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I understand that many folks are annoyed with the wild grape vine covering/damaging trees on their property. I am willing to help remove grape vines, at no cost. Just simply need to focus on the central virginia area at this time. Let me know if I can be of help. |
Follow-Up Postings:
I can't say how it is in VA but I wouldn't be so quick to hack true grape vines. Porcelain Berry, however, does need to be hacked at. |
- Posted by mbuckmaster 7B/NC (My Page) on Sun, May 11, 08 at 11:51
I have tons of wild grape vine here in north central NC, and I've only "had" to remove one vine that was smothering three dogwood trees...and I do mean smothering. I had to use a chainsaw to cut through the vine several times--it was as thick as my wrist! But the many other established vines I'm leaving in place--they encourage birds and are a native vine that the forest has dealt with naturally for who knows how long. It's not my place to remove them. Aside from all this, they add visual interest to the woods--rollercoaster vines that loop up a hundred feet or more into the upper canopy. |
I do the same as mbuckmaster, I remove an occasional grape vine that has the upper hand on a tree or shrub I want to encourage, but leave most of them in place. Most large trees do just fine with grape vines in them, and the birds and wildlife definitely benefits from grape vines. |
- Posted by green-zeus (My Page) on Fri, May 16, 08 at 7:43
The tendrils gird the branches of a tree and will kill it,eventually. All grape vine in my woods get cut at the ground. Wild grape vines here have few---and somes no--fruit because all their energy is spent growing more vine. The trees are of more value than the grape vine. |
- Posted by mbuckmaster 7B/NC (My Page) on Sat, May 17, 08 at 10:42
Most of my grape vines are 70-100' tall into tulip poplars that couldn't care less. Some loop around on themselves and all fruit, I think. Sometimes it's tough to tell because the birds eat the fruit so quickly and often it's high up where I can barely see it. But they are native vines that nature has put there...I don't know that I'm convinced they "hurt" trees. |
It seems like a fair fight between the grape vines and trees at my house. I like the grapes because the birds like them. I like the trees too. They seem to coexist just fine to me. I think they look good too. |
The grapes help prune the trees which helps keep the trees in better health. They also provide shade keeping the soil from becoming to dry and stressing the trees and making the surrounding soil too dry for undergrowth. In my opinion the idea of removing all of the vines from trees will be found to be very bad for the environment. |
- Posted by greenman28 7/8 (My Page) on Mon, May 26, 08 at 11:00
Wild grape grows as thick as a thigh here, and tears trees down every year. Once the vines tear the tree down, you can get a good look at the wild grape. The plant is very interesting. Josh |
FYI, green-zeus some types of grapevines have male and female blossoms which may be why you never see fruit. In this area depending on the type you can see wild grapes from June until frost as each ripen at different times. |
- Posted by led_zep_rules 5 WI (My Page) on Sun, Jun 1, 08 at 2:21
I have a large apple tree that was killed by a wild grape vine covering it entirely and blocking out its sun. I have many other apple and pear trees with grape vines attacking them, stealing their sun mainly. I pull them down once in a while, especially off the lilacs and currants. But birds plant so many, and I have many worse things to deal with (grey dogwood, buckthorn, poison ivy) that I don't really focus on the wild grapes. But I can't see how pulling them off other valued trees and shrubs is bad for the environment, they are obviously stealing sun and nutrition from more desirable plants. A friend made wild grape jelly once from my plants, and I make them into grapevine wreaths when I pull them off things. Marcia |
I basically agree with others on this thread that wild Grape vines are native and a natural part of a woodland ecology. If they happen to be damaging a particular specimen, sure they can be hacked, but otherwise I leave them alone. I kinda like the way the vines create a tangle, the birds and other wildlife just love it. On the other hand, I've declared war on the Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) that is a plague in my yard and neighborhood. This non-native invasive vine has laid waste to many native trees, even large ones. I've started carrying a folding saw with me while walking the neighborhood and cutting the large vines. I found one that was over four inches in diameter that was growing up a large dying oak! That baby must have been growing for 40 freakin' years, and nobody ever cut it. Led_zep, I am curious why you need to keep the Gray dogwood under control, which is a native. I would love it if the understory around here included Gray dogwood, now it's just a sea of invasives, mostly Honeysuckle, Buckthorn, and Multiflora rose. |
I forgot to mention that it was very nice of the person that started this thread to volunteer his help regardless of what my thoughts on grape vine may be. |
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| Email | Full Article (TrendHunter.com/id/116691) |
The Sandmaiden Sleepwear Etsy shop is run by American designer Amanda Boyd. Boyd is passionate about pajamas, and in particular, loves linen lingerie. She creates custom pieces for her customers, who have the choice of fabric colors and styles. Her pieces are sweetly seductive, flaunting femininity instead of excessive skin.
Created out of linen, each set of lingerie has a delicate style reminiscent of hankerchiefs or pretty picnic blankets. This linen lingerie definitely brings some class into the bedroom.
Sandmaiden Sleepwear provides the perfect pajamas for any season. For sizzling summer nights, tiny shorts and linen bras would be comfy and cozy, whereas tees and bottoms would keep wearers warm in the winter. Boyd's collection of Sandmaiden Sleepwear is ideal for dazzling dozing damsels.

subset: commoncrawl


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Welcome to Schultze Insurance Agency, Inc.
Auto/Car Insurance, Homeowners Insurance, Business/Commercial Insurance, and Life/Health Insurance For Smithfield and All of North Carolina and South Carolina
Schultze Insurance Agency, Inc. located in Smithfield, North Carolina, was founded in May 1998 by Paul R. Schultze. Schultze Insurance Agency, Inc. represents financially sound companies offering the most competitive rates in the industry. Our goal is to help provide our clients a complete spectrum of personal insurance, business insurance, and risk management services. We are committed to maintaining long-term relationships by providing all forms of personal and commercial coverages.
An Independent Advantage
We are Independent Agents in Smithfield, North Carolina and South Carolina, free to choose the best carrier for your insurance needs. We do not work for an insurance company; we work for you. We work on your side when you have a loss and follow through to see that you get fair, prompt payment and service. Schultze Insurance Agency, Inc. represents a carefully selected group of financially strong, reputable insurance companies, therefore, we are able to offer you the best coverage at the most competitive price.


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ARPANET (är'pə-nět) Pronunciation Key
A computer network developed by the Advanced Research Project Agency (now the Defense Advance Research Projects Agency) in the 1960s and 1970s as a means of communication between research laboratories and universities. ARPANET was the predecessor to the Internet. |
An acronym for Advanced Research Project Agency Network. An early communications network developed by the Department of Defense in the late 1960s. It connected high-tech research institutions and the military.
Note: Creating a communications system that could survive a nuclear war was a major impetus behind the development of this system.
Note: Arpanet is often spoken of as a precursor of the Internet.
ARPANET Advanced Research Projects Agency Network |


