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Perinatal Grief Support Group
This support group, hosted by the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) Department of OB/GYN, is for families who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss. You can join this group at any time. Some people choose to attend shortly after their loss and others wait a few months or even longer. You can attend once or for as many times as you like. Interaction among the group members is encouraged, however, no one is required to participate more than what is comfortable for them. A lending library of reading materials is also available.
This group is held on the 1st Thursday of every month in the DHMC Heater Road Conference Room 2A. To access this room, please park in the front lot of the Heater Road building and enter through the main door. The room is just to the right of the staircase. For more information or to ask questions about this group 603-650-2600.
Keywords: Support Groups


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We're back for another year of OOTDs, but that doesn't mean we're going to skip the candidates from the holidays. Tina Korbe caught the implications of Barack Obama's 89th and 90th rounds of golf on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day (the 26th) — because when the President takes a day off on the links, it means other people have to work. Over to Melissa Clouthier:
Well, the big deal is that a bunch of Marines had to work–blocking roads and doing other miscellaneous security detail–instead of being home with their families.
Here are some of the comments from the wives of these men. (I am not going to include the link to this page, nor am I going to include names, because I don't want anyone in trouble. I do, however, have the screen shot and have copy and pasted the comments verbatim.) …
"Because he's here, I didn't get to see my husband all weekend, on our baby girl's first Christmas, so he can have his vacation. So when I can't get to my house because he wants to play golf it just adds insult to injury and yeah, gets on my nerves. I agree that it's a sensitive subject for some of us who are more [a]ffected by his being here." …
I was so angry! They blocked off my driveway… -_-"
"It takes him forever to play too because he isn't good at it either lol!"
Why not spend Christmas Eve with the family?
Got an Obamateurism of the Day? If you see a foul-up by Barack Obama, e-mail it to me at [email protected] with the quote and the link to the Obamateurism. I'll post the best Obamateurisms on a daily basis, depending on how many I receive. Include a link to your blog, and I'll give some link love as well. And unlike Slate, I promise to end the feature when Barack Obama leaves office.
Illustrations by Chris Muir of Day by Day. Be sure to read the adventures of Sam, Zed, Damon, and Jan every day!

subset: commoncrawl


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PureDWTS Karina Smirniff Talks About Relationships, Her Book, and More On The View
In case you missed Karina Smirnoff on The View today, she talked about "relationships" with Whoopi, Sherri, and Barbara. They ask her about her two engagements. Karina explains how they didn't work out and why she gave the ring back. Karina also adds that this is one of the subjects she writes of in her new book and everything she learned from those experiences. Most importantly, she learned to be a "better person".
Karina does great job at co-hosting. She's full of heart, sincere, and fun….and she's radiating in yellow too. You can watch more of Karina in this episode in full at The View.
Speaking of Karina, Charlesg315 You Tube recorded her dancing with Maks Chmerkovskiy in Forever Tango. This is fun too. Thanks to @DWTSMaksimFans for this find…
ADDING: Thanks to Jimmbboe, here is the first segment for International viewers….


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Complete Story
DISH loses subscribers again, profit tumbles
By: Jeff Richgels, The Capital Times
DISH Network Corp. on Monday reported a 54 percent drop in third-quarter net income as its subscriber total fell for only the second quarter in its history.
DISH lost 10,000 net subscribers in July, August and September compared with a gain of 110,000 in the same quarter last year. The loss comes on the heels of a 25,000 subscriber decline in the second quarter.
The nation's second-largest satellite TV provider said the loss was due to the "weak" economy, promotions and heavy marketing of HD service by competitors, among other factors.
DISH typically has done well with lower-income households who are being hit hard in the current economic downturn, while No. 1 satellite provider DirecTV has done better with higher-income households who buy more advanced services like HD and pay per view.
DISH also warned that once it loses its distribution deal with AT&T on Jan. 31, finding another partner that will fully replace the phone company may be "difficult."
If so, DISH said its net subscriber growth "may be impaired, our churn may increase and our results of operations may be adversely affected."
About a million of DISH's current 13.8 million subscribers were acquired through its partnership with AT&T.
Analysts had varying estimates of third quarter subscriber figures for DISH, with Kaufman Bros. analyst Todd Mitchell looking for an additional 50,000 net subscribers, but Barclays Capital Vijay Jayant projecting a decline of 50,000, Reuters reported.
Customer churn - the rate at which customers cancel their service - rose to 2.02 percent from 1.94 percent a year ago.
"What's killing them here is churn," said Kaufman's Mitchell. "The gross additions were strong at 825,000 additions, but over 2 percent churn has never before been seen in the satellite sector."
"DISH's subscriber loss of 10,000 subscribers is yet another indication of the travails at the low end of the market," Craig Moffett, an analyst with Sanford Bernstein, wrote in a research report, Reuters reported. "Things are getting worse at the low end even faster than things are beginning to weaken at the top."
"Subscriber losses, churn rate, earnings and margins were all much worse. In short, there are no signs of a turnaround. DISH is not having success keeping its customers ... and it is not having success getting new ones in the door."
DISH said it earned $92 million, or 20 cents per diluted share, in the third quarter, down from $200 million, or 44 cents per share, a year ago. Revenues rose 5 percent to $2.94 billion.
Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters on average expected a profit of 58 cents per share and sales of $2.9 billion.
DISH said subscriber acquisition costs rose in the quarter, with promotional subsidies more than doubling. To keep customers from canceling, DISH would subsidize the cost of installation, upgrades and replacements of equipment.
"Market demand for more advanced technology equipment and a very competitive environment have caused us to increase our customer acquisition and retention costs," the company said in a regulatory filing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source: http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/index.php?ntid=313698


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Why operation of wildlife refuges shouldn't be privatized
Through the years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hasn't been known for a willingness to stand up to political pressure. So I was surprised in mid-December when the agency took back control of the National Bison Range in Montana. Until then, it had been operating the refuge jointly with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.
The move was surprising because the Tribes have been politically adept. They established such good relations with the Bush administration that two years ago the agency brought the Tribes in to help run the bison refuge. The agency did this despite vehement objections from more than 130 national wildlife refuge managers and 40 conservation organizations. All said the arrangement would set a bad precedent.
Sharing management responsibilities wasn't the agency's idea. The partnership was imposed on the refuge system by Paul Hoffman, a former aide to Vice President Dick Cheney. Hoffman was then a top official at the Department of the Interior, the parent agency of the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Wildlife Refuge System.
I doubt Hoffman acted because he cared much about the welfare of Native Americans, whose lands completely surround the bison refuge, or about the sticky issue of tribal self-determination. The Bush administration agenda, as pushed by Hoffman, has always been about privatization — about contracting out the operation of entire refuges and national parks.
Putting aside the serious question of whether federal lands should be administered by outside parties, the bison refuge arrangement had another problem. To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, a refuge divided cannot stand. The Tribes were awarded approximately half of the positions and funding for the National Bison Range as well as for the nearby Ninepipe and Pablo national wildlife refuges. Yet despite a 1,000-page protocol that covered virtually every aspect of the split operation, the operating agreement lacked any mechanism to make sure that the agreed-upon work was done.
Contracting out the operation of a national refuge or park to an outside entity, be it a tribe, a state or a multinational corporation, means diluting accountability. If a member of the public has a complaint, who is held to account? What can elected officials do when things turn sour?
In this case, when things turned sour, the agency terminated the agreement. The letter of termination gives many reasons: The Tribes herded bison while cows were giving birth, they didn't feed enough hay to bison being held for transport, and they failed to complete biological surveys and reports and ignored monitoring standards. Finally, the Tribes did not maintain fences to a high-enough standard. Bison are quick learners and pretty soon, they were searching out weak sections of fence to make their escape.
Despite their poor performance, the Tribes had earlier demanded more funds and asked for total control over the National Bison Range, as well as over the Swan River and Lost Trail national wildlife refuges and five waterfowl production areas near Kalispell. Had this been a private-sector deal, the contract would have been cancelled a year ago. But in the world of politics, performance often does not matter; what matters is your connections.
That is why the Fish and Wildlife Service deserves three cheers for canceling a contract that was not working. Unfortunately, the Dec. 11 decision made by the agency officials closest to the ground won't last. On Dec. 29, Interior Department officials announced their decision to re-establish a working relationship between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation and the Fish and Wildlife Service. This is a kick in the teeth to agency staffers in Montana, telling them their judgment counts for nothing.
I'm not saying the Tribes have no role to play at the National Bison Range. There are other means that would allow them to participate without jeopardizing effective management, such as cooperative agreements. But there has been a loss of priorities in the current situation.
Refuges are supposed to be run to benefit wildlife, not promote a political agenda. As a former refuge manager with many years of experience, I can assure you that politics never got fences repaired or bison fed adequately.
Grady Hocutt worked for 29 years for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and now serves as refuge keeper for the nonprofit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, based in Washington, D.C.


