text: Vespertilio 13–14: 77–91, 2010 ISSN 1213-6123 Myotis alcathoe in eastern Slovakia: occurrence, diet, ectoparasites and notes on its identification in the field Štefan Danko1, Anton Krištín2 & Ján Krištofík3 Spoločnosť pre ochranu netopierov na Slovensku, B. Němcovej 5, SK–050 01, Revúca, Slovakia; [email protected] 2 Institute of Forest Ecology SAS, Štúrova 2, SK–960 53 Zvolen; [email protected] 3 Institute of Zoology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, SK–845 06 Bratislava; [email protected] 1 Abstract. Altogether 80 specimens of Myotis alcathoe were caught at 19 forest and 2 non-forest localities in southeastern Slovakia. Habitats of its occurrence were dominated by oak (mean 43.7% at 19 localities), beech (41.6% at 14 localities) and hornbeam (17.5% at 16 localities). The forest stands were 60–100 years old, situated at the altitudes of 100–540 m a. s. l. Myotis alcathoe was found in assemblages with other 17 bat species. The most abundant were Myotis bechsteinii (15.1%), M. myotis (12.2%) and M. alcathoe (11.8%). Cryptic congeners Myotis brandtii and M. mystacinus were less abundant than M. alcathoe at most localities and made up, on average, 7.4% and 4.9% of the total sample of all captured bats, respectively. M. alcathoe reached 1.6–100% dominance in the sampled localities. It was also found outside forest habitats, in the Priekopa village in the Vihorlat Mts. (7 inds. captured) and near a water reservoir in an open landscape at the foothills of the Slanské vrchy Mts. At the latter site, sixteen bat species were recorded, including all three cryptic species from the mystacinus morpho-group, in one riparian forest. Analysis of 111 fecal pellets sampled from 24 individuals at seven localities revealed the presence of 10 major taxonomic groups of insects in the diet of M. alcathoe. Moths (Lepidoptera), mainly with body length below 12 mm, were the most important prey item. Ants (Formicidae), mostly of the genus Lasius, were dominant only at the localities of Jovsa and Boťany in six bat individuals (25% of the total studied sample). Nematoceran flies (mostly Mycetophilidae and Tipulidae) were another regular dominant prey item (>5% in total), followed by beetles (2.5%) and brachyceran flies (2.5%). In 11 of 80 bats, we found three ectoparasite species: fly Basilia italica (Nycteribiidae), mite Spinturnix mystacinus (Spinturnicidae) and tick Ixodes vespertilionis (Ixodidae). Myotis alcathoe, eastern Slovakia, habitat, diet, ectoparasites, accompanying species Introduction The Alcathoe bat (Myotis alcathoe) was described in 2001 (von Helversen et al. 2001), based on individuals coming from Greece and northern Hungary. In the following years, records of the species were reported from France (Ruedi et al. 2002), Slovakia (Benda et al. 2003), Spain (Agirre-Mendi et al. 2004), Bulgaria (Schunger et al. 2004), Switzerland (Stadelmann et al. 2004), Czech Republic (Lučan et al. 2007) and Austria (Spitzenberger et al. 2008). The review of all records in Europe, including the European part of Turkey, was given by Niermann et al. (2007). From Slovakia, only the data from the Cerová vrchovina hills have appeared in the literature (Benda et al. 2003, Uhrin et al. 2008). The aims of this work were: (1) to obtain new data on distribution and habitats of this species outside its hibernation period in southeastern Slovakia, (2) to analyse its diet, (3) to identify its ectoparasites, and (5) to contribute remarks on identification of the species in the field. 77 Methods and material The bats were sampled in forest habitats above small water bodies, both permanent and periodic. The animals were captured in a white 10 m mist net. The sampling was conducted over the whole breeding season (May–August) in 2005–2009. Only the localities and habitats with at least one captured specimen of M. alcathoe are mentioned in this paper. Except for localities No. 20 and 21, netting of bats was conducted in forest habitats only. In each habitat we selected small water bodies where high activity of bats could be expected. The netting was carried out from twilight to 11:00 pm (summer time) when the flying activity of bats began to decrease. In 2006, we collected DNA samples from several individuals using wing biopsy punch to confirm species identification by genetic methods. The samples were stored in 96% ethanol. In most of the captured individuals we measured the length of forearm (LAt) and tibia (LTib), i.e. traits known from literature to be most credible for species identification (Dietz & von Helversen 2004). External distinguishing features were also observed – in M. alcathoe primarily brown ear lobes and pale face (Le Bris & Le Houédec 2005). For two individuals we also report skull dimensions: LCr – greatest length of skull; LCb – condylobasal length of skull; LaZ – zygomatic width; LaI – width of interorbital constriction; LaInf – rostral width between foramina infraorbitalia; LaN – neurocranium width; ANc – neurocranium height; CC – rostral width between canines (incl.); M3M3 – rostral width between 3rd upper molars (incl.); CM3 – length of upper tooth-row between canine and 3rd molar (incl.); LMd – mandible length; ACo – height of coronoid process; CM3 – length of lower tooth-row between canine and 3rd molar (incl.). Reproduction in females was confirmed based on the presence of a palpable foetus or an evidence of lactation (enlarged nipples and absence of fur in their surroundings). Juveniles were recognized according to incomplete ossification of interphallangeal and metacarpal joints. To collect fecal samples for diet analysis, bats were placed in bags for about half an hour. Parasites were collected by carefully inspecting fur and wing membranes of the bats. All pellets and ectoparasites were preserved in ethanol. Particular prey categories were identified using comparative slides, methodological papers (McAney et al. 1991) and common entomological keys. In total, we collected data on prey composition in 24 individuals of M. alcathoe (altogether 111 fecal pellets) from seven localities in southeastern Slovakia. They included ten individuals from Jovsa (45 pellets), five individuals in Byšta (25 pellets), four in Ďurkov (17 pellets), two individuals in Boťany (9 pellets) and by one individual each in Brestov, Strážske and Pozdišovce (altogether 15 pellets). All samples were collected between 28 June and 10 August (2007 and 2009). To express the results of diet analysis, we modified formulas of McAney et al. (1991). Percentage volume is expressed as the sum of all relative volumes of particular prey category in individual pellets in the studied set of fecal samples divided by the number of fecal pellets in the analysed set of samples. Percentage volume shows what proportion of volume represents the particular prey in the set of fecal samples analysed. Parasites were identified in the following way: flies using a binocular microscope, mites and tick were conserved in Liquide de Swann to obtain permanent slides, and identified using a microscope. The data on species composition and age structure of forest stands were obtained from forest management plans and forest stand maps (valid for the period 2000–2006) and processed in GIS. The areas of interest were circles with a diameter of 500 m centered at the capture point. Description of localities in the following list: the locality name is followed by the geomorphological unit, mapping square code from the Databank of the Slovakian fauna, geographic coordinates, altitude, exposure and capture dates. The localities are listed chronologically, according to the first capture date. Forest habitats 1. Rákoš, Standorina (Slanské vrchy Mts., 7394, 48° 38' 45.3" N, 21° 26' 49.7" E, 460 m, SW; 14 July 2005). The net was placed over a small marsh located within a forest stand, about 100 m from a large meadow, near a watterlogged alder stand with a water spring. The stand lacks shrub layer and consists mainly of beech (79%), oak (15%) and admixed hornbeam (2%), 40–200 years old. 2. Slanská Huta (Slanské vrchy Mts., 7494, 48° 34' 59.5" N, 21° 29' 07.7" E, 540 m, NW; 22 July 2005). Mist nets were set over a small marsh located within a forest stand, about 250 m from the nearest meadow. The stand lacks shrub layer, and consists of beech (64%), oak (23%), hornbeam (3%) and other broadleaved species (7%); its age is 40–80 years. The closest water body is lake Izra at a distance of 1400 m; the closest running water is a small stream at a distance of 1000 m. 3. Jovsa (Fig. 1; Vihorlatské vrchy Mts., 7198, 48° 50' 07.7" N, 22° 04' 55.5" E, 210 m, SE; 15 June 2006, 14 May, 28 June, and 21 July 2007, 13 and 20 May, 20 July, and 2 August 2009). The net was situated on the bank of a small water body about 8×15 m in size, created by obstruction of a small stream located in a forest stand, about 1100 m from its edge. The stand consists of hornbeam (60%) and oak (40%) aged 110 years. 78 4. Priekopa (Vihorlatské vrchy Mts., 7299, 48° 45' 22.9" N, 22° 16' 59.7" E, 360 m, SW; 5 August 2006). Mist nets were set over a stream in an ecotone between a meadow and forest consisting of oak (40%), hornbeam (30%), beech (23%), aged 20–80 years. Stream banks were bordered with alders and willows. 5. Čaklov-Hámre (Východoslovenská pahorkatina hills, 7195, 48° 53' 26.4" N, 21° 35' 36.4" E, 200 m, N; 21 May 2007). The net was placed over a pool at a small stream crossing a forest stand, about 350 m from its edge adjacent to a field. The stand is composed of oak (70%), hornbeam (11%), other broadleaved species (10%) and conifers (9%), its age is 100–120 years. 6. Ladmovce (Zemplínske vrchy Mts., 7596, 48° 25' 53.5" N, 21° 46' 41.3" E, 180 m, SE; 8 June 2007). The net was installed over a pool near a forest road in an ecotone between the forest and a vineyard. The forest is single-layered, consisting mainly of oak (88%) and black locust (6%), 40–100 years old. The nearest river is Bodrog, at a distance of 1500 m. 7. Dargov-Holá hora (Slanské vrchy Mts., 7295, 48° 45' 14.4" N, 21° 33' 24.1" E, 420 m, SE; 2 July 2007). The net was placed on the dam of a water body about 10×20 m in size, at a small stream in a forest stand with disperse clearings, the nearest meadow is about 450 m distant. A small clearing with a cottage is situated about 50 m from the netting place. The stand is composed of oak (42%), beech (28%), hornbeam (25%) and other broadleaved species (5%), its age is 80–120 years. 8. Byšta (Slanské vrchy Mts., 7495, 48° 31' 48.7" N, 21° 31' 34.1" E, 380 m, E; 14 July 2007). Two mist nets were set over a marsh in a forest stand, about 430 m from its edge adjacent to meadows. The nearest water body is about 2 km distant. The stand is composed of oak (50%), beech (44%), hornbeam (6%), its age is 60–100 years. 9. Ďurkov (Slanské vrchy Mts., 7394, 48° 41' 44.5" N, 21° 29' 11.7" E, 450 m, W; 19 July 2007, 15 July and 10 August 2009). The capture site was situated on a bank of a small marsh in a forest stand. The nearest meadow is at the distance of about 600 m, the nearest forest edge 2200 m, a larger stream 5.3 km. The Fig. 1. Netting site in a forest near the Jovsa village (locality No. 3). All photos by Š. Danko. Obr. 1. Odchytové miesto v lese pri Jovse (lokalita č. 3). Všetky fotografie Š. Danko. 