title: "Western fence lizard" content: Western fence lizard The western fence lizard ("Sceloporus occidentalis") is a common lizard of Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Northern Mexico, and the surrounding area. As the ventral abdomen of an adult is characteristically blue, it is also known as the blue-belly. It is a member of the genus "Sceloporus" (the spiny lizards). Taxonomy for the western fence lizard has been under much debate. "S. occidentalis" belongs in the order Squamata (snakes and lizards) and the suborder Iguania. The family in which it belongs is still under scrutiny. The family Phrynosomatidae, along with seven other families, used to


title: "Western fence lizard" content: be included in the single family Iguanidae, until Frost and Etheridge's (1989) analysis of iguanian systematics suggested the family be divided. Most literature, however, still place the phrynosomatids in Iguanidae. Six subspecies are recognized, as follows: Some authors have raised the island fence lizard to specific rank, "Sceloporus becki". However, recent work in molecular systematics has suggested there are four clades and 11 genetically separable populations, and the subspecies will probably have to be redefined. Western fence lizards measure 5.7-8.9 cm (snout-vent length) and a total length of about 21 cm. They are brown to black in color (the brown


title: "Western fence lizard" content: may be sandy or greenish) and have black stripes on their backs, but their most distinguishing characteristic is their bright blue bellies. The ventral sides of the limbs are yellow. These lizards also have blue patches on their throats. This bright coloration is faint or absent in both females and juveniles. In some populations the males also display iridescent, bright turquoise blue spots on the dorsal surface. The scales of "S. occidentalis" are sharply keeled, and between the interparietal and rear of thighs, there are 35-57 scales. Many other lizards have similar bright-blue coloring. The eastern fence lizard, "S. undulatus",


title: "Western fence lizard" content: instead of having one large patch on its throat, has two small patches. The sagebrush lizard, "S. graciosus", lacks yellow limbs and has smaller dorsal scales. "S. occidentalis" also resembles the side-blotched lizard, "Uta stansburiana". However, the axilla of "U. stansburiana" usually has a black spot behind it and it has a complete gular fold. Although California is the heart of the range of this lizard, it is also found in eastern and southwestern Oregon (some populations are found even north of Seattle, Washington), as well as in the Columbia River Gorge, southwestern Idaho, Nevada, western Utah, northwestern Baja California,


title: "Western fence lizard" content: Arizona, and some of the islands off the coast of both California and Baja California. There is also an isolated population in the Northwestern Tualatin Valley, around Henry Hagg Lake. The western fence lizard occupies a variety of habitats. It is found in grassland, broken chaparral, sagebrush, woodland, coniferous forest, and farmland, and occupies elevations from sea level to 10,800 ft. They generally avoid the harsh desert and are often found near water. As of now, the western fence lizard is listed as unprotected, and no conservation restrictions apply. These lizards are diurnal, and are commonly seen sunning on paths,


title: "Western fence lizard" content: rocks, and fence posts, and other high places, which makes them an easy target for predation by birds and even some mammals, such as shrews. They protect themselves by employing their fast reflexes, which are common in many other lizards including biting and possibly defecating on the predator. They can change color from light grey or tan to nearly jet black, but they probably use this ability for the purpose of thermoregulation while basking and not as a means to camouflage themselves. The western fence lizard eats spiders and insects such as beetles, mosquitoes, and various types of grasshoppers. Like


title: "Western fence lizard" content: most other lizards, "S. occidentalis" goes through a period of hibernation during the winter. The length of time and when they emerge varies depending on climate. During the mating season, adult males will defend a home range. Western fence lizards mate in the spring, and do not breed until the spring of their second year. Females lay one to three clutches of three to 17 eggs (usually eight) between April and July. The eggs hatch in August. Studies have shown Lyme disease is lower in areas where the lizards occur. When ticks carrying Lyme disease feed on these lizards' blood


title: "Western fence lizard" content: (which they commonly do, especially around their ears), a protein in the lizard's blood kills the bacterium in the tick that causes Lyme disease. The infection inside the ticks' gut is therefore cleared and the tick no longer carries Lyme disease. Western fence lizard The western fence lizard ("Sceloporus occidentalis") is a common lizard of Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Northern Mexico, and the surrounding area. As the ventral abdomen of an adult is characteristically blue, it is also known as the blue-belly. It is a member of the genus "Sceloporus" (the spiny lizards). Taxonomy for the western


title: Pfaffian content: matrix for "n" odd is defined to be zero, as the determinant of an odd skew-symmetric matrix is zero, since for a skew-symmetric matrix, formula_13 and for "n" odd, this implies formula_14. By convention, the Pfaffian of the 0×0 matrix is equal to one. The Pfaffian of a skew-symmetric 2"n"×2"n" matrix "A" with "n">0 can be computed recursively as where index "i" can be selected arbitrarily, formula_16 is the Heaviside step function, and formula_17 denotes the matrix "A" with both the "i"-th and "j"-th rows and columns removed. Note how for the special choice formula_18 this reduces to the simpler


title: Kryptonian content: Kryptonians when exposed to a yellow sun. The monster Doomsday is the last of the prehistoric Kryptonians. On Earth-Two, the Kryptonian Val-Zod (Superman) survive Krypton, along with Kara Zor-L/Karen Starr (Power Girl). In "Superman", teenage Clark discovers who he is in the Fortress of Solitude, where a hologram of Jor-El tells him, "You are the only survivor of the planet Krypton." This remark appears to prove untrue in "Superman II", as prisoners of the Phantom Zone, such as General Zod, also survive the destruction of Krypton. However, Zod and his lieutenants only survived because they were at that time incarcerated


title: "Allium tuberosum" content: Allium tuberosum Allium tuberosum (garlic chives, Oriental garlic, Asian chives, Chinese chives, Chinese leek) is a species of onion native to southwestern parts of the Chinese province of Shanxi, and cultivated and naturalized elsewhere in Asia and around the world. "Allium tuberosum" is a perennial plant growing from a small, elongated bulb (about , across), tough and fibrous, originating from a stout rhizome. It has a distinctive growth habit with strap-shaped leaves wide, unlike either onion or garlic. It produces many white flowers in a round cluster (umbel) on stalks tall. It grows in slowly expanding perennial clumps, but also


title: "Allium tuberosum" content: readily sprouts from seed. In warmer areas (USDA zone 8 and warmer), garlic chives may remain green all year round. In cold areas (USDA zones 7 to 4b), leaves and stalks completely die back to the ground, and resprout from roots or rhizomes in the spring. The flavor is more like garlic than chives. Originally described by Johan Peter Rottler, the species name was validly published by Curt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel in 1825. "A. tuberosum" is classified within "Allium" in subgenus "Butomissa" , section "Butomissa" , a group consisting of only "A. tuberosum" and "A. ramosum" , which have been


title: "Allium tuberosum" content: variously regarded as either one or two genetic entities. "A. tuberosum" originated in the Siberian–Mongolian–North Chinese steppes, but is widely cultivated and naturalised, 'It has been reported as growing wild in scattered locations in the United States (Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Nebraska, Alabama, Iowa, Arkansas, and Wisconsin). However, it is believed to be more widespread in North America because of the availability of seeds and seedlings of this species as an exotic herb and because of its high aggressiveness. This species is also widespread across much of mainland Europe and invasive in other areas of the world. A late summer- to


title: "Allium tuberosum" content: autumn-blooming plant, "A. tuberosum" is one of several "Allium" species known as wild onion and/or wild garlic that, in various parts of the world, such as Australia, are listed as noxious weeds or as invasive "serious high impact environmental and/or agricultural weeds that spread rapidly and often create monocultures". Often grown as an ornamental plant in gardens, several cultivars are available. "A. tuberosum" is distinctive by blooming later than most native or naturalised species of "Allium". It is cold-hardy to USDA zones 4–10 (). Garlic chives are regarded as easy to grow in many conditions and may spread readily by


title: "Allium tuberosum" content: seeds or can be intentionally propagated by dividing their clumps. A number of varieties have been developed for either improved leaf ("e.g." 'Shiva') or flower stem ("e.g." 'Nien Hua') production. While the emphasis in Asia has been primarily culinary, in North America, the interest has been more as an ornamental. 'Monstrosum' is a giant ornamental cultivar. Uses have included as ornamental plants, including cut and dried flowers, culinary herbs, and Garlic chives have been widely cultivated for centuries in East Asia for their culinary value. The flat leaves, the stalks, and immature, unopened flower buds are used as flavouring. Another


title: "Allium tuberosum" content: form is "blanched" by regrowing after cutting under cover to produce white-yellow leaves and a subtler flavor. Pronunciation of the Chinese names for "A. tuberosum", , vary between Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese, as well as other dialects. For instance, the green leaves are "jiu cai", the flower stem "jiu cai hua", and blanched leaves "jiu huang" in Mandarin, but "gau tsoi" ("kow choi"), "gau tsoi fa", and "gau wong" in Cantonese, respectively. Other renderings include "cuchay", "kucai", "kuchay", or "kutsay". The leaves are used as a flavoring in a similar way to chives, scallions, or garlic, and are included as


title: "Allium tuberosum" content: a stir fry ingredient. In China, they are often used to make dumplings with a combination of egg, shrimp, and pork. They are a common ingredient in Chinese "jiǎozi" dumplings and the Japanese and Korean equivalents. A Chinese flatbread similar to the scallion pancake may be made with garlic chives instead of scallions; such a pancake is called a "jiucai bing" (韭菜饼) or "jiucai you bing" (韭菜油饼). Garlic chives are also one of the main ingredients used with "yi mein" ("E-Fu") dishes. In Manipur and other northeastern states of India, it is grown and used as a substitute for garlic


title: "Allium tuberosum" content: and onion in cooking and is known as "maroi nakuppi" in Manipuri. In Japan, where the plant is known as "nira" (), it is used for both garlic and sweet flavours, in soups and salads, and Japanese Chinese dishes such as "gyōza" dumplings. Known as "buchu" (), garlic chives are widely used in Korean cuisine. They can be eaten fresh as "namul", pickled as kimchi and "jangajji", and pan-fried in "buchimgae" (pancake). they are also one of the most common herbs served with "gukbap" (soup with rice), as well as a common ingredient in "mandu" (dumplings). In Nepal, cooks fry


title: "Allium tuberosum" content: a curried vegetable dish of potatoes and "A. tuberosum" known as "dunduko sag". In Thailand, they are known as "gui chai". In Vietnam, the leaves of garlic chives, known as "hẹ", are cut up into short pieces and used as the only vegetable in a broth with sliced pork kidneys. In Kazakhstan, where the plant has been introduced through cultivation by Dungan farmers and ties with neighboring China, garlic chives are known by a transliteration of their Mandarin Chinese name, djutsey (джуцей). Used in cooking, it is sometimes added as a filling to manty, samsa, yuta, and other typical dishes.


