Christians in Holy Land, Mideast celebrate Easter

Iraqi Christians pray during Easter mass at Mar Youssif Chaldean Church in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, March 31, 2013. The Chaldean Church is an Eastern Rite church affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. (AP Photo/ Karim Kadim)

Iraqi Christians pray during Easter mass at Mar Youssif Chaldean Church in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, March 31, 2013. The Chaldean Church is an Eastern Rite church affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. (AP Photo/ Karim Kadim)

Iraqi Christians congratulate each other after Easter mass at Mar Youssif Chaldean Church in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, March 31, 2013. The Chaldean Church is an Eastern Rite church affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. (AP Photo/ Karim Kadim)

Iraqi Christians pray during Easter mass at Mar Youssif Chaldean Church in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, March 31, 2013. The Chaldean Church is an Eastern Rite church affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. (AP Photo/ Karim Kadim)

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Catholics and Protestants flocked to churches to celebrate Easter on Sunday in the Holy Land and across the broader Middle East, praying, singing and rejoicing.

Some Mideast Christian communities are in a flux, while others feel isolated from their Muslim-majority societies. In places like Iraq, they have sometimes been the victims of bloody sectarian attacks.

At St. Joseph Chaldean Church in Baghdad, some 200 worshippers attended an Easter mass that the Rev. Saad Sirop led behind concrete blast walls and a tight security cordon. Churches have been under tighter security since a 2010 attack killed dozens.

"We pray for love and peace to spread through the world," said worshipper Fatin Yousef, 49, who arrived immaculately dressed for the holiday. She wore a black skirt, low-heeled pumps and a striped shirt and her hair tumbled in salon-created curls.

It was the first Easter since the election of Pope Francis and she and others expressed hope in their new spiritual leader. "We hope Pope Francis will help make it better for Christians in Iraq," she said.

In Jerusalem, Catholics worshipped in the church of the Holy Sepulcher, built on a hill where tradition holds that Jesus was crucified, briefly entombed and then resurrected. The cavernous, maze-like structure is home to different churches belonging to rival sects that are crammed into different nooks and even the roof.

Clergy in white and gold robes led the service held around the Edicule, the small chamber at the core of the church marking the site of Jesus' tomb. Many foreign visitors were among the worshippers.

"It's very special," said Arthur Stanton, a visitor from Australia. "It represents the reason why we were put on this planet, and the salvation that has come to us through Jesus."

Israel's Tourism Ministry said it expects some 150,000 visitors during holy week and the Jewish festival of Passover, which coincide this year. It is one of the busiest times of the year for the local tourism industry.

Protestants held Easter ceremonies outside Jerusalem's walled Old City at the Garden Tomb, a small, enclosed green area that some identify as the site of Jesus' burial. Another service was held at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Jesus' traditional birthplace.

Catholics and Protestants, who follow the new, Gregorian calendar, celebrate Easter on Sunday. Orthodox Christians, who follow the old, Julian calendar, will mark it in May.

There are no precise numbers on how many Christians there are in the Middle East. Census figures showing the size of religious and ethnic groups are hard to obtain.

Christian populations are thought to be shrinking or at least growing more slowly than their Muslim compatriots in much of the Middle East, largely due to emigration as they leave for better opportunities and to join families abroad. Some feel more uncomfortable amid growing Muslim majorities that they see as becoming more outwardly pious and politically Islamist over the decades.

The situation for some Mideast Christians is in flux.

In Syria, Christians, who make up some 10 percent of the country's 23 million people, have mostly stayed on the sidelines of the two-year civil war. While outraged by the regime of Bashar Assad's brutal efforts to quash the opposition, they are equally frightened by the Islamist rhetoric of many rebels and their heavy reliance on extremist fighters.

Christians make up some 10 percent of Egypt's 85 million people. Human rights groups say the police under former authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak rarely took the needed steps to prevent flare-ups of violence against Christians, a situation that persisted since he was overthrown in 2011. The rise of Islamists in Egypt has emboldened extremists to target churches and Coptic property, leading to a spike in attacks and sometimes unprecedented steps like the evacuation of entire Christian populations from villages.

In Libya, most Christians are Egyptian laborers who are working in the oil-rich country. Tensions rose last month after assailants torched a church in the eastern city of Benghazi and militias arrested some 100 Christians, mostly Egyptian, accusing them of proselytizing.

In Iraq, Christians have suffered repeated attacks by Islamic militants since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and hundreds of thousands have left the country. Church officials estimate that the Christian communities have shrunk by at least half. The worst attack was at Baghdad's soaring Our Lady of Salvation church in October 2010 that killed more than 50 worshippers and wounded scores of others.

There currently are an estimated 400,000 to 600,000 Christians in Iraq, with most belonging to ancient eastern churches. Some two-thirds of Iraq's Christians are Catholics of the Chaldean church and the smaller Assyrian Catholic church. Members of both churches chant in dialects of ancient Aramaic, the language that Jesus spoke.

Yousef, the worshipper in Baghdad, said lingering fear pushed her to send her son to live with relatives in Arizona last year. Yousef said she was arranging for her other daughter and son to immigrate.

"There's still fear here, and there's no stability in this country," she said.

Iraqi officials have made efforts to secure churches since the violence of 2010.

High blast walls topped with wire netting and barbed wire surrounded the St. Joseph Church in Baghdad's middle-class district of Karradeh. Four Iraqi Christian volunteers stood at the church entrance, double-checking the people entering. And blue-khaki clad Iraqi police guarded roads surrounding the church and checked papers of passers-by as worshippers filed inside.

White-robed church volunteers marched down the church aisle behind Father Sirop, who waved incense and chanted in the white-painted church adorned with three ornate chandeliers and a series of simple paintings illustrating the life of Christ.

Worshippers stood for lengthy passages of Sirop's mass, at one point bursting into applause when he told them, "Celebrate! You are Christians!"

