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creating art out of waste summarizes where we are heading if the level of waste being produced is not changed

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https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/09/climate/climate-change-report-ipcc-un.html

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A Hotter Future Is Certain, Climate Panel Warns. But How Hot Is Up to Us. (Published 2021)

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Some devastating impacts of global warming are now unavoidable, a major new scientific report finds. But there is still a short window to stop things from getting even worse.

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We are seeing a lot of Mask on the ground and they need to be in trashcans.

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https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/01/natural-disasters-resilience-relief-artificial-intelligence-ai-mckinsey/#:~:text=1%20Natural%20disasters%20are%20on%20the

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photos: thousands of migrants wait under texas bridge

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Photos: Thousands of migrants wait under Texas bridge

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Thousands of migrants have crowded a makeshift camp under a bridge near the Texas border city of Del Rio. The migrants are part of what the Biden administration says is an unprecedented number of unauthorized crossings at the US southern border.

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Anna Hardie
homes completely destroyed by Hurricane Ida

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZJvBfoHDk0

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Golden Buzzer: Nightbirde's Original Song Makes Simon Cowell Emotional - America's Got Talent 2021

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Dive Brief:

A chemical spill in Charleston, WV prompted a massive increase in the volume of plastic water bottles residents were generating - around 20 million bottles after the incident.

Most of the discarded plastic, an estimated 17 million bottles, wound up at the local landfill. No curbside recycling collections exist in this rural area.

For recycling service providers in rural communities, the small volume of recyclables collected combined with the distance between customers makes it challenging to offer collections and turn a profit. The closest recycling centers are often 25 miles away.

Dive Insight:

Technological advances in the industry can make recycling less costly in rural areas. The addition of automated fleets and optical sorters would bring down costs.

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Recycling virtually nonexistent in rural areas

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A chemical spill in Charleston, WV prompted a massive increase in the volume of plastic water bottles residents were generating - around 20 million bottles after the incident. Most of the discarded plastic, an estimated 17 million bottles, wound up at the local landfill. No curbside recycling collections exist in this rural area.

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Anna Hardie

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A Black town's water is more poisoned than Flint's. In a white town nearby, it's clean - The Guardian (US/CA)

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Activists in Benton Harbor say it's been an uphill battle getting the city, county and state to take action

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https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/south-carolina/2018/05/19/south-carolina-teachers-state-workers-rally-livable-wage/624009002/

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COLUMBIA - Susan S. Smith, an Anderson special education teacher, drove to the Statehouse early Saturday morning to voice her concerns about unequal education in the state and teacher pay.

Though lawmakers are poised to increase teachers' salaries by 1-2 percent for the next budget year, and Smith said she is grateful for any raise, she said the amount is "nowhere near" what teachers need.

"I hope that our voices are heard," she said as she joined dozens of other teachers and state employees to rally for better pay and launch a campaign, "South Carolinians Deserve The Best."

The rally comes amid similar protests in other states, most recently North Carolina, where educators have pushed for better pay. While teacher strikes led to school being cancelled in some states, Saturday's event was timed not to disrupt school.

The rally also took place in front of an empty Statehouse, as lawmakers have adjourned for the year, though they are scheduled to return for several days later this month to work out differences between House and Senate bills and to take up any vetoes.

Wearing red T-shirts and holding signs, the Statehouse crowd cheered and chanted, applauded speakers, and at one point yelled "Shame on you, South Carolina!" due to a benefit system that has left the state facing a critical shortage of teachers.

"Enough is enough!" yelled Kathy Maness, executive director of the Palmetto State Teachers Association. "The time has come for the General Assembly to recognize that our public schools and state services are South Carolina's most important priority and do what they must do to protect them from further damage."

Maness and other speakers urged colleagues and state workers to talk to lawmakers in their districts and to vote for candidates who are willing to improve pay.
More: More: More: McMaster doesn't rule out veto of teacher pay Teacher pay in South Carolina falls behind, contributes to teacher shortage Teacher pay: Comparing South Carolina school districts
Kayla Lawsan, a special education teacher from Newberry County, held a sign reading, "I went to college for four years and my paycheck is $1,600 per month."