79 Fig. 2. Netting site in the interior of the Priekopa village (locality No. 21). Obr. 2. Odchytové miesto v intraviláne obce Priekopa (lokalita č. 21). stand is composed of oak (56%), beech (23%), hornbeam (17%), and other broadleaved species (4%), its age is 60–120 years. 10. Boťany (Východoslovenská rovina lowland, 7598, 48° 28' 02.0" N, 22° 06' 22.7" E, 100 m, 22 and 24 July, and 7 and 2 August 2007). The net was set over a water body covering a long narrow depression in a floodplain forest, about 950 m from the Latorica River. The stand consists of oak (63%), ash (34%), with little admixture of elm and hornbeam, its age is 120 years. The terrain is plain. 11. Strážske (Východoslovenská pahorkatina hills, 7196, 48° 52' 03.1" N, 21° 47' 51.8" E, 182 m, SE; 25 July 2007). A forest road with tracks made by lorries and filled with water. The nearest forest edge is about 250 m distant. The stand is single-layered, consisting of hornbeam (36%), beech (31%), oak (17%), birch (7%) and pine (6%), aged 60–100 years. 12. Brestov (Ondavská vrchovina Mts., 7097, 48° 59' 02.6" N, 21° 53' 28.3" E, 235 m, 6 August 2007). Two nets were set on the bank of a small fishpond in a garden in a forest cottage settlement near a SW-oriented valley with several clear cuts and two larger fish pond. The surrounding forest consists of beech (66%), oak (15%) and hornbeam (16%), 80–100 years old. 13. Juskova Voľa 1 (Slanské vrchy Mts., 7195, 48° 52' 02.7" N, 21° 33' 14.3" E, 335 m; 2 July 2008). NE-oriented valley, the net was installed above a stream pool in a forest composed of beech (64%), oak (10%), alder (6%), birch (5%), hornbeam (5%) and pine (4%), aged 20–120 years. 14. Juskova Voľa 2 (Slanské vrchy Mts., 7195, 48° 52' 29.5" N, 21° 35' 42.4" E, 260 m, N; 28 June 2009). The net was situated on the bank of a large marsh in a forest, near to a large clear cut. The nearest forest edge is about 300 m distant, adjacent to meadows crossed by a water stream. The stand consists of oak (69%), hornbeam (18%), beech (10%) and pine (3%), aged 40–120 years 15. Koňuš (Vihorlatské vrchy Mts., 7299, 48° 46' 26.1" N, 22° 16' 56.1" E, 350 m, W; 16 July 2008). A forest road in a forest stand, with car tracks filled with water. The nearest stand edge is adjacent to a meadow, about 230 m and 440 m from a stream. The forest stand is composed of oak (74%), beech (17%) and hornbeam (11%), aged about 80 years. 16. Brezina-Torkoš (Slanské vrchy Mts., 7495, 48° 34' 23.0" N, 21° 30' 36.0" E, 360 m, SE; 30 July 2008). Sampling over a stony road with tracks made by lorries and filled with water, in a connected forest stand 80 960 m from its edge and on the border of a meadow 180×100 m in size. The stand consists of oak (50%), beech (28%), conifers (mainly pine; 13%) and hornbeam (8%), its age is 60–80 years. 17. Oreské (Vihorlatské vrchy Mts., 7197, 48° 51' 47.7" N, 21° 55' 46.0" E, 230 m; 6 August 2008). The net was placed over a pool on a small stream in a forest stand, 550 m from its nearest edge adjacent to meadows. The forest stand is composed of beech (44%), oak (31%) and hornbeam (19%), mostly over 100 years in age. 18. Remetské Hámre (Vihorlatské vrchy Mts., 7199, 48° 51' 18.8" N, 22° 11' 19.7" E, 302 m, S; 26 August 2008). The netting site was a small water stream at the edge of a forest stand adjacent to the interior of a village. It is situated about 10 m from the mouth of a mine gallery formerly discharging water from a water energy plant. The forest stand consists of beech (62%), hornbeam (13%), oak (8%) and alder (4%), aged 40–100 years. 19. Pozdišovce (Východoslovenská pahorkatina Mts., 7297, 48° 44' 44.7" N, 21° 50' 14.7" E, 165 m; 17 July 2009). A periodic stream heading to SW, located in a flat ravine with a small water body created by damming the stream. The site is situated in a connected forest stand, 420 m from the nearest meadow, and about 900 m from a water reservoir. The stand consists of oak (70%), pine (20%) and linden (4%), 40–80 years old. Non-forest habitats 20. Kalša, water reservoir (Slanské vrchy Mts., 7395, 48° 36' 14.6" N, 21° 31' 14.2" E, 260 m, NE; 19 June 2006). A water body, 65×30 m in size, surrounded by meadows, the influx area adjacent to a connected forest stand, the discharge area covered with a riparian stand. 21. Priekopa, garden (Fig. 2; Vihorlatské vrchy Mts., 7299, 48° 45' 06.4" N, 22° 16' 43.1" E, 306 m, SW; 5 and 20 August 2006, 19 July and 8 August 2008, 30 June and 24 July 2009). A ground in the upper part of the village, with a small garden water pool and fruit trees, 380 m from the nearest connected forest stand. Results Occurrence and habitat In 2005–2009, we captured 80 individuals of M. alcathoe (27 adult males, 10 juvenile males, 29 adult females of which 14 were lactating and two pregnant, two subadult females, 9 juvenile females and three individuals of unidentified sex). The most abundant tree species in the above listed 19 forest localities was oak (average abundance 43.7%), followed by beech (41.6%) and hornbeam (17.5%). From the admixed species, the most abundant were ash, alder, linden and pine. In general, the localities can be characterised as mixed broadleaved forests with dominant oak, beech and hornbeam, situated at 100–540 m a. s. l. Beech-oak, oak-beech and hornbeam-beech forests were the most frequent; in the floodplain forest, it was an ash-oak forest. The age of the forest stands was 60–100 years; with 80-year-old trees being the most frequent. The slope orientation varied considerably, but SE and SW oriented slopes prevailed. Besides M. alcathoe, we captured other 17 bat species (Table 1). The most abundant was Myotis bechsteinii (15.1%), followed by Myotis myotis (12.2%) and M. alcathoe (11.8%). Among the species of the mystacinus morpho-group (sensu Benda & Karataş 2005), M. alcathoe was the most abundant, followed by M. brandtii (ranked as the sixth with 7.4%), and M. mystacinus (the eigth with 4.9%). In the floodplain forest near Boťany, where we trapped even 16 species, we recorded syntopic occurrence of all three cryptic species of the mystacinus morpho-group (18.8% M. alcathoe, 14.5% M. brandtii and 2.9% M. mystacinus). The captures of M. alcathoe outside of forest habitats suggest that the species also forages in non-forest environments. The six capture events made near the small garden water pond in the Priekopa village in the Vihorlatské vrchy Mts. 81 82 Mal Mbr Mms Mbe Mmy Bba Ppi Pau Mna Nle Ese Mda Nno Ppy Mem Pna Pau Mbl ∑ % 20 Kalša 21 Priekopa 14 10 135 5 18 4 62 60 126 69 16 20 18 19 1 2 4 19 7 Ni 6 7.1 5 10.0 13 16.3 4 20.0 8 5.5 2 50.0 10 1.6 14 11.6 10 7.1 16 18.8 8 6.2 8 5.0 6 16.6 7 5.2 1100.0 1100.0 3 50.0 4 10.5 5 14.2 Ns %Ma 1 1 27 4 9 31 21 5 3.2 4 33.3 8 1 1 5 1 27 9 52 8 15.4 1.9 1.9 9.6 1.9 51.9 17.3 1 1 7 1 72 45 30 92 74 60 59 39 30 22 21 20 20 10 9 4 1 1 609 18 11.8 7.4 4.9 15.1 12.2 9.9 9.7 6.4 4.9 3.6 3.5 3.3 3.3 1.6 1.5 0.7 0.2 0.2 Rákoš 1 2 1 3 6 1 Slanská Huta 1 2 3 3 1 Jovsa 22 13 6 35 12 7 2 12 3 5 13 1 4 Priekopa 1 2 1 1 Čaklov-Hámre 1 2 10 1 1 1 1 1 Ladmovce 2 2 Dargov, Holá hora 1 2 16 3 24 1 1 2 1 11 Byšta 7 2 3 6 8 2 1 4 2 12 9 2 1 1 Ďurkov 9 13 4 21 13 13 23 14 14 2 Boťany 13 10 2 9 6 4 1 1 7 2 1 1 1 8 2 1 Strážske 1 2 3 2 4 1 2 1 Brestov 1 1 2 1 4 1 5 5 Juskova Voľa 3 4 3 6 1 1 Juskova Voľa 1 1 3 10 1 1 2 Koňuš 1 Brezina-Torkoš 2 Oreské 2 1 1 Remetské Hámre 2 1 15 1 Pozdišovce 1 2 1 1 2 ∑ % 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 site / lokalita Table 1. Species spectrum and number of netted bats at the particular localities. Tab. 1. Druhové zloženie a počty odchytených netopierov na jednotlivých lokalitách. Explanations / vysvetlivky: Mal = Myotis alcathoe; Mbr = Myotis brandtii; Mms = Myotis mystacinus; Mbe = Myotis bechsteinii; Mmo = Myotis myotis; Bba = Barbastella barbastellus; Ppi = Pipistrellus pipistrellus; Par = Plecotus auritus; Mna = Myotis nattereri; Nle = Nyctalus leisleri; Ese = Eptesicus serotinus; Mda = Myotis daubentonii; Nno = Nyctalus noctula; Ppy = Pipistrellus pygmaeus; Mem = Myotis emarginatus; Pna = Pipistrellus nathusii; Pas = Plecotus austriacus; Mbl = Myotis blythii; Ni = number of individuals / počet jedincov; Ns = number of species / počet druhov; %Ma = percentage of Myotis alcathoe within the catch / percentuálne zastúpenie Myotis alcathoe v odchyte resulted in seven caught individuals, of which one was a lactating female (19 July 2008), and one was a juvenile female (8 August 2008). The closest forest edge is 380 m distant. One individual was trapped at a water reservoir in the open land at the border of the Slanské vrchy Mts. Ringing results The adult male ringed at the locality No. 4 on 5 August 2006 was recaptured in Priekopa at the locality No. 21 on 19 August 2006 (distance between the two localities being 580 m). The adult female ringed in the garden in Priekopa on 24 July 2009 was recaptured at the same site on 14 August and 4 September 2009. Therefore, we assume that this particular individual was using the locality inside the village as its permanent foraging site over the time between the subsequent captures. Diet Analysis Altogether 10 taxonomic categories were identified in the diet, those with the volume percentage larger than 5% in a particular individual/pellet sample are summarized in Fig. 4. Moths (Lepidoptera), mainly with body length below 12 mm, were the most important prey item. Ants (Formi- Fig. 3. Known occurrence of Myotis alcathoe in eastern Slovakia till the end of 2009. Circle – netting site; square – reproduction site; dark grey areas – forests. Obr. 3. Zistený výskyt Myotis alcathoe na východnom Slovensku do konca roku 2009. Krúžok – miesto odchytu; štvorec – miesto doloženej reprodukcie; tmavosivá plocha – lesy. 83 cidae), mostly of the genus Lasius, were dominant only at the localities of Jovsa (2 August 2009) and Boťany (27 July 2007) in six bat individuals (25% of the total studied sample). Nematoceran flies (mostly Mycetophilidae and Tipulidae) were another regular dominant prey item (>5% in total), followed by beetles (Coleoptera, 2.5%) and brachyceran flies (Brachycera, 2.5%). Considerable differences were also identified in percentages of the main prey groups among different localities, yet the sample is too small to allow a detailed statistical analysis. Macrolepidoptera and Formicidae were dominant at the Jovsa locality, Microlepidoptera and partly also Nematocera at the other localities (Fig. 5). Parasites We collected ectoparasites in 11 of 80 captured M. alcathoe. Only three ectoparasite species were identified. Two individuals captured in Jovsa on 20 July 2009, and one in Ďurkov on 10 August 2009 did not show parasite presence, the other bats captured at these sites were not checked. In six bats we collected 14 mites Spinturnix mystacinus Kolenati, 1857 (Spinturnicidae), in one bat we took larvae of the tick Ixodes vespertilionis Koch, 1844 (Ixodidae). Seven individuals of the fly Basilia italica Theodor, 1954 (Nycteribiidae) were found in four bats (Table 2). Notes on species identification In three individuals captured in 2006 at the localities No. 4 and 21 and identified as M. alcathoe, tissue samples were taken for genetic examination. In all of them correct species identification was ascertained (Hulva in litt.). Additional two individuals from the locality No. 10 were stored in the collections of the National Museum in Praha (NMP pb3499, 3500, alcoholic specimens with skulls extracted). Subsequent genetic analysis again confirmed correct identification of M. alcathoe Fig. 4. Diet composition (volume percentages) based on fecal samples of 24 individuals of M. alcathoe from seven sites in eastern Slovakia. Obr. 4. Zloženie potravy (objemové percentá) zistené rozborom trusu 24 jedincov zo siedmich lokalít východného Slovenska. 