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versión On-line ISSN 2071-0771
versión impresa ISSN 0075-6458
Koedoe vol.53 no.2 Pretoria ene. 2011
Implementing invasive species management in an adaptive management framework
Llewellyn C. FoxcroftI,II; Melodie McGeochII,III
ISouth African National Parks, Conservation Services, Skukuza, South Africa
IICentre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
IIISouth African National Parks, Cape Research Centre, Cape Town, South Africa
Adaptive management theory has attracted substantial interest in recent years, in natural resource management in general and also for invasive alien species management. However, whilst many theoretical and conceptual advances have been made, documented cases of practical applications are rare. Coupling invasive species management components with adaptive feedback processes is not without challenges, requiring a substantial change in the thinking and practice of all those involved. Drawing on a decade of experience in South African National Parks, we suggest an approach to implementing adaptive management for controlling invasive alien species. Whilst efforts have been made to advance components of the overall management strategy, the absence of a framework for decision making and feedback mechanisms, inflexibility in the system and shortcomings in the governance structure are all identified as barriers to learning and knowledge integration for the purposes of effective invasive alien species management. The framework provided here, encompassing documents, committees and processes, is aimed at addressing these shortcomings.
CONSERVATION IMPLICATION: Adaptive management theory offers a robust tool for managing inherently complex systems. Its practical application, however, requires distilling the theory into useable functions. We offer a framework to advance implementation of strategic adaptive management for the control of invasive alien species using experiences gained from South African National Parks.
Ecosystems are dynamic, changing in both space and time and over multiple scales (Pickett, Cadenasso & Benning 2003). These fluctuations are both necessary and desirable. Adaptive management (AM) has emerged as a preferred method of management for natural resources in the face of such change and inherent uncertainty (Biggs & Rogers 2003; Gregory, Ohlson & Arvai 2006; Jacobson et al. 2006; Salafsky, Margoluis & Redford 2001; Scholes & Kruger 2011). Accordingly, South African National Parks (SANParks) has adopted the principles of AM to guide decision making (Rogers 2003). AM generally includes the following steps: (1) developing a conceptual understanding of the social-ecological system, (2) developing objectives and management plans, (3) implementing management, (4) monitoring trends and system changes, (5) analysing data, and (6) purposefully modifying management in response to outcomes where necessary (e.g. Salafsky et al. 2001). Strategic adaptive management (SAM), as applied in SANParks, encompasses the general AM process, but differs by focussing more explicitly on (1) developing a mutual understanding and appreciation by stakeholders of the way ecosystem goods and services are valued, (2) building an understanding of the social, technological, economic, environmental and political context and (3) establishing an adaptive assessment process for defining spatially and temporally explicit monitoring programmes that assess the response of ecosystems to management actions (Biggs & Rogers 2003; Roux & Foxcroft 2011). The focus on these aspects is an attempt to overcome some of the barriers (communication, attitudinal and conceptual) to AM implementation (Jacobson et al. 2006).
A further contribution that SANParks has made to AM theory has been the development of thresholds of potential concern (TPCs) (Roux & Foxcroft 2011). Based on best available science and updated as new understanding emerges, TPCs allow for some measure of system flux whilst highlighting points in a trend that reflect unacceptable environmental consequences and therefore require management interventions. As shown in Figure 1, a three-dimensional space represents possible changes in the system attribute of interest over time and space. The sphere represents the outer boundaries of the desirable system, which are represented by TPCs. Any directional change in the system within the boundaries (or TPCs) is considered acceptable - even desirable - ecosystem flux (blue to green arrow). Should the system be outside or on a trajectory leading out of the desired set of conditions (blue or green to orange arrow) - a TPC thus having been breached - an assessment of the cause of the system change and possible management interventions are called for. For alien species, TPCs are breached when new alien species are introduced or species already in the system spread (red arrow). These thresholds are low because once highly invasive species have established, they are likely to spread over a wide area, with long-lasting impacts on the system attribute of interest (e.g. plant diversity in riparian areas).
The use of TPCs creates an opportunity to implement management strategies as landscape scale experiments, from which the outcomes of the management interventions must necessarily be assessed. TPCs also represent another difference between general AM approaches and SAM as applied in SANParks, in that TPCs aim to pre-empt impending unacceptable system change and thus allow for proactive management options (Scholes & Kruger 2011). Long-term monitoring aims to detect these trends and changes in various ecological features (Buckley et al. 2008) and is therefore an essential component in the implementation of AM (Rogers 2003). The outcome of monitoring and analysis is measured against predefined indicators and associated TPCs (Biggs & Rogers 2003). This assessment provides feedback on the outcomes of management actions and, in the process, provides both a formal and an informal means of learning and knowledge diffusion (Biggs & Rogers 2003).
Most ecosystems in South Africa have been invaded by a large number of taxonomic groups (Richardson et al. 2000), resulting in a wide range of negative impacts on biodiversity and social-economic systems (Pysek & Richardson 2010). The most well-documented, ecologically harmful taxa are plants, many of which are woody plants (Richardson, Rouget & Rejmánek 2004). Although conservation areas are protected from some threats (e.g. large-scale habitat transformation or over-exploitation of resources), other threats are more difficult to exclude (Kareiva et al. 2007; Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005; Woodroffe & Ginsburg 1998). Globally, invasive alien species are a substantial and escalating threat to the integrity of many ecosystems within protected areas (MEA 2005). This can be attributed, in part, to the fact that protected areas often exist as islands in a sea of diverse, human-dominated land uses (Pickett & Thompson 1978), where disturbances and propagule sources are strong drivers of biological invasions (Hobbs & Huenneke 1992). For example, the Kruger National Park (KNP), with an area of approximately 20 000 km2, has been invaded by about 370 alien plants; 27 000 plant records having been collected (Foxcroft et al. 2009). KNP also has a history of alien species management policies based either on national legislation (initially the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act; Act 43 of 1983, and later amendments in 2001) or on the internal needs of the park (e.g. a policy on the use and management of alien ornamental plants as described by Foxcroft [2001] and Foxcroft and Freitag-Ronaldson [2007]). More recently, the development of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (Act 10 of 2004) and the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (Act 57 of 2003) has determined the legislative context within which all management and monitoring must take place, including those for invasive alien species. This, together with the experience gained in SANParks (and KNP) over the last decade in applying SAM to invasive alien species (Bestbier, Jacoby & Rogers 2000; Foxcroft & Richardson 2003; Foxcroft & Downey 2008; Foxcroft 2009), provides a useful platform for proposing future management options. However, three key shortcomings are considered to exist in the current approaches to management of invasive alien species in SANParks. These are forms of institutional barriers to the implementation of AM (Jacobson et al. 2006) and include (1) the lack of a broad framework for decision making, (2) the inflexibility in existing management systems and administration and (3) shortcomings in the governance structure for invasive alien species management.
Need for an invasive alien species policy and management framework
Although frameworks for implementing SAM for alien species management have been proposed (Bestbier et al. 2000; Freitag-Ronaldson & Foxcroft 2003), emphasis has been largely on developing specific TPCs to date. Since 1999, 37 cases of breached thresholds have been documented (supplementary material (Table 2) in Foxcroft [2009]). In some cases the lack of clarity of departmental responsibility for responding to the breached TPC led to confusion, delaying management action. Thus, although the thresholds were designed to trigger appropriate interventions (mainly rapid eradication or containment strategies as described by Foxcroft [2009]), the lack of an overall policy and management framework within which they could operate impeded a coordinated response. Moreover, although the TPCs include monitoring for new incursions of alien species into parks, almost all attention has been on control, with little focus on prevention. Although this is a global trend (Keller & Lodge 2010), a substantial increase in focus on prevention is essential if parks are to manage invasive alien species successfully in the long term.
In a large natural system such as the KNP, where many alien species have been introduced (Foxcroft et al. 2003), not all species can or necessarily need to be managed. Some alien species will also experience fluctuations in their population density and spatial distribution over time, although the most invasive and potentially damaging species will tend to become, and remain, highly abundant and widespread (Freitag-Ronaldson & Foxcroft 2003:414). It is these 'transformer' species that alter the landscape over a wide area, often in both structure and function (Pysek et al. 2004), that are of most concern and thus the focus of management attention. Without an overarching framework and coordinated effort to identify where and when TPCs are required (e.g. Tu 2009), and to respond when they are breached, efforts will remain largely opportunistic and potentially ineffective (Hall & Fleishman 2009).
Another aspect that requires further consideration is adaptive governance, which is the process by which social systems are organised or reorganise themselves (Folke et al. 2005). Governance provides the structures and processes needed in which collective decisions are taken. Adaptive governance networks join teams that contain different experiences to develop a common understanding of management and policies. The governance networks function across multiple levels within organisations, between organisations and between individuals (Folke et al. 2005). These networks provide for enhanced flexibility (a requisite for rapid response to invasions), but still operate within the organisational hierarchy, holding specific agencies, management levels or individuals accountable for inaction or mismanagement. In discussing biosecurity risks of invasive alien species in Australia, Cook et al. (2010:1308) discuss governance structures for interagency cooperation to improve information transfer for surveillance, response, diagnostics, risk analysis and border inspections. These functions are carried out by a number of organisations in a number of different ways. Similarly, we suggest that greater focus on the governance structure of invasive alien species management is required for improved utility of the framework we present. An organisational policy for alien and invasive species management will, for example, contribute significantly to the governance of management of invasive alien species in SANParks.
Need for flexibility and rapid response for management of invasive alien species