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Heroes recall saving 2 boys after fall through ice
Two children are lucky to be alive after falling through some ice at a Delhi Township lake this weekend.
Fortunately, two good Samaritans were nearby to rescue the children when they fell through Saturday.
News 5's Jackie Congedo spoke with the men who saved the boys.
University of Cincinnati student and Eagle Scout Joe Bredestege said he has a knack for being in the right place at the right time.
The 18-year-old was just nearby when the two boys, ages 9 and 10, fell in.
"I saw these kids kind of walking around on the ice and I thought, 'Eh, kids will be kids,'" Bredestege said.
He said when he looked back, he saw that the pair had broken through the ice.
"They're both in the water clinging on to the ice -- arms on the ice like this -- just looking around and I was, like, 'Can you swim?' I, like, yelled at them and they were, like, 'No,'" Bredestege said.
The mechanical engineering major said he knew the ice was thin, so he tried to spread out his weight as much as he could as he inched out toward the children.
Bredestege tried to reach out to one of the kids, but when the child grabbed on, the combined weight cracked the ice and they fell in.
Luckily, Hal Wane was watching the Cincinnati Bengals football game at his nearby home and noticed what was going on outside just in time.
"I was just looking, thinking, 'Ok, I gotta do something, I gotta do something," Wane said.
Wane grabbed an extension cord and ran to the rescue. Bredestege had already pushed one boy ashore but he and the second child were fading fast.
"As soon as I got in that water I could not breathe at all. The air was gone," Bredestege said.
Wane said, "We threw the cord out there twice, got it to them, they grabbed ahold of it and we pulled them in."
Both men said they'd do it again in a heartbeat but hope they never have to.


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Specialty Practices
Specialized expertise for your business and your real estate
Business sectors are unique. Office, industrial, retail and multi-family asset types require a specialized approach to their acquisition, management and disposition. To maximize the value of your assets, you need a partner with deep knowledge of your asset supported with customized research, services, processes and tools.
Our specialty practice groups to bring together industry and asset-type experts from across the firm to offer comprehensive, customized, integrated solutions across all sectors and asset types.
To learn more about our specialty practice groups follow our research, blogs, white papers and topical reports.


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(ColoradoRapids.com) – Former Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake midfielder Seth Trembly is calling on all Rapids fans to come together this Saturday for a special fundraising event and exciting night of live music and fun!
Rapids players host a Soccer Unites Fundraiser for Real Salt Lake midfielder Andy Williams and his wife Marcia
Rapids players host a Soccer Unites Fundraiser for Real Salt Lake midfielder Andy Williams and his wife Marcia
Saturday September 6 2008
9 p.m. to close
Saturday September 6 2008
9 p.m. to close
Delaney's Pub 1801 Blake St. Denver CO 80202 (No Cover Charge)
Delaney's Pub 1801 Blake St. Denver CO 80202 (No Cover Charge)
Live music from 103.5 Best Band in Denver 2007- Optimal Frequency plus special guests
Silent Auction Featuring:
-David Beckham/Landon Donovan signed Los Angeles Galaxy jersey
-Luxury Watches
-A Suite (20 tickets total) to the Rapids season finale on Oct. 25 vs. Real Salt Lake
-World Series edition baseball bat
-Golf for three people with your favorite Rapids player
-Nintendo Wii
-Plus many more great items
-David Beckham/Landon Donovan signed Los Angeles Galaxy jersey
-Luxury Watches
-A Suite (20 tickets total) to the Rapids season finale on Oct. 25 vs. Real Salt Lake
-World Series edition baseball bat
-Golf for three people with your favorite Rapids player
-Nintendo Wii
-Plus many more great items
For more information visit the official Soccer Unites website by clicking here!
Background Story As Told by Rapids Alumni Player Seth Trembly:
"It probably was not evident to you watching Friday night's game between Colorado and Real Salt Lake that RSL's Andy Williams was playing with a heavy heart. The Jamaican international helped his side secure a 2-0 victory recording his second game winning assist this season.
Andy Williams has faced many up hill battles in his long and storied career but none as tough as the battle that lies ahead for him and his family. His wife Marcia Williams has been diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia and will require chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. And if this news was not bad enough due to some loop hole in the U.S. Health Care system the Williams family who are insured have the added burden of paying in excess of $150000 before the hospital will even start treatment.
Major League Soccer is a small social circle and many guys have played together before either on MLS teams National Teams or college teams. I became good friends with Andy from our time on the field together at RSL. And after spending the 2006 season up top in the stands with the player's wives and families due to an ACL surgery I became great friends with his family.
Marcia was always the first one to say hi and give me a kiss on the cheek. Giving me that endearing look to let me know she understood how bad I felt not being able to be down on the field playing. I felt like an older brother as I teased and made funny faces at their two little daughters Shaiann and Alexia. So when I heard about the struggles they are now facing I knew I had to help anyway I could.
And this is where the beauty of how Soccer Unites begins.
I decided to put together a fundraiser with live music and a silent auction but where to start? First I needed somewhere to hold the event. One place came to mind. I hit up my old friend Noel who is one of the owners of Delaney's and the Celtic Tavern. I had met Noel from my days as a Rapids player when they hosted the Post Match Parties.
He eagerly jumped on board telling me he would host the event at Delaney's and would help me put the whole event together. Noel told me how seven years ago the tragic deaths of his two sons made him start a Charity Golf Tournament and how it had grown over the years from raising $2000 the first year to over $30000 this year for Children's Hospital. His help and support is something that I will never forget.
Next I called Kevin Eady a friend that I grew up playing club soccer with who is now a member of one of the best rock bands in Denver Optimal Frequency. I told him about the event and asked if their band would donate a Saturday night and play the event for free without a second of hesitation they said yes.
Since then many people have donated items for the auction and their time to help a family more than 500 miles away. Former teammates of Andy's and current Rapids Pablo Mastroeni Mike Petke and Mehdi Ballouchy as well as all the other players from the team have been a tremendous help offering to help by hosting the event and donating their time and items for the silent auction.
Thanks to everyone hope to see you Saturday!"
-Seth Trembly
It makes you reflect on the power of the sport of soccer. Two teams that are bitter Rocky Mountain Rivals on the field can be so kind to each other off of it. Two groups of fans that support their team with such great intensity but are able to show true compassion for one another. Friends that are united through the sport that carry on friendships that last a lifetime.
I can honestly say Soccer is truly a sport that Unites.


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Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rum Rolls2016-02-18
- Course: Dessert
- Add to favorites
- Yield : 30 rolls
- Prep Time : 15m
- Cook Time : 35m
- Ready In : 50m
Average Member Rating
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- 2 scant tablespoons or 2 (1/4-ounce) packages active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
- 1 1/2 cups warm milk (about 110 degrees)
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup honey
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons soy flour (optional)
- 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon rum extract
- 5 to 7 tablespoons heavy cream
Step 1
In a large bowl, stir yeast into water to soften. Add milk, shortening, honey, eggs, lemon juice, salt, soy flour, and 2 cups whole wheat flour. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Gradually add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.
Step 2
Turn dough onto a floured work surface. Knead, adding flour a little at a time, until you have a smooth, elastic dough. Place dough into an oiled bowl. Turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Step 3
Turn dough onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide in half. Roll each half with a rolling pin into a 12 by 18-inch rectangle. Brush dough with melted butter, leaving a 1/2-inch border along one long side of the rectangle free of butter.
Step 4
Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and nuts. Sprinkle evenly over each portion of dough. Roll up into 2 (18-inch) cylinders and pinch the loose edge to the cylinder. Cut into 30 rolls (15 from each cylinder) and place cut-side up into 2 parchment-lined 9 by 13-inch pans. Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
Step 5
About 10 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees (350 if using glass pans). Bake for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the rolls reaches 190 degrees. Leave the rolls in the pan to cool since they benefit from the steam -- it makes them softer. Allow the rolls to cool for 15 minutes.
Step 6
Combine powdered sugar, rum extract, and milk. Mixture should be the consistency of honey (if it isn't, adjust by adding more cream to thin it or powdered sugar to thicken it). Drizzle over the top of the rolls.


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Managing Director & Partner, Boston
At BCG, Storytellers synthesize complex information and ideas. They believe in bringing the whole team together to get a broader perspective. Jon has the courage to take action.
You will be successful at BCG if you are a person who sees problems as opportunities and aims to solve them—doing so by listening, learning, and seeking to constantly improve.
I joined BCG in 2003, believing that it was the best place for me to learn how to lead in business. My career has taken me to three different geographies, a half-dozen growing and expanding roles, and from the consulting side to an internal finance leadership role at BCG. In how many other companies could I have defined this course for myself? I suspect very few, but I have never felt a need to find out.
I am most proud of being part of a team—surrounded by people I truly enjoy—that has guided BCG on a journey to become a leading global firm in the consulting industry. Our capabilities have expanded, our business model has become more diverse, but most important our values have not changed. We both challenge and respect each other as we strive for a better way.
Jon holds an economics degree, with honors, from Duke University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
Interviewing is an exploration of mutual fit and an important time to get to know BCG. Asking questions is one of the most important parts of the process. Think about what will be the key to your success, what will determine a good fit. And don't wait until the last five minutes to ask; interviews should be a dialogue and are as much for you as they are for BCG.
Being a part of running a global business means that a 9-to-5 schedule is not practical for me or many of my team members. A career at BCG demands and also provides more flexibility to get the job done. If my team members have early phone calls with people in Asia, they often work the morning from home. When we have personal responsibilities, we take care of them first. We measure on results, not hours. And we cover for each other. I find the best way to maintain a sustainable career is to set boundaries and communicate them. For me, these include being home for dinner with my three young children and disconnecting for the weekend.
Coaching youth sports. I still remember many of the life lessons my favorite coaches taught me and would love the thrill to motivate, inspire, compete, and have fun.


