Social orphanhood is one of the most distressing phenomena of modern life, as the child, whose parents are alive, becomes an orphan.
Prevention is one of the most promising and important activities in efforts to address social orphanhood as it is easier to prevent than to fight it.
Priority task in prevention of social orphanhood is the importance of supporting and enhancing the status of social and family health. After all, a happy family is not the one that has no problems, but the one that finds the strength to deal with them.
With the launch of the project "Technology prevention of child abandonment" in four regions of Ukraine (the regions are being selected) the Charitable Foundation "Development of Ukraine" plans to take the following measures:
- teach social workers (whose appearance was promoted by the fund) new methods of work with a family at different stages of life circumstances, to prevent removal of the child from the family - reducing the amount of deprivation of parental rights, reducing the number of children entering institutions without deprivation of parental rights, or at the request of parents, etc.
- improve the quality of social services provided by social workers for children and families who are in difficult life circumstances (DLC);
- to offer tested technologies of social services for children and families in DLC;
- to open a facility (Mother and Child Centre in Kiev)for prevention of orphanhood
- in partnership with the British organization "Lumos" to conduct a study in the Dnipropetrovsk region, one of the tasks of the study is to evaluate the quality of social services, the understanding of "weaknesses" in their work and ways to strengthen them. As a result of this study to get a clear understanding of the problems of the region, about the problems that may arise in the implementation of the strategy "Moving from the system of residential institutions to a range of local services focused on the individual needs of children and their families."
News by tag "Social Orphanhood: Technologies for Prevention"


