By Guest Blogger: Erik Braunitzer
Furniture makers like Vermont Woods Studios Furniture are doing their part to improve their carbon footprint. Extensive documentation on their website or even a quick phone conversation with Rebecca or Shannon puts families at ease knowing the company is serious about their environmental, health and safety mission.
But simply seeing furniture in a store with a green stamp of certification label isn't always helpful when you're not familiar with the background of the stamp. So it’s important that we realize just how green furniture is made, along with the environmentally friendly materials that are used.
Furniture companies using wood and recycled materials generally have the smallest carbon footprint. Other materials would include concrete, plastic, aluminum, brick, glass, fiberglass and more. Now it’s been said that there isn’t one individual item or sustainable material, but a handful that share sustainable characteristics, including recyclables.
Furniture can also include the following:
· Paint Strippers
· Particle Board
Many of these substances are classified as volatile chemicals. Furniture made with these volatile chemicals can result in offgassing, which is evaporation at normal atmospheric pressure. Offgassing can be reduced or eliminated altogether by using stains, finishes or paints that are non toxic such as those made by Vermont Natural Coatings and AFM Safecoat.
Transportation is another part of the carbon footprint for furniture, as wood and other materials have to be extracted from the environment, shipped to distributors, transported to furniture makers, then sent off to the retail store and customers. The sustainability of a particular piece of furniture is dependent upon a couple of factors including:
· Durability– The longer the piece of furniture, the more sustainable it becomes.
· How it’s useful– Multifunctional furniture saves money and yields greater sustainability.
Learning where to buy this type of furniture can be quite a daunting task, as it’s not always portrayed clearly exactly what materials are used, and the percentage of each. In order to fully lead a responsible lifestyle, we should understand just how to look for green furniture. Here are a few tips:
Look for Sustainably Harvested Wood – Translates to the sustainability of ecosystems and natural forests.
Avoid Tropical Woods Like Mahogany and Teak - these woods are often illegally clearcut from the world's rapidly disappearing rainforests.
Ensure FSC Certification – for tropical woods, if no substitution can be made
Reclaimed Wood Furniture (RWF) – More or less, RWF is a recycled piece of furniture.
Non-Toxic Finishes – Keep your air clean and help protect your children from health issues.
Buy locally – Locally purchased items are always more sustainable as transportation costs are cut.
Clearly, Furniture making using sustainable materials is very important to the health of the overall environment. Similarly, it reduces waste and influences the vintage market. By following a few simple rules and clearly understanding how green furniture is made, you can make a difference in improving your carbon footprint. Next time you’re in the market for a table or chair, be sure to inquire about sustainable practices before purchasing.
Courtesy of Douglas Elliman Real Estate, New York Luxury Rentals.
This blog is written by your friends at Vermont Woods Studios. Check out our Vermont made furniture and home decor online and visit our showroom and art gallery at Stonehurst, the newly restored 1800s farmhouse nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains.


What are search engines?
They are programs that are used to search and surf the Web.
What do they do?
Search engines keep databases and search the Web for sites devoted to particular topics. If you type in a phrase or question and press "go" or "search" within a second a list of sites containing those words will come up. You might well find that there are millions of sites containing those keywords.
Why don"t search engines search the whole Web?
There are now billions of sites on the Web with many more added each day. The search engines deliberately exclude some sites, e.g. spammers and sites with dubious content.
How do I make sure the search engines know about my site?
You need to include keywords which will be picked up by the search engines (through our Search Engine Optimisers). If you are willing to pay, you will have more prominent listing options.
Which are the leading search engines?
The most commonly used are Google, Yahoo, Bing, Ask and Lycos.
Over 95% of all searches are done throught fewer than 10 search engines.
Why should I pay for a listing?
Your site can be included within 24 hours. You have more control over the words you're found for. You gain valuable information about the visitors to your site and the cost per conversion.
Why should I list on more than one search engine?
Leading search engines integrate results from others. Being on more than one therefore helps you up the "hits" league table.
How do I make sure my site comes high on the search lists?
By having a well-written site which includes keywords and phrases and by keeping the site regularly maintained by Search Engine Optimisers who specialise in such maintenance.
I've seen people guarantee to get me to Number One.
This will depend on the kind of search: generic or specific. If your keywords are unique then there will be no problem. Coming top with general keywords is the challenge.
What about "We submit to 1000s of search engines for just £49"?
Leading search engines ignore automated submissions so don't waste your money. Search engines can be fooled temporarily by techniques such as "keyword stuffing", hidden text, redirects, page refreshes, cloaking and external hosting of fake pages but any site using these tricks will eventually be penalised and possibly blacklisted.


Future of Robots Rivals of Humans
Future of Robots Rivals of Humans. The inventions of new technology in science provides another opportunity to the world to raise the standard of their life. Every field of science serves the humanity. but some people thought that some inventions of science may effect the life style of people or ruin the world. Under this discussion, the new technology, robots are always at the hit point. Many people believed that by the advancement in the field of robots, many things will be easier to done. Because in many advanced countries, people are trying to serve others by using robots in hotels, restaurants and even in factories for the sake of experiment. Their main aim is only to do something which is in favour of the whole world. But in reality, many people thought that the use of robots instead of humans in hotels and factories may increase the level of unemployment . This increase must raise the point of poverty. But other people give the justification that by using robots, we can increase the production of our industries. Which in turn increase the economy of a country.
So, in this modern world, many countries this technology in different ways. One of them is discuss here. the cost of hotel rooms increase in the whole world because a lot of people prefer to live in hotels when they visit other countries or the cities of the same country. To solve this issue, a CEO of a Huis Ten Bosch theam park take a big step. A number of robotics and engineers together create a big plan, named “Hen-na Hotel”.
It’s a two story building two hundred people involved to do it happens. A large number of people who are expert engineers, architecture robotics and extraordinary efficient in environmental and constructional design are involved in it. It has not only the facility of talking robots but the engineers are trying to give people , the facilities of world best hotels. Their main aim to make the cheapest and low cost hotel of the world. Instead of hotels, human workers are also needed but their ratio is very low. This hotel gives a chance to the engineers or robotics to create a link between robots and humans and then study their interaction. But they thought that robots run the hotel more efficiently then humans. If this concept becomes successful then they thought that they make two other hotels of the same type may be somewhere in japan or in some other country.
The Hotel is situated in the hot, humid main southern isle of Japan, the “Kyushu”. Someone thought it would be insane. The temperature of that place is 93 degree Fahrenheit but the hotel was a bit cool. The reason behind it was a network of high end radiator panel that are combined with heat absorbing bricks, special type of reflective paint and long rows of solar panels on the roof. It also contains sensors that monitor temperature less to the individual room. It is said that the design of roofs of this hotel was just like the tearooms of Japanese, whose best feature is to block the summer sun rays but they allow the winter sun rays to pass inside.
The price of this is around 30 percent less then the prices of the other best hotels. All these type of engineering techniques and environmental planning is only to reduce the prices. They are trying to make it clean, stylish, refreshing and low cost hotels as compared to others. But one problem is that the room cleaning is only done when you pay for it or you wish to live there more than a week.
The design of the hotel is perfect not only for humans but also for the staff of hotel that are robots. One of the expert, name Hagi-san, from Tokyo University told that they make two path slope that are around the lobby of hotel One of the path slope moves up to the second floor just obne inches and the other path slope moves down to the first floor. The robots guides the guest to their rooms through these paths slopes along with their baggage, on either first floor or second floor.
The security system is very unique. For the scanning of face the low power LED lighting located first check in and second at the entrance of each guest room. When the face is detected at check in and the next steps occur in different machines that work together and at last the directions are delivered by the enigmatic robotic receptionists. The changes may occur in the near future based on the performance of this robotic system.
Everything is not for the good of humans. This technology is very unique but most of the people called this situation uncomfortable and a great harm for the working people. So some thought that Future of Robots Rivals of Humans
for more updates about information technology and Future of Robots Rivals of Humans type post visit moonlightforall.com


Overview of The Filter Bubble
Eli Pariser’s The Filter Bubble: What the Internet is Hiding From You (2011, Penguin) is an overview of the effects of the current trend of algorithmic personalization on not only search results and information feeds online (particularly Google and Facebook), but on the psyche of internet users everywhere–and of course, on democracy.
In a personalized world, we will increasingly be typed and fed only news that is pleasant, familiar, and confirms our beliefs–and because these filters are invisible, we won’t know what is being hidden from us. Our past interests will determine what we are exposed to in the future, leaving less room for the unexpected encounters that spark creativity, innovation, and the democratic exchange of ideas. –Publisher description (full)
I found the book after watching Pariser’s TED Talk (Feb. 2011) on the topic, which is effective and to the point. The book though, is worth the read as it takes the argument beyond the surface, and into the depths: Pariser willingly explores the dangers of this trend to our democracy.
Eli Pariser’s The Filter Bubble: What the Internet is Hiding From You got me to thinking about how librarians should respond to the Internet trend towards personalization, and particularly the role of technical services librarians in partnership with instruction librarians. I believe that information literacy education, and perhaps a degree of information activism, are key to responding to personalization in such a way that users are able to meet their information needs online, and that also encourages online innovators to develop the Internet responsibly. Users must understand how they are affected by personalization online, so that they can seek information widely, in an unbiased way and push for services that serve them rather than passively use those that seek first, to advertise to them.
Library users like Google, and expect to use tools like Google (if not Google itself) in order to find the information they need, whether for work or school, home or play. Thus, they need to understand how Google and the other online platforms they use on a day-to-day basis work in ways that affect them. Librarians and other information professionals have a clear teaching responsibility in this regard. We can also advocate for a learning environment in which teaching information literacy is understood to be important. Further, we can partner with information technology specialists and innovators to make sure that the online search environment empowers individuals and thus fosters democracy.
Teaching information literacy, according to the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), “enables learners to master content and extend their investigations, become more self-directed, and assume greater control over their own learning.” And having that control is key. Once control is taken out of the hands of the users, it becomes harder for information needs to be met. It is noteworthy that control can be hidden behind complex technology, coding languages and algorithms at work in online information retrieval systems. In this environment it becomes harder to see that control has been lost at all. Control and information literacy are linked.
An information literate individual is able to: Determine the extent of information needed; Access the needed information effectively and efficiently; Evaluate information and its sources critically; Incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge base; Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose; Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally. (ACRL, 2000)
How can an individual become information literate if they are not able to meet the above criteria defined by ACRL because the technology involved and search process itself is not transparent enough? Or because we as information professionals aren’t doing a good enough job of teaching information literacy? Or because we aren’t pushing back, and working to change the online information landscape so that it doesn’t become a danger to democracy?
In recognizing the overlap between information literacy and information technology (concepts such as fluency with information technology have been proposed to express this), the effectiveness of information literacy can be improved (ACRL, 2000). Still, I can’t help but wonder if there is a disconnect in the library landscape, between technical services and public services and the teaching of information literacy / information technology fluency. It would be interesting to study whether or not this is so. Because IT and e-resources often land squarely in the domain of technical services, is there a lost opportunity to collaborate with those in public services who are in charge of instruction?
ACRL: Information Literacy Competency Standards in Higher Education (Jan. 2000)
National Research Council. Being Fluent with Information Technology (1999)
Ted Talk: Beware the Filter Bubble (Feb. 2011)
New York Times Review (June 2011)
The Filter Bubble website
Google Books Preview