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He received his BA Visual Arts from the Hong Kong Baptist University in 2014. His works had been exhibited in Dresden(Germany), Nagoya(Japan), London(United Kingdom) and Hong Kong. In 2014, His works were finalised by the Hong Kong Contemporary Art Award and First Smash 2 Art Project. At the same time, he also was selected to be a residential artist in London(Royal Academy of art). In 2016, his works had been shown in Young Talent Hong Kong.
Ng has been traveling to different countries for art residence and exchange program over the past few years for his art adventure. Nature seems to be unseparated with his work, as he believes that it is the beginning and end of all life forms. By exploring and experimenting different materials with his art, Ng is trying to recreate and interpret the connection between nature and him. He traces the gracefulness of nature and transform into his brushstrokes, awakening the soul from our overdeveloped city. Now he works and lives in Hong Kong as a full-time artist.
吳氏於 2012年及2013 年分別在德國德累斯頓及日本名古屋展出作品。2014年入圍香港視覺藝術獎(前身為香港當代藝術獎)及藝術創庫基金舉辦的《初試啼聲2》藝術計劃。同年前往英國倫敦作駐留藝術家,作品於英國皇家藝術學院展出。2016年,作品獲選於Young Talent Hong Kong展出。現居住在香港的本地藝術家。
吳於過去幾年曾經到不同的國家遊歷並進行創作,吸收各種養份。「自然」恍惚一直跟他的作品有著密不可分的關係,作者相信那是一切生命的起源跟終結,他透過運用不同物料的狀態與文化,呈現每種物料靈魂的存在,從而表達現代社會與自然之間的關係。 作者捕捉自然的種種微妙,表現在畫布上,為我們過度發展的城市喘一口氣,也讓觀眾找回自身與自然的聯繫。


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Listing of faculty publications on Singapore with available abstracts and links
Please search below from our database of more than 8,000 Singapore-related publications. Updates with abstracts and additions of new publications are ongoing. To search more effectively, please use the MLA or APA citation style which uses the author's last name and initials.


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Madden 13
Super Bowl XLVII fever: Madden 13 shots send up the big game
Super Bowl XLVII kicks off on February 3rd in New Orleans, and to celebrate the big day, EA Sports has released a batch of screens from Madden 13 – yeah, we know it's an old game now – showing the the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers knocking shite out of one another.
Madden 13 headlines
Madden 13 title update with Ultimate Team features out tomorrow
Madden NFL 13 will receive a title update tomorrow on PS3 and Xbox 360 which adds new features for Madden Ultimate Team and a "roster management," feature whcih allows players to sort by position. A few fixes are also included in the update, and are listed below courtesy of Joystiq.
NPD sales will show a 28% year-over-year decline despite Madden 13 release, says analyst
NPD figures won't deliver pleasant when they are released on Thursday, according to Cowen & Company industry analyst Doug Creutz.
EA Sports season pass: new subscriptions detailed
EA Sports has revealed a new season pass for its latest slate of sports titles, from Tiger Woods 13 and FIFA 13, to Madden and NFL.
Madden NFL 13 sold 900,000 units in its first 24 hours, says EA
Madden NFL 13 is doing rather well at retail, according to new figures posted by EA Sports.
Madden NFL 13 Ultimate Team expanded with Key packs
Madden NFL 13's Ultimate Team mode is a little different this year, thanks to the introduction of a new kind of card which can only be earned through in-game goals.
Madden 13 demo live on PS3 & Xbox 360
Madden 13 demos have launched on PS3 and Xbox 360. Satisfy your urge to throw balls and hit large men today.
Madden NFL 13 demo drops next week
With just a few more weeks to wait for the full thing, EA Sports has prepared a Madden NFL 13 demo. Check out a teaser video and get the details through the break.
AAA's strength shown in lack of EA Sports decline: analyst
The notion that AAA gaming's had its day is bunk, Doug Creutz of Cowen & Company has said in a note.
Madden NFL 13 to put franchise "right up there" with FIFA, NHL
Madden NFL 13 will pack in significantly more innovation than recent entries in the series, which weren't quite up to snuff, according to EA Sports boss Andrew Wilson.
Madden 13 has over 6,000 Kinect voice commands
Madden 13 developer EA Tiburon reckons the game is better with Kinect, and has discussed the implementation of voice commands in the game.
EA Sports announces Madden NFL 13 Ratings Reveal
EA Spots has launched the Madden NFL 13 Ratings Reveal on its Madden NFL 13 Facebook page. Basically, it's a four-week campaign which allows fans to vote on which NFL players "epitomize attributes like speed, elusiveness, hit power and more."
Here's your Madden 13 cover featuring Calvin Johnson
EA has released the box art for Madden 13 with Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson gracing the cover. The athlete was chosen through a seven-week voting process hosted by EA Sports, which boasts of 19.6 million participants. Madden NFL 13 is expected on August 28, for PS3 and Xbox 360. Full shot is below […]
Madden 13: It's time once again to vote for the Madden cover
EA and ESPN want you to choose the cover athlete for Madden 13.
Madden 13 latest
Super Bowl XLVII fever: Madden 13 shots send up the big game
Madden 13 title update with Ultimate Team features out tomorrow
NPD sales will show a 28% year-over-year decline despite Madden 13 release, says analyst
Madden NFL 13 sold 900,000 units in its first 24 hours, says EA
Madden NFL 13 to put franchise "right up there" with FIFA, NHL
Madden 13: It's time once again to vote for the Madden cover


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Brought this to college coz one of my classmate wanted to play. Cute right? XD
Bought this years ago coz I never had one(RC Car) when I was young, even though I wanted one VERY much. But to get one I HAVE TO get No 1 in my class, which is impossible, so I never did. Lol
I love my Pikachu RC Car. <3
P/S: The freakin' internet is down. Damn.


text:
We drool over truly beautiful, relatively low-volume car designs like the Jaguar F-Type and the Porsche Cayman, but there's something to be said for regular family cars that don't suck. On that note, take a look at the 2014 Kia Forte.
Kia is still getting a lot of mileage off of hiring their head designer Peter Schreyer away from Audi. The Forte looks like it just treads the line between so plain it's boring, and so simple it's nice. We don't know if it's just the great shots by our spy photographer for-hire Brian Williams, or the design itself, but the car seems to strike a good balance.
As for how things are under the hood, the Forte comes with either a 148 horsepower 1.8 liter and a 173 horsepower 2.0 liter. Compared to the old Forte, Kia downsized both its engines but upped their power.
The car is noticeably bigger than the old car, with a full two inches more in the wheelbase. There are also a few new toys to go along with the bigger size.
Again, we're happy to see progress for cars like these, and on Kia in particular.
Photo Credits: Brian Williams