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Mets' Starting Rotation Enjoys Unprecedented Stretch
In all 26 games the Mets played in April, their starting rotation achieved something no other Mets rotation ever had.
Every day that a Met starter took the mound in April, he went at least five innings. Now, this would seem to be a greater accomplishment in this era of tightly monitored pitch counts and seven-man bullpens, but, in fact, no other starting rotation in Mets history had ever gone 26 consecutive games without one early exit.
Not the Seaver-Koosman-Gentry-Ryan-Cardwell rotation in 1969. Not the Seaver-Koosman-Matlack-Stone-Sadecki combination four years later. And not even the Gooden-Darling-Ojeda-Cone-Fernandez rotation in 1988, which might well have been the best of them all.
But none of them were able to achieve Dillon Gee's, Jon Niese's, Zack Wheeler's, Jennry Mejia's and Bartolo Colon's collective feat of getting through at least five innings in every start. Now, in the first game of May, Colon snapped the streak by getting tattooed in Colorado and lasting just 4 2/3 very rocky, Rockie innings. And, it should also be noted, those great rotations of lore never went 26 consecutive games without completing a single one, whereas this current rotation has yet to have a single pitcher go the full nine innings this season.
As Darling himself says, "Seven innings is like a complete game for a pitcher now." But there's no question that the biggest reason the Mets began their season with a 15-12 record and went into the month of May still relevant (which was not the case in 2013) has been their starting rotation. And that's a heartening development for a team that knew it would be without Matt Harvey—and Jeremy Hefner, too, for that matter—this entire season.
So, while Noah Syndergaard, Rafael Montero and Jacob deGrom continue to pitch at Triple-A Las Vegas, each of them considered a viable candidate to pitch in the majors at some point this season, the big league rotation—with four out of five starters carrying ERAs below 4.00—has been able to cover up for the continued lack of consistent offense that's produced a .320 slugging percentage that's dead last in the National League.
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- Mets await awards season; Lagares and deGrom possible honorees - October 30, 2014
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Have a quote to install a Burnham gas fired SCG5 boiler, concentric vent, Watts 911S, Taco SR504, piping, remove old system, electrical and whatever else completes the system for $7300 including the local gas company incentive.
The proper size to install has been calculated to be a SCG4, but we're contemplating an addition sometime down the road and a SCG5 would be the proper size if/when that happens. The contractor recommends installing the SCG5 now, with a manifold with extra connections to accommodate the addition. How bad would it be long term if the SCG5 is installed and we don't do the addition? We're upgrading from a 1979 oil fired system. |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by SpringtimeHomes (My Page) on Tue, Sep 13, 11 at 14:44
Sounds like a good plan depending on how long before you add on. Your boiler will probably short cycle which will shorten its life. If there is chance you wont add on its a little risky. You could do the smaller unit and plan on making the addition super efficient. |
I assume this is a hot water system and not steam. I am a homeowner and not an expert, but you have to be careful about matching the size of the boiler to the amount of baseboard. You should discuss with the HVAC contractor how this will affect the performance. I suppose you can think of the extra manifold being connected to a separate zone which is never enabled. Boilers have long lives, so I would not be worried about reducing it. I grew up in old houses which had oversized boilers. They seemed to last forever. |
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She is 15 weeks old. I got her from someone that didn't tell me what the breed was because she didn't know. I'm guessing she's a mix of a shepherd of some sort and a cattle dog. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks! She currently weighs 16.5 lbs.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53118208@N02/ |
Follow-Up Postings:
I don't know much about dog breeds but I would say you have a cutie-pie mix. That face is adorable. I love the picture where she is laying down and her paws look enormous. Have fun with her. What is her name? |
- Posted by sylviatexas (My Page) on Wed, Aug 18, 10 at 16:25
maybe Lab with a little Doberman in the family tree? Cute dog! here's a link; |
Here is a link that might be useful: link
- Posted by homebodymom (My Page) on Wed, Aug 18, 10 at 17:06
what a great puppy! Enjoy and congrats! |
How big is she? She could have some beagle but I'd say she definitely has some Shepherd. |
I dunno, but if you would've asked my Daddy, he's say that dog is definitely a "Sooner". (Sooner eat than go hungry) LOL. She's beautiful! |
Thanks everyone! Her name is Daisy and she is 16.5 lbs right now. I'm thinking she may be a german shepherd australian cattle mix. |
That tail is pure beagle. Maybe a little beagle in the face/coat. Lab or hound of some kind. Hard to tell, but she sure is a beautiful girl! |
- Posted by helenhelen (My Page) on Thu, Aug 19, 10 at 17:06
Oh, what a face! Great-looking little doggie. I agree: Beagle coloring, body and tail, as others have stated. Also shepherd. I don't see aussie cattle in there. Remember that mixed-breed dogs are often a mix of many breeds, not the spawn of two purebreds. So you could pick as many as seem appropriate. For instance, my dog is border-collie, chow, black lab and something small. Plus whatever else she might be... |
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I don't know her. And until a friend texted me asking if I followed @lifeasaSAHM, I didn't know about her, either.
That changed very quickly when social media exploded with tweets sharing her story about the hospital she was in due to her water breaking at 18.5 weeks pregnant with twins and how the hospital staff was doing everything in its power to intimidate Diana Stone into inducing labor and assuredly losing her baby boys. Instead, she and her husband chose to stay the course and fight for the babies lives, and with the help of a flood of calls from perfect strangers supporting Diana and her pregnancy, she was given the chance.
It's a heart-wrenching story.
I went to bed last night and my last thought before falling asleep was about those baby boys who's mother is fighting to give them a chance at life. I woke up this morning and, as is habit, picked up my iPhone and instantly opened my Twitter app. The first tweet I saw broke my heart and brought tears to my eyes. Her baby boys, Julian Toby and Preston William were born this morning. Their parents held them as they went to be with Jesus.
I don't know Diana. She may never come across this post nor know the pain in my heart, the longing to change what is, or the sincere hope I have that she and her family will find peace. But it's all there. I am a mother. I am a woman. I am a human being. And I am now crying. For her.
I don't know Diana. But I know about her. And my heart is broken.
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2 Responses to "Tears for Diana Stone"
That was beautiful, and I know Diana would be touched.
I was so proud of our community this week. People showed how much they cared, and Julian & Preston were loved by thousands.
I am also sorry to hear about Diana losing the boys. She fought the good fight on their behalf. Now they are with the angels watching over here.
Crying too,


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Adobe Fireworks CS6 12 WIN - 65157735 - Optimize beautiful designs in a snap for websites and mobile apps
Learn more about Adobe Fireworks CS6 12 WIN:
See more in Programming & Development
Product Guides
Adobe® Fireworks® CS6 software helps you create beautiful designs for websites and mobile apps in a snap, all without coding. Deliver vector and bitmap images, mockups, 3D graphics, and interactive content for popular tablets and smartphones. Optimize graphics and web content to display them consistently across devices. Jump-start your designs with templates, rich symbols, and reusable styles. Smooth the workflow between design and coding with CSS extraction, CSS sprites, and jQuery Mobile themes. |


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Current Articles | RSS Feed
Software Advice, a free online resource for CRM buyers, recently released their 2014 Customer Relationship Management Software UserView. The report provides data on areas CRM technology users plan to invest in this year, current satisfaction levels and what users believe are the most common challenges and benefits of their CRM.
Read More
SugarCRM continues to gain traction as an alternative to Salesforce.com in the cloud, and for its product portfolio — this time with industry awards from CRM Magazine, part of DestinationCRM.com.
In the increasingly competitive higher education landscape, Australian Universities and Colleges need to transform how they interact with students. It's more important than ever to build and leverage lifelong relationships to boost enrolment, expand course take-up, and secure funding.
The way companies use and pay for customer relationship management (CRM) software has changed significantly over the past decade.
Higher education is undergoing a transformation. Universities and Colleges must adapt the way they operate, and compete in an increasingly consumer-driven market.
Think about it – the more obstacles that stand in your sales reps' way, the less time they have to close new deals. So to shorten your sales cycle, you'll need sales processes that run as efficiently as possible.
The outlook continues to be positive for CRM (customer relationship management) as buyers focus on technologies that enable more-targeted customer interactions in multi-channel environments.
CRM solutions provider SugarCRM is continuously expanding in Asia-Pacific with a year-over-year increase in sales. According to Larry Augustin, CEO of SugarCRM, Asia Pacific is one of the company's fastest growing revenue regions globally.
Big Data is getting even bigger, according to the results of Jaspersoft's second Big Data survey.
CRM (customer relationship management) software has come a long way since its debut as primarily a sales automation system. With more insights available to users through social and analytics capabilities, CRM "wish lists" are much longer today than in previous years. But what are the essential features CRM buyers are seeking to assist their businesses and manage their most prized asset - their customers?


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Kevin DeYoung on the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
In this 12-minute episode of Theology Refresh, Kevin DeYoung discusses the role of the Holy Spirit in our understanding of the Bible and our assurance of salvation.
Stream or download the podcast.
[Subscribe to Theology Refresh through iTunes.]
Recent Theology Refresh podcasts —
- John Piper on the Gospel and Sanctification (Part 2)
- John Piper on the Gospel and Sanctification (Part 1)
- Francis Chan on the Sovereignty of God
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| Email | Full Article (TrendHunter.com/id/177848) |
As was the case in many other industries this year, science trends of 2012 leaned more towards technology than they did before. Such products as storm-locating apps and augmented reality lenses led the way in the digital science world, making everyday life easier while taking humanity one step closer to the future depicted in shows like The Jetsons.
An array of interesting and lighthearted scientific finds presented themselves in 2012 as well; things like non-melting chocolate and phone call-responding tattoos may not be in the history textbooks of the 3000s (or will they?), but they do bring science to industries, and thus consumers, that would otherwise be unconcerned.
Check out our Science Trend Report if you're interested in applying these microtrends to your company's projects.


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The Berkshires in Western Massachusetts, about 3 hours from the New York metropolitan area, boasts year-round attractions for the whole family. There is biking, both for the advanced teen rider and the beginning tricyclist. The wide, paved 11-mile Ashuwillticook Rail Trail, set to be extended, runs from Pittsfield to Adams, with benches and interpretative signage along the way. Be sure to pick up a brochure identifying the flora and fauna you will encounter along the path. When it snows, you can cross-country ski on the path; and any time of year, you'll find hikers and walkers enjoying the trail.
The Berkshires has four ski resorts, including Bousquet Ski Resort in Pittsfield (www.bousquets.com) and Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort in Hancock (www.jiminypeak.com). Both of these turn their ski slopes into family adventure centers in the summer, with a water slide and bungee trampoline at the former and a mountain coaster and alpine slide at the latter.
If you like to hike, head to the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute (www.clarkart.edu) in Williamstown where there are 140 acres of hiking trails. The museum lends visitors GPS units for geocaching, a game using the global positioning devices to find hidden treasures. The GPS systems are loaned out with paid museum admission from June 1 - October 31, and free the rest of the year.
While you are there, visit The Clark's collection of French Impressionist paintings by Monet, Degas, and Renoir. To help engage elementary school children, the museum provides "Looking Carefully" family activity cards. If your child takes ballet, be sure to check out the bronze sculpture, "Little Dancer," by Degas.
Geocaching will eventually lead you to the original upside-down trees at the nearby Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts in North Adams (www.massmoca.org). Trees planted in pots are hung so the soil is on top and the trees point towards the ground. MASS MoCa is in a former mill complex and the buildings also include a restaurant, shops, and offices. At MASS MoCa, the first stop for families is usually Kidspace, a 3,200-square-foot gallery and workshop for children, but kids also love exploring the rest of the museum's bridges and unusually large art. You can start your day with a free gallery tour; there are also concerts, dance performances, and movies.
The Victorian row houses across the street from MASS MocCA, where mill workers once lived, have been transformed into the chic Porches Inn (www.porches.com). The hotel has a heated outdoor pool, a playground next door, and a locally-sourced free breakfast (delivered to your room if you wish). Kids under 12 stay free with their parents.
You can also stay at the Ingalls Crossing Farm Bed & Breakfast in Williamstown (www.ingallscrossing.com). This working dairy farm has two bedrooms; if you are traveling with more than one child, you will need to rent both rooms. Kids can explore the farm and pet the llama and the cows.
For more information, visit www.berkshires.org.
2010 Nassau Coliseum Fair in Uniondale, NY YMCA Branches Citywide to Host Healthy Kids Day, April 16th March for Babies in the New York Metro Area Theater Review: Gustafer Yellowgold's 'Infinity Sock' in NYC Family Theater in New York City - Spring 2011 Guide
local zones
Nassau cont.
Suffolk cont.
Westchester cont.
Rockland cont.
Queens cont.
Brooklyn cont.


