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Environmental Science Senior Practicum students present outcomes of their research projects
Results of the the senior capstone project of the Environmental Science major.
The Environmental Science Practicum is a capstone experience in which seniors in the Environmental Science B.S. degree program work together in small teams, under supervision of an instructor, on an environmental problem representing a real life, multi-disciplinary, forward looking issue. Students perform original data collection and analysis, and the projects are defined and conducted in collaboration with an off-campus client such as a public agency, business or non-governmental organization. Along with the research experience, students gain valuable professional development training and the knowledge that they are helping to create a more sustainable future for Southern California.
- Lifecycle Analysis Comparison of a Battery Electric Vehicle and a Conventional Gasoline Vehicle.
- Do Socioeconomic Factors Affect the Volume and Composition of Catch Basin Debris?
- Eco-Certification Programs for Hotels in California: Determining Consumer Preferences for Green Hotels.
- Fecal indicator bacteria concentrations after rainfall events: Evaluating the 72-hour rain advisory period.
- Beyond The Kelp: Examining Fish Diversity and Economic Value of a Southern California Artificial Reef Mitigation Project.
- Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments for Terrestrial and Freshwater Vertebrates in the Mediterranean Coast Network of National Parks.
- Potential Extent of Vineyard Development in the Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area.
- Vegetation Change in Rancho Sierra Vista, Santa Monica Mountains.
- Evaluating the Use of Plastic Shelters and Steel Cages To Improve Coast Live Oak Growth and Survival in Topanga Canyon and White Oak Farm of Malibu Creek.
- Large Mammal Movement in the Eastern Santa Monica Mountains.
- Vineyards in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
- Wildlife Use of the Los Piñetos Underpass, Santa Clarita, California
- Retrofitting Commercial Real Estate: Current Trends and Challenges in Increasing Building Energy Efficiency
- To Certify or Not to Certify: A Dive into the Tannic Underbelly of the Organic Wine Industry
- Addition of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi to Seeds at Alta Vicente in Palos Verdes Peninsula
- Southern California surf zone water quality: Fecal indicator bacteria and harmful algal bloom cells at the Santa Monica Pier and Malibu Surfrider Beach
- Effect of Urban Runoff on Water Quality Indicators in Ballona Creek, CA
- Measuring Carbon Efficiency
- The Impact of External Variables on Management Practices in Protected Areas: An Analysis
- Current and Historical Distribution of Vegetation Communities at Paramount Ranch, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
- Crow Density and Anthropogenic Subsidies Near the Venice, California Least Tern Colony
- Measuring the Ecological Status of Restoration Treatments of Coastal Sage Scrub (Cheeseboro Canyon) Using Biotic Proxies
- Edaphic Properties of Stable, Shrinking and Expanding Coastal Sage Scrub Boundaries (1990-2009) in Cheeseboro Canyon, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
- Examining Marine Debris Along Los Angeles County Beaches: A qualitative and quanitative analysis
- Marine Debris in Topanga Canyon
- Residential Use of Chemical Rodent Control from Bel-Air To the Hollywood Hills
- Rodent Control Methods and their Implications for Urban Carnivores in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California, USA
- Evaluating the Characteristics of Dissolved Organic Matter and its Interactions with Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants in Natural and Treated Waters
- Quantifying the Effects of the Mountain Pine Beetle on Melt Morphology and Timing in the Colorado River Basin, USA
- The Role of Zooplankton Grazers in Harmful Algal Blooms in the Santa Monica Bay, CA
- Growth of a rhizophytic and a non-rhizophytic Halimeda species in response to water column and sediment enrichment
- Contribution of Diatoms to Carbon Export in Coastal Oceans
- Corporate Climate Stewardship – does it pay to think green? A pre- and post- Copenhagen analysis
- Decreased Water and Increased Yields in the Westlands Water District
- Habitat Edges in the Baldwin Hills: Effects on Bird Distribution and California Coastal Sage Scrub
- Sustainable Practices in the California Wine Industry: Analyzing the Motivations of Winemakers and Grape Growers
- Source and Dispersion of Odors in the Baldwin Hills and Its Effect on the Surrounding Communities
- Avian Diversity and Song Variation in Kibale National Park's Logged and Unlogged Compartments
- The Impact of Hydromulch on Native and Non-native Species in a Post-Fire Recovery Period within Los Angeles' Griffith Park
- The Effects of Hydromulch and Fire Intensity on Post-Fire Chaparral: A Griffith Park Case Study
- Effects of Hydromulch on Post-Fire Seed Germination
- Fire-Induced Water-Repellent Soil Layers in Non-Hydromulched Areas of Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California
Wildlife Use of the Los Piñetos Underpass, Santa Clarita, California
Robert Freidin, Diane Schreck, Brooke Scruggs, Elise Shulman, Alissa Swauger, Allison Tashnek
Advisors: Travis Longcore and Erin Boydston
Client: Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority
Corridors between fragmented habitats are critical to the maintenance of certain wildlife populations, especially those of larger, terrestrial mammalian carnivores. Commercial development is being considered in the small wedge of land between Sierra Highway and State Route (SR) 14. The Los Piñetos underpass is currently a corridor under SR 14 that provides a connection between Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) and City of Santa Clarita protected land and this site. Beyond this wedge is a habitat connection to the Los Padres National Forest, which makes the Los Piñetos underpass the most likely connection between two regionally significant blocks of protected habitat. To document wildlife use of this underpass, we installed ten remotely triggered cameras, in stages, over two months around this area. We installed seven cameras near and under the underpass, and three cameras as controls up to 1 km from the underpass, in protected lands. Following 429 trap-nights, our photographs showed use of the area by coyote (Canis latrans), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), bobcat (Lynx rufus), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), Audubon's cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii), California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi), gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), and American badger (Taxidea taxus). The cameras along the road also captured human and vehicle activity, which we found to statistically differ temporally from that of the wildlife. We also produced data on species accumulation over time, relative activity of coyotes, and directionality of underpass use. Geographically, we found that animals traveling southeast via the underpass are veering toward an area of proposed development, and that the corridor location suggested by project proponents may not be in the area where animals are traveling, although further research on the proposed development parcel is warranted.
Retrofitting Commercial Real Estate: Current Trends and Challenges in Increasing Building Energy Efficiency
Adam Benson, Edgar Vargas, James Bunts, Justin Ong, Kelsey Hammond, Lindsey Reeves, Mack Chaplin, and Peter Duan
Advisor: Paul Bunje
Client: CB Richard Ellis
The U.S. has invested billions of dollars to simultaneously improve its energy independence, create jobs, and reduce environmental impacts. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 alone, over 27 billion dollars were allocated to improving energy efficiency and renewable energy research and investment. While supply-side technologies receive the most press, energy consumption reducing technologies can also yield many of the same benefits. Currently, commercial real estate buildings constitute 18% of all U.S. energy consumption and have potential for significant reductions through cost-effective energy retrofits. Due to the complexities of the industry, however, these retrofits are not being installed. Our research is focused on identifying these complexities and establishing a better understanding of commercial building retrofits. Building owners and tenants have primarily stayed away from energy efficiency upgrades to their buildings because of perceived high upfront costs and uncertain returns. To analyze this line of thinking, we examine 129 commercial building retrofit reports to explore financial trends and returns. In addition, we surveyed organizations that perform energy efficiency retrofits to gain better perspective about the market and the drivers that relate to it. For conformity, our research focuses on insulation, lighting, HVAC, and solar retrofit projects. Our findings help build a foundation for understanding the current state of commercial building retrofits. The retrofit report data suggests that lighting is the least expensive retrofit while HVAC is the most expensive to install per square foot. Despite this, our surveys indicate that most organizations are primarily interested in HVAC commercial building upgrades. Both the retrofit report analysis and survey results suggest that decision makers expect a payback period between three and five years.
To Certify or Not to Certify: A Dive into the Tannic Underbelly of the Organic Wine Industry
Hayley Moller, Geoff Wright, Danny Suits, Jon Gim, John Lee, and David Wolk
Advisor: Magali Delmas
Client: California Certified Organic Farmers
The present study aims to evaluate the quantitative quality of organic or biodynamic (eco-certified) as compared to traditional wines in California, in order to provide information to consumers, growers, and certifying bodies in the state's wine industry. Data collection from three wine rating websites resulted in the creation of a comprehensive database of almost 70,000 wines, with details for each bottle relating to the age, type, and location of the wine. Our results show that overall the adoption of certification does not have a negative impact on wine quality as measured by wine ratings for specific groups of wines. The adoption has a positive effect of rating for wines under $40, wines from the Napa region, and wines under $40 from the Napa region. These findings hold implications for addressing the consumer information asymmetry, growers' decisions to certify, and the marketing claims of the certifying bodies themselves.
Addition of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi to Seeds at Alta Vicente in Palos Verdes Peninsula
E Ahn, J Chiang, C Chui, M Varner, S Vaughn, and S Wittenberg
Advisor: Travis Brooks
Client: Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy
Coastal sage scrub (CSS) is a habitat characterized by drought-resistant shrubs found in Mediterranean-type coastal climates such as Southern California. Many of these habitats are threatened due to increased urban development, historic grazing and extensive farming, and thus the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy (PVPLC) has begun to make efforts to repopulate the native species communities. Studies have shown that Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) displays positive effect to native species by extending the root surface, hence increasing the uptake of limiting resources, especially phosphorus and water. This prediction was tested by an experimental addition of AMF to the seed mix of a CSS restoration site located in Alta Vicente, Palos Verdes Peninsula. Limited field germination of the native seed mix occurred in the first spring, following a winter of above average rainfall and events of lower than average temperatures. Subsequent growing seasons may result in higher native germination, at which time the effect of AMF addition can be re-assessed. The application of AMF did not have an effect on non-native plants, except for sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus), a non-native annual herb. Sow thistle abundance and cover were lower (p<0.05, n=20) with the addition of AMF.