___

Hadid reported from Baghdad. Follow Hadid on twitter.com/diaahadid and Goldenberg on twitter.com/tgoldenberg

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-03-31-Mideast-Easter/id-e45685d3f8ad496b9763841e822e1457

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PBS shows how hacking is reclaiming its good name after a bad rap (video)

Hacking is still a loaded concept for many, often conjuring negative images of corporate espionage, fraudsters and prank-minded script kiddies. PBS' Off Book wants to remind us that hacking wasn't always seen this way -- and, thanks to modern developments, is mending its reputation. Its latest episode shows that hacking began simply as a desire to advance devices and software beyond their original roles, but was co-opted by a sometimes misunderstanding press that associated the word only with malicious intrusions. Today, hacking has regained more of its original meaning: hackathons, a resurgence of DIY culture and digital protests prove that hacks can improve our gadgets, our security and even our political landscape. We still have a long way to go before we completely escape movie stereotypes, but the mini-documentary may offer food for thought the next time you're installing a custom ROM or building your own VR helmet.

Filed under: Misc, Networking, Internet, Alt

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/fhi5CE3C4yc/

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Signed Iconic Beatles Album Auctioned for $290,500

Beatles

A copy of The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album autographed by all four band members has shattered expectations at auction.

The iconic album was sold Saturday for $290,500 by Heritage Auctions in Dallas. It had been listed at $30,000 before the sale. The winning bidder was not identified, but The Associated Press reported the rare item had been sold to a person in the Midwest.

The autographs of the band members were obtained in 1967, the same year the record was issued, according to a letter of authenticity posted on Heritage Auctions' website.

Each of the Beatles signed next to his image on the inside spread of the album.

Beatles expert Perry Cox said the piece of memorabilia was "extraordinarily special."

"I consider this to be one of the top two items of Beatles memorabilia I've ever seen - the other being a signed copy of 'Meet the Beatles' [the band's second album released in the U.S.]," he said, according to Heritage Auctions' website.

The album was one of the big draws to Saturday's auctions, which included other entertainment and music memorabilia.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/signed-iconic-beatles-album-auctioned-190503155.html

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MIT Files Court Papers ?Partially? Opposing Release Of Documents About Aaron Swartz Investigation

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is “partially” opposing a request by the estate of Aaron Swartz for the release of documents related to the investigation that led to Swartz’s arrest and prosecution in federal court. In court papers filed today, MIT counsel states that its opposition stems from two factors: its concerns about people in the MIT community named in the documents and the security of its computer networks. MIT has previously stated that it would release the documents with redactions of names and other information. MIT President L. Rafael Reif said in email to the MIT community earlier this month: On Friday, the lawyers for Aaron Swartz?s estate filed a legal request with the Boston federal court where the Swartz case would have gone to trial. They demanded that the court release to the public information related to the case, including many MIT documents. Some of these documents contain information about vulnerabilities in MIT?s network. Some contain the names of individual MIT employees involved. In fact, the lawyers? request argues that those names cannot be excluded (?redacted?) from the documents and urges that they be released in the public domain and delivered to Congress. The paper filed today reiterates this position, basing it on threats already made to MIT staff and three separate hacking incidents at the university. The information includes “email, the names, job titles, departments, telephone numbers, email addresses, business addresses, and other identifying information of many members of the MIT community.” Swartz has become a symbol in the Internet community since his suicide. His supporters have led the debate about the role MIT played in Swartz’s prosecution and the vigilance of the U.S. Attorney General in the case. MIT claims it is fully cooperating in the investigation that has come since Swartz’s suicide.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/iNxNVcbv3Zo/

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7 industries that prey on our weaknesses?

Carrie Kirby , LearnVest ? ? ? 23 hrs.

You're delusional.

No, it's OK, we all are.

Think about your gym, which you visit so infrequently you?re practically making a charity donation to Bally Total Fitness. Or the diet cleanse you spent $100 on ... when you could have paid $30 in healthy groceries that would have also done the trick.

Don?t kick yourself?you?re not alone in falling prey to these marketing ploys. There?s a reason that, for instance, the burgeoning ?enhanced waters? beverage category (think Vitamin Water) has become a $1.5 billion industry.

By playing on our delusions and our fears, companies tempt us to shell out for needless items, and that can wreak havoc on our finances.

Watch out for these seven industries that profit from our insecurities?and find out how to resist their ploys.

Pet products
Americans spent an estimated $53 billion on their pets in 2012, a number that's grown nearly 30 percent in the past five years, even as the economy tanked. Last Halloween, pet owners were projected to spend $370 million on their pets' Halloween costumes?a 40 percent increase from 2010.

Several factors account for the rise in pet spending: Americans have a third fewer friends than they did 20 years ago and the number of Americans living alone?one in seven?is at an all-time high. These trends partly explain why about four in five animal owners think of their pets as children, and 58 percent even call themselves the "mommy" or "daddy" of their pets.

This higher status of pets in the eyes of their owners has even resulted in one million dogs being named beneficiaries in their owners' wills.

Tip: Be realistic about how much your pet costs, and be sure to budget for any extra splurges or treats. As for whether to name your beloved pet in your will?that depends on what you think of its money-managing skills.

Gyms
No industry plays on the chasm between what we do and what we wish we did better than the $21 billion fitness club industry. At the beginning of a fitness push, we are all too happy to hand over a hefty membership fee and sign a yearlong contract, hoping the sunk cost will encourage us to create whole new selves.

But the reality is that 67 percent of people with gym memberships never use them. Even those who go to the gym regularly are paying a lot more than they imagined: A University of California, Berkeley study showed that people who signed up for a monthly gym membership ended up paying 70 percent more than they could have paid on a pay-per-visit plan available at the same club.

The reason? ?Overconfidence about future self-control,? say the researchers. In other words: Delusion.

Tip: If this is you, find out the best workouts for you and your budget. Even if you do use the gym, make sure you're getting the best deal possible: comparison shop, use a competitor's price to get a deal at your preferred gym, or sign up for a yearlong membership to get the best possible rate.

Health and diet food
In 2011, the market for vitamins and supplements was $28 billion?despite a lack of solid research proving their effectiveness. In fact, most of our food is fortified with nutrients, so once-common deficiency diseases are now rare. Most researchers say that unless you're pregnant or elderly or have an identified deficiency, you don't need supplements and that a balanced diet is the best source of nutrients.