Opportunity for All? The story of the Civilian Conservation Corps on the C&O Canal
The story of Justice William O. Douglas' contribution to preserving the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal for future generations has been widely and justifiably told and retold. A lesser known story of contributions to the preservation of the canal dates some 15 years before Douglas' famous walk. It is the story of young men living in a struggling nation attempting to provide opportunity for all.
In 1939, if you stood where the Carderock picnic pavilion now stands just outside the I-495 loop, you would have been in the center of Camp NP-2-Md., the bustling home of nearly 200 enrollees of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Young men, between the ages of 17 and 25, lived here year-round as they worked to provide for themselves and their families while restoring the first 22 miles of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal as a national park. As part of CCC Company 333, each enrollee received dress and work uniforms, was assigned a bunk in a barracks, and received three meals a day. The enrollee's daily life was commanded by reserve officers of the United States Army. Their work projects were supervised by the National Park Service.


|Title:||Understanding Young Children - eBook|
|Publisher:||Waldorf Early Childhood Association|
|Number of pages:||72|
Excerpts from lectures by Rudolf Steiner Compiled for the use of Kindergarten Teachers
This book is meant to be a help for those working in Kindergartens founded on the educational principles of Rudolf Steiner. All the parents of little children, students and friends of Waldorf Education who are interested in a deeper understanding of child development will find in this book guide lines for The Study of Man.
It was Elizabeth Grunelius who first suggested compiling the following excerpts from Rudolf Steiner's books and lectures. Already in the early twenties she asked Rudolf Steiner for suggestions on pre-school education, and founded the very first Waldorf Kindergarten in Stuttgart.
In print edition available from WECAN Publications


Exploring Babylon Chapter 15.2
Just as the stories of Exile and Return include people of quite different mindsets, Exodus peoples are not monolithic, Rabbi Gerry Serotta told me recently. He suggests that #ExploringBabylon could profitably consider some differences among Egyptians in the Exodus tale and look at related texts, in this portion and earlier, about Egyptians becoming “favorably disposed” toward the Israelites.
Rabbi Serotta points to three groups of Egyptians:
- those who left with the Israelites — וְגַם-עֵרֶב רַב — “and also the erev-rav [often “mixed multitudes”; Alter uses “motley throng”]” (Ex 12:38);
- those who did not join the Israelites but gave gold and silver and “raiment/cloaks” (Ex 12:35; see also “The Powers and the Wealth“); and
- Pharaoh (and, perhaps, other unrepentant oppressors).
He adds that it’s good practice to look for the variety of people and perspectives in biblical narrative because “variety is God’s plan.” We see this in the story of Bavel (Genesis Chapter 11) and in many later teachings about the value of galut [exile] and dispersion.
God’s preference for variety is a hard concept to hold in the midst of a tale with the themes “You are MY people and I am YOUR God” and “Let My people go that they may serve ME.” But it can be found in the Exodus tale and in centuries of Jewish teaching centered around it. Seeking out and naming variety within biblical stories helps us avoid pigeonholing people and stereotyping groups in the text, in history, and in contemporary life. Exploring and amplifying difference-celebrating strands of Jewish teaching, from ancient times to the present, provides a foundation for inter-group understanding and cooperation.
…It is no accident that Rabbi Serotta, who has dedicated his career to interfaith, religious freedom, and peace and justice work, is drawn to teachings on diversity and galut [exile]. He offers additional ideas for #ExploringBabylon that will take some time to research; this week, we gratefully continue to pursue his suggestion to “follow the treasure,” so to speak, which appears in this week’s torah portion (Bo: Exodus 10:1-13:16), and its implications….
As discussed in the last episode, ancient commentaries on the gold and silver — mentioned in Ex 3:21-22, 11:2-3, and 12:35-36 (see below) — included the ideas of back wages/reparations and prior ownership of the wealth given to the fleeing Israelites. One important extension to the latter theme focuses on the prominence of women in this exchange to suggest that women used jewels and other portable wealth to bribe neighbors to overlook, or perhaps hide, their infant boys when Pharaoh decreed they be tossed into the river (exact citation temporarily AWOL, sorry).
Robert Alter notes, in his 2004 Five Books of Moses (see Source Materials), that “neighbor” and “sojourner” in 3:22 are feminine nouns, adding:
[The verse] reflects a frequent social phenomenon–also registered in the rabbinic literature of Late Antiquity–in which women constitute the porous boundary between adjacent ethnic communities: borrowers of the proverbial cup of sugar, sharers of gossip and women’s lore.
Alter goes on to insist, however, that exegesis which sees Egyptian women as lodgers in Israelite houses doesn’t match the plague narrative. (He then describes the overall tale as one of “Israelite triumphalism.” More on this below.)
The Israelites had settled as herdsmen, a necessary but disdained occupation in Egypt. The details of our story suggest that they were scattered throughout Egypt, which must have led to many personal friendships; only a systematically encouraged hate propaganda was able to change this.
— Jacob, The Second Book of the Bible p.343
Protest and Change
Jacob extensively discusses the wealth exchange in Parashat Bo. He uses linguistic and narrative analysis to support his view that God wanted the Israelites and Egyptians to part on good terms and had repeatedly told Moses that was to be the end result. He argues that the Egyptians had already, before Pesach night, come around to seeking compassion and justice for the Israelites, and the farewell gifts are part of the evidence of a change in position:
The Egyptians’ gifts to the Israelites were a clear public protest against the policies of the royal tyrant. They demonstrated a renewal of public conscience…a moral change; the receptive heart of the Egyptian people was now contrasted to the hard heart of Pharaoh.
— Jacob, p.343
He goes further, insisting that this must be a mutual change of heart, from peoples on both sides of the conflict. Jacob links the opening phrase of Ex 11:2 to the similar expression Joseph used in requesting burial for his father (Gen 50:4) and suggests that this link means God was trying to trigger positive feelings:
[God] knew that some Egyptians recalled Joseph, others would have been impressed by the miracles they had witnessed or now had a high a regard for Moses, so they would seek a friendly farewell….
God’s command Moses [Ex 11:2] simultaneously threatened Pharaoh and searched for peace between the two peoples. These peaceful relations were God’s principal concern during Israel’s last hours in Egypt. This was the true meaning of the farewell gifts which the Israelites sought and the Egyptians willingly gave.
— Jacob, p. 344 (emphasis in original)
Rabbi Shai Held, of Mechon Hadar, includes a poignant addendum on this teaching in “Receiving Gifts (and Learning to Love?): The “Stripping” of the Egyptians.” Held quotes Jacob calling this episode “the most elevated and spiritual reconciliation among people; it was full of wisdom and love of fellow man” (p.339 in the above cited Jacob commentary). He then confesses skepticism as to whether Jacob’s story jives with the plain sense of the text but concludes:
One senses in Jacob’s words the insights of a brilliant exegete but also the pain of a rabbi and teacher in a Germany consumed by hate**….In a world suffused with bigotry and hostility, a world in which people of faith often marshal sacred texts to legitimate acts of cruelty and to extol hatred as a virtue, there is great power in reading Jacob’s words and being reminded: At the heart of the religious enterprise is the attempt to soften, and open, one’s heart, to God and to one-another. If even the Egyptians and the Israelites can be (successfully!) called to love one-another, then perhaps, even in the darkest of times, slim glimmers of hope are available to us.
**Held includes a footnote citing personal communication with R. Walter Jacob (Benno’s son) to confirm that his father was working on the Exodus commentary between 1934 and 1939, while still in Germany.
Two Final Comments
Just so we don’t lose sight of the triumphalist nature of the Exodus story in its basic literary form, here are a few more comments from just one scholar:
Denizens of simple farms and the relatively crude towns of Judea would have known about imperial Egypt’s fabulous luxuries, its exquisite jewelry, and the affluent among them would have enjoyed imported Egyptian linens and papyrus. It is easy to imagine how this tale of despoiling or stripping bare Egypt would have given pleasure to its early audiences.
— Alter, on Ex 3:22
Alter adds that the three “sister-wife stories” of Genesis — Abraham and Sarah in Egypt (12:1-10), Abraham and Sarah in Gerar (Gen 20:1-18), and Isaac and Rebecca in Gerar (26:1-16) — “adumbrate the Exodus narrative,” by portraying the couple as arriving with little and leaving with much. Despoiling, he argues, is “an essential part of the story of liberation from bondage in the early national traditions.”
And, finally, also from Benno Jacob:
The Israelites received gifts from their neighbors when they left the Babylonian Exile in a manner parallel to our narrative; these consisted of gold, silver, etc. Some were in response to the royal mandate and were intended for the rebuiling of the Temple while others were freely given (Ezek 1: 4,6)
— Jacob, p.341
And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. And it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty;
וְנָתַתִּי אֶת-חֵן הָעָם-הַזֶּה, בְּעֵינֵי מִצְרָיִם; וְהָיָה כִּי תֵלֵכוּן, לֹא תֵלְכוּ רֵיקָם.
but every woman shall ask of her neighbour, and of her that sojourns in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment; and you shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.’
וְשָׁאֲלָה אִשָּׁה מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ וּמִגָּרַת בֵּיתָהּ, כְּלֵי-כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב וּשְׂמָלֹת; וְשַׂמְתֶּם, עַל-בְּנֵיכֶם וְעַל-בְּנֹתֵיכֶם, וְנִצַּלְתֶּם, אֶת-מִצְרָיִם.
Speak now in the ears of the people, and let them ask every man of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.’
דַּבֶּר-נָא, בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם; וְיִשְׁאֲלוּ אִישׁ מֵאֵת רֵעֵהוּ, וְאִשָּׁה מֵאֵת רְעוּתָהּ, כְּלֵי-כֶסֶף, וּכְלֵי זָהָב.
And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people.
וַיִּתֵּן יְהוָה אֶת-חֵן הָעָם, בְּעֵינֵי מִצְרָיִם; גַּם הָאִישׁ מֹשֶׁה, גָּדוֹל מְאֹד בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, בְּעֵינֵי עַבְדֵי-פַרְעֹה, וּבְעֵינֵי הָעָם.
The Second Book of the Bible: Exodus, Interpreted by Benno Jacob. Walter Jacob and Yaakov Elman, trans. (Hoboken, NJ: Ktav, 1992).
Benno Jacob was a rabbi and scholar born in Breslau and active in German Jewish life through the 1930s. He spent his last five years in England, where he completed his Exodus commentary in 1940 and continued to revise it until his death, at age 83, in 1945. See short biography (by his son, Walter Jacob) in the Exodus commentary.
We learn know this biography that Jacob was still in Germany when most synagogues were burned; he watched the German Jewish community to which he’d dedicated his life destroyed; he witnessed the deportation (and eventual return) of his son, R. Ernst Jacob, to Dachau; and he lost nearly everything in moving to England in his late seventies.
Jacobs also produced a commentary on Genesis, which is, as I understand it, not fully available to English readers. Nechama Leibowitz, in her New Studies series, often quotes Benno Jacob, based on unpublished manuscripts. Her chapter on the wealth exchange in Bo makes use of Jacob’s 1924 article, “Gott und Pharao.”