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"Keeper" of the Record
With the advent of computer technology and the student information system online, every faculty and staff member who is able to access information online is a "record keeper." The granting of access will make retrieving student record information much easier for the employees of the University and will, in many ways, facilitate the provision of a quality education to all students. The granting of access carries with it a bond of trust which will require close attention by all users to the following principles:
- The faculty or staff member must read and be familiar with FERPA regulations;
- When accessing the online system, the faculty or staff member must access only that information needed to complete the authorized task; and
- The information obtained through the online system may only be communicated to other parties authorized to have access under FERPA regulations.
FERPA | Major Concepts in FERPA | Who is a Student | What is an Education Record? | Exceptions | FERPA Recognized Exceptions |
Legitimate Educational Interests | Records not Protected by FERPA | General Rule: | Disclosure of Education Records |
Releasing Records | Who is a School Official | Confidential Records | "Keeper" of the Record | Parent Access to Student Record | Important Note | Email and Computer Guidelines | Summary | Warnings Against Non-Compliance | Additional Resources |


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The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is known for its signature gullwing doors. But while they fly away on the new 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster, the rest of what the SLS is famous for is still there, and for those lusting for a drop-top version of Benz's halo car, the tradeoff will be worth it.
JJust like its gullwing sibling, the roadster will receive AMG's seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and the 6.3-liter, naturally aspirated V-8 engine rated at 563 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. And while its wings have been clipped, it will still fly just as fast as the coupe -- Mercedes claims a 0-60 time of 3.7 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 197 mph. Other performance figures weren't released, but we predict nearly identical numbers as the gullwing, since additional weight was kept to a minimum. Mercedes says the roadster's curb weight is 3661 pounds -- just 88 pounds more than the gullwing.
The additional weight is attributed to the structural reinforcements needed to compensate for the loss of the fixed roof. The body shell of the convertible SLS receives extra support struts at the windshield frame and around the transmission tunnel, while the rear axle is reinforced by a strut support mount placed between the softtop and fuel tank. Behind the seats, engineers have placed a cross-member that serves dual duty as support for the integrated fixed rollover bars and as housing for the Bang & Olufsen sound system subwoofer. AMG says the roadster's bodyshell weighs 536 pounds, just 5 pounds heavier than the bodyshell of the coupe.


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June 27, 2007, 10:12 AM
By Thomas P.M. Barnett
Rebuilding a Rural School
U.S. Marine engineers working alongside Kenyan engineers to erect a fence around the school to keep out the wild animals and to build a gate that would allow traffic to get in and out. The Kenyan engineers helped the Marines push the local contractors to come up with better cement mixes.
The original construction of the school's roof included a drop-down ceiling that attracted tons of bats, who left tons of guano in the classroom. When they rebuilt the school, the Marines skipped the drop-down ceiling and rehabbed the masonry.
A science lesson on the school's blackboard.
A shot from inside the classroom. The bars on the windows are used to keep out the bigger wildlife.
The students on a lunch break from their studies in temporary tents. I passed out licorice I was carrying.
This was the cutest kid there.
And this was my favorite shot of the entire trip: Lt. Spirese showing the read-out on her camera to the kids. More than anything else, the kids loved seeing the shots on the read-out from the camera. It made me wish I brought a Polaroid Instamatic.
David Marrete, principal of the school. He gave me a nice tour and was an excellent interview.
The local rock they used for foundation work had one major problem -- it may have looked fine from the outside, but on the inside it was porous as hell. A lot of the stuff used was coral.
The school's old kitchen was literally made from sticks with a little bit of corrugated tin for a roof.
The temporary classroom in a tent set up by Marines. Outside the tent, the teachers cooked for themselves and the students using large black cauldrons over open flames.
What To Read Next


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My cabinets are installed, the trim and light rail are in. However, they did not fill the nail holes. My KD/cab salesperson said that was up to me. Really? 16k on cabinets and I need to fill nail holes? I am just wondering if that is SOP. |
Follow-Up Postings:
No it's not standard! I would screaming bloody murder if I spent 16 grand on cabinets and they didn't fill -- or cover -- the nail/screw holes. In our case they covered the screw holes with the colored dot things inside the cabinets, which was totally fine by me. I wouldn't expect them to fill and stain the holes, I just wouldn't want to see screw heads in my cabs after spending all that dough. |
- Posted by motherof3sons (My Page) on Mon, Oct 15, 12 at 19:45
No way is that the responsibility of the owner. That is part of the install. |
*spits water on monitor* Tell that KD to get his/her can over there with the appropriate filler! Good LORD the nerve of some of these people. Your responsibility? Yeesh. |
Yes, it really rubs me the wrong way too. The hardware is not on yet and I have not paid the remainder of the balance (30%) so we will have a little chat today during templating. |
Absolutely not standard, anyewhere. |
16,000 and you do the work? Are they nuts? |
Tell your KD-installer to buy some nail plugs on the way over and have her install them. Definitely not your job. |
Sorry. I'm new here and have never done a kitchen remodel. Can someone explain what nail holes deserve to be filled? |
- Posted by mydreamhome (My Page) on Wed, Oct 17, 12 at 2:36
There was a very similar thread posted either earlier this year or late last year--maybe you have the same KD/Cabinet guy as that other unlucky GWer!! Check for nails/screws that protrude through the cabinet sides as well! |
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Reports (reported first by Ken Rosenthal) indicate Diamondbacks senior VP and former (interim) general manager Jerry DiPoto is set to become the newest general manager of the Los Angeles Angels of Scioscialand.
DiPoto, a former Major League pitcher and head of Rockies scouting, gets the nod over rumored candidates such as Andrew Friedman (GM of the Rays) and Kim Ng (former AGM with Dodgers, known female). DiPoto won a World Series as a scout for 2004 Boston Red Sox.
DiPoto is best known to Angels fans as the man behind the Dan Haren trade, sending the perennial 5 fWAR shoe-in to LA in exchange for human punchline Joe Saunders and prospects Pat Corbin, Rafael Rodriguez and a player to be named later who turned into lefty Tyler Skaggs. Initially considered a world-class fleecing, the development of Corbin and Skaggs and the inning consumption of Saunders helped even out the deal.
The Angels job is an interesting one as the owner spends freely and there is no lack of young talent. Showing up on the job to realize Mike Trout, Peter Bourjos and Hank Conger are forcing their way onto the roster is not a bad problem to have. With Jered Weaver locked up long-term, there is a great core in place.
The problems..are legion. The Vernon Wells situation, the Bobby Abreu and Torii Hunter husks are not anything I'd wish on my worst enemy. Juggling the playing time and expectations of a wealthy owner and a fanbase accustomed to winning doesn't offer very big window within which to build.
Which is to say nothing of the elephant in the room, the silent hand guiding the Angels decisions, Mike Scioscia. Can the now larger-than-life Scioscia expect to exert a similar amount of control over his team? Did he ever in the first place? DiPoto needs to make nice with a guy who gets equal time in the owner's ear.
Image courtesy of the New York Daily News