As for the weight-loss market, which in 2010 was worth $60 billion, several studies show that dieting actually consistently correlates with future weight gain.

Tip: If you're a sucker for vitamins and supplements, don't pay a premium for packaged foods making health claims; eat these superfoods instead. And if you think your ticket to weight loss is a diet program, consider preparing meals from fresh, whole ingredients and setting up a regular exercise routine to do it on your own instead.

Electronics rebates and warranties
Electronics stores often advertise a new gadget?s price as though you already received all the mail-in rebates. But a Consumer Reports survey found that fewer than half of people always or often cash in on rebate offers, and a full quarter never do. Even among those who sent in for their rebates, 21 percent said they never received them.

Additionally, extended warranties and insurance plans for smartphones sound so sensible. But they're almost never a good deal, consumer advocates warn. The extended warranty business itself generates $15 billion a year of almost pure profit, playing on our innate urge to avoid losses even if we could financially afford to replace the object.

And consider this: By the time the manufacturer's warranty ends on your phone, laptop or other high-tech gizmo, you'll probably want to upgrade to a newer model or the replacement price will have dropped, making the extended warranty moot.

Tip: Before you rush to take advantage of a deal you can only get with rebates, ask yourself: Are you going to fill in and mail every form?

And next time the cashier asks you if you want to pay 10 to 50 percent extra for an extended warranty, just say no.

Clothes
According to a recent survey, a woman owns 22 garments she never wears.

And that adds up: Americans spend $331 billion a year on clothing (which works out to $1,100 per person a year). While every once in a while we all really do need a new item of clothing, you could probably easily identify a number of pieces in your closet that you never wear?and they probably add up to a lot of wasted dollars.

How does this happen? We tend to invest in the same items over and over (whether ten black sweaters or a dozen flirty sundresses). Another problem: We buy for the life we want to have?cocktail dresses for parties we never go to or fancy new workout clothes for the gym we never visit.

Tip: Host a clothing swap to get rid of the chaff in your closet and bring fresh inspiration in, and go on a clothing fast for six months to force yourself to get creative with what you have. Need some ideas? See how one editor dressed herself for one month with just six items of clothing.

Cleaning products
Do you buy different cleaners for your floors, your furniture, your bathroom and your windows? Then you can understand how the cleaning product industry rakes in $52 billion a year.

Commercials for household disinfectants and other cleaning products would have you believe that illness-causing germs linger on every surface. But experts warn that routine use of disinfectants is not only unnecessary but harmful, especially when harsh chemicals are used.

Tip: You can get your home sparkly-clean?and with less harm to the environment?using inexpensive combinations of baking soda and vinegar. In fact, we can show you how to tackle 40 household tasks with just these five everyday products.

Baby products
Certain baby products really do ensure infant safety, like car seats. But companies also milk extra money out of parents' desires to give their kids the most organic, least toxic, most brain-enhancing food, toys, clothing, bedding and more.

Previous generations somehow survived infancy without shopping cart liners, video baby monitors, tiny shade tents for sunny days at the park and many of other items that make up the $7 billion Americans spend on today's babies.

Tip: Stick to essentials and learn how to save on baby stuff with these 12 tips. Want to really overhaul the way you handle the baby portion of your budget? Check out our Baby on Board Bootcamp, which explains what you should buy new, what you can get used and which safety considerations really matter.

Related content on LearnVest:

7 Ways Money Memories Can Affect Your Finances

7 Financial Hacks Everyone Should Know About

8 Money Habits That Are Holding You Back

LearnVest ? 2013

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653351/s/2a24e56a/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0C70Eindustries0Eprey0Eour0Eweaknesses0E1C8960A834/story01.htm

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Open source video editing program needs help on Kickstarter, offers immortality in return

Forget having kids. Forget mind-transfers. Real immortality lies in naming a video transition after yourself. No, seriously. To make eternity happen, you simply need to donate $500 to Jonathan Thomas's Kickstarter project and in return he'll let you create and name a transition effect in a new cross-platform version of his free, open source video editing program, called OpenShot. Currently Linux-only, it supports regular timeline-based video editing with layers and compositing, transitions, effects, titles and support for a wide range of AV formats courtesy of the usual open source codec libraries. If it reaches its $20k goal, Thomas will start work Windows and Mac OS editions alongside Linux, anticipating a beta release before the end of the year. Smaller donations will receive more minor possessions in the afterlife, such as your name in the credits. Bigger pledges -- of up to $10,000 -- will flip things around slightly and require Jonathan Thomas to sell you his soul. Go get it, Pharoah!

Filed under: Software

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Source: Kickstarter

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/YdBjMOLGlg8/

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We're committed to raising awareness on cancer ? UBA boss

By CHINEDU ONYESOH

As part of its social responsibility programme, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) vehicle, UBA Foundation, has restated its commitment to raising awareness on the scourge of Prostate Cancer among men.

The Group Managing Director/CEO of UBA Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza disclosed this while flagging off the UBA Foundation Mini-Marathon for Prostate Cancer Awareness held in Lagos at the weekend. He said that ?The Bank, through the UBA Foundation is encouraged to propagate this crusade and we are also committed to raising awareness of the disease?.

He also noted that despite the deadly nature of Prostate Cancer, it can be cured when detected and treated at its early stage. Continuing, he said that the Mini-Marathon, which is in continuation of the Foundation?s annual prostate cancer awareness initiative, commenced from the UBA Headquarters on Marina, Lagos via Western Avenue and terminate at the National Stadium Surulere, Lagos. Other health and fitness activities including free screening for Prostate Cancer was held at the stadium.

Speaking at the National Stadium in Lagos, the Bank?s Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka advised men aged 40 and above not to be afraid of getting tested for prostate cancer. He said ?In UBA, we believe in catching them young and developing talents from the cradle?.

The event came on the heels of ?Walk, Cycle and Jog for Prostate Cancer? programme organized by the Foundation in 2011 as well as ?Play Soccer for Prostate Cancer? held in 2012, where the Foundation brought out ex-Nigerian international soccer stars to play soccer as part of creating awareness for Prostate Cancer.

