text:
NEW YORK -- How timely the award of the Nobel prize in economics for research on how information and the lack of it can affect markets. In stocks, for example, the lack is almost unprecedented.
''We have focused our eyes and ears on the opinions offered by some of the sharpest financial and economic minds in the world,'' says Gerald Perritt, himself one of the sharper analytical minds in the business.
''However,'' he concludes, ''we know that none of these people actually know what the future will behold.''
Ultimately, says Jim Griffin, economist with Aeltus Investment Management, ''it gets back to faith after all, even for hardheaded analysts.'' Sept. 11, he adds, ''was and is a challenge to that faith.''
That faith is based in the historical record showing the U.S. stock market always rises from the worst of times, often reaching a joyous peak that elicits comments about it being the best of times.
The ''best of times'' for most of today's investors are of recent, painful memory, having occurred just a couple or so years ago, and faith is being tested as it never has since World War II.
But for those of great faith, rays of hope can be spotted in a flood of investment commentary, most of which typically and adroitly avoids taking an unequivocal stand, one from which there is no retreat.
While urging caution, and as usual limiting himself to facts, Perritt, editor and publisher of ''Gerald Perritt's Mutual Fund Letter,'' does take special note that investors have about $2 trillion ''sitting'' in cash.
''During times of financial turmoil,'' he says, ''it pays to sit on your hands.'' But as the economy begins to improve, which many economists expect will be next year, he expects much of that money will return to stocks.
Meanwhile, writing in ''The Babson Staff Letter,'' analyst Lance James refers to the recent return to leadership of small-cap stocks as ''heartening and justified'' in spite of the so many doubts overhanging the market.
The resurrection of smaller stocks has tended to be overlooked amid the collapse of so many larger issues, but it is measurably real and likely to continue. That's the history of so-called small-caps: When they start moving up, they continue rising for a run of several years.
Small-caps did well from 1979 through 1983, and for more than three years beinning in 1991. But by the turn of the century, James states, the small-caps suffered from an unprecedented bias for larger stocks.
Then, as the overall market began its plunge, the smaller companies began their ascension, an event unsighted by many smaller investors still licking their wounds and, importantly, lacking investment information.
These companies, explains James, are ''less adept at providing information to investors.'' You may have to do your own research. But it is this very lack of information that makes that homework pay off -- and big.
Larger investors, and the institutions that provide them with information, generally concentrate their efforts on large-capitalization companies on which there is already a glut of information.
Moreover, institutional investors deal in investment sums too large to be accommodated by the smaller companies.
Still, small companies often grow, and information about them spreads, and then the big investors move in.
In short, the lack of information, especially today, can give small investors in small-cap stocks an advantage over the big guys.
This article published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, October 12, 2001.
© 2016. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


text:
Voting in the 2007 Weblog Awards has been open for the last week or so. ProBlogger is up for an award in the Best Business Blog if you choose to give us a little vote love (although we've given the competition a decent head start!
Go Aussies! Congratulations Darren. I expect Problogger voting will commence furiously. Don't forget – you can vote daily for the next week.
I would always vote for problogger :)
+1 for ProBlogger!
Keep up the great work here!
Need I say this…
I voted for you, Darren.
I voted for you Darren! I'm in the running for Best Individual blogger! (and wouldn't mind a little love myself.)
I just voted for you, but you are a fair way behind! but I doubt it will be for long…
I'm getting mine handed to me by Cuba in the Best Latino, Caribbean, South American Blog category but there's hope yet :-)
I will vote for you Daren as soon as graphic loads (for some reason it's just blank at the moment, this happened in my category yesterday) and I will vote again, once a day, every day. I just voted for Deb and will vote for her once a day as well.
Good luck!
I voted too!
Good Luck. I see there is still some time to get the word out so if you want to see Problogger win, GET THE WORD OUT!
Render unto Caesar
I voted for you, but you're way behind in the polls.
With all of the great advice I get from your site – You have my vote every 24 hours.
Voted again today!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Sediment management
Drowning Barriers
Florida Red Tides
Decision-support for coastal and marine spatial planning
Managing Ocean Zoning
Ecosystem-Based Management
Maine Red Tide
Toward sustainable urban estuaries in the anthropocene
Chant R, Geyer R, Parsons G, Quirk T, Ralston D, Sommerfield C
We are concerned with the characterization of sustainable paths for urbanized estuaries in the United States, focusing on the Delaware and Hudson (including New York Harbor, Raritan Bay, Newark Bay and associated sub-estuaries). These two estuaries differ significantly in their environmental characteristics and distributions of ecosystem services. Thus, although both are located in the same geographical region, the ranges of physical and socio-economic features will enable us to learn much about potential differences in sustainability trajectories. Examinations of the physical processes will lead to the application of dynamical models that represent the hydrodynamic processes and morphological evolution of the estuarine environments. Socio-economic analyses will provide a quantification of the ecosystem services under past, present, and predicted future states of the natural-human system. The culmination of the research will be coupled models of natural-human state trajectories, quantifying feedbacks between human actions to alter the estuarine regimes, the physical responses of the systems, and the changes in values of altered ecosystem services. Some key issues that we will address in developing this framework are: 1) to define the relevant and appropriate nature-human scale for determining the sustainable management of an urban estuary; and 2) to identify a decision framework that permits the assessment of socio-economic values across generations such that alternative predictive outcomes can be compared and ordered in terms of their sustainability.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
All rights reserved


text:
- News
- Business
- Sports
- Entertainment
- Lifestyle
- Health
- Travel
- Technology
What are the different types of meditation? And how do you know what type will suit you best?
Loretta Veney remembers with perfect clarity the moment the word "dementia" was spoken by her mother's doctor in 2006
After family members of the man who attacked a crowd in the French city of Nice said he suffered from depression, questions have been raised again about...


text:
Sports MVP
posted by July 10 at 21:08 PMon
On the day word comes out of his re-signing with the Mariners, Ichiro went 3-3 and hit the first inside the park homerun in All-Star Game history. Oh, and he was named MVP of the game too.
Enjoy that 2008 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, Ichiro. Way to put on a show.


text:
The breakfast meeting will take place at 7:30 a.m. at Pine Hill Middle School, 2147 McElmurray Road in Hephzibah.
The purpose is to discuss and finalize the school system's priorities for the 2012 legislative session.
Also Tuesday, the school board's Pay As You Go Committee will meet at 4 p.m. in the board conference room on the first floor of the district administration building, 864 Broad St.
The agenda includes technology priorities and recommendations and a transportation proposal, as well as discussion on the district's purchasing department and a presentation by Jeff Pullium, the media specialist at John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School.


text:
New Procedure May Aid Stubborn High Blood Pressure »
"Dec. 18, 2012 -- People who can't get their high blood pressure down with drugs may be helped by a new procedure that deactivates overactive nerves in the kidneys, a small study shows.
The procedure is already available in Europe and "...
Read the New Procedure May Aid Stubborn High Blood Pressure article »
Patients receiving Remodulin should be given the following information: Remodulin is infused continuously through a subcutaneous or surgically placed indwelling central venous catheter, via an infusion pump. Patients receiving intravenous infusion should use an infusion set with an inline filter. Therapy with Remodulin will be needed for prolonged periods, possibly years, and the patient's ability to accept and care for a catheter and to use an infusion pump should be carefully considered. In order to reduce the risk of infection, aseptic technique must be used in the preparation and administration of Remodulin. Additionally, patients should be aware that subsequent disease management may require the initiation of an alternative intravenous prostacyclin therapy, Flolan (epoprostenol sodium).
Last reviewed on RxList: 2/5/2016
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.
Remodulin FDA Prescribing Information
Additional Remodulin Information
Remodulin - User Reviews
Remodulin User Reviews
Now you can gain knowledge and insight about a drug treatment with Patient Discussions.
Here is a collection of user reviews for the medication Remodulin sorted by most helpful.
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Get tips on handling your hypertension.


text:
Convictions upheld on man who tried to kill wife
Published: Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 4:07 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 4:07 p.m.
On Tuesday, the court upheld the conviction on a Polk County man who attempted to kill his wife in 2007. The North Carolina Court of Appeals unanimously upheld the convictions and prison sentence of James Walter Parker. Parker, 51, was convicted in Polk County Superior Court on Dec. 19, 2008 of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious bodily injury.
Parker repeatedly threatened to kill his wife, Bridget Kelly, because he thought she was having an affair. On Dec. 29, 2007, Parker confronted his wife while she delivered Christmas presents to her parents' home.
He stabbed her multiple times with a butcher knife while she was unarmed and was trying to escape.
Parker stabbed her in the face and back while he threatened to kill her.
When police arrived, Kelly was bleeding profusely from her head and back.
Parker admitted he stabbed her to prevent her from leaving the house and going to her parents' home.
Parker was sentenced to 20 years and 9 months in the North Carolina Department of Corrections. His expected release date is Dec. 22, 2027.
District Attorney Jeff Hunt said, "Defendant Parker's criminal acts in this case represent a pattern of domestic abuse and violence which nearly resulted in Ms. Kelly's murder." Hunt further said: "We will continue to give high priority to cases involving domestic violence here in Prosecutorial District 29B."
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.
Comments are currently unavailable on this article