"I am at a barely-scraping-by wage," she said. "Rent, groceries, gas, student loans, it all piles up, and with that amount of money each month, there's no way."

She survives, she said, with two other jobs, a situation that is not uncommon among teachers and state employees.

Brian Barnes of Lexington held a sign saying, "Ask me about my other job."

The air quality worker at the state Department of Health and Environmental Control said he began his job at the agency 27 years ago and likes his work, but the lack of raises over the years has forced him to take a second job running two fireworks stands.

"In the last 10 years we've had two or three menial raises that they said are cost-of-living raises," he said. "Apparently our legislature has no connection with what a gallon of gas costs or a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread. Because there is no way they could say these were cost of living."

Teachers say the state is facing a shortage because fewer new teachers are graduating and more teachers are leaving the profession in South Carolina.

The state's current average teaching salary of $48,769 is about $2,200 less than the 16-state Southeastern average and almost $10,000 less than the national average, according to the Southern Regional Education Board, an Atlanta-based nonprofit funded by states in the region, The Greenville News reported earlier this year.

Of particular concern in South Carolina is the minimum first-year salary of $30,113, which is inadequate to attract many young people to the teaching profession, education officials said.

The number of students graduating from state universities with teaching degrees has fallen from 2,060 in 2014 to 1,684 in 2017, according to officials.

South Carolina's average teaching salary is about $5,400 less than Georgia's average of $54,190 but about $1,000 higher than North Carolina's average of $47,941.

About 6,700 teachers in South Carolina left their schools before the 2017-18 school year, according to the state education department. Many retired or went to other school districts, but 4,900 teachers left education altogether, and that number is increasing.

Low pay is a contributing factor, according to experts.

Teacher advocates not only would like pay raised to the national average, but for lawmakers to reverse their decision this year to end a stipend for national board certification. They also want lawmakers to create enhanced scholarships for those studying to become teachers.

Carlton Washington, executive director of the State Employees Association, said 75 percent of state employees, or 27,000 workers, make below $41,000 a year.

He said the state exempts $3 billion in sales taxes a year that could be used to fund education and state employee needs.

"Ultimately it's up to the General Assembly to decide how they want to fund state government and education and address the crisis," he said. "We're just saying there is some low-hanging fruit that could address the issues immediately."

South Carolina, he said, is 47th in the nation in pay for its workers, leading to social service workers who have some of the highest caseloads in the nation and shortages in prison officers.

Julie Marshall, vice president of the York County Education Association and a Rock Hill educator, said lawmakers do not understand the economics facing teachers. Asking students to bring their own pencils to school, she said, is impossible for many whose only meal is at school.

Helping students is difficult, she said, "when we can't even care of our own families."

"It's time for you to come out from behind the closed door of your classroom," she told the rally. "It's time to step up. It's time to unify. It's time to speak out and let your voice be heard. We are one voice, but we can't be one voice if we hide out of fear."

Terrell Brown, a first-grade teacher at Cherrydale Elementary School in Greenville County and a board member of the South Carolina Education Association, said he hopes the rally will draw attention to the pay needs of both teachers and state workers.

"We have to start somewhere," he said. "We have to let them know we are watching. I know the legislative session is pretty much over, but we have to let people know."

Also at the rally was Democratic gubernatorial candidate state Rep. James Smith and his running mate, Rep. Mandy Powers Norrell, the only candidate team to attend.

"It's so encouraging to see teachers gathering like they are and like they've been doing across the country," he said. "It's one of the important reasons I am running for governor, and it will be job one, to raise teacher pay, lower class sizes and give them the professionalism and training they need."

At the end of the rally, organizers delivered a letter to Gov. Henry McMaster's office.

"Employee morale has never been lower," it stated. "The education community and state agencies scramble every day to combat rapid turnover, reduce costs and retain experienced employees."

Last year, the letter stated, the state ranked worst in the nation in providing a quality public education and second worst in protecting the elderly. Eighth-grade achievement in math and reading have "flat-lined," the letter stated, and fourth grade math and reading scores are down.