Comments are moderated. Please keep them clean and brief.

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/03/were-committed-to-raising-awareness-on-cancer-uba-boss/

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Brain scans might predict future criminal behavior

Mar. 28, 2013 ? A new study conducted by The Mind Research Network in Albuquerque, N.M., shows that neuroimaging data can predict the likelihood of whether a criminal will reoffend following release from prison.

The paper, which is to be published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, studied impulsive and antisocial behavior and centered on the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a portion of the brain that deals with regulating behavior and impulsivity.

The study demonstrated that inmates with relatively low anterior cingulate activity were twice as likely to reoffend than inmates with high-brain activity in this region.

"These findings have incredibly significant ramifications for the future of how our society deals with criminal justice and offenders," said Dr. Kent A. Kiehl, who was senior author on the study and is director of mobile imaging at MRN and an associate professor of psychology at the University of New Mexico. "Not only does this study give us a tool to predict which criminals may reoffend and which ones will not reoffend, it also provides a path forward for steering offenders into more effective targeted therapies to reduce the risk of future criminal activity."

The study looked at 96 adult male criminal offenders aged 20-52 who volunteered to participate in research studies. This study population was followed over a period of up to four years after inmates were released from prison.

"These results point the way toward a promising method of neuroprediction with great practical potential in the legal system," said Dr. Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Stillman Professor of Practical Ethics in the Philosophy Department and the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University, who collaborated on the study. "Much more work needs to be done, but this line of research could help to make our criminal justice system more effective."

The study used the Mind Research Network's Mobile Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) System to collect neuroimaging data as the inmate volunteers completed a series of mental tests.

"People who reoffended were much more likely to have lower activity in the anterior cingulate cortices than those who had higher functioning ACCs," Kiehl said. "This means we can see on an MRI a part of the brain that might not be working correctly -- giving us a look into who is more likely to demonstrate impulsive and anti-social behavior that leads to re-arrest."

The anterior cingulate cortex of the brain is "associated with error processing, conflict monitoring, response selection, and avoidance learning," according to the paper. People who have this area of the brain damaged have been "shown to produce changes in disinhibition, apathy, and aggressiveness. Indeed, ACC-damaged patients have been classed in the 'acquired psychopathic personality' genre."

Kiehl says he is working on developing treatments that increase activity within the ACC to attempt to treat the high-risk offenders.

The four-year study was supported by grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and pilot funds by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Law and Neuroscience Project. The study was conducted in collaboration with the New Mexico Corrections Department.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Duke University, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. E. Aharoni, G. M. Vincent, C. L. Harenski, V. D. Calhoun, W. Sinnott-Armstrong, M. S. Gazzaniga, K. A. Kiehl. Neuroprediction of future rearrest. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1219302110

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/strange_science/~3/YKAt_BzzGdM/130328125319.htm

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Sustainable fishing practices produce local rewards

Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
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Contact: Mary Beth O'Leary
moleary@cell.com
617-397-2802
Cell Press

Communities that act locally to limit their fish catches will reap the rewards of their action, as will their neighbors. That's the conclusion of a study reported on March 28 in the Cell Press journal Current Biology of the highly sought-after fish known as squaretail coral grouper living in five community-owned reef systems in Papua New Guinea.

"We found that many larvae that were produced by the managed adults return to that same fish population, which means that the same fishers that agree to regulate their catch benefit from their actions," said Glenn Almany of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University. "Although we've been telling fishers for quite some time that they would benefit from protecting some of their adult fishes, we couldn't prove it because it was difficult to track where larvae end up."

Squaretail coral grouper are especially vulnerable to overfishing because they gather in large numbers to reproduce. Fishers know exactly when and where to go fishing. In order to track where young coral grouper produced by those aggregations end up, Almany and his colleagues applied genetic parentage analysis to adults from a single managed spawning aggregation and to juveniles in that tenure area and four others along a 75-kilometer stretch of coastline.

Within the primary area of the study, 17 to 25 percent of juveniles were produced by the focal aggregation, the researchers found. In the four neighboring tenure areas, 6 to 17 percent of juveniles were from the aggregation. The researchers predict from their data that half of all coral grouper young settle within 14 kilometers of the spawning site following their 25-day larval period.

"Over that time, they could certainly travel a lot farther," Almany said. "The fact that many don't was very surprising."

It also means that both local and cooperative management actions can provide fishery benefits to communities over small spatial scales, which should help to inspire local action, the researchers say.

"This study can empower coastal communities throughout the Coral Trianglethe area of greatest marine biodiversityto make fishery management decisions that they can be confident will benefit them," Almany said.

The fish will be the better for it, too.

###

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?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Mary Beth O'Leary
moleary@cell.com
617-397-2802
Cell Press

Communities that act locally to limit their fish catches will reap the rewards of their action, as will their neighbors. That's the conclusion of a study reported on March 28 in the Cell Press journal Current Biology of the highly sought-after fish known as squaretail coral grouper living in five community-owned reef systems in Papua New Guinea.

"We found that many larvae that were produced by the managed adults return to that same fish population, which means that the same fishers that agree to regulate their catch benefit from their actions," said Glenn Almany of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University. "Although we've been telling fishers for quite some time that they would benefit from protecting some of their adult fishes, we couldn't prove it because it was difficult to track where larvae end up."

Squaretail coral grouper are especially vulnerable to overfishing because they gather in large numbers to reproduce. Fishers know exactly when and where to go fishing. In order to track where young coral grouper produced by those aggregations end up, Almany and his colleagues applied genetic parentage analysis to adults from a single managed spawning aggregation and to juveniles in that tenure area and four others along a 75-kilometer stretch of coastline.

Within the primary area of the study, 17 to 25 percent of juveniles were produced by the focal aggregation, the researchers found. In the four neighboring tenure areas, 6 to 17 percent of juveniles were from the aggregation. The researchers predict from their data that half of all coral grouper young settle within 14 kilometers of the spawning site following their 25-day larval period.