84 Table 2. Ectoparasites of M. alcathoe at the particular localities (species and number of specimens) Tab. 2. Druhové zloženie a počty ektoparazitov z M. alcathoe na jednotlivých lokalitách parasite parazit Spinturnix mystacinus Ixodes vespertilionis Basilia italica number počet site lokalita date dátum number of bats počet netopierov 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀ 2 ♀♀ 3 ♂♂ 3 ♂♂ 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀ 1 larva 1 ♂, 1 ♀ 2 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀ Boťany Boťany Brestov Jovsa Ďurkov Boťany Boťany Boťany Ďurkov 24 July 2007 2 August 2007 6 August 2007 2 August 2009 10 August 2009 24 July 2009 24 July 2009 2 August 2009 10 August 2009 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 (Vallo in litt.). In the meantime, our own field experience together with published information (cf. Le Bris & Le Houédec 2005, Dietz et al. 2007) and biometric data obtained allowed us to conclude that species identification can be carried out in the field without genetic analysis. Until recently, several authors have accepted species identification in the field based on morphological traits only, without the necessity of genetic analysis (France, Hungary, Greece, Bulgaria – Niermann et al. 2007; Czech Republic – Lučan et al. 2009). In our opinion, the species can be determined visually, based on a series of qualitative and quantitative traits, such as the colour of Fig. 5. Diet composition (volume percentages) based on fecal samples of M. alcathoe from Jovsa (grey columns) and other six sites in eastern Slovakia (black columns). Obr. 5. Zloženie potravy (objemové percentá) na základe rozboru trusu M. alcathoe z Jovsy (sivé stĺpce) a z ostatných šiestich lokalít východného Slovenska (čierne stĺpce). 85 Table 3. Biometric data (ranges [in millimetres and grams] are given without differentiation of sex and age) Tab. 3. Biometrické údaje (rozsahy [v mm a g] sú uvedené bez rozlíšenia pohlavia a veku) forearm length dĺžka predlaktia this paper / táto práca Niermann et al. (2007) Benda et al. (2003) Agirre-Mendi et al. (2004) Řehák et al. (2008) Spitzenberger et al. (2008) Dietz et al. (2007) tibia length dĺžka holene 29.7–33.7 12.7–15.5 28.4–33.4 32.5; 32.9 14.0; 14.3 32.5–33.0 31.2–33.7 14.0–14.8 31.8–32.6 30.8–34.6 13.5–15.9 weight hmotnosť 3.8–5.8 3.2–4.7 3.5–5.5 auricles and face fur and skin (see Fig. 6), the lengths of tibia and forearm. Photos of the captured individuals are useful as evidence material as well as a material for studying differences, especially in the coloration. By comparing the forearm lengths and body masses between adult males and females we concluded that females were generally larger (32.1±0.7 mm, vs. 31.9±0.6 mm, n=42: 21 females and 21 males) and heavier than males (4.95±0.5 g vs. 4.3±0.3 g, n=25: 11 females, Fig. 6. Differences in appearance between Myotis mystacinus (above) and Myotis alcathoe (below) – light brown ear, light face and shorter tragus. Ďurkov, 10 August 2009. Obr. 6. Vzhľadové rozdiely medzi Myotis mystacinus (hore) a Myotis alcathoe (dole) – svetlohnedé ucho, svetlá tvár a kratší tragus. Ďurkov, 10. 8. 2009. 86 14 males). On the contrary, the tibia was somewhat longer in males than in females (14.5±0.7 mm, vs. 14±0.8 mm, n=37: 19 females and 18 males). At the same time, the measured individuals of M. mystacinus had a longer forearm 33.0–36.0 mm and tibia 15.3–17.0 mm. As for the general appearance, more similarity was found between M. alcathoe and M. brandtii than between the former one and M. mystacinus. The males of M. brandtii can be identified based on the shape of penis, while in females, it is nececcesary to measure the forearm length (mostly exceeding 35 mm) and to check, with a magnifying glass, the cusp on the lingual side of cingulum in the third upper premolar (P4). Cranial measurements (in millimetres) of the two individuals of M. alcathoe from the locality No. 10 were as follows: LCr 13.31 and 13.08; LCb 12.60 and 12.54; LaZ 8.17; LaI 3.13 and 3.31; LaInf 3.26 and 3.16; LaN 6.48 and 6.35; ANc 4.67 and 4.61; CC 3.41 and 3.21; M3M3 5.22 and 5.16; CM3 4.94 and 4.94; LMd 9.42 and 9.46; ACo 2.74 and 2.66; CM3 5.37 and 5.31. Discussion Occurrence and habitat In Europe, M. alcathoe was recorded in various habitats. In Albania, the species was mist-netted above a small river branch, in a riparian forest consisting of plane trees and poplars; in Bulgaria in a similar habitat, but also in mountain forests and at underground swarming sites in autumn; in Germany in an old wet broadleaved forest dominated by oak, and in a xerotherm forest with oak trees. The authors reported that the species prefers natural wet and broadleaved deciduous forests with old trees and watercourses. It may also occur in canyons, alluvial forests, or stream valleys, marshes, hedged farmlands, wooded grounds, mixed and deciduous forests close to water (Niermann et al. 2007). In France, the species was captured in a forest composed of old oak and plane trees, with admixed maple, ash and willows, close to a stream and pasture land (Ruedi et al. 2002). There are about 30 localities with confirmed occurrence of the species in Hungary, all of them being situated in forests in the northern part of the country (Estók 2007). The discussed bat species can be characterised as an exclusively forest species, living at 300– 700 m a. s. l., preferring colder climate, wet valleys with permanent water springs, percolating water, smaller streams and artificial water pools. Predominant habitats of its confirmed occurence include oak, hornbeam-oak and beech forest stands, and also cave entrances in woodlands (Estók 2007, Niermann et al. 2007). The capture locality in the Zemplén Mts. was a small lake surrounded by birch, beech and hornbeam forests (Estók et al. 2006). In Moravia (Czech Rep.), the species was recorded in a flat area in an old mixed forest stand with a fishpond; in an industrial lowland with fishponds and broadleaved grooves near Ostrava, and in an agrocoenosis with broadleaved woods and human settlements (Řehák et al. 2008). There, the species seems to prefer alluvial or mesic broadleaved forests; on the other hand, the most frequent habitat in the Czech Republic was a full-grown oak-hornbeam forest (Lučan et al. 2009). In the Austrian locality, oak and hornbeam forests with water bodies of a different size were the dominant habitat type (Spitzenberger et al. 2008). Dietz et al. (2007) reported the species' habitat as dense broadleaved forests along water streams in mountain areas, consisting of alder, plane trees, oak and hornbeam. Besides our records, M. alcathoe was further captured during the reproductive period in Slovakia in an unforested plot near a small fishpond close to the Baňa settlement (250 m a. s. l.), about 300 m from a connected forest stand, and in the locality Pohanský hrad (560 m a. s. l.) in the Cerová vrchovina hills (Uhrin et al. 2008). The literature survey shows that the habitat of M. alcathoe is most frequently characterised by the vicinity of water bodies, streams and rivers. We did not find an association with wetland environment (except the floodplain forest by the Latorica river), but we obtained 87 an evidence of its occurrence in an old broadleaved forest far from larger watercourses, although small water bodies or pools were usually present at the sites of its capture. As for the altitude, our research was conducted at 100–540 m a. s. l., however, occurrence of the species at higher altitudes in Slovakia may not be excluded and requires further study. The altitudinal distribution of the species in other European countries is as follows: Germany 130 and 170 m a. s. l., Hungary 230–670 m a. s. l., Bulgaria 5–1450 m a. s. l., France even above 2000 m a. s. l. (Niermann et al. 2007), Czech Republic 240–390 m a. s. l. (Lučan et al. 2009), Spain 790 and 1390 m a. s. l. (Agirre-Mendi et al. 2004). It is obvious that the species can occur at significantly higher elevations in the warmer Mediterranean regions than in Central Europe. In our study, the highest bat diversity was observed in the floodplain forest near Boťany (16 species), with syntopic occurrence of all three species of the mystacinus morpho-group. Similarly, 14 bat species were recorded in the floodplain forest locality of Rheinau in Germany, including M. alcathoe, M. brandtii and M. mystacinus. Syntopic occurrence of M. alcathoe with M. mystacinus and M. brandtii was also recorded in France, Spain, Balkans, Hungary, Poland (Niermann et al. 2007), and in the Czech Republic (Lučan et al. 2009). Similarly to the Czech localities (Lučan et al. 2009), relative abundance of the species is also high in SE Slovakia. The literature mostly reports patchy occurrence, however, our research in the Slanské and Vihorlatské vrchy Mts. suggests widespread occurrence across the study area. The species abundance in other geomorphological units requires a targeted research. Diet The diet analysis resulted in findings somewhat different from those obtained in the Czech Republic, where Nematocera, Trichoptera and Araneidea were dominant prey items (Lučan et al. 2009). The differences may have been caused by sampling near water habitats in which these invertebrate groups are dominant and also by the sampling date in September when the evening flying activity is lower in some insect groups compared to early summer (from June to the beginning of August). The composition of M. alcathoe diet reported by us quite resembles the summer diet of its cryptic congeners M. mystacinus and M. brandtii reported by Andreas (2002). For instance, the dominant items in the summer diet of M. mystacinus and M. brandtii (M. alcathoe not distinguished) were moths (frequency 83% in M. mystacinus and 77% in M. brandtii) (Andreas 2002). Parasites The mite Spinturnix mystacinus parasitises especially M. mystacinus and M. brandtii, it was also found on Eptesicus serotinus (Stanyukovich 1997), Myotis myotis, M. dasycneme, Vespertilio murinus, Nyctalus noctula, and Plecotus auritus (Dusbábek 1962). Occurrence of this mite on M. alcathoe was reported from the Switzerland by Bruyndonckx et al. (2009). The tick Ixodes vespertilionis was found parasitising almost all bat species in the Palearctic region (Filippova 1977). Basilia italica is a relatively rarely found ectoparasite, it was recorded mainly on Myotis mystacinus and M. brandtii (Hůrka 1980). It was also observed individually on Myotis emarginatus, M. myotis, M. nattereri (Theodor 1954), Eptesicus serotinus, and Barbastella barbastellus (Czuppon & Molnár 2001). Identification Our results confirmed present knowledge concerning the species identification. The shortest forearms and the lowest body masses were recorded in Poland. The data reported from Hungary for forearm length up to 36 mm and body mass up to 8 g (Estók 2007) are not consistent with the biometric data for this species. 