Rynecki's drive and ambition to paint came early in life and it came from within. When he was five years old he used chalk and crude brushed to paint on the walls and floors of his parents' home. As he grew older, he always carried a sketchbook with him so that he could quickly draw that which caught his attention-people, their expressions, their hands.
While Rynecki spent much of his life painting the Jewish community, he also witnessed a great deal of change to his country, from the almost constant political turmoil that characterized Poland's brief independence between the World Wars, to the onset of Soviet aggression, and Nazi brutality at the start of the Second World War.
Rynecki, much to his son's dismay, willingly lived inside the walls of the Warsaw Ghetto. While his son warned him that the Nazi forced were not to be trusted, he only said, "If you are right my son, then let me go where my brothers and sisters go. And if it's death, so be it." Ultimately, Rynecki was deported to the Majdanek concentration camp where he perished.
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Introduction to GalatiansEdit
Authorship and Date: Galatians is one of the New Testament books of the Bible. It is an “epistle” or “letter.”
The author of Galatians, according to the prescript of the letter is Paul. He was an early Christian leader, known to us from the account of him ministry reported in the last half of the book of Acts. Some radical 19th century scholars challenged his authorship of all of the NT letters bearing his name. But today virtually all scholars include Galatians among the letters that were almost certainly written by the Saul, the Pharisaic persecutor of Christians turne Christian missionary.
There is no comparable agreement on the question of when Paul's letter to the Galatians was written. Although Galatians is the fourth letter in the New Testament, following the four Gospels and Acts, this sequence does not reflect the actual order in which they were written. By comparing Galatians to Paul's other letters, some have argued that it may have been one of the earlier letters, there is no way to be certain when it was written.
Origin and Address: Also, although Ephesus is questioned as the place of origin, it is important to note that there are many suggestions and none of them where anything other than possibilities (Freedman 872). However, the letter is addressed to the churches of Galatia, though there are a few different hypothesis of where these churches were located. The “North Galatians” and “South Galatians” hypothesis are known to describe the Territory or the province of Galatia. Yet because the information describing these hypothesis in both Paul’s first missionary campaign in the book of Acts and that of Galatians does not line up very well, it is more likely that the churches were located in Central Anatolia. This was an area where Celtic tribes had settled.
Literary analysis: The writing that happens within Galatians is thought to be the “apologetic” type of letter. According to Freedman, “The letter frame consists of an epistolary prescript naming the co-sender and the sender, and the addressees and a conclusion with an expanded salutation and doxology. The epistolary postscript, handwritten in the original … concludes with a blessing. The body of the letter is a compositional unit containing the typical features of a defense speech” (873).
Introduction to Galatians 4Edit
Up till this point Paul has addressed the Churches of Galatia in previous chapters. He has mentioned to them his astonishment with there deserting the gospel, what he teaches is from Jesus Christ, and reminds them of his past and how far he has come. He went from persecuting the Church of God until he received God’s grace. He talks about his opposition with peter over how poorly James was acting towards Gentiles after he had been around the Jews. He expresses how he died to the law and now lives in Christ fully. He talks about the righteous living by faith not the law. He then states that the law is not all bad, as long as it leads to the promise made first by God. The law that is to be followed is by faith to lead us to Christ. Now that this faith has come, the law is not our supervision.
Paraphrase of Galatians 4Edit
Sons of GodEdit
26 Everyone who has faith in Christ is a child of God. 27 If you have been baptized in Christ then you are covered in Christ. 28 There is no such thing as social, racial, or ethical distinctions when it comes to those who belong in the body of Christ. 29 Those who have faith in Christ are rightful heirs of Abraham. 1 A child, though they may be an heir, is like a slave. 2 The child must listen to and obey their guardians and submit to them until they are given their inheritance. 3 Likewise, we were under control and slaves to old teachings while we were children. 4 When the time came though, God sent Jesus. 5 He sent him to save those that were under the law, so that we may receive our inheritance, our rights as children. 6 Because we are children of God, He sent the Holy Spirit into us, the Holy Spirit that calls God Father. 7 Therefore we are no longer slaves, but rightful children of God, and being rightful children of God we are heirs to Him.
Paul's Concern for the GalatiansEdit
8 Before you knew God, you were slaves to those who were not gods, and never were. 9 Now that you know God, or at least you are known by him, how can you possibly go back to your old ways that were not good to begin with? Do you want to be trapped by them all over again? 10 You are practicing all the important dates and seasons that are were significant to your old ways, showing you still care about the things you used to do. 11 I am afraid that I have wasted my time on you because even now you return to your old miserable ways. 12 I beg you to try to do as I did. try to see things my way, in the same way that I have for you. You have always been good to me. 13 You know that even when I was sick I still preached to you for the first time. 14 And even though I was sick you still accepted me with the best intentions. In the same manner you would have accepted God himself. 15 Why has this changed? Before you would have given anything up to be kind to me? 16 Are you now upset with me for only trying to tell you the truth? 17 Other people are determined to get you one there side, for no good reason at all. They just want to keep you from seeing things our way, so that you will join their side and not come to ours. 18 It is fine to be determined if you are doing so over good things. But make it something you do always, and it cannot be just when I am with you. 19 The pain is almost to much to handle, that I have for you that I consider like my children, you have so much growing to do. 20 I wish I could be present there with you to change or better express how I feel, but I am so shocked by you!
Hagar and SarahEdit
21 So you say you want to live by the law and all it’s rules, but do you really even know what that means? 22 Let’s take a look at Abraham. He had two sons, one of them he had with a slave, the other he had with he had with his wife. 23 His son born of the slave women was conceived as a way of fulfilling God’s promise on his own, but his son that came from his wife was born because of God’s promise. 24 I am using these two women as an example. The slave woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai and her children are born slaves. 25 What I am saying is that Jerusalem is now like Mount Sanai in Arabia because she and her children live in slavery to the law. 26 But that is not how it has to be. There is a also a free Jerusalem, whose mother is Sarah. 27 Remember what the prophet Isaiah wrote: “Be happy you who does not have a child. Be excited you have never even been in labor. Because you will indeed have more children then this women with her husband.” 28 Friends just as Isaac was the child of a promise of God, so too are we! 29 Don’t you see what is going on, just as Ismael made life difficult on Isaac so those who are trying to force the law down our throats are doing now. 30 But look too the bible, reminds us to get rid of the slave women and her child, that they do not have a place at the table with free women and her son. 31 So friends remember we are not children of the slave women, but of the free women!
Galatians 3:26--4:31 (NIV)Edit
|Galatians 4: (NIV)|
Sons of God
26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. 1What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
Paul's Concern for the Galatians
8Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you. 12I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong. 13As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. 14Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. 15What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them. 18It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. 19My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!
Hagar and Sarah
21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise. 24These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27For it is written: "Be glad, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have no labor pains; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband."
28Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son." 31Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
- Chapter 3
- Verses 26-29: Baptism into Christ
- By being baptized, believers are unified with Christ, regardless of social status, ethnicity, or gender
- Verses 26-29: Baptism into Christ
- Chapter 4
- Verses 1-7: Through Christ we are brought into inheritance as children of God
- Children were not unlike slaves
- Stresses Jesus as a human
- Contrast between being enslaved in human condition and the freedom Christ brings to God's children
- Verses 8-11: The Galatians fall back into bondage
- Paul says that the observances of the Galatians has returned them to a state similar to that of their pre-Christian enslavement
- Verses 12-20: Paul speaks about his close relationship with the Galatians
- He is distressed about the direction in which the Galatians are headed
- Verses 21-31: The allegory of Hagar and Sarah
- The two women represent two covenants
- Hagar, a slave woman who bore a child of Abraham, refers to the descendents of Abraham who are preoccupied with following the law
- Sarah, a free woman who also bore a child of Abraham, refers to those who have become the heirs of God by accepting Christ
- Verses 1-7: Through Christ we are brought into inheritance as children of God
Verse by Verse AnalysisEdit
Sons of God: Galatians 3:26--4:7Edit
26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,
Here the term "sons" is translated to mean "children". Paul states that all are sons of God, alluding to how Jesus' death and resurrection has means that all can be save through faith in Christ, not just the Jews who were followers of the law. Scripture tells us that all humans are under the same condition, that is we are all slaves to the bondage of sin, and Christ has redeemed all who have faith in him, not just a certain race or people (Longenecker 151-54).
27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Paul's statement here is referring and putting an emphasis on having faith in Christ. This is a huge part of Paul's doctrine and this faith in and relationship with Christ is the cornerstone for what Paul has to say about salvation(1). It is important to recognize that baptism implies becoming a part of a community of believers, it is not merely an individualistic commitment to follow Christ. At a time when Paul is trying to redefine who the people of God are (from followers of the law to followers of Christ), he is stressing community and family among believers (Longenecker 154-56).
28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
In verse 28, Paul once again bring up the fact because of our human condition, and because of what Christ has done for us, it does not matter what race, gender, ethnicity, social standing, etc. we are.
29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Earlier in the chapter of Galatians (3:16), Paul says that Christ is the seed of Abraham. Here he is saying if we belong to Christ, then we are both seeds of Abraham, as well as heirs according to the promise. This is very important for Gentile Christians who were not under the law because it relates them "directly to Abraham and God's covenental promise" (Hays). Being an heir once again refers to being a child of God, but notice how Paul does not say that we are all God's children, only those who belong to Christ.
1What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.2He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.
A child is like a slave except for in one way -- the fact that when they are of age, they will receive the inheritance and the estate will be theirs. Until then though, the child is "no different" than a slave. They have to obey the orders given to them by their guardians. Here Paul is saying that the law is like the "guardians and trustees" and that "the time set by his father" is when God sent Christ. The term that Paul uses for the word child is nepios, which means minor. By using this, Paul could have been merely referring to the legal incompetence of the child, but it also could be used to mean spiritual immaturiy (Longenecker; Hays).
3So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.
The phrase "basic principles of the world" is derived from the Greek, ta stoicheia tou kosmou which refers to a series of something or components of a series. There are many different meaning that the phrase could mean including the basic elements (water, fire, earth, and air), teachings and principles that are fundamental and rudimentary, heavenly bodies such as stars, and spirits such as demons and angels (Hays). Most likely in Paul's case, he is referring to the old teachings, or referring to the basic things that everything is made up of. (Hays)
4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law,5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
When the right time comes, a father turns over his inheritance to his child, and that child is no longer a slave. In the same way, God sent Jesus to live among us as a human, was subjected to the law, and eventually crucified and risen again. Through his death and resurrection, and by putting or faith in him we receive our inheritance and become no longer slaves, but sons and heirs of God.
6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
Without Jesus, we would have remained in slavery, but since God loves us, bestowed His grace upon us and He sent Jesus so that we may be freed from slavery (if you put your faith in Christ). Because we are the children of God, we are also His heirs and we receive the inheritance that He gives us.
Paul's Concern for the Galatians: Galatians 4:8-20Edit
8Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
There is a definite sign that Paul is stressing whatever enslaves these people are not only not God, but in fact not gods at all (Longenecker 179). The Pagans used to worship what they believed to be gods, but Paul is making sure to at least not give them the authority that he gives to God. Though it has been mentioned in another of Paul’s letters that they are possibly demonic implications, it is not stated here; only that whatever enslaves them is not a god (Keck 287).
9But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
In the question that this verse proposes, Paul correcting his own statement draws attention to God “knowing” them. He took action in being in relationship with them (Longenecker 180). By going back to their old ways they are making a “conversion in reverse (Keck 287). Paul is pointing this out to them without actually having to come straight out and say it. Paul also commenting on them being weak can be a reference to the weakness that was considered of Idols or in reference to the law. This might be mentioned to point out that God has already defeated something that was this weak (Keck 287).
10You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!
By stating this Paul is re-affirming that they have in fact gone back to there old ways, and that they are following certain laws, for perhaps some time now (Longenecker 182). This could be Paul stating something about the specific practice they are enslaved by or the idea that the law will enslave them as other practices have before (Keck 288).
11I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
After an explanation of why, Paul now expresses a fear for the Galatians; a fear that his work has bee in vain. This fear shows that Paul already sees the action of the Galatians returning to their old ways, and is afraid that through his teaching they might return altogether (Keck 288). Also the mix of past and present tense give the idea that though the action has already begun, the end result is yet to take place (Longenecker 183). This helps set the context for the next part of the passage. If the final outcome is not yet decided, Paul is able to give the Galatians an opportunity. This part of the passage changes in dynamic giving it“Hellenistic” type writing form (Longenecker 188). This would not have been uncommon for Galatia (Freedman 870). This might even stand as an option to a religion they would have practiced, though this is not mentioned in this passage (George 310). Paul has been very forward to this point and now he gets more personal.
12I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.
The personal appeal comes out in this verse with Paul’s use of the word “brothers.” His pleading gives the emotional state needed to understand how passionate he is for the Galatians to see the significance of what they must do (Longenecker 189). Paul was not being arrogant by his request for the Galatians to be like him, because in his context it was right for the teacher to serve as a model for others to imitate. He is also showing that he too had to break away from the law in order to follow what was right, so he was like them (Keck 293).
13As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. 14Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.
There is some question as to what type of illness occasioned Paul's unplanned first visit to Galatia; but this was why he had to go there. This allowed him to preach the gospel there, but it also could have presented a problem. The Galatians could have rejected Paul, especially with the extra trouble of him being ill (Keck 294). Paul draws attention to this kindness, though he knew it was a trial to them, they still accepted him with joy, and some believe this to be comparing Jesus crucifixion and inflictions as well (Keck 294).
15What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Paul once again is able to point out this “conversion in reverse” idea by expressing that he is now seen more as an enemy; this idea that a change is taking place. He is not saying that they are treating him this way necessarily, but that they speak of him this way. He wants to understand why it is that this has changed (Keck 294). He even expresses that he is only telling the truth. He is expressing that the once strong relationship that they had, has now disappeared. There is a possible comparison hear to Ephesians emphasis in chapter 4 of speaking the truth out of love as a cure to false teaching, something that Paul later mentions as a possibility to what is happening to the Galatians (George 326).
17Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.18It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you.
Paul transitions in this verse to talking about those having influence on the Galatians, or at least attempting to. It sounds a bit like a “us and them” argument, which side are you going to choose. Paul is giving the Galatians the impression that the only reason these other people are pay them any attention is to get them away from Paul. Then the others can capture the Galatians interest even more (Longenecker 194). Paul’s does not even mention who these people are, only that they are up to know good. Without this explanation it is clear that the Galatians knew who Paul was referring to (Keck 295). In addition, Paul suggest that it is okay to show this kind of interesting, but in good things only. Not just when he is there, but when he is not and others try to pursue them.
19My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
At this point Paul is showing great emotion and affection through his concern for the Galatians. This picture of Paul as a mother to the his children, not only shows how he cares for them but that they still have growth that must take place (Longenecker 195). Paul’s comparison shows that pain that is caused by watching them turn back, the possibility that perhaps Paul is considering what that he may have to start all over again with the Galatians, or the idea of the Galatians need to be born again (Keck 296).
20how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!
This show that Paul has the urge to be present with the Galatians, but could not at this time. He does not feel as though he can do much from a distance whether it be to change his tone or to change there minds (Keck 296) Further, it shows that Paul still seeks their relationship even through his frustration. We see the repetition of verse 11, and Paul’s true worry for the Galatians (George, 331).
Hagar and Sarah: Galatian 4:21-31Edit
21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?
Paul in this section begins to change his tone (Matera 168). Paul here is challenging the Galatians to really think about what it means to be under the law. In referencing those “who want to be under the law” Paul is stating that those Jewish Christians who were leaning towards living under the law and were even beginning to observe Jewish practices have not yet gone all the way, observing all the law’s practices. What Paul is really asking is whether they really hear fully what the law is saying (Hays 300). In phrasing his plea this way Paul is encouraging the Galatians to really think seriously about the ramifications of what they are seeking to do (Rapa 616).
22it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
It is here in the text that Paul mentions Abraham for the last time. Instead of reading the story out of Genesis or quoting it Paul decides to briefly give a recap of the Abraham story (Hays 300) Paul’s reasoning for this had to do with the fact that much of the Judaizers arguments must have been based on Abraham and the fact that the Jewish people had descended from Abraham, and believed that the “blessings” of God were theirs because of this. Paul’s reasoning for this type of argument was not to deny the Jewish people descending from Abraham, but to remind them that Abraham had two sons, and to ask the question which of the two children they would be (Gaebelein 482).
It should be noted here that Abraham did have more than two sons, but the debate here would have been between Isaac and Ishmael. Those Paul was writing too would have known that the slave women was Hagar and that the free women is Sarah. It would be important to know that Paul does not use Sarah’s name but refers to her as the free women. This differs with the Genesis account where Hagar is referred to as the “slave women” while Sarah is not called the “free women”. Paul’s is purposefully make a point to set up a dichotomy between slave and free (Hays 300-301)
23His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.
Paul here begins to look at the significance of the son of the slave women and the son of the free women. Paul makes the point that Ishmael, who was born of the slave women Hagar, was born out of natural conception which occurred when Sarah, not trusting God to follow through on His promise of a child, had Abraham have a baby with Hagar. Paul then compares this with Isaac who was born of a promise since Sarah was beyond the age of child barring (Hays 301). Paul’s point here is not that it was a divine conception, but that while Abraham and Sarah had slept together the conception of the baby was a fulfillment of God’s promise (Longenecker 208).
24These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar.
Paul, using allegorical language which would have been understood in that day, talks of these two women representing two different covenants. The two covenants that Paul was talking about here are first the covenant made on Mt. Sinai known as the law which puts people in slavery, and the covenant of promise that God makes with Abraham.
What Paul is saying here is that the Judaizers are like the slave women’s child, in that they are conceived by man. Yet the child of the free women represent those who put their faith not in the law, but in Christ because as they do so they are saved through their faith in Christ, and not by their own works (Hays 301-302) In using the term “bearing children” Paul is saying that those who are living under the law are converting Christians who live by the law, while those who live by the promise of Christ are producing Christians who live by grace (Hays 302).
25Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children
Verse twenty-five has at times been difficult for commentators in that it raises questions as to why Paul compares “Hagar” to Mount Sinai. For Paul the connection would have been a reference to Moses receiving the law on Mount Sinai. As the women Hagar was a slave, so too do those who live under the law produce slaves to that law (Hays 302-303).
The comparison then too Jerusalem is twofold. The first is that Jerusalem was in a sense a base operation for those Jewish Christians who wanted to follow the law, and as such had caused Paul of causing problems along the way. What Paul is saying is that just as the slave women’s child was born a slave so too are those Jewish Christians born a slave because they are under the law (Matera 169-170). The second picture here for Paul would have been of Jerusalem which still very much symbolized Israel. However the point he was making here is that Jerusalem is not a free place for the Jewish people, but is in fact in slavery to Rome (Hays 303).
26But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother
Paul in earlier verses has used the word “covenant” and has specifically tied Hagar or the “slave women” too one of two covenants he has mentioned. Paul here does not go back to the word covenant to describe the free women, but switches gears and brings up the idea of a heavenly Jerusalem. For the Jewish people this eschatological Jerusalem from above would have been an idea they would have been familiar with (Martyn 440). This Jerusalem, which can be found in the scriptures, would have represented the final exclamation point in God’s redemptive plan at work throughout human history (Longenecker 213).
It is here that Paul says that this heavenly Jerusalem “is our mother.” It is interesting that while Paul is making that connection here, Sarah is never referred to with the title of “mother” in the Genesis texts (Martyn 440). It is here that the symbolism that Paul is using represents a double meaning.
First is Sarah who was too be the Mother of a promise, the mother of a free people. Paul is saying to the Galatians that we like the children of Sarah are a free people because of Christ (Rapa 617).
Second, Paul in drawing upon the Jerusalem from “above” and is saying that the Holy City Jerusalem, the “eschatological Zion” is “symbolically the mother of God’s own people” (Longenecker 215).
|Hagar, the slave women||Sarah, the free women|
|Ishmael, of natural birth||Isaac, of supernatural birth|
|The Present Jerusalem||The Heavenly Jerusalem|
- (Gaebelein 483)
27For it is written: "Be glad, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have no labor pains; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband."
Here Paul quotes from Isahia 54:1, and compares his argument of Hagar and Sarah with the prophets text. The verse that Paul quotes from was written at a time when the Babylonians had taken over and were running rough shot over Jerusalem. The Babylonians would have mocked the God of Israel. They would have rubbed it in that Israel, who was to be God’s chosen people, had in effect been abandoned by God and were left out on their own as a result of turning their backs on him (Martyn 442-443).
For the prophet Isaiah this would not have been out of the question. The idea that for a season God had allowed Israel to feel the destruction of her sin would not have been a foreign concept (Martyn 442-443). Yet in this text that Paul is quoting the prophet is saying that because of God’s covenantal love He has not abandoned Israel and that God will bring Israel out of captivity and restore Jerusalem (Gaebelein 484).
It is here that Paul makes the connection between the barren women in Isaiah’s text and Sarah who was in fact barren before having Isaac. Thus just as Israel was barren during the exile, God later restored her, and so too barren Sarah was later barren no more as God gave her a child (Hays 304). The further implication here is that this New Jerusalem, which represents Christians, will indeed have more children than the present Jerusalem which represents the Judaizers (Matera 171)
28Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise
Paul takes the main argument of the Judaizers, that they are children of the promise because of their Jewish heritage, and turns it on its head by saying that the Gentile believers, as well as Jewish believers are children of the promise. The idea here is that they did not gain salvation by earning it based on following the law, but by grace through faith in Christ (Matera 171).
29At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now.
In this verse Paul looks back to the twenty-first chapter of Genesis where it says that Ishmael “played” with Isaac. Some translations of this word “played” however look at it in a negative way, saying that Ishmael was somehow mocking or making life difficult for Isaac. This is the translation that Paul is bringing to the text (Matera 171). What he is saying is that just as Ishmael, “persecuted” Isaac so too are the Judaizers hurting the Galatians by trying to make them live under the law. It is important to note here that for the first time in this section the reference between Isaac and the Christians who were born of the Spirit (Hays 305). Also important to the text is that Paul here is not throwing all Jewish Christians under the buss, but is specifically talking about those Judaizers who are trying to stir things up for the Galatians by trying to get them to live under the law (Matera 171).
30-31But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son."Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
In this verse we see that Paul has now fully turned the argument against the Judaizers. He has taken the arguments that the Judaizers thought they had in their back pocket and turned it on them by identifying them with Hagar and Ishmael. On the flip side Paul has made the argument that the Gentile Christians should be identified with the free women. Paul’s technique has allowed him to make the case to those who want to live under the law that doing so is not the best way to live, that we are called to be free. In concluding this section of his argument Paul now quotes from the law to make his point that they should get rid of those who are making this argument (Matera 171-172).
Paul here jumps back to the Abraham narrative and quotes from Sarah. When Paul writes to “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” Here Paul is taking from what Sarah said of Hagar and Ishmael and turns it against the Judaizers. His point here is that the “inheritance” goes to the children of the free women, and not the slave women (Hays 306). It is important to note here that Paul does not name Isaac in this section, but calls him the “son of the free woman” in order to emphasize freedom (Matera 171). The ramifications of this is that those not under the law are in fact under grace because of their faith in Christ. Following the law is not what brings one into right relationship with God, but the free grace of Christ is what invites us into relationship (Rapa 618-619).
The word “Therefore” in verse thirty-one is important to this section because it sums up Paul’s entire argument (Gaebelein 485).
Theological Implications for TodayEdit
While Paul’s argument in Galatians four was to a specific place and people, what he was arguing still has implications for the church today. What Paul was arguing to the Galatians was that because of what Christ had done they no longer had to live under the law. Paul argues that living under the law equates to living in slavery. He goes on to say that to live through the Spirit is to live a life of freedom from the law, it is this life for Paul that the Christian community should seek to live out.
In today’s church we often face many similar issues to those of Paul’s day. Just like those who thought it was best to live under the law, there is great debate in the church about what it really means to live the Christian life. Many in the church today believe that in order to be “Christian” one has to live a life of following the rule. That if one is somehow “good enough” then they are able to somehow earn their Christianity. This line of thinking has been popularized by the phrase, “Don’t smoke drink or chew, or go with girls who do!”
The problem with this line of thinking when it comes to salvation is twofold. The first is that it puts the emphasis of salvation, and living in relationship with God on the individual and not God. It says that it is up to us to somehow find the inner strength to be able to live the right way. However when talking about the Salvation that we have in Christ, we find that salvation from Christ is a gift of grace. It is not something that can be earned or manipulated, but only accepted by faith.
The second problem, stemming from the first is that when we seek to live under the law or in modern words when we make following the rules our idol, what we do is actually enslave ourselves to the very rules we are seeking to follow. Our focus is removed from Christ and onto the rules, and as a byproduct our focus shifts from following Christ to simply a fear of failure. Just as Paul uses the example of the child who is an heir to an estate. The child is not going to be able to cash in on that estate because the child is simply not at a developmental stage where they are capable of receiving and handling what is rightfully theirs.
The same is true for us today when our focus in on legalism instead of grace. We have been given a gift by God, yet if we fail to accept the gift and instead pursue a delusion of the gift then we are spiritually not at a developmental stage where we can enter into real life through the Spirit.
The application for the church today if for us to live out a Christian faith that is not tied down by the rules and regulations of a legalistic faith that sucks the air out of the grace we have been given. At the heart of our Christian journey should be a pursuit of the authentic and organic grace of God that is freely given through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is here that we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to truly find life. It is this life that is found not by a focus of following the rules as some sort of way of crossing our T’s and dotting our I’s, but of pursuing Christ, unbound by rules, and rapped in His love and grace.
Freedman, David N. "Amanuensis." The Anchor Bible Dictionary. Vol. 1. New York: Doubleday, 1992.
Freedman, David N. Mitchell, Stephen. "Galatia (Place)." Pages 870-71 in vol. 2 of The Anchor Bible Dictionary. Edited by David N. Freedman. New York: Doubleday, 1992. Gaebelein, Frank E. "Romans - Galatians". Vol. 10. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Regency Reference Libr., 1989.
George, Timothy. "Galatians." The New American Commentary. Broadman & Holman, 1994.
Hays, Richard B. "The Letter To The Galatians." Pages 299-310 in vol 11 of The New Interpreter's Bible. Edited by Leander E. Keck. Nashville: Abingdon, 2000.
Keck, Leander E. "Galatians 4." The New Interpreters Bible. Vol. 11. Nashville: Abingdon, 2000.
Longenecker, Richard N. "Galatians." The Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas, Tex.: Word, 1990.
Martyn, J. Louis. Galatians: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Anchor Bible Commentary. New York: Doubleday, 1997.
Matera, Frank J. Galatians. Sacra Pagina 9. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical, 1992.
Rapa, Robert K. Boice, James Montgomery. "Galatians." Pages 407-508 in vol. 10 of The Expositor's Bible Commentary. Edited by Frank E. Gaebelein. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008.