"Over that time, they could certainly travel a lot farther," Almany said. "The fact that many don't was very surprising."

It also means that both local and cooperative management actions can provide fishery benefits to communities over small spatial scales, which should help to inspire local action, the researchers say.

"This study can empower coastal communities throughout the Coral Trianglethe area of greatest marine biodiversityto make fishery management decisions that they can be confident will benefit them," Almany said.

The fish will be the better for it, too.

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/cp-sfp032513.php

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Sample itinerary for a family yurt camp holiday in the Dordogne | the ...

If you?re planning a family holiday at the ?covall?e yurt camp in the Dordogne, this sample itinerary should give you a few ideas. (Pause for SEO applause.) It?s what we would do if we were here for one week in peak season, with two children aged over five, and a car.

Obviously one itinerary doesn?t fit every family (it would be hard pushed to fit even one), but you have to start somewhere ? and I?d start with?

The Welcome Picnic enjoyed by everyone booking one week or more

Saturday

Arrive late afternoon, get shown to your beautiful yurt, leave the kids to run around exploring, rifling through the Play Yurt, bouncing on the trampoline and meeting other children as they arrive. Unpack the car and enjoy the Welcome Picnic, relieved you won?t need to find the nearest supermarket straight away. Watch the bats diving around in front of the outdoor kitchen after dusk, then gaze at the stars, spotting satellites ? or was that the space station?

Sunday

Have a cup of that organic coffee, then pop into Lalinde to pick up croissants, pain au chocolat, baguettes or whatever else takes your fancy (?covall?e tip: at the boulangerie on the square they do a ?poche? with a selection of the previous day?s croissants etc. ? it?s cheaper and still pretty fresh ? on top of the short counter in clear plastic bags).

Issigeac is heaving on market day and eerily deserted the rest of the week

Drive to Issigeac, about 25 mins away, for the Sunday market. Walk slowly around this medieval town that feels like you?re walking through a Shakespearean film set. Buy supplies for a couple of days, then head back to ?covall?e. Make lunch and spend a few hours relaxing in a hammock. Then go to Lanquais for a swim in the lake. Resolve to return at least once during the week. Pick up some croissants for breakfast on the way home, grab a cold drink from the fridge-freezer behind Reception, then barbecue while trying to be the first to see a bat, then a shooting star.

Monday

A typical demonstration (actually taken at Cadouin)

Drive West, following the Dordogne river, aiming for the spectacular gardens at Marqueyssac, about 40 minutes away. Buy a twin ticket that lets you into Castelnaud later, then be blown away by the awesome brain-like hedges. Amble round the large plateau, stopping in the play areas and being grateful that the whole two-hour (buggy friendly) walk is shaded by trees. Stand on the viewing platform hundreds of feet above the river and stare at La Roque-Gageac, a beautiful village built into the cliffs. After lunch with a view, drive to nearby Castelnaud and the museum of medieval warfare. There?s armour, weaponry, actors in period costume fighting, actual-size siege-engine demonstrations and a whole lot more, though steep circular staircases make it hostile to buggies. After an ice cream in the village, grab some supplies on the way back to ?covall?e, arriving before the bats come out.

Tuesday

From the swimming lake you can see the roofs of chateau at Lanquais ? designed by the same architect as the Louvre

A lazy day, today, starting with a morning at Lanquais swimming lake. It?s only ten minutes in the car, and a sandy beach overlooked by a beautiful chateau, with a snack bar, life guard and blue sky is not to be missed (many a guest has spent half their holiday here ? and it?s easy to see why). After lunch in the square at Lalinde, head back to ?covall?e for an afternoon of nature trails, hammock dozing, chicken watching, trampoline bouncing, reading ? reading! a book! ? solar shower taking and whatever else springs to mind. Order takeaway pizza, because you?re on holiday and it?s beginning to feel like it.

Wednesday

Another adventurous day starts with a trip to the cave at Proumeyssac. It?s only 30 mins away, above-averagely spectacular, with a good-sized woodland play next to the car park. It?s also very close to the aqua park near Le Bugue. Here, there?s a swimming pool, slide, play area and bouncy thing for everyone, and plenty of space to lie around on the grass. The lake, with its huge inflatables (which aren?t that easy to haul yourself up on) is a must-do. There is a real danger of face ache though, and you realise that you need to spend more of your life grinning from ear to ear.

Thursday

We cut paths through the meadows to leave wild flowers and insects waiting to be discovered

With the end of the week looming, it?s another day trip, heading for Sarlat but unable to resist stopping at Beynac on the way. This jaw-dropping castle overlooking the river was home to Richard I for 10 years. Its massive walls are built on top of sheer cliffs by people who must have redefined bravery. After lunch in Sarlat and a wander round old town, it?s an afternoon in one of the nearby tree parks. First timers will want to go round the easiest run to get used to the equipment, before getting as scared as they dare on the higher runs. Afterwards, looking at the tree park across the road, it?s tempting to wonder if those runs would have been even more fun ? but could that be possible? Will you ever know? Although a planned return trip to Marqueyssac for the candlelit, music-filled Thursday evening sounds great, it?s been a long day and?the barbecue?s waiting back in ?covall?e.

Friday

The bridges at Limeuil ? yet another beautiful place to unwind

Wake up hoping the stiffness from the tree park will be cured by a morning canoeing down the river. Head to Le Buisson, about 15 mins away, hire a canoe and be driven upriver in a minibus to Siorac, then paddle back to the starting point and spend some time relaxing on the river (pebble) beach, occasionally getting dragged into its roped off swimming area. Then drive to nearby Limeuil and have a drink overlooking the river where the Dordogne and Vezere meet. Walk up through the village to the panoramic gardens at the top, then take a different route back down and discover a shop where a glassblower fashions amazing objects. It?s hot work, which reminds you to start planning what and where you?re going to eat.

Saturday

It?s time to move on, pack the car, and plan a return to ?covall?e so you can do all the things there weren?t time to do this week. Like: have lunch in Bergerac old town, spend an afternoon in Domme, visit the Maison Forte at Reignac, and Roc St Christophe, and the villages of Monpazier and Cadouin, then there?s the caves, chateaux, markets, more canoeing, restaurants?