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Game in a Sentence:
Despite the Canucks going Sedin to Sedin to open the scoring in the first, the LA Kings were largely the better team on Sunday night and sent the game to overtime where Jarret Stoll put them into the second round in a record five games for an eight seed.
- The Kings appeared to be the team that was more relaxed off the bat in this game and I suppose having that 3-1 lead with nothing to lose does that for you. The starting trio of Kopitar-Richards-Carter was interesting and lasted all of what felt like 20 seconds before they slipped back into their normal alignments which were shuffled consistently throughout the night.
- The Canucks were led, of course, by the Sedin twins and whoever decided to join them on the top line. Jannik Hansen seemed to have the most productive minutes up with the big boys but they just couldn't get the right bounce to beat another stellar performance from Jonathan Quick.
- The calls which led to the Kings first two power plays were debatable, but they weren't the worst thing in the world for Vancouver. The Canucks did an excellent job of keeping Los Angeles to the outside of the zone and minimizing their quality scoring chances. All in all, it was a great chance for Cory Schneider to get involved in the flow of the play while Quick waited to be tested in the game at the other end. I have no doubt that it played a role in the Canucks scoring on the power play minutes later as Quick didn't look entirely comfortable and the Kings looked out of system on the back end.
- One particular shift by a line of Kesler-Burrows-Lapierre really stuck out early as they tried to manufacture some energy for their team. It worked for a little while as the Canucks seemed to get a rise before the end of the period, but the Kings reeled them back in by the end of the frame.
- A bit of fuss was made before the game about Dale Weise being put in the lineup for Zack Kassian to play on the fourth line, but as I suspected it wound up being a completely nothing move. Weise had a couple good shifts but wound up playing 6:37 for the Canucks, least of any player on either side. A big problem for the Canucks this series was an inability to generate anything from their bottom six. It seemed as though they didn't trust their fourth line at all and despite some dangerous looking moments from the likes of Chris Higgins and David Booth, not much was happening offensively. In a tight series like this, you really need your grind-it-out types to help bail out your big guns and the assistance just wasn't there for Vancouver.
- For all of the cracks made about him, I felt as though Jeff Carter played his best game of the series tonight. I noticed him on the ice, he was strong on the puck and generated some positive possessions for the Kings. That being said, I still don't know how he botched that play in front of the goal in overtime.
- Also, I was very impressed with the performance of Dwight King tonight. He played his way into a ton of big moments in this game, tested Schneider and threw several hits in the gritty areas of the ice. His reaction to Stoll's goal was pretty classic as his celebration was muted as he clearly wanted Stoll to pass on the 2-on-1. Rookies these days…
- The good and bad of Drew Doughty. The good: that assist which spurred the Richardson goal. Brilliant strength and puck possession. The bad: taking a silly shot right at Ryan Kesler to kill his own power play. Just a needless play that he can't afford to make in big games. More of the good going forward, please.
- Alex Burrows just seemed off for me this entire series. Think back to last year's first round against the Blackhawks and he was an absolute killer for Vancouver. This year he only has one goal to show for his efforts in the playoffs after scoring 28 during the regular season. Was he hurt? We'll find out, but his play left much to be desired for a guy who had some huge moments during their run last season.
- Speaking of injuries, Mike Richards definitely has something wrong. It was pretty evident this game that any big hits laid on him caused him to slow down and lose that jump. Some time off before round two should serve him well as the Kings need a lot from him if they're going to see this through.
- Anze Kopitar was dominant this game, simple as that. He's a flat out great player in all three zones and had several very productive shifts. The Canucks just didn't have an answer for him as they seemed to want Kesler matched up against Richards instead. Again, this is why Dean Lombardi traded for Richards. It forces teams to pick their poison this time of year.
- Dan Hamhuis was the best player for the Canucks all series long and it's a shame that his blowing a tire led to their season ending. Upon further review, by the way, that was not a penalty. At first glance it fit the bill, but the officials did well to not call anything. It was the right decision.
- I knew this game would go to overtime the moment Quick stonewalled Sedin on a breakaway before the end of the second period. That's a huge momentum play for both sides and a big message from the goaltender to the guys in front of him. Unbelievable play.
- Cory Schneider was a rock for the Canucks in goal. The Kings were buzzing around him all game, making life very difficult but he kept it together and turned them aside again and again. In overtime he got beat by a beautiful shot, simple as that. He is the Canucks starting goaltender on opening day next year unless they get an absolutely mindblowing return for him on a trade.
- Jonathan Quick, meet the spotlight. He toiled away on a middling team all year and heaved them into the playoffs thanks to his sub-2.00 goals against average. Once they got there he followed it up with more stellar performances to push them into round two. I'm not going to say that he stole the series because I felt the Kings were, by and large, the better team out there BUT it was a great platform for him to showcase his game to folks to don't always get to see him. He may very well be the best goaltender in the world right now.
- I don't know what lies ahead for the Canucks, but there are a lot of questions to be asked. What to do with Roberto Luongo? Is Alain Vigneault the right man for the job? What about Mike Gillis? Is it time to restructure the defensive corps? And on we go. I'm going to have a close eye on the situation in Vancouver after another disappointing playoff finish as they could really shift the balance of power in the West and depending on if/who they make trade partners with. Some high impact pieces could be dangled out there.
- The Kings will advance to the second round to take on the St. Louis Blues. Next goal wins.
My Three Stars:
1) Jonathan Quick
2) Jarret Stoll
3) Cory Schneider


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Sickle Cell Disease
En Español (Spanish Version)
Principal Proposed Natural Treatments
Other Proposed Natural Treatments
Alpha-Linolenic Acid;
Coenzyme Q10
Fish Oil
Green Tea
Lipoic Acid
OPCs (Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins)
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder. Normally, red blood cells are disc-shaped and flexible. In sickle cell disease, however, hemoglobin (the chemical within red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body) is abnormal. This defect causes red blood cells to collapse into a crescent, or sickle, shape.
These abnormal blood cells are destroyed at an unusually high rate, causing a shortage of red blood cells (anemia). In addition, they can suddenly clump together and clog up small blood vessels throughout the body. This clumping causes what is called a sickle cell crisis.
When blood vessels are blocked by sickle-shaped red blood cells, parts of the body are deprived of oxygen. This can cause severe pain and damage to the organs and tissues that are deprived.
Common triggers of sickle cell crisis include smoking, exercise, exposure to high altitudes, fever, infection, dehydration, and the drop in oxygen or changes in air pressure that can occur during airplane travel.
Diagnosis of sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait (a condition in which a person has one of the two genes necessary to develop sickle cell disease) can be done through blood testing, using a technique called hemoglobin electrophoresis. Treatment involves managing the anemia, chronic pain, and organ damage caused by sickle cell disease. In addition, the drug hydroxyurea can reduce occurrences of sickle cell crisis. Of course, it is also important to minimize exposure to conditions or situations that can trigger sickle cell crisis.
Children with sickle cell disease often do not grow normally. Zinc deficiency can also cause delayed growth, and there is some evidence that people with sickle cell disease are more likely than others to be deficient in the mineral zinc.1 For this reason, zinc supplementation at nutritional doses has been suggested for children with sickle cell disease.
In a placebo-controlled study, 42 children (ages 4 to 10) with sickle cell disease were given either zinc supplements (10 mg of zinc daily) or placebo for a period of 1 year.1 Results showed that by the end of the study, the participants given zinc showed enhanced growth compared to those given placebo. Curiously, researchers did not find any solid connection between the severity of zinc deficiency and the extent of response to treatment.
Zinc is thought to have a stabilizing effect on the cell membrane of red blood cells in people with sickle cell disease. For this reason, it has been tried as an aid for preventing sickle cell crisis. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled studyof 145 people with sickle cell disease conducted in India, participants received either placebo or about 50 mg of zinc 3 times daily.2 During 18 months of treatment, the zinc-treated subjects had an average of 2.5 crises, compared to 5.3 for the placebo group. However, zinc didn't seem to reduce the severity of a crisis, as measured by the number of days spent in the hospital for each crisis.
Sickle cell disease can also cause skin ulcers (non-healing sores). In a 12-week, placebo-controlled trial, use of zinc at 88 mg 3 times per day for 12 weeks enhanced the rate of ulcer healing.3And, in another placebo-controlled trial, 25 mg of zinc 3 times per day for 3 months reduced the frequency of infections in children with sickle cell disease.29
Warning: The high dosages of zinc used in the last two studies can cause dangerous toxicity, and should be taken—if at all—only under the supervision of a doctor. The nutritional dose described in the first study, however, is safe.
For more information, including detailed dosage and safety issues, see the full zinc article.
Last reviewedSeptember 2014by EBSCO CAM Review Board
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.