text:
Get creative with our Terracotta Brick Corrugated Paper!
Terracotta Brick Corrugated Paper is a creative way to decorate your event. Each roll of this paper is 4 feet x 25 feet. Use our patterned corrugated paper to create sturdy decorative items to complement your theme!
Please allow ample time for delivery. Our ship date for this product is noted in your shopping cart. Many items are shipped separately, so please allow extra time for these items to arrive. Shipping charges are based on the value of the merchandise and not the number of shipments. For additional shipping information, contact our Customer Service Department at (email@example.com or 1-800-227-2789).
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®by PowerReviews
Best Uses
Reviewed by 7 customers
Best Uses
I had a Harry Potter Baby Shower for my daughter and used this to cover the front door and make a fireplace for the Hogwarts Letters to burst out of. I used wire to attach the letters and then pushed them through the corrugated cardboard. The front door was applied with 2 sided tape and was easy to remove afterwards. It was a huge success.
Service and delivery comments:
Delivered as promised in plenty of time. Came intact with no issues.
Best Uses
I used this product in a play production. The corrugated paper was wrapped and stapled around shipping pallets to create the illusion of brick walls -- when completed, the result was very convincing brick walls. The corrugated paper is lightweight, easy to cut, and staple. The only downfall is that the paper does rip fairly easily on the corrugated ridges, making folding and forming the paper a bit tricky. Overall, I would definitely recommend this product -- the price and quality were both good values.
Best Uses
We used this to make the buildings for our town square in our church's children's play. The color and quality were great. This was a lot easier and faster to use than the vinyl. The texture gave a realistic appearance. The paper was durable and I believe we will get several uses out of it. I made windows to tape to the front and was able to pull off and readjust. All in all, I hope this fits in the budget more often.
Best Uses
I used this as a covering for flats in a backdrop. It was incredibly realistic.
Best Uses
I'm making brick buildings from 7 x 7 corrugated boxes and covering them with the brick corrugated cardboard, adding black poster board as the roof.
looked great on stage easy to use
Best Uses
We ordered a brick background to put on a set of screens for a play. It is a really inexpensive set that reads well on stage. Super easy to put up, no painting! While not ultra durable, we will be able to re use it no doubt.
Do you have questions about this product?
Get answers from real customers and in-house experts with AnswerBox.
Q:How do you put it on wall? Glue? Staples? Tape?
1 answer
A:This is corrugated paper so it depends on the type of wall you are wanting to attach this to in order to determine what to use to adhere it.
Q:Are the ridges in the paper on the back side or the printed brick side? Thanks!
1 answer
A:The ridges in the paper are on the printed side.
Q:Would it be possible to paint over the brick wall corrugated paper. We want to create a graffiti wall and want to either paint or glue picture over the paper. Will that work ?
1 answer
A:Yes, that will work for your needs!
1 answer
A:The bricks run horizontally as shown on the roll. The roll is 4 feet high and 25 feet long so as you unroll the corrugated paper it will look as shown in the photo.


text:
0 ReviewsWrite a Review
Write a review for a chance to win a $1,000 gift card. See details.
Kork-Ease 'Deborah' Sandal
Product not available
Have questions?
Chat with us or call 1.888.282.6060.
HideDetails & Care
Buttery-soft, vegetable-dyed leather sculpts a clog-inspired sandal with a cushioned latex footbed designed for all-day comfort.
- Adjustable ankle strap with buckle closure and inset elastic.
- Approx. heel height: 3 1/4" with 1" platform (comparable to a 2 1/4" heel).
- Leather upper and lining/rubber and leather sole.
- By Kork-Ease; imported.
- Women's Shoes.
Kork-Ease 'Deborah' Sandal
Write a Review0 Reviews
Write a review for a chance to win a $1,000 gift card. See details.
Enter a valid first name.
Enter a valid last name.
Enter a valid email address in the format: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Close modal


text:
What's been going on around the National League in the past week? Tristan H. Cockcroft takes a quick-hitting look at the news and notes for each of the 16 NL teams:
National League East
Atlanta Braves: Brian McCann, who has a bone spur in his left ankle, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution this past Friday that offseason surgery is a possibility. He severely sprained the ankle last season and injured it again early this year, and might require a minor arthroscopic procedure. Any such operation wouldn't affect McCann's status for spring training, though it'd make him a bit safer bet for 2008 in the health department. ... Edgar Renteria was activated from the DL this past Friday, and he started each of the Braves' past three games, batting second. There was some concern that he would be limited to pinch-hitting duties playing at less than 100 percent, and his 2-for-11 (.182) performance since returning backs up that idea. Renteria's owners should continue to monitor his progress the next few days, as he might hurt your team more than help it until he gets himself back to full health. Remember, the last time he attempted an early return, on Aug. 22, he re-injured himself in his first plate appearance.
Florida Marlins: Cody Ross has quietly snuck into the everyday center field role for the Marlins, starting each of the team's past seven games there, six of them against right-handers. He had long been a quality platoon mate against left-handers, batting .388 with a .483 on-base percentage and .776 slugging percentage this season, .293/.362/.641 for his career, but his .304/.375/.587 rates against right-handers this year back up the idea of him playing regularly. Ross is batting .400 (12-for-30) with two homers in eight games since joining the starting lineup, and is well worth an NL-only addition. ... Citing his healthy number of innings pitched between the majors and minors this season, the Marlins shut down Rick VandenHurk for the year on Monday. The right-hander tossed 53 2/3 innings for Double-A Carolina, 12 for Triple-A Albuquerque and 81 2/3 for the Marlins this season, for a total of 147 2/3, or 122 2/3 more than he threw in 2006 when he was working his way back from Tommy John surgery. VandenHurk wasn't an effective pitcher in his limited time with the Marlins, but he's a decent prospect with a chance at a career as a No. 3/4 starter. Expect him to begin the 2008 season in Triple-A ball, though.
New York Mets: Carlos Delgado has been sidelined since Sept. 4 with a strained right hip flexor, and Newsday reports he probably won't return until at least next Monday's game at the Nationals. Jeff Conine and Shawn Green have been used in a strict platoon at first base in Delgado's absence, an arrangement that should continue until Delgado's healthy return. That helps boost Lastings Milledge's value; with Green at first base Milledge has been starting every game in right field except those against tough right-handers, such as the Astros' Roy Oswalt this past Sunday. As a near full-timer, Milledge warrants NL-only consideration, and he's especially attractive in leagues that allow daily transactions. He hits left-handers at .327/.377/.551 rates, and should be activated anytime the Mets face a lefty. As for Milledge's future, it'll be interesting to see what the Mets do with him during the winter. He could be a candidate to be traded, but more likely, with the Mets sporting corner outfielders who will each be aged 35 or older next Opening Day (Green and Moises Alou), Milledge could get a chance at an everyday role in the spring.
Philadelphia Phillies: Cole Hamels (strained left elbow) played catch for the third consecutive day Monday, and the Phillies hope he'll be able to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the Phillies hope Hamels will be able to return to make three more starts this season, something that can only happen if he returns to the rotation by Sept. 20. The team's standing in the playoff race will have a lot to do with the left-hander's usage the rest of the year; he'll probably be shut down if the team gets eliminated in the wild-card race (the Phillies were 1 1/2 games back of the Padres entering Tuesday's action). Hamels' keeper owners, though, could rest easier if he's shut down, since that'd mean a longer period of rest to prepare him for a healthy start to 2008.
Washington Nationals: Wily Mo Pena swatted two more home runs on Monday, giving him seven in his first 21 games as a member of the Nationals. He has started 19 of the Nationals' 22 contests since his trade from the Boston Red Sox, each of those in left field, and looks like a strong bet to begin the 2008 season as the starter there as well. Pena is batting .264 (19-for-72) with 13 RBIs for the Nationals, though his 20 strikeouts are a concern. He's an all-or-nothing type with the power to succeed despite calling pitching-friendly RFK Stadium his home, and don't forget, the Nationals move into the new Nationals Park in 2008, meaning the ballpark factor should change. Pena is a useful NL-only and deep-mixed option the rest of this year and a sleeper for 2008, though he'll be prone to slumps and probably be a bit risky in the batting-average category.
National League Central
Chicago Cubs: So much for the idea of a six-man rotation. Manager Lou Piniella on Monday mapped out his rotation through Sept. 20 for the Chicago Tribune, and it calls for several instances of pitchers working on three days' rest. Steve Trachsel will pitch Thursday at the Astros on three days' rest, Carlos Zambrano will pitch Friday at the Cardinals and then Sept. 18 against the Reds on three days' rest, and Ted Lilly will pitch Saturday at the Cardinals and then Sept. 19 against the Reds on three days' rest. Sean Marshall will also make a spot start in Saturday's doubleheader at the Cardinals, though it's possible neither he nor Trachsel will make another start after this week. Cubs pitchers do face decent matchups the rest of the season, but working on three days' rest does decrease their chances at standout outings. For example, Trachsel is 1-3 with a 6.04 ERA in five career starts on three days' rest, Lilly lasted only 4 1/3 innings and allowed seven hits the only time he ever did it and Zambrano has never done it. Temper your expectations.
Cincinnati Reds: Joey Votto has quickly established himself as a player who needs to play regularly in his brief time since being promoted from Triple-A Louisville on Sept. 4. He went 3-for-3 with a home run against the Mets in his first career start on Sept. 5, his first of four consecutive starts during which he hit safely in each game and batted .538 (7-for-13) with two homers and six RBIs overall. Votto, who had appeared in 40 games as a left fielder for Louisville, instead has played strictly first base for the Reds, relegating Scott Hatteberg to a little-used bench role. Expect that arrangement to continue, making Votto a worthy pickup even in deep mixed formats. He finished the Triple-A season batting .294 with 22 homers, 92 RBIs and 17 stolen bases on 133 games, and as a prime candidate for Rookie of the Year honors in 2008 could be a five-category fantasy contributor.
Houston Astros: Wandy Rodriguez, a home sensation who has struggled on the road all season, will miss his scheduled start on Wednesday due to a thumb injury. The Houston Chronicle reports that he has received treatment since Saturday, and that the thumb could explain his struggles this past Friday, when he allowed five runs on six hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings at the Mets. With that loss Rodriguez is now 2-10 with a 7.31 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in 14 road starts this season, compared to 6-3 with a 2.54 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 14 home starts. Once he returns, keep playing the matchups based on those numbers, and note that the Astros do play 12 of their final 19 games at Minute Maid Park. Troy Patton, who has a 3.55 ERA and 1.11 in two starts and one relief appearance, will step in for Rodriguez on Wednesday. Patton should get a long look for a rotation spot in the spring, and could be an NL-only sleeper if he breaks camp with the team.
Milwaukee Brewers: Claudio Vargas was activated from the DL on Sunday, though he won't immediately be inserted into the rotation. Instead, the right-hander will pitch in middle relief, limiting his fantasy value. Despite the Brewers' problems with their rotation the past couple months, they're content to go with Carlos Villanueva and Yovani Gallardo in their final two spots. Villanueva has pitched effectively in each of his three spot starts this season, and for his career he now has a 3.42 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and .244 BAA in nine starts. He's worth considering based on the matchup in NL-only and deep-mixed formats. Gallardo, meanwhile, has rebounded from back-to-back poor outings to post a 3-1 record and 2.74/1.30/.256 numbers in his last four starts. Still, the worry with the rookie is his workload; he has pitched 162 innings (84 1/3 for the Brewers, 77 2/3 for Triple-A Nashville) this season. Gallardo should be fine to use the rest of the year, but the more innings he accumulates on his arm, the more likely he could disappoint in 2008.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Jason Bay left this past Saturday's game with tendonitis in his right knee, though an MRI Monday revealed no damage. He should be back in the next couple days, though it'd have been convenient to blame his struggles this season on that if it had been his left knee, the one on which he had surgery last winter. Bay has lost 33 points on his batting average and 173 points on his OPS from a year ago this season, an odd development for a player aged 28 and seemingly in his prime. He should be better in 2008, though a return to his All-Star form of 2005-06 would be about his ceiling. ... Ryan Doumit's season is over after he sprained his ankle this past Saturday. With .274/.341/.472 final numbers and catcher eligibility under his belt, Doumit made himself a decent NL-only No. 2 catcher consideration for 2008, though his durability might limit him to a part-time role next year once again. He's seemingly a bit too brittle to handle the everyday catching chores, and not productive enough to man first base or a corner outfield spot.
St. Louis Cardinals: Chris Duncan might be out for the season after aggravating what the team described Sunday as a sports hernia, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He returned to St. Louis to be examined and for possible surgery after being in noticeable pain while striking out as a pinch hitter Sunday. Such a development could help explain Duncan's terrible cold spell; he was batting .169 (15-for-89) with one homer and 37 strikeouts in 37 games since Aug. 1. He should be fine for spring training, though he's still too much a platoon type, struggling against left-handers, to be keeper-worthy. ... Mark Mulder returned from shoulder surgery on Sept. 5, getting shelled for six runs on eight hits in four innings of work against the Pirates. He's a long way from recapturing the form that made him a 21-game winner in 2001, or even a 16-game winner in his first season with the Cardinals in 2005, though it's good for fantasy that he made it back to the team this year. That'll make Mulder a more likely bet to be at full health by Opening Day next season, though he'll need a strong spring to be anything more than an NL-only option.
National League West
Arizona Diamondbacks: Orlando Hudson underwent season-ending surgery Monday to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, suffered this past Wednesday. He should be fine for spring training, not that he's a prime keeper, but should be about as productive a player in 2008 as he was in 2007. With Hudson sidelined, Alberto Callaspo, a .341 hitter in 59 games for Triple-A Tucson, albeit with little power (5 homers) or speed (1 steal), should get the bulk of the at-bats at second base and be a decent NL-only middle-infield fill-in. ... Bob Wickman signed with the D-backs this past Friday, but don't bother with him in fantasy. The D-backs have better late-inning options and he's ineligible for the postseason roster, meaning his role will be primarily to ease some of the strain on the team's younger setup men. ... Edgar Gonzalez becomes the latest to occupy the D-backs' fifth-starter role, and while he'll likely be skipped as off days allow, he might have a bit of NL-only matchups value. Keep in mind he's 5-5 with a 3.84 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 13 starts filling in as the D-backs have needed since the beginning of last year.
Colorado Rockies: Willy Taveras is probably done for the season after aggravating his right quadriceps injury this past Saturday. The Rocky Mountain News reports he had an MRI exam on Monday, and the Rockies are comparing it to the one he had after he initially strained the quadriceps on June 29. If Taveras' season is indeed finished, he offered respectable numbers when healthy, with a .320 batting average and 33 stolen bases in 97 games. Unfortunately, with most of his value coming in the steals category, he's not too useful a keeper outside of NL-only formats. ... Kazuo Matsui has been out since Saturday with a strained right hamstring, an injury the News reports will cost him another three or four games. Since most of his value is tied up in the stolen base category, wait to see him back in the lineup for a healthy game or two before you consider activating him. After all, despite his .291 full-season batting average, Matsui is hitting only .269 (47-for-175) with 14 steals and 33 runs scored in 46 games since the All-Star break.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Like Cody Ross with the Marlins, Matt Kemp has slowly emerged as a near-regular of late. He has starts in six straight games in right field, three of them against right-handers, and has 19 starts in the Dodgers' last 25 contests. Again, like Ross, Kemp hits left-handers exceptionally well, with .367/.416/.544 rates against them this year, though he has been productive against right-handers, too, with .323/.350/.523 numbers. Andre Ethier, meanwhile, is only a .289/.360/.465 hitter against right-handers, slightly less productive than Kemp. Don't be surprised if the Dodgers get Kemp into the lineup on a more regular basis to finish the season, particularly if they fall out of the playoff race. After all, with his performance this year, Kemp seems fairly likely to open the 2008 season as an everyday player. He's a strong NL-only keeper consideration.
San Diego Padres: Marcus Giles returned from the DL this past Sunday, going 2-for-3 at Colorado's Coors Field in his first game back. Don't let that outing fool you, though; he's probably going to sit more often in favor of Geoff Blum, a .256/.324/.387 hitter against right-handers, against tough righties the rest of the season. Giles warrants NL-only middle-infield consideration, but like he was last year with the Braves, he has been an incredible disappointment this season. With him turning 30 next May, one has to wonder whether it gets much better than this for Giles. ... The Padres signed Brett Tomko on Sept. 4 for the remainder of the season, adding bullpen depth but also giving them some rotation insurance in case Chris Young's back keeps acting up or they need him to make some spot starts out of the No. 5 hole. Tomko isn't a fantasy factor, especially not with a 5.77 lifetime ERA at Petco Park, but it's not unthinkable he could be an NL-only matchups consideration facing a weak offense in a home game (Pirates, perhaps, next week?).
San Francisco Giants: Noah Lowry's season is probably over due to a strained left elbow. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that an MRI exam revealed only a mild strain and no structural damage, ruling out Tommy John surgery, but with the Giants out of the playoff race, they have no reason to push one of their better young starters. Lowry finishes with a career-high 14 wins and a respectable 3.92 ERA, even if his walk rate (5.02 per nine) is disturbingly high. He's not much more than an NL-only or mixed-league matchups option, and should be that yet again in 2008, especially with the Giants unlikely to be much more competitive than they were this season. With Lowry out, Jonathan Sanchez should be assured a spot in the Giants' rotation the remainder of the season.
Tristan H. Cockcroft covers fantasy sports for ESPN.com. You can e-mail him here.