The South Carolina Education Association, the Palmetto State Teachers Association and the South Carolina State Employees Association are seeking a summit with McMaster and legislative leaders this summer.

"We are asking you to take a stand and truly represent the people who serve South Carolina every day, in classrooms and state agencies, as well as the 5 million South Carolinians who depend on capable and competent state employees and teachers for their services," the letter stated.

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South Carolina teachers, state employees rally for better pay, send governor letter

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COLUMBIA - Susan S. Smith, an Anderson special education teacher, drove to the Statehouse early Saturday morning to voice her concerns about unequal education in the state and teacher pay. Though lawmakers are poised to increase teachers' salaries by 1-2 percent for the next budget year, and Smith said she is grateful for any raise, she said the amount is "nowhere near" what teachers need.

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Video Doctor facing lawsuits under new Texas abortion law

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They’re the first known challenges under the controversial legislation. ABC News’ Megan Tevrizian reports.

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https://www.statista.com/topics/5910/child-abuse-in-the-united-states/

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Child abuse comes in several different forms, and includes physical, emotional, sexual, and psychological abuse. The signs of child abuse include unexplained bruises, overly aggressive behavior, lack of necessities, and drastic changes in behavioral and eating habits. Unfortunately, child abuse remains common throughout the world, including in the United States. In 2019, there were 656,243 reported cases of child abuse, and the most common form of maltreatment in the U.S. was neglect.

Child Protective Services (CPS) is a governmental agency in the United States that takes care of child abuse cases. Child abuse protective services vary from state to state, but it maintains the responsibility to respond to child abuse cases accordingly. CPS determines the legitimacy of the accusations and supplies resources for the affected children to protect them. If children are deemed unsafe in their homes as a result of abuse from their parents or guardians, the children will be consequently removed to keep them safe. Utah had the highest number of completed reports per investigation and alternative response worker in 2019, with 165 cases.

Child abuse happens across all races and genders, but American Indian and Alaska Native children had the highest rate of child abuse in the U.S. based on race and ethnicity, at 14.8 per 1,000 kids, and slightly more girls were abused than boys in 2019. Around 158,900 children ages two to five were abused in the United States in 2019, which is the most common age of abuse victims.

The number of child fatalities due to abuse or maltreatment has remained relatively steady since 2007, and in 2019, there were 1,809 deaths from child abuse or maltreatment. In 2019, about 5.04 children died every day as a result of abuse and neglect. A victim may be abused multiple times by the same perpetrator or a combination of them. Most child abuse victims were abused by their mothers, fathers, or a combination of both.

Child abuse comes in several different forms, and includes physical, emotional, sexual, and psychological abuse. The signs of child abuse include unexplained bruises, overly aggressive behavior, lack of necessities, and drastic changes in behavioral and eating habits. Unfortunately, child abuse remains common throughout the world, including in the United States. In 2019, there were 656,243 reported cases of child abuse, and the most common form of maltreatment in the U.S. was neglect.

Child Protective Services (CPS) is a governmental agency in the United States that takes care of child abuse cases. Child abuse protective services vary from state to state, but it maintains the responsibility to respond to child abuse cases accordingly. CPS determines the legitimacy of the accusations and supplies resources for the affected children to protect them. If children are deemed unsafe in their homes as a result of abuse from their parents or guardians, the children will be consequently removed to keep them safe. Utah had the highest number of completed reports per investigation and alternative response worker in 2019, with 165 cases.

Child abuse happens across all races and genders, but American Indian and Alaska Native children had the highest rate of child abuse in the U.S. based on race and ethnicity, at 14.8 per 1,000 kids, and slightly more girls were abused than boys in 2019. Around 158,900 children ages two to five were abused in the United States in 2019, which is the most common age of abuse victims.

The number of child fatalities due to abuse or maltreatment has remained relatively steady since 2007, and in 2019, there were 1,809 deaths from child abuse or maltreatment. In 2019, about 5.04 children died every day as a result of abuse and neglect. A victim may be abused multiple times by the same perpetrator or a combination of them. Most child abuse victims were abused by their mothers, fathers, or a combination of both.