88 Acknowledgements Here, we would like to thank our friends for their assistance in the field. At the first place: Peter Pjenčák, Ervín Hrtan, Radoslav Pristáš, Zuzana Perdíková, Peter Hohti, Miloš Balla, Patrik Prezbruchý, Miroslav Fulín, Zuzana Argalášová, Martin Ceľuch and Martin Riník. On 28 June 2007, the netting, measuring and pellet sampling was carried out together with Petr Benda (Praha) and Marcel Uhrin (Košice), on 21–22 July 2007 Petr Benda, Jiří Gaisler (Brno) and Vladimír Hanák (Praha) were present. We are also indebted to Petr Benda for providing us with the data on individuals from the collections of the National Museum in Praha, Czech Republic, and for contacting the laboratory for genetic analyses – for which we wish to thank Pavel Hulva (Praha) and Peter Vallo (Brno). Marcel Uhrin is also acknowledged for providing us with some literature sources, Ján Šmídt (Revúca) for background data for the description of forest stands and Peter Kaňuch (Zvolen) for preparation of the map. Dáša Kúdelová helped us with English and finalisation of the paper was supported by the Grant VEGA No. 2/0130/08. Súhrn Netopier Alkathoe (Myotis alcathoe) na východnom Slovensku: výskyt, potrava, ektoparazity a poznámky k jeho určovaniu v teréne. Cieľom práce bolo: (1) získať nové údaje o rozšírení a biotopoch druhu v lesnom prostredí v mimohibernačnom období na juhovýchodnom Slovensku, (2) analyzovať jeho potravu, (3) analyzovať druhové zloženie ektoparazitov a (4) prispieť k poznatkom o identifikácii druhu v teréne. Do konca leta 2009 bolo odchytených 80 jedincov netopiera Alkathoe, z toho 27 dospelých samcov, 10 juvenilných samcov, 29 dospelých samíc (z nich 14 laktujúcich a dve gravidné), dve subadultné samice, 9 juvenilných samíc a tri jedince neurčeného pohlavia. Výskyt netopiera Alkathoe na 19 lesných lokalitách bol zistený v biotopoch, kde dominoval dub (priemerné zastúpenie 43,7 % na 19 lokalitách), potom buk (priemerné zastúpenie 41,6 % na 14 lokalitách) a hrab (primerné zastúpenie 17,5 % na 16 lokalitách). Z prímesových druhov s vyšším zastúpením to boli ešte jaseň, jelša, lipa a borovica. Najčastejšími boli bukovo-dubové, dubovo-bukové a hrabovo-dubové porasty, v lužnom lese to bol jaseňovo-dubový porast v nadmorských výškach 100–540 m. Ich vek bol najčastejšie v rozmedzí 60–100 rokov. Orientácia lokalít bola na všetky svetové strany, ale najčastejšie na juhovýchod alebo juhozápad (po 21 % prípadov). V každom biotope boli netopiere odchytávané do sietí nad malými vodnými plochami, pri ktorých sa predpokladal ich zvýšený výskyt. Druh bol zistený na sledovaných lokalitách v spoločenstve s ďalšími 17 druhmi netopierov. Z 18 odchytených druhov najpočetnejšími boli Myotis bechsteinii (15,1 %), M. myotis (12,2 %) a M. alcathoe (11,8 %). V porovnaní s druhmi morfo-skupiny mystacinus bol Myotis alcathoe najpočetnejší, menej početný bol M. brandtii (v poradí šiesty, 7,4 %) a najmenej početný bol M. mystacinus (v poradí ôsmy, 4,9 %). V lužnom lese pri Boťanoch, kde sa odchytilo až 16 druhov, sa syntopicky vyskytovali všetky 3 druhy morfo-skupiny mystacinus (18,8 % alcathoe, 14,5 % brandtii a 2,9 % mystacinus). Počas odchytov mimo lesných biotopov bolo zistené, že druh sa vyskytuje aj v intraviláne obce Priekopa vo Vihorlatských vrchoch, kde bolo odchytených 7 jedincov, najbližšia vzdialenosť k okraju lesa je 380 m. Jeden jedinec bol odchytený pri vodnej nádrži v otvorenej krajine na okraji Slanských vrchov. V potrave 24 jedincov M. alcathoe (spolu 111 vzoriek trusu) zo 7 lokalít JV Slovenska sa zistilo v júli – auguste 2007 a 2009 celkom 10 taxonomických skupín bezstavovcov. Motýle (Lepidoptera), hlavne s dĺžkou tela <12 mm, boli najvýznamnejším typom koristi. Mravce (Formicidae), hlavne rod Lasius, boli dominantné iba na lokalitách Jovsa a Boťany, a to u 6 jedincov (25 % zo študovaných). Komáre Nematocera (hlavne Mycetophilidae a Tipulidae) boli ďalšou pravidelne konzumovanou zložkou potravy (>5 %), nižšiu dominanciu dosiahli chrobáky (Coleoptera) a muchy (Brachycera) (2,5 % každá skupina). Na 11 jedincoch M. alcathoe boli zistené tri druhy ektoparazitov. Tri prezreté jedince neboli zaparazitované, ostatné neboli kontrolované. Na štyroch netopieroch bolo nájdených 7 jedincov múch Basilia italica z čeľade Nycteribiidae. Na 6 jedincoch bolo zistených 14 jedincov roztočov Spinturnix mystacinus z čeľade Spinturnicidae a aj jedna larva kliešťa Ixodes vespertilionis z čeľade Ixodidae. Druh sa dá určiť v teréne najmä podľa farby ušníc a srsti na tvári (viď obr. 6, podobný rozdiel v zafarbení tváre je napr. medzi Plecotus austriacus a P. auritus) a potvrdiť zistením biometrických údajov, najmä dĺžky antebrachia a tibie. Tak ako sa dajú po získaní skúseností rozlíšiť v teréne odchytené netopiere rodu 89 Pipistrellus (najmä P. pipistrellus od P. pygmaeus) alebo M. myotis od M. blythii, po odchytení viacerých jednincov nie je obtiažne rozlíšiť aj M. alcathoe od ostatných druhov morfo-skupiny mystacinus. Vhodné je odchytené jedince dokladovať fotograficky, čím sa umožní štúdium rozdielov najmä v zafarbení jedincov. Na základe porovnania dĺžky antebrachia adultných samcov a samíc sme zistili nevýznamne väčšie hodnoty u samíc (32,1±0,7 mm, vs. 31,9±0,6 mm, n=42: 21 samíc a 21 samcov) a výraznejšie rozdiely v hmotnosti (4,95±0,5 g vs. 4,3±0,3 g, n=25: 11 samíc, 14 samcov). Dĺžka tibie bola naopak mierne väčšia u samcov (14,5±0,7 mm, vs 14±0,8 mm, n=37: 19 samcov a 18 samíc). Súčasne premerané jedince M. mystacinus mali dĺžku predlaktia 33,0–36,0 mm a tibie 15,3–17,0 mm, čiže boli všeobecne väčšie. Vzhľadovo podobnejší netopierovi Alkathoe v porovnaní s M. mystacinus je M. brandtii, kde u samcov je určenie druhu jednoznačné podľa penisu, ale u samíc je potrebné premerať dĺžku antebrachia, ktorá je väčšinou nad 35 mm a skontrolovať lupou tretí horný premolár (P4). Pre istotu je zo začiatku vhodné odchytené samce (gravidné a laktujúce samice treba pustiť hneď po determinácii) morfo-skupiny mystacinus počas večerného odchytu odložiť do pláteného sáčka a porovnávať ich s ďalšími odchytenými jedincami. References Agirre-Mendi P. T., García-Mudarra J. L., Juste J. & Ibáñez C., 2004: Presence of Myotis alcathoe Helversen & Heller, 2001 (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in the Iberian Peninsula. Acta Chiropterologica, 6: 49–57. Andreas M., 2002: Potravní ekologie společenstva netopýrů. Disertační práce, Ústav aplikované ekologie, Lesnická fakulta České zemědělské univerzity v Praze, 163 pp. Benda P. & Karataş A., 2005: On some Mediterranean populations of bats of the Myotis mystacinus morpho-group (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). Lynx, n. s., 36: 9–38. Benda P., Ruedi M. & Uhrin M., 2003: First record of Myotis alcathoe (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in Slovakia. Folia Zoologica, 52: 359–365. Bruyndonckx N., Dubey S., Ruedi M. & Christe P., 2009: Molecular cophylogenetic relationships between European bats and their ectoparasitic mites (Acari, Spinturnicidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 51: 227–237. Czuppon B. & Molnár V., 2001. Bat fly genus and species new to Hungary (Diptera: Nycteribiidae). Folia Entomologica Hungarica, 62: 313–317. Le Bris Y. & Le Houédec A., 2005: Murin á moustaches, Murin d'Alcathoe. Pdf document, 1 pp. [Dowloaded from http://www.gmb.asso.fr/PDF/LeHouedecetLeBris2005_moustache_alcathoe.pdf] Danko Š., Géczi I., Bihari Z. & Pjenčák P., 2006: Netopiere masívu Milíča (Slanské vrchy). Vespertilio, 9–10: 57–73. Dietz C. & von Helversen O., 2004: Illustrated Identification Key to the Bats of Europe. Electronic publication. http://www.uni-tuebingen.de/tierphys/Kontakt/mitarbeiter_seiten/dietz.htm Dietz C., von Helversen O. & Nill D., 2007: Handbuch der Fledermäuse Europas und Nordwestafrikas. Biologie, Kenzeichen, Gefährdung. Franckh-Kosmos Verlags GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart, 399 pp. Dusbábek F., 1962: Parasitische Fledermausmilben der Tschechoslowakei I. Časopis Československé společnosti entomologické, 59: 357–380. Estók P., 2007: Nimfadenevér Myotis alcathoe von Helversen and Heller, 2001. Pp.: 107–108. In: Bihari Z., Csorba G. & Heltai M. (eds.): Magyarország emlőseinek atlasza. Kossuth Kiadó, Budapest, 360 pp. Estók P., Bihari Z. & Gombkötő P., 2006: A nimfadenevér (Myotis alcathoe Helversen & Heller 2001), mint új faj a Zemplén emlősfaunájában. Folia Historico Naturalia Musei Matraensis, 30: 439–440. Filippova N. A., 1977: Iksodovye kleŝi podsem. Ixodinae. Fauna SSSR. Paukoobraznye. Tom 4, Vyp. 4. Nauka, Leningrad, 393 pp. von Helversen O., Heller K.-G., Mayer F., Nemeth A., Volleth M. & Gombkötő P., 2001: Cryptic mammalian species: a new species of whiskered bat (Myotis alcathoe n. sp.) in Europe. Naturwissenschaften, 88: 217–223. 90 Hůrka K., 1980: Čeleď Nycteribiidae – muchulovití. Pp.: 479–509. In: Chvála M. (ed.): Krevsajíci mouchy a střečci – Diptera. Fauna ČSSR, 22. Academia, Nakladatelství ČSAV Praha, 538 pp. Lučan R. K., Reiter A., Hulva P. & Benda P., 2007: Netopýr menší (Myotis alcathoe Helversen and Heller, 2001) – nový druh netopýra v České republice. P.: 185. In: Bryja J., Zukal J. & Řehák Z. (eds.): Zoologické dny Brno 2007. Sborník abstraktů z konference 8.–9. února 2007. Ústav biologie obratlovců AV ČR, Brno, 224 pp. Lučan R. K., Andreas M., Benda P., Bartonička T., Březinová T., Hoffmannová Š., Hulva P., Neckářová J., Reiter A., Svačina T., Šálek M. & Horáček I., 2009: Alcathoe bat (Myotis alcathoe) in the Czech Republic: distributional status, roosting and feeding ecology. Acta Chiropterologica, 11: 61–69. McAney C. M., Shiel C. B., Sullivan C. B. & Fair-Ley J. S., 1991: Analysis of Bat Droppings. The Mammal Society, London, 48 pp. Niermann I., Biedermann M., Bogdanowicz W., Brinkmann R., Le Bris Y., Ciechanowski M., Dietz C., Dietz I., Estók P., von Helversen O., Le Houédec A., Paksuz S., Petrov B. P., Özkan B., Piksa K., Rachwald A., Roué S., Sachanowicz K., Schorcht W., Tereba A. & Mayer F., 2007: Biogeography of the recently described Myotis alcathoe von Helversen and Heller, 2001. Acta Chiropterologica, 9: 361–378. Ruedi M., Jourde P., Giosa P., Barataud M. & Roué S. Y., 2002: DNA reveals the existence of Myotis alcathoe in France (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 109: 1–10. Řehák Z., Bartonička T., Bryja J. & Gaisler J., 2008: New records of the Alcathoe bat, Myotis alcathoe in Moravia (Czech Republic). Folia Zoologica, 57: 465–19. Schunger I., Dietz C., Merdschanova I., Merdschanov S., Christov K., Borissov I., Staneva S. & Petrov B., 2004: Swarming of bats (Chiroptera, Mammalia) in the Vodnite Dupki Cave (Central Balkan National Park, Bulgaria). Acta Zoologica Bulgarica, 56: 323–330. Spitzenberger F., Pavlinić I. & Podnar M., 2008: On the occurrence of the Myotis alcathoe von Helversen and Heller, 2001 in Austria. Hystrix (n. s.), 19: 3–12. Stadelmann B., Jacobs D. S., Schoeman C. & Ruedi M., 2004: Phylogeny of African Myotis bats (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) inferred from cytochrome b sequences. Acta Chiropterologica, 6: 177–192. Stanyukovich M. K., 1997: Keys to the gamasid mites (Acari, Parasitiformes, Mesostigmata, Macronyssoidea et Laelaptoidea) pararasitizing bats (Mammalia, Chiroptera) from Russia and adjacent countries. Rudolstädter Naturhistorische Schriften, 7: 13–46. Theodor O., 1954: Nycteribiidae. Pp.: 1–43. In: Lindner E. (ed.): Die Fliegen der paläarktischen Region. Band 12. Stuttgart, Germany. Uhrin M., Benda P., Balázs C. & Obuch J., 2008: Netopiere (Chiroptera) Cerovej vrchoviny (stredné Slovensko). Vespertilio, 12: 49–74. received on 19 July 2010 91