Southern California surf zone water quality: Fecal indicator bacteria and harmful algal bloom cells at the Santa Monica Pier and Malibu Surfrider Beach
Tristan J. Acob, Taylor Cochran, Soo Yeun Park, Samuele L. Schoenberg, Samantha Tang, and Shannon Walker
Advisor: Dr. Rebecca Shipe
Client: Heal The Bay
Surf zone water quality is directly related to human health and that of the coastal ecosystem. Fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and harmful algal bloom (HAB) cells are microbiological indicators of water quality that periodically occur in the surf zone of southern California waters. Negative impacts of high FIB and HAB concentrations include contaminated waters and marine life, ecosystem disruptions, beach closures, and human illnesses. Previous research has addressed parameters that increase FIB and HAB concentrations independently, yet none have examined if FIB and HAB are directly related. Our main study objective asks if a correlation exists between FIB and HAB, and how ecological/environmental conditions (onshore vs. offshore, salinity, total suspended solids, temperature, and precipitation) may affect their growth. We collected water Monday through Thursday from Santa Monica Pier (SM) and Tuesday and Thursday at Malibu Surfrider Beach (MS) onshore and 100m offshore for 7 weeks. FIB concentrations were higher at MS onshore, whereas there was no onshore vs. offshore difference at SM. HAB abundances were higher offshore than onshore at both MS and SM. Onshore salinity and total suspended solids concentrations were lower at MS than at SM. Moreover, there was no significant relationship between FIB and HAB concentrations. Variability in FIB and HAB concentrations may best be explained by site differences and precipitous weather events.
Effect of Urban Runoff on Water Quality Indicators in Ballona Creek, CA
Uma Bhandaram, Andrew Guerra, Brooke Robertson, Heather Slattery, Kailey Tran
Advisor: Dr. Rebecca Shipe
Client: Heal The Bay
Urban runoff has the potential to dramatically affect water quality in high-density coastal urban regions. In this study, we define water quality as a function of trash, fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), and harmful algal bloom (HAB) concentrations. Thus far, no studies have investigated the effects of runoff on all three of these water quality indicators. This study fills that gap by comparing water quality in dry and wet weather at the mouth of Ballona Creek in Marina Del Rey, California. Additionally, we examine the mechanism through which urban runoff affects water quality by measurements of total suspended solids (TSS), nitrate concentrations, salinity, and temperature. All samples and measurements were gathered at three sites at the creek-ocean interface twice weekly from February to April 2011. We observed a significant correlation between FIB and wet weather (r = 0.88), HAB and wet weather (r = 0.89) but not between trash and precipitation. TSS, salinity, and nitrate concentrations were related to abundances of FIB and HAB; nitrate from runoff or upwelling seem to support HAB whereas TSS and FIB likely enter coastal waters in runoff. Our study shows that rainfall has a negative effect on the health of Ballona Creek waters, where FIB will accumulate and persist within the creek for days after a rain event. There is not a consistent spatial pattern in all variables amongst the three sites; the furthest upstream site was more influenced by runoff whereas the further downstream sites were influenced by upwelled waters. Understanding the factors that affect coastal water quality are crucial as this has economic, ecological, and health implications for other similar geographic areas.
Measuring Carbon Efficiency
Thomas Britt, Mitchell Howard, Andrew Hwang, Yohsuke Kobayashi, Jennifer Lu, Carly Lyons, Akhtar Masood, and Jae Suh
Advisor: Chien-Ming Chen
Client: Climate Earth
There is currently no standardized system of comparing production companies on their business and environmental practices. In an effort to fill this gap, this research project creates a standard called the eco-efficiency frontier on which to compare company's progress towards creating more goods and services while using fewer resources and creating less waste – in other words, being eco-efficient. We examine ten food manufacturing companies over the time span of three years to gauge their level of efficiency in comparison to each other. We then examine other financial information from all the companies to draw potential relationships between company operation processes and eco-efficiency scores. Our project yields interesting results and suggests that beverage companies may be more eco-efficient than other types of food manufacturing companies. Our eco-efficiency model has the potential to be applied to many different industries using different financial variables and can bring to light many interesting relationships and information that can be used to help all companies reach eco-efficiency.
The Impact of External Variables on Management Practices in Protected Areas: An Analysis
Naomi Elliott, Anni Gill, Amanda Grossi, Daniel Hogan, Ben Kertman, David Molmen, Shannon Skelton, and Charlotte Stanley
Advisor: Kristen Cruise
Client: Conservation International
Our research focuses on the important question, how do cultural, economic and environmental factors influence conservation efforts? The threats to our ecosystems has lead to large amounts of biodiversity loss, exemplifying the importance of effective management plans to restore biological systems. Conservation International (CI) provided our group with data sets regarding management attributes and protected area site descriptions. Our research team compiled a list of 12 quantitative external factors that might describe relationships with the scores of our management attributes. Our data team used statistical analysis (two-tailed t-test) to compare the trends of the scores for each management attribute with quantitative external factor trends. Our goal was to provide CI with the management attributes and types of protected areas they should prioritize in order to make the most informed investment. Conservation sites that lay within areas that propagate the most influential external factors (Number of Endemic Species, GNI, and Percentage Urbanized) should be of upmost focus. Furthermore, the management attributes related to plans, land and boundary issues, and biodiversity targets, should receive increased attention as they are highly related to the external factors. There are also trends that suggest that funds may not be currently distributed in a manner consistent with CI?s stated strategies.
Current and Historical Distribution of Vegetation Communities at Paramount Ranch, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Ross Bernet, Morgan Fahlman, Kevin Kawakami, Charles Le, Jessica Savio, and Karly Wagner
Advisor: Travis Brooks
Client: National Parks Service
Vegetation boundaries change naturally over time, but native vegetation communities are especially at risk following the introduction of exotic species and changes in land use patterns from human urbanization. This study is aimed at understanding the historical trends in the distribution of native and non-native vegetation communities in the Santa Monica Mountains, including Coastal Sage Scrub (CSS), native perennial grassland, non-native annual grassland, oak woodland and riparian, within the protected area of Paramount Ranch. By using two approaches – historical photo analysis and vegetation mapping – we assessed which communities have undergone an increase, decrease, or remained stable in their area coverage through the past few decades. We observed that the vegetation has largely remained stable overall, with the exception of a few areas. Additionally, the study added detail to previous vegetation map efforts by providing further classification of the grassland areas into native and non-native communities.
Online only material: http://jsavio.bol.ucla.edu/NPS/obliques/slider.php
Crow Density and Anthropogenic Subsidies Near the Venice, California Least Tern Colony
Margarita Armendariz, Allison Davison, Alessandro Maganuco, and Aaron Whitby
Advisor: Travis Longcore
Client: Los Angeles Audubon
Crow predation on California Least Tern colonies is a well-documented activity and decreases tern breeding success. In an effort to learn more about these generalist predators and their increases in urban environments, we investigated their spatial distribution around the Least Tern colony in Venice, California. In order to accomplish this we surveyed crows and food subsidies within a semicircle area of 5.52 square kilometers around the colony in the 2 months leading up to the 2011 tern nesting season. We mapped these location data with ArcGIS and used land use data to determine correlations between food subsidies and crow density. An increase in food subsidies, especially around developed parks, correlated with an increase in crow sightings. We also observed more crows on weekends than weekdays. The data conclusively showed that crows are found within all land use types; because of this, landscape management will likely not have a significant impact on deterring crow distribution from the Venice Least Tern Colony. While this research is novel in that it is the first crow survey done around this colony, further research is needed to determine seasonal variation and larger scale patterns in crow density before any conclusive recommendations can be made to enhance Tern nest viability.
Measuring the Ecological Status of Restoration Treatments of Coastal Sage Scrub (Cheeseboro Canyon) Using Biotic Proxies
Victoria Crandall, Karan Gupta, Kevin Huang, Angeline Kong, Allen Lee, Stephanie Macias, Phillip C. Wong.
Advisor: Dr. Travis Longcore
Client: National Park Service
Ecological restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been disturbed, degraded, or biologically invaded. The ultimate goal is to reestablish a community that will foster both short-term resistance and long-term resilience to future threats. Several papers have suggested ways of measuring ecosystem health but the primary consensus has involved a multi-dimensional approach. This study aims at applying a similar multi-dimensional approach to experimentally restored coastal sage scrub plots located in Cheeseboro Canyon, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. We examined biological proxies, including vegetation diversity, arthropod diversity, and seed bank diversity, to compare to reference coastal sage scrub habitat. In congruence with past studies, our findings suggest that the restored habitats have higher vegetation diversity and seed bank diversity when compared to adjacent disturbed native annual grassland and similar, but lower diversity compared with reference coastal sage scrub habitat. Responding to this difference in vegetation diversity and structure, arthropod diversity is lower in restored plots compared to reference plots, and is represented by a greater abundance of scavengers and a lower abundance of herbivores.