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Child abuse comes in several different forms, and includes physical, emotional, sexual, and psychological abuse. The signs of child abuse include unexplained bruises, overly aggressive behavior, lack of necessities, and drastic changes in behavioral and eating habits. Unfortunately, child abuse remains common throughout the world, including in the United States.

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erika woolsey and the hydrous are using virtual reality to bring people closer to the ocean - cnn

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A marine biologist is using virtual reality to bring people closer to the ocean

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Marine biologist Erika Woolsey is using immersive virtual dives to raise awareness of coral reef damage and inspire action to protect our seas.

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An eating disorder is defined as a preoccupation with dieting and thinness leading to excessive weight loss. Ten years ago, the number of teenagers who suffered from eating disorders was less than 500,000. Today, there are more than three million teenage girls, in the U.S. alone, being stricken with diseases such as anorexia and bulimia. The alarming fact is that more than 15% of these girls will die. There are a number of different causes behind the developement of eating disorders. The stress put on young girls by the opposite sex and the fact that young girls face constant exposure to the "be thin" message from television, movies, fashion magazines, and the diet industry. Yet, the number one factor that runs through more than 95% of eating disorder victims is the issue of mental illness.

Day in and day out, young girls deal with so much pressure from the opposite sex. In a poll taken in 1997, 80% of five thousand men claimed they perceive the perfect woman to be tall and thin. They also said that their idea of tall and thin was 5'10, 130 pounds. In reality, that description fits less than 5% of the population. Young men sometimes give girls a terrible self-image of themselves. Sometime, the harmless words of an adolescent boy can lead a girl with low self-esteem to a dangerous eating disorder.

Take a look a one of today's fashion magazines! The definition of skinny is perceived in every picture. Not too long ago, Marilyn Monroe was the absolute icon of beauty. Today, a Hollywood casting director would tell her to come back when she'd lost some weight. Today's standards of beauty are anorexic looking models and movie stars like Calista Flockhart of "Ally McBeal." Twenty years ago, models weighed 8% less than the average woman; today, models weigh 23% less than the average woman. "The pressure to be thin is greater than ever and young girls are being bombarded with images from the media and a culture obsessed with youth, beauty, and thinness." (Crosby, 2)

Research shows that an issue of mental illness is one outstanding theme that runs through every person with an eating disorder. When a person's physical, social, emotional, or psychological boundaries are consistently ignored they experience boundary invasion. In teenagers, it frequently becomes an issue of social boundaries. Their parents have authority over almost everything they do. Their weight is one of the only things that they can control. This gives them a feeling of importance and contentment. After the eating disorder has fully developed, doctors say that it is all in their heads. They do not see the frail, thin person that the rest of us see when they look in the mirror. Many psychiatrisits say that a person must overcome this disease on their own and constant harrassment to eat will only push them farther away from recovery.

Although, only some take it to the extreme, every girl experiences problems with their weight at one point in their lives. It is very important to know the warning signs of an eating disorder; such as, preoccupation with food and dieting, excessive exercise, low self-esteem, and depression and moodiness. We also must remember that it is an illness and it will not just go away in time. This is an endless road that only three in five girls will conquer. Unlike cancer and AIDS, there is no hope for a cure to this deadly disease. "Teenage girls need to see beyond their physical appearance and begin to love themselves for who they are and not what they look like." (Crosby, 3)

1.Costin, Carolyn. The Eating Disorder Sourcebook: A comprehensive guide to the causes, treatments, and prevention of eating disorders. 2nd edition: Lowell House, 1999.

2.Moe, Barbara. Understanding Negative Body Image (Teen Eating Disorder Prevention Book). 1st edition: Rosen Publishing, 1999.

3. Crosby, Johanna. You Can Be Too Thin: Society shapes girls' body images- in dangerous ways. Cape Cod Times, March 11, 1999.