title: "Theme Park (video game)" content: items that enhance the park's scenery (such as trees and fountains) can be purchased. Over thirty attractions, ranging in complexity from the bouncy castle and tree house to more complicated and expensive rides such as the roller coaster and Ferris wheel are available. Also available as rides are shows (called 'acts') with themes such as clowns and mediaeval. Certain rides, such as roller coasters, require a track to be laid out. The ride complement varies between platforms: for example, the PlayStation version is missing the mediaeval and dolphin shows. Rides require regular maintenance: if neglected for too long they will


title: "Lazar Gulkowitsch" content: distinguished tradition of Oriental Studies and Hebrew, had opened, pushed by the local scholars and supported, i.a., by Albert Einstein - a new Institute of Jewish Studies – a remarkable and defiant feat for 1933, even for an independent country like Estonia proud of its minority rights laws. Gulkowitsch received the appointment as Professor and Chair of Jewish Studies and started teaching in Tartu in 1934. He attracted many high-calibre graduate students (mostly Jewish) and established an international publication series on Jewish Studies. Gulkowitsch taught in German; the Tartu institute was probably the only place in the world where scholarship


title: "John Stevens Henslow" content: the Cambridge University Botanic Garden in 1831. During his time at Cambridge he extended the Botanic Garden and remodelled the 40-acre site between Bateman Street and Brooklands Avenue, making it world-renowned. In 1833 Henslow was appointed vicar of Cholsey-cum-Moulsford in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire). He continued to live in Cambridge, only visiting the parish during vacations; he appointed a curate to conduct services and parish business during term-time. However, his appointment in 1837 to the remunerative Crown living at Hitcham, Suffolk marked a turning-point in his life. This time, in 1839, he moved to the parish, and as rector of Hitcham


title: "Walled City of Lahore" content: the water flow, and the formation of "mohallahs", "kuchas", and "kattrahs". The curve of "Kucha Pir Bola". for example, merges with "Waachowali" Bazaar, the Lahori Bazaar merges with Chowk Lahori Mandi, and Chowk "Mati" merges with "Papar Mandi", which may outline the old fort. The Mughal period beginning in the Akbari period until the early 18th century most decisively determined the city's character. Mughal Emperors embellished the city with monuments, and the city accumulated monuments from several different periods - in contrast to Fatehpur Sikri or Old Delhi which were largely built during the reign of a single Mughal Emperor.


title: "Cytokine release syndrome" content: and pharmaceutical companies, regulatory agencies, and academia began to more intensely discuss methods to classify it and how to mitigate its risk following the disastrous 2006 Phase I clinical trial of TGN 1412, in which the six subjects experienced severe CRS. CRS is sometimes referred to as an infusion-related reaction (IRR) or infusion reaction. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle and joint pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, fast breathing, rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure, seizures, headache, confusion, delirium, hallucinations, tremor, and loss of coordination. Lab tests and clinical monitoring show low blood oxygen, widened pulse pressure, increased cardiac


title: "Greyfriars School" content: meant that plotlines and themes were repeated, though usually involving different characters and novel twists. In the early years, this often meant stories that were resolved across 1–2 issues; but by the early 1930s a series would typically take 8–12 weekly issues to play out. An oft-repeated theme involves the arrival of a new character at the school who turns out to be not quite what he seems. Dick Lancaster joins the Greyfriars Sixth form in 1931 (Magnets Nos. 1209 to 1219) and immediately becomes one of the most popular men in the school: handsome, easy going and a fine


title: "Trifolium repens" content: Trifolium repens Trifolium repens, the white clover (also known as Dutch clover, Ladino clover, or Ladino), is a herbaceous perennial plant in the bean family Fabaceae (previously referred to as Leguminosae). It is native to Europe, including the British Isles, and central Asia and is one of the most widely cultivated types of clover. It has been widely introduced worldwide as a forage crop, and is now also common in most grassy areas (lawns and gardens) of North America and New Zealand. The species includes varieties often classed as small, intermediate and large, according to height, which reflects petiole length.


title: "Trifolium repens" content: The term “white clover” is applied to the species in general, “Dutch clover” is often applied to intermediate varieties (but sometimes to smaller varieties), and “ladino clover” is applied to large varieties. The genus name, "Trifolium", derives from the Latin ', "three", and ', "leaf", so called from the characteristic form of the leaf, which usually but not always has three leaflets (trifoliolate); hence the popular name "trefoil". The species name, "", is Latin for "creeping". It is a herbaceous, perennial plant. It is low growing, with heads of whitish flowers, often with a tinge of pink or cream that


title: "Trifolium repens" content: may come on with the aging of the plant. The heads are generally wide, and are at the end of 7-cm (2.8-in) peduncles or inflorescence stalks. The flowers are mostly visited by bumblebees and often by honey bees. The leaves are trifoliolate, smooth, elliptic to egg-shaped and long-petioled and usually with light or dark markings. The stems function as stolons, so white clover often forms mats, with the stems creeping as much as a year, and rooting at the nodes. The leaves form the symbol known as shamrock. Almost always, a white clover will be trifoliolate. However, one can, but


title: "Trifolium repens" content: only rarely, possess four leaflets. It is native in Europe and Central Asia, ubiquitous throughout the British Isles, introduced in North America, and New Zealand and elsewhere, and globally cultivated as a forage crop. "Trifolium repens" is a tetraploid (4n=32) with two diploid ancestors. In order to increase genetic diversity for breeding, research is focused on finding these ancestors. Proposed ancestors of "Trifolium repens" include "Trifolium nigrescens, Trifolium occidentale, Trifolium pallescens," and "Trifolium uniflorum."" " Additionally, it is possible that one of the diploid ancestors has yet to be analyzed, either because it has not been discovered or is extinct.


title: "Trifolium repens" content: White clover has been described as the most important forage legume of the temperate zones. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation (up to 545 kg N per hectare per year, although usually much less, e.g. about 110 to 170 kg N per hectare per year) in root nodules of white clover obviates synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use for maintaining productivity on much temperate zone pasture land. White clover is commonly grown in mixtures with forage grasses, e.g. perennial ryegrass ("Lolium perenne"). Such mixtures can not only optimize livestock production, but can also reduce the bloat risk to livestock that can be associated with excessive


title: "Trifolium repens" content: white clover in pastures. Such species mixtures also tend to avoid issues that could otherwise be associated with cyanogenic glycoside (linamarin and lotaustralin) intake on pure or nearly pure stands of some white clover varieties. However, problems do not inevitably arise with grazing on monocultures of white clover, and superior ruminant production is sometimes achieved on white clover monocultures managed to optimize sward height. Formononetin and biochanin A play a role in arbuscular mycorrhiza formation on white clover roots, and foliar disease can stimulate production of estrogenic coumestans in white clover. However, while there have been a few reports of


title: "Trifolium repens" content: phytoestrogenic effects of white clover on grazing ruminants, these have been far less common than such reports regarding some varieties of subterranean and red clover. Among forage plants, some white clover varieties tend to be favored by rather close grazing, because of their stoloniferous habit, which can contribute to competitive advantage. White clover grows well as a companion plant among lawns, grain crops, pasture grasses, and vegetable rows. It is often added to lawn seed mixes, as it is able to grow and provide green cover in poorer soils where turfgrasses do not perform well. White clover can tolerate close


title: "Trifolium repens" content: mowing and grazing, and it can grow on many different types and pHs of soil (although it prefers clay soils). As a leguminous and hardy plant, it is considered to be a beneficial component of natural or organic pasture management and lawn care due to its ability to fix nitrogen and out-compete weeds. Natural nitrogen fixing reduces leaching from the soil and by maintaining soil health can reduce the incidence of some lawn diseases that are enhanced by the availability of synthetic fertilizer. For these reasons, it is often used as a green manure and cover crop. Besides making an


title: "Trifolium repens" content: excellent forage crop for livestock, clover leaves and flowers are a valuable survival food: they are high in proteins, and are widespread and abundant. The fresh plants have been used for centuries as additives to salads and other meals consisting of leafy vegetables. They are not easy for humans to digest raw, however, but this is easily fixed by boiling the harvested plants for 5–10 minutes. Dried white clover flowers may also be smoked as an herbal alternative to tobacco. In India, "T. repens" is considered a folk medicine against intesinal helminthic worms, and an experimental in-vivo study validated that


title: "Trifolium repens" content: the aerial shoots of "T. repens" bear significant anticestodal properties. In Britain, a high abundance of white clover is generally associated with species-poor, agriculturally-improved grassland habitats, as it out-competes the more rare plants, especially in fertile soils, and has often been added as part of reseeding. Agri-environment schemes, such as the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme, and Environmental Stewardship, give funding to species-rich grasslands that are relatively infertile and do not generally have an abundance of white clover. However, white clover does have value as a pollen and nectar source particularly in intensively farmed areas or amenity grasslands


title: "Trifolium repens" content: where there are few other flowers, and it can be found naturally at low levels in species-rich grasslands. White clover is the only known plant on which the caterpillars of the Coleophoridae case-bearer moth "Coleophora mayrella" feed. "Trifolium" means 'trefoil' (three-lobed leaves); this is Pliny’s name for trifoliate plants. "Repens" means 'creeping' or 'stoloniferous'. Tangpu, V., Temjenmongla & Yadav, A. K. 2004. Anticestodal activity of Trifolium repens extract. Pharmaceutical Biology 42: 656-658. Trifolium repens Trifolium repens, the white clover (also known as Dutch clover, Ladino clover, or Ladino), is a herbaceous perennial plant in the bean family Fabaceae (previously referred