This activity is for my 5 «A» and 5 «V» forms.
Listen to the tongue twister and practise saying it. How fast can you say it?
«A tricky frisky snake with sixty super scaly stripes.»
«Fuzzy wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy wuzzy wasn’t very fuzzy, was he?»
«I can think of six thin things, but I can think of six thick things too.»
«If two witches were watching two watches, which witch would watch which watch?»
«The big bug bit the little beetle, but the little beetle bit the big bug back.»
«Eleven owls licked eleven little liquorice lollipops.»
Visit this page for more.
Если вы нашли ошибку, пожалуйста, выделите фрагмент текста и нажмите Ctrl+Enter.


Definately want to check out this tutorial.
Using Ruby on Rails for Web Development on Mac OS X
Why Ruby on Rails?
First, you might be wondering: Web application frameworks are a dime a dozen, so what’s different about Rails? Here are a few things that make Ruby on Rails stand above the crowd:
- Full-Stack Web Framework. Rails is an MVC web framework where models, views, and controllers are fully integrated in a seamless fashion. That means you automatically get all the benefits of an MVC design without the hassle of explicitly configuring each component to play well with the others.
- Real-World Usage. The Rails framework was extracted from real-world web applications. That is, Rails comes from real need, not anticipating what might be needed. The result is an easy to use and cohesive framework that’s rich in functionality, and at the same time it does its best to stay out of your way.
- One Language: Ruby. Everything from business logic to configuration files (there aren’t many) are written in the Ruby programming language. With just one language, you hope it’s a good one, and Ruby doesn’t disappoint. Ruby is a full object-oriented language with clean syntax and it has a way of making programming truly fun. Using one language means you don’t have to juggle between multiple languages and dialects as you’re building your application.
- Convention over Configuration. Rails works hard to take care of all the repetitive and error-prone chores associated with starting to build a web application, and maintaining it over time. Rails uses simple naming conventions and clever use of reflection to make your work easier with near-zero configuration.
- It’s Productive! At the end of the day, Rails is all about helping you stay productive.


Collins New Primary Maths: Cross-Curricular Word Problems 5 encourages children to practise the skills of using and applying maths. The activities build problem-solving skills while developing other key maths concepts, and challenge children to apply their mathematical knowledge to other curricular contexts, such as science, history and geography.
• Contains 40 differentiated word problems, each matched to an objective from the Renewed Framework, and a cross-curricular topic
• Can be easily integrated with the daily mathematics lesson
• Guidance is given on how to assess pupil's progress
• Comes with a CD of editable Word files, so you can tailor the investigations to the needs of your class
No current reviews
No free resources available.


I am having trouble with these few sample problems. I really do not understand the concept of Mendel's ideas. Can someone please elaborate? Please see attached file.
Please see attached file or read below.
1. The pattern of coat coloration in dogs is determines by the alleles of a single gene, with S (solid) being dominant over s (spotted). Black coat color is determined by the dominant allele A of a second, independently assorting gene pair, and tan by homozygosity for the recessive allele, a. A female having a solid tan coat is mated with a male having a solid black coat and produces a litter of six pups. The phenotypes of the pups are 2 solid tan, 2 solid black, 1 spotted black. What are the genotypes of the parents?
SS or Ss indicate solid color, whereas ss means spotted. In addition, AA or Aa will produce a black color and aa will produce tan.
Therefore, a solid tan female is S_aa and the solid black male is S_A_. We use an underline to indicate an unknown allele.
Now, since we end up with 2 solid tan pups, we know that the father who we wrote as S_A_ must now be S_Aa. How come? Since some pups are tan, they must be aa. In other go be aa, they must get an "a" from the mother and an "a" from the father.
What else can we learn? One pup was spotted black. Since spotted can only be produced with "ss." we know that each parent must have an "s" allele. Therefore, the mother must now be Ssaa and the father must be SsAa.
2. What is expected probability that is we toss a coin three times, we will get heads all three times? Show work.
Response: The probability of getting one heads in one toss is 0.5. The probability of getting two heads in a row is 0.5 x 0.5. The probability of getting three heads is a row is 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5. You can do the math.
3. Suppose that gene "d" is sex linked (on the X chromosome), recessive and lethal. A man married a woman who was heterozygous for the gene. If this couple had many normal children, what would be the predicted sex ratio of these children? Show work?
Since the "d" allele is ...
Mendel's genetics basics are explored and explained.


In this short assignment, you will do a cast sculpture in the style of Rachel Whiteread. Your sculpture will be a cast of the negative space inside or around a found object. We will be using cement for the casting. In order to get started with this assignment, you must ask yourself a few questions:
What am I casting? Does it have forms that lend itself to this process? Is it too full of small detail and delicate forms? Is it so minimal that the viewer won’t be able to tell what it is?
Why am I casting this? Does this object have a significance that will come through the casting process? This process confers significance, does this object merit this?
Is the object structured in a way that you could make multiples, or does it have to be broken to get the cast out?
Your object will differ from Rachel Whiteread’s work in a significant way, your object will be a hybrid of a found and created mold. For your work, you will combine 2 negative spaces together, one found and one constructed. and cast one object from that space.
For this project, you will need:
Several found objects- plastic, wood, glass, metal. Not too big, not too small- between 4” and 12″
A small bucket
Cleaning or dishwashing gloves
Hot glue and duct tape
A trash bag and cardboard box.
Good places to look for found objects:
9960 Main St, Fairfax, VA 22031
2956 Gallows Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042
Home Depot/ Lowe’s
Your parents basement/attic/garage


Joint ridging, also called beading, is a uniform, fine line deformation occurring at gypsum board joints. It is usually caused by compression of the edges or ends of the finished and decorated gypsum board resulting from the edges or ends being forced together from exposure to alternating periods of high and low temperature and humidity extremes due to thermal or hygrometric expansion. In order to permit the gypsum board system to stabilize, it is recommended that repairs not begin until the affected building has gone through at least one complete heating/cooling cycle. Repairs should only be undertaken in a warm, dry environment. Lightly sand the ridge down taking care not to damage the embedded joint reinforcing tape. Fill the surface over the joint with topping or all purpose compound, feathering as wide asnecessary to create an essentially flat surface. Allow compound to dry for at least 24 hoursbefore proceeding. After the compound is dry, it may be lightly sanded to feather the edges andremove any remaining trowel marks. Examine the sanded joint to etermine whether or not theridge has been eliminated. If the examination indicates that the ridge has not been adequatelyconcealed, additional feathering coats of joint compound may be required. Allow each coat ofjoint compound to dry at least 24 hours before sanding. The repaired joint should be painted with a coat of drywall primer and allowed to dry thoroughly prior to the application of final decoration.