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the growing number of teenage girls being stricken with eating disorders today Example | GraduateWay

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An eating disorder is defined as a preoccupation with dieting and thinness leading to excessive weight loss. Ten years ago, the number of teenagers who suffered from eating disorders was less than 500,000. Today, there are more than three million teenage girls, in the U.S. alone, being stricken with diseases such as anorexia and bulimia.

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https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics

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Cancer has a major impact on society in the United States and across the world. Cancer statistics describe what happens in large groups of people and provide a picture in time of the burden of cancer on society.

Statistics tell us things such as how many people are diagnosed with and die from cancer each year, the number of people who are currently living after a cancer diagnosis, the average age at diagnosis, and the numbers of people who are still alive at a given time after diagnosis. They also tell us about differences among groups defined by age, sex, racial/ethnic group, geographic location, and other categories.

Cancer statistics also help us see trends. By looking at cancer rates over time, we can track changes in the risk of developing and dying from specific cancers as well as cancer overall.

For information about chances of surviving cancer and prognosis, see Understanding Cancer Prognosis. NCI also has a collection of statistical summaries for a number of common cancer types.

Cancer Statistics | Did You Know?

Although statistical trends are usually not directly applicable to individual patients, they are essential for governments, policy makers, health professionals, and researchers to understand the impact of cancer on the population and to develop strategies to address the challenges that cancer poses to the society at large. Statistical trends are also important for measuring the success of efforts to control and manage cancer.

Statistics at a Glance: The Burden of Cancer in the United States

In 2020, an estimated 1,806,590 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and 606,520 people will die from the disease.

The most common cancers (listed in descending order according to estimated new cases in 2020) are breast cancer, lung and bronchus cancer, prostate cancer, colon and rectum cancer, melanoma of the skin, bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, kidney and renal pelvis cancer, endometrial cancer, leukemia, pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, and liver cancer.

Prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers account for an estimated 43% of all cancers diagnosed in men in 2020. For women, the three most common cancers are breast, lung, and colorectal, and they will account for an estimated 50% of all new cancer diagnoses in women in 2020.

The rate of new cases of cancer (cancer incidence) is 442.4 per 100,000 men and women per year (based on 2013-2017 cases).

The cancer death rate (cancer mortality) is 158.3 per 100,000 men and women per year (based on 2013-2017 deaths).

The cancer mortality rate is higher among men than women (189.5 per 100,000 men and 135.7 per 100,000 women). When comparing groups based on race/ethnicity and sex, cancer mortality is highest in African American men (227.3 per 100,000) and lowest in Asian/Pacific Islander women (85.6 per 100,000).

As of January 2019, there were an estimated 16.9 million cancer survivors in the United States. The number of cancer survivors is projected to increase to 22.2 million by 2030.

Approximately 39.5% of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lifetimes (based on 2015-2017 data).

In 2020, an estimated 16,850 children and adolescents ages 0 to 19 will be diagnosed with cancer and 1,730 will die of the disease.

Estimated national expenditures for cancer care in the United States in 2018 were $150.8 billion. In future years, costs are likely to increase as the population ages and more people have cancer. Costs are also likely to increase as new, and often more expensive, treatments are adopted as standards of care.

Statistics at a Glance: The Burden of Cancer Worldwide

Cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide. In 2018, there were 18.1 million new cases and 9.5 million cancer-related deaths worldwide.

By 2040, the number of new cancer cases per year is expected to rise to 29.5 million and the number of cancer-related deaths to 16.4 million.

Generally, cancer rates are highest in countries whose populations have the highest life expectancy, education level, and standard of living. But for some cancer types, such as cervical cancer, the reverse is true, and the incidence rate is highest in countries in which the population ranks low on these measures.

Source: International Agency for Research on Cancer

US Cancer Mortality Trends

The best indicator of progress against cancer is a change in age-adjusted mortality (death) rates, although other measures, such as quality of life, are also important. Incidence is also important, but it is not always straightforward to interpret changes in incidence. A rise in incidence can reflect a real increase in disease occurrence, such as when an increase in exposure to a risk factor causes more cases of cancer. In such a scenario the increased incidence would likely lead to a rise in deaths from the cancer. On the other hand, the incidence of cancer may rise due to a new screening test that detects many cancer cases that would not have caused a problem during someone's life (called overdiagnosis). In this example, the incidence of the cancer would increase, but death rates would not change.