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Category — Parrot Education
How a Parrot Garden Grows
Spring is here, and the garden is growing! Thanks to a very special donor, Richard Rossi, The Landing has new greenhouse. We will be growing a wide variety of veggies over the next few months. As each comes into harvest, we'll chop and freeze it for our future batches of mash. Not only does this save us with our fresh food expenses, but the birds that pass through The Landing adoption center will have a great boost in the freshest of nutrition. We'll post updated photos throughout the year to show how the garden grows and how it brings joy and great value to the adoptable parrots of Phoenix Landing!!
We just had the first major harvest of several varieties of kale, chard and spinach. We chopped them into small pieces and put in the freezer for future use. Greens are one of the best sources of calcium and vitamin A – two essential nutritional needs of our parrots. We are already longing for an industrial food processor, because we are looking forward to an amazing harvest of fruits and veggies this year.
Thanks to Penny Coghe and Kathy Kocsan, we now have an orchard as well! It includes pear, peach, and apple trees, as well several blueberry bushes. Laura Ford topped it off with some gooseberry bushes for fruit and some butterfly bushes for extra parrot fun and foraging.
Stay tuned to learn more about the gardeners that made this wonderful resource possible!
April 30, 2012 4 Comments
Nourish to Flourish: Chop Chop
Phoenix Landing hosted a very special guest, Ms. Patricia Sund! She presented another seminar in our Nourish to Flourish series, called Chop Chop! Patricia has been creating Chop for many years and taught us how to master it. Chop is a feeding concept. How many parrot owners chop fresh veggies each morning and evening? I know I do and it take so much time each day. However, as a parrot owner I want to provide the best possible diet to my feathered friends as possible. Chop is the way to go! There is no recipe!! You purchase fresh, seasonal, vegetables and greens that are available the time of year you make Chop. Purchase organic when you can and check the dirty dozen list each year and make sure you purchase those items on the list in organic when possible.
Once all your ingredients are washed, dried, cooked, chopped, you mix them well and place in Ziploc baggies and freeze. Make one baggie for each day. Depending on the number and size of your parrots will depend on the size of bag you should use.
Some ingredients that you could use include the following:
Wheat grass powder
Dry oatmeal (old fashion raw cut)
Crush red peppers
Seeds like flax, rape, hemp, celery
Grains like kamut, rye berries, quinoa (cooked)
Wild Rice, brown rice (cooked)
Pastas like whole wheat, quinoa pasta (cooked)
Red, green, yellow, orange peppers
Hot Peppers
Carrots with tops
Brussel sprouts
Sweet Potatoes
Butternut squash
Acorn squash
Swiss Chard (green or red)
Dandelion greens
Broccoli rabe
Red cabbage
Beet green (do not use the beet in Chop because it will turn it red.)
This list could go on and go!!
For more information about Chop and to see instructional videos, please visit http://www.parrotnation.com.
The Phoenix Landing cookbook has more information about Chop and other recipes for our feathered friends. The cookbook can be purchased at PL events or on our website at http://www.phoenixlanding.org/books.html.
Good luck with your first batch of CHOP!
January 11, 2012 7 Comments
Pushing Limits, Testing Boundaries: Really?
As an adoption coordinator for Phoenix Landing, I help people navigate the challenges of living with parrots. I've learned a lot from families and birds over the years, and I'm still learning from the many people and parrots that I meet.
One of my goals is to give folks the tools to reduce the number of parrot bites.
People often make statements about their birds that, I must admit, baffle me.
"He's just pushing the limits to see how much he can get away with."
"She's just testing boundaries, but she'll soon learn who the boss is."
To this I say, "Huh?"
The statements above are common ones when describing issues in child rearing. It's natural for us to think of our birds as our children and to use our understanding of how to raise kids when we interact with parrots.
But birds aren't children.
Birds are prey animals and we are predators.
Can you imagine a chicken testing boundaries with a fox, or a seal pushing the limits with a polar bear? How about seeing how far you can get with a mountain lion?
When a bird reacts by lunging, biting, or exhibiting body language that otherwise expresses discomfort, she is saying one thing, and one thing only: I am uncomfortable with this situation.
Please respect her clear communication, don't force her to "toe the line," and make trust building your top priority.
November 7, 2011 6 Comments
Paying Forward
AS THE YEARS GO BY, Phoenix Landing assumes protective custody for an increasing number of birds. We strive to maintain responsibility for them for their entire lives. Since birds live a long time, we believe that each home should be a good one.
This is very personal for me because Phoenix , my greenwing macaw, should outlive me by several decades. I am "paying forward" in the great hope that someone will look out for Phoenix when I no longer can. Do you worry about your bird's future the way I do?
This idea goes to the heart of what Phoenix Landing stands for:
- It's not often that one person can care for a parrot for their entire life (assuming the bird remains healthy);
- Birds deserve to have a good home each time, not just in the home that first acquired them;
- The term "forever home" is highly discouraged when it comes to parrots. Even the smallest parakeet can live 20 years, and frankly, very few people remain committed or able to provide a long-term home. People's lives change, through no fault of their own, due to health, marriage, children, money, jobs, housing, family responsibilities, and even death. Caring for parrots can also be hard work.
- Ideally, non-profit parrot organizations will offer a mechanism for ensuring a succession of good homes for any bird that comes through their system. This means the organization needs to be sustainable for a very long time, and not just operated by one person or out of someone's house; unfortunately, those organizations don't tend to last as long as a parrot's healthy lifespan. I am so grateful to everyone that is involved with Phoenix Landing, because our strength and longevity will come from many of us each doing a small part. We are all "paying forward" and I'm guessing you want the same safe future for your birds as I do for mine.
- One way we can help parrots is to encourage adoption. Let's inform people that all companion birds deserve to have a succession of good homes. Someday your bird will likely need one or more new homes too, and you'll want those to be good ones. Let's promote adoption as the norm, not just something for the "rescues."
- Another way we can help parrots is to teach people that birds are resilient, regardless of their past. Nature has built them to be adaptable in order to survive. Phoenix Landing rarely uses the word rescue because this word conjures up a sense of abuse, neglect, harm, and baggage. Most of the birds that come to us are from loving homes where it is just no longer possible for them to care for a bird; but even true rescue birds are likely to adapt if given an opportunity to thrive. I have yet to meet a parrot that was not adoptable, there is usually an appropriate family for each and every one.
Moose and Gizmo macaws were adopted in 2006, and they are now
looking for their next new home. They are delightful birds!
Since 2003, Phoenix Landing has taken responsibility for over 1,940 birds. So far, about 150 of the adopted birds have been re-homed, and foster homes often change too. As the years go by, a growing number of Phoenix Landing birds will need to be adopted again and again. The good news is that we put the same hard work and effort into finding the 2nd, 3rd and 4th homes as we did the 1st one.
Tiffany, a Citron Cockatoo
Looking for Her Next Home
In a handful of situations, we have lost track of a bird because someone chooses not to abide by the specific policies outlined in our foster and adoption agreements. I must confess that it deeply disturbs me when someone disrespects the goodwill intentions of Phoenix Landing, and most importantly the long-term interests of the bird. We will never give up trying to keep a watchful eye on every bird that comes thru Phoenix Landing.
One of the ways we try to keep in touch with our adopting families is through our Alumni Program. Several people help with this function since a growing number of birds now fall under the protective umbrella of Phoenix Landing. In fact, we could use some additional help. If you are interested, please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
I'd like to give a special thanks to our extraordinary adoption coordinators (Debbie Russell, MD; Jenny Drummey, VA; Sarah Ptomey, WV; Kevin Blaylock, TN/VA; and Nina Roshon, NC). No matter how many birds they are trying to place, how many need yet another new home, how many challenging people they encounter – they always keep the welfare and future of the birds first and foremost. They are motivated and rewarded by all the good matches they make, parrot-by-parrot. I hope you will join me in giving them a special cheer of gratitude. Someday your parrot may need them too!
September 1, 2011 8 Comments
Pumpkin Bread
Parrots love birdie bread, but frankly, many of the recipes include less than healthy ingredients — like those boxed mixes. I encourage you to make every ingredient a healthy one.
Here is a recipe for pumpkin bread. Pumpkin is high in vitamin A, an essential vitamin for birds. Pumpkin bread is often one of the first foods that the birds at The Landing adoption center learn to eat, and then they expand their interests to the mash and other fresh foods that we offer. A couple of appropriately sized pumpkin bread chunks are just one portion of the wide and varied diet that we try to offer the birds in our care.
Add together:
• 15 oz can of organic pumpkin (including the pie spice, or you can add cinnamon and ginger, most birds really like the spices).
• 1/2 cup applesauce or one of the snack applesauce
(a great substitute for oil)
• 1 egg
• 2 TBL quinoa (if you'd like to add some protein)
• Unsulphured dried fruits or nuts – whatever your birds most enjoy. Walnuts are high in Omega 3's
• 2 cups flour (interesting flours include garbanzo, millet, ground oatmeal, coconut, organic cornbread mix, etc.). My favorite flour is Bob's Redmill garbanzo bean flour. I like the texture and the nutritional content.
Make a thick batter. If it gets too thick, add some juice (mango, carrot etc). Garnish it if you like with cereals or nuts.
You can be creative with the ingredients, the important thing is to make a stiff batter. Bake 45 minutes or so @ 350 degrees or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cast iron skillets work well. Freeze in sections, keep 2-3 days worth in the fridge.
Laura Ford's Trixie eating cranberry pumpkin bread
June 24, 2011 10 Comments
Disaster Preparedness for Animals
June Is National Disaster Preparedness Month For Animals
Disaster: An event that causes serious loss, destruction, hardship, unhappiness or death.
Preparedness: State of full readiness for action
What you should know.
When I spoke to Ann Brooks, Phoenix Landing's founder, and told her about my interest in this subject she was resourceful, as always, and quick to send me information from the Katrina Disaster that was gathered in the aftermath. I had no idea how devastating it must have been for people who had pets.
• 104,00 pets were left behind after Katrina, some of the reasons are heartbreaking.
• 15,000 were officially rescued.
• An estimated 3,000 were reunited with their families.
This left an estimated 88,700 pets that were unaccounted for. This is totally mind-boggling. Maybe you have been responsible for several pets during your entire lifetime, or you may visit an animal shelter and help give a loving touch with a gentle voice to an animal without a family. I don't think you could conceive of such an enormous number!
Yet, it is a terrible reality for those who lived it.
88,700. This means 243 individual animals would have to be touched by you every day for 365 days, sounds overwhelming to consider. To anyone who was told they had to leave their pets behind in order to be taken to a shelter, to be confined with thousands of people, caught up with their own perils, faced with thoughts of the animals that you left behind, to fend for themselves because they were not allowed in the shelter with humans, my heart aches for you.
We can't prevent disasters but we can be proactive and condition ourselves and our animals to what might happen when circumstances are out of our control. Whether it is Mother Nature or mankind, we can help avoid the chaos of the emergency by gathering food & water supplies, comfort items, first aid items and rehearsing with our animals.
These are not the dogs and cats, birds and rabbits, cattle and horses that can just take off and survive as the creatures they once were. We have domesticated them.
Domesticate: to cultivate plants or raise animals, selectively breeding them to increase their suitability for human requirements.
We made them to conform to our world. We have to assume the role of the king of the jungle, matriarch of the herd, flock leader, pack leader. We need to prepare them to handle what ever comes their way. Those of us who have pets as family members, companions, service animals, search & rescue or maybe you help by fostering and rehabilitating, we have a connection and an unspoken feeling of responsibility to them.
Rehearse with your entire family. Put a plan into motion that is understood by anyone who may be able to help with your animals.
Communication- make a list of important phone numbers, addresses and e-mails. Update and distribute it every 6 months or when we reset your clocks or change the batteries in your smoke alarm.
• Friends and family names.
• Animal rescue organizations.
• List of hotels that are pet friendly.
• Local vets and boarding kennels.
• Local disaster shelters that will provide a safe place for pets.
• List of current vaccinations and medications your pet is taking.
• An up to date photo of your pet(s).
• The location where you keep the "Animal Disaster Kit".
• Update your ownership address and contact information with the microchip company or organization.
Preparation- a duffel bag or a back pack that can be grabbed quickly with items that you will need for your animal to survive over an extended period of time.
• Travel cage, crate, extra leash, halter, rope, newspaper, and towels.
• Attach a zip lock bag and secure to the underneath of a travel cage, or tape to a halter or attach to a collar to provide owner info, microchip#, medical alerts, vet#, family contact #'s.
• Dry food and water supply for several days if space allows.
• Bowls or containers appropriate for their needs.