text:
Tote Bag
Walter White Pixelart Transformation- Breaking Badby Catalina Rom
Our quality crafted Tote Bags are hand sewn in America using durable, yet lightweight, poly poplin fabric. All seams and stress points are double stitched for durability. Available in 13" x 13", 16" x 16" and 18" x 18" variations, the tote bags are washable, feature original artwork on both sides and a sturdy 1" wide cotton webbing strap for comfortably carrying over your shoulder.
These are all the moments I consider crucial in the transformation of Walter White.I've invested a lot of time and emotions on this show and I was really sad to see WW go, so this is some kind of closure to me.Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it,pixel by pixel.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Fix The Sunshine List First, Then Disclose Physicians' Billings
"Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised, or a little mistaken." - Jane Austen
Recently, the Toronto Star has been involved in an ongoing and well-publicized (by them, anyway) attempt to disclose the names of the top 100 physician billers to Ontario's Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). According to them, they have been attempting to get this information for over two years.
In an editorial condemning the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) for seeking a judicial overturn of the recent Privacy Commissioners ruling that the names of the top 100 billers be revealed, the Star listed a variety of reasons that this information be public ranging from entirely reasonable to bizarre.
Look, I completely agree with the Star when they say that there should be more openness and transparency when it comes to physicians' billings, as most physicians are paid from the public purse and transparency will lead to more accountability. Frankly, this might even benefit physicians, as I suspect many people will be shocked at how little some physicians make in comparison to say, hospital CEOs or even executives from eHealth Ontario.
However, the Star then veers off the deep end by asserting that publishing the names of the top 100 billers on Ontario's salary disclosure document (a.k.a. the Sunshine List) would "deny patients the right to ask for, and hear, an explanation."
Say you have a high fever, are coughing up purulent phlegm, wracked with muscle pain. Are you honestly going to go to your doctor, get checked up, and then say, "Hey, instead of me letting you treat the other sick patients in your waiting room, let's spend some time talking about why you billed $X to the health care system?"
British Columbia has been revealing physicians' billings for years, and it hasn't stopped any of the problems they have in their health system from accumulating.
Further, the Star asserts that this "could ultimately produce a better, more efficient system for doctors and the public alike." Except that there is absolutely no evidence that revealing billings will improve the health care system.
Has revealing the salaries of eHealth executives improved health care information technology in any way, shape or form? Did it prevent CCAC (whose executives have been on the Sunshine List for years) from becoming a disaster? Has it helped the useless Local Health Integration Networks from being less useless?
As one of my colleagues pointed out, British Columbia has been revealing physicians' billings for years, and it hasn't stopped any of the problems they have in their health system from accumulating.
Look: it's extremely important for government finances and expenditures to be transparent for the general public, who, after all, foot the bill. The problem however, is that the Sunshine List is anything but fully transparent, and needs to be fixed before revealing physicians' billings.
For example, let's take the case of the disastrous (according to health care leaders!) Deputy Health Minister Bob Bell. His salary is $426,535 with a listed "benefits" of $753. The problem is that the benefits number is wholly unbelievable.
Article after article after article on the value of a benefits package puts the real value of a compensation package at between 20 to 30 per cent of the salary, which is an added cost to the employer. Guess who Bob Bell's employer is? Why, it's YOU the taxpayer, and you are actually paying more than what's listed on the Sunshine List to keep him in his job.
Similarly, from a family physician's standpoint, currently about 40 per cent of billings goes towards overhead. The Ministry of Health likes to quote 30 per cent, but that ignores the requirements to register with professional colleges and for the Continuing Medical Education courses that are mandatory. This needs to be reflected in the Sunshine List.
Putting this all together then, the Sunshine List would look something like this: for Bob Bell, it would say salary of $426,535, plus value of benefits (say 25 per cent) of $106,633.75. That would equal the total value of the package Bob Bell receives, or $533,168.75.
For a family physician billing $320,000, the list would show $320,000, less the 40 per cent average overhead ($128,000), to arrive at the overall value of the physician: $192,000. Yes, that's still good money, and we're fortunate to make that -- but it's NOT $320,000, either.
A similar process would be used for physicians in different specialties. For example, there are many radiologists whose overhead approaches 75 per cent because they own and service their own diagnostic equipment and that number should be used for them, instead of the 40 per cent number used for family physicians.
As mentioned previously, none of this disclosure will actually help improve health care. We have to drastically reduce the bureaucracy in health care first. However, it would provide a much more accurate, appropriate and modernized version of where your tax dollars go. This kind of transparency is important in a democracy.
So, let's get on with it -- and fix the Sunshine List.
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2015 salary and benefits: $1.59 million
2015 salary and benefits: $1.47 million
2015 salary and benefits: $209,374.80
2015 salary and benefits: $292,558.10
2015 salary and benefits: $320,538.40
2015 salary and benefits: $183,310.07
2015 salary and benefits: $175,503.26
2015 salary and benefits: $146,751.63
UP NEXT: How Much Are MPs Making?
On April 1, 2015, members of Parliament received a 2.3 per cent pay increase, bringing the basic pay of each MP up to $167,400 from $163,700 the year prior. But while that base salary is the same for every member, certain MPs are afforded the chance to make much more. The full list of indemnities, salaries and allowances can be found here.
NDP MP Niki Ashton (Churchill-Keewatinook Aski) is an example of an MP who earns just the base salary afforded to all members. 2016 Salary: $167,400 There are currently 338 MPs.
The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, however, makes double the salary of your average MP. 2016 Salary: $334,800 Car Allowance: $2,000
Liberal MP Geoff Regan (Halifax West) earns the base salary, plus $80,100 for serving as Speaker. 2016 Salary: $247,500 Car allowance: $1,000
Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose earns the base MP salary, plus $80,100 for leading the Official Opposition. 2016 Salary: $247,500 Car Allowance: $2,000
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan (Vancouver South), like other cabinet ministers, earns $80,100 on top of the base MP salary. 2015 Salary: $247,500 Car Allowance: $2,000
NDP Leader Thomas Mulacir and the leaders of the Green Party and Bloc Quebecois earn the base MP salary, plus $56,800 for serving as their party's top dog. 2016 Salary: $224,200
Liberal MP Dominic LeBlanc (Beauséjour), earns $80,100 on top of the base MP salary. 2016 Salary: $247,500 Car Allowance: $2,000
Conservative MP Andrew Scheer (Regina-Qu'Appelle) earns the base MP salary plus a $41,500 pay bump for serving as Opposition House leader. 2016 Salary: $208,900
NDP MP Peter Julian (Burnaby-New Westminster) earns the base MP salary plus a $16,600 pay bump for serving as his party's House leader. 2016 Salary: $184,000
Liberal MP Andrew Leslie (Orléans) earns the base MP salary, plus $30,000 for serving as the Trudeau government's whip. 2016 Salary: $197,400
Gordon Brown (Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes) also earns an additional $11,700 for serving as the Opposition's whip. 2016 Salary: $179,400
Liberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes (Whitby) is one of 35 parliamentary secretaries who gets a $16,600 pay bump on top of her salary. 2016 Salary: $184,000
UP NEXT: House Speaker's Perks and Powers
Veteran Liberal MP Geoff Regan was elected the new Speaker of the House of Commons in December 2015. Though many Canadians might not know much about the job, House Speaker remains a very coveted role. Here are some of the unique perks and powers that come with the job.
As of April 2015, the House Speaker earns $80,100 on top of the base MP salary of $167,400. That's $247,500 a year — the same amount of money earned by cabinet ministers and the leader of the Official Opposition.
The Speaker also gets to live at a beautiful, official residence. Located at Kingsmere in the Gatineau Hills, the property consists of a farmhouse and five outbuildings surrounded by four acres of fields and forests. The residence is closed to the public but you can take a virtual tour on the National Capital Commission website.
The Speaker also gets a small apartment in Parliament's Centre Block, but it isn't as luxurious as you might think. There's a double-bed and armoire in the small bedroom.
The living room in the Speaker's apartment features a desk, TV, gas fireplace and fridge. There's also dressing room and a basic bathroom with a tub-shower combo, but no kitchen.
The Speaker's yearly car allowance of $1,000 is less than that of the prime minister, cabinet ministers, and the official opposition leader who all get $2,000. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is shown giving a thumbs up from his car after taking a tour of the West Block.