Globally, management of invasive alien species has developed in a number of forms, including risk assessment, vector and pathway control, early detection and rapid response (Pysek & Richardson 2010). Although eradication is touted as the main aim of control, containment and maintenance of target populations at low levels are often the only feasible option (Rejmánek & Pitcairn 2002), particularly with transformer species. As part of a containment strategy, best management practices include setting fixed goals, delineating fixed areas, listing priority species for control, applying available resources to these areas, and follow-up operations, all of which are commonly planned on an annual time scale (eds. Wittenberg & Cock 2001). These are all an essential part of the overall planning process, but the associated rigidity does not always allow for the surprises that are common features in dynamic ecological systems. Examples of such unforeseen events include large, infrequent disturbances, such as floods and fires. In response to these disturbance events, invasive species that were previously being maintained at a low abundance or contained within a small area may re-emerge rapidly and over a large area after a long period of apparent stability (e.g. Crooks 2005). The events given in these examples are likely to cause the TPCs to be exceeded, requiring immediate assessment and action rather than reliance on a set of fixed medium-term or long-term goals. Moreover, such events may necessitate complete reorganisation of control projects, either to take advantage of a particular situation or to mitigate undesirable changes. This process requires reassessing the order of planned control actions, revising priorities and redirecting resources, often at relatively short notice. In large bureaucracies this is a time-consuming process, which is likely to delay or prohibit opportunities for eradication or early containment.
Consistent long-term management and control of invasive alien species is essential. Should follow-up operations cease, all the resources used and advances achieved in clearing a particular area may be lost in a very short time. We suggest here that an additional layer of planned management action, designed for and focussed on enabling rapid response to unexpected changes, should be implemented. Successful management of invasive alien species necessarily includes effective rapid response along with consistent clearing and follow-up operations. We also aim here to place these actions, together with those already in practice, in their broader framework and context. Whilst management action in SANParks has to date been virtually aimed exclusively at invasive alien plants, the proposal outlined here is generally relevant to other alien taxa.
Constructing the foundations: Developments to date
SANParks has invested substantially in adopting and further developing AM principles and a number of unique constructs have been instituted. Notably, these include a hierarchy of objectives (cascading down from the organisational vision to ground level or individual goals) to structure park management priorities and the use of decision thresholds. Although a number of management functions are in place, albeit in varying stages of development, they have largely functioned in isolation of one another to date. These components include:
the SANParks vision and individual park mission statements
park management plans, comprising the park-specific objectives
lower level plans (LLPs), which are specific operational plans for all management concerns in a park; the LLPs stem from the park management plan objectives and are written, for example, for fire management, invasive alien species management, artificial water provision, rehabilitation and many other aspects of protected area management
management unit clearing plan (MUCP) and annual plan of operation (APO); these documents are medium-term to short-term plans used by the SANParks Invasive Species Control Unit (ISCU) to prepare and guide project implementation and independent contractor management
physical implementation of control programmes for invasive alien species by ISCU and/or park management
indicators and TPCs, which, for the purposes of invasive alien species management, have largely been decision thresholds (i.e. mTPCs as in Foxcroft [2009]), indicating points at which management decisions and intervention are usually required; these have only been used in a few parks to date
fora where selected invasive alien species management issues are discussed intermittently; however, in most cases this dialogue has taken place informally between park managers or rangers and the ISCU project managers, but needs to be complemented by more formal discourse
functional feedback loops, which are inherent in AM processes (Stafford-Smith et al. 2009) and are aimed at enhancing understanding and ensuring continuous improvement in management effectiveness.
Together, the listed objectives, plans, interactions and processes should complement one another in the functions they perform, and thus form a foundation for consolidating effective management of alien and invasive species. The relative roles of these management functions and the relationships between them should also be clear. However, a number of gaps remain and further components are necessary, such as a coordinated monitoring programme to enhance the optimal implementation of an overall response to invasive alien species management and efficient feedback mechanisms. Here we identify these gaps and suggest ways to address them and also clarify the relative roles and relationships between each of the management functions. Finally, we suggest how the various components may be integrated into an overall SAM framework for invasive alien species management.
A framework for advancing adaptive management of invasive alien species
Conceptual frameworks are tools to organise and evaluate the state of a particular system (Pickett, Kolasa & Jones 2007). A framework provides a way of deriving a common understanding of a system or process, whilst also indicating various levels of feedback and learning (Tu 2009).
The schematic diagrams we use to illustrate the framework that is required for an overall, coordinated approach to managing invasive alien species (Figures 2 and 3) are embedded within the overarching SAM paradigm in use by SANParks. We suggest specific components in the framework and illustrate explicit pathways between these components. We further provide a detailed description of each aspect of the management cycle, highlighting their key attributes. The number shown in parentheses at each subsection in the ensuing discussion relates to the numbered boxes in Figures 2 and 3. Although a broader context informs the development of each step (e.g. deriving vision statements and vital attributes at the organisational or park scale [Biggs & Rogers 2003]), we assume these processes have taken place and frame our discussion in the more focussed context of management of invasive alien species.
SANParks vision and mission statements(1)
The SANParks vision and mission statements provide the overall direction that guides all decision making. This cascades down to park level, where the vital attributes of the park steer local decision making. For example, the main focus of Mapungubwe National Park as a World Heritage Site is based on its rich cultural heritage (South African National Parks 2006). The KNP is a representative of a relatively intact large savanna ecosystem, with various processes and species that interact over large spaces and long time frames (Pickett et al. 2003), whilst Table Mountain National Park supports a significant portion of rare and endemic taxa forming part of the globally renowned Cape Floristic Region (Cowling et al. 2003). These attributes guide the management focus of each park.
Park management plan (2)
The park management plan, a legislative requirement in South Africa for all protected areas (National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act), provides park-specific context and guides actions. The components of the park management plans are hierarchical (e.g. Biggs & Rogers 2003:63) and are sequentially split into themes, which are then expanded upon in LLPs. In the context of invasive alien species, the LLP presents a risk assessment of species that present the greatest threat or concern, the planned management interventions, financial and resource-related requirements, monitoring, and research needs. Therefore the LLP essentially forms the roadmap for managing invasive alien plants in a park over a five-year cycle. The LLP is, in turn, translated into an MUCP (a five-year plan that runs concurrently with the LLP) and from there to an APO. The APO provides details of each work area to be contracted out for clearing, specific details of the areas to be cleared (with maps), species lists and information about species abundance, human resources, control methods and other project-specific details.
Management forum (3)
A forum for each park (commonly referred to as a science-management forum), should be the nexus for integrating all components of the invasive alien species management cycle. This forum includes park managers, staff of the ISCU, project managers and regional ecologists and also receives input from specialist researchers where needed. The development of the park plans, specifically the LLPs and APOs, should be formulated by this group - a process which has happened very rarely. Ideally, these fora should take place at least biannually to reassess progress and revise plans, thereby providing feedback to all. The proposed planning process would contribute to achieving a common understanding of the overall invasive alien species control programme. Moreover, experience of all role players and short-term internal feedback loops between park managers, ISCU project managers and the regional ecologists, are essential for adapting and improving operational plans to increase their flexibility and effectiveness.
Monitoring (4)
Monitoring is the cornerstone on which all forms of AM rest (Salafsky et al. 2002). This is because AM requires implementing management actions as experiments. As a consequence, monitoring is needed to determine how the system responds to management (Biggs & Rogers 2003). The term 'monitoring' is not used consistently, leading to subsequent confusion about applying monitoring methods in a particular situation (see Dewey & Anderson 2004). We differentiate between the following:
1. monitoring long-term trends in the ecosystem as a response to management interventions
2. assessing operational or management effectiveness
3. project auditing (Stem et al. 2005).
Long-term trends in ecosystem change
Such monitoring assesses the ecological outcome of management efforts. Here we refer to monitoring as the 'collection and analysis of repeated observations or measurements to evaluate changes in condition and progress toward meeting a management objective' (Elzinga et al. 2001). The main objective of the SANParks monitoring programme for alien and invasive species is to assess the status of and trends in invasion, distribution and management of alien species in SANParks, such that the information contributes to management and policy development at a local as well as global level. The approach forms part of the SANParks Biodiversity Monitoring System (McGeoch et al. 2011). In order to achieve this higher objective, three subobjectives are proposed as outlined in the following:
Subobjective 1: To determine and monitor the rate of introduction of all alien species into the SANParks estate. The main target of this objective is to prevent the introduction of any new invasive alien species into a park.
Subobjective 2: To determine and monitor the distribution of existing naturalised and invasive species within and across parks. The target of this objective is to contain the spread of invasive species that are already present.
Subobjective 3: To determine and monitor the increase in the abundance and distribution of naturalised and invasive alien species in parks (with distribution used as a predictor and proxy for abundance, as proposed by He and Gaston [2000]). The target of this objective is to maintain the abundance of invasive species below an acceptable threshold.
Operational management effectiveness