Edaphic Properties of Stable, Shrinking and Expanding Coastal Sage Scrub Boundaries (1990-2009) in Cheeseboro Canyon, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Monica Pacheco, Erin Mulberg, Suza Khy, Maggie Olsen, Andrew J. Price, Prodipto Roy, Eduardo Jimenez
Advisor: R. Travis Brooks
Clients: National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
The coastal sage scrub (CSS) vegetation of southern California is an ecologically important habitat that is threatened due to losses from urban development and type-conversion in adjacent wilderness by historic land use practices and decreased fire return intervals. Many areasthat have been historically grazed and subject to frequent burning have been replaced by a dominant non-native annual grass cover (NAG). Together CSS and NAG occur in vegetation mosaics in the landscape, including in Cheeeseboro Canyon, part of the Santa Monica National Recreation Area managed by the National Park Service. Although fire history has been documented to be an important consumer pressure on CSS communities, a prior photointerpretation study in Cheeseboro Canyon found that from the early 1920s to 2003, parameters of fire history did not directly correlate with the gain or loss of CSS cover (Eckhardt 2006). CSS-NAG boundaries may be responding to other environmental factors, including edaphic factors related to soil moisture availability. It is known CSS and NAG have differing soil hydrologic patterns, NAG being dryer that CSS due to plant water utilization (Davis 1985). Therefore, we posited that edaphic boundary conditions between CSS and NAG may be correlated with the relative stability of CSS-NAG boundaries. Over a 19-year period (1990-2009) we did not find that the relative stability of individual CSS boundaries (stable, expanding or shrinking) correlated with parameters of fire history; however, we found from a stratified random sample of the edaphic properties across these boundaries that soil texture was almost always different between the CSS and NAG sites. For differences between boundary stability types, we only found a significant difference between CSS and NAG across expanding boundaries at a depth of 0-20 cm (p<0.001). We interpret this finding to indicate that while soil texture alone may not consistently explain the trajectory of expanding or shrinking boundaries, the observation that soil texture was different across these vegetation boundaries suggests that it may be interacting with another unmeasured environmental factor, which is ecologically important in determining whether a particular site would promote or suppress CSS colonization. Future research and restoration projects should consider edaphic factors in attempting to understand the long-term stability of CSS communities in the landscape.
Examining Marine Debris Along Los Angeles County Beaches: A qualitative and quanitative analysis
Alisan Amrhein, Hui Yan Terri Chan, Jonathan Chang, Gabe Kiritz, Jaimie Lee, Karestine Nga, Sean O'Connor, Jaynel Santos
Advisor: Dr. Rebecca Shipe
Client: Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board
This study evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively the patterns of marine debris distribution found on the following four L.A. County Beaches: Malibu-Surfrider Beach, Venice Beach, Dockweiler State Beach, and Redondo Beach. Evaluations were characterized according to beach topography, land use characteristics, type of debris, and original use of debris found at each focus area. Each study area represented a diverse set of features that we predicted might effect the amount and type of debris collected. The intent for choosing each study area lies in the set of features identified: gentle sloping foreshores, minimal vegetation, similar beach composition, recreational sites and diverse land usage in surrounding areas. Debris was collected, classified, and analyzed during the period between February 20, 2010 and April 11, 2010. Quadrants, 4x4m in size, were randomly sampled and the number of quadrants vary with beach size. All debris, over the size of 5mm, found in these quadrants were taken to the laboratory for further examination and classification. The highest debris load was noted on Dockweiler State Beach, and the amounts were generally correlated with precipitation. Plastics were found in abundance on all beaches, however, many pieces were degraded suggesting that they had originated in upstream waterways for a significant amount of time before accumulating onto the beaches. The original use of most debris items was associated with food and beverage. After careful analysis, proper correlations and recommendations were drafted to assist the L.A. Regional Water Quality Control Board in the creation and implementation of a Total Maximum Daily Load Regulation (TMDL) for beaches in Southern California.
Marine Debris in Topanga Canyon
Nora Hakkakzadeh, Daniela Hamann-Nazaroff, Mohammed Raouf Iqbal, Mike Kelly, Rita Wong, Miriam Urena, Hannah Wilchar, Jenny Kim
Advisor: Dr. Rebecca Shipe
Client: Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board
Marine debris is a global problem that affects water quality, degrades beaches, and poses health problems to humans and aquatic organisms. The majority of marine debris is from land based sources due to human activities, such as littering and illegal dumping. Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, states must determine Total Maximum Daily Loads, or TMDLs, to calculate the maximum amount of pollutants that impaired waters can assimilate in order to meet water quality standards. The Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List of Water Quality Limited Segments for California includes Topanga Beach and Topanga Canyon Creek, but there have been no TMDL determined for either location. This paper aims to fill in the gap of information about the state of marine debris accumulation in the Topanga Canyon watershed in order to aid the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (LARWQCB) in establishing a TMDL for the area. Our research consisted of collecting, quantifying, and categorizing anthropogenic debris in the upper creek, middle creek, mouth, and beach of the Topanga Canyon watershed according to the standard Rapid Trash Assessment (RTA) guidelines, and analyzing the debris by amount, weight, and type. In general, the coastal zones had a greater abundance of small pieces of debris whereas the creek zones had larger debris at a lower abundance. Plastic was found to be a persistent problem in all four regions, and Styrofoam was especially prevalent in the mouth and beach zones. Our research guided us towards several suggestions for the LARWQCB on how the problem of marine debris in the Topanga Canyon watershed can be managed and mitigated.
Residential Use of Chemical Rodent Control from Bel-Air To the Hollywood Hills
Monica Bartos, Stephanie Falzone, Kaitlin Kelly-Reif, Cassandra Vasquez, Jennifer Ward
Advisor: Dr. Travis Longcore
Client: National Park Service
Exposure pathways of non-target species, specifically urban carnivores, to secondary anticoagulant rodenticides were identified in southern California between Bel-Air and the Hollywood hills. Habitat loss and fragmentation characterizes much of the landscape in our study site, causing carnivore home ranges to overlap with development bordering open spaces. Studies in this area have shown that urban carnivores are being exposed to anticoagulant rodenticides, and are reaching harmful biological endpoints including death and increased susceptibility to parasitic diseases. Little is known however about the pathways through which urban carnivores are coming into contact with these chemicals. To identify exposure pathways, we surveyed homeowners regarding their use of rodenticides if any, their knowledge about the effect of these chemicals on wildlife, and demographic information. We found that homeowners are applying second-generation compounds inside and outside their homes, as well as finding dead rodents inside and outside their homes. The Environmental Protection Agency has regulations that would ban the practices currently being used by homeowners in our study area. These new restrictions are not yet in effect, but when they are should substantially decrease the exposure of urban carnivores to anticoagulant rodenticides.
Rodent Control Methods and their Implications for Urban Carnivores in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California, USA
Sylvie Dao, Dale Douk, Eric Gumerlock, Stephanie Hoekstra, David Mori, Chay Tang, Sarah Young
Advisor: Dr. Travis Longcore
Client: National Park Service
Non-target urban carnivore species are vulnerable to second-generation anticoagulant rodenticide exposure from neighboring, developed areas. To investigate the mechanisms of transmission from residential users to wildlife in the Santa Monica Mountains in Los Angeles County, California, we distributed surveys that assessed resident's knowledge on the environmental effects of rodenticides and inquired about chemical application methods by homeowners and pest control operatives. We distributed over 1,200 fliers to households directing the respondent to a web-based survey and two homeowners associations emailed the same invitation to their members. We had 55 responses to the survey, 40 of which were in our specified study area. Results showed anticoaguant rodenticide chemicals being used outdoors, dead rodents being found outdoors, homeowners as the primary applicators, and gap in public awareness. Although the sample size was small, we were able to establish that improper rodenticide application does occur in neighborhoods that border habitats occupied by native carnivores, thereby illustrating the potential transmission pathway for rodenticides to these wildlife species.
Independent Projects
Evaluating the Characteristics of Dissolved Organic Matter and its Interactions with Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants in Natural and Treated Waters
Christina Cheng
Advisor: Dr. I.H. (Mel) Suffet
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a complex mixture of compounds found ubiquitously in natural waters. Sources of DOM include degraded biological materials in soil that is carried to water, as well as agricultural and urban runoffs. Previous research has shown that DOM can associate with hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) to lower the hazards of HOCs in the environment. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of HOCs that can enter aquatic systems through industrial discharges and non-point source runoff. Due to its hydrophobicity, free PAHs can cross the non-polar gill membranes of fish and accumulate in the fatty tissues of aquatic organisms. However, when a free PAH binds to DOM, it forms a complex that is too large to be absorbed by aquatic organisms. This PAH-DOM interaction (PAHfree + DOM ↔ PAHbound-DOM) can be defined by a DOM-water partition coefficient, KDOM. The KDOM depends upon the nature of the DOM, as certain properties of DOM may favor PAH-DOM interaction. Using perylene as a non-toxic marker of HOC, this study will evaluate the composition, polarity, size, and other characteristics of DOM that may influence its association with HOCs in natural waters and during water treatment. By understanding the changes in DOM characteristics at different stages of water treatment, we can also provide information that is essential for optimizing the treatment process for the removal of DOM and hazardous, free PAHs.
Quantifying the Effects of the Mountain Pine Beetle on Melt Morphology and Timing in the Colorado River Basin, USA
Danielle O. Perrot
Noah P. Molotch, University of Colorado at Boulder: Geography | INSTAAR
Dr. Gregory S. Okin, University of California, Los Angeles: Geography
The mountain pine beetle epidemic in the Colorado River Basin has resulted in widespread tree mortality in lodgepole pine stands across the Colorado Plateau. Due to the complex interactions between vegetation and snow, it is likely that changing vegetation structure will impact water yield, as snow represents the dominant input of water into these semi-arid mountain ecosystems. We hypothesize that the affected stands will experience a change in sub-canopy hydrolometeorological fluxes and surface albedo, thus influencing snowmelt rates. The result of these impacts on the basin scale hydrology is largely unknown given the complexity of these micro-scale interactions. We developed a mechanistic approach to resolve the spatio-temporal evolution of snowmelt and snowpack characteristics at the micro-scale (i.e. < 10 cm) for stages of beetle-related tree mortality using distributed hydrologic instrument clusters, hyperspectral snowpack characterization techniques, a distributed snowpack model (SNTHERM), and hemispherical photography. Our modeling results exhibit melt rates 1.1 and 3.4 times that of rates in unaffected stands for affected stands in intermediate and advanced stages of mortality, respectively. With the aid of remotely sensed snow and vegetation information, these results will provide the basis for larger scale simulations of the hydrologic impacts of beetle infestation across the Colorado River Basin.