text:
The Steelers defeated the Chiefs 38-18 in the U of M, Crookston's Youth NFL Flag Football Super Bowl VI Monday night at Ed Widseth Field. The Steelers, a team from Fertile, Minn., earned the league title over 10 other teams that had representatives from 15 towns in the area surrounding Crookston. The Steelers were coached by baseball player Jeremiah Friday (So., Rush City, Minn.) and football player Richard Haley (Sr., Detroit, Mich.)
The Golden Eagle athletic teams all came out in support of the two Youth NFL Football teams as they battled for the Super Bowl crown. The event is one of UMC's biggest community-engagement events during the 2012-13 season.
The Steelers will receive their trophies during half-time of this Saturday's UMC football game at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N.D. against University of Mary. After the half-time presentation of trophies, a pizza party will be thrown for the team in one of the rooms off of the football field. All members of the Steelers will get into the game free Saturday. All questions regarding this weekend should be directed Natasha Reierson at 281-8423.
Location, ST | website.com


text:
As a UX contractor, much of my work is under non disclosure agreements. In order to document and present user flows in my portfolio, what's the best way to show examples without risking confidential information?
Unless the flows themselves are patented, you should be able to generalize everything by stripping out all the client's information to add to your portfolio. Wireframes and such should be allowed at the very least.
Once you have that done it is best to confirm with the client that what you are posting to the public is acceptable. At times they may request that you don't make it available publically (on a website) but you are ok to submit it as references to your work upon demand.


text:
Vinyl Dock Wheels
Smooth rolling wheels offer substantial dock cushioning and feature molded-in valves to adjust the level of firmness. Heavy-duty hot dipped galvanized hardware mounts securely to the dock. 12" and 18" wheels use a large 2" diameter axle housing for maximum strength.
This product ships in 1 business day.
Add to Cart and enter your Postal Code to determine the shipping charges and estimated delivery date.
Most products and orders leave our warehouse in 1 business day. However, select items may take more processing time. Alaska and Hawaii orders please add 1 additional warehouse processing day.
Standard Shipping Policies


text:
Wasini Luxury Homes is an apartment complex consisting of 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom fully serviced apartments. The complex is run like a hotel, though most of the guests seem to be relatively long term. I'm sure Wasini was great when it was new, but it seems to have been poorly maintained and is quite unclean. Literally one of those places that just seems they haven't sunk a dime into it since it was built. The staff is very nice, though not thoroughly trained, and try to be as helpful as they know how. This complex is much better suited to long term stays than it is for the average tourist staying a night or two. If you fall into the latter category, a stay at Tribe will leave you much more satisfied.
However, if you are in Nairobi for business for a month or more, then you may want to give Wasini a look - the spacious apartments with full kitchens will appeal to you.
LOCATION - Wasini is on a quiet sidestreet consisting mostly of apartments, near the upscale area of Westlands, though not as near as the website makes you think. It's only a 250 Ksh cab ride there though. Nothing really within walking distance, and ask the gate guards for a taxi rather than the front desk if you want one within a half hour. Traffic from the airport is terrible, so if you're arriving at rush hour, you will want to stay at an airport area hotel instead.
ROOMS - The rooms are full apartments, with a full kitchen, living room, dining room table etc. This makes them suitable for longer term stays or families. The lighting in the rooms is awful - very dim and seems like it's from the 60s. I don't know why they don't change this. The first room we were put in was a disaster - paint was peeling from the walls (looked almost like it had been jackhammered), it stank of mold, the counter was entirely covered by burn marks, floor molding was badly damaged, marks all over the walls, and mildew was visible around the windows. We asked if this was the right room because , it looked like it was either under construction, or should be. They apologized and said they'd put us in another room - we waited for over four hours for another guest to check out and the room to be ready. It was 9:00 PM before we got to our new room.
The second room was much better than the first, though the bathroom window was covered by bird poop which was never cleaned up during our 4 day stay, the jacuzzi tub/shower had mildew all around the seals, had no shower curtain, and the hand
shower sitting in a rusty metal holder was so clogged up almost no water came out of it, the trim along the floor in the bedroom was badly damaged, the iron had no steam and was burnt on the bottom, the speakers placed all around the apartment didn't work, the towels were threadbare and heavily stained, and the toilet barely flushed and after you flushed it the whole apartment reeked of backed up sewage, while an exposed dirty toilet brush completed the decor. At least it didn't look like it had been recently jackhammered like the first one, and didn't smell of mold.
The bed was super short but relatively comfortable, the furniture in the second room was simple but fairly fresh, there was a large flatscreen tv, free wireless internet, a full kitchen, a large dining room table,and free room service from the restaurant. The lighting was just awful, I don't know what they were thinking. It felt like we were in a psychiatric ward. The rooms were quite large, so good for families or long term stays, if you are not too picky about cleanliness, lighting or maintenance.
SERVICE - The service was warm and friendly, and eager to please, though not thoroughly trained. We asked for maintenance to fix the shower head so we could take a shower, and they were prompt at doing so. The water pressure was still terrible, but at least it was possible now. The restaurant staff were friendly - you just had to go to the restaurant to find them each time, as we were mostly the only ones at the restaurant. One great touch was that when we were dining in the evening, they put a little portable stove with hot coals near us for warmth, very nice.
AMENITIES - There is a swimming pool, free wireless internet in the rooms that worked well, laundry service (by the piece - they say they let you use the laundry facilities, but they don't offer detergent or softener and the day we wanted to do laundry, the hotel was using them for staff laundry so we had to do ours at night), a DVD player, an iron (non-steam and poor) and ironing board, a jacuzzi tub (one person, doubles as the shower), and exercise room, a full service restaurant (food was mediocre, but staff was very nice). There is also a spa onsite, but we didn't use it.
BUSINESS - The free wi-fi works great, and probably the fastest we've had in Nairobi. There is a big dining room table for working at, but no desk. I don't believe there's a formal business centre. City Centre is about 15 minutes away if there is no traffic, about 45 minutes if there is. Cell phone and Blackberry coverage is excellent. Taxis are available, just make sure you call first - ask the security rather than the front desk.
Overall, I wouldn't stay here again - just too unclean and poorly maintained for us - but if I was here alone on business, and had an extended stay, I might stay here. Or, if I had a family and a hotel room just wasn't sufficient. The kitchen is definitely nice to have for those circumstances. I just wish they'd clean the place up a bit, fix the lighting and give some attention to maintenance and refurbishment and it would be a very nice place to stay.
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
- Wasini All Suite Hotel is a luxury boutique hotel located along Church Road in Westlands, Nairobi. We are close enough to the city's business and leisure district to ensure you enjoy the convenience of shopping malls, restaurants,and offices yet distant enough to guarantee that your stay is remarkably relaxed and tranquil. ... more less
- Reservation Options:
- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Hotels.com, Agoda, Expedia, Travelocity, HRS, Hotwire, Booking.com and Priceline so you can book your Wasini All Suite Hotel reservations with confidence. We help millions of travelers each month to find the perfect hotel for both vacation and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.
- Also Known As:
- Wasini Luxury Homes Hotel Nairobi