Monitoring aims to provide rapid feedback on control activities that will allow project managers to assess progress and strategically adapt their plans as necessary. Owing to the vast areas being controlled across the SANParks estate, this will most likely have to be a rapid assessment of a few randomly selected sites (see Stem et al. 2005). Within a management unit, data may be collected on, for example, whether a target species has been cleared, whether plants have been missed, are coppicing (resprouting), and whether there have been any negative impacts on nontarget species. In addition, distribution data should be collected opportunistically for any newly observed species or an increase in the distribution of a listed species.
Project auditing
In this case monitoring aims to assess the implementation of the project and procedures (Stem et al. 2005). These include logistic arrangements, contractor implementation and contractual obligations, occupational health and safety compliance, compliance with herbicide use policies and other aspects which directly relate to the smooth implementation of projects. Many of these components are legislative requirements and need to be performed according to a fixed schedule.
Indicators and thresholds (5)
TPCs have long been under development and refinement in the KNP (Biggs & Rogers 2003) and more recently also in other parks. Foxcroft (2009) provides the theoretical background to the current suite of TPCs for invasive alien species. The use of indicators and their associated TPCs provide endpoints against which monitoring of the response of an ecosystem to management intervention may be assessed. In other words, indicators are dependent variables (e.g. the number of alien species or area of a park invaded by invasive alien species), whereas a TPC is the specific value(s) of that indicator for which well-considered intervention is needed (e.g. the introduction of one new alien species to a park or a 10% increase in the area invaded). The indicators should be assessed according to a 3-5-year time frame and any thresholds which have been breached at this point should be raised at the relevant park forum (Figure 3). If a TPC has been breached at any other time, it should also be documented and presented at the appropriate science-management forum. In this way any unacceptable trends that suggest potential deleterious ecological or biodiversity consequences are given specific attention.
Using TPCs as a reference point for management interventions does not imply that ongoing control operations are stopped and initiated only when a TPC is breached. Rather, parallel to ongoing control operations, TPCs are used to highlight the threshold in a trend where undesirable impacts are expected (Foxcroft 2009) and where additional control, or reorganising and reprioritising, of projects is required. Management actions should, therefore, aim to prevent the system from reaching such thresholds. Where a TPC is breached, the background, cause of concern, potential impacts or consequences and proposed management actions should be discussed. Although TPCs represent hypotheses that are open to challenge, testing and refinement at any time, the validity of the TPC should not be challenged once a breach of a TPC has been tabled (Biggs & Rogers 2003). This is to prevent 'management paralysis', where the threshold or indicator is continuously questioned and further assessments and research are called for, instead of decisive management action being taken (Biggs & Rogers 2003).
Invasive alien species management programmes (6)
In SANParks, the ISCU is largely responsible for the implementation of invasive alien species management programmes, although park managers, rangers, regional ecologists and scientists are all required to provide input at various stages. The ISCU operations are largely funded by the national Working for Water programme (see Van Wilgen, Le Maitre and Cowling [1998] and Van Wilgen, Khan and Marais [2010] for a discussion on the Working for Water programme), with SANParks providing management, financial, logistic and other support.
Multiple feedback processes (7)
One of the key features of all forms of AM is multiple feedback loops between stages (Biggs & Rogers 2003; Maris & Béchet 2010; Stafford-Smith et al. 2009). Continuous evaluation and self-assessment of all stages of the management process provide information on the outcome of previous interventions and allow for ongoing improvement (Timko & Innes 2009). Further, purposeful reflection and assessment provide growing understanding of the desired management goal and progress impediment (Venter et al. 2008).
Purposeful learning and continuous feedback between the various players involved in management of invasive alien species in SANParks have largely been absent to date, despite substantial efforts to enhance communication. We suggest that the schematic frameworks presented here outline a governance structure and provide clear linkages to assist role players in visualising the contribution of all components of invasive alien species management and the feedbacks required amongst them.
Institutionalising changes to an existing management paradigm is not without challenges. The framework we illustrated aims to combine and integrate management functions that are already in place or are being developed. Despite a number of barriers (see Jacobson et al. 2006) that will require ongoing assessment and reflection, the framework provides one approach for fully implementing AM. In future, options should be explored for streamlining and simplifying the array of documents, bodies and/or committees and processes that constitute invasive alien species management (as reflected in the supplementary material, Figure 1).
The framework for invasive alien species management presented here formally links and establishes the relationships between various existing and some new management functions. Implementation of such a framework, supported by a clearer governance structure, will better enable effective alien species management via improved flexibility of management operations and the speed at which management actions take place. It will also allow for the assessment of environmental effectiveness and management costs (Hall & Fleishman 2009). In the context of managing invasive alien species, SAM should assist with integrating project management, park management and monitoring of invasive alien species and include more effective feedback mechanisms. We therefore suggest that the proposed framework provides a simple yet robust way of organising and connecting the various facets of invasive species management in SANParks.
L.C.F. and M.M. thank the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University for funding and support. This work was supported financially by the National Research Foundation, with grants to both L.C.F. and M.M. We thank two anonymous reviewers for their valuable insights and comments.
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Pickett, S.T.A. & Thompson, J.N., 1978, 'Patch dynamics and the design of nature reserves', Biological Conservation 13, 27-37. doi:10.1016/0006-3207(78)90016-2 [ Links ]
Pickett, S.T.A., Cadenasso, M.L. & Benning, T.L., 2003, 'Biotic and abiotic variability as key determinants of savanna heterogeneity at multiple spatiotemporal scales', in J.T. du Toit, K.H. Rogers & H.C. Biggs (eds.), The Kruger experience: ecology and management of savanna heterogeneity', pp. 22-40, Island Press, Washington DC. [ Links ]
Pickett, S.T.A., Kolasa, J. & Jones, C.G., 2007, Ecological understanding: the nature of theory and the theory of nature, 2nd edn., Academic Press, San Diego. [ Links ]
Pysek, P. & Richardson, D.M., 2010, 'Invasive species, environmental change and management, and health', Annual Review of Environment and Resources 35, 1-31. [ Links ]
Pysek, P., Richardson, D.M., Rejmánek, M., Webster, G.L., Williamson, M. & Kirschner, J., 2004, 'Alien plants in checklists and floras: towards better communication between taxonomists and ecologists', Taxon 53(1), 131-143. [ Links ]
Rejmánek, M. & Pitcairn, M.J., 2002, 'When is eradication of exotic pest plants a realistic goal?', in C.R. Veitch & M.N. Clout (eds.), Turning the tide: the eradication of invasive species, pp. 249-253, IUCN, Gland. [ Links ]
Richardson, D.M., Bond, W.J., Dean, W.R.J., Higgins, S.I., Midgley, G.F., Milton, S.J., et al., 2000, 'Invasive alien organisms and global change: A South African perspective' in H.A. Mooney & H.A. Hobbs (eds.), Invasive species in a changing world, pp. 303-349, Island Press, Washington DC. [ Links ]
Richardson, D.M., Rouget, M. & Rejmánek, M., 2004, 'Using natural experiments in the study of alien tree invasions: opportunities and limitations', in M.S. Gordon & S.M. Bartol (eds.), Experimental approaches to conservation biology, pp. 180-201, University of California Press, Berkeley. [ Links ]
Rogers, K.H., 2003, 'Adopting a heterogeneity paradigm: implications for management of protected savannas', in J.T. du Toit, K.H. Rogers & H.C. Biggs (eds.), The Kruger experience: ecology and management of savanna heterogeneity, pp. 41-58, Island Press, Washington DC. [ Links ]
Roux, D.J. & Foxcroft, L.C., 2011, 'The development and application of strategic adaptive management within South African National Parks', Koedoe 53(2), Art. #1049, 5 pages. doi:10.4102/koedoe.v53i2.1049 [ Links ]
Salafsky, N., Margoluis, R. & Redford, K.H., 2001, Adaptive management: a tool for conservation practitioners, Biodiversity Support Programme, Washington DC. [ Links ]
Salafsky, N., Margoluis, R., Redford, K.H. & Robinson, J.G., 2002, 'Improving the practice of conservation: a conceptual framework and research agenda for conservation science', Conservation Biology 16(6), 1469-1479. doi:10.1046/j.1523-1739.2002.01232.x [ Links ]
Scholes, R.J. & Kruger, J.M., 2011, 'Triggers for management intervention in uncertain, varying and time-lagged ecosystems', Koedoe 53(2), Art. #987, 8 pages. doi:10.4102/koedoe.v53i2.987 [ Links ]
South African National Parks, 2006, 'Mapungubwe National Park: Park Management Plan', Unpublished management plan, South African National Parks, Pretoria. [ Links ]
Stafford-Smith, D.M., Abel, N., Walker, B.H. & Chapin III, F.S., 2009, 'Drylands: Coping with uncertainty, thresholds and changes in state', in F.S. Chapin III, G.P. Kofinas & D. Folke (eds.), Principles of ecosystem stewardship: resilience-based natural resource management in a changing world, pp. 171-195, Springer, New York. [ Links ]
Stem, C., Margoluis, R., Salafsky, N. & Brown, M., 2005, 'Monitoring and evaluation in conservation: a review of trends and approaches', Conservation Biology 19, 295-309. doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.2005.00594.x [ Links ]
Timko, J.A. & Innes, J.L., 2009, 'Evaluating ecological integrity in national parks: Case studies from Canada and South Africa', Biological Conservation 142, 676-688. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2008.11.022 [ Links ]
Tu, M., 2009, 'Assessing and managing invasive species within protected areas' in J. Ervin (ed.), Protected area quick guide series, pp. 1-40, The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA. [ Links ]
Van Wilgen, B.W., Khan, A. & Marais, C., 2011, 'Changing perspectives on managing biological invasions: insights from South Africa and the Working for Water Programme', in D.M. Richardson (ed.), Fifty years of invasion ecology: the legacy of Charles Elton, pp. 373-393, Blackwell Publishing, Oxford. [ Links ]
Van Wilgen, B.W., Le Maitre, D.C. & Cowling, R.M., 1998, 'Ecosystem services, efficiency, sustainability and equity: South Africa's Working for Water programme', Trends in Ecology and Evolution 13, 378. doi:10.1016/S0169-5347(98)01434-7 [ Links ]
Venter, F.J., Naiman, R.J., Biggs, H.C. & Pienaar, D.J., 2008, 'The evolution of conservation management philosophy: science, environmental change and social adjustments in Kruger National Park', Ecosystems 11, 173-192. doi:10.1007/s10021-007-9116-x [ Links ]
Wittenberg, R. & Cock, M.J.W. (eds.), 2001, Invasive alien species: a toolkit of best prevention and management practices, CAB International, Wallingford. [ Links ]
Woodroffe, R. & Ginsburg, J.R., 1998, 'Edge effects and the extinction of species inside protected areas', Science 280, 2126-2128. doi:10.1126/science.280.5372.2126 [ Links ]
Correspondence to:
Llewellyn Foxcroft
Postal address: Private Bag X402
Skukuza 1350, South Africa
Email: email@example.com
Received: 31 May 2010
Accepted: 14 Jan. 2011
Published: 13 May 2011
© 2011. The Authors. Licensee: OpenJournals Publishing. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.