The Role of Zooplankton Grazers in Harmful Algal Blooms in the Santa Monica Bay, CA
Ellen Dempsey
Advisor: Dr. Rebecca Shipe
Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) are a growing global and local problem; toxins as well as decay of high cell abundances can be deleterious to birds, mammals, and even humans. Zooplankton are consumers of phytoplankton; most have feeding preferences and thus may contribute to the preferential growth of certain taxa. In this study, we hypothesize that zooplankton will graze preferentially on non-toxic species, allowing toxic species to bloom. Weekly abundances of zooplankton were determined at the Santa Monica pier near the SCCOOS monitoring station using a vertical net tow through the first meter of sea water. During the period of sampling we observed two periods of zooplankton abundance, a bloom of non harmful diatoms, and a bloom of harmful dinoflagellates. During the study, it is likely that environmental factors, such as water temperature and salinity, exert a greater control on HAB taxa abundance than zooplankton. The complicated relationship between zooplankton and harmful algae are important to understand as we try to predict the timing and composition of HABs.
Growth of a rhizophytic and a non-rhizophytic Halimeda species in response to water column and sediment enrichment
Riley Clagett, Natalie Ma, & Casey Sheridan
Advisor: Dr. Peggy Fong
Anthropogenic nutrient input is an ever increasing problem in tropical coastal marine ecosystems. Long term nutrient enrichment of the water column leads to enrichment of benthic sediment, which could in turn affect the algal community. In our study we investigated the effect of water column nutrient enrichment and sediment nutrient enrichment on the rhizophytic algal species Halimeda incrassata and the non-rhizophytic species Halimeda opuntia. We initially proposed that sediment enrichment would lead to greater growth in H. incrassata than H. opuntia, while water column enrichment would lead to greater growth in H. opuntia than in H. incrassata. A field experiment was performed in Cook's Bay in Moorea, French Polynesia, where both Halimeda species were exposed to no enrichment, sediment enrichment, water enrichment, or sediment and water enrichment and growth was measured by segments. A corresponding microcosm experiment with the same nutrient treatments was also done, but with each algal species either alone or with the other species to determine effect of competition on growth. We found that sediment had a negative effect on H. incrassata in both experiments, resulting in reduced growth compared to unenriched algae. In the field experiment, sediment enrichment had a positive effect on H. opuntia's growth, but only when water enrichment was not present. In the lab experiment, however, sediment enrichment had a negative effect on H. opuntia's growth. Overall, our results indicate that many of our sediment and sediment/water enriched samples may have become overloaded with nutrients, which resulted in death of the algae. This provides evidence that sediment of Cook's Bay is already high in nutrients, and may be undergoing a community shift as a result continuous anthropogenic nutrient influx.
Contribution of Diatoms to Carbon Export in Coastal Oceans
Sarah E. A. Diringer
Advisor: Dr. Rebecca Shipe
Single celled marine primary producers provide a sink for excess CO2 in the atmosphere caused by burning fossil fuels and changes in land use. However, it is unclear how effectively they can sequester carbon to depth, especially in coastal regions. Diatom (class Bacilliariophyceae) blooms represent an increase in ocean surface biomass during upwelling and increased nutrient events, and are the dominant primary producers in coastal upwelling regions such as the western US coastline. However, the ability of diatoms to sequester carbon by settling out of the water column or by contributing to biomass in higher trophic levels is highly debated. Many suggest that bacterial decomposition of diatoms accounts for a large amount of carbon release before settling, significantly reducing carbon sequestration (Boyd et al. 2004). This study examines the portion of coastal biomass, as indicated by biogenic silica, which sinks below 250 meters, and evaluates three major hypotheses regarding export of organic material by diatoms to the deep ocean. Contribution of Diatoms to Carbon Export in Coastal Oceans.
Corporate Climate Stewardship – does it pay to think green? A pre- and post- Copenhagen analysis
Victor Weisberg
Advisor: Prof. Matthew Kahn
Most profit-driven managers would like to believe that it is not their responsibility to be environmentally conscious. Yet several researches have documented that on several occasions, environmentally intelligent choices by management have helped firms secure market confidence in times of regulatory uncertainty. These 'it pays to be green' scenarios, though infrequent, require management to address public and scientific concern prior to it becoming a material issue. This forward-thinking judgment and initial action should be seen as an investment for the long-term well-being of the company rather than an untimely deadweight costs. Climate change and climate risks are an intimate threat to both the world and financial markets, and very shortly these risks will materialize to investors and in turn, management decisions around climate change will be tested. Using CDP data of firm's carbon reporting, I tested the effect of the Copenhagen Conference on stock price. This research discovers that non-disclosing firms were significantly less favored than reporting firms during the period that China and India signed on to the accord.
Decreased Water and Increased Yields in the Westlands Water District
Jenna Martin
Advisor: Dr. S. Trimble
Less water availability to farmers has resulted in a pursuit for new irrigation technologies and water management. My senior capstone utilized remote sensing techniques to analyze spatial, spectral, and temporal domains of water reduction in the Westlands Water District, as well as examined a case study of one farmer's success in sustaining agricultural production in spite of restricted water availability. This project compared crop yields of conservation irrigation to conventional farming to determine if a comparable or superior yield is possible with decreased water distribution through more sustainable management decisions. Results implied that an average of 25-50% less water was required by a center pivot machine using Low-Elevation Spray Application (LESA), and produced 122% more tomatoes compared to the California average for conventionally irrigated tomatoes. These field data collections were coupled with remote sensing technology to monitor the Westlands Water District during the periods of June, July, and August of 1999 through 2009 using Landsat 4-5 Thematic Mapper+ and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery. It was found that trends in fallowed land were found to be increasing, most likely in response to the trend of reduced water supply in the Westlands Water District. A definite increase in fallowed land and reduced "greenness" (cultivation) can be associated with concurrent policies to reduce water allocations. This capstone examined benefits and limitations of irrigation efficiency through sustainable irrigation strategies, as well as applied a remote sensing approach of observing water resource reductions in an agricultural region of California's Central Valley.
Habitat Edges in the Baldwin Hills: Effects on Bird Distribution and California Coastal Sage Scrub
Anna Bugayong, Joshua Lazarus, Shahir Masri, Christine Nguyen, Lucas Salazar, and Adam Taheri.
Advisor: Dr. Travis Longcore
California Coastal sage scrub is a rare type of habitat which supports diverse plants and animals and, consequently, is of critical importance with regard to conservation. Our study looks at degraded coastal sage scrub habitat along native/non-native vegetation interfaces, or edges, in the Baldwin Hills; an area which has future plans for both habitat restoration as well as recreational development. By surveying birds abundance over a 2 week span, we were able to develop an understanding as to how the prevalence of native bird species varies between different types of habitat, including both degraded and non-degraded forms of coastal scrub, in the Baldwin Hills. In addition, our study seeks to determine how plant structure and composition changes with proximity to habitat edges. Using 49 marked points in a one-hectare grid, we calculated the height index of vegetation in order to understand the complexity of the habitat. Also, we analyzed 2 transects of vegetation; one at a degraded (or gradual) edge and one at an abrupt (or non-degraded) edge. The results of our overall study suggest that native birds prefer coastal sage scrub vegetation over non-native habitat in spite of the native habitat being somewhat degraded. In addition, the data shows that an exceptionally low number of birds can be utilize invasive tree species. Finally, our research reveals that the density of coastal sage scrub is independent of the type of edge bordering the native habitat; a finding which has significant implications as it relates to buffers zones as a method for preserving native habitat.
Sustainable Practices in the California Wine Industry: Analyzing the Motivations of Winemakers and Grape Growers
Yousef Anvery, Sachin Goel, Shilpa Hareesh, John Hogan, Antonio Menchaca, Roxana Ramirez
Advisor: Prof. Magali Delmas
This research project seeks to better understand the motivations and barriers for pursuing sustainable practices and certifications in the California wine industry. Despite the existence of many certification programs, the rate of adoption of these programs is low. We collected through an online survey that was distributed to nearly 2,000 contacts within the California wine industry. The survey was designed to explore correlations between business characteristics (size, diversity, ownership, etc.) and the ability to maintain sustainable certifications. The results of our survey showed that the top motivations for pursuing sustainable certifications included environmental sustainability, improvement of grape quality, future business viability, and soil quality. The top barriers to obtaining certifications included little financial benefit, unfamiliarity with sustainable practices, and limited market demand. The results showed that vineyard owners who intend to pass down their business to family members are more likely to adopt sustainable certification. Other hypotheses examined the correlation between certifications and a business size, age, location, and diversity of product offerings. A significant question was drawn from a common theme shared by many comments left at the end of the survey: What if certification is not the answer? A majority of respondents claimed to be Not certified, but use sustainable practices. With the lack of financial benefit, cost, and low consumer demand steering most wineries and vineyards away from certification, it appears that the marketplace is not favoring certified products and therefore not improving a business bottom line. Although certifying wine products is currently the best system in place for giving vineyards and wineries credit for their sustainable practices, it appears to be imperfect. We hope that our findings better inform and even inspire the wineries and vineyards that are considering, beginning, or expanding their implementation of sustainable practices.