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Of all the ways to build an advisory practice, referrals probably rank highest on the list. A good referral costs nothing to create, and a referred prospect is usually much likelier to become a new client than the average semi-qualified sales lead. So why don't we do a better job of generating referrals?
Stephen Wershing, a Rochester, N.Y.-based marketing coach, thinks we're not going about it the right way. Starting as a registered representative almost 25 years ago, Wershing became an independent rep with a hybrid commission/fee model, and then was a broker-dealer executive. Realizing that what he most enjoyed was helping advisors build their practices, he started his own business, The Client Driven Practice, in 2010.
When I read Wershing's new book, "Stop Asking for Referrals," I was intrigued by his approach. It made so much sense, in fact, that I asked him if he would share his views with IA.
Olivia Mellan: What makes the information in your book valuable to advisors?
Stephen Wershing: The most valuable thing about it is that it corrects the misinformation about getting referrals, because everything people say about getting referrals is wrong.
Asking for referrals totally disrespects the reasons that clients give us referrals; and it makes the process about the advisor, rather than the client.
Let's take the way we have done it historically and put it in a different context. Say you go out to a restaurant and you have a wonderful time. The next day a friend of yours asks, "Do you know of any good places to take my wife out to dinner?" and you tell him about the restaurant.
Now let's rewind that and play it back as if it were in the financial advisory business. You go out to a restaurant; you have a wonderful time. As you're getting ready to pay the check, the waiter comes to the table with a pad and pencil and says, "Would you write down the names of three people you know who eat out periodically and their phone numbers?" How are you going to feel about that?
That's what we do to our clients when we ask for referrals. People give referrals all the time. We have a need to give referrals. It's social currency. It's a way of extending influence. It's networking. And that's true for financial advisors as well. If we can learn why people give referrals, we can build a system to enhance that natural process.
When I was building my consulting practice, I found a couple of reports that started me in this new direction. One was the brilliant work of Julie Littlechild, whose latest report is "Anatomy of a Referral." Another person whose findings inform my own work is Scott Degrafenreid, who studied referral behavior through social network analysis. And here's what it comes down to: People refer because it increases their standing in the eyes of their peers. When they are helpful, other people esteem them.
One of the eye-opening things for me was Julie's question, "What were the circumstances of the last referral you gave your advisor?" Over half the people said, "Because a friend asked for one." Almost half of them said, "Because a friend described a financial challenge." The number of people who said, "Because my advisor asked" was 2%. That's statistically insignificant!
So if we can create a scenario where passing our name along to somebody else solves a problem, then our clients get all those rewards and they will refer.
How do you create that scenario? It starts with the concept of target marketing. You need to identify your ideal client.
OM: Aren't many advisors already doing target marketing?
SW: In a way, but the approach is too shallow and often doesn't even use the right criteria. For example, advisors may say they specialize in people who have over $1 million in assets. There's little or nothing meaningful you can say about those people as a group.
On top of that, I, as a prospective client, don't define myself by my bank balance. I'm a lot of things: I'm a dad, a cook, a dancer. I don't think of myself as a guy who has $1 million in investable assets. To use that as your target market criteria is equivalent to a doctor who says, "I'm a specialist in people who have really generous health insurance." It's another way of saying, "I work for people who can afford me." True target or niche marketing focuses on a group of people with shared values or needs.
Even when we try to get specific, our definitions may still be way too broad. One advisor I coached told me, "I target women." Well, I defy you to say anything meaningful that applies equally well to my 18-year-old daughter, a 35-year-old corporate executive, and an 87-year-old widow. They're all women, but they have dramatically different needs and wants.
When we took a look at his client base, we realized that he really specialized in women who have recently taken control of the family finances, or are just about to, because their husbands either had Alzheimer's or had recently passed away. That group of women had specific and consistent social needs, as well as financial needs. So he tailored his practice to make sure he could line up appropriate resources to serve these women well. For example, we put together teas and coffees where they could come together and support each other. In essence, we built a community. That's outside of the financial advice that his firm offers, but it's deeply meaningful to these clients, and it really sets this advisor apart. True differentiation often involves something that may not traditionally be associated with a financial advisor.
If you're not sure you have a good definition of a target market, it can be useful to fill in this sentence: "People like _____ come to me for _____." From there, you can begin elaborating to differentiate yourself.
OM: What about advisors who like to work with a variety of different audiences?
SW: Having multiple well-defined targets is better than not having any well-defined niches at all, but trying to do more than one thing will dilute your brand and will compromise your referrability. You need to own a spot on the client's brain. That means becoming so closely associated with a particular solution or experience that anytime someone hears it described, they instantly think of you.
To get consistent, ongoing referrals, you need to be the person who presents a particular solution or gives a particular experience.
OM: But doesn't the advisor need to control the process of getting referrals? Isn't letting clients refer when the opportunity arises just leaving the whole thing to chance?
SW: This is one of the big misunderstandings about referring. We feel we have to "hunt" our prey—stalk it, shoot it and drag it home to eat it. The problem, especially in our business, is how does the prey feel about all this?
I like to think that generating referrals is more like farming. The farmer prepares the soil, plants the seeds and nurtures the field. He doesn't obsess over every seed. Some aren't going to come up. But if he takes care of that field, he'll have a nice big crop.
OM: What can advisors do if a client refers a prospect who is outside their target market?
SW: A lot of advisors think that if their best client sends them a referral, they have to take it. Actually, they don't. They do, however, have to honor the referral by sending the prospect to the best possible person to meet their needs.
So when you realize that this person doesn't fit your target, you say, "People like _____ come to me for _____. But that doesn't describe you, so I don't think we would be a very good match. But I know a lot of very good advisors in our area. Let me come up with the names of a couple of people who would be best at helping you."
Then you call your client and say, "Thank you for sending me your friend. What we specialize in is people like _____ who come to us for _____. That's not what your friend needed, so we set him up with a few people we trust who are a better match for him."
You've accomplished a couple of things there. You told somebody new your value proposition. You also reinforced that value proposition with your client, and you've taken more ownership of that spot on his brain. So next time he refers, it's a little more likely that he'll send you the person you're looking for.
OM: How can an advisor use these ideas to cultivate centers of influence?
SW: The key is to become known for a particular experience or solution and to use that when you communicate to centers of influence such as accountants, attorneys, estate planners.
One good way of approaching it is not to ask for referrals, but to ask who you can introduce to them. You might say: "People like _____ come to me for _____. Doing that work, I routinely get requests about accountants. Could you tell me who your ideal client is, so when someone asks, I can understand who to refer to you?" Since you're looking to help them, it's easy to get permission to talk about what you do and what you offer.
OM: What goes into a referral marketing plan?
SW: Step by step, it's choosing a target market that is described clearly; asking your clients whether they see these targets as the kind of people you help and what they think you do that is really valuable; tailoring your service mix to the needs of the target client; and then developing a communication plan to promote that identity.
OM: How do you recommend promoting an identity?
SW: The message about who you are and what you do should be in every communication that comes out of your practice. It should be in conversations you have with your clients, the way your staff describes your business, in your brochure, on your website. It should be what you blog about. It should be what your presentations are centered around. Everything you do publicly should reinforce the solution or experience you deliver.
OM: What do you hope to accomplish with your work?
SW: Of course we want to help advisors be more successful. Beyond that, focusing a practice like this means clients get better outcomes.
Financial planning was originally born from "Who is my client, and what are his needs?" I think "What do I specialize in?" is the next step in sophistication. By becoming a specialist in a particular client or situation, we give better, richer advice. The client is better off; the advisor is more successful.
Olivia Mellan, a speaker, coach and business consultant, is the author with Sherrie Christie of The Client Connection: How Advisors Can Build Bridges That Last, available through the Investment Advisor Bookstore. She also offers money psychology teleclasses and facititates intregenerational retreats for wealthy families. Email Olivia at [email protected]


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Report: N. Korea's Defense Chief Replaced with Hawkish General
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has replaced his defense chief with a hawkish general in a shakeup apparently aimed at tightening his grip over the military, a report said Thursday.
Vice Marshal Kim Jong-Gak was sacked as defense minister after just seven months in office, Yonhap News Agency quoted an unnamed senior South Korean presidential official as saying.
He was replaced by Kim Kyok-Sik, a hawkish general believed to have orchestrated the North's sinking of a South Korean warship and an artillery attack on a border island in 2010, it said.
Analysts said the re-shuffle, if confirmed, was the latest in a series of top-level personnel changes ordered by Kim Jong-Un since taking over after the death of his father, Kim Jong-Il, a year ago.
"Kim has tightened his grip over the military by replacing top military generals with those loyal to him," Yang Moo-Jin, a professor of the University of North Korean Studies, told Agence France Presse.
In July, Hyon Yong-Chol, a little-known general, became chief of the general staff, a powerful post that controls the North's 1.2-million-strong military.
He replaced Ri Yong-Ho, who had been regarded as one of Kim's inner circle but was relieved of all his posts -- officially because of "illness."
Ri was a highly visible figure who helped support Kim following the death of his father, and his sudden departure sparked speculation that he might have been purged.


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I am excited to be partnering with several bloggers to give 10 lucky readers a free Ebook Kindle Version of Chop, Chop (Chop, Chop Series) by Leeann Cronk.
Greg and Laci make it a regular practice to grow their hair long so that they can chop it off and send it to Locks of Love. It's only one of the things that reserved, young David must tolerate as their friendship grows throughout the years.
As they near adulthood the three become closer not only to each other, but to God as well. David finds himself content in every way, but when tragedy strikes, David must struggle to find his way back to God.