text:
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text:
Want more than 1 item? We offer combined postage so you only pay postage on your first item - this appiles to all items in our shop.
To make a multi-item order, add each item to the shopping basket on ebay.co.uk (or Mobile App) by pressing the 'Add to basket' option. At checkout, eBay will apply the postage discounts.
Note: The shopping basket doesn't always show the shipping discounts immediatly. This can be fixed by pressing 'F5' to refresh the basket, or by checking out.


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Financial problems in southern Europe appear to have forced a shift in perceptions of desirable places to retire for British people including looking at less obvious destinations.
A third of people want to move abroad when they retire, but the popularity of Spain, France, Portugal and Greece has plummeted in the past year, according to a recent study.
Of more than 1,500 Britons aged over 40, 35% said they would be happier to retire abroad than stay in the UK. The top three destinations were the US, Australia and Canada, if visas were not an issue, but a year ago Spain was the most popular destination.
Cheaper and more convenient air travel means that more are considering retiring to countries that are further away, according to Luke Smith, managing director of Crystal Investment and Real Estate.
'Over the last 12 months, we have seen a rise in the number of enquiries from retirees looking to acquire property overseas, to live abroad full time or for part of the year and their top considerations are climate followed by cost of living, living standards and taxation,' said Smith.
'For many Brits, Spain has lost its charm thanks to the Eurozone crisis. A high proportion of the 400,000 British people living in Spain have been left in financial ruin following the banking collapse. Property values dropped by up 70% in some parts and living costs have soared. Many retirees have returned to Britain, having lost all their savings,' he explained.
He also pointed out that there are some major considerations before deciding to retire abroad. All the financial aspects of becoming an expat have to be taken into consideration, including tax rates, general costs of living, property prices and healthcare. There could be other considerations, for example, some countries insist you invest money in the country often at low rates.
Crystal Investment and Real Estate researched retirement prospects in 20 countries to identify the five top places to retire overseas. Factors taken into account included house prices, health care costs, average temperature, rainfall and hours of sunshine, as well as grocery bills, crime rates and taxation.
The research showed that the warm climate, mild winters, lower cost of living, good communication links and affordably priced properties makes Turkey an attractive option. With a fast growing economy and its position outside the Eurozone, Turkey is one of the few easily accessible countries tipped to offer great financial rewards. For those that choose to reside in, or purchase a property in Turkey, good interest rates in banks and a great variety of homes to buy, make living in Turkey a viable option.
Greece is still considered to be one of the more popular retirement destinations in Mediterranean Europe, as well as one of the most affordable options. The cost of living in Greece is substantially lower than in Britain and there are many low cost flights to the country.
The English speaking country of Belize in the Caribbean has a Retired Persons Incentive Programme which permits people to live 100% tax free. To qualify there is a minimum age of 45 with a non-Belizean based income of a minimum of US$2,000 per month.
Florida is regarded as a good choice for retirees who want to spend winter in the sun and then return to the UK when it gets too hot. Current US immigration legislation makes it relatively easy for retirees to spend six months out of every 12 in Florida.
The weather, lifestyle and golf courses make Portugal an increasingly popular choice for retirement. Living costs are lower than other parts of Western Europe.