Nuisance Odors in the Baldwin Hills
Geoffrey Clifford, Bryan Moy, Andrea Siu, Jennifer Webb and Victoria Zalameda
Advisor: Teaching Associate Travis Brooks with Dr. Travis Longcore and Prof. Magali Delmas
The Baldwin Hills, located in Los Angeles, California, represents a prime example of the intersection of conflicting land uses. Within close proximity to numerous businesses, highways, municipal buildings, and an oil field, the communities within and surrounding the Baldwin Hills are prone to a number of environmental hazards. Because of the large minority populations and low-income populations in these areas, there are also concerns about environmental justice, requiring attention to identify the hazards and to make efforts to mitigate them. Members of the community are concerned about the potential impact to their health from these hazards, including the impact of nuisance odors. However, in part due to the topography of the area, local wind patterns and the intermittent and unpredictable nature of the emission of nuisance odors, it has often been difficult to locate the source. In order to provide a better understanding of the prominence and frequency of nuisance odors in the community, this project will conduct surveys of residents and spokespersons from local sensitive receptors, review complaint records previously filed with the local air quality agency, and speak with leaders in the community that have expert or special knowledge about nuisance odor issues. We identified areas that have been historically impacted by nuisance odors in the past have been identified, and measured local wind patterns in these areas. We compared the relationship between areas impacted by nuisance odors and local wind patters will be compared in a geographic information system (GIS) to summarize the demographics of the impacted areas and identify potential upwind sources of the odors. Wind surveys showed light winds in the morning and greater windspeeds in the afternoon. The results can help describe the baseline conditions for nuisance odors in the Baldwin Hills and to identify specific areas that should be considered for long term air quality monitoring and to identify areas to focus efforts to mitigate future nuisance odor releases.
Avian Diversity and Song Variation in Kibale National Park's Logged and Unlogged Compartments
Julia Shiplacoff
Advisor: Dr. Debra Shier
Species monitoring research has arisen to assess the dynamic changes in species abundance and diversity that have resulted from deforestation. Areas of Kibale National Park, Uganda underwent selective logging up until December, 1969, and have since been regenerating. This study coupled vegetation sampling with mist-netting and birdcall recordings in two forest habitats— selectively logged (secondary) and unlogged (primary)- to assess the relationship between forest regeneration and bird communities, focusing also on several species. Analyses of canopy height, cover and the largest tree diameters at breast height revealed no difference in vegetation between the secondary and primary forests, suggesting that the secondary forest has regenerated significantly in the last 39 years. Species diversity quantification across the areas also showed no significant difference, however, the analysis of dawn chorus recordings using Raven 1.3 indicated that peak frequency, bandwidth and call duration did differ significantly between the two habitats, intraspecifically.
Advisor: Hartmut Walter
The Impact of Hydromulch on Native and Non-native Species in a Post-Fire Recovery Period within Los Angeles' Griffith Park
Bailey Blosser and Joelle Jahng
Non-native plant growth after a fire is often a common characteristic associated with a fire-adapted plant community. The relationship between native and non-native plant growth after a fire and the application of erosion-control measures such as hydromulch is not well understood. In this paper, we explore the relationship between diversity, richness, and abundant growth rates in an urban wilderness park setting of native and non-native California chaparral. In the spring of 2008, we studied Los Angeles' largest urban park, Griffith Park, that experienced an 800-acre fire in May of 2007 and an application of hydromulch to 500 acres of the park. We used the Shannon diversity index and the Student t test to find diversity levels and to measure variation among samples in order to determine if there is a relationship between native and non-native species diversity, richness, and growth rates and the application of hydromulch. We found that plots with no or partial application of hydromulch had slightly higher indices of diversity and richness than plots without hydromulch. No relationship was apparent between hydromulch application and non-native growth dominating over native growth, however there was an overall higher frequency of non-native plant counts, specifically Brassica nigra (Black Mustard) and Daucus carota (Queen Anne's Lace) over native species plant counts regardless of hydromulch coverage.
The Effects of Hydromulch and Fire Intensity on Post-Fire Chaparral: A Griffith Park Case Study
Stephanie Debats, Deidre Pilotte, and Rashmi Sahai
Question: Does hydromulch as a post-fire erosion mitigation treatment affect vegetation recovery in a chaparral ecosystem?
Location: Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California.
Methods: Vegetation sample transect plots were marked at two separate locations within the park, one to which hydromulch was applied, and one to which it was not. At the two locations, we selected one transect plot each of high and low burn severity, and species and number of individuals were sampled. The heights and widths of several indicator species were also sampled. Paired t-tests were used to test our hypothesis.
Results: Species diversity was found to statistically insignificant when comparing hydromulched to non-hydromulched areas. Plant density was found to be statistically significant with greater plant density found in non-hydromulched area. Plant growth, in terms of height and width, was found to have no conclusive trends or differences between hydromulched and non-hydromulched areas.
Conclusions: While species diversity was not statistically significant, the p-value was very close to being significant, signifying that a larger sample might have yielded a statistically significant result. The species diversity seemed to converge over time, as the number of herbaceous annuals reduced in the low fire intensity/non-hydromulched transect. The statistically significant higher plant density in non-hydromulched area signifies that hydromulch acts as a physical barrier, impeding vegetation recovery. Therefore, policymakers should be aware that hydromulch will reduce initial plant density. The plant growth data was inconclusive, because a random sampling of individuals does not account for individual growing conditions and varying germination times.
Effects of Hydromulch on Post-Fire Seed Germination
Caroline Evans, Angel Kwok, and Sarah Maquindang
One of Southern California's latest fires occurred on May 8, 2007 at Griffith Park, the largest municipal park in the United States located in Los Angeles. In order to increase slope stability and protect homes, the city aerially applied hydromulch to over half of the burned area. However, the effectiveness of hydromulch as a slope stabilizer and its potential effects on post-fire vegetation are not well known. We used two experiments, one in the field and one in plant containers, to determine whether or not hydromulch had any significant negative effects on post-fire chaparral vegetation recovery. In the field experiment, there were no significant differences in plant density between our study areas with hydromulch compared to areas without hydromulch. The second seeding experiment showed growth underneath the hydromulch, from which can be concluded that enough sunlight is available underneath hydromulch to support plant growth. Thus, the insignificant differences between vegetation growth and density in hydomulched and non-hydromulched for both experiments indicated that the application of hydromulch might not be as detrimental towards vegetation germination as previously hypothesized.
Fire-Induced Water-Repellent Soil Layers in Non-Hydromulched Areas of Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California
David Kunugi and Aya Satoh
Questions: Have water-repellent soil layers discouraged pioneer species from successfully revegetating Griffith Park? How do the levels of water repellency vary among minimally burned, partially burned, and severely burned sites?
Location: United States, California, Los Angeles, Griffith Park (Latitude: 34.125°; Longitude: 118.302°)
Methods: Sites were classified as severely burned, partially burned, and minimally burned, based on both present and remnant plant matter found on location. GPS coordinates of all sites were recorded, and the water-drop test was performed on soil surface and five centimeters below ground. Three different levels of water repellency (hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and strongly hydrophobic) were determined based on how long it took for each drop of water to absorb into the soil.
Results: Ten sites were selected to be studied over a period of two months. Categorizing hydrophobic properties of soil with their respective burn severity level remained challenging, as there was variance within the timed results. Mode analysis was performed to clean up the nominal data, and a strong correlation was observed between minimally burned locales and their hydrophilic tendency.
Conclusion: The duration of time required for each drop of water to absorb into a soil profile can be used as an indicator of a soil's water repellency level. Minimally burned sites demonstrate superior vegetative rebounds following a fire and tend to consist of more hydrophilic soils compared to partially burned and severely burned sites.
Port-Related Diesel Truck Traffic and Environmental Justice Implications
Dorothy Kieu Le
Advisor: Dr. Arthur Winer
This study examines the environmental justice implications of port-related diesel truck traffic for the Long Beach/Wilmington Port Area. We directly measured heavy duty diesel truck (HDDT) traffic by videotaping all vehicles at 11 key intersections in the port adjacent communities of Wilmington and Long Beach. We reduced, classified, and binned data according to traffic direction, vehicle type and class. We overlaid 2000 Census data and a Geographic Information System (GIS) to create maps of HDDT traffic, ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES). The traffic data generally reflect two peaks in truck traffic, in the midmorning and mid-afternoon. Over 600 HDDT per hour were observed at key intersections. These high HDDT volumes are located in areas with up to 80-90% Latino/Hispanic residents, including neighborhoods with over 40% of residents living below the federal poverty line, respectively. The results raise concerns regarding potential exposure of this largely minority, low SES community to multiple environmental hazards in this port-adjacent area. Short-term policy recommendations include information sharing and public participation. Long-term policy recommendations should be based on the Clean Air Action Plan for the Ports, including the retrofit or replacement of the 16,000 highly polluting HDDT presently operating at these ports.
Published: Monday, March 16, 2009


text:
Look at the signes "OG solon"
GO solon
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says ... on Tuesday, Dec 30 at 12:04 PM
it was cool
says ... on Monday, Oct 6 at 3:17 PM
Who is that?? LOL
says ... on Monday, Oct 6 at 3:15 PM
hahahahaha funny!!!!!!!!!!!!! Who was that?????? Was it Hannah??? well did you have fun??? I did looking at that pic!!!
says ... on Wednesday, Dec 12 at 7:18 PM
Yelp thats me... oh well..haha
says ... on Monday, Dec 10 at 12:47 PM
That's too bad. But what a great photo. Pretty funny.

subset: commoncrawl


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Jump to: Page Content, Site Navigation
I literally just discovered that there is a brand of food called Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul. What a mouthful! It is made with four kinds of meat...
Products | Pet Information | FAQ | Where to Buy
| New Cat Kibble Shape | Blog | Pet Parenting Guide
Chicken Soup for the Soul | Contact Us | Site Map | Art Server | Quick Links
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text: Christmas Bells Greeting Card - Personalized Ringing Bells Holiday CardBells will be ringing this holiday with our festive greeting card. Featuring red bells trimmed in gold foil, ringing out your Christmas greetings and best wishes. Your Christmas Greeting Card measures 7 7/8" x 5 5/8" and includes free personalization. Choose from one of our verses, to be printed in red ink, and enter up to four lines of personalization to appear underneath. Customize your special message by selecting your favorite ink color. The return address is printed on the backflap of your 7 7/8" x 2 1/4" Gold-Lined White Envelope. Cards are available in quantities of 25 to 150.


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The full biography of the Roman Emperor Caligula.
Though Caligula ruled the Roman Empire for less than four years, his reign was a legendary frenzy of lunacy, murder, and lust. Between executions, he staged spectacular orgies, made love to his sister, and declared himself a living god.