title: "Brunswick Centre" content: Brunswick Centre The Brunswick Centre is a grade II listed residential and shopping centre in Bloomsbury, Camden, London, England, located between Brunswick Square and Russell Square. It was designed by Patrick Hodgkinson in the mid-1960s, based on studies by Leslie Martin. It was initially planned as a private development at a time when private, mixed-use development in the UK was rare. Building started in 1967 and was completed in 1972, though the building fell some way short of its intended size. The original plan extended up to Euston Road but the Ministry of Defence would not release the site of


title: "Brunswick Centre" content: a building they leased for use by the Territorial Army (and that still stands next to the Centre today). After failing to attract sufficient private buyers on time, the residential section was leased to the London Borough of Camden for use as council housing, while the developer retained ownership of the structure and shopping areas. The exterior of the building was never painted because the Borough could not afford to complete work on the building after they took control. In Hodgkinson's design, the blocks would have been painted cream, a shade typical of the Georgian period, as a homage to


title: "Brunswick Centre" content: the terraced houses that previously stood on the site and those that still surround it. Despite being widely disliked by those who are unsympathetic to modernist architecture, it achieved Grade II status in 2000. By this time, however, many of its shop premises were unoccupied. Plans for renovation had repeatedly been blocked by residents' committees but in November 2002, the £22 million project began. This included the painting of the blocks in their originally-planned colour and the commissioning of artist Susanna Heron to introduce water features to the central space. The major work was completed in late 2006 with the


title: "Brunswick Centre" content: opening of branches of several high street chain stores and restaurants. The dual management has caused problems though, as the landlord restored the structure of the estate but the council is responsible for maintenance of the residential properties – so while the concrete structure was restored, the windows remained untouched, detracting from the overall aesthetic of the development. In 2007, the council started work on replacing the windows. Now referring to itself as The Brunswick, the centre contains 560 flats, various shops, cafés and restaurants, a Waitrose supermarket, and a Curzon cinema. The centre is regularly used as a location


title: "Brunswick Centre" content: for films, TV, photography and music videos including "Alexei Sayle's Stuff", "The Comic Strip", "Crime Traveller", "Gangster No. 1", the BBC’s skateboarders trailer and Egg Card’s guineapig advert. Elain Harwood, "A Guide to Post-War Listed Buildings", B.T. Batsford and English Heritage, 2003. Brunswick Centre The Brunswick Centre is a grade II listed residential and shopping centre in Bloomsbury, Camden, London, England, located between Brunswick Square and Russell Square. It was designed by Patrick Hodgkinson in the mid-1960s, based on studies by Leslie Martin. It was initially planned as a private development at a time when private, mixed-use development in the


title: "History of Scania" content: Lund and still is. By 1693, Scania became a left a dominion, with a special, not fully integrated, status. It retained its autonomy with a parliament known as the "Lantdag". The latest battle between Denmark and Sweden concerning the control of Scania was the Battle of Helsingborg (1710) during the Great Northern War. In March that year the last Danish troops left the province. Scania, eventually became an official part of Sweden after a treaty in Stockholm of 3 July 1720, although Scania had been divided into two counties, Malmöhus County (labeled after the Castle Malmöhus) and Kristianstad County already


title: "Canadian Alliance leadership elections" content: (since 1993). During the early campaign, Toronto drag queen Enza Anderson also declared her candidacy for the leadership, although she dropped her bid before the official registration deadline. Canadian Alliance leadership elections The Canadian Alliance, a conservative political party in Canada, held two leadership elections to choose the party's leader. The first was held shortly after the party's founding in 2000, and the second was held in 2002. The party merged with the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003 to form the Conservative Party of Canada. The 1987 founding convention of the Reform Party of Canada elected Preston Manning


title: "Aegopodium podagraria" content: Aegopodium podagraria Aegopodium podagraria (commonly called ground elder, herb gerard, bishop's weed, goutweed, gout wort, and snow-in-the-mountain, and sometimes called English masterwort and wild masterwort) is a perennial plant in the carrot family (Apiaceae) that grows in shady places. The name "ground elder" comes from the superficial similarity of its leaves and flowers to those of elder ("Sambucus"), which is unrelated. It is the type species of the genus "Aegopodium". This species is native to Eurasia, and has been introduced around the world as an ornamental plant, where it occasionally poses an ecological threat as an invasive exotic plant. "A.


title: "Aegopodium podagraria" content: podagraria" is perennial, growing to a height of with rhizomes. The stems are erect, hollow and grooved. The upper leaves are ternate, broad and toothed. The flowers are in umbels, terminal with 15 to 20 rays, with small white flowers. The fruits are small and have long curved styles. The flowers are visited by many types of insects, thus being characterised by a generalised pollination system. Generally distributed in Ireland and Great Britain. Seed dispersal and seedling establishment is typically limited by shading, and new establishments from seed are restricted to disturbed areas. However, "Aegopodium podagraria" readily spreads over large


title: "Aegopodium podagraria" content: areas of ground by underground rhizomes. Once established, the plants are highly competitive, also in shaded environments, and can reduce the diversity of ground cover, and prevent the establishment of tree and shrub seedlings. Because of its limited seed dispersal ability, short-lived seed bank and seedling recruitment, the primary vector for dispersal to new areas are human plantings as an ornamental, medicinal or vegetable plant, as well as by accidentally spreading rhizomes by dumping of garden waste. It spreads rapidly under favorable growing conditions. Because of this it has been described as a nuisance species, and been labeled one of


title: "Aegopodium podagraria" content: the "worst" garden weeds in perennial flower gardens. "A. podagraria" has been introduced around the world, including in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, most commonly as an ornamental plant. It readily establishes and can become naturalized in boreal, moist-temperate, and moist-subtropical climates. It is an "aggressive" invader in the upper Great Lakes region and northeastern North America, Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. It can pose an ecological threat due to its invasive nature, with potential to crowd out native species. Because of its potential impacts on native communities and the difficulty of its control, it has been banned


title: "Aegopodium podagraria" content: or restricted in some jurisdictions outside its native range, including in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Wisconsin (see Administrative Code NR 40), and Vermont in the USA. Once established, goutweed is difficult to eradicate. The smallest piece of rhizome left in the ground will quickly form a sturdy new plant. All-green goutweed may be more persistent and spread more rapidly than ornamental, variegated goutweed varieties, making the all-green type particularly difficult to control. And all-green, wild type forms are known to reappear from seeds of variegated varieties. Integrative management strategies that combine herbicide with landscape cloth, bark mulch, and hand weeding to control


title: "Aegopodium podagraria" content: goutweed in a garden are largely unsuccessful because sprouting occurs from either rhizomes or root fragments left in the soil. Hand pulling, raking, and digging followed by monitoring to control goutweed may be effective; however, caution must be taken to remove the entire rhizome and root system. Removing flowers before seed set may help control the spread of goutweed. Because goutweed's starch reserves are typically depleted by spring, removal of leaves in spring could be effective in starving the plant. Once goutweed has been removed, the patch should be carefully monitored periodically for a few years. New shoots should be


title: "Aegopodium podagraria" content: dug up and destroyed. Revegetation with other plant materials is recommended. The most effective means of control is to prevent its establishment in natural communities. It is thus recommended to plant goutweed only on sites not adjacent to wildlands and in gardens where root spread can be restricted (e.g., between a sidewalk and a house). A variegated form is grown as an ornamental plant, though with the advice to keep it isolated. In Eurasia, it is used as a food plant by the larvae of some species of Lepidoptera, including dot moth, grey dagger and grey pug, although "A. podagraria"


title: "Aegopodium podagraria" content: is not the exclusive host to any of these species. The tender leaves have been used in antiquity and throughout the Middle Ages as a spring leaf vegetable, much as spinach was used. Young leaves are preferred as a pot herb. It is best picked from when it appears (as early as February in the UK) to just before it flowers (May to June). If it is picked after this point, it takes on a pungent taste and has a laxative effect. However, it can be stopped from flowering by pinching out the flowers, ensuring the plant remains edible if


title: "Aegopodium podagraria" content: used more sparingly as a pot herb. It also had a history as a medicinal herb to treat gout and arthritis, applied in hot wraps externally upon boiling both leaves and roots together. Ingested, the leaves have a diuretic effect and act as a mild sedative. Its use as a medicinal herb has largely declined during the modern era. The plant is said to have been introduced into Great Britain by the Romans as a food plant and into Northern Europe as a medicinal herb by monks. It is still found growing in patches surrounding many monastic ruins in Europe,


title: "Aegopodium podagraria" content: and descriptions of its use are found among monastic writings, such as in "Physica" by Hildegard von Bingen. Aegopodium podagraria Aegopodium podagraria (commonly called ground elder, herb gerard, bishop's weed, goutweed, gout wort, and snow-in-the-mountain, and sometimes called English masterwort and wild masterwort) is a perennial plant in the carrot family (Apiaceae) that grows in shady places. The name "ground elder" comes from the superficial similarity of its leaves and flowers to those of elder ("Sambucus"), which is unrelated. It is the type species of the genus "Aegopodium". This species is native to Eurasia, and has been introduced around the


title: "TPR Storytelling" content: to messages, reading interesting books and articles, and other enjoyable activities that take place in the language being learned. According to Krashen's theory, the only thing that can lead to fluency in the language is language "acquisition". Language "learning" can only be used as a way to consciously edit speech or writing, and it is never the cause of spontaneous, unrehearsed speech or writing. In light of this theory, TPRS teachers spend the vast majority of their class time on input-based activities. The table below shows the activities used in TPR Storytelling, and whether they encourage language learning, language acquisition,


title: "Artemisia tridentata" content: Artemisia tridentata Artemisia tridentata, commonly called big sagebrush, Great Basin sagebrush or (locally) simply sagebrush, is an aromatic shrub from the family Asteraceae, which grows in arid and semi-arid conditions, throughout a range of cold desert, steppe, and mountain habitats in the Intermountain West of North America. The vernacular name "sagebrush" is also used for several related members of the genus "Artemisia", such as California sagebrush ("Artemisia californica"). Big Sagebrush and other "Artemisia" shrubs are the dominant plant species across large portions of the Great Basin. The range extends northward through British Columbia's southern interior, south into Baja California, and


title: "Artemisia tridentata" content: east into the western Great Plains of New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, and the Dakotas. Several major threats exist to sage brush ecosystems, including human settlements, conversion to agricultural land, livestock grazing, invasive plant species, wildfires, and climate change. Sagebrush provides food and habitat for a variety of species, such as sage grouse, pronghorn antelope, grey vireo, pygmy rabbit, and mule deer. "Artemisia tridentata" is the state flower of Nevada. Much discussion and disagreement revolves around the question of how to divide the species into varieties and subgenera. The following subspecies are accepted by some authors, though others advocate different systems.


