, concentration and effort.


In 2010, a NASA study published in the journal Science heralded the discovery of a bacteria, called GFAJ-1, which the authors at the time claimed it substitutes arsenic for phosphorus to survive. This contravened with the elemental recipe for life, where phosphorus is essential, stirring a wave of controversy within scientific community, as it would mandate a reformulation of the basic requirements for life on Earth. Recently, two separate and independent studies found that the claims were erroneous, disproving the paper.
The bacterium was found in Mono Lake, California. The lake doesn’t have any outlet to the ocean, which has lead along many thousand of years to an unusually salty body of water with high arsenic and mineral levels. Thus, a totally unique ecosystem was also formed. It’s these truly unique conditions that sparked NASA’s interest, as it resembles patches of Mars or even early Earth.
In the lake, scientists discovered the GFAJ-1 bacteria, which was found to be able to survive despite having arsenic in its DNA and cell membranes instead of phosphorus – a controversial claim, by all means.
Science has found that there are six critical elements indispensably required for life: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous and sulphur. Arsenic, though rather similar to sulphur, is not only missing from the aforementioned list, but poisonous for most living organisms. So, you can imagine what kind of uprising the claim that an organism which incorporates poison into its DNA stirred into the scientific community at the time. It had alien written all over it, and enthusiasts were quick to jump on the bandwagon.
From extraterrestrial back to terrestrial
The claim had to be confirmed by other separate, independent studies before it could have been deemed as a discovery. Two were recently published, both of which found flaws in the original paper.
One of the papers found that the bacterium was not really replacing phosphorus with arsenic throughout its DNA, but “may sometimes assimilate arsenate into some small molecules in place of phosphate.” The other paper tackled another significant claim; in the original paper from 2010, the authors stressed that the phosphor present in the samples was simply too low to accommodate life at all. The group, lead by Tobias Erb from the Institute of Microbiology, found that organism was incapable of surviving without some amount of the substance.
Some scientists, and science journalists alike, were quick to bash the authors of the original paper, lead by Felisa Wolfe-Simon of NASA’s Astrobiology Institute. Phrases like “bad science”, “sloppy research” and the likes were thrown a lot these past few days. I, for one, don’t agree. While I believe that the research could have been checked and even interpreted a lot more conservative, the finding is still important due to the very nature of this extraordinary organism. All the worse was for the better, if you’d like to see the half full side of the glass, since more attention has been directed towards it.
GFAJ-1 is a veritable extremophile. A survivor. It “is likely adept at scavenging phosphate under harsh conditions, which would help to explain why it can grow even when arsenic is present within the cells,” one of the journal entries reads; and what follows couldn’t better resonate with my own thoughts:
“The scientific process is a naturally self-correcting one, as scientists attempt to replicate published results,” it added.
Both studies were published in the journal Science.


The Battle of Bentonville
'A Bold and Unexpected Attack'
By Mark A. Moore; Hallowed Ground Magazine, Fall 2003 Issue
As the momentous year 1864 drew to a close, the Armies of the Union stood poised to deal their final blows to the Confederate war effort. Atlanta had fallen, President Abraham Lincoln had been reelected, and the Confederate Army of Tennessee had been soundly crushed. The western armies seemed unstoppable, as Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman presented Savannah, Georgia to Lincoln as a Christmas offering. Georgia howled, and the tide of war shifted permanently in favor of the North.
In Virginia, the Union general-in-chief, Ulysses S. Grant, was making plans. Having relentlessly pursued the Army of Northern Virginia, Grant was stalled against his old nemesis in the trenches around Richmond and Petersburg. Robert E. Lee's vaunted Confederate army, on its last legs after more than three years of brilliant campaigning, stood defiantly between Grant and the Southern capital.
Grant now wanted Sherman's men ferried by sea to Virginia, where their combined armies might administer the coup de grace to the South's principal army. Sherman, however, had been making plans of his own. On Christmas Eve, he coolly laid them out for his superior — an overland strike into the heart of the Confederacy with 60,000 men. It was vintage Sherman, and a proud Grant replied: "Your confidence in being able to march up and join this army pleases me . . . The effect of such a campaign will be to disorganize the South, and prevent the organization of new armies from their broken fragments . . . [M]ake your preparations . . . without delay. Break up the railroads in South and North Carolina, and join the armies operating against Richmond as soon as you can."