• First aid kit, depending on your individual pets needs and check with your vet.
• Blanket, toys, favorite comfort items from home.
• Disinfectant for your hands if dealing with foster or shelter animals.
(Jenny Drummey and Joe the Crow during Katrina)
Rehearse- don't wait until THE EMERGENCY arrives to introduce an unfamiliar item. Being swarmed into an unfamiliar building will be scary, but if they feel protection in some way by their familiar cage, blanket or toys this will help them adjust.
• Familiarize them with the items in the kit.
• Have them experience the cage or item you will use for confining them at a shelter.
• Put your extra collar or halter on and make adjustments for a secure fit.
• Give them the emergency bowls to eat and drink out of frequently.
• Their odors on a blanket or towel will be a comfort in unfamiliar surroundings.
• Once they are introduced to these items, try to do an emergency rehearsal by moving them in and out of the cage quickly, then even out of the house, into a car for a drive around the block. Always make it pleasant and controlled.
• Obtain information through the Internet, and from animal shelters or welfare organizations for additional information and instructions about your area.
The evacuating authorities have good, solid reasons for prohibiting animals in the shelters. Not that we would all agree but consider the health aspect to the humans in the confined shelter if no one can even open a door for a day or more. Some people have allergies that would cause serious respiratory reactions and complications without conventional medicines or health facilities available to treat them. Not to mention the animals confined with all those people exuding different smells, personalities, and energy. We know that animals have a heightened sense of their surroundings. Nervous people, screaming children, adults crying! I would not want to subject any of my animals to this scene either. People have difficulties after a prolonged period of time. Our animals are not ready for all the trauma that they would be forced to endure, yet how can we keep them safe, controlled and comfortable in evacuations and disasters.
Disaster Response Teams report that after Katrina they are striving to make more emergency animal shelters within close proximity to the human shelters. They realized how many people would not evacuate because they refused to leave their animals behind. The loss of both human and animal lives was staggering enough to demand change.
Petfinder™ endorsed legislation that became law on October 6, 2006, that requires pets to be included in disaster evacuation plans. The bill, called the Pets Evacuation, Transportation Standards Act (PETS), was sponsored by Rep. Tom Lantos, D-California and Barney Frank, D-Massachusetts. The law requires that state and local disaster preparedness plans (as needed for Federal Emergency Management Agency funding) include provisions for household pets and service animals.
The PETS legislation represents the first government initiative to officially form evacuation and relief plans for people with pets. This legislation is a critical step to ensuring that pet guardians and those who rely upon service animals will never be forced to choose between their own safety and the safety of their beloved animals.
The more research I do, the more these lists and ideas grow. You will find the Internet has an endless resource for you to fill your brain, invent, adjust and decide how to conform this information to fit you and your pets. Fema.gov also carries a lot of information. Local Animal Control and SPCA's, bird clubs, canine & feline clubs can all offer seminars on what you can do and things you should do to help them and you through any day-by-day disruptions in your lives. If you have none in your community, get together with local representatives from vets to animal welfare groups and form one.
After a Disaster
• If after a disaster you have to leave town, take your pets with you. Pets are unlikely to survive on their own.
• In the first few days after the disaster, leash your pets when they go outside. Always maintain close contact. Familiar scents and landmarks may be altered and your pet may become confused and lost. Also, snakes and other dangerous animals may be brought into the area with flood areas. Downed power lines are a hazard.
• The behavior of your pets may change after an emergency. Normally quiet and friendly pets may become aggressive or defensive. Watch animals closely. Leash dogs and place them in a fenced yard with access to shelter and water.
June 11, 2011 7 Comments
HORMONES: The Downside of the Good Life
Fern Van Sant, DVM
Presented by the Phoenix Landing Foundation
April 1, 2011
Birds were not invented at the pet store. So to successfully care for a parrot, one must understand the bird's biological needs, and strive to meet these needs above others when looking for guidance on bird care. Understanding a parrot's biology is essential since they have evolved from a unique array of habitats such as a variety of altitudes, temperatures etc. Birds are very adaptive.
For example, many parrots are subtropical – living 30 degrees north or south of the equator. For those species, they do not have 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark. Parakeets and cockatiels are good examples; they live further from the equator and are photoperiod responsive because of this. Their biological processes are triggered by the length of time these birds are exposed to sunlight. An increase in day length (light) signals abundance to these birds, and the time for mating. Water can also bring on mating behaviors, especially for birds from drought areas like cockatiels.
A study by E.D. Jarvis proves that animals respond to certain environmental triggers by producing proteins in their brains. These proteins then trigger certain types of behavior associated with breeding (a male canary singing, for example). This is also called Behaviorally Driven Gene Expression. So a change in light, food availability, height of a potential nest, or width of a hole can all trigger breeding for wild parrots.
Cockatoos are easy birds to breed, while Amazons are not. Breeders discovered that Amazons require a very particular hole of a certain height and depth to breed. Some behaviors are inherited, like lovebirds stashing things under their wings.
Most parrots are NOT designed to consistently reproduce. They are low-end reproducers. But, without environmental constraints, parrots can be in a continuous breeding mode. As hens produce more chicks, the hen's health suffers, as does the health of the later chicks in the clutch. Later-born chicks are much less viable. For example, 12 eggs in a year in captivity might be the bird's lifetime norm in the wild.
Parrots have evolved over 30+ million years. There are 332 species of parrots, with three subfamilies (Psittacine, Cacatuinae, and Loriinae).
Two-thirds of parrots are neotropical Psittacines (189 species) – those who live in central South America and the Caribbean islands.
The other third of parrots are found in Africa, India and South Asia (34 species) and Australia, Indonesia, and South Asia (109 species).
Parrots are flexible in our homes because they are flexible in their natural environments of forest, swamp, and dry land. For example, mitred conures are found all over the US, and the Maui conure, which started as 2 birds, has now grown to a flock of 100.
This myth assumes that one size fits all response to questions of proper diet, housing, behavior and other issues. However, each species and each individual will require care specific to their needs. There are three kinds of behaviors: innate, learned, and reproductive.
Parrot's innate behaviors are for flight, nest selection, and vocalization. Parrots learn other behaviors, from interacting with the flock. For example, taking off is instinctive, landing and navigating is learned. Some colony nesters, like conures, may want to be more connected to you.
Reproductive behaviors include: pair bonding; vocalizations/duets; mutual preening; cavity seeking; nest building; sexual regurgitation; territorial defense; and copulation.
Do you know what a bird looks like when they are soliciting sex? Here is an example of one approach:
The hypothalamus starts the process by sending message to the "master gland" the pituitary gland. The pituitary, in turn, produces hormones to send to target organs, the gonads. The gonads are inactive at times, small and seasonally involuted. Females have one ovary on the left side, to lighten the load for flight.
The pineal gland is a day/night clock, sensing light which drives base physiology. Light is taken in through the eyes, the pineal gland and a third apparatus in the brain that is still unknown. This mystery apparatus has been proven to exist because birds who are blind and have no pineal gland still respond to light.
The Limbic system is the part of the brain that runs bonding, emotional responses, and attachment forming.
The species-specific hormonal cascade, from hypothalamus to pineal gland to gonad, happens in all birds.
Testosterone is highest in a male during nest building according to a UC Davis study.
Environmental triggers for endocrine events include light, molting, migration, and perhaps lunar cycles. Breeding and molting are biologically expensive and diametrically opposed. They do not happen at the same time.
Due to these factors, umbrella cockatoos do best with a very ordered, predictable day/night cycle.
Seasonal migration – great green macaws (also called Buffon's macaws) migrate, as do Patagonian conures and smaller conures. These birds all migrate up and down in elevation. Tiny grass parakeets migrate 120 miles across the water to Tasmania to breed.
A hormonal trigger (as opposed to a metabolic one) produced by the thyroid takes parrots from breeding to molting. Primary feathers molt at a different time than those feathers on the bird's trunk.
Amazons and macaw share the same nest hole at different times throughout the year.
Birds love warm food because of a thermal sensory apparatus on the roof of their mouth. When we give parrots warm food, we are simulating the actions of their mate.
Vocalizations and other hormonal triggers such as pair bonding, abundant light and food, or nesting can lead to CHRONIC HORMONAL STRESS.
Cavity seeking is also a result of the hormonal cascade. The bird may get on the floor underneath furniture, or go into a closet.
When a parrot is well fed, has nest material, and has a lengthened photo period, the hormonal cascade can begin.
Copulation is initiated by lower back scratching.
Determinate layers have a specific number of eggs in a clutch. Budgies and cockatiels are non-determinate layers, laying eggs as long as the environment supports it. This causes a serious health risk to them.
Birds who have been bred are naturally passing on the genes of productive breeding. In other words, the birds that survive the breeding process are going to be more inclined to reproduce.
Parrots in the wild are low-end producers, and certain environmental constraints will limit their urge to breed.
Food availability is not a limiting factor for neotropical birds (food is pretty consistently available around the equator). Neotropical birds are limited by the availability of nest sites. Charles Munn did a study on scarlet macaws and found that adding more nest boxes to the birds's environment resulted in more chicks.
However, the availability of food for those birds native to Australia, Africa and Indonesia can trigger or constrain their desire to breed. Seasonal abundance and drought is a limiting factor to non-neotropical birds. For example, goffins cockatoos in Australia struggle to find food and water during the drought. When food comes during the rainy season, they are ready to breed. They are designed for this kind of seasonal stress.
Birds that are in a chronic state of hormonal stress can exhibit several different results.
Clinical presentation of birds with hormonal issues (what the vet sees) include:
Feather picking
Territorial defense and aggression
Elevated mucus production in proventriculus, which can cause continuous vomiting and regurgitation
Degenerative conditions such as: osteoporosis; fractures; calcium and vitamin D3 deficiencies.
Estrogen stimulates the blood vessels. In the wild, a bird regulates its temperature thru flight. However, thermal regulation problems in the wing webs and legs can be a problem for any bird in our homes. These areas (wing webs and legs) help the bird to heat and cool because they are highly vascular (contain a lot of blood vessels). The inside of the legs has large vessels. An increase in estrogen causes these areas to flush with blood. Without the proper ability to thermal regulate, a bird may become hot and flushed in these areas, which can also lead to feather picking.
African Psittacines often develop feather destructive behavior at 9-14 months because they are over-stroked. They do not learn to fledge and fly as they would in the wild where their parents would make them leave the nest.
Just because we think a bird loves something, doesn't mean we should provide it. We should only provide things that are in the bird's best interest, not ours. Examples are over-stimulation through petting and stroking, foods that contain phyto-estrogens (sweet potatoes, soybeans).
Try "resetting" the bird by putting her in a novel environment.
Part of the problem is that vigorous, healthy parrots who are not driven by the need to breed are more difficult to live with; they are more demanding to keep them occupied. They are full of healthy energy!
When the vet does a physical exam, it starts with a detailed history.
Hormonal problems can lead to plucking, which can lead to dermatitis. The feathers are designed to, among other things, protect the skin. Skin is not designed to be exposed. If your bird has this condition, be sure that the bird thoroughly dries after any bathing. It is especially important that the wing webs are dry.
Therapies depend on each species, since they have evolved from different parts of the world (wet/dry; amount of light, etc).
The most important therapies include adding environmental constraints, just as it occurs in the wild. These include:
- Limiting shredding;
- Curtailing cavity seeking;
- Limiting physical contact (less petting!!);
- Adjusting feed schedules, such as limited food or fasting in the afternoons;
- Exercise!! More exercise, even for the elderly; and
- Spending time outdoors, especially in flight aviaries when possible.
Some short-term remedies, but not cures, can include:
Lupron can be given as a temporary solution. It down-regulates the gonads, but Lupron is expensive and it doesn't work that long. Lupron sits on the binding site on the gonads, and prevents the hormones from landing and proteins from binding. It is a remedy, not a cure.
HCG injections are anti-inflammatory. Helps itchy macaws. It is also not a long-term cure because the immune system recognizes it and it stops working.
A more promising cure, Deslorelin, comes from Australia. It is an implant that lasts 8 months and is successful in hormonal birds.