title: "Artemisia tridentata" content: Big sagebrush is a coarse, many-branched, pale-grey shrub with yellow flowers and silvery-grey foliage, which is generally 0.5–3 m tall. A deep taproot 1–4 m in length, coupled with laterally spreading roots near the surface, allows sagebrush to gather water from both surface precipitation and the water table several meters beneath. Big sagebrush that is over a meter tall is an indicator of arable land, because it prefers deep, basic soils. Sagebrush is generally long-lived once it makes it past the seedling stage, and can reach ages of over 100 years. The species has a strong pungent fragrance (especially when


title: "Artemisia tridentata" content: wet) due to the presence of camphor, terpenoids and other volatile oils. The taste is bitter and, together with the odor, serves to discourage browsing by many herbivores. It is an evergreen shrub, keeping some of its leaves year-round (although it loses many of them in the late summer). The leaves—attached to the branches at the axillary nodes—are wedge-shaped, 1–3 cm long and 0.3–1 cm broad, with the wider outer tips divided into three lobes (hence the scientific name "tridentata"). The leaves are covered with fine silvery hairs. "Artemisia tridentata" flowers in the late summer or early fall. The small


title: "Artemisia tridentata" content: yellow flowers are in long, loosely arranged tubular clusters. The fruits are seed-like, and have a small amount of hairs on the surface. The Cahuilla used to gather large quantities of sagebrush seed, and grind it to make flour. Big sagebrush can also reproduce through sprouts, which shoot up from the underground rhizome. The sprouts are an extension of the parental plant while seedlings are completely individualistic to any other plant. Among these two strategies, the seedlings need more moisture for germination and early survival. This is due to the sprouts being connected to already healthy and associated plants while


title: "Artemisia tridentata" content: the new seedlings will start anew. "Artemisia tridentata" grows in arid and semi-arid conditions, throughout the Intermountain West of North America. Sagebrush is not a desert plant, but rather a resident of the steppe, in areas that receive of annual precipitation. Big sagebrush and other "Artemisia" species are the dominant plants across large portions of the Great Basin, covering some in 11 western U.S. states and Canadian provinces. Sagebrush provides food and habitat for a variety of animal species, such as sage grouse, pronghorn, grey vireo, pygmy rabbit, and mule deer. Sagebrush also creates habitat for many species of grasses


title: "Artemisia tridentata" content: and herbs. Besides providing shade and shelter from the wind, the long taproot of sagebrush draws water up from deep in the soil, some of which becomes available to these surrounding shallow-rooted plants. The terpenoid compounds in big sagebrush are thought to ward off herbivores. These oils, at high concentrations, are toxic to the symbiotic bacteria in the rumen of some ruminants like deer and cattle. Pronghorn are the only large herbivore to browse sagebrush extensively. Damage to sagebrush plants caused by grazing herbivores results in the release of volatile chemicals, which are used to signal a warning to nearby


title: "Artemisia tridentata" content: plants, so that they can increase the production of repellent chemical compounds. This plant-to-plant communication can take place at distances of up to 60 cm. Several major threats exist to sage brush ecosystems, including human settlements, conversion to agricultural land, livestock grazing, invasive plant species, wildfires, and climate change. The cattle industry burns large areas of sagebrush habitat to make way for grazing animals. Due to large periods of time where sagebrush was the primary shrub, many species have become adapted to this habitat. The burning of the shrubs leads to habitat loss of many species and can be very


title: "Artemisia tridentata" content: detrimental to the ecosystem as a whole. Furthermore, the destruction of native grasses and forbs by grazing and fire creates conditions where invasive plants colonize the area. The invasive species which has destroyed the largest amount of sagebrush habitat is cheatgrass ("Bromus tectorum"). Since its accidental introduction in the 1890s, cheatgrass has radically altered the native shrub ecosystem by replacing indigenous vegetation, and by creating a fire cycle that is too frequent to allow sagebrush to re-establish itself. Sagebrush is not fire-tolerant and relies on wind-blown seeds from outside the burned area for re-establishment. Some tree species have also been


title: "Artemisia tridentata" content: encroaching on big sagebrush habitat. For example, in the Warner Mountains in California white fir ("Abies concolor") has been out-competing big sagebrush. Big sagebrush is used as a herbal medicine by Native Americans throughout the Intermountain West of North America, most notably as a smudging herb. It is also used for preventing infection in wounds, stopping internal bleeding, and treating headaches and colds. Chemically, the active medicinal constituents include camphor, terpenoids, and tannins. The Navajo use the vapors of sagebrush as a treatment for headache. The Okanagan and Colville people used sagebrush to smoke hides. Among the Zuni people, an


title: "Artemisia tridentata" content: infusion of the leaves is used externally for body aches. The infusion is also taken as a cold medicine. It is also placed in shoes to treat athlete's foot, fissures between toes, and as a foot deodorant. Sagebrush essential oil contains approximately 40% "l"-camphor; 20% pinene; 7% cineole; 5% methacrolein; and 12% "a"-terpinene, "d"-camphor, and sesqiterpenoids. The plant's oils are toxic to the liver and digestive system of humans if taken internally, so care must be taken during any form of internal use. Generally, toxic symptoms will subside 24–48 hours after ingesting the plant. Artemisia tridentata Artemisia tridentata, commonly called


title: AMSAT content: and built by Karl Meinzer and AMSAT Germany (AMSAT-DL). AMSAT Japan (JAMSAT) contributed a transponder to AMSAT-OSCAR 8 (AO-8). In order to launch its satellites, AMSAT has worked with space agencies and commercial launch contractors to develop new ways to take advantage of unused areas of launch vehicles. In return, AMSAT sometimes can negotiate a reduction or waiver of launch costs. One of the most significant is the Ariane Structure for Auxiliary Payloads (ASAP), developed and manufactured in partnership with the European Space Agency in 1990 for use on its Ariane 4 launch vehicle. AMSAT was again able to take


title: "Irish Guards" content: with the blue/red/blue Household Division backing patch on it. On the beret ranks from Guardsman to Lance Sergeant wear a brass or staybrite cap badge, Sergeants and Colour Sergeants wear a bi-metal cap badge, Warrant Officers wear a silver plate gilt and enamel cap badge and commissioned officers of the regiment wear an embroidered cap badge. The Irish Guards pipers' uniform a kilt and tunic, like The Scots Guards, yet very different. Bagpipers wear saffron kilts rather than tartan, green hose with saffron flashes and heavy black shoes known as brogues with no spats, a rifle green doublet with buttons


title: "Foz do Arelho" content: of Foz do Arelho as a total area of in which live 1,339 inhabitants. Most of the local inhabitants work in industry and services in Caldas da Rainha, but there is also a considerable number dedicated to touristy activities, seafood fishing (bivalve molluscs), and agriculture. Quinta de Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe is an ancient manor house and farm, dated back to the 16th century. It includes a chapel, built in 1580 which can be seen, engraved in stone over the main entrance door, the chapel also has a stone bearing the "Medeiros" arms. Inside there is a polychromatic wood sculpture,


title: "Solar water heating" content: of homes. Flat plate solar systems were perfected and used on a large scale in Israel. In the 1950s a fuel shortage led the government to forbid heating water between 10 pm and 6 am. Levi Yissar built the first prototype Israeli solar water heater and in 1953 he launched the NerYah Company, Israel's first commercial manufacturer of solar water heating. Solar water heaters were used by 20% of the population by 1967. Following the energy crisis in the 1970s, in 1980 Israel required the installation of solar water heaters in all new homes (except high towers with insufficient roof


title: "Choroid plexus" content: usage. Choroid plexus The choroid plexus is a plexus of cells that produces the cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain. The choroid plexus consists of modified ependymal cells. There are four choroid plexuses in the brain, one in each of the ventricles. Choroid plexus is present in all parts of the ventricular system except for the cerebral aqueduct, the frontal horn and the occipital horn of the lateral ventricles. The choroid plexus consists of a layer of cuboidal epithelial cells surrounding a core of capillaries and loose connective tissue. The epithelium of the choroid plexus is continuous with


title: "Got Milk?" content: Milk?" In February 2014, MilkPEP announced that it was discontinuing licensing the slogan for its advertising in favor of a new tagline: "Milk Life". The California Milk Processor Board, the creators and owners of the trademark, continue to use it. As of 2016, the brand is used for a line of snack foods called Got Milk Snacks. Beginning in 2011, an advertising campaign was launched primarily attacking the soy milk industry. The themes of these ads are comparable to the Got Milk? ads, but with such messages as "real milk isn't made from beans and nuts" or "real milk requires


title: Ballyfin content: present building is a neo-classical mansion built by Sir Charles Coote (1792–1864) in the 1820s to designs by the leading Irish architects, Richard (1767–1849) and William Vitruvius Morrison (1794–1838). The house is considered the most lavish Regency mansion in Ireland. For much of the twentieth century, it served as a school, having been sold in 1928 by Sir Ralph Coote to the Patrician Brothers, a Roman Catholic teaching order. Since 2002, it has been the subject of an extensive restoration project and in May 2011, it opened its doors as a country house hotel. According to legend, Fionn Mac Cumhaill


title: FairTax content: tax-exclusive) rate would be revenue neutral for 2006. The President's Advisory Panel for Federal Tax Reform performed a 2006 analysis to replace the individual and corporate income tax with a retail sales tax and estimated the rate to be 25% (34% tax-exclusive) assuming 15% tax evasion, and 33% (49% tax-exclusive) with 30% tax evasion. The rate would need to be substantially higher to replace the additional taxes replaced by the FairTax (payroll, estate, and gift taxes). Several economists criticized the President's Advisory Panel's study as having allegedly altered the terms of the FairTax, using unsound methodology, and/or failing to fully