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In Brief
About one-third of the world's land surface is used for farming, a fact that bears important implications for biodiversity. In Europe, for instance, an estimated 50 percent of all wild species are reliant on agricultural habitats, while agricultural productivity often depends on the presence or absence of particular species. Despite this close coupling, surprisingly little is known about the status and evolution of farmland biodiversity. A team of European and African researchers, hoping to fill this gap in information, recently invented and piloted a new toolbox called the BioBio indicator set, which measures 23 different instances of biodiversity across a variety of farm types and scales in Europe. Applications were also tested in Tunisia, Ukraine, and Uganda, where they proved a feasible starting point for adaptation to the agricultural context of different countries.
Key Concepts
The diversity of life—genetic, species and habitat diversity—is a critical and threatened resource. In an agricultural context, the functions provided by biodiversity are particularly important, yet not much is known about farmland biodiversity and how it is sustained
We developed a toolbox consisting of 23 indicators addressing all components of farmland biodiversity as well as management practices. The indicators were tested in 15 case study regions in Europe and Africa.
We propose that 0.25 percent of the budget for European agricultural subsidies be diverted to monitoring of continental farmland biodiversity and adaptation of the toolbox for application beyond Europe.
Guidebooks to indicator measurement and interpretation, including an extended summary in twelve languages, are available at www.biobio-indicator.org.
Editor's Note: see Acknowledgements for a full list of authors.
In the Gascony region of Southwest France, famously home to the Bordeaux grape, farmland biodiversity may be higher than what's found in any other agricultural region of Europe—an important fact only recently brought to light.
Biodiversity—the diversity of genes, species, and habitats—is among the natural resources under threat by the growing human population.1 In Europe, an estimated 50 percent of all wild species are reliant on agricultural habitats, leading to close interactions between farming and wildlife.2 Wild species provide ecosystem functions essential for farming success—predation of insect pests, for instance, along with pollination of flowering crops, decomposition of organic material, and build-up of soil fertility. And composition and diversity of wild species are affected by farming practices, notably fertilization, pesticide applications, mechanical operations, animal husbandry, and conservation or removal of semi-natural habitats such as hedgerows.
About one-third of the world's land surface is used for farming, which means we have a vital interest in knowing the status of farmland biodiversity.3 First, because we want to promote the species that contribute to agricultural yields and defend against the pests that affect it negatively. Second, because we want to preserve biodiversity for its intrinsic value. In fact, some of the most critical conservation issues today relate to farmland biodiversity, which is threatened both by agricultural intensification and abandonment.
Given those challenges, it is surprising how little we know about the status and evolution of farmland biodiversity. Current evaluations are often limited to farmland birds, which have shown declining trends over the last decades. More recently, Europe has been monitoring butterfly populations.4 Administrators and the public are often interested in rare species with conservation status, but there is no consistent information on the status of more common species, despite the fact that these, to a great extent, are what interact with farming practices, providing services or causing damage.5
Farmland birds and butterflies are monitored at the landscape scale, often in plots of one square kilometer or more.6,7 While this scale corresponds well with the comparatively high mobility of those species, it is not related to the narrower scale of action of the most important decision-maker acting on farmland biodiversity—the farmer. He or she decides on the type of farming enterprise (crops, animals); the farming system (organic, conventional); the use of the land (crop rotation, pasture management); the nature and amount of inputs used (fertilizer, pesticides, etc.); amelioration (irrigation, drainage); the farm machinery and its use, and so forth. These factors strongly affect agricultural biodiversity. Consequently, most policy measures that aim to preserve agricultural biodiversity address the farm scale and farm management practices by means of incentives, compensation measures, or cross-compliance mechanisms that tie farm subsidies to farmers' compliance with ecological standards.
A new project called BioBio, designed by 16 research institutions from 14 countries, aims to identify a generic set of farmland biodiversity indicators applicable across Europe for major farm types. The indicators capture genetic, species, and habitat diversity at the farm scale. In creating them, we paid particular attention to appeals of the stakeholder advisory board (SAB), which elaborated a list of requirements. The board consisted of representatives from international, national, and regional administrative bodies, research and education organizations, farmers' organizations, consumers' associations, and nongovernmental organizations dedicated to the conservation of nature and the environment.
Stakeholder Expectations
Thierry Fabian, an agricultural engineer, is the head of the French Institute for Designations of Origin in Caen. Obtaining the AOC label for cheeses, wine, or cider helps farmers market their products. Fabian wants to evaluate whether the traditional farming practices related to those products yield environmental benefits and promote farmland biodiversity. If so, this would constitute an additional marketing argument for those products.
Since 1991, Peter Mayrhofer has been developing the Ecopoint system in Lower Austria in which farmers are encouraged to promote biodiversity by, for example, planting and maintaining traditional fruit orchards or dry meadows. By doing this they can generate additional subsidies. Mayrhofer, who works for the regional agricultural administration, is interested in measuring the direct impact of this environmental scheme on biodiversity. Thierry Walot from the regional administration of Wallonia (Belgium) has the same interest.
Both, Patrick Ruppol from the Belgian Organic Farmers' organization and Eva Corral from the Federation of European Farmers and Cooperatives are looking for a tool to measure biodiversity on the farms of their members. They need indicators that farmers can understand and that are directly related to farm management so that, if farmers alter their practices, they can measure the effects on wildlife.
In order to protect nature, Claudio De Paola of the Ticino Italian Regional Park, Eduardo de Miguel of the Spanish Fundaçion Global Nature, and Simeon Marin of Green Balkans Bulgaria want to evaluate the status of farmland biodiversity in their parks in relation to their efforts to foster traditional, extensive farming while preventing land abandonment.
Finding the Right Indicators
We tested BioBio biodiversity indicators on 237 farms in 15 case study regions across Europe, Northern, and sub-Saharan Africa. On each farm, teams mapped habitats, recorded wild species, and interviewed farmers about farming practices, crops, and farm animals according to a standardized protocol.8 Case study regions covered the major European farm types and were located in major bio-geographical regions. Among the 23 biodiversity indicators, 16 indicators remain relevant for all farm types while seven apply only to specific farm types.9
Our biodiversity measurement toolbox has four focuses: genetic, species, and habitat diversity, as well as farm management practices. Because molecular genetic methods that capture diversity at the genetic level remain technologically demanding and expensive, we chose three simple indicators based on crop-cultivar and livestock-breed information. These were collected in farmer interviews to assess genetic resources of crops and livestock.
The BioBio species diversity indicators operate at local to intermediate scales and cover the four major ecological functions relevant for farming: Primary production (plants), pollination (wild bees and bumblebees), predation (spiders), and decomposition of organic material (earthworms). The emphasis on invertebrates, in addition to vascular plants, reflects the contribution of invertebrates to overall species diversity; arthropods alone make up about 65 percent of multicellular organisms, by number.10 Moreover, they provide relevant information on general environmental conditions, react quickly to environmental changes, and, due to their limited mobility, allow direct assessment of farm management effects. Farmland birds were not retained as an indicator group due to their mobility.
Habitat indicators are derived from a generic mapping approach of the farm.11 The farm area is subdivided into intensively farmed land, including all crop fields and grasslands managed for the primary purpose of agricultural production, and semi-natural habitats. Both categories can be further subdivided. These divisions are somewhat subjective and require clear rules, as transitions between habitat types are gradients. Still, many relevant policies operate on the habitat level, so this has proven a useful tool.
In addition to the three levels of biodiversity—genetic, species, and habitat—we monitored eight farm management indicators that reflect the pressure of farm management on species and habitats. These indicators are based on interviews with farmer about use of and expenditure on inputs like energy, fertilizer, and pesticides, on the frequency of field operations, and on the density of livestock on the farm.
The weighting of different indicators according to ecological importance was a challenging and live question throughout the project's development. Ultimately, because it is quite difficult to come up with scientifically sound distinctions—is an earthworm more valuable than a bee?—and because the stakeholders preferred "raw" indicators, we did not create a weighted index.
Highest Diversity in Gascony, France
In the valleys and hills of Gascony in Southwestern France we surveyed 16 arable farms. The BioBio indicators revealed that, with 440 plant species, 171 bee species, 261 spider species, and 16 earthworm species, overall species richness was highest here among the 15 case study regions. This is partly because the region is under the influence of both sub-Atlantic and sub-Mediterranean climates, and because the number of habitat types (52) was among the highest. (Only the Hungarian case study had more habitat types, with 58; others ranged between 10 and 30.) The average farm size in Gascony was 79 hectares with an average nitrogen input of 41 kilograms per hectare. Only Hungary, Spain, and Italy had lower nitrogen input levels. The energy input was also among the lowest. These factors (climatic condition, habitat richness, low level of inputs) help to explain the comparatively high number of species recorded on these farms.
Applications Beyond Europe
We tested wider applicability of the BioBio indicators in three countries representing different ecological zones and policy contexts: Tunisia, Ukraine, and Uganda. While generally applicable, the BioBio approach needed some adaptation: Tunisia lacks taxonomic expertise for arthropods and the specimens had to be sent to Europe. Due to prolonged drought, earthworms were hardly present and could not be evaluated; in Ukraine, we adapted the sampling design to the large scale of farms and landscapes; and in Uganda, we adjusted the habitat key to accommodate the diversity of smallholder polyculture; also, spider taxonomy is not well known, which impairs the usefulness of this group as a biodiversity indicator
Nonetheless, the BioBio indicators proved a valuable starting point in each of these countries. For practical implementation, the indicator set would require adaptation to lower levels of available resources (funding, knowledge, infrastructure, and institutions). Adopting other taxa could be considered for the tropics, and morphospecies might be used if the taxonomy is unstable. This means that a catch of spiders, for example, would be sorted according to features like size, color, and so forth, without actually identifying individual species. One then obtains a morphospecies count without knowing which species are present.
Research and Development to Monitoring Application
Developing indicators and monitoring would be an easy task if there were no financial constraints. But, of course, the cost of these biodiversity indicators restricts implementation. Therefore, the design of a monitoring program comes down to an optimization exercise: maximize information gained within a given budget.
Although monetary estimates of the values of biodiversity are coarse, they show that biodiversity is important for the long-term viability of agriculture and provides many undervalued or invisible functions and benefits.1,12 Focus group discussions with farmers in the case study regions revealed that the ethos and emotional response of farmers are important drivers of biodiversity-friendly farming.13 Providing clear information on the biodiversity status of farms and how this biodiversity interacts with management practices can encourage improvement in private and public analyses of the costs and benefits related to farming activity—and not only in monetary terms. If a farmer is well informed about the consequences of his or her management on biodiversity, this could reduce the risk of opportunistic implementation of farming practices because of subsidies instead of genuine effectiveness.
Still, monetary incentives are important, and they can be linked to programs or product labels that highlight biodiversity-friendly farming. This means that taxpayers and consumers would pay a premium to promote farmland biodiversity. Policymakers and sales organizations need to justify this spending by demonstrating tangible results; at some point, taxpayers and consumers will want to know if their spending yields the intended biodiversity benefits. Such demands often come up at short notice, triggered by, for example, a scandal revealed by the press. At that point it will be too late to react. If policymakers and sales organizations want to make sure that their programs work, they have to continuously evaluate them through monitoring.
How Much Does It Cost?
Naturally, cost depends largely on the size of the farms. Recording the indicators on an average farm of 85 hectares, consisting of eight different habitat types, requires 15 labor days (half for skilled labor, half for unskilled) plus €1,000 (about US$1,350) for material and taxonomic expertise. While the actual fieldwork is by far the largest portion of the budget, funds must also be available for scientific oversight and administration, data management, analysis and reporting, and quality assurance.
There is a rule of thumb that between 0.5 and 10 percent of the budget spent for policy measures should be allocated to evaluating their effectiveness.14 With only 0.25 percent of its budget, the European Common Agricultural Policy could implement the BioBio indicators on 50.000 farms (1.7 percent of all farms in Europe), assuming a rolling survey with five-year intervals—10,000 farms visited each year.
From Proof of Concept to Implementation
The BioBio indicators are ready to move from the research phase to implementation. First, however, there needs to be a pilot phase that, among other things:
- tests the indicators on farm types and in regions not yet investigated
- optimizes the sampling design (the proposal here can be refined and likely made less costly)
- builds the necessary know-how in field staff and, in particular, fauna taxonomists (in fact, a large biodiversity monitoring project could contribute to safeguarding the taxonomic expertise now threatened in several countries)
- and organizes the logistics of such an endeavor (data flows, database management, ownership of data, concept for publication).
The proof of concept has been conducted in our first test. As in industrial development, the prototype ought now to be turned into a routine product.
We now know some of the many uses of the BioBio indicator toolbox. It can be applied on individual farms, particularly large farms that want to—but currently cannot—accurately advertise the status of biodiversity on their land. Label organizations and administrators, too, can benefit from BioBio: the former as they claim to promote biodiversity-friendly practices, such as organic farming or integrated farming. Monitoring the biodiversity status on labeled farms would allow these groups to improve their guidelines and to demonstrate that higher prices are justified by evidence of biodiversity benefits. The latter, as they work on issues and policies to support farmland biodiversity. Results would help to improve the efficiency of these programs and target them to the specific conditions of individual regions. Finally, BioBio provides a starting point for farmland biodiversity research in less developed countries. This research is urgently needed in countries where yields need to be increased, but where farmers don't have access to modern technologies and inputs. The interactions between crops and wild species must be better understood in order to investigate agricultural intensification that harms wild species as little as possible.
The BioBio indicators allow for a comprehensive assessment of farmland biodiversity at a reasonable cost. Indicators relate to the farm scale, which has the advantage of directly linking driving forces (farm management) to the status of biodiversity. This kind of information is required by both farmers and policymakers to steer their decisions towards more biodiversity-friendly practices, particularly given the growing concern about the connection between biodiversity, agriculture, and landscape services. Today's agricultural policymaking generally rests on economic indicators of production and profit. A broader view is urgently needed.
We are grateful to the BioBio stakeholders for their time, effort, and support. Part of this project was funded under the 7th framework program of the European Union (Grant KBBE 227161) and by the Austrian Ministry for Science and Research. We thank the farmers for access to their land and for the information obtained through interviews.
Coauthors include: Youssef Ammari, Siyka Angelova, Michaela Arndorfer, Debray Bailey, Katalin Balázs, András Báldi, Marion Bogers, Robert Bunce, Jean-Philippe Choisis, David Cuming, Peter Dennis, Tetyana Dyman, Sebastian Eiter, Zoltán Elek, Eszter Falusi, Wendy Fjellstad, Thomas Frank, Jürgen, Friedel, Salah Garchi, Ilse Geijzendorffer, Tiziano Gomiero, Gergely Jerkovich, Rob Jongman, Max Kainz, Esezah Kakudidi, Eszter Kelemen, Roland Kölliker, Norman Kwikiriza, Anikó Kovács-Hostyánszki, Luisa Last, Gisela Lüscher, Gerardo Moreno, Charles Nkwiine, John Opio, Marie-Louise Oschatz, Maurizio Guido Paoletti, Károly Penksza, Philippe Pointereau, Susanne Riedel, Jean-Pierre Sarthou, Manuel Schneider, Norman Siebrecht, Daniele Sommaggio, Siyka Stoyanova, Erich Szerencsits, O. Szalkovski, Stella Targetti, Davide Viaggi, Jerylee Wilkes- Allemann, Sebastian Wolfrum, Sergiy Yashchenko, and Tommaso Zanetti.