The Maison Forte at Reignac has a torture chamber that will chill you to the bone

We?ve lived here six years in August and we?ve seen and experienced only a tiny fraction of what this area has to offer. We?ve done everything on this itinerary at least once and will do it all again (at least once). On our list for this year are a canoe trip down the Vezere from Les Eyzies, that other tree park near Sarlat, and some caves with drawings instead of rock formations. But that?s us. What about you?

PS Previous guests, if you?re reading this, please use the comment section to say what?s on your must-see-must-do list for in and around ?covall?e.

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Panera 'pay what you want' chili introduced in St. Louis stores

Panera 'pay what you want' turkey chili has been introduced in the caf??chain's St. Louis locations. The turkey chili entree is an extension of anti-hunger efforts for Panera, which already operates 'pay what you want' community caf?s in five major cities. ?

By Schuyler Velasco,?Staff writer / March 27, 2013

People stand outside a St. Louis Bread Co. cafe, also known as Panera Bread, last year in St. Louis. The St. Louis-based chain is taking the idea of its nonprofit community caf?s to its main clientele, introducing a 'pay what you want' turkey chili in its St. Louis locations.

Jim Salter/AP/File

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Panera is mostly known for its bread bowls, but the caf? chain is making another name for itself in the arena of hunger awareness.

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On Wednesday, the St. Louis-based company introduced a ?pay what you want? turkey chili entree on its menus in the 48 locations in its hometown, where it operates as ?St. Louis Bread Co.??

Dubbed ?The Meal of Shared Responsibility,? the chili comes in a bread bowl and is served with chips, a baguette, or an apple on the side. Suggested retail price is $5.98, but customers can pay more, or less, or even nothing. The idea, as with other pay-what-you-can models, is that those ponying up more cash will pick up the tab for those who can?t afford to pay full price, or anything.

The launch puts a corporate face on the idea of community caf?s and the gift economy, which heretofore has been the domain of smaller, locally run organizations.

?We know that one in six Americans ? over 50 million people nationwide ? are food insecure, meaning they have limited or uncertain access to adequate food,? Panera founder Ron Saich said in the Panera Foundation?s press release. ?While this meal will obviously not eradicate hunger in St. Louis, we believe it?s a step in the right direction?. [W]e?re asking our communities to join together to share in the responsibility of paying it forward to help their neighbors.?

Why turkey chili? ?One of the main issues with hunger is? [lack of] access to nutritious foods,? says Panera Cares spokeswoman Kate Antonacci via telephone. (Panera Cares is the charitable arm of the company.) ?If someone is only getting one meal a day, we want it to be filling and nutritious.?

To that end, the entr?e is full of beans and assorted vegetables, and is high in protein and fiber. So far, there are no plans to introduce the concept in other locations, or expand it to other menu items. ?We?re really using this as a test to see what people will do, so we can?t commit until we have a better idea,? Ms. Antonacci says.

With the ?Meal of Shared Responsibility,? Panera is slowly introducing its charitable anti-hunger efforts to its mainstream clientele. The caf? chain, which operates about 1,600 locations nationwide, already runs pay-what-you-can restaurants, called ?Panera Cares? caf?s in five major cities: St. Louis, Detroit, Portland, Chicago, and most recently, Boston. The caf?s look and feel just like Panera restaurants, but there are only suggested prices, and no cash registers.

?It's really more 'pay what you can. We?re not looking to make any money there, just to sustain the concept itself,? according to Antonacci. She says that about 60 percent of customers pay the suggested price, 15 to 20 percent pay more, and 15 to 20 percent pay less or nothing. The restaurants generally break even, and any extra is donated to local hunger charities.

Panera is the first major chain to try a ?pay what you can? model, giving an increasingly popular concept in the anti-hunger nonprofit world even more steam. The Panera caf??s were inspired by smaller operations around the country, including the SAME (So All May Eat) Caf? in Denver and the One World Everybody Eats (OWEE) caf? in Salt Lake City. In 2011, singer Jon Bon Jovi opened the JBJ Soul Kitchen in Red Bank, N.J. The caf? encourages patrons to pay what they are able, and if they can?t pay, an hour of volunteering will pay for their meal.

?At the end of the day it?s really a psychological experiment of sorts,? Antonacci says ?More than anything we?re doing this to elevate the discussion and raise awareness, and provide a wholesome meal to people regardless of their means.?

?There are a lot of people who want to do something in their community but it can be kind of hard,? she adds. ?This makes it easy.??

Time will tell whether other chains will launch similar efforts. But for now, Panera's work is bringing the community caf? concept to a wider swath of customers.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/56aHjiukxGs/Panera-pay-what-you-want-chili-introduced-in-St.-Louis-stores

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Luckiest 5-Year-Old Gets To Frolic With 14 German Shepherds (VIDEO)

We'd like to introduce you to 5-year-old Pernille from Norway. She's the queen of her own kingdom of floppy-eared, bushy tailed German Shepherds from the breeders at Kennel Finika.

Here she is with 14 (yep, count 'em) of the kennel's finest at her command. Could anything look more like paradise than a little girl frolicking with dogs in a forest?

Check out the kennel's Facebook page for more photos of puppies, prize-winning pooches and little Pernille with her pals.

H/T msnNOW

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AP Source: CBS buys half of TV Guide net for $100M

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Broadcaster CBS Corp. is buying a 50 percent stake in TV Guide's pay TV channel and website for nearly $100 million, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The price is less than the $123 million that JPMorgan Chase's One Equity Partners paid for a 49 percent stake four years ago. It brings CBS Corp. into an equal partnership with Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.

The deal terms come from a person who wasn't authorized to speak publicly and who spoke on condition of anonymity.

CBS said the channel, available in more than 80 million homes, will continue to focus on entertainment. Details about rebranding it will come. It will combine CBS' programming, production and marketing with Lions Gate's resources in movies, TV shows and digital content.