Fresco of St. Paul’s shipwreck in St. Callistus from “The Open Court” (1887) (via Internet Archive Book Images)
A long time ago, a man named Paul was on his way to Rome to be tried as a political rebel when the ship carrying him — and 274 other passengers — was swept up in a terrible storm and crashed onto a sandy beach somewhere in the Mediterranean. By some kind of miracle, all 274 passengers survived, and Paul stumbled onto the bay, forever changing the lives of everyone on the tiny island that was, at the time, called Melita, the land of honey.
The island, as we know it now, is Malta, a little island 16 miles long and nine miles wide, midway between Sicily and Tunisia. This moment, which according to the Bible occurred in 60 AD, was later commemorated as St. Paul’s Shipwreck — the unexpected moment that brought Christianity to the island and turned Malta into one of the first Roman colonies to completely convert to Catholicism.
As St. Luke describes Paul’s first night in Acts 28: 1-11: “….the barbarous people showed us no little kindness; for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold” (from the King James). As the fire was being lit, Paul was bit by a poisonous snake, but survived. Because this was his second miraculous act of survival in one day, the islanders decided he possessed special powers, so they brought him to Publius, the Maltese Roman chief, whose father was gravely ill. With one flourish of the hands, Paul cured the man of his fever, and in a flurry of graciousness, Publius converted the island to Christianity and became the nation’s first bishop.
Paul didn’t stay long. According to sources, he left for Alexandria after three months and never returned to the limestone rocks of the Maltese islands. Except for two thousand years later, when his right wrist bone did.
St. Paul’s wrist bone (photograph by Daniel Cilia)
Today, it is on display, encased in a decorated muscular bronze forearm inside a marble urn in the Church of St. Paul’s Shipwreck (Parroċċa San Pawl Nawfragu in Maltese), a small church built in the 1570s on the exact site where it is rumored that a fire was once lit to warm a shipwreck’s survivors over 20 centuries ago.
Oddly, the journey of Paul’s wrist back to Malta is perhaps even more intriguing than his first trip to the island, because no sources have been able to confirm where it spent its first 1,700 years after his beheading, or how it came into possession of the Catholic Church. Maltese historian Michael Galea writes that the first mention of its authenticity came on September 26, 1771, when Archbishop Mons. Fra Giovanni Pellerano examined the relic, declared its authenticity, placed the object in a silver shrine, and gave it to his friend Gio Battista Tonna to display in any church or oratory he deemed worthy. However, Tonna’s heirs couldn’t agree what to do with it, so it was eventually removed from the silver shrine and given to Archbishop Labini. Upon receiving it, he, too, declared it authentic and sent it back to Tonna’s family, who then gave it to their mutual friend Vincenzo Aloisio Bonavia. From there, Bonavia took it to Rome in 1822 and asked the Pope’s assistant to put in his two cents. He also declared its authenticity and placed a seal directly onto the bone itself. A year later, Bonavia donated it to the Church by public deed and the Pope sent Paul’s bone back to Malta on December 8, 1854, where it would find a home in the church made hundreds of years ago, just for him.
Church of St. Paul’s Shipwreck (photograph by Daniel Cilia)
Column relic on which St. Paul was said to be beheaded in the church (photograph by Marie-Lan Nguyen/Wikimedia)
Detail of a side entrance to St. Paul’s Shipwreck Church (photograph by Frank Vincentz/Wikimedia)
The church, which is in the middle of downtown Valletta — Malta’s illustrious Renaissance-style capital city — can be difficult to find, but during open hours, there is a three-foot wooden sign propped up on the white-washed cobblestone streets outside that reads “St. Paul’s Shipwreck Welcome” in big bulky letters. Above the towering oak doors, a welcoming statue of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin outstretches her arms to visitors.
The Church itself is modest in size and eclectic; entering it feels a bit like diving into a musty collection in the attic, or sifting through dusty antiques at a street bazaar, or marveling at an art collection in a warehouse waiting to be put on exhibition. There are elderly couples sitting silently in pews, their heads bowed; families solemnly lighting candles in prayer; a few tourists milling around whispering to each other above their guidebooks.
St. Paul is everywhere, too: from the magnificent frescoes painted by famous Maltese architect Bartolomeo Garagona depicting his journey to Malta, to the silver-embossed altars depicting the famous shipwreck scene, to the intricate marble tombstones covering the floor. Paul’s Church unmistakably, undeniably, belongs to him. There is even an impressive life-size wooden carving of him, carved in the mid-1600s by Melchiorre Cafá, that features a barefoot and heavily bearded Paul donning a gilded golden robe, holding an open Bible in his left hand and preaching passionately with his right hand. He is carefully removed from its glass case every February, carried at shoulder-height, and paraded down the streets of Valletta for St. Paul’s Shipwreck day, a day that, purportedly always thoughtfully ends in rain.
Carrying the statue of St. Paul in 2014 (photograph by Daniel Cilia)
And then, of course, there’s the muscular bronze arm holding the most precious relic in all of Malta, the same right wrist bone belonging to the hands that cured the sick and that preached the word of God so convincingly that, even today, the Maltese remain one of the most religious, committed Catholic nations in the world. The bone, wrapped up in rose petals and encased inside the reliquary, sits unassuming in a large marble urn, tucked away in a very modest church on a cobblestone alley, for all its faithful pilgrims to see.
The skeptic in me wonders: Could this really be Paul’s skeletal remains? How was it preserved for so many centuries? How did anyone actually authenticate it? And why wasn’t it with the rest of his remains, which were recently discovered in a Roman catacomb in 2009?
But then the traveler in me wonders if it really matters.
On an island where Neolithic temple builders once reigned, where the Great Siege took place, where WWII fighters dropped bombs, where finding ancient bones and skeletons are as commonplace an archaeological find as a piece of pottery, it’s befitting that a part of Paul, who spent three short months on a tiny Mediterranean land, should remain here, too.
Inside the Church of St. Paul’s Shipwreck (photograph by Daniel Cilia)
Michael Galea’s The Church of the Shipwreck of St. Paul, Valletta
http://www.sanpawlvalletta.com/Souvenirs/hidden%20gem.pdf (there are some excellent images in here of the many paintings and depictions of Paul inside the Church)


Psychology A Level
Syllabus: A Level 7182
About the subject
Psychology is often thought of as the scientific study of the mind and behaviour. The AQA syllabus offers students a chance to become acquainted with the fundamental theories and scientific methods that psychologists employ to make sense of complex human behaviour. Psychology is a demanding subject which requires students to have an inquisitive, analytical mind and an interest in the biological basis of behaviour.
In the first year students discuss the structure and function of the human memory, focusing on factors that influence eye witness testimony. Developmental and social psychology are explored looking at different types of attachment in childhood and the influences of social groups on our behaviour. There is a heavy scientific element in the syllabus where students will learn about biopsychology including the role of genetics, brain dysfunction and biological (and non biological) explanations for abnormal behaviours; such as anxiety disorders covered in the psychopathology topic.
In the second year students will focus on the physiology of the brain looking at the localised functions on the brain and biological rythems suchs as the sleep wake cycle. Also, in forensic psychology we will discuss the use of current offender profiling techniques; the role of nature vs nurture in crimininality; and methods used to rehabilitate offenders. In addition, students will learn about fundamental theories of cognitive development, behavioural psychology, social cognition and the development of empathy/ theory of mind.
In both years there is a heavy emphasis on students using and understanding the key research methods used by psychologists; these include experiments, self reports, observations and correlations. Students will be expected to analyse and interpret statistical data and conduct statistical tests. 10% of the overall first year and second year A level assessment will contain a mathematical element.
A variety of learning styles will be used to deliver the syllabus; including class based activities, research tasks, e-learning and visual aids.
Subject Combinations and Progression
Psychology can be usefully combined with most subjects to allow progression on to university, however, it is particularly well suited to the following subject combinations:
Psychology with English, Biology, Maths, Law, Sociology, Business Studies and History. Many of our students go on to study psychology at university, for others it has led to degrees in related areas such as neuroscience, sports science/psychology, teaching, occupational therapy and nursing. Psychology provides you with many transferable skills and an understanding of human behaviour which will be beneficial to any future career.
Subject Modules and Assessment
End of the first year: 2 hour internal transfer exam on the first year course content to determine continuation onto the second year of study. End of the 2nd year: three 2 hour external exams that assess knowledge of ALL first and second year content. No coursework. Mock exams throughout both years.
Paper 1: Introductory Topics in Psychology (Social Influence; Memory; Attachment; Psychopathology).
Paper 2: Psychology in Context (Approaches in Psychology; Biopsychology; Research Methods)
Paper 3: Issues and Options in Psychology (Issues and Debates in Psychology; Cognition and Development; Schizophrenia; Forensic Psychology).
All assessments include multiple choice questions, short answer questions and extended essay writing.
Grade 4+5 in Combined Science + Grade 5 in Maths OR Grade 4+5 in two single sciences + Grade 5 in Maths. Grade 4 in English Language.


Early Kodak advertising is mostly associated with the iconic image of the Kodak Girl. Then in the 1930s, Eastman Kodak Company turned their advertising campaigns over to the New York advertising agency J. Walter Thompson. How did this change affect the public image of Kodak? Claudia Pretelin, art historian, will explore this era of Kodak advertising and how it created the basis for the so-called snapshot aesthetic.
Claudia Pretelin holds a BA in communications and received her MA and PhD in art history from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). For ten years, she worked as a personal assistant to the Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide. In 2011, she was awarded a fellowship from the Mexican National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) in support of her continuing research in Kodak advertising at the George Eastman Museum. She has worked for different museums, foundations, and photo collections in Mexico City, including the Fotoseptiembre Festival in 1999 and the International Biennial of Photography in 2000. She is currently exhibitions associate at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center in Rochester, New York.


In the field of chemistry, dehydration reactions refer to chemical events wherein a water molecule is lost because of the presence of another reacting molecule. From the root word “dehydrate”, these chemical reactions literally refer to the taking out of water from a chemical group or solution. With this particular effect or reaction, dehydration reactions form part of a much larger chemical event called elimination reactions. In many instances, some scientists also refer to dehydration reactions as dehydration synthesis because it also refers to a process of combining the remaining molecules aside from the removal of hydrogen. This type of reaction is said to cause a decrease in entropy in various cells. Entropy within a cell refers to a state of inner instability secondary to different energies provided by the different molecular components. Heat and temperature is also present and all these will contribute to cell’s so-called randomness. By simply taking out the hydrogen, molecule, cell entropy or the energy within the cell is said to be decreased resulting to more cellular stability. This is simply due to the fact that hydrogen or water allows the spontaneous mixing of chemical and molecular components and therefore creates a chaos of energy. When the water component is removed, then there will be less molecular energy and therefore decreased entropy.
The process of dehydration reactions may be used for a variety of purposes including the mixing of similar molecules like monosaccharide for example. These simple sugars may be mixed up together to effect a dehydration reaction to create a new molecule. In this particular case, when fructose is mixed with glucose for example, it will result to two individual monosaccharide which is the new molecule or disaccharide. This is simply due to the removal of the hydrogen molecule in the process. The good thing about dehydration reactions is that it does not only result to decreased entropy but it can also be reversed in some cases. Using the same sugar examples, the resulting disaccharide may be reverted back to being simple monosaccharide through adding back water into the mixture through a process called hydrolysis.