In mid-January 1865, as Sherman moved into South Carolina, the Confederacy received another irreversible blow when Fort Fisher — guarding access to Wilmington, N.C. — fell to the largest Union combined operation of the war. The amphibious attack sealed Wilmington's doom and closed the last major blockade-running seaport open to the South, choking Lee's supply line.
Against poorly arrayed Confederates under Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, Sherman's minions blazed northward virtually unopposed. By February 22, Columbia was ruined and Wilmington was in the control of Federal forces under Maj. Gen. John Schofield and Maj. Gen. Alfred Terry. With the beaten remnants of the Army of Tennessee and other Rebel units widely scattered across the South, only North Carolina lay between fast-moving Sherman and a junction with Grant's armies.
Schofield had direct orders from Grant to act in cooperation with Sherman's march. Their joint objective in North Carolina, as outlined by Grant, was the rail hub of Goldsboro. There, the combined armies (under Sherman) would secure a supply base to rest and refit before continuing the campaign.
General Lee, newly appointed commander-in-chief of all Southern armies, lost faith in Beauregard and took his case to the Confederate War Department. Lee's choice for a replacement offered one of the sad ironies of the war for Jefferson Davis. With few options as the noose tightened on his dying nation, the Confederate president reluctantly approved Lee's candidate — a personal enemy Davis had sacked in Georgia seven months earlier.
Thus, on the day Wilmington fell, Lee wired Gen. Joseph E. Johnston at Lincolnton, N.C.: "Assume command of the Army of Tennessee and all troops in Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida . . . Concentrate all available forces and drive back Sherman."
Johnston knew it was too late to stop Sherman, and he told Lee as much. Even slowing the Union advance seemed a stretch at this point, given the far-flung units at Johnston's disposal. Reluctantly, the veteran commander assumed his final responsibility. Time was short, and "Old Joe" faced a daunting task.
As the Union army crossed into North Carolina on March 7-8, it was traveling in familiar fashion — two separate wings of roughly 30,000 men each, living off the land as they went. The march was a marvel of military engineering and logistics. Sherman knew that his "special antagonist" from the Atlanta Campaign had been restored to command. That first week of March, Sherman urged his top commanders to keep a sharp watch for enemy activity, and to prepare to fight Johnston if necessary.
The Confederate commander was waiting at Fayetteville, where he informed Lee on the eighth that he would endeavor to strike a portion of the enemy's divided army. Evacuating Charleston and falling back through South Carolina, Confederate Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee's corps of seasoned veterans and raw garrison troops reached Fayetteville just one step ahead of Sherman. As the Federals approached town on March 10, the first indication of organized resistance came when opportunistic Rebel troopers under Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton mauled a portion of Maj. Gen. H. Judson Kilpatrick's cavalry division. Hardee then withdrew northeast along the banks of the Cape Fear River and took position several miles south of Averasboro. Having left Fayetteville for Raleigh, Johnston directed Hardee to stay "as near the enemy's line of march as possible, which will enable us to unite [our] other troops with yours."
The Federals occupied Fayetteville on March 11, opening communication with Union forces at Wilmington. On the same day, Lee pushed Johnston: "You must judge what the probabilities will be of arresting Sherman by battle . . . A bold and unexpected attack might relieve us." At this point Sherman could practically taste his objective: Goldsboro. He wanted a clear road, and hoped Johnston would fall back to guard the capital city of Raleigh. "I can whip Joe Johnston," Sherman boasted to General Terry, "provided he don't catch one of my corps in flank, and I will see that my army marches hence to Goldsborough in compact form." As the army crossed the Cape Fear on March 14, Sherman reassured Grant: "The enemy is superior to me in cavalry, but I can beat his infantry man for man, and I don't think he can bring 40,000 men to battle."
On March 15, Lee again reminded Johnston of the dire situation facing both commanders. Laying a heavy load on his old friend and subordinate, Lee warned: "If you are forced back . . . and we be deprived of the supplies from East North Carolina, I do not know how [my] army can be supported . . . [Do not] engage in a general battle without a reasonable prospect of success . . . I shall maintain my position as long as it appears advisable . . . Unity of purpose and harmony of action between [our] two armies, with the blessing of God, I trust will relieve us from the difficulties that now beset us."