Previously, the channel had mainly been used as a guide for other channels, but set-top boxes come with their own guides these days. The channel, called TVGN, currently shows reruns of such programs as "Who's The Boss," ''Ugly Betty" and older movies. Most viewers don't see the scrolling TV listings guide any more.

TV Guide magazine, which is owned separately by OpenGate Capital, isn't part of the deal.

Analysts have said the channel will benefit from CBS's operational and TV programming expertise. Aside from the CBS network itself, it will become the most widely distributed channel that CBS operates. CBS also owns the Smithsonian Networks, CBS Sports network and premium channel Showtime.

CBS Chief Executive Les Moonves said in a statement the channel will offer a strategic way for CBS to use its brands "and gain access to a highly distributed basic cable network that has a lot of upside."

CBS and Lions Gate have worked together in the past. Lions Gate produces the shows "Weeds" and "Nurse Jackie" for Showtime.

CBS shares were up 4 cents in after-hours trading at $45.75 following the announcement, after closing up 29 cents at $45.71 in normal trading. Lions Gate shares rose 19 cents to $24, after rising 2.7 percent to close at $23.81 in the regular session.

Associated Press

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Stocks lower as Italy adds to European fears

JeeYeon Park , CNBC ? ? ? 8 hrs.

Stocks recovered most of their earlier losses to close narrowly mixed Wednesday, with the S&P 500 finishing slightly below its closing high, as ongoing economic and political concerns over Europe kept a lid on gains.

(Read More: It's Back! Dark Clouds From Europe Stall US Bull Run)

The Dow Jones Industrial Average shaved most of its early losses. JPMorgan led the blue-chip laggards, while Intel gained. The Dow was down as much as 120 points earlier before recovering.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq erased most of their losses to close narrowly mixed. The S&P has zigzagged between gains and losses for the last seven sessions.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, traded near.

Major averages ended near their best ever levels on Tuesday, with the Dow posting a new high and S&P 500 finishing less than 2 points from its closing peak.

(Read More:Bulls Revved Up to Take Out Next Stocks Milestone)

Among key S&P sectors, telecoms were lower, while health care rose.

On the economic front, pending home sales slid 0.4 percent in February, according to the National Association of Realtors. Economists polled by Reuters expected a 0.2 percent decline, compared with a 4.5 percent rise in the prior month.

(Read More: Housing Headwinds Still Exist: Shiller)

In Europe, political deadlock continued in Italy as the country's main leadership candidate Pier Luigi's Bersani reportedly said that only an "insane person" would want to govern the nation now, adding that Italy is "in a mess and faces a difficult year ahead."

Bersani made the remark after the anti-establishment "Five Star Movement" party headed by comedian Beppe Grillo again refused to form a coalition government with Bersani, thwarting his latest attempts to form a governing alliance.

(Read More: Hey Euro Zone, You Overrate Yourself: Moody's)

A political stalemate since its inconclusive elections in late February has spiked concerns over how the country will handle its growing debt problems. Italy paid more to borrow over five years than it has since October at its latest auction, indicating worries over its financial situation.

The euro extended its losses below $1.28 against the U.S. greenback, its lowest level since late November.

Elsewhere in Europe, Cyprus is finalizing financial control measures to prevent a run on its banks, which have been shut for a week since the country agreed to a conditional 10 billion euro ($12.8 billion) bailout from international lenders. Cypriots have been lining up to withdraw cash from ATMs, with limits at 100 euros a day for some banks.

"Banks will open on Thursday ... We will look at the best way to limit the possibility of large sums of money leaving, and not imposing punitive conditions on the economy, businesses and individuals," Cypriot Finance Minister Michael Sarris said in an interview on Cypriot television.

"Cyprus is a reason to remind investors that Europe is a source of risk, but I'm not sure Cyprus itself is going to be enough [for a market pullback from the recent run-up]," said Thomas Lee, chief U.S. equity strategist at JPMorgan. "The big picture still points to a major secular bull market being underway, with at least another four years left, led by durable goods."

Trading is likely to be thin ahead of the three-day Easter weekend. U.S. markets will be closed Friday for Good Friday.

Comcast edged higher after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the cable company in an antitrust case over how much the company charged subscribers. (Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal.)

Wal-Mart declined after the world's largest retailer said that probes into alleged foreign bribery at its stores are likely to result in a financial loss. Separately, the company said it would start using stores to get Internet orders to shoppers faster, amid growing competition from online rivals such as Amazon.com.

Boeing edged lower as its 787 Dreamliners face a temporary ban on some of the transocean flights, which would be a costly new challenge for the company.

Cliffs Natural Resources plunged to lead the S&P 500 laggards after Morgan Stanley downgraded the iron ore and metallurgical coal producer to "underweight" from "equal-weight." Rivals Alpha Natural Resources and Peabody Energy also traded lower.

Mattress Firm soared more than 10 percent after the mattress maker provided solid guidance for fiscal 2013. In addition, Raymond James upgraded the company to "outperform" from "market perform." Other mattress companies bounced higher, including Tempur-Pedic and Select Comfort.

Weekly mortgage applications rebounded last week as interest rates pulled back for the first time in three weeks, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Paychex and Red Hat are among notable companies scheduled to report earnings after the closing bell.

Earlier, Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren supported the central bank's asset purchase program, saying it is having the desired impact of speeding up the pace of the recovery and should be continued through the end of the year. Meanwhile, Cleveland Fed President Sandra Pianalto said the Federal Reserve should consider tapering off the pace of its bond-buying stimulus plan if the U.S. economy continues to show signs of improvement.

And Minneapolis Fed President Narayana Kocherlakota said the Fed should ease monetary policy further to bring the unemployment rate down at a faster rate. Kocherlakota expects the jobless rate to be close to 7 percent by the end of 2014, and forecasts growth around 2.5 percent this year and 3 percent next year.

Treasury prices held their gains after the government auctioned $35 billion in 5-year notes at a high yield of 0.760 percent. The bid-to-cover ratio, an indicator of demand, was 2.73.