RECOMMENDED SUPPLEMENTS and DIETS
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs): Can be given in the form of palm oil (Sunshine Factor recommended), for birds that eat palm oil (like African Greys); and flax oil for birds who do not eat palm oil. Another good supplement for all birds is Avian Vegi-Dophilus, a probiotic specifically for birds.
Pellets are not recommended for birds from arid environments such as parakeets, lovebirds, and cockatiels. Pellets are hard on their kidneys and can cause gout. Avi-cakes are a good option for these birds.
April 30, 2011 7 Comments
The Landing Mash
Many kinds of birds come and go from The Landing, our adoption and education center in the Asheville, NC area. Therefore, we feed foods that can be enjoyed by a diverse group, but still ensures that each bird is eating a healthy variety of whole foods to complement their pellets, fresh fruits, pumpkin bread, nuts and treats.
Some birds come to us that have not been on a healthy diet or learned to eat fresh foods. Getting them to try new things can be a challenge, at best. Feeding a MASH has many positive attributes:
* You can hide things a bird might not eat otherwise by chopping it very small.
* For convenience, you can make large batches, and freeze it in portions.
* Mashes allow you to be creative, adding more or less of certain things to meet your bird's needs.
* Most importantly, you can cover all the important food groups in one recipe, knowing that your bird will probably be eating the variety needed for a complete meal.
We have had huge success converting birds to better diets using a mash recipe, so we wanted to share it with you here. We complement this mash with an assortment of fresh fruits, pumpkin bread, and a small amount of egg cooked with palm oil (for vitamin A) and greens. The birds at the adoption center eagerly await their breakfast every morning, often shuffling back and forth on their perches in adorable anticipation.
THE LANDING MASH (more or less….)
2.5 cups Kamut
A heaping teaspoon of turmeric
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cups quinoa
1 sweet potato cut into 1/2″ cubes (or other winter squashes)
16 oz package organic mixed veggies (peas, corn, carrots)
16 oz package organic mixed greens (kale, collard, mustard greens)
1 cup pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds)
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
6 oz Eden small vegetable shells, whole grain
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup dried cranberries
(Any dried fruit should be unsulphured, with no processed sugar)
If you don't have much freezer space, or a small number birds to feed, proportionally reduce these quantities. If you decide to make the recipe using these quantities, then you'll want to start with a big soup pot.
To start: bring the large pot of water to a boil. Add the Kamut, turmeric and cinnamon. Stir well. When the water starts to boil again, lower the heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes.
Add the quinoa and sweet potato. Stir well. Cook another 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Drain or add some cold water. You don't want the Kamut to cook much more, birds really enjoy it slightly crunchy.
When the grains are drained and a bit cooled, put these in a super-sized mixing bowl, or divide into several if need be. Add the remaining ingredients (frozen vegetables, pepitas, garbanzo beans, pasta shells, dried fruit). Stir together. Divide into storage containers. Freeze in 2-3 day portion sizes. As you finish one container, take one out of the freezer to defrost.
This recipe is versatile. Add and subtract other things that your bird may enjoy (e.g. broccoli, coconut, fresh carrots, other grains, walnuts…). If your bird is reluctant to eat a mash, find the ingredient that is their favorite, and put extra amounts to pique their interest. After they are eating it regularly, you can change the proportions to insure that they are eating the variety intended.
Thanks to Leigh Ann Hartsfield for her recipe "Franco's Favorite Breakfast" in the Nourish to Flourish cookbook. We started with this recipe, and the adoption center birds really enjoyed the addition to their breakfast meal. Then Mary Ault discovered that undercooked Kamut was very appealing to the birds, because they use their hookbills as nature intended, and crack open the grains. The Landing Mash continues to evolve as we add new things or change the proportions. And with spring on it's way, we will take full advantage of the fruits and veggies of the seasons.
If you try this recipe for your birds, let us know how it goes!
March 30, 2011 22 Comments
Where is the Parrot?
By Nelson Quinones
I was in bed checking the Phoenix Landing web site and went to see the calendar for the upcoming events. I was reading about the conservation event on December 11, 2010 in Fairfax, VA with Stewart Metz and Bonnie Zimmerman from the Indonesian Parrot Project. The event information includes the web site for the Indonesian Parrot Project (www.indonesian-parrot-project.org). I copied and pasted the web site and went to check it out.
While I was looking at it, I heard a faint parrot call. I muted the TV volume and kept hearing the sound. It sounded like a lost parrot outside. I was worried for the lost parrot because it is cold. I was already thinking that I would have to contact Debbie, Jenny and Ann from Phoenix Landing to see what to do with the parrot if I was able to catch him or her. I quickly got up, got dressed, got a flashlight, put my shoes and jacket on and opened the door. I stood halfway outside the door and kept hearing the parrot call. I closed the door and stepped outside. The outside light came on. I couldn't hear the call any more. I stood there like a statue thinking that maybe the parrot saw me and went silent. I waited for a few minutes but no sound. I thought maybe it was one of my birds making a sound I had never heard before. I opened the door and heard the sound again. I went back out thinking maybe the parrot saw me leaving and started calling again but I closed the door and again I didn't hear anything. I came back in to go check if it was one of my birds.
As soon as I opened the door I heard the call again. Then I remembered that I was just looking at parrot web site and maybe the parrot call was coming from there. I went back to the computer and YES, the parrot call was coming from the Indonesian Parrot Project's web site. I started laughing out loud. My computer is connected to a speaker box that is near the door, and the volume was set at low, that is why it sounded like it was coming from outside. Well, at least I'm glad there is not a poor lost parrot outside in the cold. :~)
For more information about this event in Fairfax, VA on December 11th, from 10-12:30 go to www.phoenixlanding.org/events. We will have a fun auction to support the conservation efforts of the Indonesian Parrot Project. A great way to start your holiday shopping and support wild parrot conservation too!!!
November 15, 2010 1 Comment
Yet Another Cautionary Tale
Lories are brilliantly colored, playful, high-energy birds: easy to love, but difficult to clean up after. I've fostered lories in the past, but never adopted one. Their nectar-heavy diet results in frequent, sticky droppings. Too much work for me.
But, on the rare occasion that we have one relinquished to us, I am always curious about the bird, and wish I had enough time to care for one properly. The bird recently relinquished to Phoenix Landing sounded wonderful: friendly, and he'd even had an exam with an avian vet a few weeks before. He was being given up to Phoenix Landing for the same reason that 80 percent of the birds that come to us share: The caretaker no longer had the time to care for him. Remembering that Debbie, our MD adoption coordinator, had mentioned a family looking for a lory, I sent the information on, and very soon afterward, we had found a foster family.
We arranged for the lory to be dropped off at a recent event held on a Saturday, and I met the relinquisher outside. She was obviously distressed, sad to be giving up her companion of almost 10 years, but she knew it was for the best. She brought out bags of supplies for him, including lots of toys. He also had a powdered lory nectar diet, and she emphasized that he only consumed in the liquid form, it couldn't be served in powder. She also said that he had increased his regurgitation lately, and that it was sexual behavior, and that the problem had gotten worse the less time she was able to spend with him.
I looked at the incredible, gorgeous creature in the sunlight. He looked to be the picture of health. I envied Jane and Pete, his new foster family, getting to share their life with something so splendid.
He regurgitated when I looked at him. He pretty much regurgitated any time someone came up to the cage. I guess he just likes everyone, I thought.
Jane took the bird home, and I thought we'd had yet another happy landing. I was certain they would adopt the lory, and I hoped she'd send out pictures soon. I really wanted to get a chance to paint a picture of that bird.
The next morning, Debbie called with some bad news: The lory was being rushed to Pender Exotics in Fairfax. He hadn't eaten or passed food since Jane had picked him up, and he was constantly vomiting. I was confused: the relinquisher had told me the behavior was sexual, so that's how I'd seen it. The foster family had not had the bird for even a day. But could we all be overreacting? Was this bird just stressed? He had looked so healthy.
The more Debbie and I talked about the bird's behavior, the more alarming it sounded.
Once the bird made it to Pender, I started communicating with the vet on-call, Dr. McDonald. She suggested we start with an X-ray, to see if anything was obviously blocking his digestive tract and preventing food from getting through. The results of the X-ray were inconclusive: It appeared as though there was some strange gas patterns visible in his digestive tract, but that was all.
The next test to run was a barium series.
A barium series is a set of X-rays taken of a bird's digestive system as a dye passes through it. Using this test, vets can see how much and how quickly food passes through the bird, and if there are any obstructions. The test takes hours to run, but it was crucial to find an obstruction (if one existed) before proceeding with medication to help food pass more quickly through the bird.
Late Sunday afternoon, Dr. McDonald called with the results: the lory was passing some, but not all, of the barium. She suspected a probable hernia and possible ulcerations in the stomach, as the syringe used to give the lory the barium had some blood on it after she administered the medicine. However, they wanted to keep the lory overnight and have Dr. Davis pick up care in the morning.
The next day, Dr. Davis called, and, after reviewing the results of the barium test and the X-ray, and considering the fact that the bird was still vomiting, she recommended exploratory surgery.
This was a really hard call to make. The surgery would be over $1, 000, and both Debbie and I agreed that we needed more information and another opinion before we could pursue this option. Jane kindly offered to help do whatever it took to get the little bird well, as she'd already come to care for him, and though the financial investment was a concern, it wasn't my biggest one.
Surgery was risky, introducing additional stress on an already compromised animal, raising the chance of infection, and then there was that word "exploratory." The surgery was no guarantee the vets would be able to help the bird get better. Frankly, it didn't sound to me like he would make it through the procedure.
We decided to move him to a vet closer to Jane, and, in the process, get a second opinion. We needed a few days to arrange a space at the next vet hospital. Dr. Davis said that they could keep him stable for a day or two.
We made arrangements to get him moved, and hoped for the best.
Phone calls in the middle of the night are never good, and, sadly, Pender Exotics called to tell me the lory died in his sleep at 3:30 on Tuesday morning. Phoenix Landing had not had this bird in legal custody for three full days yet.
I talked to Dr. Davis early Tuesday, and she said he was an incredibly sweet and well socialized bird who they were very sorry to lose.
But now, we had to make a choice, should we do a necropsy? We had already spent $900 on care for this bird. But we had to know why the lory died, to make sure it was nothing contagious, even though Jane had practiced good quarantine in her home. It was vital for us to learn what had claimed this beautiful bird's life.
Dr. Davis performed the procedure Tuesday afternoon, and then she called me with the results.
A parrot's digestive tract starts with the mouth, goes into the crop, then into the stomach, which has two parts, the glandular proventriculus, and the muscular ventriculus (also called the gizzard). A massive wad of thread or material filled the bird's proventriculus entirely, and partially filled the ventriculus as well, causing a hernia as the GI tract was squeezed and forced into an unnatural position. His kidneys, brown in a healthy bird, where white and had an excess of uric acid crystals. Dr. Davis said there was nothing that could have been done to save this bird.
Dr. Davis said she has seen this happen to other birds too, those that like to pick on thread or fabric. If the bird ingests tiny pieces, a mass can form that plugs the bird's stomach. Unfortunately, he would not have survived any surgery, and the condition had been around for a while.
This experience has been heartbreaking, but it's taught me many important lessons.
Don't be so quick to accept that a description of a condition is the only possible explanation. What had been identified as sexual regurgitation was clearly not that to Jane. She saw a bird who is vomiting, and she reacted exactly the right way.
It has also taught me to be more vigilant about fabric, thread and material in general. Jane looked through the bird's toys, and did see an obvious culprit, a small dishtowel hanging in the cage like a toy.
Know your bird. Watch what he plays with, and how he plays. If toys are missing pieces, find the pieces. If you don't find the pieces, throw the toy away, no matter how much it cost you, or how much he likes it. My guess is that the washcloth was the bird's favorite toy.
Know the difference between regurgitation related to sexual behavior and vomiting. Foster parent Pete who helped transport the lory to the vet, reported that the bird was trying desperately to eat, but vomited everything. If the bird isn't ingesting any food and isn't producing any droppings, the problem is serious. We have no way of knowing how long this bird had been swallowing the bits of fabric that filled his stomach and eventually killed him, but it was probably months.
Finally, I am always amazed when I think of all of the "behind the scenes" work at Phoenix Landing. It takes dedicated volunteers, lots of time, and lots of money to help parrots.
October 7, 2010 7 Comments