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2015-16 PSA World Cup Ryan Suter Team USA 6″ Action Figure
Product Details
In the fall of 2016, the hockey world descended on Toronto for an epic two-week battle for hockey supremacy. The 2016 edition of the World Cup of Hockey was the most competitive hockey tournament ever played, featuring eight teams filled with the most elite NHL athletes.
Unlike other Nation vs Nation formats, the 2016 World Cup of Hockey was the first to feature near total participation by NHL players.
Red Jersey Variant, individually numbered /1000
What does "Online Only" mean?
When a product has the "Online Only" icon, it means the product is only available online and is not available in store. If you order a product that has the badge, we will order the product from our distributor and ship it once it arrives. It normally takes 2-4 business days to get the product in and then ship it out to you. We will email you when we order the product from our distributor and inform you of the time frame we expect the product to be delivered to us. If the item is a pre-sale, we will order the item from our distributor and ship the item once it's released. There is a possibility that our distributor is out of stock on the product which we will then notify you and refund your money.


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|Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president-elect of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and outgoing president, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, embrace during the fall general assembly of the USCCB in Baltimore Nov. 13, 2019. (CNS photo/Bob Roller)
The American bishops met in Baltimore Nov. 11-13 for their annual fall general assembly. The official agenda for this meeting included the election of new leaders for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and six standing committees, approving a short letter and five video scripts to supplement "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" (the official teaching document on the political responsibility of Catholics), and some ongoing business on the accountability of bishops in cases involving sexual abuse of minors and other vulnerable people. As one news service noted, "U.S. bishops have their plates full" during this year's fall meeting.
In addition to the "official business," the bishops had to deal with, there is what might be called the unofficial agenda: Unity among themselves, with Catholics throughout the U.S., and with the universal church in communion with Pope Francis. Unity is arguably the most important — and challenging — issue the American bishops had to confront as they gathered in Baltimore this year.
Ours is a divided nation and, increasingly, a divided church. One of the roles of a bishop is to maintain unity in his diocese and with other local churches in communion with the successor of St. Peter, the pope.
This is never an easy task because the forces of sin and evil are constantly at work sowing seeds of chaos and division among families, faith communities, and political groupings at the local, national and international levels. The bishop is called to be a powerful witness to the peace and unity of Christ wherever he finds himself and in whatever circumstances he faces that cause tension and disunity among the people he serves.
It's not easy being a bishop today. As the chief teacher in his diocese, he must balance his responsibility to preserve the truths of the Catholic faith with the need to make church teaching accessible to all. As the chief pastor, the bishop must demonstrate a loving care for, and an openness to, all people without ever diminishing or devaluing the requirements of Christian morality. As the chief steward, the bishop must be grateful, accountable, generous and willing to give back to the Lord with increase. And all of this must be done in solidarity with other bishops throughout the world and, most importantly, with the bishop of Rome.
Seattle Archbishop Paul D. Etienne, a native of Tell City, who was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, said recently, "Of the many duties of a bishop, maintaining unity with the Holy Father — Pope Francis — and thus with the universal church is one of our gravest. ... This was the primary 'gift' Pope Francis encouraged us to pray for as he sent us all on retreat last January — unity."
When they are together — on retreat or in USCCB meetings — the bishops pray for unity and strive to speak with one voice whenever possible. But when they are apart, the witness of unity is harder to maintain. Social media provides everyone today with a platform for discussion and debate that too often degenerates into finger pointing and name calling. Bishops are not immune from this temptation, but many — including Pope Francis and Indianapolis Archbishop Charles C. Thompson — use social media not to engage in controversy, but to proclaim the Gospel (evangelization) and call attention to the pastoral needs of the people they serve.
The importance of unity among bishops is itself a good reason for the American bishops to gather at least twice a year. As Archbishop Thompson recently observed, "I find that the bishops are very gracious in their support and encouragement for one another. The challenges that we have been facing weigh heavily on each of us and on the body of bishops as a whole. We must keep in mind that our struggles pale in comparison to the religious liberty issues being faced by Christians in other parts of the world."
Diversity in the church should serve to unite us, not divide us. That's why our bishops should express themselves fully and freely — but always in unity with each other and with Rome — as successors of the apostles in service to the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church.
"In the great diversity of gifts and cultures within the church is a beauty that reflects the infinite nature of God. Let not this great diversity be a source of division," Archbishop Etienne says. "As we find Christ in the midst of the church so, too, may we find him, love him and serve him in one another. Perhaps we can spend less time in sidebar conversations that serve to separate, and more time in search of a proper orientation to our foundation and cornerstone of the church, Jesus Christ."
Let's pray for our pope and for our bishops. May they be one in Christ.
The American bishops met in Baltimore Nov. 11-13 for their annual fall general assembly.


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Contemporary Art Lover? Buy an Airline Ticket
If you want to see some of the best contemporary art in the U.S. these days, buy an airline ticket. Scott McCartney looks at why and how airports are evolving from nondescript atriums of stress into attractive and interesting rest stops catering to upscale clientele. Photo: AP.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... that kick Off Shinn Fein terminal and only at what you see some art while you're at it airports they are becoming a major destination ... to cancel cauldron between the pack downs of the peanuts we've got Wall Street Journal's Middle Seat columnist ... Scott McCartney joins us right now the look of the musty airports across the country ... Scott very interesting to me that this is a Renaissance almost tapping in a place to call the so many of us so much address why is that ... the twenty ... s to nine eleven airports to real serious about art ... because people are spending more time in the year where ... they were they were stressed out ... airports were looking for ways to calm them down to to make a better impression ... in the yen and provided a ... long way in the airport with only a little bit of entertainment ... the decline in Lauren's first in line security in Denver then it would have to get there so much earlier now they're they're giving us a little something to look at Walter their Miami International you say it ... is one place we might wanna check out the hard way that they got there ... it ... I ... on the roads and ... walk away call a walk on the beach ... and it's got to it and then in the Highlands and the mother of Pearl cast bronze fish and shells ... of all kinds of stuff that you would find on the beach ... for the half mile long walk when you have to trudge to the report ... makes it an interesting and really makes a statement that you aren't in Miami ... on ... it in the city a go ... there's a a ... two point two million dollar written of L E D lights and the ceiling of the new terminal ... called the journey ... on this is quite fascinating to see images that people swimming dancing and doing all kinds of things sort of ... fluttering through so again it's been that long walk there's that there's a little entertainment for you ... and I wanted the that I was interesting is about to get controversial with airport or ... on a drive to Denver International Airport is the ... only cement its culture ... idealism and as a ... fairly prominent ... on the ... artist who has worked in lots of airports on this one's called blue Mustang ... that giant I'm well while Ford is the very evocative of Colorado ... but it has bright red eyes that that some people say it looks sort of satanic ... the airports ... I have been to the local community is the sort of wrestle with some of that like it or not the satanic group or just when you think about what we're finding things got worse the money coming from this ... it's it's very interesting a lot of cities the ordinances that require one percent or two percent of the ... construction budget ... of of of a public building to be spent on public art will airports that's a huge amount of money one or two percent in airport terminals are very expensive ... so if it's a ... modernization project that the new terminal ... I'm there's there's a lot of money it in the new ... international terminal in Atlanta ... there was ten million dollars for public or ... their sentences go airport over it so long ... that it spent fifteen million ... dollars on not on art and the much of it very interesting and and and ... aam ... you know of words with a look for travelers ... Scott McCartney more destinations in the airport