Mortality trends, when compared with incidence trends, can also provide evidence of improved treatments. If death rates drop faster than incidence (or if death rates drop while incidence is rising), this may reflect the availability of better treatments. For example, statistical evidence suggests that improved treatments have likely made a substantial contribution to recent sharp declines in the lung cancer mortality rate.

In the United States, the overall cancer death rate has declined since the early 1990s. The most recent Annual Report to the Nation, released in March 2020, shows that overall cancer death rates decreased by:

1.8% per year among men from 2001 to 2017

1.4% per year among women from 2001 to 2017

1.4% per year among children ages 0-14 from 2013 to 2017

Although death rates for many individual cancer types have also declined, rates for a few cancers have not changed or even increased.

As the overall cancer death rate has declined, the number of cancer survivors has increased. These trends show that progress is being made against the disease, but much work remains. Although rates of smoking, a major cause of cancer, have declined, the rates of other risk factors, such as obesity, have increased in the United States. Also, the US population is aging, and cancer rates increase with age.

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program

NCI's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program collects and publishes cancer incidence and survival data from population-based cancer registries that cover approximately 35% of the US population. The SEER program website has more detailed cancer statistics, including population statistics for common types of cancer, customizable graphs and tables, and interactive tools.

The Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer provides an annual update of cancer incidence, mortality, and trends in the United States. This report is jointly authored by experts from NCI, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Cancer Society, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries.

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Basic information about cancer statistics in the United States and how they are used to understand the impact of cancer on society and to develop strategies that address the challenges that cancer poses.

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Poor Kids (full documentary) | FRONTLINE - Bing video

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https://www.dancemagazine.com/mistreatment-in-dance-2544075277.html

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Is the Dance World Ready to Truly Change Its Company Culture?

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Last week in a piece I wrote about the drama at English National Ballet, I pointed out that many of the accusations against artistic director Tamara Rojo-screaming at dancers, giving them the silent treatment, taking away roles without explanation-were, unfortunately, pretty standard practice in the

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Anna Hardie

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https://www.brainforestcenters.com/news/5-ways-adhd-affects-learning-in-the-classroom

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Returning back to school can be challenging for students struggling with ADHD. The thought of having to sit still throughout the day and focus on schoolwork can be daunting. As a parent or teacher, it is important to recognize what ways ADHD affects learning and what it looks like so that you can help the child get the support they need to succeed in both school and in life.

What is ADHD?

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental disorder that is generally characterized by inattentiveness, hyperactivity and/or impulsivity. In order to be diagnosed, the individual must complete a medical evaluation and parents or teachers will need to fill out a checklist.

Normal child behavior can often be mistaken for symptoms of ADHD. What little kid likes to sit still and pay attention? That said, a diagnosis should only be made if the symptoms are at a greater capacity than other children of the same age and last for longer than 6 months.

What are the signs and symptoms of ADHD?

There are two types of symptoms a child with ADHD can show-inattentive or hyperactive-impulses. Children may show more symptoms in one group than the other, or they may show symptoms in both. The combination of the two might be what makes it so challenging to pay attention in school. Below you will find a list of the symptoms in each group.

Keep in mind that a child that is high-energy does not automatically have ADHD. A proper medical diagnosis is needed to determine whether or not the adolescent has ADHD.

Inattentive symptoms of ADHD:

Overlooks the details of school work

Finds it difficult to follow instructions

Struggles with organization

Has trouble focusing when being spoken to

Does not complete school work or chores in a timely manner

Avoids doing tasks that require great focus (ie: homework)

Frequently loses track of items such as homework and possessions

Hyperactive-impulses symptoms of ADHD:

Difficulty remaining in seat

Often found fidgeting or squirming

Runs or climbs in areas where it is not appropriate

Inability to play quietly

Has trouble being patient and waiting for own turn

Overly talkative

Blurts out a response before the other person is done speaking

Interrupts on conversations or activities

5 ways that ADHD affects learning in the classroom and how you can help your child overcome them:

1. There is a constant need for movement

Because children with ADHD have a hard time regulating the movements of their bodies, it can be difficult to sit still for extended periods of time. To combat this, students may create excuses to leave the classroom. As a result, they miss out on important instructions and lessons that may make it easier to complete assignments later.