That day — as four Rebel commands gathered in North Carolina — Johnston traveled to Smithfield to form the hodgepodge Army of the South. After evacuating Wilmington in February and resisting Schofield at Kinston on March 8-10, Gen. Braxton Bragg finally had arrived at Smithfield with Maj. Gen. Robert Hoke's Division (Army of Northern Virginia). Hardee's Corps was hovering near Averasboro, gauging the advance of the Federal Left Wing. Hampton's cavalry was split to monitor both wings of Sherman's army. The proud remnants of the Army of Tennessee were slowly trickling into Smithfield from the west, having departed Tupelo, Mississippi, by rail in mid-January. Elements of these ragtag veteran units had arrived in time to fall back before Sherman in South Carolina, and to help against Schofield at Kinston. Others were still on the way.
As his motley units converged, Johnston waited anxiously for news. Was the enemy moving on Raleigh or Goldsboro? From his position at Smithfield, Johnston could swing west or southeast to block the way to either destination. Lacking sufficient numbers for a decisive engagement, however, Johnston needed favorable ground from which to tackle one wing of the Union army while the other was beyond supporting distance. The clock was ticking.
On March 16, Hardee's Corps fought a crucial delaying action with Sherman's Left Wing near Averasboro, buying a precious day's time for Johnston's gathering forces. The crisis of the campaign emerged when the aftermath of Hardee's engagement revealed Sherman's intentions. As the Left Wing turned east toward Goldsboro, Hampton fell back with Col. George Dibrell's cavalry division to Willis Cole's plantation, two miles south of Bentonville on the Goldsboro Road. Desperate for news, Johnston fired off inquiries to his subordinates. "Something must be done tomorrow morning," he pushed Hardee on March 17, "and yet I have no satisfactory information." He then queried Hampton for specifics on the enemy's position, strength, and relative distance. "[G]ive me your opinion," urged Johnston, "whether it is practicable to reach them from Smithfield on the south side of the [Neuse] river before they reach Goldsborough."
In the small hours of March 18, Hampton replied that Cole's Plantation — 20 miles south of Smithfield — would be the ideal location to block the Federal advance. The enemy was still a day's march away, and sufficiently separated from the Right Wing. Hampton was sure his cavalry could hold the ground long enough for Confederate forces to gather near Bentonville. The decisive moment had come, and Hampton's dispatch triggered Johnston's deployment. "[P]ut your command in motion for Bentonville by the shortest route," he ordered Hardee. Johnston then notified Hampton: "We will go to the place at which your dispatch was written."
Ever vigilant, Sherman worried about his situation that day. "I think it probable that Joe Johnston will try to prevent our getting Goldsborough," he cautioned the commander of the Right Wing, Maj. Gen. Oliver Howard. The Left Wing trains might be vulnerable, he explained, warning Howard not to stray too far "until this flank is better covered by the Neuse."
At the doorstep of the campaign's objective, however, it took little to sway the Union commander's thinking. Judson Kilpatrick promptly reported what Sherman wanted to hear. The enemy was retiring on Smithfield, Kilpatrick explained, and Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler's Confederates had burned the bridge over Mill Creek. On Sherman's faulty maps, the Smithfield-Clinton Road — where the bridge was destroyed — appeared to be Johnston's only southern approach from the Smithfield area. It suddenly looked as though Johnston would fall back to cover Raleigh. Sherman's impatience was about to play directly into his old adversary's hands. From this point forward, "Uncle Billy" would hear nothing of the grave threat from the enemy.
By dusk, Sherman's army was within 25 miles of Goldsboro, and he was certain the Left Wing would reach Cox's Bridge on the Neuse the next day — a scant twelve miles from pay dirt. That evening, Hampton's troopers and artillery repelled a bold Union foraging party at the Morris Farm, just west of Cole's. The chosen ground was theirs. Unknown to the Federals, Johnston's infantry was fast bearing southward on a road that met the Goldsboro Road south of Bentonville — at Cole's Plantation. Despite Sherman's unshakable confidence, the Federal Left Wing was ripe for disaster.
On the bright Sunday morning of March 19, the Left Wing— commanded by Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum — pushed ahead on the Goldsboro Road. As the familiar rattle of musketry rolled up from the east, the commander of the Union Fourteenth Corps, Maj. Gen. Jefferson C. Davis, expressed concern over enemy opposition. Sherman quickly dismissed the notion, and reassured Davis there was nothing in his front but Rebel cavalry. The Union commander then rode away to join the Right Wing, which was traveling on a parallel course to the south.