Anyone with a computer today can get online and use Google Street View to go on a sightseeing tour of the U.S. and most parts of the world. A new venture has taken that idea of mapping and applied it to underwater imagery of coral reefs. It has already been used in the Caribbean and Australia, but for the first time it was used in the Florida Keys this past August.
The SVII camera technology, using special fish eye lenses for underwater use is very similar to what Google uses to create Street view images on land. The difference is instead of being car mounted the 143 pound camera rigs are tethered to scuba divers and powered through the water with small motors. Each camera in an hour long dive can capture images over an area up to 20 times larger than what’s available with traditional underwater photography.
In mid-August, NOAA and Catlin Seaview joined forces to shoot photos in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary near Key Largo. The images that were produced included endangered elkhorn coral, bleached fields of dead coral and coral nurseries suspended in the Key’s blue waters. These images will be analysed by the University of Queensland in Australia. The photos will then be compared to those taken in the future to see if coral reefs have improved or regressed over time.
NOAA officials hope to apply the street view mapping to research and management plans in marine sanctuaries nationwide. In addition to the science, they also believe that it will be an effective tool to educate the public about the nation’s 13 marine sanctuaries and gain support for restoration programs.
The venture partners and sponsors include Catlin Seaview, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Google. The project has already filmed reefs in the Caribbean and Australia, but this is the first time the cameras have been used in the United States.
Some of the Keys images as well as images of earlier expeditions in the Caribbean and Australia can be found on Google Maps under a special section called “ocean view”.