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Your gallery pages should be very easy for me to understand. Images on these pages should be related to each other so I don't have to spend time figuring out what the images are trying to say.
If you want to show collections of images which don't relate directly to each other, make sure to give me a heading and a new piece of copy which describe what I'm looking at.


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Download iCalendar file (compatible with most calendaring software)
Web site: http://www.truedungeon.com/
Email: info (at) truedungeon.com (Address obscured to fight spam. Replace (at) with @ for real address.)
Category: True Dungeon Adventures
Rules: Game system not specified
Cost: $38.00
Duration: 2 hours
Host: unknown (True Adventures, Ltd.)
Age requirement: Teen (13+)
Experience requirement: None (You've never played before)
Are materials provided: Yes
Location: Indiana Convention Center, room Hall D, table True Dungeon HQ
Tickets: 0 out of 10 are available (as of 1:30 AM Saturday August 25th, 2012, but this information may be out of date.)
Official site: Check the official site for the most up to date information and to purchase tickets. You must be logged in at the official site for this to work.
Time slot: Fri Aug 17 2:38 pm - 4:38 pm
Event added: Wed May 23 2:34 pm
A two-hour adventure into an ancient dwarven crypt (inhabited by Smoak the Draco-Lich), you must find a way to destroy her evil for good. This is the 2nd adventure of this year's two-part epic event. Delve into an ancient dwarven crypt as you battle unearthly horrors in order to face Smoak the Draco-Lich in deadly combat. This beast of evil has been drawn to the crypt by Darkrift energies which have made her more even powerful and dangerous (a new animatronic!). Can you slay her before your immunity to her breath weapon expires? There are two versions of this adventure. One is more combat-focus, while another is more puzzle oriented. The two versions have two unique rooms each, so if you play both you will see two new rooms in each adventure. To celebrate our 10th annual event, we are hosting an epic two-part adventure. 'Giants' Travail' is the first half of our 2012 grand adventure, and the second part is 'Draco-Lich Undone.' You can play either to have a great time, and for even more fun you should try playing both. IMPORTANT: Please arrive 10 minutes before your start time.


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text:
Cincinnati, Ohio – The Warriors of Metal, Inc. non-profit organization is very excited to announce the confirmation of Sydney, Australia's Power Thrash Metal band DARKER HALF for this summer's Warriors Of Metal Fest VII. DARKER HALF will be supporting the release of their upcoming third studio album, Never Surrender.
Band vocalist and guitarist, Vo Simpson states: "We are stoked to be coming to the US for Warriors Of Metal Fest VII this year! This'll be our first time in America and our first show outside Australia so we're excited to come and play with so many great bands and hope we can bring back some killer stories. It's an honour to be invited to play a festival we've heard so much about over here, so we hope you enjoy what we do. We look forward to seeing you, rockin' your socks off and making some new fans and friends on the other side of the planet \m/ "
The band has posted the song "End of the Line" – listen and watch below!
The 7th annual Warriors of Metal Fest will be held June 27 – 28 at O'Shecky's LIVE Bar & Grill in Columbus, Ohio. Tickets are on sale & various levels of sponsorship opportunities are now available at the Fest's website at www.warriorsofmetal.org.
Bands confirmed for Pre-Fest Showcase on Thursday, June 26 at O'Sheckeys Live Bar & Grill include: ETERNAL LEGACY (headliner) AUTOMATON, DEADIRON, LOWER 13, DETHRATS, GRAVE ROBBER, SPLIT THE ABYSS and WINTERHYMN.
Warriors Of Metal Fest VII confirmed bands thus far for the main Fest on Friday, June 27 & Saturday June 28 include: ARMORY, ASKA (Friday headliner), A SOUND OF THUNDER, A TORTURED SOUL, BENEDICTUM w/ special guest LEATHER LEONE, BEYOND FALLEN, BURNING SHADOWS, CELLADOR, CRUSADER, DARKER HALF, LORDS OF THE TRIDENT, MITHRIDIUM, NOBLE BEAST, RESISTANCE, RESTLESS BREED, SHADOWSTRIKE, SHALLOW GROUND, STEEL ASSASSIN, VALHALLA, VERMITHRAX and ZEPHANIAH.
Keep up-to-date with all of the developments such as band announcements and ticket information for next year's show through the Warrior's of Metal Fest's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/warriorsofmetal
(Source: CLAWHAMMER PR)


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Word of the Day, Web Site of the Day and Number to Know.
Word of the Day
Constitutional kon-stih-TOO-shuhn-uhl (noun) A walk taken for one's health -- www.merriam-webster.com
Web Site of the Day
Politico.com has become a major political Web site this election season, and if you're a politics junkie or a casual participant, you'll find something to check out here. There are blogs, opinion pieces, news items, photos and cartoons and more.
Number to Know
$57,300: Average annual salary paid to public school teachers in Connecticut - the highest of any state in the nation. – U.S. Census Bureau


text:
- New
- Back to School
- Balloons
- Party
- Home
- Kids
$1.25 $0.88
A party just isn't a party without balloons! These darlin's feature white polka dots on a solid color latex balloon.
Balloon images are supplied from the manufacturer. Colors may appear different based on your monitor resolution. Balloon colors change upon inflation.
Latex balloons are biodegradable. Latex is a 100-percent natural substance that breaks down both in sunlight and water.
WARNING: Balloons are not toys. Children under 8 years can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons. Adult supervision required. Keep uninflated balloons away from children, and discard broken balloons immediately.


text:
The search found 186 results in 0.01 seconds.
Subsidized campus childcare was hard-won and remains very effective, while budget cuts and the privatization of childcare threaten centers across the country.
Do police treat religious-based protest events differently than secular ones? Drawing on data from more than 15,000 protest events in the United States (1960 to 1995) and using quantitative methods, we find that law enforcement agents were less likely to show up at protests when general religious actors, actions, or organizations were present. Rather than reflecting privileged legitimacy, we find that this protective effect is explained by religious protesters' use of less threatening tactics at events.
What factors affect a scientist's choice of research problem? Qualitative research in the history and sociology of science suggests that this choice is patterned by an "essential tension" between productive tradition and risky innovation. We examine this tension through Bourdieu's field theory of science, and we explore it empirically by analyzing millions of biomedical abstracts from MEDLINE. We represent the evolving state of chemical knowledge with networks extracted from these abstracts. We then develop a typology of research strategies on these networks.
Organization scholars since Max Weber have argued that formal personnel systems can prevent discrimination. We draw on sociological and psychological literatures to develop a theory of the varied effects of bureaucratic reforms on managerial motivation. Drawing on self-perception and cognitive-dissonance theories, we contend that initiatives that engage managers in promoting diversity—special recruitment and training programs—will increase diversity.
As a tribute to the body of work created by our late colleague Leonard I. Pearlin, this essay assesses how the evolution of the Stress Process Model, the centerpiece of his work, repeatedly reinvented sociological research on stress and mental health and explains why this model, therefore, possesses the potential to renew itself well into the future.
A pressing problem for the social sciences is to understand the processes leading to commitment within organizational settings. Toward this end, we argue for the stability of rewards derived from groups as a key dimension of commitment. We present a theory that links reward stability to justice evaluations and corresponding emotional reactions, which in turn predict group commitment. From this theory, we derive several hypotheses, the key one being that justice evaluations and corresponding emotional reactions explain the effect of reward stability on commitment.
An important debate within the trust literature is whether trust is modified by social experiences or resistant to change despite changing social circumstances. We address this debate by designing and implementing an experiment that exposes participants to a high or low trust environment and compares their change in generalized trust. We find that the experimental condition influences change in generalized trust, particularly for participants whose prior level of trust was mismatched with their experimental condition.
A growing literature posits the importance of boundaries in structuring social systems. Yet sociologists have not adequately theorized one of the most fraught and consequential sites of boundary-making in contemporary life: the delineation of the official edges of the government—and, consequently, of state from society. This article addresses that gap by theorizing the mechanisms of state boundary formation. In so doing, we extend culturalist theories of the state by providing a more specific model of how the state-society boundary is produced.
I tackle some major criticisms addressed to Pierre Bourdieu's notion of habitus by foregrounding its affinities with Ludwig Wittgenstein's notion of rule-following. To this end, I first clarify the character of the habitus as a theoretical device, and then elucidate what features of Wittgenstein's analysis Bourdieu found of interest from a methodological viewpoint. To vindicate this reading, I contend that Wittgenstein's discussion of rule-following was meant to unearth the internal connection between rules and the performative activities whereby rules are brought into life.
A central hypothesis about discrimination is that prejudice forces the stigmatized into low-paying, undesirable jobs. Prejudice clearly leads to exclusion. But surprisingly, evidence linking exclusion to disadvantage is mixed. We address this issue theoretically, providing a formal rational choice model combining arguments from sociology (on prejudice) and economics (on competition). Our theory suggests that economic organization is crucial.