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Date: April 2, 2013
- Well planned manure applications are acceptable on most fields that are seeded, will be seeded within two weeks, and/or well-established grasses.
- Avoid manure applications on wet fields and/or saturated soils.
- It is the producer's responsibility to apply manure in a manner that will not create runoff to surface water, to off field locations, and/or leaching below the root zone.
- Do not apply manure prior to significant rain events.
- Continue to check your storage areas to ensure you have enough manure storage to hold the average expected precipitation plus account for any potential increased storage circumstances such as excessive precipitation.
Please read the entire advisory for details and important information to assist in the decision-making process for manure application(s) and storage.
Producers are responsible for decisions regarding manure spreading. Legislation gives no specific dates for manure spreading but it does not allow for manure to be spread in a manner that causes pollution.
This Update is produced by government, in partnership with industry, to provide guidance to farmers regarding the Agricultural Waste Control Regulation and the ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ACT. If a discrepancy arises between this document and the legislation, the legislation takes precedence. Following this advisory does not relieve anyone from their obligations under the LEGISLATION. The Province of British Columbia does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information referenced here from legislation, and in no event is the Province liable or responsible for damages of any kind arising out of its use.
For further information, please contact: BC Ministry of Agriculture
Geoff Hughes-Games, P.Ag. 604-556-3102
For questions of a regulatory nature: BC Ministry of Environment
George Rushworth, P.Ag. 604-582-5211
Trevor Hamelin, AScT 604 582-5275
Additional Information
Manure Storage
- Develop a contingency plan to outline an effective response in case of an emergency. The plan could include identification of nearby abandoned pits, contact information for vacuum trucks, and easy access to the provincial spill reporting hotline.
- A review of beneficial management practices (such as those found in the Environmental Farm Plan Reference Guide) may help identify improved management practices to alleviate storage issues.
Established Grasses
- Manure may be applied throughout the growing season to meet crop nutrient uptake.
- Avoid spreading on wet fields and saturated soils.
- Plan manure applications to ensure that storage facilities will be as close to empty as possible by next October.
- Do not apply manure within 5 meters or more of wet ditches or watercourses. Increase buffer width to avoid any contaminated runoff based on soil, soil cover conditions, slopes greater than 5%, and sensitivity of the area being protected.
Berry and Vegetable Crops
- Do not spread manure on berry fields between flowering and harvest or on vegetable fields after planting.
- The use of properly composted manure should be considered if food safety issues related to manure applications are a concern and/or if nutrient leaching is a concern in sensitive areas such as unconfined aquifers.
- Verify your food safety plan or program requirements prior to manure and/or compost applications.
Bare Fields and Fields Prior to Planting
- Manure applications are not recommended unless the field will be seeded within two weeks of manure application.
Additional Resources
- Agricultural Waste Control Regulation This is the actual legislation that applies to manure management in British Columbia. http://www.qp.gov.bc/statreg/reg/E/EnvMgmt/131_92.htm
- Environmental Farm Plan Reference Guide (Canada-BC EFP Program) http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/resmgmt/EnviroFarmPlanning/EFP_Refguide/Refguid...
- Nutrient Management Reference Guide (Canada-BC EFP Program) http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/resmgmt/EnviroFarmPlanning/EFP_Nutrient_Guide/N...
- Ammonia Loss from Manure interactive tool at: http://www.farmwest.com/index.cfm?method=climateammonia.showgraph


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Being Julia: DMB snags 'Dreamgirl'
What's the difference between a Pretty Woman and a Dreamgirl? About 15 years.
Julia Roberts, whose role opposite Richard Gere in 1990's Pretty Woman shot her to fame, even at age 37 is proving she can still make hearts pound in "Dreamgirl," the newest video from the Dave Matthews Band.
"I just needed the work," Roberts joked to MTV.com in an August 18 article.
In fact, Roberts is a longtime fan and friend of Dave Matthews, and the video marked a chance for the two to work together.
The Band hardly needs an A-list actress to attract listeners, however. DMB's current tour has been at #1 for at least a month. With 24 cities reporting, concerts are averaging 30,624 fans paying an average of $43.92 per ticket, for a per-concert average gross of $1,344,865, according to Gary Bongiovanni of concert tracking magazine Pollstar.
"It looks like Dave's having a good year," he deadpans.
While DMB is a "huge headline attraction," Bongiovanni says, there are still bigger rock stars.
"I don't know that I'd put them in the same league as Paul McCartney, the Stones, or U2," he says. The Stones, he points out, can gross as much as $8 million per show. But that huge number is thanks to ticket prices as high as $400 in some locations. The higher gross, therefore, "doesn't mean at the end of the day that [DMB] won't play to more people," he says.
While DMB's own fame is already strong enough to sell out stadium shows that gross more than such icons as Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, Santana, and Sting, adding Roberts to the mix is sure to earn the video a few extra viewers and maybe make some new DMB fans in the process.
"Hopefully, having Julia in it will spike record sales a bit," Matthews teased to MTV.com.
In the video, Roberts– who, like Matthews, is married and the parent of twins– plays a woman in a dream sequence. As she is pursued by a faceless man, her surroundings change in sudden– and surreal– ways. One minute she's in a garden, the next she's facing a looming building; she hides in a pipe that becomes a clothes dryer, then sits on a park bench that turns into a church pew.
The members of DMB appear periodically throughout to guide her.
"The idea, originally, was there would be this dream and this woman stumbling through, being pursued by a group of people, which would be unusual for Julia," Matthews told MTV.com. "We thought, 'We could be those dark, creepy people,' and then, 'No, maybe we could separate ourselves, and be the characters helping her through the dream.'"
Although she and fiddler Boyd Tinsley share a kitchen, and although the Dave moves in for a kiss, it's bassist Stefan Lessard who gets to play Roberts' video hubby.
The video, which debuted on VH1 on August 15, can also be seen online at VH-1.com.
Julia Roberts is DMB's "Dreamgirl."