Plant a Potted Succulent Garden
Succulents: the quirky little plants that come in unique shapes, sizes and colors that can flourish with the least of care. Because of their minimal needs and hearty nature, succulents make a great plant for novice gardeners and avid gardeners alike. It’s no surprise these peculiar plants have become more popular in recent years.
Succulents are nearly self-sufficient, but it’s important to set your plants up for success, so they’ll be happy and healthy for years to come.
In nature, most succulent varieties grow in arid grasslands and deserts, where temperatures are high and rainfall is scarce. However, these hearty plants have adapted to survive in these environments. With shallow roots they are able to grow in little to no soil and their leaves and stems are thick and fleshy, to store excess water. Overall, succulents are tough little plants!
Prepare the Soil
Succulents should be planted in well-draining soil. Choose a potting mix that is specific for cacti and succulents, or make your own by mixing three fourths regular potting mix with one forth gravel. After filling your container with soil, moisten well with water.
Food for Thought
Give your succulents a boost by adding fertilizer to the soil. You can use a plant food that’s made for vegetables, as succulent nutritional needs are similar. Clean Water Grow Tomato & Veggie Food is a great choice because it provides balanced nutrition and calcium. GROW is also slow release, apply once a year in the spring and GROW will continue to feed your succulents throughout their growing season.
Ready to Plant
Now that your soils ready, it’s time to start planting! Remove succulents from their store containers and arrange to your liking. The soil should be damp enough that you don’t need to water after planting. Avoid watering the plants again until the soil has completely dried, which can take up to a week.
Get creative! You can add a top layer of gravel around your planted succulents to make them really stand out. For example, use brightly colored aquarium gravel for the top layer to give your succulent garden additional pop.
When to Water
Because succulents thrive in dry environments, they need very little water. Too much water can lead to root rot. A good rule of thumb is to water your succulents once a week. However, water needs can vary with temperature, the container and humidity. Keep an eye on the warning signs of under or over watering.
If your succulents’ leaves yellow or become transparent or puffy, especially the leaves towards the bottom, then it’s probably suffering from too much water. Your plant can be salvaged by not watering until the soil is completely dry, cutting back on your watering schedule and trading some of the damp soil for dryer soil. If all else fails, cut off the healthy part of the succulent and replant.
If your succulent is looking shriveled and brittle, then it’s likely in need of water. Gradually increase your watering schedule and be sure to completely soak the soil.
Location, Location, Location
Now that your succulent garden is planted, it’s time to choose the best spot for them. Succulents need about 3-4 hours of direct sunlight or 5-8 hours of indirect sunlight. Succulents that get too much sun can burn and plants without enough light may distort their shape as they grow in the direction of the nearest light source. If your succulents show stress from too much or too little light, gradually move them to a different location.
With your succulent garden complete, it's ready to be displayed!


"T" is for Teach Yourself
"T" Teach Yourself - "A" Alternatives Available? - "K" Know How To Store - "E" Explore Disposal Options
Teach yourself to find the correct quantity needed for your project (i.e., measure your lawn’s square footage and purchase only what is needed for fertilizer or seed).
Lawn and Garden Care
Smart Gardening is a program created by Michigan State University to help novice and experienced gardeners adopt and implement real-life techniques in their yards and gardens to save time, money and the environment.
Yard debris, including leaves and other organic plant material like shrubbery trimmings and grass clippings, are a significant source of stormwater pollution. This debris can also clog culverts, storm drains, and pipes, causing flooding. It's easy to do your part to protect our streams and the drainage systems leading to our waterways.


The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says that hundreds of thousands of children are facing starvation in Yemen, with one million children acutely malnourished.
"Close to 60 per cent of Yemeni children under the age of five today are suffering from chronic malnutrition," UNICEF representative Gert Kapelari said.
"That makes Yemen the country with the highest level of chronic malnutrition in the world after Afghanistan," saying it poses huge problems for Yemen's future.
"About 250,000 children today in Yemen are at risk of dying or having lifelong consequences if we don't act immediately," he said.
At Revolution Hospital in the capital, Sanaa, emaciated children lie on hospital beds, their bones jutting out.
Aid agencies say the country is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster, suffering from chronic levels of poverty.
Oxfam's Joy Singhal said that 44 per cent of the population - around 10 million people - are going hungry.
Singhal says more and more people are finding it difficult to afford to buy food, a knock-on effect of increasing levels of unemployment and rising prices.
Yemen imports up to 90 per cent of its main staple foods, including wheat and sugar, which many households struggle to purchase.
Conflict and political instability have also played a factor, greatly increasing the number of internally displaced people (IDP) who are now dependent on food aid.
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), 670,000 IDPs rely on food aid in the south and north of the country.
In March, the WFP reported that levels of food insecurity in Yemen had doubled since 2009.
The European Union recently said it would provide an extra six million dollars in humanitarian aid, to help combat a food crisis which could destabilise the conflict-torn country.