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Appointed by President George W. Bush as executive director of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS), Melissa Johnson is looking to increase awareness of the need for physical activity and the council's various awards — and she is more than happy to work with the fitness industry to accomplish this. Johnson will chair a Fitness Summit entitled: Beyond the Bottom Line: Building a Healthier America — How the public and private sectors can work together for a fitter nation, at Club Industry East in Baltimore on Thursday, May 13 at 11:30 a.m.
Ci: What direction do you see the PCPFS taking in the fight against obesity?
We are part of a larger program and are one pillar in the President's Healthier US initiative. The president, Secretary Tommy G. Thompson (Secretary of Health & Human Services) and the Surgeon General are staunch advocates of fitness and are truly behind the PCPFS.
They are leading by example and are fully behind our program. We see the fact that obesity is a crisis now as an unfortunate situation for Americans. But it is a fortunate situation for those of us who have been and continue to fight against it because it creates a lot more media coverage and awareness. Right now, there is a very high level of awareness in this country so in a strange way the prevalence of obesity is helping spread the word about what to do to control its rise and reduce its hold.
One of our main focal points is the level of obesity in this country and that is where our signature program, the President's Challenge, is making its force felt.
Ci: That program has been around for some time. How is it now going to make more of a difference?
It has been around for a long time, but this particular version is really new. For instance, this past July we launched an interactive Web site, which raises its profile and makes it far more available to Americans of all ages. Many people still associate in their minds the President's Council with the Youth Fitness Test that so many of us took in school.
Our new motto is that the President's Challenge has grown up and anyone now can win a Presidential award. The awards aren't based on performance, per se, but based on participation in physical activity.
What we are trying to do is just encourage people to move at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Last year, seven million people won the awards, including children getting the fitness test award. From the Web site we have more than 40,000 people that logged on initially.
Ci: Can you give some detail about the award?
There are two components to the award. The first component is the President's Active Lifestyle Award (PALA), which is for people that are doing something from a list of more than 100 we provide. The second component is the President's Champion program, which is for people that are already active or would like something a little more challenging than the PALA. At the end of the President's Champion program the participant receives a gold, silver or bronze medallion with the President's signature on the back. That is built in so we can ensure continuity and consistency, rather than doing something for the six weeks the PALA requires then having them just stop or taper off.
Ci: That's a great message. Too often the media's attention turns to diet and not to activity. Do you think the fitness facility industry can benefit from these programs?
Part of the obesity epidemic comes from an equally large epidemic of physical inactivity and we are giving Americans the opportunity to break out of that cycle and receive recognition for their achievements. This is free and in the public domain, so a lot of individuals can use it. But a lot of organizations and groups are using it as a motivational tool. Some are using it as their sole corporate wellness program. We believe that this motivation and recognition can help all fitness facilities provide another motivational tool for their members as well.
As the new executive director, I am open and welcome to having health clubs contact me and see if we can't sit down and figure out the best way to work together and spread the message of the importance of fitness and incorporate our programs into their setting.
Ci: Have there been any partnerships with health clubs or other fitness institutions to this point?
We are talking with IHRSA, as well as some individual companies about getting involved. We see it as an excellent and natural partnership and offer it as a program for all health clubs. It is free and could be incorporated quite easily even by having the individual clubs set up a kiosk that members could log in their activity and work toward a Presidential award and could be used as a great cross-promotional aspect. A chain of clubs could even have clubs challenge each other and then use it as a motivational and fun aspect with the "winning" club not only getting the President's award, but the club could have some kind of prize for the winning members. This is a great way to have members feel like part of a community and encourage them to stay active within the club.
We did that as a pilot here at Health and Human Services. Sec. Tommy Thompson challenged us to do it this way, with departments vs. departments and divisions vs. divisions and now we are going to roll it out to all 65,000 employees.
Ci: It seems like the tradition of the President's Challenge would fit in well with the fitness industry's growing attention toward children.
A lot of children don't have the opportunity to get physical education in schools and this program can be incorporated into health club and community center children's programming and capture the attention of the children and not only give them the fun of being physically active, but give them a goal and an award for it as well.
There are also other opportunities. We have done clinics for people and are looking to open that up, so there is an opportunity for health clubs to become host sites for these, as well as maybe having fitness trainers teach a President's Council clinic. I'm open to discussing this with fitness professionals and seeing how we can work together.
Ci: The President's Council recently partnered with Burger King. Is there interest from companies that operate outside of fitness to get involved?
Everyone wants to be part of the solution. We are talking with different corporations and organizations to partner with us to help bring the education and inspiration to Americans and get them involved in our programs. We are also talking with several governors to have the President's Challenge adopted as the states' fitness plan.


text:
February 24, 2016
September 30, 2015
What is Optware?
Optware was originally developed as a distribution mechanism for software for the Unslung Linux project for the Linksys NSLU2 (a small low cost network storage device). That consumer storage device ran on Linux, and the community opened it up, but they needed a lightweight distribution mechanism for their lightweight devices.
Since 2004 Optware has been adopted by a variety of Linux communities and device developers including the webOS community working on the Palm Pre and Pixi, and developers for devices as diverse as Asus WL-500g,WL-HDD, WL-500gx, WL-500gP routers, the Synology DS-101, Plug Computers (PogoPlug V1, V2, V3, Pro, Biz, Dockstars, etc.) and DS-101g+ NAS devices. In late 2010, the first Optware for Android was released by the Novaports team for the Barns and Noble Nook Color. See other platforms for a partial list.
At its core, Optware is a package manager to allow you to easly install and uninstall cross-compiled linux applications on your device over the internet. At this time, optware supports the automatic download and installation of over 1500 programs.
Despite the Optware package system being made available on many platforms, much of the documentation hasn't been updated so you may still see references to Unslung and the NSLU2 when the information also applies to other platforms. Don't panic.
See the Packages page for more information about the available packages and how packages work.
Optware platforms
Optware packages currently run on the following devices:
And many more...
You can get more information about the hardware from each device at the Platforms page.
Manually setup Optware on a device
# feed=http://ipkg.nslu2-linux.org/feeds/optware/cs08q1armel/cross/unstable # ipk_name=`wget -qO- $feed/Packages | awk '/^Filename: ipkg-opt/ {print $2}'` # wget $feed/$ipk_name # tar -xOvzf $ipk_name ./data.tar.gz | tar -C / -xzvf - # mkdir -p /opt/etc/ipkg # echo "src cross $feed" > /opt/etc/ipkg/feeds.conf
# export PATH=/opt/bin:$PATH # ipkg update # ipkg install nano less # ipkg list | less