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Ruthless, corrupt and crazy. Many of the world's dicators started out as charismatic young leaders, with a large measure of support from their countrymen—only to become bloated with power and abandon the principles they had pledged to uphold. These leaders held on to power by rigidly enforcing control, intimidating opposition and instilling fear among citizens. With access to unlimited power and riches, many developed secretive personal lives and bizarre habits. These dictators terrorized their people, and mesmerized the world, with their bizarre sayings, styles, and actions. Biography.com takes a look at some of the world's most erratic, and autocratic, leaders.
Erratic and Autocratic
14 people in this group
Whether for all their lives or for just a brief spell, these famous people have experienced the terror of epileptic fits.
Famous Epileptics
15 people in this group
Michael Jackson is one, so is Stephen King and Greta Garbo. Some say typical traits of Virgoans are helpful, critical, shy, and meticulous. Meet some famous people who share the astrological sign Virgo.
Famous Virgoans
598 people in this group


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Truth & Rumors > NCAAF
Pro-Aggies billboard comes down in Gainesville
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08:12 AM ET 09.05 | In the run-up to Texas A&M hosting Florida in its first SEC game, a billboard appeared in Gainesville boasting "The Best Academics & Cleanest Program in the SEC." Texas A&M spokesperson Jason Cook clarified the school had no connection to the billboard. "This billboard was not placed by Texas A&M University, and it is certainly not reflective of how we have handled our transition into the SEC," Cook said in a statement. ... Texas A&M has tremendous respect for the University of Florida, and we look forward to hosting the Gators in our first SEC football game this weekend." The billboard, which belongs to Clear Channel Outdoor, was later removed and replaced with an advertisement for the owner.
USC did it in UCLA land didn't they? But that's a same city rivalry game. Is aggie taking over for UGa and/or FSU as your rival you gaduh guys?
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They are just excited about FINALLY being in the SEC
Best academics and cleanest program in the SEC!
That is and probably always will be Vandy. Also in the article it mentions that UF and TAMU are tied at #58 per U.S. News and World Report
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I think its hilarious...Isnt TAMU in the top 5 for dirtiest programs....
Nah, their dirt is from hanging around sheep pens.
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I think its hilarious...Isnt TAMU in the top 5 for dirtiest programs....
Don't know about now but they sure were during the days of the SWC.
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I suspect WTFJJ....
Nah, he's too much of a "codo" to pay for the ad. (Tightwad for you non native speakers.)
Total Comments (22533)
He is about to make sum mega $$$$ with the release of the IFON 5.....this country is full of fish..
But he won't spend any of it. He's hurting the economy by not spending any of it.
But, my daughters and granddaughters cancel him out so all if fine.
Total Comments (22533)
Best academics and cleanest program in the SEC!That is and probably always will be Vandy. Also in the article it mentions that UF and TAMU are tied at #58 per U.S. News and World Report
I guess aggy has forgotten that they had more ncaa probes than all the area 51 inhabitants claim
With all things considered, what is anyone's take on who should be the favorite?
Vegas has aggy by 2.5
As has been the history of this fine school, the funniest Aggie jokes are the ones they create themselves. At least the College Station sheep [word that modstalker no longer allows, unless it's in one of FN's innumerable threads on Sandusky] didn't try to put up similar billboards in all states with SEC schools; some drivers in North Carolina would be scratching their heads in confusion.
"Clean program"?? Huh?? Can we open this discussion to include the one game suspensions that were imposed for the first game, then deferred when the first game turned out to be against a real opponent?
Remember to keep your posts clean. Profanity will get filtered, and offensive comments will be removed.
Truth & Rumors
Will Phil even want 'Melo?
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Mets about to make the wrong call in center
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Report: Phil Jackson 'real close' to taking Knicks job
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Report: Texans interested in Ryan Mallett
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Noel ready to launch ... in Boston
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Help Declare April 4th "International Talk Like Batman Day"
The internet loves to celebrate silly ideas. "Sandwich Day", "Macaron Day", "Talk Like a Pirate Day"...so why not start our own? Introducing "Talk Like Batman Day"!
We think it's time to honour one of the world's greatest
crime-fighters in a fun way, AND get Kelowna on the map by being the first
city to declare an official "Talk Like Batman Day" on April 4th.
If this petition gets enough signatures, we'll get an official proclamation from Kelowna
Mayor Walter Gray! So get your best "grizzly-bear-that-got-punched-in-the-throat" voice ready to go and let's make this fun idea happen!
-Kevin and Sonia
SUN FM Mornings with Kevin and Sonia
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Tina Fey & Amy Poehler are Adorable on Cover of "Entertainment Weekly"
Real life BFFs Tina Fey and Amy Poehler look FABULOUS on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. The duo guest edited the December 20th issue, due out on stands 12/13.
They'll be hosting the Golden Globes together on Sunday, January 12th.
Thumbnail Source: Getty Images
Source: Huff Po via Entertainment Weekly


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These pages contains selected recordings of past classes offered by the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies.
During this day we will explore three discourses from the Long Discourses of the Buddha which discuss the role both government action and personal transformation have in the well-being of our society. In the background of our exploration will be exploring the uses of stories to convey spiritual teachings. The day will involve an interactive combination of lectures, discussion and creative engagement with the Kutadanta Sutta, the Cakkavatti-Sihanada Sutta, and the Agganna Sutta (Digha Nikaya 5, 26, and 27). These suttas can be found at http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Kutadanta_Sutta, http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Cakkavattisihanada_Sutta, and http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Agganna_Sutta.
Veneerable Analayo compares the three main insight traditions (Mahasi, Goenka, Pa Auk) and traces back similarities via the commentarial scheme of insight knowledges to a basic pattern of insight in the suttas.
Bhikkhu Analayo was born in Germany in 1962 and ordained in Sri Lanka in 1995. In the year 2000 he completed a Ph.D. thesis on the Satipatthana-sutta at the University of Peradeniya (published by Windhorse in the UK). In the year 2007 he completed a habilitation research at the University of Marburg, in which he compared the Majjhima-nikaya discourses with their Chinese, Sanskrit, and Tibetan counterparts. At present, he is a member of the Centre for Buddhist Studies, University of Hamburg, as a Privatdozent (the German equivalent to an associate professorship), and works as a researcher at Dharma Drum Buddhist College, Taiwan. Besides his academic activities, he regularly teaches meditation in Sri Lanka.
The Buddha described only two of his teachings as categorical—i.e., as applicable across the board: the teaching on the four noble truths, and the teaching on the distinction between skillful and unskillful action. This second distinction is actually the more basic of the two, forming the framework for understanding all of this other teachings. This daylong workshop will focus on exploring the meaning of this distinction, its connection to the Buddha's teachings on causality in general, and its implications for the practice: both on the cushion and in daily life.
The entirety of the Buddha's teaching is encapsulated in the first three discourses he delivered after his enlightenment. In this day of study we covered all three suttas in detail, exploring how they weave together to inform each other and create a complete description of Dharma teaching and practice.
Based on an examination of early discourses found in the Buddhist Pali Canon, this class explored the question: "What did the Buddha teach that was distinctively and originally his own?" By differentiating the Buddha's Dhamma from the ideas of Indian religion and metaphysics that prevailed at his time this class sought to uncover a clearer sense of the Buddha's message and then considered what relevance it still has for people living in the modern world. The day was divided between talks, sitting meditation and discussion.
Stephen Batchelor was a Buddhist monk in the Tibetan and Korean Zen traditions. Known for his secular and agnostic approach, he teaches Buddhist meditation and philosophy worldwide. Author of the bestselling Buddhism without Beliefs, his most recent publication is Confession of a Buddhist Atheist.
The Buddha taught that not-self was one of the three fundamental characteristics of existence, alongside impermanence and suffering. In this workshop, we examined self - and its release - in light of Buddhism, evolution, and modern brain science; these perspectives inform each other, and together they offer powerfully practical tools for deconstructing the apparent self.
In this workshop, we covered:
Slides for this workshop can be downloaded here (pdf format).
More information and resources are available at www.wisebrain.org.
The Atthaka Vagga (the Octet Chapter) of the Sutta Nipata contains sixteen poems on the subject of non-clinging. These teachings offer a radical and challenging approach to the liberative teachings of the Buddha, focusing most specifically on the subject of clinging to views and desire.
These verses may well contain some of the earliest teachings of the Buddha, since there are other discourses within the Pali Canon that refer to these teachings, and the language of these verses is more arachic than that of other discouses in the Pali Canon.
During this daylong, we explored this ancient text from different perspectives: as an internally consistent teaching that proposes a radical path of non-clinging, without reference to any metaphysical belief system, and as a teaching contained within the larger body of Buddhist literature, highlighting some apparent contradictions between the two, and possible ways to reconcile them.
Several versions of the Atthaka Vagga are available freely
Everyone is familiar with the image of the Buddha sitting in meditation. It is an icon which takes on the aesthetic of the culture which gave rise to it: from India to Tibet; from Japan to Southeast Asia. Most recently, we can see the influence of the Dharma in the art of the west.
The earliest Dharma images were of a wheel, an empty chair, a lotus. Later, images of the Buddha portrayed him most commonly as sitting in meditation. In Japan the dharma was inherent to the design of the tea house and in the practice of inkbrush painting. By the mid 20th century, the growing Western interest in the spirituality of the East began to influence American artists for whom pop art and abstract expressionism became a means of displaying both their understanding and practice of the dharma.
Joan DePaoli is an artist, art historian, author and lecturer, and is also a curator who, since 1970, has presented exhibitions of Buddhist art in both Thailand and the United States. The day was be devoted to reviewing how visual art has been used both to commemorate the Dharma and to facilitate its practice since the time of the Buddha. There was special attention given to the Dharma's substantial influence in contemporary modern art. In describing his own practice, 20th century artist Philip Guston said: "When you go into your studio to work, everyone is there, your friends, parents, teachers, then one by one they all leave. And when you're lucky, you do!"