text:
I'm write a Air application that consumes a beta webservice API. Sometimes this APIreturns me a malformed XML node and actionscript will raise an error when I try creating the XML object out of it.
What I've been doing is just try/catching the result and ignore the whole response if the XML is bad, but I could just ignore the malformed node.
For example:
<title>Phonte party @ The Loft, 9/21/08 (pt. 4)</title>
<artist>Statik, Jahsonic & Stylus <artist>Statik, Jahsonic & Stylusre />
See that tag? If I fould something like that, I'd like to skip the whole Song and get the next one.
Is there any way I could accomplish this?


text:
Slovak fighter Vegh won 50-45 49-45 48-47 as French-Congolese M'Pumbu made his first title defence 16 months after he won it.
Vegh dropped M'Pumbu with a right hand in the opening minutes of the first round. M'Pumbu did well to recover, but could not gain a foothold in the fight as Vegh remained the aggressor on his feet.
When the fight went to the canvas is was due to Vegh's attacks rather than the takedown attempts of M'Pumbu, with the former pounding his rival as he fended off submission attempts.
M'Pumbu tried to step up his pace and aggressiveness in round five, but it was too little, too late.
Other bouts
Saad Awad vs. Will Brooks
Saad Awad may not have been the favourite over Will Brooks, but he was the clear winner.
As the two came together in the centre of the cage, Brooks trying to clinch, Awad used a series of short uppercuts and an overhand right to stagger Brooks in the opening minute.
He continued firing away. Brooks dropped to try for a takedown, but Awad kept hammering away to the side of his head. Brooks regained his feet momentarily, but Awad sent him reeling back down to the canvas and finished with a couple heavy hands before the referee stopped the fight.
Awad was extremely emotional following the victory that put him in the lightweight tournament final, barely able to get any words out, other than thanking his family and camp.
David Rickels vs. Jason Fischer
David Rickels earned his pass to the lightweight finals to face Awad by dominating Jason Fischer.
From bell-to-bell, Rickels was the aggressor, using his size and power to bully Fischer around the cage.
Rickels battered Fischer on the feet with his power, continually pressing forward and mixing a variety of strikes into his attack. When he wasn't striking, Rickels scored with takedowns, using a combination of brutal ground and pound and submission attempts to constantly keep Fischer on the defensive.
He could not put Fischer away, however, taking it to the judges, who awarded Rickels a unanimous decision victory.
Full results
Bellator Light Heavyweight Championship
Attila Vegh def. Christian M'Pumbu by Unanimous Decision (48-47, 49-46, 50-45)
Lightweight Tournament Semi-finals
Saad Awad def. Will Brooks by KO (Punches) at 0:43, R1
David Rickels def. Jason Fischer by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Preliminary Bouts
Holly Holm def. Katie Merrill by TKO (Strikes) at 3:02, R2
Blas Avena def. Lenny Lovato Jr. by TKO (Strikes) at 1:40, R1
Andres Quintana def. Russell Wilson by TKO (Strikes) at 0:32, R3
Ed West def. Josh Montoya by KO (Head Kick) at 2:51, R2
Adrian Cruz def. Nick Gonzalez by Submission (Scarf Hold Armlock) at 3:00, R2
Josh Appelt def. Josh Lanier by TKO (Strikes) at 0:16, R2
Brennan Ward def. Yair Moguel by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 0:57, R1
- Sports & Recreation
- Martial Arts
- Jason Fischer


text:
- New CSU Background Check Policy
- Employment Opportunities at CSUSM
- Human Resources
- HR Staff Directory
- FAS Division
- HR Teams
- Benefits
- Classification
- Compensation
- Employment & Recruitment Process
- Labor & Employee Relations
- Equal Employment Opportunity
- Conflict of Interest
- Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect
- Performance Management
- Whistleblower Protection
- Human Resources Information System
- HR Forms
- Policies and Procedures
- Training & Professional Development
- CSU Online Professional Development Courses
- Useful Training Links
- Volunteer
CSU Online Professional Development Courses
Thanks to the CSU Chancellor's Office, thousands of engaging online eLearning courses, books, and videos are now just a click away through CSUSM's Employee Training Center (ETC)! The best part? They're all FREE!
Browse through the SkillChoice™ libraries:
Books 24x7® - Access to over 20,000 titles!
To access these courses:
Visit www.csusm.edu/etc and click on the "Portal Login" button located in the upper righthand corner of the page. Log in with your CSUSM username and password, and once in the ETC click "Course Catalog" under "My Menu" on the lefthand side of the page.
For more information on how to use the ETC, please refer to the ETC User Manual.
NOTE: Employees may complete courses on their own time, or if required by their manager to complete a course, may complete the course during regular work time.


text:
If this is how they want to live, then more power to them. One fewer religious fundamentalist loon, as far as I can tell.
I can't grasp how a parent can stand themselves after letting a child die like that... being able to save your child but refusing to do so for any reason is utterly incomprehensible to me.
I lost a child, I held him in my arms to comfort him as he slowly died in the hospital. There was nothing anyone could do for him, but if there was I would have done anything to have saved him... To then read about parents who let their children die when they could have been saved or hear about parents who kill their own children just infuriates and saddens me beyond anything I can express.
Now, I'm not necessarily trying to take it out on the messenger, but it does worry me sometimes that maybe sometimes these stories are being posted with, um, too much lightheartedness because of the point that is trying to be made against us 'breeders'?
i would have preferred some symmetry in the death count. 5 years, 5000 dead. catchier headlines are harder to ignore.
Posted by max solomon | March 24, 2008 9:41 AM
This is first-degree, premeditated murder, just as much as if they had held a gun to that kid's head and pulled the trigger, and should be punished accordingly.
tom, i would agree if we were talking about an adult here, but this was a baby. the parents were supposed to watch out for the kid, that was their responsibility, morally and legally. if you can't put your child's welfare above your own personal opinion on things then you shouldn't have kids. and yes they should be prosecuted.
Let us be clear: Denying a child any medical services because the parent(s) have religious objections to medicine is CHILD ABUSE. Any parent who has a problem with providing medical care to their children SHOULD HAVE THEIR CHILDREN TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM.
It is one thing for an adult to decline medical care - even if it would save his life. That is his/her right. They can choose to die if they want. But to project those beliefs on one's children is abhorrent. Any parent who denies care to their child, and then as a result the child dies, should be charged with FIRST DEGREE MURDER and their church should be held responsibile as an accessory to the crime.
People can scream "religious freedom" all they want, but when it comes to the rights of children who happen to have stupid parents, one should put the child's interests first and the parents' second. The child's right to healthcare outranks the parents' religious beliefs.
I don't get the theology behind refusing modern medical services. Do these people also live without electricity, eating food they grew themselves with the help of oxen, and wearing clothing they wove themselves out of their own fibers? If they're refusing modern medicine because it isn't mentioned in the Bible, someone's going to have to show me where flush toilets and electric lighting are in the Gospels. No, they're cherry-picking the Bible and assuming that only the progress they approve of is Biblical.
It's the same problem I have with the Amish and the Mennonites; the point at which they reject further societal or technological advances is so arbitrary.
Interestingly enough, from my own dealings with people who have worked as drivers for Amish families, I believe the Amish and the Mennonites have no issues with allowing themselves to be treated in modern medical facilities; they just aren't allowed to practice modern medicine themselves. It's much the same premise as their practice of hiring 'an English' to drive them around in a van so long as they don't operate a mechanical vehicle themselves. (they pay well and offer full medical insurance as a matter of fact).
This is an odd contradiction to such evangelical sects as this one that refuse modern medical treatments but allow themselves the use of electricity and other modern conveniences.
I should mention that I don't offer this as a defense of any religious belief or practice, especially not one that would have a family watch as their child slowly died from a treatable illness. But thought it was an interesting and sad contradiction.
@2 Packratt "point that is trying to be made against us 'breeders'"
No, no, no. This is not a point being made against breeders.
When people talk about marriage being between one man and one woman, implicit (sometimes explicit) in their argument is that this is the most important criterion. Merely the having of a mother and father will lead to a happy, healthy family where children can grow and prosper. Implicit in that argument is that the worst straight couple based family is better than the best homosexual couple family.
The reality that these posts of Dan's show is that parents, even the straight ones, being human, can be as despicable and murderous as any other humans are potentially capable of being. Having a mother and a father does not automatically lead to happiness and success.
The magic ticket for happy children is not just "a mother and a father", but rather a loving, stable, supportive, and supported family. The exclusionary definition of family by those who are anti-gay-marriage is founded in venomous thoughtlessness which Dan's posts serve to expose, and to a lesser extent, explode.
"The reality that these posts of Dan's show is that parents, even the straight ones, being human, can be as despicable and murderous as any other humans are potentially capable of being."
Unfortunately, using other people's flaws to make a case for one's own opinions isn't a very effective argument. If he truly believes his opinion is valid, these isolated cases of gross parent ineptitude shouldn't matter (yes, there are quite a few but still rare). This is the type of behavior that comes only with insecurity. I could just as easily come up with plenty of stories of crazy uncle Ed who liked to fondle the young boys on his lap as a rant against homos. I doubt anybody would listen though.
While I agree with the ends, I'm finding myself in disagreement with the means. It seems sort of exploitative to revel in a tragedy, especially ones that involve the suffering and deaths of children.
I suppose what the realistic argument, in contrast to my emotional one would be, is that I wonder who Dan's intended target audience is when he posts these (seemingly) celebrations of tragedy on this blog and if he thinks his line of attack will change that audience's opinion? Especially if that audience, being the ones who read this blog, need their opinion changed?
Dan's posts don't actually prove anything. Since there is no attempt made to compare how frequently gay parents versus straight parents abuse their kids, you're left with nothing but a lot of examples of "if it bleeds it leads" journalism.
These kind of dumbed down propaganda tactics are supposedly justified because anti-gay rhetoric is even dumber. But what would happen if you addressed the public as if they were intelligent?
These "every child deserves..." posts are not really assertive of a point. They are targeted straight at the argument that all that's needed for a child is a mother and a father. That argument is used as a tool (the main one even) to prevent marriage and adoption rights for gays. These posts destroy that argument.
The posts do not make the case for gay marriage and adoption rights. They do not manage that in the slightest, and don't even attempt to. These posts attempt to clear an obstacle in the way of having the real discussion of whether homosexual parents can stand as equals with heterosexual parents.
They are not an attack on heterosexuals, and are not making the case for gay marriage. They remove the refuge that many people resort to (pretty quickly, usually) that the only path to happiness is having a mother and father in a child's ongoing upbringing. So what's the next step in the anti-gay argument? Probably something to the effect of "well, a mother, a father who love each other, love the child, have the wherewithal, and community and government support will do it". The response should be something like "is the specific mother and a father part truly a requirement in that list, and by what exact means that aren't there for an otherwise equal family that has two men or two women as the parents? Or can we agree that you're not used to the idea, are just uncomfortable with it, but not for any good reason?"
I would agree that Slog is not necessarily the best venue for this as it's substantially preaching to the choir. It is interesting, though I don't know how useful, to note that the top links returned from yahoo and google searches on the phrase "every child deserves a mother and a father" aren't some christian church sites crying for amendments to the US constitution. Try it.
evolution in action.
Comments Closed
In order to combat spam, we are no longer accepting comments on this post (or any post more than 45 days old).