Why Add More?
Muscular endurance can be increased by performing more repetitions with a given resistance, while maximizing strength development require muscles to be subject to progressively heavier training loads. The process of gradually adding more exercise resistance than the muscles have previously encountered is referred to as overload.
Adding resistance training intensity based on an absolute or relative weight. This can include a percentage of a one rep maximum or a one rep maximum. For example, 70% of a one rep maximum would be a weight lifted for 12 repetitions to failure. Failure is defined as failure to properly lift the weight with good form or full range of motion.
Completing more repetitions at the same level of exercise intensity. If you are completing 10 repetitions of a weight, a progression may be completing 12 repetitions with the same weight. A repetition is a single, individual action of the muscles responsible for creating movement at a joint or series of joints. A repetition involves three phases of muscle action: eccentric lengthening, which is a momentary isometric pause and concentric shortening. The number of repetitions assigned for an exercise indicates the number of times an individual should perform that particular movement. As mentioned above, to create the necessary overload to promote specific adaptations, repetitions should be performed until momentary muscle fatigue occurs.
Alternating the speed or tempo of the repetitions. This can increase intensity by taking gravity and momentum out of the picture. Time under tension shows promise in helping to develop certain goals, especially hypertrophy. As a general rule of thumb, more speed during movement on power and strength movements and less speed during movement on hypertrophy and endurance lifts.
Changing the rest periods between multiple sets when strength training. By increasing the time of rest, an individual can shoot for the original repetition performed on the first set, or they can perform drop sets by decreasing rest time and performing a set before full recovery. Time for rest for each type of goal will be covered in another section.
Gradually increasing the training volume. During each resistance-training session, a certain amount of work is performed. The cumulative work completed is referred to as the training volume. Training volume is calculated in several ways:
Repetition-Volume Calculation: Volume=Sets x Repetitions (for either the muscle group or the session).
Load-Volume Calculation: Volume = Exercise Weight load x Repetitions x Sets (summing the total for each muscle group or the entire session).
It’s important to emphasize that the best progressions will involve variations in intensity and volume. Later, we will discuss periodization, and the different forms of periodization that allow the framework for implementing progressive overload over a certain time span to complete certain specific goals.
When muscles are stressed beyond their normal demands, they respond in some way to the imposed stress. If the training stress is much greater than normal, the muscles react negatively to high levels of tissue micro trauma. The resulting (large-scale) cell damage requires several days of muscle repair and rebuilding to regain pre-training strength and functional abilities. Weight lifters should allow 48-72 hours of rest between training the same body part and performing the same movements with load.
On the other hand, when muscles are systematically stressed in a progressive manner, they gradually increase in size and strength. That is, if the training stress is slightly greater than normal, the muscles respond positively to low levels of tissue micro trauma. The resulting (small-scale) cell damage elicits muscle-remodeling processes that lead to larger and stronger muscles. Research indicates that muscular strength increases significantly above baseline levels 72 to 96 hours after an appropriately stressful series of resistance training.
When the training program no longer produces gains in muscular strength or size, the exercise protocol should be changed in some way to again elicit the desired neuromuscular adaptations. This is where a well-designed periodization model helps keep results coming.
My Signature Method, Your Signature Move!


A skills gap currently faced by industrial enterprises is the result of an accumulation of several factors, not solely a worker shortage, which is a misalignment of labor supply and demand. While a worker shortage is a major influence of the manufacturing skills gap, there are various other industry influences contributing to this growth inhibiting dilemma.
For the projected 2.4 million manufacturing skills gap, the roots of the issue seed down to fundamentally rudimentary ways of training new employees; converging detrimental labor happenings with a ‘silver tsunami’ of industrial workers approaching retirement, taking years of expertise and knowledge with them; and an uninterested and under prepared younger workforce currently not a viable replacement.
Manufacturers preemptively identifying these issues and implementing innovative digital technologies like augmented reality tied to desired business outcomes can lessen the severity of the skill gap, forecasted to impact economic US output by $2.5 trillion over the next decade. These companies are also looking towards improving training to mitigate this, but current procedures are overdue for a massive overhaul.
See a full-size version of the Manufacturing Skills Gap infographic.
Lessons taught through blended learning techniques, such as classroom training, often suffer from information overload and do not translate into skills developed for real-world usage. Memorizing a product manual or work procedures in an out-of-context environment will not properly prepare the trainee for real-world situations where configurations and conditions are varied.
Without consistent repetition and reinforcement of work-related concepts, workers will forget 50 percent of information within one hour, 70 percent within 24 hours, and 90 percent over a week. This makes in-context ‘on-the-job’ training the most effective form of learning, but it comes with costly challenges and bottlenecks for scheduling, interrupting operators, and trainer availability.
Annual training expenditures in the US reached nearly $90 billion in 2018 with manufacturers/distributors averaging over four million dollars in their annual budget and spending the most per learner. With a lowering investor PMI score and a constant need for manufacturers to drive operational efficiencies, this training expenditure is a major financial footprint and needs to provide increasingly high return on investment.
Baby Boomers make up 75 million US citizens and nearly half of the 160 million US labor force, will have their labor participation rate fall from 80% to under 40% by 2022. Boomers make up approximately 25% of the manufacturing workforce and the majority of industry expertise we associate with older personnel in the industry.
While there isn’t an overnight solution to accommodate for this loss of prudent knowledge of retiring workers, manufacturers are looking to alleviate the damage and cite it as a critical procedure with some even overpaying retired employees to come back to work.
Once these aging industrial workers inevitably reach retirement, the knowledge and expertise they’ve accumulated over the years on different machines, systems, operating procedures, and other aspects of work, is largely non-digitized or otherwise documented. What little is captured resides on paper documents, which can be illegible, unscalable, and unusable without context.
It’s difficult to put a metric on it, but the amount of knowledge expertise that resides in manufacturer’s human capital is immense and is why factories can run with minimal downtime and at unprecedented speeds. Not being able to capture, document, and distribute this expertise as it leaves a life at the factory for a life of leisure, is a colossal business value loss and contributor to the growing skills gap.
A recent study shows that 70% of respondents claim it costs an organization time and money to replace unique work knowledge an employee takes when they leave and 61% say organizations that don’t attempt to preserve and share unique knowledge are making a mistake.
A headache manufactures constantly hear when recruiting younger talent is that their jobs aren’t perceived as ‘cool’, yet it pays competitively when comparing to other industries. This generation is accustomed to daily digital touchpoints with desktops, laptops, or mobile devices, which can be challenging to imagine in a factory scenario for some. The lack of interest is costly, dissuading potential recruits from seeking out supplementary education like Perkins career and technical education programs (CTE) to fill open jobs. Nearly all manufacturers have a hard time finding new hires while most believe there is a significant talent shortage in U.S. manufacturing.
The manufacturing industry is turning this lack of technological knowledge and usage perception on its head, with advanced robotics, augmented reality and other innovative technologies becoming commonplace on production lines. Manufacturers proactively executing on their digital transformation initiatives will have a recruiting advantage on attracting the younger tech-savvy workforce.
Even among outsourcing headlines, manufacturing is and will continue to be one of the greatest economic drivers in the US. Solving this skill gap conundrum will be invaluable to its future prosperity and there are pieces manufacturers can put in place to do so. While the workforce will continue to turn over, we can use technologies to capture and transfer their knowledge to existing and new employees, improving training and onboarding procedures.
Similarly, manufacturers can induce better methods of training and learning through technology for personnel to better retain job principles and implement skills developed. Embracing digital transformation initiatives like replacing paper-based work instructions with updateable virtual work instructions, versus putting off digital transformation and reacting retrospectively can have a cascading affect not only on workforce productivity, but also recruiting the next crop of digitally-native talent.
The manufacturing skills gap is upon us, and those proactive through digital transformation can lessen its impact and even gain competitive advantages if implemented successfully.


Not all aboriginal kids Australia recive a birth certificate
Thousands of Aboriginal children are likely to have no official identity in Western Australia because they have no birth documents, a new study has found.
The study, published in The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health on Monday, has found that one in five aboriginal children have not been given birth certificates.
As a result, 4,628 births to Aboriginal mothers weren't recorded in the registry in the 16 years from 1996 to 2012.
With documentation comes the ability to access services. University of Sydney lead author Alison Gibberd said the fault was with the system.
"In its current form, Western Australia's birth registration system doesn't ensure that all children have registered births," Gibberd.
"Australia is a signatory to several international conventions to ensure that all children have the right to be registered immediately after birth, but an unacceptably high number of Aboriginal children don't achieve this right."
The research indicates that kids born to teenage mothers were five times more likely to remain unregistered than those born to mothers over 30.
It also says mothers who were themselves unregistered were three times more likely to have an unregistered child.
Western Australia has the third highest Aborigine population in the country, with 88,270 people identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, according to 2011 census data.
The communities are considered the most disadvantaged in Australia, suffering higher rates of imprisonment, unemployment, illness and child mortality.
Sandra Eades, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute Aboriginal health leader, said there are clearly barriers stopping Aboriginal families from registering their child.
Around 290 million children do not possess a birth certificate all around the world, according to the United Nations children's agency UNICEF.
Without a birth certificate,one will face social disadvantage later in life, including difficulties in possessing a passport, opening a bank account, enrolling in university or finding employment.