, Manipuri মৈতৈলোন্ , Hindi हिन्दी Of these, 66 are indigenous and 8 are non-indigenous. Urdu Translation is tikka. Amount Measure Quantity : مقدار Miqdar : how much there is or how many there are of something that you can quantify. , Bengali বাংলা | Privacy English-Sinhala-English Multilingual Dictionary. The definition of Fritter is followed by practically usable example sentences which allow you to construct your own sentences based on it. Meanings of the word Fritters in Urdu is پکوڑے - Pakoday. , Malayalam മലയാളം Please find 26 English and 1 Urdu definitions related to the word Dhajji - دھجی. "No root, no fruit", Meat : گوشت Gusht : the flesh of animals (including fishes and birds and snails) used as food. Adverb. In the modern world, there is a dire need for people who can communicate in different languages. To reduce or squander little by little: frittered his inheritance away. Urdu2Eng on FB . ... fritter - پھلکی ,پکوڑا Small quantity of fried batter containing fruit or meat or vegetables. , Santali , Oriya ଓଡ଼ିଆ The number of individual languages listed for Pakistan is 74. fol. Little Small : صغیر Sageer : limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent. There are 2 different senses of Fritter stated below. By looking at example sentences with the word Fritters, you can easily learn the use of Fritters in English sentence. Fritters meaning in Urdu has been searched 314 (three hundred and fourteen) times till Nov 25, 2020. Tahini chicken and sausage with fritters: easy midweek dinner recipes - The Guardian, - .. learn more, Home Batter Buffet Knock About : مارنا Maarna : strike against forcefully. The word a label written or printed on paper, cardboard, or plastic that is attached to something to indicate its owner, nature, price, etc. You can listen to the pronunciation of the word Fritters in a clear voice from this page online through our voice dictionary a unique facility for dedicated users. similar words like Urdu meanings, examples and pronunciation of fiddle. Fritters Dissipate, Fool and Shoot. See Synonyms at waste. Meanings of dhajji are fritter, list, snippet, tag, tape and tatter, Synonym of word dhajji are ٹکڑا, بَرباد کر دينا, خَرچ کر دينا, بے کار کر دينا, ضائع کر دينا, لُٹا دينا, دھجی, چیتھڑا, ٹکڑے ٹکڑے کرنا, پیسہ برباد کرنا. The word To understand how would you translate the word Dhajji - دھجی in English, you can take help from words closely related to Dhajji - دھجی or it’s English translations. Small quantity of fried batter containing fruit or meat or vegetables. ", Foolishly Unwisely : بے عقلی سے Be Aqli Se : without good sense or judgment. . | Radio, © KHANDBAHALE.COM Know the average calories in pakodas or fritters - Here is how you can make them healthier - Times Now, - fiddle meaning in Urdu (Pronunciation -تلفظ سنیۓ ) US: 1) fiddle. 2. fritters meaning in Urdu (Pronunciation -تلفظ سنیۓ ) US: 1) fritters. The Fritters meaning in Urdu will surely enhance your vocabulary. Bowed stringed instrument that is the highest member of the violin family; this instrument has four strings and a hollow body and an unfretted fingerboard and is played with a bow. , Kannada ಕನ್ನಡ There are always several meanings of each word in English, the correct meaning of Gosht Kay Tukray in English is Fritter, and in Urdu we write it گوشت کے ٹکڑے The word Fritter is an verb (used with object). , Nepali नेपाली Noun. Urdu is a living language which, according to estimates, is spoken by close to 110 million people around the world. ... fritter … Fritter, Frittered and Fritterers; ضائع کر دینا. There are many synonyms of Fritter which include Blow, Consume, Dally, Dissipate, Frivol, Idle, Lavish, Misspend, Squander, Trifle, Cast Away, Throw Away, Go Through, Be … More meanings of dhajji - دھجی, it's definitions, example sentences, related words, idioms and quotations. We have tried our level best to provide you as much detail on how to say Dhajji - دھجی in English as possible so you could understand its correct Urdu to English translation. 11-25-2020. You can find words like Fritters from Hamariweb.com dictionary in multiple languages like Urdu, Arabic, Hindi, Spanish, French and other languages. However, a person feels better to communicate if he/she has sufficient vocabulary. "How are you spending your summer vacation? Furthermore, 7 are institutional, 17 are developing, 39 are vigorous, 9 are in trouble, and 2 are dying. The page not only provides Urdu meaning of Fritter but also gives extensive definition in English language. You can also find multiple synonyms or similar words of Fritter … a long thin piece of cloth or paper as used for binding or fastening, measuring instrument consisting of a narrow strip (cloth or metal) marked in inches or centimeters and used for measuring lengths, memory device consisting of a long thin plastic strip coated with iron oxide; used to record audio or video signals or to store computer information. , Sindhi سنڌي پکوڑا. #CookAtHome: Lotus Stem Fritters - Femina, - To understand how would you translate the word Fritters in Urdu, you can take help from words closely related to Fritters or it’s Urdu translations. However, you need to apply proper grammar rules in any sentence. Pakistan’s national language is Urdu, which, along with English, is also the official language.
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Once upon a time, the hedgehog was the ubiquitous first point of contact for UK citizens and native wildlife. Presently, the once common sight in parks and gardens is now a rare sight, and there are many who have never seen a hedgehog in their lifetime. These small brown mammals with spines and pointed snouts are an underestimated component in contributing to the health of gardens, and ultimately the environment. Check out our infographic below that we have created to help raise awareness of the plight of the Hedgehog in the UK and then read our guide to find out what you can do to help the species recover and begin again to thrive in our country.
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Here is the ultimate guide to hedgehogs and how to help these tiny mammals thrive:
Hedgehogs have been a part of this world for a long, long time. In fact, evidence has been found of hedgehogs existing even in Ancient Egypt, which was over 3,500 years ago! But the hedgehog that the European continent knows and loves is found everywhere in the UK except some of the Scottish Islands, but they also tend to be scarce in wet areas and pine forests. Mountainous areas are also not very popular with hedgehogs, because their favorite foods are in short supply.
Hedgehogs have adapted surprisingly well to living amongst humans. They are able to make use of public and private gardens and any strips of undeveloped land.
Everyone certainly knows what hedgehogs look like, even if you have only seen 1 of the 17 different species. The British variant is called Erinaceus Europaeus, by the way. They are small, brown mammals with spikes on their back. Those 25mm long spikes made of keratin (on a full grown hedgehog) are absent from the face, chest, belly, legs, and throat. There are about 5,000 to 7,000 spikes on an average-sized adult hedgehog. Unlike porcupines, a hedgehog’s spikes are hollow and not poisonous.
But did you know that hedgehogs also have tiny, stubby tails? And that they are very noisy eaters?
Hedgehogs also love to travel, roaming between 1-2 kilometers over night, and will change their area of foraging frequently. This could very well mean that the hedgehog you think is dwelling in your garden is actually an “array,” or group of hedgehogs. However, while this might paint the picture of hedgehogs banding together, these mammals actually live rather solitary, quiet lives. In the summer months, a female hog will produce a litter of around 4-5 hoglets.
Unfortunately, the average hedgehog has a very short lifespan of around 2-5 years. With the newly introduced dangers in their environment less are surviving past one year of age.
The Endangered Hedgehogs
According to a BBC article in 2015, over the past 50 years, two thirds of the native species—both flora and fauna—have declined exponentially in numbers. Hedgehogs, alongside other once flourishing animals, like starlings, sparrows, and frogs, are now considered endangered in the UK.
Since 2002, the plight of the hedgehog ravaged over 30% of the total population, and numbers continue to fall. The population as of 2015 was estimated to be under one million. Why the downward trend in the hedgehog population?
The main reasons have been connected to the over-management of green space and parks, an increase in paved ground and decks, the use of pesticides killing their food supply, and the fragmentation of territories due to roads and fencing. The list, of course, is much longer than that.
But it is not too late to help the hedgehog come back from the brink of extinction in the UK. You have the ability to change the course of their fate.
Why Hedgehogs Deserve a Place in the Garden
Hedgehogs are often called a “gardener’s best friend” because they eat up snails, slugs and other insects that would hinder plant growth. Worms, beetles, caterpillars, and any invertebrates are fair game. They do no harm to your garden beds or home foundation, like a mole would, nor will they devastate your carrots like rabbits.
Where to Find Hedgehogs
As mentioned earlier, hedgehogs don’t like wetlands and mountainous areas. They are called “hedgehogs,” for a reason, after all. Hedges, greenery, heaps of compost, garden leaves, under piles of wood—hedgehogs like the forage, breed, sleep, and hibernate in these areas. Sometimes, you might also find a hedgehog hanging out in the garden shed, especially in the cooler months. Once in a while, a hedgehog might camp underneath the dog box or nest beneath decking, too.
Naturally, hedgehogs love hedges and gardens because these places usually have abundant food supply. Insects, especially beetles, are a primary source of sustenance. Hedgehogs will follow the line of low-hanging branches, flowers, and other greenery to see what bugs have been attracted; and they will pluck those insects and other invertebrates from the leaves and undergrowth to feast.
Hedgehogs create established food routes but are not territorial, so several hedgehogs will often use the same path.
How to Create a Hedgehog Haven
Now, we are going to introduce some methods to help you create a welcoming environment for the local hedgehogs. Hopefully, by making your garden a hedgehog haven, you will one day be able to spot these nocturnal wonders in your garden—or at least a sign of them!
Provide Hedgehog Treats
First, let’s talk about what you shouldn’t give a hedgehog. Never give the friendly neighborhood hedgehog bread or anything milk-based. Hedgehogs are extremely lactose intolerant and can potentially develop a fatal case of diarrhoea.
The natural diet includes beetles (the favorite), slugs, snails, caterpillars, millipedes, worms, occasionally frogs, and anything else they rummage up along the way. One of the problems that is threatening hedgehog populations is that the bugs and other natural sources are disappearing due to pesticides and reduced habitat space. That is why you should leave out supplementary treats for hedgehogs to help them get the appropriate amount of nutrition.
Here are some food and drink items that are safe and nutritious for hedgehogs:
- Boiled eggs
- Dried mealworms – put these out in moderation, since the sugar content is high
- Dried crickets
- Chicken or turkey flavoured cat or dog food in jelly (never fish or beef based) – can be wet or dry
- Chopped nuts
- Cooked potatoes
- Crushed cat biscuits
- Minced meat
- Meat pies
- Specialist hedgehog food from a pet store or off the internet
- Sunflower hearts
Avoid putting down slug pellets, because this drives away one of the hedgehog’s favorite meals. Also, don’t put out sugary goodies like cakes and pastries, because the fat, sugar, and other junk ingredients can cause rotten teeth and obesity.
Leave bowls of water out alongside the food, especially during the summer months, when liquids might be scarce. A shallow bowl is best. Otherwise, hedgehogs might tip a taller bowl, spilling the water and wasting it.
Of course, you might be worried about attracting something other than a hedgehog to your garden, depending on where you live. No one wants cats, badgers and foxes attacking the hedgehog. One option is the setup of a feeding station.
Take a plastic storage box and cut a clear hole in the side that is just big enough for the hedgehog to enter. Weigh down the lid with bricks to keep larger animals from knocking off the top and getting inside. If you are worried about rats getting attracted to the food, then don’t put out any grain-based food unless you see the hedgehog nearby. Also, bring in any food that goes uneaten once the hedgehog has come by for a visit.
Create Hedgehog Pathways
One of the biggest reasons for the decline in the hedgehog population would be the plethora of fenced-in spaces. Hedgehogs are small, and their legs are disproportionately long for their little bodies, helping them travel both near and far. That said, they can’t go bounding over fences like a deer would, nor can they burrow beneath the concrete footers.
In order to find enough food, nesting sites, and mates each night, juvenile and adult hogs will travel 1 to 2 kilometers. With fences and spans of pavement preventing them from moving around, they suffer.
One way to help hedgehogs is to enable their need to roam. You can get together with your neighbours to discuss creating hedgehog highways. A hedgehog highway is created by cutting a 13cm x 13cm wide hold in your garden fence or digging a channel beneath the garden boundaries to connect your yards (without reducing overall privacy). The hole or pipeline will be small enough to keep other intrusive animals away while allowing uninterrupted passage for hogs.
Once you have created holes for hedgehogs to navigate, don’t forget to register it at hedgehogstreet.org.
Another way to keep your yard private while allowing hedgehogs to come and go is growing hedges instead of putting up fences with concrete columns. Hedging is the best option for a more natural, clean environment—and is of course the ultimate invitation for hedgehogs! The best species of shrubbery is Handsworth New Silver holly or Teton firethorn. Evergreen hedges, like Emerald Arborvitae, are fast-growing and also provide decent shade. Or, you can choose the Rose of Sharon for a beautiful, flowing hedge.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) website has a bounty of information about how to choose hedges fit for your property.
Create Nesting Sites & Build Homes
While it is tempting to tend to every centimeter of your property and leaving no blade of grass untrimmed, when it comes to hedgehogs and other wildlife, you might want to leave some of it unkempt. Hedgehogs and other creatures will use the fallen leaves, twigs, nettles and dried vegetation to construct their homes and forage for bugs, which will gather underneath the damp and decaying leaves.
If possible, gather old bits of wood and some compost. Stack up the logs. Create heaps of compost and dead leaves. This will give the hedgehogs a safe place to hide, sleep, and hibernate throughout the year. The best place for this natural home is a quiet spot in your yard that is unlikely to be disturbed between November and March. During this time, hedgehogs will be using these hiding spots to hibernate.
More crafty individuals might want to build homes for their hog visitors. Hedgehog homes are simple and cheap enough to construct, so it might even be a pleasant weekend project with the children or grandchildren. Alternatively there are great Hedgehog houses for sale.
Check out the directions below:
How to Build a Hedgehog Home
There are two methods for building a shelter—the super fast shelter and the sturdy shelter. First, let’s discuss how the easier way:
Easy Shelter: You will need
- A heavy-duty cardboard box
- Plastic sheet or tarp
- Twigs, dried grass and leaves
Easy Shelter: How to Build
- Position the box right side up
- Cut an entrance hole that is 13cm x 13cm on a short side of the box
- Cut two air vents about 15cm x 5cm on either of the long sides
- Put some dried leaves and straw inside
- When positioning the box in your garden’s wild corner, protect it with the plastic sheet and anchor it down with a couple of stones
- Make sure the entrance is facing south, if possible to keep the inside of the shelter dark
- Cover the box with leaves, sticks, and other vegetation to “camouflage” it
- Sit back and wait for the hedgehogs to visit.
Now, what if you want a shelter that is guaranteed to hold up against the elements? Described below is a design from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society hedgehog home leaflet that is strong enough to protect hedgehogs from the weather and even natural enemies.
Hedgehog Fortress: You will need
- A large wooden wine crate or a wooden box of similar dimensions
- A single plank 15cm x 2cm untreated timber, about 1.2m long. Don’t forget to make sure the wood you are purchasing is sustainably sourced!
- 25mm galvanized nails
- 1m long piece of hosepipe
- A jig saw, drill or hammer
- – if using the drill, you will need a 25mm drill bit
Hedgehog Fortress: How to Build
- Make the tunnel to form the entrance of the house by taking the piece of sustainable timer and cutting it into four lengths that are all 30cm long. Nail these together to form a long, rectangular-shaped tunnel that leads to the main house;
- Put the tunnel aside and take the wine crate. Using your jig saw, cut an 11cm x 15cm entrance hole into one side of the crate, at the base.
- Check to make sure the entrance tunnel fits snugly into this entrance hole you have just created. If you need to make some adjustments, do so because nailing the tunnel to the inside of the crate;
- Drill a hole that fits the hosepipe into the back of the crate. The hosepipe will serve as ventilation for the house.
- Put some straw and other dried vegetation inside the box.
- Put the lid on top of the crate. Do not nail it shut. You will need to be able to remove the lid to clean out the house at least twice a year—once in April and again in October.