title: "Long-tailed weasel" content: Long-tailed weasel The long-tailed weasel ("Mustela frenata"), also known as the bridled weasel or big stoat, is a species of mustelid distributed from southern Canada throughout all the United States and Mexico, southward through all of Central America and into northern South America. It is distinct from the short-tailed weasel, also known as a "stoat", a close relation which originated in Eurasia and crossed into North America some half million years ago. The long-tailed weasel is the product of a process begun 5–7 million years ago, when northern forests were replaced by open grassland, thus prompting an explosive evolution of


title: "Long-tailed weasel" content: small, burrowing rodents. The long-tailed weasel's ancestors were larger than the current form, and underwent a reduction in size to exploit the new food source. The long-tailed weasel arose in North America 2 million years ago, shortly before the stoat evolved as its mirror image in Eurasia. The species thrived during the Ice Age, as its small size and long body allowed it to easily operate beneath snow, as well as hunt in burrows. The long-tailed weasel and the stoat remained separated until half a million years ago, when falling sea levels exposed the Bering land bridge, thus allowing the


title: "Long-tailed weasel" content: stoat to cross into North America. However, unlike the latter species, the long-tailed weasel never crossed the land bridge, and did not spread into Eurasia. The long-tailed weasel is one of the larger members of the genus "Mustela" in North America. There is substantial disagreement both on the upper end of their size and difference in size by sex by source: one indicates a body length of and a tail comprising 40–70% of the head and body length. It adds that In most populations, females are 10–15% smaller than males, thus making them about the same size as large male


title: "Long-tailed weasel" content: stoats, according to a second source. A third states they range from 11 to 22 inches (280–560 mm) in length, with the tail measuring an additional 3 to 6 inches (80–150 mm). It maintains the long-tailed weasel weighs between 3 and 9 ounces (85-267 g) with males being about twice as large as the females. The eyes are black in daylight, but glow bright emerald green when caught in a spotlight at night. The dorsal fur is brown in summer, while the underparts are whitish and tinged with yellowish or buffy brown from the chin to the inguinal region. The


title: "Long-tailed weasel" content: tail has a distinct black tip. Long-tailed weasels in Florida and the southwestern US may have facial markings of a white or yellowish colour. In northern areas in winter, the long-tailed weasel's fur becomes white, sometimes with yellow tints, but the tail retains its black tip. The long-tailed weasel moults twice annually, once in autumn (October to mid-November) and once in spring (March–April). Each moult takes about 3–4 weeks and is governed by day length and mediated by the pituitary gland. Unlike the stoat, whose soles are thickly furred all year, the long-tailed weasel's soles are naked in summer. The


title: "Long-tailed weasel" content: long-tailed weasel has well-developed anal scent glands, which produce a strong and musky odour. Unlike skunks, which spray their musk, the long-tailed weasel drags and rubs its body over surfaces in order to leave the scent, to mark their territory and, when startled or threatened, to discourage predators. The long-tailed weasel mates in July–August, with implantation of the fertilized egg on the uterine wall being delayed until about March. The gestation period lasts 10 months, with actual embryonic development taking place only during the last four weeks of this period, an adaptation to timing births for spring, when small mammals


title: "Long-tailed weasel" content: are abundant. Litter size generally consists of 5–8 kits, which are born in April–May. The kits are born partially naked, blind and weighing 3 grams, about the same weight of a hummingbird. The long-tailed weasel's growth rate is rapid, as by the age of three weeks, the kits are well furred, can crawl outside the nest and eat meat. At this time, the kits weigh 21–27 grams. At five weeks of age, the kit's eyes open, and the young become physically active and vocal. Weaning begins at this stage, with the kits emerging from the nest and accompanying the mother


title: "Long-tailed weasel" content: in hunting trips a week later. The kits are fully grown by autumn, at which time the family disbands. The females are able to breed at 3–4 months of age, while males become sexually mature at 15–18 months. The long-tailed weasel dens in ground burrows, under stumps or beneath rock piles. It usually does not dig its own burrows, but commonly uses abandoned chipmunk holes. The diameter nest chamber is situated around from the burrow entrance, and is lined with straw and the fur of prey. The long-tailed weasel is a fearless and aggressive hunter which may attack animals far


title: "Long-tailed weasel" content: larger than itself. When stalking, it waves its head from side to side in order to pick up the scent of its prey. It hunts small prey, such as mice, by rushing at them and kills them with one bite to the head. With large prey, such as rabbits, the long-tailed weasel strikes quickly, taking its prey off guard. It grabs the nearest part of the animal and climbs upon its body, maintaining its hold with its feet. The long-tailed weasel then manoeuvres itself to inflict a lethal bite to the neck. The long-tailed weasel is an obligate carnivore which


title: "Long-tailed weasel" content: prefers its prey to be fresh or alive, eating only the carrion stored within its burrows. Rodents are almost exclusively taken when they are available. Its primary prey consists of mice, rats, squirrels, chipmunks, shrews, moles and rabbits. Occasionally, it may eat small birds, bird eggs, reptiles, amphibians, fish, earthworms and some insects. The species has also been observed to take bats from nursery colonies. It occasionally surplus kills, usually in spring when the kits are being fed, and again in autumn. Some of the surplus kills may be cached, but are usually left uneaten. Kits in captivity eat from


title: "Long-tailed weasel" content: ¼–½ of their body weight in 24 hours, while adults eat only one fifth to one third. After killing its prey, the long-tailed weasel laps up the blood, but does not suck it, as is popularly believed. With small prey, also the fur, feathers, flesh and bones are consumed, but only some flesh is eaten from large prey. When stealing eggs, the long-tailed weasel removes each egg from its nest one at a time, then carries it in its mouth to a safe location where it bites off the top and licks out the contents or if they have babies


title: "Long-tailed weasel" content: in the den they may hold it in their mouth all the way back to them. , 42 subspecies are recognised. Long-tailed weasel The long-tailed weasel ("Mustela frenata"), also known as the bridled weasel or big stoat, is a species of mustelid distributed from southern Canada throughout all the United States and Mexico, southward through all of Central America and into northern South America. It is distinct from the short-tailed weasel, also known as a "stoat", a close relation which originated in Eurasia and crossed into North America some half million years ago. The long-tailed weasel is the product of


title: "Least weasel" content: Least weasel The least weasel ("Mustela nivalis"), common weasel, or simply weasel in the UK and much of the world, is the smallest member of the genus "Mustela," family Mustelidae and order Carnivora. It is native to Eurasia, North America and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Malta, Crete, Bermuda, Madeira Island, the Azores, the Canary Islands, São Tomé, the Falkland Islands, Argentina and Chile. It is classified as least concern by the IUCN, due to its wide distribution and large population throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Least weasels from various parts of its range vary greatly


title: "Least weasel" content: in size. The body is slender and elongated, the legs and tail are relatively short. The colour varies geographically, as does the pelage type and length of tail. The dorsal surface, flanks, limbs and tail of the animal are usually some shade of brown while the underparts are white. The line delineating the boundary between the two colours is usually straight. At high altitudes and in the northern part of its range, the coat becomes pure white in winter. Eighteen subspecies are recognised. Small rodents form the largest part of the least weasel's diet, but it also kills and eats


title: "Least weasel" content: rabbits, other mammals, and occasionally birds, birds' eggs, fish and frogs. Males mark their territories with olfactory signals and have exclusive home ranges which may intersect with or include several female ranges. Least weasels use pre-existing holes to sleep, store food and raise their young. Breeding takes place in the spring and summer, and there is a single litter of about six kits which are reared exclusively by the female. Due to its small size and fierce nature, the least weasel plays an important part in the mythology and legend of various cultures. The least weasel was given its scientific


title: "Least weasel" content: name "Mustela nivalis" by Carl Linnaeus in his 12th edition of Systema Naturae in 1766. The type locality was Västerbotten in Sweden. As an animal with a very wide distribution, the morphology of the least weasel varies geographically. The species was reviewed by Reichstein in 1957 and again by van Zyll de Jong in 1992 and Reig in 1997. Youngman (1982) placed it in the subgenus "Mustela" while Abramov (1999) considered it should be included in the subgenus "Gale". Based on skull characteristics, Reig (1997) proposed that the taxon should be split into four species, "M. subpalmata", "M. rixosa", "M.


title: "Least weasel" content: vulgaris" and "M. eskimo". Abrimov and Baryshinikov (2000) disagreed, recognising only "M. subpalmata" as a separate species. Within the genus "Mustela", the least weasel is a relatively unspecialised form, as evidenced by its pedomorphic skull, which occurs even in large subspecies. Its direct ancestor was "Mustela praenivalis", which lived in Europe during the Middle Pleistocene and Villafranchian. "M. praenivalis" itself was probably preceded by "M. pliocaenica" of the Pliocene. The modern species probably arose during the Late Pleistocene. The least weasel is the product of a process begun 5–7 million years ago, when northern forests were replaced by open grassland,


title: "Least weasel" content: thus prompting an explosive evolution of small, burrowing rodents. The weasel's ancestors were larger than the current form, and underwent a reduction in size to exploit the new food source. The least weasel thrived during the Ice Age, as its small size and long body allowed it to easily operate beneath snow, as well as hunt in burrows. It probably crossed to North America through the Bering land bridge 200,000 years ago. The least weasel has a high geographic variation, a fact which has historically led to numerous disagreements among biologists studying its systematics. Least weasel subspecies are divided into


title: "Least weasel" content: 3 categories: The least weasel has a thin, greatly elongated and extremely flexible body with a small, yet elongated, blunt-muzzled head which is no thicker than the neck. The eyes are small in relation to their head size and are bulging and dark colored. The legs and tail are relatively short, the latter constituting less than half the body length. The feet have sharp, dark-coloured claws, and the soles are heavily haired. The skull, especially that of the small "rixosa" group, has an infantile appearance when compared with that of other members of the genus "Mustela" (in particular, the stoat