Building a house in a a nature conservation is a particular challenge, but this project from the UK did it quite successfully.
It was built among the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, the largest wetland areas in Great Britain. In order to maintain ecological balance, these two areas were recognized as a national park, composed of 303 km squared. Thus, this house was subject to strict guidelines and aesthetic requirements. An environmentally-focused design, and materials, had to be at the forefront of the design of The Pond House.
Since the surroundings of the home are natural and characterized by, above all, the water of the marshland, the home had to reflect this. The materials had to be both natural and reflect the aesthetic of the environment. In addition, the owner of the home insisted that the design had to be sustainable. So, the facade and roof were dressed with roughly sawn and untreated Siberian larch wood. The material is natural, plain, and given texture by panelling.
The interior of the house has 110 meters squared of living space. It's elegant and classic look is created with darker wooden furniture, classic art prints, and a creamy wall colour. The house is also practical, as a passive home with requires no heating system, just good thermal insulation and windows to moderate the temperature.
For the home's energy needs a solar panel system has been installed on the roof. While the panels produce electricity, they are also directly used to heat the home's water. There are other brilliant design elements in this roof. The water-permeable terrace collects and stores rainwater, and drains some of it towards the garden. Irrigation for the garden and water supply are ensured for the long-term in this home. Talk to a professional to get the same design for yourself.
The architecture and orientation of the house also contribute to it's energy efficiency. The building faces south, and ten degrees east. As a result, the sun's warmth reaches the bedrooms early in the morning, and maintains it's shine on the solar panels for as long as possible. Small windows are placed along the top of the home, which allow excess heat to escape if it gets too warm. If it's too cold, the small windows also allow extra sunlight in.
We can't mention the garden without giving you a view of the lush pathway through it. When the plants are mature they'll climb up this trellis and make the pathway even more lush.
For a tour through another natural home, try this textured rustic house.


I have effectively found information on all of the species of Caddisfly that the hatch chart from Lanesboro, MN describes. Now the question is how to present the information in a logical fashion, with the Mayflies I broke things down first by one of the four nymphal groups and then from earliest to latest in reference to potential emergence dates. Caddisflies are posing more of a challenge in that there are so many species that for my purposes I will be listing them starting with the earliest in emergence dates and ending with the latest.
These first three represent the winter/spring emergence, February-Mid May. These should be fairly easy to distinguish on the water, only the last two have coinciding dates and are different in size and color.
- Adult Length up to 12mm
- Wing: Gray-Brown
- Body: Brown
- Legs: Brown
- February emergence
From the family Philopotamidae these are net spinning caddis larva living on the undersides of rocks. They spin a net to filter food from the water. Pupa swim or crawl to the banks or surface to emerge and the females dive underwater to deposit eggs. Specifically D. Distinctus has a unique trait in that they will produce wingless females in the winter that are noticed running along the snowy banks. These are going to be found in cleaner cooler well oxygenated water and perhaps less found on a larger warmer stream. Larva look like most free living caddis, like a green/olive worm with a black/brown head with six legs. Color for the larva is going to be harder to determine due to the variety in habitat thus finding them in the wild is important.
- 13-15mm Average Adult Length up to 20mm
- Wing: Ginger-Reddish Brown
- Body: Ginger-Brown
- Legs: Ginger-Brown
- April-May Emergence
This species of caddis fly is from the Limnephilidae super family that encompasses tube-makers of which there are many, over 56 different genus with each genus potentially having several species. L. Submonilifer are going to be found in much slower water sections, LaFontaine says he found these most in ponds in New Hampshire in much slower water, something to keep in mind. This specific specie builds a stick case in which to live, different from a spun net tube or rock tube.
- Adult length up to 10mm
- Wing: Brown-Dark Brown
- Body: Green to Greenish Brown
- Legs: Light-Dark Brown
- Very Short Emergence Early May
Coming from the Hydropsychidae family of net-spinners this is a free living caddis larva. The information I’ve found indicate that the Cheumatopsyche is closely related to the Hydropsyche the main difference is size. The Little Sister Sedge is smaller than its cousin. These specific larva and subsequently adults will be more likely found further downstream in warmer water with higher sediment and algae content.
This information may be flawed or incorrect, I am not an entomologist, however sometimes I wonder why not? I’m sure there are bugs I wouldn’t like. If you think something is incorrect please let me know.


What disqualifying (non-standard) colors are most common in Aussies?
Too much white is most common, then dilute, closely followed by yellow. Yellow and dilute are both recessive, so they have continued to lurk in the breed gene pool, showing up only when two carriers happen to be bred to each other. The basic “Irish” pattern of white markings typical of Aussies is probably caused by a single gene but modified one way or the other by additional genes or regulatory DNA. The genetic cause of mismarks (dogs with too much white for the breed standard) is not clear at this point though one gene, referred to as S (spotting) may vary the extent of markings somewhat.
What is a mismark?
A dog with white in places the breed standard does not allow it. A white body splash would be a good example.
Have mismarked Aussies become more frequent than they were years ago?
Possibly, though it is difficult to know for sure. Very early in breed history dogs with what we would now consider too much white were not unusual. However, in the late 1970s when a standard was developed that is largely the same as those in use today, the distribution of white markings became fairly well-defined. The limitations were aimed at mismarks and intended to discourage people from producing double merles, but it also had the effect of shifting selection more strongly against mismarks.
If that is so, why do we see so many mismarked dogs today?
Show ring fashion rewards flashy white markings, which encourages pushing the limits, and stockdog breeders don’t necessarily care because the markings don’t affect a dog’s ability to handle stock. Given that, there will probably always be some level of mismarks though extremes such as piebald dogs have become far less frequent.
What gene causes dilution?
The D locus (dilution, genetic designation MLPH).
Does D also cause dilution spots?
No. Dilution spots, grey and often rusty or dull areas in a merle pattern, are related specifically to merle with the genetic cause unknown at this time. D dilutes all black or liver pigment, including all shades of a merle coat. A dilute blue merle would have grey or slate blue dark spots instead of black and the lighter areas would be pale silver. A red merle with dd would experience the same effect, but it would be less visually obvious. Because of the wide range of color intensity in red merles it is possible tht some dilute red merles are not recognized as such.
Does D cause other colors?
D causes a dramatic lessening of black or red (liver) pigment but there are clearly other things that can affect density of pigment. The exact shade of color produced by D may vary somewhat. For example, red Aussies may be deep chocolate to chestnut to orange and red dilute can vary accordingly. Blue Dobermans and Great Danes are dilute blacks; a Weimeraner is a dilute red. Nose and other skin pigment will also be lighter in color but tan markings will not be affected. The color of the eye will often be a bit lighter in dilutes than in non-dilutes in the same litter.
How many versions does D (MLPH) have?
Two – non-dilute and dilute, with dilute being recessive.
Is dilute acceptable in Aussies?
How is dilute inherited?
It is recessive. A dog with two non-dilute versions of D will not be dilute nor can it produce dilute. A dog with one non-dilute and one dilute version will carry dilute. Dogs with two dilute versions are dilute.
Is this the only type of Dilute in Aussies?
No. The researcher who identified MLPH dilute in Aussies also received samples from dilute dogs that did not have this mutation. Therefore there are other ways dilute may be inherited though they also likely recessive. Sometimes Aussie puppies will be born dilute but as they mature their coats darken until they can’t be distinguished from normally colored Aussies. This is not typical of the D locus, which gives the same color from birth onward.
What gene causes yellow color?
The E locus (extension, genetic designation MC1r).
Does E cause other colors or patterns?
Yes. It causes facial masks and the grizzle pattern in Salukis (called “domino” in Afghan Hounds.)
How many versions does E (MC1r) have?
Four: Mask, grizzle, black (actually whatever color other genes determine), and yellow in that order of dominance.
Are the E (MC1r) colors and patterns acceptable in Aussies?
“Black” is acceptable and mask only affects tan pigment so might reduce or eliminate tan points on the face. Grizzle doesn’t occur in Aussies but wouldn’t be acceptable if it did and yellow is not acceptable. Since yellow can obscure merle patterning to the point you cannot tell the dog is merle it isn’t a color that would be advisable in Aussies. Yellow dogs will not have tan markings but E does not interfere with white markings.
How are the E colors inherited?
Dogs with two copies of the mask version, or one copy of mask and any of the other versions will have a mask with the rest of the dog (save any white areas) yellow to reddish or possibly sable (depending on the versions of A it has.)
– Dogs with two copies of the grizzle version or one copy plus a copy of the black or yellow versions will be grizzle.
– A dog with two copies of the black version or one black and one yellow will be whatever color other genes determine.
– A dog with two copies of the yellow version will be yellow, though actual shade can range from pale yellow to deep red-gold. Yellow Aussies are usually a medium-gold shade.
What determines nose color in yellow dogs?
The B and D genes. The nose will be black or liver depending on what versions of B the dog has. If the dog also has two recessive copies of D the nose may be slate blue or a pale, even pinkish, brown.