- You have the option of treating the house with a non-toxic waterproof finish or protective coating, but make sure you have some place to let the finish dry. The best non-toxic sealants are tung oil, linseed oil, candelilla wax, and eco-friendly paints like Earthborn or Lakeland Paints.
- Place the hedgehog fortress in a quiet space in your garden. Top the lid with some heavy rocks or bricks and viola.
Remember, the ideal space for a hedgehog is in a quiet spot out of highly trafficked areas. Keep the shelter out of direct sunlight, as it will get hot inside the box, and away from the wind. You also want to make sure the entrance tunnel and ventilation pipe are unobstructed throughout the year, even during winter months when snow and frost can clog it.
Grow a Variety of Plants
Once you have linked up your garden to the hedgehog highway and have fabricated a shelter for wandering hogs to hide during the day and throughout winter, it is time to think about what other features you can add to the garden to make it more welcoming to wildlife. One thing you can start doing is looking away from professionally landscape yards and embrace a more “natural” look.
Let your landscaping inspiration come from sprawling, untouched wilderness. Not only will your garden look unique, it will attract hedgehogs, birds, and other welcome creatures in. Here is a list of plants and other landscaping features to make your garden a hedgehog haven:
Compost Heaps & Leaf Piles
Not only are compost heaps and leaf piles attractive beds for hedgehogs to nap, both offer a smorgasbord of creepy crawlies for hogs to feast on. Open air composting is excellent for the environment, too. Just be careful when you decide to tidy up these heaps and piles, because there may be a resident hog or hoglets. Always check for hedgehogs before strimming, mowing, and raking.
Wildflower Patches and Other Plants
Fancy taking your dedication to developing a hedgehog sanctuary to the next level? Instead of making a “garden,” mirror a grassland. You can get as creative as you like and compose beds of wildflowers, such as poppies, cornflowers, and other perennials that tend to grow naturally. Other options include the following:
- Field Scabious
- Ox-eye Daisy
- Red Champion
- Common Knapweed
- Wild White Clover
- Meadow Cranesbill
- Alder Buckthorn
- Goat Willow
The seeds and plants you selection will be based on your soil type. Go to a reputable seed distributor, such as Emorsgate, Habitat Aid, or Landlife to ensure you are getting organic seeds of native UK plants.
Though ponds can be over the top and rigged with fountains, a simple, small pond is all you need to provide an eye-catching feature that also doubles as an endless supply of water. Plus, since the water will undoubtedly gather insects and amphibians, ponds serve as a secondary location for food. You don’t have to worry about hedgehogs drowning, either, because they are powerful little swimmers. To ensure that they have an easy way out in case they do slip in, though, make sure the edges of the pond are sloping and lined with stones or chicken wire. The hedgehogs can pull themselves out that way.
Ward off Natural Predators
On the off chance that a hedgehog is attacked by a house cat or fox, it can roll up into a defensive ball and use its spikes to protect itself. However, there is one creature that is the natural enemy of hedgehogs—the UK badger. Badgers are one of the few predators that are strong enough to uncurl a tightly rolled up hedgehog with their paws. Now that the badger population is on the upswing, more and more hedgehogs are meeting an untimely end.
Dogs can also cause injuries to hedgehogs, especially babies and juvenile hogs. Should a dog bite down on a hedgehog, it will wind up with a bleeding tongue or palate; and the hog will probably either die from shock or infection. Large birds, such as magpies and crows, are strong enough and large enough to eat juvenile hedgehogs that risk moving about in the daytime, too.
The final natural predator would be maggots, which cause fly strike. Should you see any maggots on a hedgehog, get it medical attention as soon as possible. It will die if left unattended.
Get Rid of Any Other Dangers
So far we have covered the foods that are best for hedgehogs, how to give them shelter, and which predators are most dangerous. While lack of proper nourishment, places to hide, and badgers are all common problems that have accelerated the decline in the hedgehog population, there are other dangers in this world that make times hard for the humble hogs.
Avoid Using Slug Pellets and Pesticides
Yes, slugs and snails are disgusting. No one wants them in their garden. Similar feelings are understandable when it comes to crickets, worms, and other insects that damage your beautiful climbing roses and crops. Regardless of your feelings towards insects, slugs and snails, you mustn’t rely on slug pellets and pesticides to keep these intrusive creates at bay.
Slug pellets are one of the most common causes in premature hedgehog deaths. Should a hedgehog eat a slug that has ingested pellets, it will be fatality poisoned. There are organic pest control options available—including creating a safe environment for hedgehogs—that don’t negatively impact the environment. If hedgehogs are keeping up their end of the bargain and controlling the number of slugs and snails you have in your garden, you can always set out beer traps.
While it is lovely that you want to treat the friendly neighbourhood hog to some pastries, please refrain from doing so. Anything with a dairy-based ingredient is potentially poisonous to hedgehogs, for they are lactose intolerant. Stop leaving out bread and milk for hedgehogs and replace those offerings with fresh water and cat biscuits instead. The hedgehogs will thank you for it.
The other thing to avoid overdoing is mealworms. While these are much healthier than dairy products, mealworms are the devoid of essential nutrients for hedgehogs. Overeating mealworms actually causes hedgehogs to develop a metabolic bone disease where they lose calcium and their teeth fall out. The same applies to overeating peanuts and sunflower seeds. “Everything in moderation” applies to the hogs too.
Though gardening is a pleasurable pastime for many, it can quickly become a horror movie for any unsuspecting wildlife. All too often do veterinarians and animal rescues have to put down hedgehogs that have been injured by gardening tools. Please be sure to check the long grass before using a strimmer or unpacking your electric mower. Give hedgehogs and other wildlife a chance to escape. Comb through longer grass first, start with clippers or tree loppers, and then proceed to strimming only when you are absolutely positive no animals are dozing. Consider investing in a wildlife camera to check what is going on in your garden when you not at home or are sleeping.
That pile of logs you might be itching to ignite could also be home to hedgehogs. Before you start the fire, turn the heap over. Another method is to wait until the day of the bonfire to build the heap so that hogs do not make a home out of it. In the event that you do start a bonfire with a hog sleeping beneath the wood, it won’t try to run from the flames. Rather, it will try to curl up into a ball and wind up burning to death.
Drainage Holes and Pipes
Where squirrels know how to cause massive blackouts, hedgehogs know the art of blocking drainage pipes. While roaming for food, hedgehogs will often investigate uncovered pipes, where they get lodged inside, covered in grime and chemicals, and soon die from hypothermia. Cover all drainage holes and pipes to ensure this doesn’t happen.
Keeping all these dangers in mind, you can begin to work to make your property a hedgehog haven. Then, tell your friends and family about how to do the same for their yards. Cut holes in your garden fence. Add wildflowers and other natural elements. By being just a little more conscious about hedgehogs, you can a world of good.
A Hedgehog FAQ
You might have some remaining questions about hedgehogs and how to care for them. Here are some answers to some frequently asked questions. You might want to print out this section and keep it close at hand, just in case you need answers immediately in the future.
What do I do if I find a sick hedgehog?
Should there be an underweight hedgehog (below 600 grams) wandering around your garden, or active hedgehogs in the winter, first provide these animals with tinned cat or dog food (see food advice) and freshwater. If this is the only thing wrong with the hedgehogs, then you can wait to see what happens. Any other condition—several listed below—that warrants the belief that the hedgehog is sick and in need of immediate care requires contact with the local rescue center. Do not intervene unless absolutely necessary.
I found a sunbathing hedgehog. Is that normal?
No, it isn’t. Hedgehogs are nocturnal and never sunbathe. If you catch a hedgehog doing this, something is wrong and it is in need of help. Please proceed to give it care. Pick it up with some gloves or a folded towel, place the hedgehog gently in a cat carrier or cardboard box that is padded with a towel or fleece. Keep the hedgehog warm with a covered water bottle, even during hot weather, and provide the animal with adequate food and water. Then, call BHPS (01584-890-801) or a Wildlife Trust for further advice as soon as possible.
I found a hedgehog that is walking like its drunk. Is that normal?
No, this is never normal. Hedgehogs that are wobbly and drunk are typically hypothermic and in urgent need of help. Please offer the first aid steps described in the answer to question number 1 and call a veterinarian, Wildlife Trust, or the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) as soon as possible.
What is fly strike and how can I help the hog that has it?
Fly strike is a terrible affliction but a common problem with hedgehogs. This problem occurs when an injury on the hedgehog has become infected and is now the breeding ground for maggots. The maggots will continue to bore into the skin and muscles if left untreated. With medication, the hedgehog will not recover. Anytime you spot a hedgehog with white blobs that look like cooked white rice, you are be certain it is affected by fly strike. Get immediate help from a vet.
What do I do if I accidentally injure a hedgehog while strimming?
This is one of the highest frequency accidents to happen in the garden. In order to prevent this from happening, ALWAYS check the areas thoroughly before strimming, mowing, or even when raking leaves. Usually, when you injure a hedgehog while strimming, the injuries are usually too severe to treat, and the hedgehog will have to be euthanized. In the event you have strimmed a nest, immediately check for hoglets, because it could be a nursery nest. Be sure to check the perimeter of your wooden or plastic garden storage shed.
Is it normal to see hedgehogs out in daylight?
Not usually, no. Hedgehogs are largely nocturnal, so you will rarely see them out in daylight hours. However, some exceptions to this are when pregnant females are gathering materials for their nests and are putting off sleep in preparation for birth; or the new mum is on break from caring for the hoglets and is getting some food and water before returning to the babies.
Another scenario is that the nights are shorter, and you have simply stumbled upon a hungry hedgehog that decided to get the worms with the early birds. You will see these hedgehogs moving quickly and with purpose. Should the hedgehog be acting lethargic while out in the daylight, has flies around it, is acting drunk, or otherwise gives you an impression that something is out of the ordinary, then you should call a local carer or the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (01584-890-801) immediately.
Do hedgehogs hibernate?
Yes, UK hedgehogs do indeed hibernate. Other species may not, however, so don’t let this fool you. The reason UK hedgehogs go into hibernation is because their food sources dry up during the wintertime. Unfortunately, hedgehogs also need to be the appropriate weight of around 600 grams by autumn in order to survive the full duration of hibernation.
The hibernation period begins in the colder months, usually around mid-November all the way to mid-March. A random warm day (expected due to the odd weather and climate change) will potentially wake up the hibernating hedgehogs, regardless of the month, and they will start looking for food. Be sure to keep an eye on the weather forecast. If there looks to be an unseasonably warm day ahead, prepare some dry cat or dog food and fresh water outside so the hungry hogs can get some nourishment.
Since hedgehogs will hibernate in warm, dry places that don’t frost, be careful when you decide to see some early Spring gardening. You will most likely stumble upon a sleeping hog around compost heaps, bonfire pits, stacked logs, flower and hedge rows, and even inside the shed or underneath the decking.
What should I do about my dog not liking the hedgehogs?
Unless you want to prevent any further hedgehogs from entering your garden by completely proofing the entire perimeter, you shouldn’t try removing the hedgehogs despite your dog not liking them. Training your dog to leave the hedgehogs alone is the ideal solution, because this works well for everyone involved. If taking your dog out after dark for a run in the garden, make sure that you keep them on a leash, away from leaf piles and other potential hedgehog homes will training. If necessary, use a muzzle and make lots of noise so the hedgehogs can run for cover.
Should the situation make doing so impossible, and if you are willing to put in the labor for hedgehog proofing your garden, first contact a local carer or Wildlife Trust so they can relocate the hedgehog and check to see if there is a nest nearby too. Never attempt relocating a wild hedgehog by yourself.
Can I take a hedgehog from the wild and put it in my garden?
Please, do not pluck a hedgehog from the wild for your garden. Wild hedgehogs cannot simply be uprooted from their homes! While it is wonderful to want a hedgehog for your garden, it will not know the area, food and water sources—and that stress could be harmful. Additionally, you might be separating a mother hedgehog from her babies. Should this mother be unable to return to the nest of needy hoglets, you have just reduced the babies’ chances of survival dramatically.
Help! I found squeaking baby hogs? What does this mean?
Stumbling upon baby hogs is not unusual, especially if you unearth a nursery nest. That said, it is highly unusual to find hoglets out during the daytime. Should they be simply foraging, this is no cause for alarm. Put out some food and water for them. Yet, should the small hogs start squeaking, this is a sign of distress. Search for mum. If you do not find her, call in a rescue professional, as something unfortunate might have happened to mother.
What should I do if I find a dead hedgehog?
What you do in this scenario depends on the year. Yes, it sounds weird, but hear us out. In the summertime, you will most likely know whether or not the hog is dead. The signs will be obvious. However, during the winter, you need to be very cautious. Do not do anything unless you know for sure the hog is dead. Otherwise, you might wind up burying the poor thing alive—and no one wants that. In the wintertime, because hedgehogs hibernate, their body temperature drops; so it might just feel cold but is actually fast asleep. You might not even see it breathing.
Always contact an expert in your region to verify if the hedgehog is hibernating or dead before doing anything else.
I found a bizarre looking hedgehog. What do I do with it?
Recently, more and more exotic hedgehogs are being found abandoned in the wild. Sadly, these pets are bred to be human companions and are often unfit to survive in the UK wilderness. An example would be the African pygmy hedgehog, which is a popular pet. When you spot an unusually coloured hedgehog, such as with pale fur, larger ears, big feet, or with other characteristics, you might have seen an exotic species. Take the hedgehog to a specialist or vet to make sure.
Albino hedgehogs are rare, so don’t assume that’s the case!
How to Pick Up a Hedgehog
Don’t fear the spikiness!
Yes, those spikes are sharp and can hurt, but that is not enough of a reason to leave a hurt or sickly hedgehog without care. Hedgehogs do not bite, so you can easily pick up the hurt animal with a pair of gardening gloves, a towel, or another piece of clothing. Alternatively, you can run your hand down its back, smoothing the spikes, so that it rolls into a ball. Allow it to lay sideways so you can rest the hog on your palm without getting spiked.
Hedgehogs are very light, even when fully grown. An adult often weighs less than 600 grams.
Avoid squeezing the hedgehog. Also, once you have it in hand, try not to drop the poor dear. Place the hog in a cat carrier or cardboard box with high enough sizes so it doesn’t escape. Hedgehogs are master escape artists, after all. Once you have the hog in a safe place, put the carrier or box in a cool, quiet location while you receive professional advice from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society or an affiliate.
You can also call or email a Wildlife Trust to help.
And, if you find that you can’t catch the sickly hedgehog to get care for it, don’t hesitate to report the sighting to a Wildlife Trust or a volunteer from BHPS to come so the hog can receive appropriate veterinary attention.
Hedgehogs might be vanishing at an alarming rate from the UK, but you have the power to change their fate. It is sad that many children have yet to see a hedgehog in the wild, yet there might come a time in the future when hedgehogs are thriving in gardens around the UK again. By following the tips and tricks in this ultimate guide to hedgehogs, you can build a garden that welcomes these delightful creatures. And if you cannot physically help, you can always donate to a wildlife rescue or trust to aid in the effort to bring the hedgehog back from the brink of extinction in the UK.