title: "Least weasel" content: and kolonok). This is expressed in the relatively large size of the cranium and shortened facial region. The skull is, overall, similar to that of the stoat, but smaller, though the skulls of large male weasels tend to overlap in size with those of small female stoats. There are usually four pairs of nipples but these are only visible in females. The baculum is short, , with a thick, straight shaft. Fat is deposited along the spine, kidneys, gut mesentries and around the limbs. The least weasel has muscular anal glands under the tail, which measure , and contain sulphurous


title: "Least weasel" content: volatiles, including thietanes and dithiacyclopentanes. The smell and chemical composition of these chemicals are distinct from those of the stoat. The least weasel moves by jumping, the distance between the tracks of the fore and hind limbs being . Dimensions vary geographically, to an extent rarely found among other mammals. Least weasels of the "vulgaris" group, for example, may outweigh the smaller races by almost four times. In some large subspecies, the male may be 1.5 times longer than the female. Variations in tail length are also variable, constituting from 13–30% of the length of the body. Average body length


title: "Least weasel" content: in males is , while females average . The tail measures in males and in females. Males weigh , while females weigh . The winter fur is dense, but short and closely fitting. In northern subspecies, the fur is soft and silky, but coarse in southern forms. The summer fur is very short, sparser and rougher. The upper parts in the summer fur are dark, but vary geographically from dark-tawny or dark-chocolate to light pale tawny or sandy. The lower parts, including the lower jaw and inner sides of the legs, are white. There is often a brown spot at


title: "Least weasel" content: the corner of the mouth. The dividing line between the dark upper and light lower parts is usually straight but sometimes forms an irregular line. The tail is brown, and sometimes the tip is a little darker but it is never black. In the northern part of its range and at high altitudes, the least weasel changes colour in the winter, the coat becoming pure white and exhibiting a few black hairs in rare circumstances. The least weasel mates in April–July and there is a 34- to 37-day gestation period. In the Northern Hemisphere, the average litter size consists of


title: "Least weasel" content: 6 kits and these reach sexual maturity in 3 to 4 months. Males may mate during their first year of life, though this is usually unsuccessful. They are fecund in February–October, though the early stages of spermatogenesis do occur throughout the winter months. Anestrus in females lasts from September until February. The female raises its kits without help from the male. They are in weight at birth. Newborn kits are born pink, naked, blind and deaf, but gain a white coat of downy fur at the age of 4 days. At 10 days, the margin between the dark upper parts


title: "Least weasel" content: and light under parts becomes visible. The milk teeth erupt at 2 to 3 weeks of age, at which point the young start to eat solid food, though lactation can last 12 weeks. The eyes and ears open at 3 to 4 weeks of age, and by 8 weeks, killing behaviour is developed. The family breaks up after 9 to 12 weeks. There is a single litter each year and least weasels can live for 7 or 8 years. The least weasel has a typical mustelid territorial pattern, consisting of exclusive male ranges encompassing multiple female ranges. The population density


title: "Least weasel" content: of each territory depends greatly on food supply and reproductive success, thus the social structure and population density of any given territory is unstable and flexible. Like the stoat, the male least weasel extends its range during spring or during food shortages. Its scent marking behaviour is similar to that of the stoat; it uses faeces, urine and anal and dermal gland secretions, the latter two of which are deposited by anal dragging and body rubbing. The least weasel does not dig its own den, but nests in the abandoned burrow of another species such as a mole or rat.


title: "Least weasel" content: The burrow entrance measures about across and leads to the nest chamber located up to below ground. The nest chamber (which is used for sleeping, rearing kits and storing food) measures in diameter, and is lined with straw and the skins of the weasel's prey. The least weasel has four basic vocalisations; a guttural hiss emitted when alarmed, which is interspersed with short screaming barks and shrieks when provoked. When defensive, it emits a shrill wail or squeal. During encounters between males and females or between a mother and kits, the least weasel emits a high-pitched trilling. The least weasel's


title: "Least weasel" content: way of expressing aggression is similar to that of the stoat. Dominant weasels exhibit lunges and shrieks during aggressive encounters, while subdominant weasels will emit submissive squeals. The least weasel feeds predominantly on mouse-like rodents, including mice, hamsters, gerbils and others. It usually does not attack adult hamsters and rats. Frogs, fish, small birds and bird eggs are rarely eaten. It can deal with adult pikas and gerbils, but usually cannot overcome brown rats and sousliks. Exceptional cases are known of least weasels killing prey far larger than themselves, such as capercaillie, hazel hen and hares. In England, a favoured


title: "Least weasel" content: prey item is the field vole ("Microtus agrestis"). These have fluctuations in population size, and in years of abundance may form up to 54% of the weasel's diet. In years of scarcity, birds form a greater proportion of the diet and female least weasels may fail to breed. Despite its small size, the least weasel is a fierce hunter, capable of killing a rabbit five to ten times its own weight. Although they are commonly taken, the rabbits are usually young specimens, and become an important food source during the spring, when small rodents are scarce and rabbit kits are


title: "Least weasel" content: plentiful. Male least weasels take a higher proportion of rabbits than females, as well as an overall greater variety of prey. This is linked to the fact that being larger, and having vaster territorial ranges than females, males have more opportunities to hunt a greater diversity of prey. The least weasel forages undercover, to avoid being seen by foxes and birds of prey. It is adapted for pursuing its prey down tunnels, though it may also bolt prey from a burrow and kill it in the open. The least weasel kills small prey, such as voles, with a bite to


title: "Least weasel" content: the occipital region of the skull or the neck, dislocating the cervical vertebrae. Large prey typically dies of blood loss or circulatory shock. When food is abundant, only a small portion of the prey is eaten, usually the brain. The average daily food intake is , which is equivalent to 30–35% of the animal's body weight. The least weasel is small enough to be preyed upon by a range of other predators. Least weasel remains have been found in the excrement of red foxes, sables, steppe and forest polecat, stoats, eagle owls and buzzards. The owls most efficient at capturing


title: "Least weasel" content: least weasels are barn, barred, and great horned owls. Other birds of prey threatening to the least weasel include broad-winged and rough-legged buzzards. Some snake species may prey on the least weasel, including the black rat snake and copperhead. Aside from its smaller size, the least weasel is more vulnerable to predation than the stoat because it lacks a black predator deflection mark on the tail. In areas where the least weasel is sympatric with the stoat, the two species compete with each other for rodent prey. The weasel manages to avoid too much competition by living in more upland


title: "Least weasel" content: areas, feeding on smaller prey and being capable of entering smaller holes. It actively avoids encounters with stoats, though female weasels are less likely to stop foraging in the presence of stoats, perhaps because their smaller size allows them to quickly escape into holes. Ectoparasites known to infest weasels include the louse "Trichodectes mustelae" and the mites "Demodex" and "Psoregates mustela". The species may catch fleas from the nests and burrows of its prey. Flea species known to infest weasels include "Ctenophthalmus bisoctodentatus" and "Palaeopsylla m. minor", which they get from moles, "P. s. soricis", which they get from shrews,


title: "Least weasel" content: "Nosopsyllus fasciatus", which they get from rodents and "Dasypsyllus gallinulae" which they get from birds. Helminths known to infest weasels include the trematode "Alaria", the nematodes "Capillaria", "Filaroides" and "Trichinella" and the cestode "Taenia". Least weasels are commonly infected with the nematode "Skrjabingylus nasicola", adults of which are found in the nasal sinuses and can damage the skull. There is no evidence that this has serious detrimental effects on even heavily infested animals. The least weasel has a circumboreal, Holarctic distribution, encompassing much of Europe and North Africa, Asia and parts of northern North America, where it occurs mainly in


title: "Least weasel" content: places where the stoat is not found, and has recently been extirpated from New York. It has been introduced in New Zealand, Malta, Crete, the Azore Islands and also Sao Tome off west Africa. It is found throughout Europe and on many islands, including the Azores, Britain (but not Ireland), and all major Mediterranean islands. It also occurs on Honshu and Hokkaido islands in Japan and on Kunashir, Iturup, and Sakhalin Islands in Russia. The least weasel occupies a similar type of habitat as the stoat but it less often frequents wet places. It can be found in fields, open


title: "Least weasel" content: woodland, bushy or rocky areas, parks and gardens, and at altitudes of up to about . The least weasel has a very wide circumboreal range and a large total population and is therefore listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being of "least concern". Its chosen habitat is in areas of coarse vegetation and in some regions its numbers may be decreasing because of changes in agricultural practices, but altogether its population trend is thought to be steady. It is relatively common in Eurasia but less abundant in North America and is thought to be rare in


title: "Least weasel" content: the southeastern United States. It is subject to considerable variations in numbers in areas where its main rodent prey is liable to large population fluctuations. In years of rodent population booms, the least weasel numbers may rise by up to ten-fold, only to slump again as prey becomes scarce again in the following years. The Ancient Macedonians believed that to see a least weasel was a good omen. In some districts of Macedon, women who suffered from headaches after having washed their heads in water drawn overnight would assume that a weasel had previously used the water as a mirror,


title: "Least weasel" content: but they would refrain from mentioning the animal's name for fear that it would destroy their clothes. Similarly, a popular superstition in southern Greece had it that the least weasel had previously been a bride, who was transformed into a bitter animal which would destroy the wedding dresses of other brides out of jealousy. According to Pliny the Elder, the least weasel is the only animal capable of killing the basilisk; To this dreadful monster the effluvium of the weasel is fatal, a thing that has been tried with success, for kings have often desired to see its body when


title: "Least weasel" content: killed; so true is it that it has pleased Nature that there should be nothing without its antidote. The animal is thrown into the hole of the basilisk, which is easily known from the soil around it being infected. The weasel destroys the basilisk by its odour, but dies itself in this struggle of nature against its own self. The Chippewa believed that the least weasel could kill the dreaded wendigo giant by rushing up its anus. In Inuit mythology, the least weasel is credited with both great wisdom and courage, and whenever a mythical Inuit hero wished to accomplish


title: "Least weasel" content: a valorous task, he would generally change himself into a least weasel. According to Matthew Hopkins, a witch hunter general during the English Civil War, least weasels were the familiars of witches. Least weasel The least weasel ("Mustela nivalis"), common weasel, or simply weasel in the UK and much of the world, is the smallest member of the genus "Mustela," family Mustelidae and order Carnivora. It is native to Eurasia, North America and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Malta, Crete, Bermuda, Madeira Island, the Azores, the Canary Islands, São Tomé, the Falkland Islands, Argentina and