text:
Sitting, Waiting by charminouWatch
©2007-2016 charminou
omg .. is that beetaljucie
Are the cat's eyes really that color?
Very cute!
love the colors and tones in this, a really sweet photo
Sooo cute! Great Picture! :d
the blues in this are fantastic and oh yeah...the SUPER CUTE KITTAY!!!....faved!
I love the kitty's eyes! Does it have a name?
Oh, and is that a Beetlejuice poster I spy?
Oh, and is that a Beetlejuice poster I spy?
Hehe it's Zoe and yeah it's a beetlejuice poster
so cuteeee
love it
love it
waw!!! CUTE. LOVELY.
hhmmh...like a cat doll..
is that a doll??
hhmmh...like a cat doll..
is that a doll??
Absolutely adorable, heavenly cute! What a sweet kitten!
I love how the cat's eyes look! So cute!
such a cutie
I usually hate cat pictures, but this one is great! the colors are fantastic, good job
thanks for the favorite by the way
thanks for the favorite by the way
what a little beauty i adore cats!
Pretty eyes!
Awww .. I want him !!
Awwww so cute Reminds me of one of the kitten's at the pet shelter I volunteer at
aaaawww very cute love the blue
aww ^^
This kitty has some intense eyes :3
i see beetlejuice! lol
lovely kitty. ^__^
lovely kitty. ^__^


text:
X Y Jet Sidelined With Knee Chip
X Y Jet, the gritty sprinter who just missed winning the Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I) when edged by Muarrab in the final strides March 26 at Meydan, has been sidelined with a chip in his left knee.
X Y Jet, the gritty sprinter who just missed winning the Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I) when edged by Muarrab in the final strides March 26 at Meydan, has been sidelined with a chip in his left knee.
In his first start for new owners, X Y Jet showed toughness in the stretch to secure a fifth straight victory Saturday, Feb. 27, taking the $100,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes (gr. III) by one length.
X Y Jet has won his last four, including two stakes starts at Gulfstream Park, and figures to make it five in the Feb. 27 Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes (gr. III) Feb. 27.
Majority interest in graded stakes winner X Y Jet has been sold to California-based Rockingham Ranch, with the March 26 Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I) at Meydan as the main target.
After a brief detour to dirt for a run in the Gold Cup (gr. I) June 27 at Santa Anita Park, Finnegans Wake will return to his comfort zone on the Southern California turf for the $400,000 Eddie Read Stakes (gr. IT) July 18.
The top end of the market at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s June sale of 2-year-olds in training proved a mirror image of the auction's first two sessions and a sale record was set for the third consecutive day June 18.
Donegal Racing and Rockingham Ranch's Finnegans Wake returned from California in winning form to capture the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT) May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Finnegans Wake extended his winning streak in graded turf races to three with a late-running victory in the San Marcos Stakes (gr. IIT) Feb. 7 at Santa Anita Park.
Veteran turf runner Finnegans Wake has found a home in California, coming from off the pace once again to capture the $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes (gr. IIT) Jan. 3 at Santa Anita Park.
When it comes to evaluating talent in young racehorses, Becky Thomas of Sequel Bloodstock has repeatedly proven she possesses an eye for equine athletes.
Weewinnin, emerging at the rail in the stretch, ran away from his rivals to win the $250,000 California Cup Turf Classic at 21-1 odds by 2 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita Park Jan. 25.
Jockey Victor Espinoza earned the 3,000th victory of his career when favored Flashy Delight easily won the fourth race May 31 at Betfair Hollywood Park.


text:
Tata Steel saves 4,400 jobs with sale of Scunthorpe site to Greybull
Unions have welcomed the return of the British Steel brand
Unions have welcomed the return of the British Steel brand
Tai Woffinden may be only 22 but he goes into the British Speedway Grand Prix at the Millennium Stadium today with huge expectation riding on his shoulders.
New players from FC Dallas may feature at Craven Cottage
Where do you find love in a town with a heart as cold as iron?
It's been a stop-start season for Swindon so far but they tend to operate like clockwork when it comes to bouncing back from a defeat and we can't resist the 13/8 available on Paolo Di Canio's men to pick up maximum points at faltering Notts County on Saturday.
What I Learnt This Week
Former environment minister Elliot Morley today admitted being Parliament's biggest expenses cheat.
Scunthorpe have sacked manager Ian Baraclough following last night's 3-0 defeat at home to Preston.
Soccer Saturday/Carling Cup, Sky Sports/BBC
Leicester owner Milan Mandaric has sacked manager Paulo Sousa less than three months after appointing him as Nigel Pearson's replacement.
Scunthorpe United 2 Manchester United 5
The Italian striker Federico Macheda, who burst on to the scene with two goals vital to Manchester United's last Premier League title, is expected to partner Michael Owen in the Carling Cup third round at Scunthorpe tonight, as Sir Alex Ferguson is believed to feel that his presence was vital to Dimitar Berbatov's hat-trick against Liverpool on Sunday.
Paul Scholes has given the Carling Cup an unqualified thumbs up, even though it could be one of the reasons why England perform so badly at major tournaments.
Toxicology tests on two teenagers whose deaths triggered a nationwide scare about the dance drug mephedrone have shown they had not taken the drug.
The Government's drugs advisers could recommend a ban on mephedrone within weeks following the deaths of two teenagers believed to have taken the drug.
Leeds striker is the surprise star of this year's FA Cup – and tonight he can cement his reputation against Spurs. Phil Shaw on what makes him tick
Scunthorpe United 2 Manchester City 4


text:
I am trying to get the title from Nextgen Gallery.
This is the code I have:
global $nggdb;
$gallery = $nggdb->get_gallery(4, 'sortorder', 'ASC', true, 1, 0);
foreach($gallery as $image) {
echo $image->alttext;
I know that like this I get to the db, and I am also able to get the first image's title.
But the problem is that I am not getting the current page/image title. Only the first one.
How can I get a dynamic title (alttext) and not only the first one?


text: AdChoices Terms of Use Privacy Policy Hide TOP 10 Top 10 Entertainment Top 10: Hot Italian Women Share Tweet 0 Shares 3. Isabella Rossellini Daughter of screen legend Ingrid Bergman and film director Roberto Rossellini, it was only natural that Isabella Rossellini would follow in the same cinematic footsteps as her parents. The Italian-born beauty appeared in such films as Blue Velvet, Death Becomes Her and Fearless with Jeff Bridges, as well as a recurring role in the hit TV show Alias. Her latest project, Green Porno, is a series of short films that focus on the mating habits of animals -- all this on top of a lengthy modeling career that included a 14-year stint as the face of Lancome. Rossellini also has a lengthy career in the love department, including relationships with directors David Lynch, Martin Scorsese and actor Gary Oldman. Next Page TOP 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Comments Share your opinion Your name More Like This Top 10 Entertainment The Hottest Playboy Models Of The Year Read More Top 10 Entertainment Top 10: Women We Expect To See In 2012's Top 99 Read More Top 10 Entertainment Top 10: Hot Mediterranean Women Read More Top 10 Entertainment Top 10: Hot Turkish Women Read More Top 10 Entertainment AM Canada: Canadians On The Top 99 Read More Top 10 Entertainment AM UK: Top British Top 99ers Read More Around the Web Special Features Guy Gear The Best Watches Under $500 Read More Special Feature The Ultimate Guide To Hooking Up Online Read More


text:
I need to stop ubuntuone-syncd but I don't know where to find the service that I need to stop.
Ubuntu One comes with the commandline tool
Basically the gui control panel cannot quit the syncdaemon but can connect/disconnect it.
If you need to control syncdaemon start/stop it
you have
If you need to connect/disconnect it
you have
You can do connect/disconnect through control panel gui as well.
There is a indicator for ubuntuone as well: What Application Indicators are available?
If you need to disable ubuntuone from autostarting at login
Syncdaemon is autostart service. So if you just need to disable the autostart part when you login to your session. Go to
and disable it from
Not sure if this works, but you can stop (and start) the client by using the commandos
It seems it is is started via dbus daemon.
In a terminal, first list all services to ensure you call stop on the correct one:
then (still in the terminal)
and to restart:
NB: the square brackets are not part of the command and should be removed :-)


text:
Hello everyone, i just came a across a SERIOUS problem with my site, i even dropped 5 rankings on google, my site orionskyquestxt8.com , has 2 other pages : http://orionskyquestxt8.com/orion-skyquest-xt8-classic-dobsonian-telescope/ and orionskyquestxt8.com/privacy/ .
Both these pages have text, they have been working for a long time, but now it's ruined because every time i try to access them i get a blank page and a text on the top saying : localhost/
i am using Thesis by by the way.
Please help me :(...