The latest brain research has begun to confirm the centrail insights of the Buddha. And it's suggesting ways you can help your brain to enter deeper states of mindfulness, quiet, and concentration. Suffering, joy, and freedom all depend on what happens within your nervous system. Skillful meditation practice thus means being skillful with your own brain.
This experiential workshop — led by a psychologist and a neurologist — offered user-friendly information about your brain and many practical methods to apply it to meditation practice. No prior background with meditaiton or brain science is necessary.
Steve Armstrong presents the teachings of Sayadaw U Tejaniya, who teaches that simply being aware of our experience is not sufficient for wisdom to arise. First we must understand how to practice correctly with the right attitude. Only then will wisdom and understanding arise out of practice.
The practice itself is an awareness of mind, inquiring into our experience with such questions as: What is the attitude I am practicing with? Is there a subtle defilement operating at the moment? What do I understand about my experience? Discovering the answers to these questions allows peace and happiness to arise in your heart.
How we approach insight practice conditions what we discover. Coming to it for stress management brings one kind of result; seeking emotional intelligence and balance brings another. Buddhist insight (vipassana) practice was originally designed as a vehicle for liberation. To fulfill this potential, it helps to understand how it works as a practice of liberation.
One of the most profound teachers of insight practice in modern times was the Burmese teacher Mahasi Sayadaw. Most insight meditation taught in the world is derived from his teachings. This daylong class presented his teachings on the 'absolute view of reality' which is helpful for attaining liberation and as well as finding happiness in our busy lives. With refined knowledge of this view, we can realize for ourselves the subtle wisdom of the Buddha's liberation.
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What an amazing view! Hostel nestled right up in the hills... Received a lovely warm welcome from this family, they were extremely helpful offering information on the town and made a lovely breakfast in the morning of omelette/ fresh bread/ olives and cheese. They even offer tours up into the beautiful mountains. Thanks for a great stay, we will definitely recommend! :)
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Owners were very friendly & helpful, though without their directions and help from some local builders we would not have found the place. Clean, tidy and extra blankets supplied for the cold nights. 15 min from the Medina, unfortunatly the website photographs of the hostel are out of date. A hearty breakfast, but not sure I want to eat while others are 'smoking' in the room; maybe the owners should address that issue.
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An orderly stroll turned into a full sprint as 6-year-old Jaidyn Thrower rounded the corner into North Elementary School's cafeteria on Monday morning, March 3.
Jerry Witherspoon, executive director of Housing Authority of Lancaster, presented his annual report at the Tuesday, Feb. 25, meeting of Lancaster City Council.
Witherspoon said Housing Authority of Lancaster was presenting a check to the city for more than $8,500 per its agreement to pay a fee-in-lieu-of-taxes.
"We don't pay property taxes," Witherspoon said. "The $8,582.93 check to the city is based on rent from Housing Authority."
Lockey Boyd Powers and Adam Michael Plyler were married at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 22, 2014, at St. John's Episcopal Church in Columbia by the Rev. John Fletcher Montgomery.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hendricks Powers of Columbia. She is a graduate of Presbyterian College with a bachelor's degree in early childhood education. She works for Richland County School District 1.
Every year, stories about the University of South Carolina Lancaster's annual Soul Food Cook-Off & Fundraiser include a menu of mouth-watering southern home cookin'.
GREENVILLE - The Indian Land High School Warriors fell to Newberry High School 78-66 in the Class AA Upper State basketball title game on Saturday, March 1.
Darnell Rogers led the Warriors with 27 points, followed by Damien Forman with 17 points.
IL boys basketball coach Nate Smith said earlier this week that inside play would be a deciding factor in the game and it was.
Newberry took control of the game in the third period with several key rebounds to build it's lead.
The sixth annual Gameday at Doomsday high school baseball jamboree is Saturday, Feb. 22 at the Lancaster High School baseball field.
The field includes varsity and junior varsity teams from the four county high schools, Andrew Jackson, Buford, Indian Land and host Lancaster.
County firefighters were busy earlier this month responding to structure fires in all four main areas of the county within a one-week period.
The blazes included damage to homes and businesses in Lancaster, Heath Springs, Kershaw and Indian Land between Feb. 11 and 17.
The most recent blaze, which destroyed significant portions of a Kershaw home, began burning sometime after 8:15 p.m. Feb. 17, according to a Lancaster County Sheriff's Office incident report.
One month before the March 16 open filing date for partisan local elections, at least four candidates already have announced intentions to seek public office – three for Sixth Circuit Solicitor and one for Lancaster County Council.
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham asked a lot of questions to supporters and spoke his mind during an appearance at the Lancaster County Republican Party meeting at Mike Williams Builders on Thursday, Feb. 20.
Graham, who expects a challenge from conservative activists, including the Tea Party movement, in the 2014 Senate primaries, worked to unite a divided party he considers the "heart and soul of America."
The University of South Carolina Lancaster baseball team snapped a four-game skid in resounding fashion with a 14-2 win over the Newberry College junior varsity on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at the Lancaster High School baseball field.


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Office Inspiration: Colorful Desk Designs
Is your desk a cluttered, gloomy place to work? Clean it up, then add some cheer with a wash of bright paint. The new pop of color may even motivate you to keep it organized.
- A lime-green desk with pretty woodwork in toymaker Caitlin Betsy Bell's home. From Paper & Stitch.
- A sleek yellow Alessandro Albrizzi desk looks fresh in a very modern space. From Elle Decor.
- A red metal desk is the focal point of an eclectic, art-filled workspace. AD Enero via Arkpad.
- Cornflower blue makes for a serene-looking office. From House to Home.
- This hot pink metal and glass desk is understated and very cool. From Lonny.
- A deep red desk complements the richly stained beams in a house by J Tallman Builders. Via Houzz.
- A vintage desk gets a sweet redo in Farrow and Ball's Dix Blue paint. From Habitually Chic.
- A green and purple pairing makes for a cheerful place to do homework. From Design*Sponge.
(Images: As linked above.)
1 Comment
How I wish offices would allow more leeway in how employees decorate their spaces. Most offices I've worked in are the most drab, ugly, uninspiring and even depressing spaces you could imagine. I'm not saying it should be a free-for-all. I understand that every company has their own style. (And some people's idea of decorating may be... questionable.)
But I know how much it helps to have a bright, cheerful, pleasant environment in which to work! That is especially true during the long winter months when everything, everywhere seems to be a dirty shade of gray.
Those who are able to have their own spaces to work where they can decorate to their liking are the luckiest people in the world!
Also, I wonder if there's anything in the archives on the importance of light during the winter. I know when I used to work - I've been unemployed for years now and have no expectation of it changing anytime soon - I would get so depressed by the darkness outside and the horrible lighting inside. Having natural light helps so very much!


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Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), the co-chair of the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction, will be holding a fundraiser for his JEBFund leadership PAC on Tuesday with Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio).
According to Politico Influence, $5,000 will get you "admittance to all 2011 JEBFund events."
That's right ladies and gentleman, for the low, low price of $5,000 you too can have a season pass to the supercommittee co-chair.


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Article: |
Will Mono Become the Preferred Platform for Linux Development? | |
Subject: | You are mistaken | |
Date: | 2004-03-11 22:41:48 | |
From: | electricmew | |
im sorry, if you think "C is dead". You are greatly mistaken, and a full blown idiot. C is used more than any other language. Its right up there with ASM. Just becuase application programmers like using things like Java or mono(becuase its "easier") doesnt make it the right language. And to the people. This only makes a note that you should not listen to certain people, no matter what level of expertise or level of access to different things they might have. |
Showing messages 1 through 2 of 2.
re: You are mistaken
2004-03-12 01:36:39 hans_und_franz [View]
C is used more than any other language. Its right up there with ASM.
ASM? One of the MOST USED LANGUAGES?
I think we all know who the idiot is here.
You are a troll
2004-03-12 03:09:22 simon_hibbs [View]
He didn't just say "C is dead" he said it was dead for him. And he immediately qualified the statement by giving an exception.
"This only makes a note that you should not listen to certain people..." - especialy when they distort other people's statements out of context to make in irrelevent point.
Simon Hibbs


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GigaomWeTransfer goes mobile, starting with iOS
The company, which boasts 20 million active monthly users, now has a mobile app that lets users transfer up to 10GB in pictures and videos. The file transfer service WeTransfer has… Read more »
The company, which boasts 20 million active monthly users, now has a mobile app that lets users transfer up to 10GB in pictures and videos. The file transfer service WeTransfer has… Read more »
NCR isn't just going after Square with its iPad point-of-sale terminal Silver. It's now challenging loyalty platform startups like Belly in its attempts to crack the small brick-and-mortar business. NCR(s ncr)… Read more »
A new app lets you fight parking tickets right from your iPhone. Tired of paying for questionable parking tickets? Believe it or not, there is now an app for that. Fixed,… Read more »
CarPlay will be one of many smartphone frameworks running in cars, and it's not meant to replace the automakers' infotainment systems, but augment them. The danger is that CarPlay could overshadow… Read more »
It's a first for Android: In 2013, more tablets running Google's software were sold than those running Apple iOS. How much does that matter? Likely little in the short term based… Read more »
The service, previously known as "iOS in the car", will bring Siricentric infotainment functionality to the dashboards of a wide variety of cars. Remember Apple's(s aapl) "iOS in the car" initiative?… Read more »
Google continues to woo iOS owners over to Hangouts with new features. The software for iPhone and iPad got a redesign and enough improvements to make it better than its Android… Read more »
Keeping secure in today's always connected age of computing is not a once and done sort of task, it is an ongoing process that requires attention. The following checklist will help… Read more »
The freemium model is fueling revenues not just for mobile games but also for other kinds of apps. Freemium's importance will only grow over the next few years, but developers will… Read more »
After first patching an SSL vulnerability in iOS 7, Apple followed with a fix for OS X. Mavericks 10.9.2 is now available and also includes support for Facetime audio calls on… Read more »


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Multiple myeloma treatment has advanced rapidly over the past several years. The introduction of new active agents has, in short order, transformed the management of affected individuals. Among these new myeloma drugs are the immune modulators thalidomide and lenalidomide and the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib. But we do not yet know the best methods for combining these agents with older therapies, such as melphalan and corticosteroids.