title: "Naval War College" content: and research guides covering a wide range of topics of interest for those studying international relations, foreign area studies, contemporary and historical military topics, and security studies. The Naval Historical Collection (NHC) is the depository for the Naval War College archives, manuscripts, oral histories, and special collections relating to the history of naval warfare and the history of the U.S. Navy in Narragansett Bay. Established in 1969 and located in Mahan Hall, the NHC's primary source material are of interest to naval historians, scholars, and students of American military and diplomatic history, Naval War College students, faculty and staff, and


title: "Stephen Fleming" content: played well in his final series, scoring 297 in six innings. In the first innings of the second test against England, he scored his 7000th run in his 110th match. In his final test at, Napier, he scored half-centuries in both innings to ensure that he finished with a Test match average of over 40 (40.06). Fleming was an elegant left handed batsman and played shots such as the flick off the pads, straight drive, cover drive and cut shots. He was also a clever captain and his field placings for many batsmen like Damien Martyn at point and aggressive


title: "Erik Bruhn" content: entrechats as James in "La Sylphide." The steps, no matter how brilliantly executed, were always part of a deeper concept, part of a characterization. Erik Bruhn was a complete dancer – a far cry from the highly specialized artist he was often made out to be... His moral example to the rest of ballet came through the concentration and seriousness with which he committed himself to every role. Bruhn authored "Beyond Technique" with photos by Fred Fehl (1968, reissued as No. 36 of "Dance Perspectives" in 1973), and with Lillian Moore he co-authored "Bournonville and Ballet Technique: Studies and Comments


title: "Rock Islands" content: of the islands themselves. The Rock Islands and the surrounding reefs make up Palau's popular tourist sites such as Blue Corner, Blue hole, German Channel, Ngermeaus Island and the famed Jellyfish Lake, one of the many Marine lakes in the Rock Islands that provides home and safety for several kinds of stingless jellyfish found only in Palau. It is the most popular dive destination in Palau, and offers some of the best and most diverse dive sites on the planet. From wall diving to high current drift dives, from Manta Rays to sharkfeeds an from shallow and colorful lagoons to


title: "Hamburger SV" content: of SC Internacional, the third oldest club of the country which became part of São Paulo FC, one of the major sports clubs of Brazil, in 1938 and SC Germânia of São Paulo, which later became EC Pinheiros. Hamburger SC 1888 was founded by students on 1 June 1888. It later had links with a youth team called FC Viktoria 95 and, during World War I, was temporarily known as Viktoria Hamburg 88. SC Germania and Hamburger SC 1888 were among 86 clubs who founded the Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB; German Football Association) in Leipzig on 28 January 1900. FC Falke


title: "Round World version of the Silmarillion" content: Round World version of the Silmarillion The Round World version is one of the variants of J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, published in the final volumes of "The History of Middle-earth". In this version, the Earth was always round, and Arda was the name for the whole solar system instead of just the Earth. In the Round World version the Sun and the Moon were not the fruit of the Two Trees, but actually preceded the creation of the Trees. Instead, the Trees preserved the light of the Sun before it was tainted by Melkor when he ravished Arien. While


title: "Alley Oop" content: fellow countrymen in Moo's capital and sole cave-town. Despite these exotic settings, the stories were often satires of American suburban life. The first stories took place in the Stone Age and centered on Alley Oop's dealings with his fellow cavemen in the kingdom of Moo. Oop and his pals had occasional skirmishes with the rival kingdom of Lem, ruled by King Tunk. The names Moo and Lem are references to the fabled lost continents of Mu and Lemuria. On April 5, 1939, Hamlin introduced a new plot device which greatly expanded his choice of storylines: A time machine was invented


title: Creepshow content: feel, Romero hired long-time effects specialist Tom Savini to make comic-like effects. The film earned $21,028,755 in the United States. A young boy named Billy gets disciplined by his father, Stan, for reading a horror comic titled "Creepshow". Stan reminds his wife that he had to be hard on Billy because he does not want their son to be reading such "crap". As Billy sits upstairs cursing his father with hopes of him rotting in Hell, he hears a sound at the window, which turns out to be a ghostly apparition in the form of The Creep from the comic


title: "Yugoslav People's Army" content: country from the Axis Powers, that date was officially celebrated as the "Day of the Army" in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFR Yugoslavia). In March 1945, the NOVJ was renamed the "Yugoslav Army" (""Jugoslovenska Armija"") and, on its 10th anniversary, on 22 December 1951, received the adjective "people's" (""narodna""). The JNA consisted of the ground forces, air force and navy. It was organized into four military regions which were further divided into districts that were responsible for administrative tasks such as draft registration, mobilization, and construction and maintenance of military facilities. The regions were: Belgrade (responsible for eastern


title: Settler content: this distinction continues to present day with an existing Indigenous-Settler division, set in a settler-colonial context where it reproduces an inequitable racial structure. In this usage, pioneers are usually among the first to an area, whereas settlers can arrive after first settlement and join others in the process of human settlement. This correlates with the work of military pioneers who were tasked with construction of camps before the main body of troops would arrive at the designated campsite. In Imperial Russia, the government invited Russians or foreign nationals to settle in sparsely populated lands. These settlers were called "colonists". See,


title: Indenture content: of such a use can be found in the National Archives, where an indenture, from about 1401, recording the transfer of the manor of Pinley, Warwickshire, is held. In the early history of the United States, many European immigrants served a period of indentured labour in order to pay the cost of their transportation. This practice was common during the 17th and 18th centuries, where over half of immigrants worked off an average of three years' servitude. Bond indenture (also trust indenture or deed of trust) is a legal document issued to lenders and describes key terms such as the


title: "University of Texas at Dallas" content: Braila, Romania led the team to its second ASC Tournament title in history. The 2007 men's tennis program had a very successful season, beating Division II teams and advancing as far as the ASC Conference final before falling to Hardin-Simmons. The women's volleyball team claimed the 2009 American Southwest Conference championship at the UT Dallas Activity Center. The 25–0, 2009 women's volleyball team was the only undefeated NCAA Division III team in the nation at the time. The women's volleyball team won the 2011 ASC East title with an un-defeated home record of 6–0, and a conference record of 14–2.


title: "Harden, New South Wales" content: local council, but was amalgamated in 2016 to form Hilltops Council. The town's rugby league team competed for the Maher Cup. Harden has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: The Main Southern railway line passes through Harden. It became an important railway town with the line to Blayney branching off a few kilometres beyond Harden at Demondrille. Harden railway station is served by two daily NSW TrainLink XPT services to Melbourne and Sydney in each direction and a weekly Xplorer service to Griffith and Sydney. NSW TrainLink also operates a road coach service between Cootamundra and Canberra. Busabout Wagga Wagga


title: "Joel McCrea" content: unincorporated area of eastern Ventura County, California, which later became Thousand Oaks, California. This was the beginning of what became a spread on which McCrea and his wife Frances lived, raised their sons, and rode their horses. By the end of the 1940s, McCrea was a multi-millionaire, as much from his real-estate dealings as from his movie stardom. In the late 1960s, he sold of land to an oil company, on the condition that they would not drill within sight of his home. The McCreas ultimately donated several hundred acres of their personal property to the newly formed Conejo Valley


title: "Disney's Hollywood Studios" content: of Captain Jack Sparrow attractions in 2014. The following year, the Sorcerer's Hat was removed and the original sightlines from Hollywood Boulevard to the park's Chinese Theatre were restored. In March 2015, during an annual shareholders meeting, Disney CEO Bob Iger hinted at another possible name change for the park due to the changes coming in the near future. However, the company denied the rumors of a name change in February 2018. The park continued to close more studio-themed attraction; in April 2016, the majority of Streets of America—including the backlot street facades, the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show,


title: HDMI content: digital link. An HDMI connection can either be single-link (type A/C/D) or dual-link (type B) and can have a video pixel rate of 25 MHz to 340 MHz (for a single-link connection) or 25 MHz to 680 MHz (for a dual-link connection). Video formats with rates below 25 MHz (e.g., 13.5 MHz for 480i/NTSC) are transmitted using a pixel-repetition scheme. HDMI uses the Consumer Electronics Association/Electronic Industries Alliance 861 standards. HDMI 1.0 to HDMI 1.2a uses the EIA/CEA-861-B video standard, HDMI 1.3 uses the CEA-861-D video standard, and HDMI 1.4 uses the CEA-861-E video standard. The CEA-861-E document defines "video


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: Palacio de Bellas Artes The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) is a prominent cultural center in Mexico City. It has hosted some of the most notable events in music, dance, theatre, opera and literature and has held important exhibitions of painting, sculpture and photography. Consequently, the Palacio de Bellas Artes has been called the "Cathedral of Art in Mexico". The building is located on the western side of the historic center of Mexico City next to the Alameda Central park. The first National Theater of Mexico was built in the late 19th century, but it was soon


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: decided to tear this down in favor of a more opulent building in time for Centennial of the Mexican War of Independence in 1910. The initial design and construction was undertaken by Italian architect Adamo Boari in 1904, but complications arising from the soft subsoil and the political problem both before and during the Mexican Revolution, hindered then stopped construction completely by 1913. Construction began again in 1932 under Mexican architect Federico Mariscal and was completed in 1934. The exterior of the building is primarily Neoclassical and Art Nouveau and the interior is primarily Art Deco. The building is best


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: known for its murals by Diego Rivera, Siqueiros and others, as well as the many exhibitions and theatrical performances its hosts, including the Ballet Folklórico de México. The earliest known structure on the site was the Convent of Santa Isabel, whose church was built in 1680. However, significant Aztec finds, such as a sacrificial altar in the shape of a plumed serpent have been found here. The convent area suffered frequent flooding during the early colonial period and development here grew slowly. In spite of this, the convent remained until it was forcibly closed in the 1860s by the Reform