Tigers are solitary animals and do not often form family groups. Tigers do interact with each other when they come into contact in the wild.
Tigers have their own territories and generally interact only during mating season. A male will leave his territory in search of females but then will return after the season ends. If tigers encounter each other when it is not mating season, they will try to defend their own territories. Fighting is avoided if possible, but a larger male will attempt to dominate smaller males and females. A female tiger will interact with other tigers when she is protecting her cubs.


Brahms - Gesang der Parzen op. 89
Type of Spiritual Experience
A description of the experience
BRAHMS ,BÖCKLIN, AND THE GESANG DER PARZEN by EFTYCHIA PAPANIKOLAOU
Brahms wrote the Gesang der Parzen, op. 89, during the summer of 1882. The ‘‘archaic’’ text for this work comes from Goethe’s Iphigenie auf Tauris, a play written in 1779. Although originally written in prose while in Weimar, eventually Goethe recast it in verse during his first italienische Reise in 1786.
The scenario of Goethe’s Iphigenie is freely based on Euripides’s drama Iphigenia in Tauris: Iphigenia, the daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, was offered as a sacrifice by her father, but she was eventually rescued by Artemis (Diana) and transported to an area called Tauris. Euripides’s work is representative of the shift in the outlook among classical tragedians: although there is a complete action that arouses emotions of pity and fear — to use Aristotelian terminology — there is no tragedy or violence apart from those averted, and the play ends happily. Goethe borrows elements of the story, but in no way does he attempt to imitate or reproduce an ancient Greek drama. He puts emphasis on the Humanität of the main character and creates a heroine who, like Gretchen in Faust, she herself has the power to redeem through her moral and ethical integrity.
His classical heroine had all the serenity and repose of a perfect classical sculpture, but with these features now transferred to her mentality as well: Iphigenia became a real eighteenth-century heroine. Goethe transferred the characteristics of restraint and repose of classical plastic art from the surface to the core of his art. In Schiller’s words, Goethe’s Iphigenie was ‘‘modern’’.
The Parzenlied (Song of the Fates) comes at the end of the fourth act of Goethe’s play, and is thematically linked with Schicksalslied, since both portray the dichotomy between the sufferings of mankind and the blissful, Elysian existence of the gods. Iphigenia recalls a song that the Fates once sang, about the sufferings that the gods mercilessly inflict on mankind. The Latin name “Parcae” is synonymous with “Fates” (also Latin), the equivalent of the Greek “Moirai”, the three deities who each held the distaff (The Weaver), drew off the thread (The Apportioner), and cut it short (The Inflexible One).
The Parzenlied constitutes Iphigenia’s sole emotional outburst, a cry of despair, and a singular glimpse at the drama’s irrational forces. For that moment of agony, Goethe veers away from regular pentameters to write in another meter. The Parzenlied consists of six strophes, each one including a different number of lines. Like the whole play, it is written in blank verse, but the metric pattern here changes from iambic pentameters to dactylic dimeters, each line beginning with an anacrusis, a pattern that remains consistent throughout the song.
The work starts in a majestic 4/4 meter, in the key of D minor. The dark atmosphere is furthermore enhanced by the instrumentation, which calls for full orchestra with contrabassoon and bass tuba, instruments that obviously add weight to the lower registers of the texture. Moreover, the voices added here in order to constitute the six-part chorus are alto and bass, again the two lower voices of the women’s and men’s parts. As a whole, the work is dominated by dark colours and minor-mode sonorities. There is no moment of relaxation for mankind, nor for the chorus, which remains silent in only thirty-one measures out of the one hundred and seventy-six of the work.
It is also interesting that Brahms avoids obvious contrapuntal techniques. The texture remains mainly homophonic, with occasional antiphonal and imitative passages, but Brahms’s favoured canonic approaches are not much in evidence — after all, counterpoint is a rather cerebral procedure, and would be out of place in this text, where despair predominates; at these moments one just lets the emotions explode, and Brahms purposefully writes music that does not sound contrived, but that is still amazingly thought out. The text-setting throughout the work is syllabic, with a minimal use of melismas and ornamentation.
Brahms here appears in the gloomiest of moods; his proclivity for darkness and dreariness — for which he was famous even from his very early years — here finds perfect expression. The text’s depiction of human suffering is thus perfectly illustrated musically until the end of the fourth strophe. What follows constitutes a celebrated passage not only for its stunning tranquility and calm repose, so different in mood from anything that preceded, but also for the controversy that it aroused during Brahms’s final years and immediately thereafter. The controversy lies in Brahms’s decision to set the fifth strophe of the poem in hymn-like, serene music, thus contradicting the content of the text, which would normally be set to music of similar dramatic intensity:
“The rulers turn their beneficent eyes away from whole races, and shun in the grandchildren the once-beloved, quietly eloquent features of their forebears.”
Brahms’s setting of the fifth strophe presents a striking difference in mood in relation to the rest of the piece contrary to and in no way justified by its textual content. Gustav Ophüls, a young lawyer at the time, who admired Brahms and had been a friend of his late in his life, asked for Brahms’s opinion. Although cited many times, Brahms’s answer has been interpreted in various ways, mainly due to its laconic and contradictory character. Ophüls later published this letter in a 1922 article entitled “Brahms On his Choral Work Gesang der Parzen”, published in the Zeitschrift für Musik. In this letter, Brahms wrote to Ophüls from Ischl on 13 June 1896:
I often hear people philosophizing about the fifth strophe of the Parzenlied. I think that, at the mere entry of the major key, the unsuspecting listener’s heart must soften and his eyes become wet, only then does the whole misery of mankind take hold of him