Gabriel Michael, a PhD candidate at George Washington University, subjected the IP Chapter of the secret Trans-Pacific Partnership, leaked by Wikileaks last week to statistical analysis. The leaked draft has extensive footnotes indicating each country's negotiating positions. By analyzing the frequency with which the US appears as the sole objector to other nations' positions, and when the US is the sole proponent of clauses to which other nations object, Michael was able to show that TPP really is an American-run show pushing an American agenda, not a multilateral trade deal being negotiated to everyone's mutual benefit. Though Canada is also one of the main belligerents, with even more unilateral positions than the USA.
This graph indicates that the core overlap of negotiating positions currently includes New Zealand, Singapore, Chile, and Malaysia, although the direct connection between New Zealand and Singapore is weaker than the others. If we consider geography, culture, and politics, countries on the outskirts of this network often appear to connect via sensible routes: Mexico through Chile, Australia through New Zealand, and Brunei through Vietnam and Malaysia. Canada’s connection through New Zealand makes sense, though the connection through Malaysia is odd; likewise, Peru via Chile makes sense, but via Singapore is surprising.
Returning to the large network graph, we can include sole-country proposals, which show up as loops connecting a country back to itself. This allows for a direct comparison of the data from the first two bar graphs, and gives us a sense of the degree to which a country is joining with other parties vs. “going it alone.”
The United States and Japan are still relatively isolated, but we can also see that they’ve made numerous sole-country proposals, perhaps related to their relative isolation. Though Canada has the highest number of sole-country proposals, it also has strong connections to many other countries. Singapore, Peru, Malaysia, and Brunei have so few sole-country proposals that their loops are barely visible.
The United States is isolated in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations [Henry Farrell/WashPo]


We have now come to the final letter in CAR – that is R for Results. We have passed through the Ready, Set, Go – the three steps – of A, which included defining our desired Results in the middle step.
So now we come to identify the three elements of Results. They are Desired Results, Actual Results and our emotions about our Results. Let us examine each of these in turn, starting with: Desired Results.
(1) Desired Results can be expressed in two ways, tightly by Features and more loosely by Benefits. Features of a desired Result can be expressed in such a way as to be discernible by our senses – by answering the questions: how does it look? How does it sound? How does it feel / work? How does it taste? How does it smell?
Alternatively, the desired results can be expressed in terms of the Benefit the Result brings to certain people. For example, to my dad the Features of a car were rarely important. It didn’t matter if the car was Holden or Ford, black or white, “as long as it goes!” Defining a desired Result (goal) by Benefits may leave room for some flexibility for the person performing the Action because more than one set of Features may produce the desired Result. A black Holden and a white Ford could both give the desired Benefit (transport) even though the Features are different.
Similarly our Current Circumstances can be defined by Features. But rather than Benefits (of our Current Circumstances – which we would hope to keep), we might define the Issues for different people, that we need to improve. These five elements (Issues to address, Start Features, Action, Result Features and Result Benefits) could be considered as forming a CAR Bridge between our Current Circumstances and our desired Results.
(2) The next element of R is Actual Results. Desired Results are one thing but Actual Results may be another thing altogether. If we have a good run there may be no difference between the two, but if there are other influences at play they may be quite different. The 6S’s we considered in our Current Circumstances may be useful here: our Season, our Settings, our Surroundings, our Self, our Strengths and our States. Alternatively we could use the PET ROCK acronym, instead of our Self and our Surroundings.
(3) Finally we come to our Emotions about our Results. Even though emotions are non specific feelings, they are a communication from our subconscious to our conscious mind which beg for understanding. The formula “Emotions = (are) an Evaluation of our Experience compared to our Expectations” shows that we can do more than describe our emotions, we can dive deeper by defining our Experience (i.e. our Actual Results) with respect to our Expectations (i.e our Desired Results). Different standards or perspectives can yield different Evaluations and hence different Emotions.
Quite apart from making emotions consciously comprehensible in the way, we intuitively know if they are positive or negative, good or bad, right or wrong. Either way emotions can be a motivating force / a driving force for change.
Points to Ponder
What do your present Emotions tell you about your:
- Actual Results
- Desired Results
- Values / Roles / Perspectives
- Appetite for Change
Copyright © 2021 John Harris


In Marvel’s X-Men series, there is a character known as Juggernaut. His power is that once he is in motion, nothing can stop him. In physics terms, this means his inertia can’t be changed by some external force. That’s not how physics works, though that’s a minor detail in a universe that has a talking raccoon. But Juggernaut’s use of his skill is just one demonstration of a common misconception about inertia.
The key aspect of inertia is that it doesn’t change unless some force acts on it. If an object is in motion, it will keep that motion indefinitely. Barring friction or other forces, an object won’t spontaneously slow down, nor does it need a force to keep moving. The common misconception is that the natural state of an object is to be “at rest” and a force is needed to keep it going. On Earth that seems reasonable because we experience air resistance and friction. To keep an object moving on Earth we do need to keep pushing it.
But that isn’t true in space. Often in science fiction movies you will see spaceships moving at cruising speed with their engines on, as if they need to burn fuel to keep their forward motion. Another common trope is that when a spaceship breaks or runs out of fuel, it begins to fall toward the Sun. Apparently without rockets to keep it moving, a spacecraft will slow down and “fall out of the sky”. Of course, planets don’t have rockets, and they orbit the Sun just fine due to their inherent inertia.
In astronomy, we often present the fact that galaxies are moving away from us as evidence that the universe is expanding. But this by itself is not evidence of an expanding universe. Galaxies have inertia just like anything else, and it would be possible for them to be speeding away from us in a non-expanding universe. The evidence for an expanding universe lies in how the galaxies move away from us. Specifically that more distant galaxies move away from us faster than closer ones.
Intuitively, it feels as if there must be some “at rest” frame, and that objects inherently move towards that state. It is the concept that Aristotle used to argue that the Earth doesn’t move, which was an idea that predominated for two millennia. But we now know there is no such rest frame. Instead everything in the universe moves relative to everything else, each with its own inertia.


Definitions of "Giftedness"
"All individuals have strengths
relative to their other capabilities; some individuals have
exceptional abilities relative to most other people
Party Report, Nov 2001
A gifted or talented student stands
out from everyone else in the above definition ... perhaps in one area,
sometimes in many.
Gifted children have been defined as those
"who by nature of outstanding abilities are capable of high
performance". The term "outstanding abilities" refers to general
intellectual ability, specific academic aptitude, leadership ability,
ability in the visual or performing arts, creative thinking, or
How do others define being "gifted"?
Some groups link giftedness with IQ - a measure of
intelligence. Those people with a high IQ are "gifted", everyone else
is not. But there a different types of IQ tests and the "magic number"
to reach to be called "gifted" depends on the test used.
In general, since IQ tests assume that the
inteligence quotient values for any given population is based on a
normal distribution (bell-shaped curve), a person operating at 2 or 3
standard deviations above the mean can be considered gifted.
Some schools consider the top 15%,
10% or 5% of their students to be gifted or talented.
See NOTE below.
BUT IQ tests are not appropriate for very
young children and can fail intelligent children who have limited
experiences of the world.
BUT this definition does not pick up those
under-achieving students who are bored by a subject or do not see it as
important and can pass with very little effort.
for IQ tests are biased against gifted children. Because of
their low ceilings, none of the current tests provides valid IQ scores
for highly gifted children.
children's IQ scores become depressed at approximately 9 years of age
due to ceiling effects of the test. The ideal age for testing is
between 4 and 8.
There has been a trend away from defining
the gifted and talented in terms of a single category (for example,
high IQ) towards a multicategory approach, which acknowledges a diverse
range of special abilities.
There is plenty of evidence that gifted children should
be differentially treated, either by acceleration, enrichment, or
ability grouping. But how you decide to define
giftedness will influence how you later identify
gifted children. So far we have not differentiated between being
"talented" and being truly "gifted". Does research support the lumping
together of these groups?
in the top 3 percent of the population have atypical developmental
patterns and require differentiated instruction. Children in the top 10
percent of the population are not statistically or developmentally
different from children in the top 15 percent, and it is not
justifiable to single them out for special treatment.
It is similar
to the situation where the moderately intellectually impaired, highly
intellectually impaired and profoundly intellectually impaired all have
quite different challenges and associated needs. So it is with the
moderately gifted, highly gifted and profoundly gifted. They should not be lumped together.
Where to next?
So you think you finally know what the term
"gifted" or "talented" means...you might stick to the narrow
definitions above or have a wider view that includes artistic, creative
or leadership abilities.
How many of your children or students fit
that definition? And it is no good simply priding yourself on your
detective skills...what are you going to do about helping these


Planning is accelerated by copying elements from an existing floor to another floor. This can be useful e.g. when creating main walls on several floors, as their floor plan is mostly the same at different levels.
The floors of ARCHLine.XP are a logical unit, not a physical boundary. So the element placed on the floor belongs to the floor, but its geometry is not affected by the properties of the floor (floor height and height). This means that an element placed on a floor does not have to be physically within the lower and upper limit of the floor, it can “protrude from there”. This is also required, for example, in level-shifting buildings.