At yesterday's Plenary Session, Dr. Maria-Victoria Mateos from the Hospital Universitario de Salamanca in Spain presented results on behalf of the Spanish Myeloma Group from a prospective, randomized trial in older patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. This study compared induction treatment with bortezomib, melphalan, and prednisone (VMP) to bortezomib, thalidomide (100 mg/day), and prednisone (VTP). This was followed by maintenance treatment with either bortezomib and thalidomide (VT) or bortezomib and prednisone (VP).
A total of 260 patients were enrolled. Individuals who completed six cycles of induction were then randomized to maintenance with VT or VP for up to three years. The doses and schedules employed for maintenance included bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2 administered on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 every three months, in combination with either continuous thalidomide 50 mg daily (VT) or prednisone 50 mg every other day (VP).
One of the notable findings was that the group treated with VMP induction followed by VT maintenance had statistically significant better progression-free survival than those treated with VTP followed by VP. Similar responses were noted in standard and high-risk groups, indicating that both of these therapeutic regimens can overcome traditional indicators of poor prognosis.
With respect to adverse events, VMP induction therapy was associated with a higher incidence of neutropenia and a higher incidence of infections than VTP. In contrast, VTP therapy was associated with a higher incidence of peripheral neuropathy than VMP as well as a higher incidence of serious cardiac events, although the absolute number of such events was small.
Dr. Mateos noted that perhaps the most important finding was that the poor prognosis of high-risk elderly patients could be overcome with either treatment regimen. This is good news on the myeloma front, and there is certain to be more news as the meeting progresses.
Dr. Marks indicated no relevant conflicts of interest.
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I was looking for true black and white zebra pillows to match my black and white zebra rug. When I opened the box, I was completely horrified to find black and silver pillows. The picture does not show the silver at all. Gave it 2 stars because although the color is off, the pillows are nice and soft. Unfortunately sent back immediately.
i love my new pillows. they came quickly and are the perfect accent to my living room.
Fantastic purchase. Great quality. Very plush and they just "feel good" against the skin. Love these and would recommend them to anyone who loves the zebra motiff.
not happy with the color at all not as described.....
This was an amazing purchase for my home. We were remodeling our office and decided to make it a bit more sexy and intriguing to work in and the zebra style was top on our list. The pillows blended perfect and gave it the right feel we needed. Highly recommended.
The pillows have a pretty strong smell right out of the box that I couldn't stand, I aired them out and sprayed them with febreze but it didn't help, I tossed them in the washer and when I took them out they were completely destroyed, and believe it or not still stinky, so they went inside the garbage can and now my garbage can stinks too!!
i was afraid to get the "Zebra" pillow but having them i am glad i got them. they made my house look very modern which was the look i was going after.
I purchased 4 pillows and the material was not good quality. I had them on a couch in my second home and the seams were falling apart without anyone even using them. I would not recommend them and am returning.
These are for my teens zebra room, so they are great for her. I wouldn't want these in a more formal area of the house
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It's a bird! It's a plane! It's super...boy! Made for the littlest Man of Steel, this Official D.C. Comics Superman costume includes the jumpsuit with classic S detailing and flying cape! It's the perfect kids superhero costume for your little one. Villains not included.
- Officially licensed Superman costume!
- Costume Includes:
- Jumpsuit
- Cape
- 100% Polyester
- Fits Size 2T to 4T
[4 of 4 customers found this review helpful]
Comments about Superman Toddler Costume:
I used the sizing guide to choose the size for this costume, but when it arrived it was extremely small on my three year old. Returning it was very easy, I just found the nearest Spirit store and took it in with the invoice I printed from the Spirit website. The store clerks were very friendly and gave me my money back with no questions asked. I ended up getting the next sized larger Superman costume which my son LOVES.


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The primary aim of the Distance Learning Committee (DLC) of the University of North Florida is to support the development of distance learning that meets the needs of our students in a manner that is consistent with the University's mission. In so doing, distance learning at UNF will employ the best pedagogical practices based on the existing research literature.
2013-2014 DLC membership includes:
Assistant Vice President, Academic Technology
Dean, The Graduate School
*Len Roberson (Chair)
Director, Center for Instruction and Research Technology (CIRT) * Deb Miller Faculty Enhancement Committee (appointed by the Director of Faculty Enhancement) * Parvez Ahmed
Lead Instructional Designer (CIRT) * Erin SolesSix College representatives elected by the Faculty Association; one from each college, except the College of Arts & Sciences, which shall have two.
One representative each from the Graduate School and the Library (appointed by the Provost)
One representative from Information Technology Services (appointed by the CIO) * Bill McSherry, Director of IT Enterprise Systems One representative from the FEEDS program (appointed by the Director of the FEEDS Program) * Elaine Poppel One representative from the Faculty Association Campus Technology Committee (appointed by that committee) * Sherif ElfayoumyOne representative from the Student Government Association, (appointed by the Student Body President) * Gabriel Mattern, Director of Graphic Design


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Ivy Caps
Fisherman Cap
Set sail for the high seas in high style! Greek-inspired fisherman caps have short brims with a subtle downward slant and are made with durable, rugged materials that will weather any storm. We also offer fun captain's caps that'll put you at the helm of fashion.
We constantly work to blend different fabrics together to find different aesthetic and functional options to offer Kangol fans. Combining different materials allows us to create hats with competitive pricing while still maintaining a level of quality and durability.
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That's Just Peachy
Canned fruit adds a touch of summer to your day.
We found just the antidote to the wintertime blues—canned peaches. These aren't those limp, pale slices you usually find in grocery stores. These are tree-ripened, golden halves from nearby orchards...
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March, 2014
Pick a Peck of Pickles
Local chefs and food purveyors jump on the brining bandwagon.
Pickles are popping up all over the city as many area chefs and food purveyors turn out their own delicious versions. For Spike Gjerde of Woodberry Kitchen, pickling is a way of life. He pickles and...
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August, 2013
Tanner's Ginger-Lemon Pickle Chips
A recipe from the self-confessed pickle nerd Evan Tanner.
As the French would say, It's Time For Mise en Place (putting in place) .right { margin-left: 290px; } Fill a water-bath canner 3/4 fill with hot tap water, cover, and heat to high. Thoroughly wash...
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August, 2013
Take It Outside
20 great places to eat and watch the world go by!
The warmer weather is like a siren song to Baltimoreans to head outdoors—of course, the result is much more rewarding than what the mythological Greek femme fatales had in mind. Our fresh air...
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July, 2013
The Family Guide to the City
As more tricycles line the streets of Baltimore, we give you an extensive list of events and activities for the whole family.
During her inaugural address in 2011, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake pledged to attract 10,000 new families to Baltimore in the next decade. Of course, this is a lofty goal (and one promised by...
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May, 2013
Philly's Food Revolution
Weekend warriors can relish the city's beloved cheese steaks—and so much more.
The taste lingered long after the car turned onto Interstate 95 and the twin towers of Liberty Place grew smaller in the rearview mirror. It was quite possibly the best pork sandwich ever—tender herb...
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April, 2013
Down on the Farm
Milking a goat for fun? Why farmcations are a hot, new tourism trend.
When I was a child growing up on a small farm in Virginia's rural Blue Ridge Mountains, it never occurred to me that wading through yellow grass among cattle who watched with casual indifference or...
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July, 2012
Tour The Shore
Across the Bay Bridge, there's lots to do this summer.
Ultra-fresh seafood, walkable towns, and watchable wildlife— there's so much to love about the Eastern Shore. Here's a seasonal sampler of "Delmarvalous" diversions. Shop Art Galleries Just...
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June, 2012
As Easy As (Pot) Pie
Restaurants embrace the comfort-food dish
Pot pies may be a well-known diner staple, but lately they've been showing up on the menus of some of the fancier places in town, including Waterfront Kitchen in Fells Point. The new Woman's...
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February, 2012
Sweet Spots
Local candy companies pull back the curtain and reveal how they're the real Willy Wonkas of Baltimore.
Around the Christmas and Valentine's Day holidays, a curious thing happens outside a Wilkens Avenue row house near Saint Agnes Hospital. Before sunrise, people brave the frigid temperatures and line...
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February, 2012
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Scones are very popular at Tate's Bake Shop, and this one is my favorite. I first learned how to make scones while I was studying in England. Traditionally, English scones are made with raisins, and they tend to be a bit dryer and less rich than their American counterparts. Now if you're like me […]
Archive for the 'Breakfast' Category
Apricot Ginger Scones
October 29th, 2012 TatesBakeShop
Posted in About Kathleen, Breakfast, Uncategorized Tags: Baking, Breakfast, Cookies, English, Kathleen King, Recipes, Scones, Tate's, Tate's Bake Shop No Comments »
Three-Ingredient Shortbread
October 24th, 2012 TatesBakeShop
My grandmother always used to make shortbread, and even though I usually went for more gooey things as a kid, I loved my grandma's shortbread cookies. They were so uncomplicated, but elegant and delicious. This recipe yields a cookie that's in that same classic, simple style. I always said these cookies tasted […]
Posted in About Kathleen, Breakfast, Desserts, Uncategorized Tags: Baking, Hamptons, Kathleen King, Shortbread, Tate's, Tate's Bake Shop, Tates Cookies No Comments »