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Oryctolagus cuniculus
8 - 12 years
Depending on
species can be 2 - 20 pounds.
The average bunny weighs about 5 pounds.
The first evidence of rabbits dates back to 10 million years ago in France! (Yes! Ten MILLION!) The rabbit population slowly spread across Europe, and people began keeping them domestically in the 19th century. Rabbits became popular pets in the United States in the 1800s, and have been a favorite human companion ever since.
Rabbits are not rodents; they are lagomorphs, which is the order that includes rabbits, hares and pikas. Rabbits are prey animals, and their physical features are designed to detect danger. The eyes and ears are large, which allows for excellent sight and hearing. They have small front feet and large, powerful back legs and feet. The back legs are designed for explosive, quick bursts of speed in order to escape predators. The teeth of lagomorphs are "open-rooted" which means they grow continuously. The chewing and gnawing actions associated with healthy eating will wear the teeth down so they do not grow too long. Most people don't realize that rabbits have grinding teeth in the back of their mouths in addition to the visible front teeth. Over 40 breeds of domestic rabbit are recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders' Association Rabbits twitch their noses to expose all their highly sensitive scent receptors to the air, helping them to detect predators. When a rabbit's nose stops twitching, it's both very relaxed and secure in its surroundings, or it's asleep with its eyes open. A rabbit's ears represent about 10 percent of its body area. Aside from playing a critical role in the rabbit's acute sense of hearing, which is important in escaping predators, the big ears help the rabbit stay cool by dissipating body heat. Rabbits have excellent peripheral vision because their eyes are spread so far apart on their heads, but they cannot see food or fingers that are placed directly in front of them.
Rabbits are sweet, loving creatures. However, they are prey animals and this fact must be respected by the family. Being grabbed or picked up from over-head mimics a hungry hawk to a rabbit. Being held and cuddled is unnatural. Patience is required when bonding with a pet rabbit; you must earn its trust. Children must be supervised at all times when handling a rabbit, as the rabbit is very fragile. Teach your child how to properly pick up the rabbit and how to handle it safely.
Rabbits are very expressive creatures if you take the time to learn their language!! Some rabbit communication behavior includes:
Screaming: "I'm in danger or in much pain!"
Honking: "I'm interested in you sexually." (time to get bunny spayed or neutered)
Growling, snorting, hissing: "I am displeased."
Chin rubbing: Rabbits have scent glands in their chins Translation: "I mark you (or this item) as MINE!"
Lunging: "I'm angry and I don't like what you're doing!"
"Binky": this is a very acrobatic leap into the air combined with a dramatic kick of the back legs Translation: "I am deliriously happy!!"
Licking: a sign that you have been accepted and are deserving of affection Translation: "I like you; maybe even love you - if you're lucky."
Circling your feet: usually a sign that it's time to get your bunny spayed or neutered! This is a sign of courtship. If your bunny IS spayed or neutered, he or she may just want to play! Translation: "I'm so in love with you!!"
Tooth grinding: soft tooth grinding combined with a relaxed posture Translation: "I'm very content" Loud tooth grinding combined with a tense posture Translation: "I hurt"
Flopping suddenly over on side (no signs of distress): "I'm very content and relaxed!"
Herbivores Fresh hay should constitute the majority of your rabbit's diet, followed by fresh vegetables and then a plain pellet diet.
HAYS: Timothy, orchard grass, botanical hay, brome, oat hay. Alfalfa hay is best left for bunnies under 6 months of age.
PELLET: Commercially prepared timothy hay based rabbit diets containing approximately 12-14% protein and at least 18% fiber should be fed. A good quality plain pellet diet is best, as they offer a complete balanced diet. Diets that include seeds and treats may seem nicer for your pet, but many rabbits will only pick out the treats and not eat the pellets. This may result in malnutrition and obesity. Also, seeds can upset the delicate balance of the rabbit's gastro-intestinal tract, causing gas and discomfort. Corn can cause blockages. Feed ¼ cup to ½ cup. Do not feed alfalfa hay based pellets. These contain too much protein.
FRESH FOODS: Healthy, fresh vegetables should also be fed to your rabbit. Broccoli tops, beet greens, carrots and carrot tops, sweet peppers, parsley, and dandelion greens are good choices. Fresh fruits in SMALL quantities can be used as TREATS. Good choices are apples, pears and berries. If you find that your rabbit develops loose stools or diarrhea, you are probably feeding too much fresh food. If the diarrhea persists after reducing fresh food, see your exotic pet veterinarian immediately. BE SURE TO WASH FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THOROUGHLY BEFORE FEEDING THEM TO YOUR PET!!!
** Please Avoid: yogurt drops, honey/nut/seed sticks, chocolate, pasta, breads, crackers, cookies, breakfast cereals, any human grade treats, green beans, corn and citrus.
Since you will be feeding your rabbit a balanced diet, supplements are not necessary.
Clean, fresh chlorine-free water must always be available. Change it daily. All water given must be 100% free of chlorine and heavy metals. (Not all home water filtration systems remove 100% of the chlorine and heavy metals from tap water). We recommend that you use unflavored bottled drinking water or bottled natural spring water; never use untreated tap water. If tap water is used, you should treat it with a de-chlorinating treatment. De-chlorinator is available in the fish department. If you do not want to chemically de-chlorinate the water, you can leave an open container of tap water out for at least 24 hours. Do not use distilled water, which can cause severe medical problems, since it lacks minerals that are essential to important body functions.
Rabbits naturally (even in the wild) tend to urinate and defecate in one certain area of their "domain". This is a way of marking territory. You can use this natural behavior to your advantage by training your bunny to use a litter box in order to keep the bunny cage cleaner. Cat litters tend to be irritating to rabbit eyes and some can create health problems in rabbits, so recycled newspaper pellets such as "Yesterday's News", wood-stove pellets and "Carefresh" are most recommended.
Use a system of rewarding for good behavior, not scolding for incorrect behavior. Place your rabbit's litter-box in a place where she usually eliminates already, making it easy for her to succeed. If your rabbit defecates outside the box, place the feces into the litter-box to establish the scent in the box.
Place food items (apple, a treat of alfalfa hay) into the box to encourage the bunny to spend time there. There is no danger in your rabbit sitting or sleeping in the box, the more time spent in and defecating in the box, the better trained he or she will become. Don't be worried that the litter box is too big. Many rabbits will naturally spend time in it anyway.
It is extremely important to spay or neuter your pet bunny; it should be considered just as important as spaying or neutering a pet dog or cat. Spaying or neutering your bunny will extend its healthy lifetime. By altering your pet, the risk of reproductive cancers is reduced, aggressive behavior is reduced, urine spraying is reduced and the ability to litter train becomes easier.
Also, by spaying or neutering your pet bunny, there is a reduced risk of contributing to the over-population of pet rabbits.
|Wire sided cage at least 4' x 2' x 2' for one average sized rabbit; 6' x 3' x 3' for two average sized rabbits.
|Pelleted, timothy based commercial rabbit food & timothy hay, orchard grass, botanical hay or any combination. Alfalfa hay and pellets are only appropriate for rabbits under 6 months of age.
|Several toys - chewable wood and cardboard and bunny-safe plastic.
|Shredded aspen bedding, "Carefresh", or newspaper for the bottom of the cage. NO PINE OR CEDAR SHAVINGS.
|Hide houses - wooden or cardboard.
|Heavy ceramic crock food bowl, rabbits will flip or chew a light plastic bowl.
|Water bottle or bowl
|Playpen - for safe out-of-cage playtime.
|Litter box - choose a different substrate for the litter box than what covers the bottom of the cage. DO NOT USE PINE OR CEDAR SHAVINGS IN A LITTER BOX.
|A good rabbit care book And access to rabbit.org
A wire-sided cage measuring at least 4' x 2' x 2' is a good size cage for one rabbit. Be sure the cage has good ventilation and a solid bottom.
GLASS ENCLOSURES SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR RABBITS; they are highly susceptible to heat stroke and glass cages hold in to much heat and humidity for a rabbit. Cages should have a solid bottom, for safety and for ease of cleaning.
When allowing your rabbit out of cage time, be sure to monitor closely. Do not allow your rabbit to roam the house or a room when he or she is not supervised. Injuries to both the rabbit and/or your house are imminent. Before allowing your rabbit supervised play time, scan the room for power cords, sharp objects, items that your rabbit can easily pick up and eat, and other items that may be a danger to your pet.
HIDE HOUSE: The hide house is extremely important to the rabbit. Rabbits can be very shy creatures with a strong flight instinct; they are prey animals. It is very important to supply them with a protected place to hide.
WATER BOTTLE: A full water bottle must be available at all times, refill it daily. Be sure to clean out the inside of the bottle thoroughly during the more intensive cage cleaning sessions every week. Water bottles will often become slimy inside, which will in turn harbor harmful bacteria. Clean the bottle thoroughly with a mild bleach solution (1 bleach:32 water). Be sure to rinse the bottle extremely well after the cleaning to ensure no bleach is left behind! Your pet will most likely chew a bottle inside the cage, so be sure to attach the bottle to the OUTSIDE of the cage. Check the straw daily for any blockages to make sure your pet always has access to the fresh water. If you cannot place the bottle on the outside of the cage, purchase a metal water bottle guard. This will keep him or her from getting to the bottle.
BEDDING:We recommend an aspen bedding or soft recycled newspaper bedding such as "Carefresh". Neither of these choices will cause allergic reactions or respiratory distress and it is easy to clean. DO NOT use cedar chips, as they contain dangerous phenols, which are toxic to your pet. Place enough bedding in the cage so your pet can happily tunnel underneath it. Spot clean your pet's cage daily by simply removing the soiled portions of bedding.
TOYS: Several types of toys should be available for your rabbit. Chewing toys such as wooden small mammal toys (available at the pet store), hide houses, cardboard boxes, paper towel tubes and dried untreated fruit tree branches are all excellent toys for your pig. Rabbits MUST chew constantly in order to wear their teeth down, which grow on a continual basis. Therefore, toys that allow the rabbit to chew are invaluable. Stick to toys bought at the pet store, as these are generally made of pet-safe materials. Pesticide-free, dried fruit tree braches, such as pear and apple, can be offered, but be absolutely sure they are pesticide free. Also, wash them well with water and friction before offering them to your pet.
Daily maintenance should consist of spot cleaning by removing soiled substrate, cleaning water bowl and litter box thoroughly and wiping glass clean.
The entire cage should be cleaned thoroughly at least once every week with:
It is not necessary to clean or bathe your rabbit. They are extremely neat and will groom themselves! If it seems as if your rabbit has not been grooming him or herself, he may be ill. Contact your exotic pet veterinarian. Regular brushing, especially during shedding, is essential, as rabbits cannot vomit up excess hair ingested while grooming.
Healthy rabbits have a rounded, full body and smooth, even fur with no bald patches. The nostrils, rump area, under-chin area, ears and eyes should be clear and free of discharge - fur should not be damp or stained in any way. Your pet should have bright eyes; teeth should be even and well aligned with no staining around the chin; breathing should be even and not labored, with no wheezing or gurgling sounds. Healthy rabbits are energetic and alert.
We recommend physical exams every year with an exotic pet veterinarian for small mammals. If your vet sees your pet regularly, many common conditions that afflict your pet can be caught and treated early. If not caught early enough or if left untreated, many of these conditions can become far worse if not fatal.
HEALTH ISSUE:SYMPTOMS:TREATMENT:Gastro-intestinal upset
"GI stasis"
|Lethargy, not eating, feces small in size or non-existent, gurgling belly sounds
|See your exotic veterinarian IMMEDIATELY, disease runs its course quickly. Vet will administer sub-q fluids and motility agents +/- antibiotics.
|Loss of hair, bare spots on skin or small red sores; scratching, "dandruff"
|See your exotic veterinarian immediately. Infecting mite must be identified and treated accordingly.
|Traumatic injury
|Obvious open wounds or weeping spots on body
|See your exotic veterinarian for treatment. Cuts must be cleaned properly and antibiotics may be necessary
|Abscesses can form when wounds become infected and close up, trapping the bacteria inside.
|See your exotic veterinarian immediately. The abscess must be drained and antibiotics administered.
|Upper Respiratory Infection
|Nasal or eye discharge, sneezing, wet front paws
|See your exotic pet veterinarian.
|Dental issues
|Drooling, not eating, pawing at mouth, scant stools
|See your exotic pet veterinarian.
Please visit the House Rabbit Society website: rabbit.org for more in-depth information on pet rabbits!!
©2012 Evan J. Reed DVM and Dawn M. Trainor-Scalise Courtesy of: Specialized Care for Avian & Exotic Pets In conjunction with Pet Supplies Plus 10882 Main Street, Clarence, NY 14031 Ph (716) 759-0144 www.buffalobirdnerd.com


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