text:
Download A Better Class of Person Study Guide
A Better Class of Person Analysis
(Literary Essentials: Nonfiction Masterpieces)
The major subjects of A Better Class of Person are working-class life in the London suburbs of the 1930's and 1940's and the perils of being an actor and would-be playwright with third-rate repertory companies touring the provinces of Great Britain in the decade following World War II. Osborne describes these facets of his life in both gruesome and loving detail, to reveal the main influences on his development as man and artist. In treating these subjects, he depicts what he considers the pettiness and meanness of the ordinary Briton.
The most controversial aspect of A Better Class of Person is Osborne's portrayal of his relatives, especially the women in his family. The Osbornes and Groves are seen as pushy and intolerant, emotionally distant from one another. Anti-intellectual, unsophisticated, and self-satisfied, they armed themselves with a dozen or so banal expressions to explain all the complexities of human existence. Osborne considers their use of such bromides as "One door opens and another one always shuts" ironic since they never seemed to listen to one another. He presents these people not as victims of a class system but as willing slaves to boredom:Casual entertaining or informal hospitality were like tolerating a smell on the landing or a blocked-up sink. Conviviality seldom went beyond planned visits from relatives. Whim or sudden impulse was unthinkable and blasphemed against the very idea of the God Routine.
Osborne offers what have been called vindictive accounts of the Grove and Osborne women. Queenie, his mother's middle-aged sister, was married to a younger man, a homosexual, and presented her husband's letters from his lover to the police. Grandmother Grove found her greatest comfort in the discomfort of others. Grandmother Osborne, he claims, never once asked him anything about himself. She dominated everyone around her: "Her dismissive skill was subtle and brutal, sometimes no more than a thin smile, a watery upward look or an amused intake of breath, a scanning cauterizing instrument which rendered any endeavour puny or extravagantly indulgent." She forced her dying son to sign over his life insurance—leaving his wife and child almost destitute—to repay the expenses of a childhood illness, a sin for which he had been tormented for thirty years.
A Better Class of Person is a graphic account of a Dickensian upbringing. While his family lived in genteel rather than abject poverty, Osborne was surrounded by indifferent adults and made few friends his own age. The older sister who might have been his ally died when he was two. Frequently separated from his wife or convalescing in tuberculosis sanatoriums, Thomas Osborne was rarely available to stand up for his son. (He died in 1940.)
Until the success of Look Back in Anger, Osborne's life was dominated by the woman he calls Nellie Beatrice. That she was still alive when her son's autobiography was published apparently did not make him consider softening his negative picture of her: "My mother's family seem to achieve great age. My grandmother lived to be 103 and my own mother seems appropriately hell bent on a similar score." Nellie Beatrice is presented as a loud, vulgar barmaid with no real feelings for anyone, not even her son: "She regarded almost everything about me as irredeemably unsightly." When she wanted a quick laugh, she made fun of him in front of strangers. When he grew up and became a struggling, badly dressed actor, she insisted upon buying him new clothes: "'What a pity you couldn't have been something like a barrister or a doctor,' she said in front of some smirking salesman, 'instead of an actor.' There was no doubt about who was paying." The possibility of his becoming something like a barrister was never even remotely entertained: "My mother always made it clear to me that my place in the world was unlikely to differ ever from her own."
Nellie Beatrice was not only uncharitable toward others...
(The entire section is 1,792 words.)


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Michael Jackson, Game of Thrones, Finding Nemo could also be involved
Steve Watson
April 24, 2013
The ongoing intelligence search for a evidence as to how the Boston bombing suspects may have been radicalized has uncovered earth shattering new evidence.
Authorities now believe that they have unquestionable evidence linking the bombings to Spider-Man.
As reported by the New York Times today, investigators trawling through Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's social media accounts have found "There are lots of references to musicians like Chris Brown, Jay-Z and Michael Jackson; television shows like "Breaking Bad" and "Game of Thrones," and movies like "Spider-Man" and "Finding Nemo."
Spiderman was not immediately available for comment, but is thought to have strenuously denied the allegations, with a spidy spokesperson stating "The FBI has a long history of radicalizing and provocateuring would be terrorists, simply google the term "NY Times: 'FBI Staged Terror Attacks'".
New Yorkers also doubt the webbed hero's involvement, pointing instead to Doctor Octopus, with some saying they witnessed private security working for The Green Goblin at the scene of the attack.
The Times adds that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is also believed to have been a fan of "Nutella and Frosted Flakes."
The media has since implied that Frosted Flakes have long been involved in disseminating anti-American views, and that Nutella is a known snack of the Elders of Zion.
In case you have read this far without realizing, this is a satirical article with a serious point. Just because someone may have read an article on Infowars does not mean they can be connected to the organization.
Yet this is exactly what some media repeaters are doing today following an AP report that suggested suspected bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev was a listener to Alex Jones' radio show.
Within the same paragraph the AP suggested that Tsarnaev was also interested in anti-semitic material, implying that Infowars was also connected with this kind of material.
A Salon columnist, among others, then repeated the claims, albeit yellowing them up to a ridiculous level with the headline "Tamerlan Tsarnaev was an Alex Jones fan".
Read more and listen to Alex's response to the AP's baiting here.
Steve Watson is the London based writer and editor for Alex Jones' Infowars.com, and Prisonplanet.com. He has a Masters Degree in International Relations from the School of Politics at The University of Nottingham, and a Bachelor Of Arts Degree in Literature and Creative Writing from Nottingham Trent University.
Views: 93
Either they are innocent or they were tricked by the FBI. Whose running the world?
makes sense to me


text:
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|System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC*
|Dev: Cyanide Studios, Spider
|Pub: Focus Home Interactive
|Release: October 11, 2012
|Players: 1
|Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p
Now, I'm sure there are other ways to go about it. Arkhail has a "defensive" stance that's designed to stop him from going berserk, though usually there's no reason for it—it can be annoying when Arkhail kills Styx, or when he gets himself killed during his cooldown period, but the sheer amount of damage he inflicts while he's hopped on on adrenaline makes it all worth it. And you could use your level-up points to make up for your characters' shortcomings instead of emphasizing their good points, though that would go against years of RPG tradition.
But overall, I found the battles getting a little repetitive. The fighting was never boring, per se, but it did lose its more visceral aspects as time went on and I settled into a well-worn bag of tricks. Of Orcs and Men needs more enemy types that force you to change your strategy, and perhaps a move set with more variety as well. The available enemies do have their weaknesses, but taking advantage of them never seems as crucial as it should.
The battle system is easily the game's primary feature, but the other fundamentals of game-making are handled fairly well too. The graphics are up to the standards of the current generation, with detailed environments and excellent lighting and shadow work. I did notice some pop-in and twitching, though, and the facial animations leave something to be desired as well. Meanwhile, the music is a mixed bag, with tunes that try to evoke nature but often sound computer-generated. And while the controls don't really matter, because you can pause the game every time you need to give instructions for your character, the developers did include the option to map attacks to various buttons, and I found the menus easy to navigate.
There's also a plot here, of course, and it's mildly entertaining. The dialogue isn't particularly well-written, there's too much gratuitous profanity, and the voice acting is mediocre, but the bantering among the various characters comes through. Eventually you find yourself feeling invested in the tale's outcome.
All in all, Of Orcs and Men is a success, thanks mainly to its innovative battle system. And best of all, there's plenty of room to improve the formula in sequels and other games; this franchise could be unstoppable if it adds better character development options and more variety in its combat. It's far from perfect, but Of Orcs and Men is fun and unique, and that's a winning combination for any video game.
Robert VerBruggen
Contributing Writer
Date: October 15, 2012
Game Features:


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The last-minute marathon man
Heading over for my fourth London marathon next weekend, I realise that I'm slightly hooked on the races
Emmet Malone at the start line of The Dublin City Marathon on Fitzwilliam Square in Dublin. Photograph: Aidan Crawley
Emmet Malone, soccer correspondant, gets ready for his fourth marathon. Photograph: Alan Betson
I ran my first marathon in 2007, partly because a far less likely runner than myself had announced, late into a long night in a city centre bar, that he was about to start training for one, prompting me to think: "Well, if he can, I can." So I'm as surprised as ever to be heading off to London to do my fourth this weekend.
Dublin that first year went well enough, my second outing a year or two later less so due to a heady mix of over-confidence and under-training.
The third, for which I trained fairly hard (by my standards), with a club (Crusaders), produced comfortably my best time to date, around three hours 30 minutes, after which I realised that while I could probably go a bit faster, I really wasn't up for the effort required.
Still, I came to realise I was slightly hooked on the races or, more precisely I suppose, the focus they provided to my preferred running regime which largely consists of long, slow solo outings combined with the odd trail run with friends.
If beating previous personal bests was no longer going to be the motivation then treating the races as "experiences" seemed a decent way forward.
My first was supposed to be New York, a race I had started trying to enter several years previously. Under the old entry rules I got in automatically at the fourth attempt but then had to defer my entry because of work commitments, after which it deferred on me due to a major hurricane.
I'm now down to run it next year by which time I'll have paid more than $1,000 (€726) in entry fees alone (a figure dwarfed by the spend on what turned out to be a natural disaster-themed family holiday).
Among the many lessons learned on that trip was that carting the entire family away with you 10 days in advance of your marathon is unlikely to make for ideal preparation.
I didn't run once in that pancake and French fry fest and put on half a stone. The only upside was that I had such a bad IT band injury (under-training was definitely a factor again) that the race being cancelled almost certainly spared me what would have been a desperately painful last 16 miles.
Focus on London
So, with my troubled relationship with the Big Apple parked for the present I turned my attention to London.
I'd never previously fancied it on the basis that it seemed like the worst of both worlds – the hassle of travel but to a city I'm very, very familiar with – but then I was asked to cover last year's event for this newspaper and was slightly blown away by the buzz around the whole thing.
The atmosphere around the start-up in Greenwich – easily accessible for a 10am start – was terrific. In New York you have to get up at something like 5am and embark on a long journey followed by what sound like a fairly miserable wait to run.
At Tower Bridge, where the press centre is located, the crowd seemed to be almost 10 deep in places and the backdrop made almost every aspect of the race look impressive.
Chastened by my previous experience and incapable of running an actual qualifying time (my best would get me in handily if only I were in my 60s), I emailed the press office back before Christmas.
At first they failed to respond and during the weeks that followed I continued along as usual, playing a bit of football and resolving to run a great deal more than I tended to after waking up and seeing the weather outside.
Then, one night in late January, I was surprised to get an email congratulating me on my successful Virgin London entry. By that stage, it didn't seem entirely the right tone to adopt.
I was kind of chuffed but anxious too that the whole thing would turn into another disaster but having sought and received a fair bit of advice, I threw myself hell for leather into a training programme that has, more than once, felt like it might kill me and, more generally, has left me thoroughly knackered.
Things were compounded early on by the weather.
A morning in early February on Sandymount strand stands out, with me gasping for breath and barely moving, as I headed into a wild headwind while being watched silently by somebody (man or woman, I couldn't tell they appeared to have so many layers on) pretty much cowering behind some structure or other.
To be perfectly honest, I enjoyed almost every run but dreaded quite a few and the feeling that I had so little scope to skip or miss any weighed heavily on my shoulders at times, especially when it meant getting up at 6am because it was the only way I was going to get out that day. I am not an early morning person.
Back injury
Things were still disrupted, though, by a back injury sustained in a bad fall during a football game I clearly shouldn't have been playing (like the cliched cop in all those American shows . . . it was to be my very last day).
It kept me out for only a week in the end but I can still feel it on longer runs, including a recent longish mountain race that wiped me out in a way that I was not at all expecting.
Two weeks on from that, I am, I suppose, as ready as I'm going to be. I have done enough miles to be confident of getting around alright but have been cured of my briefly held delusion that I might somehow beat my previous best time. I'd settle for a respectable one now and doing it comfortably enough to genuinely enjoy the experience.
First and foremost, though, I'll just settle for it happening.
There are still five days to go: plenty of time for plague or pestilence to strike the English southeast.
* Emmet Malone will be running the Virgin Money London Marathon on April 13th next.


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Cloves are a rich, aromatic East African spice, are used whole or ground to flavor sweet and savory recipes. One of the most fascinating ingredients used in daily cooking in many parts of the world is the clove. It is a unique looking ingredient, which is dark brown or black, and has a characteristic taste and smell as well. Cloves are used for a variety of purposes, and it is an ancient spice as well as remedy. Even ancient people have used this ingredient as a spice and for treatment. Indeed, as a treatment, it is also used today to deal with tooth and gum pains. In fact, there are even chewing gums and toothpastes that are made with cloves.
The main part of the clove plant is its bud. Clove oil is extracted from these buds, but it can also be extracted from its leaves. However, it is the clove buds that are used for cooking purposes and not the leaves.
The clove comes from the Myrtaceae (myrtle family). It is a distinctive species that has a pleasant smell. The clove on its own has quite a strong aroma. When you taste it, it has a burning flavor. The reason for the strong smell and taste is its contents. Essentially, its oil is the chief content. Up to 15% of the clove content may be oil, and of this quantity, eugenol makes up 70 to 85%, eugenol acetate makes up 15%, and β-caryophyllene makes up another 5 to 12%. This comes to around 99% of the oil, while another 1 or 2% is made up by triterpene oleanolic acid. The clove has been known by different names in other languages. In Spanish it is called clavo, in Catalan it is called clau, in Portuguese it is called cravinho, and in Tagalog it is called clovas. These names are thought to have been derived from the Latin name clavus, which means "nail" due its shape resembling a nail. It is thought that this name made its way into English through Old French with the name clou. In addition to this, it is thought that the name clove is related to the verb cleave that refers to what use you may have for a nail.
The clove has been an ancient spice popular in Europe, Northern Africa and Asia. Trade between China and the "clove island" Ternate dates back 2500 years. The ancient Chinese used cloves for deodorization. Arab traders are known to have brought cloves with them to Europe when the Roman Empire was in control. At that time, however, cloves were very expensive.


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Liqiud Menthol. Adds a cooling effect and a minty taste to your flavour mixes.
Recommended in a blend of flavours at: 0.25% onwards up to 4% for very cold blends.
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OCEAN CITY — A University of Pennsylvania study is attempting to delve into the psychological aspects of evacuating prior to predicted hurricanes, with a particular focus on Hurricane Irene, which forced a mandatory evacuation of Ocean City last August.
The study, led by Dr. Melissa Hunt, is essentially a continuation of a similar effort conducted following Hurricane Katrina and is attempting to apply the lessons learned from that study to the evacuations from Irene. The study is focusing on the decisions by residents in coastal areas to evacuate or not evacuate during Hurricane Irene, with a particular interest in the issue of a pet or pets in the house as it relates to an evacuation decision.
According to Hunt, prior to Hurricane Katrina, owning a pet was believed to be among the biggest factors in determining whether to evacuate. During that catastrophic storm, many residents in the coastal Gulf areas were forced to leave their pets behind or forcibly separated from their pets when they entered shelters or boarded rescue vehicles or other vessels.
Hunt's latest study is currently soliciting volunteers from coastal areas up and down the east coast to complete a survey about their particular evacuation experience during Hurricane Irene in general, and delves into the issue of pet ownership as a determining factor in an evacuation decision. According to UPenn undergraduate psychology student Nick Rohrbaugh, who is working closely on the new study along with another student, Kelsey Bogue, there weren't any plans in place for the evacuation of pets during Katrina, but federal laws changed as a result of that catastrophic storm.
"Many people lost their pets during the storm, or stayed home to watch their pets because they weren't able to evacuate them," Rohrbaugh said this week. "In fact, previous research has shown that people who own pets are much less likely to evacuate during a natural disaster than their non-pet-owning counterparts."
Rohrbaugh reiterated much of the focus of the research is dedicated to the psychological aspects of evacuating and leaving a pet behind.
"Dr. Hunt found a strong link between losing one's pet during a storm and experiencing symptoms of psychopathology including depression and acute stress," he said. "Her study concluded that pet loss during a natural disaster can greatly add to the psychological trauma of the situation."
The UPenn survey takes about 10 minutes and can be found at surveymonkey.com/upennstudy.


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Duck Life 7
Game not available yet? Share it to show us you want it!
Earlier version(s) of Duck Life 7 strategy game:
Duck Life
Pick an egg and raise a duck. It may look like an ordinary farm duck but it can actually do a lot of sporty things. It can run, fly, swim, climb and hop!
Duck Life 2
Play the role of an athletic duck trainer. It may sound impossible but you are going to train your duck so that it will be able to beat its fellow duck racers.
Duck Life 3
Participate in the Grand Duck Racing Tournament and train your genetically modified duck. You will surely win if you can manage to train the right duck. Choose the one that can swim, run and hop.
Duck Life 4
Continue to train a lot of racing ducks. Just keep in mind that the rules have changed and the tournament will no longer accept those trainers with genetically modified ducks.
Duck Life 5
Future version(s):
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