Grammar moment: the pitfalls of the computer grammar checker
Computer grammar and spelling checkers may have their uses, but they also have a serious dark side, especially for students new to the art of writing. The problem is that novice writers, not trusting their own skills, put way too much faith in the computer. They just don’t realize that, even as beginners, they have far better skills to tell when the grammar is right. They attribute far more intelligence to the computer program than any piece of software is capable of having, especially not the grammar checker that comes with the biggest name brand word processor.
The spelling checker might not be as seriously flawed, but its influence is more insidious. When it encounters a word not in its dictionary, it makes guesses to what was originally intended, listing words in order according to the spelling checker’s estimate of likelihood. But more than half the time, the word at the top of the list is NOT the word the writer intended, and if the writer assumes that the spelling checker’s choice is the right one, the writer ends up with the wrong word. Thus, spelling errors have nearly disappeared from student writing, but misused words are epidemic – I have lost count of the number of times I have seen “defiantly” used for “definitely,” or “untied” used for “united.”
I have seen cases in which students are so untrusting of their own judgment, and so trusting of the computer, that they go through their papers, making changes, often at random, until every last green or orange squiggly underline disappears. The results are atrocious, and far from grammatically correct. I once received a paper on which the student had misspelled her own name – when I asked about it, she said, “The computer said it was wrong, so I fixed it.” This was a name that the student was proud of, that her mother had chosen carefully because it was unique. But the student chose the computer’s “correctness” over her mother’s intentions.
Yes, spelling and grammar checkers can be useful, but primarily in the hands of more advanced writers who can make the judgment of whether the computer has pointed out a legitimate concern or has simply flagged as an error something that is not really an error. I tell my students, time and time again, that the computer is wrong more than half the time, that the computer flags what might be an error, but it’s up to the students to look closely and figure out whether there’s really an error there. But they still go blindly with what the computer says. I would love to disable the grammar checker, and maybe the spelling checker, too, on any computer in the student computer labs. However, that’s a losing battle – too many people are too fond of the checkers.
I’m not alone in my complaints. There is a professor in Seattle who has discovered similar problems. At one point, he was even considering suing Microsoft for its lousy grammar checker. On a more humorous note, there’s a Wiccan who discovered that there is a difference between a spell checker and a spelling checker.


Managed lawns, especially golf courses or other sport turf get insect damage that must be controlled. Homeowners who want a picture perfect lawn may treat as well. However, treatments that kill insect pests may also kill beneficial insects including pollinators. A group of scientists* have published recommendations for acceptable pest control that minimizes harm to pollinators. Some of the suggestions are:
Wait until after the early season pollinators get established before treating.
Consider using granular formulations of insecticides, to avoid contamination of flowering portions of plants in bloom.
Use grass varieties with pest resistance.
Maximize the mowing height. Taller grass has deeper root systems that better tolerate pest injury.
Consider using biological control agents that are specific to the pest insect
Establishing nearby plots of pollinator-friendly plants. Flowering plants on the borders can give the turf a more pleasing appearance while providing pollinators needed resources for growth and development.
Incorporating these practices may take more time and planning, especially at first, but the results can be beneficial to both pollinators and turf management.
*Jonathan L. Larson, Adam Dale, David Held, Benjamin McGraw, Douglas S. Richmond, Kyle Wickings, R. Chris Williamson; Optimizing Pest Management Practices to Conserve Pollinators in Turf Landscapes: Current Practices and Future Research Needs. J Integr Pest Manag 2017; 8 (1): 18.
The Schaus swallowtail butterfly, Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus, is an endangered species of butterfly in Florida with critically low numbers. Habitat loss is an important component in its decline, but exotic species are having a detrimental effect. .
Clayborn and Koptur* excluded ants from interacting with the caterpillars and found decreased survival when ants are not excluded. The most problematic species was Pseudomyrmex gracilis the Elongate twig ant, an exotic species from Mexico and not native to Florida. These ant predators were the most aggressive toward Schaus Swallowtail caterpillars of any of the ant species observed. The threat to endangered butterflies is one more reason to guard against transport of exotic species.
*Jaeson Clayborn & Suzanne Koptur. 2017. Mortal combat between ants and caterpillars: an ominous threat to the endangered Schaus swallowtail butterfly in the Florida Keys, USA. Journal of Insect Conservation. pp 1–14. First Online: 14 July 2017
Golden Sun Moth
The Golden Sun Moth has beautiful yellow hind wings that resemble a “golden sun”. This moth is threatened due to development and fragmentation of its grassland habitat. Unlike most Lepidoptera, the Golden Sun Moth feeds on the roots of grasses. Its natural habitat is grasslands in Australia that are grazed by Wallabies.
In the Canberra, Australia area, a planned building by the Bangladesh High Commission was delayed because the Golden Sun Moth was found on the site. The site is being evaluated in further detail to determine if the construction would harm the moth populations. The Canberra building plan sites foreign embassies in this area which happens to be habitat for the Golden Sun Moth. The moth may force a change in plans as diplomacy gets trumped by conservation.
Yellow Fever Mosquito, Aedes aegypti
Photo: James Gathany
Institutions that provide information on pest insects often use photos to communicate with the public. Go to any Cooperative Extension website and you will find photographs of pests. The public is often clueless when the name of an insect is mentioned, but show them a picture and the response is more often, “I’ve seen one of those.” Scientific information, no matter how good, is only useful if it can be communicated adequately. Photography has been a critical component of the communication efforts of many institutions.
Institutions often have a photographer or someone trained in photography on staff. The Centers For Disease Control is no exception. James Gathany has been a photographer with CDC for 30 years. His photographs, especially of mosquitos are widely distributed and used such as the photo at left. Gathany uses an artists touch to make his images compelling and aesthetically pleasing. The CDC honored his work with an exhibit in the CDC Museum. The Atlantic Magazine has an article featuring James Gathany that includes some of his photographs. Check out the article to learn more about his career, techniques and see some awesome photos.
Eastern Tailed Blue
The Eastern Tailed Blue, Cupido comyntas, is a common butterfly in Indiana summers. The Eastern Tailed blue feeds on a variety of legumes including clovers. The larvae often feed on the flowers and seeds of their host plant. Flowers and seeds typically contain more protein than the foliage.
The Eastern Tailed Blue has adapted to feed on many plants not native to North America. It has a wide geographic range and is found in many disturbed sites. Like many of the butterflies in the family Lycaenidae, the larvae may at times be tended and protected by ants.
The adults of the Eastern Tailed Blue have similar size and color pattern to the Summer Azure. The “tails’ on the hind wings of the Eastern Tailed Blue can be damaged over time. However, Eastern Tailed Blues can be readily distinguished from the Summer Azure by the orange spot on its hind wing.
We hope to see many during our Butterfly Encounter, Saturday, July 15 at 10:30 am
This Saturday July 15, 2017, we will conduct our annual counts of butterflies at the Evonic Corporation Nature Center. We will meet at 10:30 am, Count from 11am to 12:30 and tabulate and discuss the results between 12:30 and 1. More information: https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/butterflycount/
Buckeye butterfly Insets: Close up of some of the eyespots.
Many species of butterfly, especially in the family Nymphalidae have markings on the wings that resemble eyes. For humans, eyes, or images resembling eyes attract the attention of our brains. Movements of the face and eyes are important visual cues in human communications and interactions. Since eyes and eyespots draw our attention, it is not surprising that the subject of eyespots on the wings of butterflies has the attention of scientists.
Speculation about a “function” for eyespots dates back at least to the 1890 book edited by EB Poulton, The Colours of Animals. The book contains the speculative chapter, “Colors and markings which direct the attention of an enemy to some non-vital part, but which are not attended by unpleasant qualities”. Poulton suggested that eyespots on the wings of butterflies and on other animals could redirect the attack of predators away from vital parts (such as the head an body of a butterfly) and toward the eyespots present on non-vital portions of the wings.
Other speculations suggest that the eyespots are a form of mimicry, the eyespots “intimidating” predators because of their resemblance to the eyes of animals that are much larger and more dangerous. In some species, the eyespots are hidden during rest and flashed at a predator when the insect is disturbed. This has been interpreted as a potential defense to “startle” a predator to give the prey time to escape. Yet other evidence finds a role for eyespots in mate recognition. Perhaps eyespots have little to do with repelling predators and more to do with attracting mates?
Eyespots come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and numbers. It is quite possible that eyespots have a range of functions that is context dependent. Perhaps the effect is large on some predators but not others. Perhaps small eyespots are better at redirecting the attack and large eyespots are better at intimidating the predator? The speculation is endless and experimentation with predators and fast flying prey is difficult to conduct. Sorting out the many speculations is likely to be a long process.
This year, 2107 buckeyes can be commonly found. Look for them on flowers or collecting at puddles or wet spots on wood chip trails.