Insecticides are designed to kill insects, but they can also seriously affect your dog or cat. Many insecticides used in homes, gardens, parks, and even spot-on flea treatments can easily poison your pet if not used carefully. Dogs are especially at risk of inhaling or ingesting debris left on grass, eating a treated plant, or eating an undissolved pellet of water-soluble insecticide. Here’s how to avoid insecticide poisoning.
Dangerous Ingredients in Insecticides
Several ingredients can cause severe reactions and even long-term cognitive issues. When you are buying insecticides, look at the label and avoid buying the most dangerous ingredients listed below:
- Permethrin (don’t use around cats)
- Tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP)
The most surprising of these may be permethrin, which is often used in dog spot-on flea and tick treatment. Cats are highly susceptible to permethrin poisoning, even through skin contact, so if you have a cat and a dog, look for safer alternatives for your home.
Safer Insecticide Alternatives
Below is a list of insecticides that, when used as directed, can be safer to use around pets.
Follow the Label
Once you have identified which insecticides can be safely used around your pets, it's still very important to follow directions carefully—overdosing with a “safer” insecticide can still lead to poisoning. Make sure to read products' fine print carefully, and ensure that insecticides will not be mixed.
- Never apply outdoor insecticides while your pet, any toys, or feeding bowls are on the lawn.
- Avoid pellet pesticides that can be mistaken for food.
- Don’t mix insecticides with organic fertilizer -- most dogs like the taste of organic fertilizers.
- When storing insecticides, make sure they are out of reach and locked up so that children and animals cannot access them.
When your pet is outside, it can be harder to protect them from dangerous insecticides. Your neighbor's pesticides can also drift into your lawn and affect your pet. It is best to get to know your neighbor and talk with them about their pesticide use, at least so that you know which pesticides your pet might be exposed to. If you take your dog to a park that uses pesticides, avoid treated areas for at least 72 hours—and waiting longer is better.
If you suspect your dog or cat has been poisoned by an insecticide, contact an emergency veterinarian and poison control immediately. It's important to gather as much information as possible:
- What the poisonous chemical was or may have been
- How much was ingested
- The means of exposure
Bring the insecticide packaging if you can and, if your pet has vomited, a small vomit sample for analysis.
More on Poisoning
When to Call Animal Poison Control
Be Prepared for Emergency Pet Care: Steps to Take Now
The Most Poisonous Foods for Cats
This information is for informational purposes only and is not meant as a substitute for the professional advice of, or diagnosis or treatment by, your veterinarian with respect to your pet. It has, however, been verified by a licensed veterinarian for accuracy.


Vaihinger, Hans häns fī´hĭng-ər [key], 1852–1933, German philosopher. Educated at Tübingen, Leipzig, and Berlin, he served at Strasbourg first as tutor and then as professor of philosophy. One of the great Kant scholars, in 1884 he went to Halle, where he became full professor in 1892. His studies of Kant culminated in Kant—ein Metaphysiker? (1899). His own system was set forth in 1911 and was translated into English as The Philosophy of
As If(1924). He argued that since reality cannot be truly known, human beings construct systems of thought to satisfy their needs and then assume that actuality agrees with their constructions; i.e., people act
as ifthe real were what they assume it to be.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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