Hampton's horsemen fell back before the Federal advance, drawing the Fourteenth Corps into the Confederate trap just as it was being set. Hoke's Division was waiting astride the Goldsboro Road and the Army of Tennessee filed into position to the north. As Brig. Gen. William Carlin's division deployed to clear the road, Hoke's Confederates unleashed a withering fire of musketry and artillery. The left half of Carlin's line scrambled for cover in a deep ravine, and Brig. Gen. James Morgan's Federal division soon joined on Carlin's right.
With Hoke blocking the road, Johnston deployed Lt. Gen. A. P. Stewart's Army of Tennessee as a striking force. The rugged veterans of disaster in Tennessee were eager for redemption. A soldier in Brig. Gen. Joseph Palmer's brigade recalled words of encouragement as a Rebel colonel rode down the lines: "Boys, you remember the 19th and 20th of September, 1863, at Chickamauga? Well, this is the 19th of March, and you may look out for some work to-day as hot as it was there."
Around noon, Carlin launched a probing attack to discover the strength of the enemy. This reconnaissance-in-force was mauled severely as it blundered into the entrenched lines of Bragg and Stewart. General Slocum had initially sent word to Sherman that all was well. By early afternoon, however, Slocum had received enough bad news to realize he was in trouble. "I am convinced the enemy are in strong force in my front," he notified Sherman, requesting immediate assistance from the Right Wing. "Johnston and Hardee are here."
Hardee's Confederates had been delayed in reaching the field, but the greenhorns of Brig. Gen. William B. Taliaferro's Division soon added their weight to the Rebel striking force. At 2:45, Johnston dropped the hammer on Slocum. With Hardee leading the charge in person, the Army of Tennessee launched its final assault. Shouting in defiance, "they came down on us like an avalanche," recalled a Union officer. Carlin's poorly deployed line broke almost instantly. Fleeing their breastworks, the ranks of Federal soldiers were cut to pieces as the men scrambled out of the ravine. The left half of Carlin's division went reeling backward toward the Morris Farm while the right half caved in on Morgan's division. The 19th Indiana Battery lost three of its four guns.
Following up their advantage, the screaming Rebels bore down on the Goldsboro Road and slammed into Brig. Gen. Benjamin Fearing's Union brigade, which had been hastened to the left to stem the tide. Fearing's line promptly crumbled under the onslaught and fell back to the west.
Around 4 p.m., Bragg's line attacked Morgan's division, and a furious, often hand-to-hand struggle erupted in the pines below the road. The remnants of Carlin's right flank were sent reeling into the swamps to the south. "It seemed as though all was lost," recalled a Union private, "and the rebellious hosts came pressing on." Fighting behind stout breastworks, the brigades of Brig. Gen. John Mitchell and Brig. Gen. William Vandever struggled to hold on. They repulsed Hoke's Division, only to find elements of the Army of Tennessee (having knocked Fearing out of the way) moving on them from the rear. A determined counterattack helped secure their position, as Brig. Gen. William Cogswell's Twentieth Corps brigade lumbered through the swamps to Morgan's assistance. "Our loss here was heavy," noted a Rebel private. "They gave us credit for fighting them as hard as they were ever fought." An extended engagement ensued as Cogswell's men moved into position, and the surrounding woods caught fire. "It was a hot old time," recalled a solider in the 2nd South Carolina, "and things were lively if they were not lovely."
Late in the afternoon, the Confederates reached their high water mark as portions of the Army of Tennessee and Taliaferro's Division hurled themselves against the Union Twentieth Corps at the Morris Farm. Brig. Gen. James Robinson's brigade and massed Federal artillery repelled wave after wave of attacking Confederates. "Smoke settled down over the guns as it grew dark," observed a war correspondent, "and the flashes seen through it seemed like a steady, burning fire." Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws' Division (Hardee's Corps) arrived too late to be of real assistance, having spent much of its time out of action on Bragg's left. Early in the fight, in a tactical blunder that robbed the Confederate striking force of much-needed weight, Johnston had sent McLaws to Bragg's assistance where he sat idle for much of the day. Nevertheless, Johnston had given the Federals a serious drubbing — leaving a scar on Carlin's psyche the man would carry for the rest of his life. Having failed to completely crush the Union lines, the exhausted Southerners pulled back to their original positions. On the Morris Farm, General Slocum sent a final plea to Sherman for assistance.
All day long, the troops of Howard's column had heard the ominous rumble of battle in the distance, but Sherman had remained skeptical. As late as 5 p.m., he confided to General Kilpatrick: "Slocum thinks the whole rebel army is in his front. I cannot think Johnston would fight us with the Neuse to his rear." Yet the truth was undeniable. Sherman finally yielded to the reality of Slocum's predicament, and reassured his wing commander that help was on the way.