text:
Hike the Canyon
Join us every second Saturday for a guided hike!
When |
Nov 09, 2013 from 08:30 AM to 12:00 PM |
Where | Government Canyon State Natural Area |
Contact Name | John Koepke |
Contact Email | firstname.lastname@example.com |
Contact Phone | (210) 688-9055, ext. 289 |
Join the Friends of Government Canyon and the Sierra Club for a jointly-led guided hike on one of the many trails at Government Canyon State Natural Area. Length of hike will range from 4 to 7 miles depending on the group. No reservations required; open to ages 13 and over; minors must be accompanied by an adult; group size limited to the first 12 people who show up; no pets please. Dress appropriately, sunscreen and hat recommended, wear sturdy footwear for hiking over rough terrain; bring two liters of water and a snack. Meet at the Visitors Center by the rainwater harvesting tower; subject to cancellation; Natural Area entrance fees apply.


text:
The Chandler Police Department is asking for the public's help identifying a suspect in a recent armed robbery case.
The incident occurred on Aug. 15 at the Bank of America located at 2998 N. Alma School Road in Chandler when a white male suspect robbed the bank and took an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing on foot.
Anyone with information about the case should call the department at (480) 782-4130 or the Silent Witness Hotline at (480) 948-6377. The latter is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads in the suspect's arrest and/or indictment.