The Speaker's job is far from symbolic. He or she presides over question period, can expel misbehaving MPs, and has the power to make rulings when members think their rights have been infringed. The Speaker is in charge of the administration of the Commons, including staff, security, and printing and postal services. The Speaker also plays a diplomatic role by hosting foreign dignitaries, and travelling abroad as head of delegations at international conferences and other legislatures. Former House Speaker Andrew Scheer and Senate Speaker Leo Housakos show King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands the Senate chamber.
According to the department of Canadian Heritage, Canada's order of ceremonial precedence is as follows: Governor General, prime minister, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, the Speaker of the Senate, and then the Speaker of the House of Commons.
In what has become a recent tradition, the Speaker selects a "Speaker's Scotch" that can be purchased at the parliamentary restaurant and even gets its own label. Regan told HuffPost he's going with Glen Breton, single malt whisky.
UP NEXT: Rookie MPs To Watch
Joly, 36, made a name for herself by finishing second to ex-Liberal cabinet minister Denis Coderre in the Montreal mayoral race in 2013. A lawyer and communications expert who was heavily involved in her community, she ran for the Liberals and beat ex-Bloc MP-turned-New Democrat Maria Mourani. Joly was named minister of Canadian heritage.
Caesar-Chavannes first gave the Tories a fright in a 2014 byelection to fill the seat left behind by the late Jim Flaherty. Though she lost to Whitby's then-mayor Pat Perkins, the race ended up being a lot closer than many expected. In a rematch, Caesar-Chavannes, an entrepreneur and research consultant, won by almost 2,000 votes.
Deltell, a longtime member of Quebec's National Assembly, served as leader of the right-wing Action Démocratique du Québec until that party merged with Coalition Avenir Quebec a few years ago. He was considered a star recruit for the Conservatives, who have struggled in the province. Deltell easily defeated his Liberal challenger by nearly 20,000 votes. The NDP incumbent finished third.
Despite not having a seat, Beaulieu was elected leader of the Bloc Quebecois in June 2014. He gave up the role just before the start of the election to make room for former leader Gilles Duceppe. Though Duceppe lost his bid for a seat, Beaulieu was victorious and will soon have a chance to make his mark in Parliament.
Blair was chief of the Toronto Police Service from 2005 to 2015. He sparked controversy with his handling of the 2010 G20 protests in the city and publicly clashed with controversial ex-mayor Rob Ford. A police officer for 40 years, Blair says he was approached by the Tories and New Democrats before he decided to run for the Trudeau Liberals.
Rayes, the popular mayor of Victoriaville since 2009, was courted for months to run federally. His pursuit of a nomination was interpreted as a sign of Conservative momentum in the province. Rayes rolled to victory, besting his nearest competitor (a Liberal) by more than 4,000 votes.
Though New Democrats lost more than half their seats and saw many high-profile MPs defeated, Blaikie's razor-thin victory over a Tory incumbent was a bright spot. Blaikie, 31, is the son of NDP stalwart Bill Blaikie, who served as an MP from 1979 to 2008. His sister, Rebecca, is president of the NDP.
Leslie, a retired general who led Canadian troops in Afghanistan, was one of the Liberals' star recruits. He served as Trudeau's foreign policy and defence adviser and unseated a Conservative incumbent in the Ottawa riding.
Morneau, the former executive chair of Morneau Shepell, one of Canada's largest human resources firms, has landed the coveted finance portfolio.
Wilson-Raybould, a former Crown prosecutor and regional chief of the B.C. Assembly of First Nations will serve as justice minister and attorney general.
Watts, the very popular former mayor of Surrey, likely would have landed in cabinet if Harper's Conservatives won again. Instead, she will be a fresh face in the opposition benches. Mayor of B.C.'s second-largest city from 2005 to 2014, she was one of just two Conservatives endorsed by GreenPAC, a group dedicated to environmental causes.
Sajjan, a retired lieutenant colonel who also served in Afghanistan, was the first Sikh to command a Canadian Army regiment. He also served as a Vancouver police officer for 11 years. He has been named defence minister.
Ouellette, a Cree academic who served almost 20 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, surprised many with a strong campaign for mayor of Winnipeg in 2014. He unseated colourful NDP incumbent Pat Martin in a race that turned personal at times. Ouellette is one of a record 10 indigenous MPs elected to the House of Commons.
Liepert was an MLA in Alberta for 12 years and served as both minister of health and energy. He challenged controversial, longtime MP Rob Anders for the Tory nomination and even told Jason Kenney to "mind his own business" after the cabinet minister endorsed his rival. Liepert easily won his seat and, days later, bashed the way the Conservative Party ran the national campaign. Liepert, it seems, is no shrinking violet.
O'Regan, a former host of "Canada AM" and CTV journalist, unseated an NDP incumbent in the Newfoundland riding. While well-known for his broadcasting career, O'Regan also worked as an assistant to Jean Charest, back when he was a Progressive Conservative environment minister. He also worked as a speechwriter for former Liberal Newfoundland and Labrador premier Brian Tobin.
Mihychuk was an NDP MLA in Manitoba from 1995 to 2004, serving as minister of industry, trade, and mines, and later minister of intergovernmental affairs. She has been named minister of employment.
McKenna, a social justice lawyer, was a former legal advisor for the United Nations peacekeeping mission in East Timor and founded Canadian Lawyers Abroad (now known as Level), a charity focused on global justice issues. She will serve as minister of the environment and climate change.
Malcolmson captured the Vancouver Island riding for the NDP, winning by more than 6,000 votes. She is a former chairwoman of the Islands Trust Council, and was elected to that body four times. Her experience in local government could mean a key role in an NDP caucus now depleted of many veterans MPs.
McCrimmon ran for the leadership of the Liberal Party in 2013 despite never holding elected office. A former lieutenant colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force, McCrimmon was the first female air navigator and first woman to command a Canadian Forces flying squadron.
Hehr, an Alberta MLA from 2008 to 2015, was one of just two Liberals elected in Calgary. Grits were shut out of that city for almost 50 years. The 45-year-old will serve as minister of veterans affairs and associate minister of national defence.
Philpott is a family physician, associate professor at the University of Toronto, and former chief of the department of family medicine at Markham Stouffville Hospital. She unseated controversial parliamentary secretary Paul Calandra by nearly 4,000 votes. She will serve as minister of health.
A respected Edmonton city councillor since 2007, Sohi immigrated to Canada from India 35 years ago and served time behind bars as a political prisoner in India. He has been named minister of infrastructure.
Qualtrough, a lawyer and former Paralympian, will serve as minister of sport. Legally blind, Qualtrough won three Paralympic and four World Championship medals for Canada in swimming and was president of the Canadian Paralympic Committee.
A community organizer, Monsef was born in Afghanistan. She fled the Taliban and came to Canada as a refugee with her widowed mother and sisters in 1996. Monsef, 30, will serve as minister for democratic institutions.
Hajdu, executive director of Thunder Bay's largest homeless shelter, will serve as status of women minister.
The 35-year-old, who worked for the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre, will serve as minister of small business and tourism.
Duclos, a renowned economics professor at Laval University, will serve as minister of families, children and social development.
Carr, a former Manitoba MLA and deputy leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party, unseated a Tory incumbent by an astounding 17,000 votes. He will serve as minister of natural resources.
Mendicino, a former federal prosecutor, knows how to go up against big names and win. First, he beat Tory-turned-Liberal Eve Adams in a nomination battle and won the Toronto seat held by finance minister Joe Oliver by nearly 6,000 votes. He could be headed for big things in a Trudeau government.
Fuhr is a former CF-18 fighter pilot who served with the Canadian Air Force for 20 years. Though his riding had been reliably Conservative, he unseated the Tory incumbent by more than 4,000 votes. Fuhr wrote a blog for HuffPost last year detailing how he went from being a lifelong Conservative to a Liberal candidate. He could be considered for a cabinet or parliamentary secretary role.
Follow Sohail Gandhi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/drmsgandhi


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My Notes:
This home plan could save you an average of $2,649 per year in energy costs »
From I-75, take Tylersville Rd exit and head east. Turn left on Butler Warren Rd. Community is just past Princeton Rd.
If using a GPS device, please use the following address: 3332 Butler Warren Rd, Mason, Ohio 45040
The Monroe home with open floor plan is a great home for entertaining. This home features 4 bedrooms plus a spacious loft on the 2nd floor overlooking the 2 story family room. The first floor open plan will have you entertaining family and friends on a weekly basis. The kitchen is spacious and offers 42" birch cabinets, large island and a serving island and is open flowing to the spacious two story great room. This is a beautiful home that allows your family plenty of space. The master suite in the Monroe is fabulous and offers 2 oversized walk-in closets and optional deluxe or garden bath. All bedrooms have large walk-in closets and a 3 car garage comes standard on this magnificent home


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Replacement of the broken garage springs can be a difficult and time consuming task for you. With this, it will be an advantage for you to leave the hard job in the expert. By simply hiring a garage company, you can save more time, effort and money. Additionally, you can have a peace of mind when it comes to the security and protection of your family when you are not with them.
Another advantage of consulting a broken garage springs replacement service provider is that you can make sure that you got the best garage springs that can last for a long period of time. With this, you can now feel worry free and stress free as it can help you protect your home for several years.
Maybe you are not aware of it, but a wrong installation of yourDon't let more troubles to happen in your home. If you already have broken garage springs, it will be a wise dec you if you will hire a broken garage springs replacem spring system can also give hazards to you and your family. As a matter of fact, you really need a broken garaision forge springs replacement service in order to make the most out of your garage area. This can also be the best way for you to maintain the perfect usefulness of your garage door.
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Instead of spending a great amount of your budget to renovate your whole garage area, you can save money by engaging in a broken garage springs replacement service. With this, you can experience peace of mind and at the same time you can also attain a higher level of satisfaction and happiness with your garage needs.


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I receive Federal Pell Grant... Can my husband also?
Yes he sure can, and it won't affect yours. My husband and I have both had pell grants.
How often can I receive the federal Pell grant?
According to the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) website, an undergraduate student may receive a Pell Grant for 18 semesters through his entire life. There are very few exceptions ...
Read More »
How long can I receive the Pell Grant?
According to the U.S. Department of Education, a student is eligible to receive a federal Pell Grant for the period of time required to complete his first undergraduate baccalaureate course of stud...
Read More »
How do I get a Federal Pell Grant?
Visit the Federal Student Aid (Fafsa) website at www.fafsa.gov to fill out a free online application. If no computer access is available, check the local career center office for a paper applicatio...
Read More »
Requirements for Federal Pell Grant?
A federal Pell Grant provides financial assistance to low-income undergraduates and certain postbaccalaureate students to help pay for college expenses such as tuition, books, and supplies. The amo...
Read More »


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Visiting Fan's Guide to Nashville & other local areas & Parking Updates
View Single Post
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,127
vCash: 500
Originally Posted by
Hey BroFist,
I never used priceline, but I shrugged my shoulders and gave it a shot. Bid $60 on 3 star and got Millenium Maxwell House Nashville. Total ended up at $79 for one night. (Tonight).
I hope that place is ok for me and my 15 yr old daughter. Anybody have any insight?
Would've loved walking distance, but I'm hoping to make several trips there this year and may as well start now try to figure out the best way to reasonably cut costs.