text:
Santa Barbara Weather: 68.0°F | Humidity: 85% | Pressure: 29.78in ( Falling) | Conditions: Clear | Wind Direction: South | Wind Speed: 0.0mph [see map]
Little Treasures
updated: Jun 04, 2014, 2:20 PM
By Edhat Subscriber
I love finding little treasures, such as this, on my morning walk on the Ellwood Bluffs. The brick pillar changes daily and today was one of the best I have ever seen.
# # # #
11 comments on this article. Read/Add
Top of Page
| Old News Archives
Printer-Friendly Page


text:
Twin bombing kills 44 in ...
Eminent writer Mahasweta ...
Kerala 'granny' jumbo eye...
Centre can even get me ki...
Mud, water, fire: buildin...
Women working in male-dom...
World Tiger Day celebrati...
Hamas summer camp
TOP Stories Of The Day – ...
Animals in unexpected pla...
Vogue Beauty Awards '16
Bret Lee @ Bhabi Ji Ghar ...
Vidya @ jewellery showroo...
Mirchi Awards '16
Syria twin bombing
Writer Mahasweta dies
Celebrities Dressing Half their Age
Celebs in news
Celebs' 'Twitpics'
Bizarre food across the world
Celebs candid selfies
Hottest Women Prisoners
Workout Divas!
B'wood's bikini bombshells
Hotties' flaunt their assets
20 Memorable Quotes From APJ Abdul Kalam
Celebs and MPs play football for a cause
Celebs favourite holiday spots
Celebrity Instagram pics
B-town celebs' candid pics
Movies' first look
B'wood celebs spotted
Pregnant hotties
Celebrity photoshoots
Bold acts in B'wood!
Amy Jackson
Celebs' hush-hush weddings
Celebrity FB Pics
Interest Network


text:
Until they die.
Type: Posts; User: Whitebacon
Until they die.
I was going to order three (mostly to trade all three), as well as the second three Super Powers guys, but I just couldn't pull the trigger.
I am probably very close to selling my very modest connection to pay off some bills. I don't really want to, but, what needs to be done needs to be done. Unfortunately, this means it would be...
I will buy it from you.
It won't make any sense, but I would be happy with a Yeti-repaint Beastman.
Only on MattyCollector does hourly not mean hourly.
Was waiting to see if anyone would show up at three and sat in goat Man and Standor for two hours only to see them yoinked at 3pm. The risk didn't pay off. Typical Matty nonsense with no new deals...
I am on the fence and waiting for SDCC.
Do you trust Digital River to not mess it up in some fashion?
Issues like these make it super appealing to subscribe.
Picked up an Adora today after passing on her a couple of weeks ago. Saw two Icarius/Flipshots at one store, and 6 at another. Passed on all of them.
I hope it's Josh.
My Sy-Klone is gone, and I don't need Orko or Man-E-Faces anymore. Thanks guys!
Left two Grizzlors behind at one BL today, but picked up a Marzo. Second BL I went to had nothing. Gonna check out the other two stores tomorrow.
I can get Sy-Klone and the Faceless one, I'm looking for just about any of the other guys that have been available. Also, one of the stores closest to me has at least six of the Egon/Ray 12 inch 2...
Went to all four stores in Fresno today, saw a bunch of Sy-Klone's, a few Faceless ones, one Clawful, two Mossy's (unflocked-I bought both will trade or open the second), and two Mo-Larr sets. I...
Just found Sy-Clone, Clawful and Faceless in Fresno, Ca today. Gonna check Clovis this afternoon.
All of these, and I decided to jump in late to the line. I'd like to be able to complete most of the Masters, Evil Warriors, and Horde factions, but with some of the ridiculous prices on older...
Nope. There's maybe three figures I want. The ones I really want/need are all old. Or Rio Blast.
Many thanks!
That's pretty bad. Doesn't help that the whip handle or whatever that's supposed to be is fairly phallic as well.
I seemed to have missed the SEX controversy with TMS, anyone care to enlighten/enlinken?
I want King He-Man so badly.
I'm a cherry-picking non-completist who got into this latish and am going to have a helluva time rationalizing spending the money that Beast-Man and Fisto are going for one of these days. I buy the...
I've been gifted a few that I'm not sure about...Faceless One and Preternia Disguise He-Man, mostly. BG Teela, Vikor, and Bow have grown on me.
Not so much with the all or nothing sub-philosophy.
Oh, how I want Ram-Man.
Judging by most of the posts in this forum, improved customer service would go a long way.
Buy a couple extra.
They took the page down.


text:
Listening to NPR, there was a story about an Iraqi refugee, someone who worked for the CPA, who settled in Boise. This is in keeping with our refugee settlment practice, which apparently is to place refugees in the city least like their home. For further reference, see the thousands of Hmong we settled in Minneapolis.
Um. So what about all the Southeast Asians in the Deep (horribly humid and hot) South?
What about Canadian refugees?
i predict we're not going to let any iraqi refugees in - that would be like inviting them to fight us here.
buy hey, oceans no longer protect us, so let in iraqi hotties only. we could always use more hotties.
Wait, I thought we fought them over there so they wouldn't get into bar fights over here?
Now I am so confused ...
I've got a gf so I'm not in the market for hotties (not that they'd ever be in the market for me), but I contend maxsolomon has a point. Some of the hottiest hotties evar are arabs. Wonder if Iraq also has a hotness drain? Bring it on!
@2 Yeah, the Vietnamese in Galveston actually did make some sense. Oddly though, they had a much worse reception than the child marrying, polygamous Hmong in Minneapolis.
Comments Closed
In order to combat spam, we are no longer accepting comments on this post (or any post more than 45 days old).


text:
Start your journey of wine and laughter with friends.
Jun 24, 2015 · 6:00 PMTaste of Europe Wine Social at Marché Bacchus JuneRSVP after you review the menu and purchase your ticket at the link included below! Join our cadre of wine and food lovers going to Marché Bacchus, the best Taste of... Learn more
Jun 3, 2015 · 6:00 PMTaste of Europe at Hearthstone Kitchen & CellarHearthstone Kitchen and Cellar presents their special tastes and pairings to our social crowd of inspired wine and food tasters! Review the tasty presentation and... Learn more
Nov 18, 2014 · 6:00 PMThienot Wine Pairing DinnerMezzo Bistro and Wine will be hosting a wine pairing dinner featuring Thienot Wines Tuesday November 18, 2014 at 6:00 pm. Come enjoy a 5 course dinner paired perfectly... Learn more
Aug 27, 2013 · 6:00 PMLido Bay Winemaker DinnerMezzo Bistro and Wine will be hosting a dinner featuring Winemaker Dave Armstrong and the Lido Bay Crew, Tuesday August 27, 2013 at 6:00 pm. Come enjoy a 5 course dinner... Learn more
Aug 15, 2013 · 7:00 PM"WINE FOR THE HEART"…A WINE PAIRING THREE COURSE MEAL SPONSORED BY TPC SUMMERLINAug 15, 2013 - Time: 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm (Sign up closes August 12, 2013) "Wine for the Heart" is an educational wine pairing event taking place and sponsored by TPC... Learn more
- More Meetups