The Right Wing swung northward and westward via Cox's Crossroads early on March 20. Sparring with elements of Hampton's cavalry in a running fight, Howard's column began arriving on the battlefield by midday. Sharp skirmishing prevailed, as the Confederates changed position to deal with Howard's arrival. Johnston had managed to field only about 16,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry; despite receiving limited reinforcements, the Confederates were now woefully disadvantaged. Johnston clung to a tenuous bridgehead guarding his army's sole escape route over rain-swollen Mill Creek, and began evacuating his wounded to Smithfield.
To Sherman's great irritation, the Confederate army was still in position on March 21. Johnston — outnumbered and no longer holding the advantage of surprise — could only hope the Federals might be lured into a costly frontal attack on his small but well-entrenched army. That afternoon, in the midst of a soaking downpour, a "little reconnaissance" by Maj. Gen. Joseph Mower's Seventeenth Corps division escalated into a full-scale push toward Mill Creek Bridge on the weak Confederate left flank. Mower's advance overran Johnston's headquarters, forcing the general and his entourage to beat a hasty retreat. A last-ditch counterstroke led by General Hardee enveloped Mower's two brigades and forced them back. Sherman was furious over Mower's action, fearing it would bring on the general engagement he desperately wanted to avoid. The Union commander called Mower off, but not before his men had been roughly handled by the Confederates. Johnston gambled in stripping his right flank to protect his left, and Hardee's bold action saved the bridge. With no further advantage in remaining at Bentonville, the weary Confederates abandoned their works during the night and withdrew toward Smithfield. On March 22, Federal forces pursued the enemy as far as Hannah's Creek before giving up the chase.
The battle claimed roughly 4,500 casualties on both sides. Indeed, the human cost in North Carolina was high. When combined with other major engagements fought that bloody March — Monroe's Crossroads, Averasboro, and Wyse Fork — the number of combat casualties of all types approached 9,000 men (not counting losses suffered in various skirmishes along the way).
From Savannah to Goldsboro, Sherman's juggernaut had covered 425 miles of hostile territory. Joe Johnston marveled that "there had been no such army in existence since the days of Julius Caesar." Sherman himself viewed the storied March to the Sea as mere "child's play" compared to his Campaign of the Carolinas.
Jefferson Davis had smugly predicted that Johnston would retreat before Sherman all the way to Virginia. Given his well-known penchant for inaction, why did Johnston fight at Bentonville? The general later claimed he hoped to achieve fair terms of peace. But as much as anything, Johnston had thumbed his nose at Davis and embraced the confidence held in him by Lee. Despite inherent obstacles and tactical blunders, Johnston's eleventh-hour troop concentration and the resulting battle at Bentonville were the most decisive actions undertaken by "Old Joe" during the war. In a losing effort, Johnston ably reminded Sherman that the Confederates were still to be reckoned with in the spring of 1865. Indeed, Sherman was fortunate that Johnston could effect only a partial concentration of his forces before giving battle.
The whole affair greatly bothered "Uncle Billy." His passion for occupying Goldsboro had clouded his cautionary judgment. Stung by the damage inflicted on the Left Wing, Sherman attempted to pass Bentonville off as a mere skirmish — much to the irritation of many a Union veteran who lost comrades in a full-scale action so near the war's end. Having been drawn into battle, and massing superior numbers, Sherman failed to finish the job. He erred in not bagging Johnston's army on March 20-21. With the godlike knowledge of hindsight, it is all too tempting for historians to anoint Sherman as a lofty "angel of peace" for allowing Johnston to escape. Militarily, however, it was an unsound decision. The Confederate army slipped away intact, enabling it to join with other Confederate forces in the field. Sherman was all too happy to oblige, preferring to deal with Johnston only after refitting his battered army at Goldsboro. Thus a Confederate threat still loomed to the west, and Sherman fully believed that he or Grant would have to engage in "one more desperate and bloody battle" with the enemy — perhaps against Lee and Johnston combined. "I rather supposed [such a battle] would fall on me," the general noted, "somewhere near Raleigh."
Sherman could have closed the lid decisively on Johnston at Bentonville — almost certainly with far less bloodshed than he might have faced in his predicted final showdown. As events unfolded, however, Sherman's war ended under far more favorable circumstances.