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: Laws. It was replaced by a textile mill and lower-class housing. A section of this housing, on Santa Isabel Alley, was torn down and replaced by the National Theater in the latter 19th century. During the late 19th century and very early 20th, this theatre was the site of most of Mexico City's high culture, presenting events such as theatre, operettas, Viennese dance and more. It was then decided to replace this building with a more opulent one for the upcoming Centennial of Mexican Independence celebrations in 1910. The old theatre was demolished in 1901, and the new theatre would


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: be called the Gran Teatro de Ópera. The work was awarded to Italian architect Adamo Boari, who favored neoclassical and art nouveau styles and who is responsible for the Palacio del Correo which is across the street. Adamo Boari promised in October 1904 to build a grand metallic structure, which at that time only existed in the United States, but not to this size. The first stone of the building was placed by Porfirio Díaz in 1904. Despite the 1910 deadline, by 1913, the building was hardly begun with only a basic shell. One reason for this is that the


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: project became more complicated than anticipated as the heavy building sank into the soft spongy subsoil. The other reason was the political and economic instability that would lead to the Mexican Revolution. Full hostilities suspended construction of the palace completely and Adamo Boari returned to Italy. The project would sit unfinished for about twenty years. In 1932, construction resumed under Mexican architect Federico Mariscal. Mariscal completed the interior but updated it from Boari's plans to the more modern Art Deco style. The building was completely finished in 1934, and was inaugurated on 29 September of that year. The inaugural work


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: presented in the theatre was "La Verdad Sospechosa" by Juan Ruiz de Alarcón in 1934. In 1946, the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Institute of the Fine Arts) was created as a government agency to promote the arts and was initially housed at the Museo Nacional de Artes Plásticas, the Museo del Libro and other places. It is now at the Palacio. In this theatre, Maria Callas debuted in the opera "Norma" in 1950. In 2002, the Palace was the scene of the funeral of María Félix. Since its initial construction, very little has been updated or modified. However,


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: intensive renovation efforts were begun in 2009 for the upcoming 2010 celebrations. Much of the equipment and machinery is original from the early 20th century. Much of the technological equipment is being updated, especially in the theatre which needs computerized lights, sound systems and other improvements. Other work will improve the acoustics. Upgrades to the theatre will allow for multimedia shows which were not available before. The main hall has had no renovation or upgrade work since it opened in 1934. Renovations here will lessen the number of people the hall can accommodate but should make the area more comfortable.


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: The palace has a mixture of a number of architectural styles; however, it is principally Art Nouveau and Art Deco. Art Nouveau dominates the exterior, which was done by Adamo Boari, and the inside is dominated by Art Deco, which was completed by Federico Mariscal. Since construction began in 1904, the theater (which opened in 1934) has sunk some four meters into the soft soil of Mexico City. The main facade, which faces Avenida Juárez, is made of white Italian Carrara marble. In the interior of the portal are sculptures by Italian Leonardo Bistolfi. It consists of "Harmony", surrounded by


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: "Pain", "Rage", "Happiness", "Peace" and "Love". Another portion of the facade contains cherubs and sculptures representing music and inspiration. On the plaza front of the building, designed by Boari, there are four Pegasus sculptures which were made by Catalan Agustí Querol Subirats. These had been in the Zocalo before being brought here. The roof covering the center of the building is made of crystal designed by Hungarian Géza Maróti and depicts the muses with Apollo. One aspect of the Palace which has since disappeared is the "Pergola", which was located in the Alameda. It was constructed to house pictorial exhibitions


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: for the 1910 celebrations, but it was demolished in 1973. The interior is also surfaced in Carrara marble. It divides into three sections: the main hall with adjoining smaller exhibition halls, the theatre and the offices of the Insituto Nacional de Bellas Artes. The main hall is covered by the Marotti glass and iron roof. It and the balconies of all three upper floors can be seen from the ground floor below. In areas of the main hall, pre-Hispanic motifs done in Art Deco style, such as serpents’ heads on window arches and Maya Chaac masks on the vertical light


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: panels distinguish this interior from its contemporaries. The smaller exhibition halls are located on the first and second floors. The first floor is decorated with crystal lamps, created by Edgar Brandt and hold murals by Rufino Tamayo. The Adamo Boari and Manuel M. Ponce halls hold music and literature events. And the National and International halls are for exhibitions. The second floor has smaller exhibition halls as well as murals by José Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Diego Rivera, Jorge González Camarena, Roberto Montenegro and Manuel Rodríguez Lozano. The third floor is occupied by the Museum of Architecture. The ironwork


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: was designed in Italy by Alessandro Mazzucotelli and in Mexico by Luis Romero Soto. At the entrance of the theatre, there are mascarons in bronze with depictions of Tlaloc, and Chaac, the Aztec and Maya deities of water, which along with the rest were designed by Gianette Fiorenzo. On the arch over the stage there are representations of various mythological personas such as the Muses with Apollo. This was constructed in Hungary in the workshops of Géza Maróti. However, the most impacting aspect is the stage "curtain" which is a stained glass foldable panel created out of nearly a million


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: pieces of iridescent colored glass by Tiffany's in New York. This stage curtain is the only one of its type in any opera house in the world and weighs 24 tons. The design of the curtain has the volcanos Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl in the center. Around them is a Mexican landscape surrounded by images of sculptures from Yautepec and Oaxaca. This design was inspired by work done by artist Gerardo Murillo (Dr. Atl). The theatre has a capacity of 1,000. The Palace has been the scene of some of the most notable events in music, dance, theatre, opera and literature


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: and has hosted important exhibitions of painting, sculpture and photography. It has hosted some of the biggest names from both Mexico and abroad. It has hosted poetry events as well as those related to popular culture. Artists and companies are from all parts of Mexico and abroad. It has been called the "Cathedral of Art in Mexico" and is considered to be the most important theatre and the most important cultural center in Mexico. It was declared an artistic monument in 1987 by UNESCO. The building is administered by the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes of the federal government. The


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: palace receive on average 10,000 visitors each week. Two of the best-known groups which regularly perform here are the Ballet Folklórico de México Compania Nacional de Opera de Bellas Artes and the National Symphonic Orchestra. The first performs in the theatre twice a week and is a spectacle of pre and post Hispanic dance of Mexico. A typical program includes Aztec ritual dances, agricultural dances from Jalisco, a fiesta in Veracruz, a wedding celebration — all accompanies by mariachis, marimba players and singers. Regular annual events include the Premio Quorum for Mexican designers in graphic and industrial materials and the


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: Premios Ariel for Mexican films. Individual events that have been held here are numerous. Some of these include several exhibitions of Frida Kahlo's work, and a number of appearances by Luciano Pavarotti. In 1987, Bellas Artes hosted a legendary performance of Jesusa Rodríguez's "Donna Giovanni", an adaptation of Mozart's opera with a female cast. Other appearances have been made by Mexican baritone Jorge Lagunes (2002) and Catalan guitarist Joan Manuel Serrat (2003). Events that have been held here include "ABCDF Palabras de Ciudad" (2002) showing life in popular housing in photographs and video, "Bordados del Mexico Antiguo" (Embroidery of Old


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: Mexico) showing processes, history and design, Rem Koolhaas Premio Pritzker 2000" conference and "Exchanging Views: Visions of Latin America" which was an exhibit from the collection of Patricia Phelps de Cisneros comprising 148 works by 72 artists from across Latin America in 2006. Occasionally, the plaza in front of the Palace is the scene of protests such as those against the Iraq War in 2003 and against bullfighting in 2010. The floors between the ground floor and the uppermost floor are dominated by a number of murals painted by most of the famous names of Mexican muralism. On the 2nd


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: floor are two early-1950s works by Rufino Tamayo: México de Hoy (Mexico Today) and Nacimiento de la Nacionalidad (Birth of Nationality), a symbolic depiction of the creation of the mestizo (person of mixed indigenous and Spanish ancestry) identity. At the west end of the 3rd floor is El hombre controlador del universo (Man, controller of the universe- known as Man at the Crossroads), originally commissioned for New York's Rockefeller Center in 1933. The mural depicts a variety of technological and societal themes (such as the discoveries made possible by microscopes and telescopes) and was controversial for its inclusion of Lenin


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: and a Soviet May Day parade. The Rockefellers were not happy with the painting and the incomplete work was eventually destroyed and painted over. Rivera recreated it here in 1934. On the north side of the third floor are David Alfaro Siqueiros' three-part La Nueva Democracía (New Democracy) and Rivera's four-part Carnaval de la Vida Mexicana (Carnival of Mexican Life); to the east is José Clemente Orozco's La Katharsis (Catharsis), depicting the conflict between humankind's 'social' and 'natural' aspects. The Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes ("Museum of the Palacio de Bellas Artes") is the organization that takes care of


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: the permanent murals and other artwork in the building as well as arrange temporary exhibits. These exhibits cover a wide range of media and feature Mexican and international artists, focusing on classic and contemporary artists. The Museo Nacional de Arquitectura ("Museum of Architecture") occupies the top floor of the building, covered by the glass and iron roof. It contains exhibitions from renowned Mexican architects including models, plans and photographs of major works. This museum also arranges temporary exhibitions of its collections in other facilities. The purpose is to expose the Mexican public to the country's rich architectural heritage. Some of


title: "Palacio de Bellas Artes" content: the major architects featured at the museum include Jaime Ortiz Monasterio, Carlos Mijares Bracho, Adamo Boari and Luis Barragán. The museum is divided into four sections called "Arquitectura-contrastes: Jaime Ortiz Monasterio y Carlos Mijares Bracho", "Corpus Urbanístico de la Ciudad de México", "Teatro Nacional de México (Plano original)" and "Teatro Nacional de México." There are also temporary exhibits on contemporary architecture. Palacio de Bellas Artes The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) is a prominent cultural center in Mexico City. It has hosted some of the most notable events in music, dance, theatre, opera and literature and has


title: Leysin content: used for growing crops and 10.0% is pastures and 24.7% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is flowing water. Of the unproductive areas, 12.9% is unproductive vegetation and 6.9% is too rocky for vegetation. The municipality is located in the Aigle district, on the right side of the Grande-Eau at the foot of the Tour d'Aï and the Tour de Mayen. The main village is located at an elevation of . It consists of the village of Leysin and the hamlets of Veyges, Feydey, Aï and Mayen. Leysin can be accessed by road or the