text:
Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus can be found along the southern and southwestern coast of Africa. They are commonly spotted throughout Namibia and as far east as Port Elizabeth (Schliemann 1990, King 1983).
Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus can be found along the southern and southeastern coasts of Australia. They are commonly spotted in places like Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and scattered islands (Schliemann 1990, King 1983).
Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native ); australian (Native ); indian ocean (Native ); atlantic ocean (Native )
Range Description
Physical Description
Arctocephalus pusillus has two sub-species, A. p. pusillus and A. p. doriferus, which are separated by the ocean between Africa and Australia. Skull characteristics of the two subspecies are similar enough to place them in one species. A notable difference between the two is the crest between the mastoid process and the jugular process of the exoccipital, which is proportionately larger in A. p. pusillus (King, 1983).
Males of the South African or cape fur seal subspecies, A. p. pusillus, are an average of 2.3 meters in length and weigh from 200 to 350 kg (King 1983). Their coat is gray or black in color and is lighter on the underside (King 1983, Schliemann 1990). Female African fur seals are smaller, weighing an average of 120 kg (King 1983) and measuring an average of 1.8 meters long (Schliemann 1990). Their coats are brown with lighter shading on the underside.
Males of the subspecies A. p. doriferus, the Australian fur seal, weigh anywhere from 218-360 kg and are 2-2.2 meters in length (King 1983). Their coats are a gray-brown and they have a thick mane about their neck region which is slightly lighter (King, 1983). Female Australian fur seals vary greatly in size, weighing between 36 and 110 kg and measuring between 1.2 and 1.8m in length (King 1983, Schliemann 1990). Their coat is a silver-gray with a yellow colored throat and brown underside.
Range mass: 36 to 360 kg.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger
- King, J. 1983. Seals of the World. Ithaca, New York: Comstock Publishing Associates.
- Schliemann, H. 1990. Eared Seals and Walruses. Pp. 168-203 in B Grzimek, ed. Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Both subspecies of A. pusillus spend most of their year at sea but not too far from land. A maximum of 160 km from land is recorded but is not a common (King, 1983). Breeding occurs on the mainland or small islands in the sand or rocks (King, 1983). Both subspecies prefer small rocky islands for mating and pupping.
Aquatic Biomes: coastal
Habitat and Ecology
Females of this species become sexually mature at 3-6 years and males at 9- 12 years. The annual pregnancy rate of mature females is 71 % for Cape Fur Seals (Wickens and York 1997) and 73 % in Australian Fur Seals (Warnecke and Shaughnessy 1985). Gestation lasts 51 weeks, including a three-month delay of implantation. Longevity and adult mortality are unknown (Arnould et al. 2003, Butterworth et al. 1995, Reijnders et al. 1993).
Both subspecies are highly polygynous. Adult males arrive at the colonies first. Breeding is from late October to the beginning of January. Females give birth 1.5–2 days after arrival ashore. The peak of pupping for both subspecies is in the first week of December, although there is some variation between colonies (De Villiers and Roux 1992, Warnecke and Shaughnessy 1985). Females attend the pup for 8-9 days before coming into oestrous, mating, and departing on their first foraging trip (Warnecke and Shaughnessy 1985). Foraging trips get longer as the season progresses from summer to winter, changing from a mean of 3.71 to 6.77 days for Australian Fur Seals. Periods of attendance stay the same from birth to weaning and have a mean length of 1.7 days (Arnould and Hindell 2001). Foraging intervals are shorter for Cape Fur Seals, probably reflecting greater availability of food (Gamel et al. 2005). Pups are usually weaned at 10–12 months even though some pups begin to forage at 7 months, and others are nursed for 2–3 years (Warnecke and Shaughnessy 1985).
Foraging dives by lactating Australian Fur Seal females are usually to 65–85 m with a maximum depth of 164 m, and dives usually last from 2–3.7 minutes, with a maximum duration of 8.9 minutes (Arnould and Hindell 2001). At sea, these seals are found alone or in small groups of up to 15 animals, but they often gather in huge rafts adjacent to rookeries. Neither of the populations is migratory; they tend to move locally within their restricted ranges (Arnould 2002, Oosthuisen 1991, Warnecke and Shaughnessy 1985).
Both subspecies are opportunistic feeders that take a wide variety of prey, including pelagic, mid-water and benthic animals. Australian fur seals feed benthically and take a variety of species of fish, squid, octopus and rock lobsters (Warnecke and Shaughnessy 1985). Cape Fur Seals are principally pelagic foragers. They take cape hake, horse mackerel, pelagic goby, pilchards, anchovy, squid of the genus Loligo, rock lobster, shrimp, prawns, and amphipods (David 1987a, De Bruyn et al. 2003, Mecenero 2006). Cape Fur Seals have also been reported to occasionally take African Penguins and several species of flying seabirds (Crawford et al. 1989).
Predators of the Cape and Australian Fur Seals include Killer Whales and Great White Sharks at sea (Compagno 1989, Pemberton and Kirkwood 1994). The Cape Fur Seal is also preyed upon on shore by Black-backed Jackals and Brown Hyenas in southern Africa (Skinner et al. 1995).
- Terrestrial
- Marine
Trophic Strategy
Stomach contents of South African fur seals indicate that fish make up about 70% of their diet, squid 20%, crab 2% (Schliemann, 1990). The remaining portion is composed of other crustaceans, cephalopods and sometimes birds (King 1983, Schliemann 1990). Australian fur seals commonly eat squid, octopus, fish and lobsters, along with other crustaceans and cephalopods (King 1983, Schliemann 1990). Like most air-breathing marine mammals A. pusillus finds its food in the ocean. In order to do so it must store oxygen and swim below the surface to the depth at which its particular prey is located. Both subspecies of A. pusillus dive for their food but they each occupy different depth niches in their respective locations. South African fur seals are surface divers with an average dive of about 45 meters and 2.1 minutes although they can dive as deep as 204 meters and for as long as 7.5 minutes when necessary (Riedman, 1990). While there is extensive overlap, Australian fur seals generally feed at a much lower depths. Their average dive is about 120 meters (Schliemann, 1990) and they commonly go as deep as 200 meters (Riedman, 1990).
Life History and Behavior
Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
Life Expectancy
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 18.0 years.
Lifespan, longevity, and ageing
The breeding season for both subspecies of A. pusillus begins in the middle of October. At this time males haul out on shore at the breeding grounds, or rookeries, to establish territories by displays, sparring, or actual battle. They do not eat again until they mate in November or December.
Females come ashore slightly later and also fight amongst each other for smaller territories in which to give birth. Female territories are always within male territories and females who are located on a certain male's territory become part of his harem. While harem sizes of both subspecies can reach as many as 50 females, or cows, the average size of the South African fur seal harem is 28 cows, the Australian fur seal harem averages 10 cows (Schliemann, 1990). Breeding occurs between the male and each of his harem members. While copulation occurs about 6 days after cows give birth to a single pup there is a delay in implantation of the blastocyst. In South African fur seals this delay is approximately 4 months while in Australian fur seals it is about 3 months (Riedman, 1990). Gestation in both subspecies averages 11.75 months (Riedman, 1990).
South African fur seal pups are anywhere from 4.5 to 7 kg and 60-70 cm at birth (King 1983), which occurs in late November or early December. The pups go through two different molts in their first year and a half. Their original coat is black and curly. This coat is replaced between 4 and 5 weeks with an olive-gray coat. The second molt takes place at about 13 months and replaces the olive-gray coat with a silver one which later fades in color (King 1983). Nursing in this subspecies begins immediately after birth and is continuous for the first six days. At this time the mother mates with her male harem leader and then begins going out to sea for food for a few days at a time. By the second month, however, she can be gone for up to two weeks before returning to feed the pup (King, 1983). At four to five months old pups begin supplementing their diet with crustaceans and fish. Lactation does continue, however, until the next pup is born. Pups begin swimming early and continually increase the amount of time that they can spend in the water. At seven months they can swim for two or three days at a time (King, 1983). Females become sexually mature at about 3 years and males may also follow this trend but are unable to establish territory at this time so do not usually mate until several years later (King, 1983).
Australian fur seal pups weigh 4.5 to 12.5 kg and measure 62-80 cm in length at birth. They are a silver-gray in color and their entire ventral side is yellow. Pups in this subspecies are usually born in early to middle December. As in South African fur seals, nursing begins right after birth and is continuous for the first week or so, until the mother mates again and goes out to sea for food. At this time, however, the Australian fur seal returns once every week to feed her pup (Riedman, 1990). By the eighth month of life Australian fur seals are eating some solid supplements although lactation continues until the next pup is born. The pups start swimming for prolonged periods also at the eighth month. Sexual maturity is widely varied within the subspecies. Females reach maturity any time between 3 and 6 years of age (King, 1983). Males probably reach maturity between four and five years of age but cannot hold a harem until they are closer to seven or eight years old (King, 1983).
Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual
Average birth mass: 6200 g.
Average gestation period: 368 days.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male: 1643 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 1276 days.
Molecular Biology and Genetics
Molecular Biology
Barcode data: Arctocephalus pusillus
The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.
There are 2 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.
Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.
See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.
-- end --
Download FASTA File
Statistics of barcoding coverage: Arctocephalus pusillus
Public Records: 2
Specimens with Barcodes: 2
Species With Barcodes: 1
Conservation Status
South African fur seals are more abundant than are Australian fur seals. Both are at the mercy of poachers, even though there are legal hunting seasons for South African fur seals. Much of the poaching danger is in the form of fishermen and large fishing corporations who believe the seals to be jeopardizing their livelihood by stealing from their nets. While this does occur it is believed to be exaggerated by those in the fishing industry.
Humans are also inadvertently threatening these seals through pollution. Plastic, pieces of netting, and pieces of fishing line kill or injure thousands of these seals a year.
Non-human threats include killer whales and white sharks. Stingrays can cause some dangerous injuries. Pups left on the mainland are also sometimes taken by terrestrial predators, such as the black-backed jackal in South Africa.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: appendix ii
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
IUCN Red List Assessment
Red List Category
Red List Criteria
Year Assessed
Some 92,000 Australian Fur Seals were estimated to breed at nine rookeries in 2003 and the population is believed to be increasing. More than half of the population (55%) breed at two of these sites: Lady Julia Percy Island and Seal Rocks. Five other rookeries are estimated to contain more than a 1000 adults. Inter-annual fluctuations are experienced at some rookeries (Kirkwood et al. 2005).
Population Trend
Seal harvests in South Africa were first controlled in 1893 and were suspended in 1990. They continue in Namibia at the mainland colonies of Cape Cross and Wolf and Atlas Bays. The 2006 annual harvest in Namibia was set at 85 000 animals which is made up primarily of pups, but also includes a small percentage of bulls. This high harvest level has been retained despite several years with very high mortality levels for pups along with many thousands of adult deaths in Namibia (Kirkman 2006). This mortality has been attributed to a scarcity of fish and poor marine productivity along the coast of Namibia, which occurs at intervals (Roux 1998).