We'll be at the game saturday too, but we're thinking about heading to Memphis Friday and Friday night. Playing that one by ear.
it's not downtown. i've heard their shuttle service is iffy, so i wouldn't use it.
it is fine for one night, but it's not a place to let a 15 year old girl wander anywhere by herself. I wouldn't wander anywhere outside the hotel, except straight to the car.
it will be fine, but just that. unless it has changed.
you'll be fine. just be aware.
View Public Profile
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Lego Ninjago Night of Nindroids Graphic Novel77071 9781597077071
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The ninjas are victorious with the Stone Warriors finally defeated, but a greater challenge for them arrives in the LEGO Ninjago Graphic Novel - Night of Nindroids. Experience new kick-and-slash action from this Ninjago comic book as they confront the Nindroids and discover what friendship and camaraderie are all about.
Key Features
- The team faces its biggest challenge yet in the LEGO Ninjago Graphic Novel - Night of Nindroids, and it's not just enemies they'll be up against.
- All of the training and lessons from Sensei Wu must pay off if the Masters want to win this confrontation; catch all the action in the 9th instalment of the graphic novel LEGO Ninjago.
- This Ninjago graphic novel is printed in paperback.
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If you feel your product has failed a Consumer Guarantee (as defined by Australian Consumer Law) then don't worry you can easily return it to your local Harvey Norman store. We'll even pay for the postage if you live in an area where there is no store. Our returns policy covers any purchased item (conditions apply).
Either complete the details below or chat to a staff member online.
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Patty Hersey Model
feliciatanphotographyPhotographer Female Houston, Texas, US
My Website: Felicia Tan PhotographyMy MM URL: http://www.modelmayhem.com/feliciatanphotography
Mayhem # 1698851
About MeI am a freelance photographer. Contact me here for rates. I do fashion, beauty, advertising and action shots. I love working with creative people---so makeup artists, hairstylists, etc contact me too! Since I am currently working on my on-location creative shoots (in Houston). Always looking for more creative minds to collaborate with!
Have you worked with feliciatanphotography? Add Credits for feliciatanphotography! >>
Credit Notes© Felicia Tan 2010-2011
Patty Hersey Model
Helen Cia Model
Isy B Model
Caroline Y Model
Shazmin Hussein Model
CordelleHD Model
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NKBA Kitchen Trend: Quartz Countertops
Photo By: Dale Lang
Photo By: William Standen Co.
Photo By: Greg Riegler
Photo By: Cory Holland
Photo By: Cory Holland
Photo By: Cory Holland
Shimmering Quartz
Horizontal-grain Sapele Mahogany cabinets are topped with white quartz for ease of maintenance in this sleek, contemporary kitchen. A glass tile backsplash in shades of cream, gray and blue continue the horizontal aesthetic.
The Perks of Quartz
Quartz countertops are gaining popularity in the kitchen for their durability, easy maintenance and attractive colors and patterns. In this kitchen, white quartz countertops and dove white countertops are paired with a live-edge walnut bar-top for gorgeous contrast.
Complementary Quartz
White quartz countertops and neutral-colored cabinets let the eye-catching tile backsplash take center stage in this coastal kitchen.
Timeless Midcentury Style
White quartz countertops are a bright finishing touch for this midcentury modern kitchen, enhancing the room's open and airy feel. The designer maintained the space's original curved layout and incorporated a raised bar between the kitchen and family room to define the two areas.
Hard-Working Island
With a long trough sink, an oven and range, and a beautiful custom vent hood with hooks for storing pots, this spacious quartz-topped island is made for serious cooking. The concrete-capped pedestal is used for displaying food and beverages.
Family Gathering Spot
A curved, solid walnut bar serves as a gathering hub for the family in this contemporary kitchen. The walnut and white oak cabinets are paired with white quartz countertops for gorgeous contrast.


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Saturday, May 14, 2016
Evening Captions
Posted by Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness at 2:58 PM
3 comments:
- Tamarin said...
Wow, is that last one a real bunny? It can't be a real bunny....is it?
Also, happy Caturday from Ontario...where we may be getting snow tonight. *sigh*
- May 14, 2016 at 3:10 PM
- Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...
Snow in may just sucks. There are flowers that don't need the cold not to mention all the people.
- May 14, 2016 at 3:32 PM
- Debra She Who Seeks said...
Yes, little bunny, I know your pain.
- May 15, 2016 at 7:26 AM
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Direct Download
FIFA 15 is a football game simulation by EA Canada. The game itself published by Electronic Arts and released on September 23, 2014. Since the release date, it has available for many platforms including PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, iOS, Android and Windows Phone. This game is also available in Microsoft Windows platform. The gameplay of FIFA 15 is similar with the other football games. In the game, players will enjoy 35 licensed leagues. There are more than 600 clubs, more than 16,000 players and 41 licensed stadiums as well. Thanks to all of them, it makes FIFA 15 as a complete set of official football game.FIFA 15 Game System Requirements:
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FIFA 15 Gameplay Screenshot
FIFA 15 Free Download single direct link from mediafire, Click the link below to start download.
Direct Download


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- Greatest Campaign picture ever! Just love it.@realDonaldTrump
- Kind words. Thank you! @realDonaldTrump @WayneDupreeShow
- Trump told Morning Joe on Friday, that he was personally invited by PM. David Cameron to visit him. All a lie!!!!
- This is what billmitchellvii,com looked like before @Campaign_Trump lied and said @mitchellvii owns the site.
- "Mr Trump, can we get your opinion of all these Women Of Fox News, including Glenn Beck?"
- Don't worry Uncle Sam, Mr. Trump is on the way with the remedy!!!
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Greatest Campaign picture ever! Don't worry Uncle Sam, Mr. Trump is on the way with the remedy!!!
Posted by RK Ball at 7:59 AM


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We Create Websites and On-line Applications
Whether you're a large company, launching a start-up, or looking to build a portfolio site, Rodman Design creates customized websites that look great and impress clients.
We are devoted to your online success. We listen to you and translate your ideas into the best solutions for the Internet. From concept to completion, we work hard to create sites that exceed your expectations and our service and support are unbeatable.
Are you a designer or agency? – We work well with others, while staying true to your vision.
Rodman Design has built custom pricing applications for small to midsize manufacturers, a freight booking application for a shipping company, and league applications for various golf courses. We've built everything from custom Word Press plugins to interactive RFP surveys. If you can think of it, we can build it for you.
Rodman Design employs the latest HTML and CSS technologies and techniques. HTML5 uses new elements that make pages more semantic and easier for search engines to find relevant information. We also use CSS3 combined with Jquery (Javascript) to build animations. If you have Flash components that need conversion to HTML5/CSS3 for IPad and IPhone compatibility – we can help.
Dave Rodman studied design at the Philadelphia College of Art and received his BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Rodman Design has created print graphics and identity projects for a wide range of clients including Real Estate Frims, Manufacturers, Accounting & Law Firms and Government Agencies.
Dave is one of the few expert programmers who also has a design background.
This combination proves an invaluable asset to his clients.
When the Internet emerged in the late 90′s, Dave was one of the first to focus his efforts on mastering the new medium and he made a smooth transition from traditional graphic design work. Rodman Design still offers print graphics and branding, however, his primary focus is website development. In addition to creating custom brochure websites, Dave has built real estate sites with rental and sales administration tools for multi-unit developments. He builds complex pricing and transactional applications for leading manufacturers. His other proprietary website applications include a link exchange program and a golf social network.
Building something useful
Website Projects
Neopost is a manufacturer of postage meter and mailroom equipment. Rodman Design built the NeopostShippingSolutions.com site for generating sales of it's equipment. We integrated CRM software (Salesforce) and lead-tracking software, to work with the order and request forms. GoWithNeopost.com uses a custom content management system created by Rodman Design.
Design, HTML5/CSS3, Javascript, JQuery, PHP/MySQL, Responsive Design, SEO, Custom Applications, Custom CMS
Stephen B. Starr Design designed this site, and we built it for him. The Philharmonic had a limited budget and we were able to meet that budget, by using WordPress software, and controlling expectations. The site is built to scale up nicely as demands require it.
HTML5/CSS3, Javascript, JQuery, PHP/MySQL, Responsive Design, WordPress, Custom CMS
Michael Carr designed this great site, and Rodman Design built it! Most people know Rick Bayless as the winner of Bravo's Top Chef Masters. His highly rated Public Television Series, Mexico–One Plate at a Time, is in its ninth season and is broadcast worldwide. In 2012, Rick was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for Best Culinary Host.
Client: Carrmichael Design
HTML5/CSS3, Javascript, JQuery, PHP/MySQL, E-Commerce, Responsive Design, SEO, WordPress
We built this portfolio site for Lee Weitzman Furniture. Their furniture is made by the hands of highly skilled woodworkers, finishers, metalsmiths, and upholsterers primarily in and around the Chicago area. However, they also work with furniture workrooms on the east coast and in Canada for certain design collections and specific projects.
Design, HTML5/CSS3, Javascript, JQuery, PHP/MySQL, Responsive Design, SEO, Custom Applications, Custom CMS
Dr. Baloh's practice is located in Pennsylvania. Though Rodman Design is Chicago-based, technology bridges the distance. We use GoToMeeting to communicate directly our customers throughout the development process. Dr. Baloh's practice encompasses both reconstructive and cosmetic procedures. His extensive ophthalmic education and certification means that he is trained to deal with the pathology of the eye.
Design, HTML5/CSS3, JQuery, PHP/MySQL, Responsive Design, SEO, WordPress
We built this e-commerce site packed with Mexican cooking recipes and entertaining ideas from the kitchen of Chef Rick Bayless, host of Mexico: One Plate at a Time and winner of Bravo's Top Chef Masters.
Client: Carrmichael Design
HTML5/CSS3, Javascript, JQuery, PHP/MySQL, E-Commerce, SEO, Custom Applications, Custom CMS
WJE is an engineering and architectural firm. In partnership with Carmichael Design, we built a website showcasing ongoing projects with a robust custom Content Management System.
Client: Carrmichael Design
HTML5/CSS3, Javascript, JQuery, PHP/MySQL, SEO, Custom Applications, Custom CMS
We built another great website for Michael Carr at Carrmichael Design. VHC provides comprehensive revenue cycle consulting for hospitals and hospital systems. We used our own proprietary CMS. Our CMS does not have the inevitable WordPress pitfalls of updates and plugins. We can provide any custom application the client likes easily using an open source PHP MVC framework.
Client: Carrmichael Design
HTML5/CSS3, Javascript, JQuery, PHP/MySQL, Responsive Design, SEO, Custom Applications, Custom CMS
Safe Air of Illinois manufactures dampers and louvers for large construction projects. We developed a complex intranet pricing application which enables contractors and architects to review products and download catalog pages, performance charts, and more. We also built an extranet pricing application for Safe-Air's sales team which enables representatives to build and save quotes, submit orders, track accounts, and calculate costs.
HTML5/CSS3, Javascript, JQuery, PHP/MySQL, Responsive Design, SEO, Custom Applications, Custom CMS
This Word Press site integrates the MLS so that Kelly's clients can use her site to search for their new home.
HTML5/CSS3, Javascript, JQuery, PHP/MySQL, Responsive Design, SEO, Custom Applications, Word Press
We built this site for the City of Chicago's Municipal Employee's Benefit Fund. It allows retiree members to easily find forms and publications, and request information regarding their retirement and benefits.