(Read More: Global 'Triple-A Ratings Club' Shrinks 60 Percent)

?By CNBC's JeeYeon Park (Follow JeeYeon on Twitter: @JeeYeonParkCNBC)

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Butterflies and Bombs

The St. Francis? Satyr is small, brown, and fabulously rare. Once found across North Carolinian sedge meadows, the federally endangered butterfly is now restricted to a few square miles. Its historical habitats, openings maintained by beaver dams and lightning fires, are increasingly threatened by intensive agriculture. The only place that currently harbors the species is closed to the public for reasons of national security.

Ecologist Nick Haddad has been visiting Fort Bragg military base in central North Carolina for ten years with net, notebook, and sharpie in hand. He has special permission to work in the bomb ranges, where hot fires from artillery rounds scorch the earth ? much like lightning would ? allowing sedge meadows and their resident butterflies to persist. An explosive ordinance disposal expert must accompany them on each trip. Nick laughs: ?The expert will point out a 40 mm shell while I watch butterflies. We make a good team.?

Having myself only seen a few flat line drawings of the St. Francis? Satyr, I ask Nick to describe it. ?It has a subtle beauty,? he says, ?a background of brown intersected by red-orange stripes and rows of silver-blue eyespots. Oh, and it is the slowest, most sedentary butterfly I?ve ever seen. Its favorite activity is just sitting there.?

While we tend to think of butterflies as bright flyers ? most have evolved to forage on flowers in open grasslands ? Satyrs are part of a small group that has evolved to live in places surrounded by forest. Fittingly, they are named after the Satyrs of Greek myth, roguish and subversive companions to Pan and Dionysus that roamed the woods playing their pipes. With inconspicuous behaviors, tiny caterpillars, and a three day adult lifespan, they can be a frustrating species to work with. After hundreds of hours of searching, last summer Nick?s team finally found one caterpillar in the field, by accident, when a student dropped his sunglasses next to an inhabited sedge.

?Something interesting happens in the field almost every day,? Nick says, ?whether that?s soldiers dropping from the sky, Black Hawk helicopters flying low over the field site, or a truck towing a howitzer. I tell my students that they?re acclimated to research when they can tell the difference between thunder and bombs dropping.?

The St. Francis? Satyr monitoring project is part of a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Energy that funds ecological field research on military lands, everything from deep sea mapping of sperm whales to climate change assessment in Alaskan boreal forests. With over three hundred installations that cover nearly thirty million acres, the DOD?s ecological resources are vast. And because the DOD restricts access to large tracts of land, many installations protect unique habitats. Fort Bragg, for example, encompasses much of the intact longleaf pine savannah in the South. On the other coast, Camp Pendleton spans sixteen miles of undeveloped Californian shoreline and sustains over 1250 species, eighteen of them threatened or endangered.

The U.S. military and ecological research might seem an odd match, but their histories are deeply entwined. During the nineteenth century many biological expeditions were motivated by military interests and funded by the federal government. Lewis and Clark?s 1804 expedition across the United States was for the express purpose of documenting plants, animals, and other resources that could be exploited commercially. During the Spanish-American War, the U.S. Navy employed botanists to survey western Pacific islands. Such federal support of ecological research continued into the twentieth century, skyrocketing after World War II when ?radioecology? became a centerpiece of the U.S. government?s Atoms for Peace program.

Connections between ecological research and the U.S. military remain strong. For example, the National Park Service is currently collaborating with the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the U.S. Nuclear Threat Initiative, and Russian research institutes to develop a vaccine for brucellosis, an infectious disease that affects humans, livestock, and bison in the Yellowstone area. Brucella abortus, the bacterium that causes brucellosis, was identified as a potential biological weapon during the Cold War. In response, the former Soviet Union invested heavily in studying the disease.

What would an ecology of war look like? War, by definition, brings disturbance and rapid change. While rapid change often favors weedy species ? species that, because of their close associations with humans, we tend to devalue ? on occasion it can favor species we value. This observation has led biologist Thor Hanson and colleagues to contend that in some cases the weakening of sociopolitical frameworks during wartime can ?confer ecological benefits through altered settlement patterns and reduced resource exploitation?; that war can be a ?conservation opportunity? when militarization restricts human activity. There are examples of species that have rebounded with war. One such species is the European plaice, a flat fish whose numbers skyrocketed during WWI because of reduced commercial fishing. Other biologists have praised areas abandoned during insurgent activity ? such as the Hukawng Valley tiger reserve in Myanmar, the Maquenque National Wildlife Refuge in Costa Rica, and Korea?s DMZ ? as hotspots of biodiversity. Biological refugia created with land mines, razor-wire fencing, and forced emigration.

But the argument that war is good for biodiversity is a bleak one. It suggests that humans are unable to occupy the same spaces as other species. There are currently twenty-nine armed conflicts occurring, or more, or less, depending on who is counting, and war preparation is estimated to occupy nine million square miles. Must biodiversity conservation come through human suffering? In taking the bomb field as nature?s salvation, don?t we assert our inability to share the world?

Recently a number of biologists have called for a more hopeful ecology, an ecology of ?novel ecosystems? or ?anthromes.? Unlike traditional geographical frameworks like biomes, these new frameworks emphasize that humans and other species do coexist, sometimes successfully. Indeed, over 75% of the Earth?s terrestrial surface has been impacted by human action. Humans are moving more earth and producing more reactive nitrogen than all other terrestrial processes combined ? not to mention global extinctions and climate change. Humans must therefore count as a component of ecosystems ? an important component of ecosystems, these biologists contend.

To many it will seem obvious that humans are part of their environment, but ecologists have historically ignored humans in their studies. This is changing. Conservationists are also taking heed. Many things that humans do can promote biodiversity ? conservation, after all, is a human action.

The St. Francis? Satyr is a living juxtaposition of butterflies and bombs that challenges the borders we take for granted between innocence and corruption, nature and culture. Though butterflies might symbolize peace and happiness, metamorphosis and rebirth, the St. Francis? Satyr can only do so in bomb fields. They are a muddled metaphor, a humanized wildness.

We say that we understand ecosystems: What?s the difference between thunder and bombs dropping?

Image: Melissa McGaw

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