Cape Fur Seals are sometimes reported to be detrimental to commercial fisheries, both via direct competition and operational interactions. Some seals are taken incidentally in fishing operations every year. A number are also shot illegally during fishing operations (Wickens et al. 1992). More significantly, Cape Fur Seals are known to become entangled in marine debris such as packing bands, discarded lines and nets and other material that can become a collar around an animal's neck. Rates of entanglement vary by colony, but have been estimated to be between 0.12–0.66 % (Shaughnessy 1980). Conflicts between Australian Fur Seals and local fisheries include seals damaging gear and stealing catch, and becoming entangled in nets and traps (Goldsworthy et al. 2003, Pemberton et al. 1992, Stewardson 2007). While the shooting of seals during fishing operations does occur, it is illegal (Stewardson 2007).
Like all fur seals, Cape and Australian Fur Seals are vulnerable to oil spills because of their dependence on their thick pelage for thermoregulation (Bonner 1978). Cape Fur Seals come in regular contact with a number of species of terrestrial carnivores, and both subspecies are at risk of exposure to viruses and other disease types that could lead to epidemics (Kirkman 2006, Lavigne and Schmitz 1990).
Both subspecies are visited by tourists at a number of colonies. Disturbance is believed to be minimal (Kirkwood et al. 2003)
Conservation Actions
Although Cape Fur Seals have been protected in South Africa since 1893, they were still subject to government run or government authorized commercial harvests to 1990 (Butterworth et al. 1995, Wickens et al. 1991). The Sea Birds and Seals Protection Act of 1973 (SBSPA), provides broad protection for seals in South Africa, but also provides for a harvest if it is deemed desirable. While the conservation and harvesting of seals in Namibia was previously controlled by the SBSPA this has been replaced by the Marine Resources Act (2000) which relaxed restrictions aimed at ensuring a humane harvest (Kirkman 2006).
Listed on CITES Appendix II.
Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems
Sealing has been common for centuries. Seals are taken for their pelts, their blubber, or their meat. Currently there are seasons for hunting different classes of the South African fur seal, but this is controversial. Seal pups are valued for their softer fur and male genitalia is taken and sold as an aphrodisiac. The Australian fur seal is protected and is not legally hunted by humans today, although it was hunted for meat in the past (King, 1983).
Brown fur seal
The brown fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus), also known as the Cape fur seal, South African fur seal and the Australian fur seal is a species of fur seal.
The brown fur seal is the largest and most robust fur seal. It has a large and broad head with a pointed snout that may be flat or upturned slightly.[2] They have external ear flaps (pinnae) and their whiskers (vibrissae) are long, and may extend backward past the pinnae, especially in adult males. The foreflippers are covered with sparse hair over about three-quarters of their length. The hindflippers are short relative to the large body, with short, fleshy tips on the digits.[2] The size and weight of the brown fur seal depends on the subspecies. The Southern African subspecies is on average slightly larger than the Australian subspecies. Males of the African subspecies (A. p. pusillus) are 2.3 metres (7.5 ft) in length on average and weigh from 200–300 kilograms (440–660 lb).[3] Females are smaller, averaging 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) in length and weighing an average of 120 kilograms (260 lb).[4] Males of the Australian subspecies (A. p. doriferus) are 2–2.2 metres (6.6–7.2 ft) in length and weigh 190–280 kilograms (420–620 lb).[5] Females are 1.2–1.8 metres (3.9–5.9 ft) length and weigh 36–110 kilograms (79–243 lb).[4]
Adult male brown fur seals are dark gray to brown, with a darker mane of short, coarse hairs and a light belly, while adult females are light brown to gray, with a light throat and darker back and belly. The foreflippers of the fur seal are dark brown to black.[2] Pups are born black and molt to gray with a pale throat within three to five months.[2] The skull of the African subspecies has a larger crest between the mastoid process and the jugular process of the exoccipital.[4]
The African fur seal lives around the southern and southwestern coast of Africa from Cape Cross in Namibia and around the Cape of Good Hope to Black Rocks near Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape province.[2] The Australian fur seal lives in Bass Strait, at four islands off Victoria in southeastern Australia and five islands off Tasmania.[2] Brown fur seals prefer to haul out and breed on rocky islands, rock ledges and reefs, and pebble and boulder beaches. However, some large colonies can be found on sandy beaches.[2] Fur seals spend most of the year at sea, but are never too far from land. They have been recorded 160 km from land, but this is not common.[4]
The African fur seal's diet is made of up to 70% fish, 20% squid and 2% crab.[6] Also eaten are other crustaceans, cephalopods and sometimes birds.[4][6] In rare instances they have even been documented attacking and eating sharks. A recent incident occurred off Cape Point, South Africa, where a large male was observed attacking and killing five blue sharks between 1 and 1.4 metres long. Observers concluded that the seal likely killed the sharks to eat the fish rich contents of their stomachs as well as their livers as a source of energy.[7] The Australian fur seal mostly eats squid, octopus, fish and lobsters.[4][6] The brown fur seal dives for its food. The African subspecies can dive as deep as 204m and for as long as 7.5 minutes.[8] The Australian subspecies generally feeds at lower depths, diving on average 120m[6] and can reach as deep as 200m.[8]
The brown fur seal's main predator is the great white shark, although they are also preyed upon by various other animals, as well, such as orcas. Land-based predators include black-backed jackals and brown hyenas on the Skeleton Coast in Namibia. In False Bay, the seals employ a number of antipredatory strategies while in shark-infested waters, such as:
- Swimming in large groups
- Low porpoising to increase subsurface vigilance
- Darting in different directions to cause confusion when attacked
- Riding near the dorsal fin to keep out of reach of the shark's jaws when attacked[9]
Acoustic Behavior[edit]
Australian fur seals are social animals that use vocalizations in a broad range of contexts. These vocalizations have been shown to contain individually unique properties important for enabling individual recognition [10] This is particularly important for the reunion of mothers and pups that experience repeated separations whilst mothers are out at sea foraging, sometimes for days at a time. Upon their return mothers need to locate their pups [11][12]). This reunion process may also be facilitated through a combination of smell and spatial cues.
In males, increases in testosterone and calling rates are seen in conjunction with the onset of the breeding season ([13]). Males can also differentiate neighboring males from stranger males, responding more aggressively to the vocalizations of strangers ([14]). This difference in response is suspected because the threat posed by a stranger is unknown and potentially greater than their neighbor, who they would have previously encountered while establishing their territories (;[15][16]).
Breeding Behaviour[edit]
Brown fur seals often gather into colonies on rookeries in numbers ranging from 500–1500, at least for the Australian subspecies.[4] While fur seals spend most of the year at sea, they never fully evacuate the rookeries as mothers and pups return to them throughout the year. There is no established dispersal from a colony, although some fur seals from one colony have been found at another. True boundaries do not exist between the colonies. When at sea, fur seals travel in small feeding groups. Brown fur seals begin to breed in the middle of October, when males haul out on shore to establish territories though display, vocalisations, sparring and sometimes actual combat [1]. They will fast at this time and not eat until after mating in November or December. When the females arrive, they fight among themselves for territories in which to give birth. Female territories are smaller than those of males and are always located within them. Females within a male's territory can be considered part of his harem. However, males do not herd the females, which are free to choose their mates and judge them based on the value of their territories. For the Australian fur seals, 82% of copulations are performed by males whose territories are located directly at the water's edge.[8] Copulation between the male and his females begins six days after they give birth to their pups conceived from the previous year. However, there is a delay in the implantation of the blastocyst, which lasts four months in the African subspecies and three months in the Australian subspecies.[8] Gestation for the brown fur seal lasts an average of 11.75 months.[8]
After mating, females begin alternating brief periods of foraging at sea with several days ashore nursing their pups.[2] Foraging trips last about seven days in winter and about four days in summer and autumn. When a mother returns from sea to feed her pup, she emits a loud call which attracts all the nearby pups, but she only responds to her pup. She possibly can recognize her pup by smell.[8] When left alone, pups gather in groups and play during the evening.[4] Pups are usually weaned at 4–6 months old.[2]
Human interactions[edit]
This species is an inquisitive and friendly animal when in the water, and will often accompany scuba divers. They will swim around divers for periods of several minutes at a time, even at a depth of 60m. On land, they are far less relaxed and tend to panic when people come near them.
Australian fur seals were hunted intensively between 1798 and 1825 for commercial reasons. Seal hunting stopped in Australia in 1923, and their population is still recovering. Breeding and haul-out sites are protected by law. South African fur seals have a very robust and healthy population. Harvesting of seals was outlawed in South Africa in 1990.
Brown fur seals are still harvested in Namibia. Permits are issued for the killing of pups for their luxurious fur and adult males for their genitalia which are considered an aphrodisiac in some countries. It is also considered necessary to limit seal numbers in Namibia because of the supposed effect seals have on the country's fish harvest. Research by environmental groups disputes this.[17]
- ^ Hofmeyr, G. & Gales, N. (2008). Arctocephalus pusillus. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Randall R. Reeves, Brent S. Stewart, Phillip J. Clapham and James A. Powell (2002). National Audubon Society Guide to Marine Mammals of the World. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. ISBN 0375411410.
- ^ "The S.A. Fur Seal". Botany.uwc.ac.za. 2001-02-01. Retrieved 2013-04-13.
- ^ a b c d e f g h King, J. 1983. Seals of the World. Ithaca, New York: Comstock Publishing Associates.
- ^ "Dive behaviour, foraging location... preview & related info". Mendeley. doi:10.1139/cjz-79-1-35. Retrieved 2013-04-13.
- ^ a b c d Schliemann, H. 1990. Eared Seals and Walruses. Pp. 168–203 in B. Grzimek, ed. Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: McGraw-Hill.
- ^ "Seal attack! Hungry creature eats five blue sharks in rare images of sea mammal turning the tables on predator of the deep". Mail Online. January 29, 2013. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f Riedman, M. 1990. The Pinnipeds: Seals, Sea Lions, and Walruses. Berkeley: University of California Press.
- ^ Anti-Predatory Strategies of Cape Fur Seals at Seal Island
- ^ Tripovich, J.S.; Canfield, R.; Rogers, T.L.; Arnould, J.P.Y. (2008). "Characterisation of Australian fur seal vocalizations during the breeding season.". Marine Mammal Science 24 (4): 913–928. doi:10.1111/j.1748-7692.2008.00229.x.
- ^ Tripovich, J.S.; Rogers, T.L.; Canfield, R.; Arnould, J.P.Y (2006). "Individual variation in the pup attraction call produced by female Australian fur seals during early lactation.". Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 120 (1): 502–209. doi:10.1121/1.2202864.
- ^ Tripovich, J.S.; Canfield, R.; Rogers, T.L.; Arnould, J.P.Y. "Individual variation of the Female Attraction Call produced by Australian fur seal pups throughout the maternal dependence period.". Bioacoustics-The International Journal of Animal Sound and its Recording 18: 259–276. doi:10.1080/09524622.2009.9753605.
- ^ Tripovich, J.S.; Rogers, T.L.; Dutton, G. (2009). "Faecal testosterone concentrations and the acoustic behavior of two male captive Australian fur seals.". Australian Mammalogy 31 (2): 117–122. doi:10.1071/AM09009.
- ^ Tripovich, J.S.; Rogers, T.L.; Arnould, J.P.Y. (2005). "Species-specific characteristics and individual variation of the Bark Call produced by male Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus).". Bioacoustics-The International Journal of Animal Sound and its Recording 15 (1): 502–509. doi:10.1080/09524622.2005.9753539.
- ^ Tripovich, J.S.; Charrier, I.; Rogers, T.L.; Canfield, R.; Arnould, J.P.Y. (2008). "Acoustic features involved in the neighbour-stranger vocal recognition process in male Australian fur seals.". Behavioural Processes 79 (1): 74–80. doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2008.04.007.
- ^ Tripovich, J.S.; Charrier, I.; Rogers, T.L.; Canfield, R.; Arnould, J.P.Y. (2008). "Who goes there? The dear-enemy effect in male Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus).". Marine Mammal Science 24 (4): 941–948. doi:10.1111/j.1748-7692.2008.00222.x.
- ^ South African and Australian Fur Seals. Seal Conservation Society. Accessed 7 February 2013.