HTML5/CSS3, Javascript, JQuery, PHP/MySQL, Responsive Design, SEO, Custom Applications, Custom Content Management System
A number of golf courses on the north side of Chicago use our custom Golf League Management Software that we built special for them. It allows their members to register for events, pay for events, and keep scores. Admin can assign teetimes and seed bracket events with easy drop and drag selections. We take the hard work out of league management.
HTML5/CSS3, Javascript, JQuery, PHP/MySQL, Responsive Design, SEO, Custom Applications, Custom Content Management System
Today I spend about 10% of my time designing and about 90% writing code…
…though, many times while I write code — I am designing at the same time. Navigation and interface tools are influenced by the application's purpose. The more complex the application, the more it becomes it's own animal — the purpose can evolve as expectations grow. Developing something new that is useful to a client is very satisfying.
– Dave Rodman


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Teaching and Celebrating the Christian Seasons
€ 18,49
Lieferbar innert 2 Wochen
Januar 2003
BeschreibungCelebrating the Christian seasons brings new meaning to our worship and removes the distance between past and present. The cycle of the seasons keeps Christ in our hearts and minds throughout the year. This spiritually enriching resource helps pastors, worship leaders, and Christian educators understand and incorporate into the life of the church the symbols, colors, and practices of the church year. For each season and special day, Delia Halverson explains its history and significance and suggests age-appropriate ways to teach and celebrate these special times, helping to deepen our understanding of Christian traditions and to enrich our Sunday experience. She offers a wealth of practical aids for following Jesus' commandment to use teaching in all ministry, not just the Sunday school classroom.
Untertitel: Sprache: Englisch.
Verlag: CHRISTIAN BOARD OF PUBN
Erscheinungsdatum: Januar 2003
Seitenanzahl: 128 Seiten
Format: kartoniert


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|As an affiliate council of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), NCWE provides a national forum for administrators and faculty in workforce education and basic skills, as well as representatives of business, labor, military, and government, to affect and direct the future role of two-year and other post-secondary institutions in workforce education and economic development. NCWE provides the link between policy and workforce education and economic development practice by providing support, research, and critical information to members on current and future trends and policies.
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Despite an upward trend in employment, women are underrepresented in many areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM): in 2011 the U.S. Department of Commerce found that women held only 24% of STEM jobs, compared to 48% of jobs overall, and that women with STEM degrees were less likely than men with STEM degrees to work in these fields. A 2015 analysis by the National Science Foundation recently reported that 29% of science and engineering jobs are held by women. Explanations that attribute the discrepancy to differences in aptitude or interest have been disproven, yet the problem remains: men outnumber women in STEM employment, particularly in high-ranking positions.
What causes the "leaky pipeline" for women in STEM, and what can be done to retain talented women? On March 24, 2015, the Academy's Science Alliance and the New York Chapter of the Association of Women in Science (AWIS) hosted a panel discussion on Policies that Influence Gender Balance in STEM to explore the varied ways individuals, universities, and funding agencies can work to bolster women in STEM fields. Moderated by Bamini Jayabalasingham, former president of AWIS MetroNY Chapter, the event featured panelists Kelly Mack of the American Association of Colleges & Universities, Sandra K. Masur of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and Beth McCormick of Pfizer.
STEM careers do not pose unique barriers to female advancement: women face exclusionary cultures, unconscious biases, and lack of mentorship in many fields. McCormick argued, however, that such difficulties are often more acute in STEM fields. The degree of specialization required for STEM jobs makes it harder to find female candidates, because there are fewer people of either gender with the particular skill set needed. It is therefore easier to advance women in fields such as sales or marketing that require more broadly applicable training. Mack pointed to the inflexibility of many STEM jobs (requiring a physical presence at a lab bench, for example) as putting women at a disadvantage. Unconscious biases, such as picturing the typical scientist as the "man in the white coat," may also be more ingrained in STEM, Masur added.
The discussion next turned to policy initiatives that have been put in place to support gender balance in STEM fields, as well as to panelists' visions for future policies. Jayabalasingham referenced recent efforts in Europe to enforce gender quotas on corporate boards, and inquired whether that strategy could also work in STEM. Mack replied that while quotas can be a good start, "numbers aren't enough." Other factors, such as quality of life and opportunities for advancement, must also be considered when evaluating the success of gender balance initiatives. For example, in the life sciences, where more than half of baccalaureate recipients are female, it is tempting to think that balance has been achieved—but a much lower proportion of women advance to faculty and leadership positions.
According to Mack, those numbers will not change until there is a shift in the culture of academia, which may be difficult to achieve in such an inveterate system. It would require people who benefit from the current structure to acknowledge its deficiencies and be open to change. "We're asking people to let go of their implicit biases," she explained. "Those things don't change overnight." She emphasized the need for patience: until the culture changes, policies will improve the outlook for women but will not alter the root causes of gender imbalance. McCormick drew on her experience in the corporate world to present an optimistic view: "There's a general understanding that [diversity] is smart for business, smart for science," she said. Leaders play a key role in setting the tone for inclusivity at organizations, as does training that helps employees recognize their own biases and teaches skills for supporting underrepresented groups.
Several institutions have sought to implement family-friendly policies to improve work–life balance for women in STEM. However, these policies vary widely, and it is difficult to measure their effectiveness. Mack described an AAC&U initiative to assign institutions a "family friendliness" score using a mathematical framework that accounts not only for policies in place but also for those policies' inclusiveness of diverse demographic groups and their needs. An inclusive policy, for example, might recognize that some families need assistance with child care, while others require elder care. The score also incorporates features that are harder to quantify, such as the culture of the institution and whether workers take advantage of its policies. The AAC&U researchers will track the metrics with surveys aimed at gauging how well faculty understand a policy, whether faculty can use the policy in practice, and whether any stigmas perceived to be associated with using benefits could cause women to hesitate before doing so.
Family-friendly policies include family and medical leave benefits as well as the option to "[stop] the tenure clock," which relaxes the pressure on faculty who become parents to obtain grants or produce publications in the year after a birth or adoption. Masur described an intriguing policy that Stanford School of Medicine is testing with funding from a Sloan Foundation grant: faculty earn credits for time spent on non-research tasks, such as teaching or serving on committees, and can redeem the credits for services such as meal deliveries or housecleaning. This program builds on research demonstrating that female faculty in dual-career couples spend more time than their male counterparts on housework, leaving less time available for work duties.
While promising, policies like Stanford's may not be feasible for all universities. Here, funding agencies can play a part in retaining women in STEM with grants aiming to transform institutional culture, such as those awarded by the NSF ADVANCE Program; with grants for individuals, such as NIH reentry awards; and with grants giving principal investigators latitude to pay for extra lab staff during periods of family leave or for child care at scientific meetings. Funding agencies can also include language that alerts reviewers to unconscious biases, and help change academic culture by withholding funding from institutions that ignore diversity issues. Such actions, Mack pointed out, could force schools to reexamine their institutional culture and remedy work–life balance issues that disproportionately affect women.
When asked what individuals can do to advance the cause of women in STEM, each speaker highlighted a different approach. Masur emphasized the advantages of working through groups such as the AWIS or the American Society for Cell Biology's Women in Cell Biology committee, which she chairs. Such groups not only provide access to mentoring support and career development advice, but also offer a more visible means to call for policy and legislative changes. "We do [things] much more effectively in groups than we do as individuals," she said. McCormick countered that individuals can also act as leaders and mentors, building a "critical mass" of women in STEM that could "change the conversation." Individuals can also be involved in changing policy more directly, Mack argued, by contacting elected officials to raise concerns.
The need to balance work and family in a STEM career is not unique to women, and in fact many men take advantage of tenure clock and family leave policies. Thus, McCormick stressed the importance of framing the discussion as pertinent to the needs of families, not just those of women. Though agreeing with McCormick, Mack pointed to AAC&U data suggesting that family-friendly policies do not always benefit men and women equally; after "stopping the tenure clock," for example, men tended to return to work with more grants and publications than did women, perhaps because women more often acted as the primary caregiver at home. Masur noted that some institutions require faculty to be responsible for 50% or more of a child's care to be eligible for the tenure clock policy, a requirement that promotes gender equality by targeting faculty with the greatest child care burdens. Indeed, changing gender expectations in society may have the greatest impact on gender balance in STEM, according to McCormick. "The notion of shared responsibility at home is really going to move the needle on women's ability to continue to advance their careers," she said.
To highlight the role data collection can play in shaping policy, the event also featured a presentation by Eric Sweet, a postdoctoral fellow at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and a representative of the NY Citywide Postdoc Council. Sweet spoke about his experience leading Mount Sinai's annual survey of postdocs, which evaluates how institutional policies affect postdoc scientists' lives. For those seeking to conduct similar surveys, he offered advice on advertising the survey, designing appropriate questions, and making the most of data collected. He pointed to recent changes in postdoctoral mentoring programs at Mount Sinai as an example of how survey data can influence policy. Taking a cue from the evening's theme, Sweet also showed how survey data can shed light on issues faced by women in STEM. For example, survey results revealed that female postdocs rely more on child care than do male postdocs. He emphasized that delivering these kinds of data to administrators and policy makers will play a large role in improving quality of life for scientists of both genders.


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Diatomaceous Earth-The food grade stuff great for your pet and you
I have just recently learned about all of the benfits of this stuff called diatomaceous Earth. It looks like flour, it can be added to your cats or dogs food to deworm them naturally, it also gets rid of fleas etc. There is so much info on this stuff please check out a web site and read about all the benefits it has to offer. I want my fur friends to be as happy and healthy as possible.
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on Feb 13th 2008
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Eberly, Vanneman will marry
By ephratareview on February 26, 2014
Kelly is the daughter of Patty and Bill Vanneman of Douglassville. She obtained a masters degree in Occupational Therapy from Elizabethtown College and currently employed by Reading Hospital Rehab in Wyomissing.
Justin is the son of Dave Eberly of Brickerville and Cindy Eberly of Clay. He graduated from Universal Technical Institute with an Associate Mechanic degree. He is employed by Audi Volkswagen in Reading.
The ceremony will take place in the fall.


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LANNAN FOUNDATION; Previously Engaged
Published: April 10, 1994
To the Editor:
Great credit goes to the Lannan Foundation for its forward-looking collecting and its risk-taking generosity to institutions dedicated to the presentation of contemporary art [ "In L.A., Political Activism Beats Out Political Art," March 20 ] . There is, however, one clarification I should like to make. Although the Lannan Foundation paid the bulk of the production costs for Chris Burden's "Other Vietnam Memorial" and eventually acquired the work, Burden originally proposed the piece at my invitation for inclusion in "Dislocations," a 1991 exhibition I organized at the Museum of Modern Art.
It is perhaps most indicative of the approach and impact that the foundation has had in recent years that it came forward to offer the substantial funds necessary for the monument's fabrication after it had already made an equally large contribution toward defraying the costs of the exhibition as a whole. One can only hope that the Lannan Foundation will continue to play that kind of role in the future and that others will follow its example in the extent, adventurousness and spontaneity of its support of experimental art. ROBERT STORR New York The writer is the curator of the department of painting and sculpture at the Museum of Modern Art.


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Winter Care for Skin and Hair - Great tips and advice for taking care of your skin and hair in the harsh winter months, making sure you skin and hair is healthy.
Getting a Good Night's Sleep is essential for the body and there is nothing worse than tossing and turning for hours trying to sleep. Take a few of these tips and Get a Good Night's Sleep.
Interesting article on Antibacterial Soaps, why you should use the and the importance of Antibacterial Soaps when washing your hands.