How can you help your kid manage their need for movement?

Parents and teachers can help the child learn to identify when they have the urge to move. If moving is not an option, providing them with a way to direct that movement while staying seated will eliminate the need to leave the classroom. The best way to do this is by providing a sensory activity like standing desks, fidget spinners or objects and wiggle seats.

2. Classrooms have too many external distractions

In a room full of other children, the number of external stimuli increases. It is rare to find a completely quiet moment. Children with ADHD are easily distracted and the constant squeaking of a chair, tapping of fingers, or voices in the hallway can make it hard for the child to hold their undivided attention to the task at hand.

What ways can you improve focus?

Students now are generally asked to complete assignments via technology. One way to limit distractions while on a tablet or computer is by turning off notifications and allowing technology breaks. Another way you can help is by talking to the teacher to see if your child can be seated away from doors and distractions or ask if they can provide breaks throughout the day as well.

3. Their thoughts outrun their bodies

For students with ADHD, it usually isn't the failure to learn that creates an issue, but rather the a gap in the ability to carry that understanding into their schoolwork. This may result in failed tests, trouble completing homework or writing assignments and an inability to turn assignments in on time.

How can you help your child handle stressful thoughts?

Success in school is determined by grades, so failed tests and assignments can take a hit on the child's self-esteem. Teachers and parents can combat this frustration by using positive reinforcements and help build their self-awareness. Teaching the child to take deep breaths or think positive thoughts during moments of high stress can also help minimize the ways ADHD affects learning.

4. Challenges with filtering thoughts (and choosing the right time to share them)

Hyperactive-impulsive children tend to blurt their thoughts out before others are finished speaking. This can create an issue with other classmates, especially during group projects, and may interrupt the teacher during important instructional time affecting not just the child's ability to hear instructions, but the classes as well. Beyond that, this may have an effect on your child's social life.

What can you do to help the student communicate?

The best way to handle the way ADHD affects learning and communication is by speaking with the teacher to establish a plan that rewards good behavior. It is also advantageous to talk through behavior with the child so that they can learn to understand what is acceptable and identify their moods.

5. Thoughts tend to drift

ADHD affects learning by inhibiting the child's ability to hold focus. Not paying attention makes it hard to remember what the teacher says regarding lessons, assignments and due dates. Therefore, the child's ability to learn the material and complete homework may suffer.

How can you help improve organization?

To help the student keep track of due dates, teaching them to use an assignment notebook can help. Have the teacher initial next to the date at the end of each day to ensure they aren't missing anything. This is another area where positive reinforcement can be beneficial.

Collaborating with the teacher

Symptoms of ADHD often become apparent in the classroom when there is an increase in external stimuli and more pressure is placed on the child to pay attention. Since teachers are with the child throughout most of the school day, it is vital that as the parent, you build a good relationship with the child's teacher so that you both understand the ways your child's ADHD affects learning.

Studies have shown that effective communication between home and school is imperative for the adolescent's success. It allows for structure in the two areas the child spends most of their time. Parents and teachers can work as a team to implement strategies, language and rewards to encourage consistency for the child.

Does your child have ADHD? Have you noticed a decrease in performance at school? Call our office today at (317) 288-9828 for a free consultation to see how our neurofeedback can help!

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5 Ways ADHD Affects Learning in the Classroom | Brain Forest

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Returning back to school can be challenging for students struggling with ADHD. The thought of having to sit still throughout the day and focus on schoolwork can be daunting. As a parent or teacher, it is important to recognize what ways ADHD affects learning and what it looks like so that you ca ...

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Mortality Rates in Childhood Cancer Higher Than Previously Thought - ASH Clinical News

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Logan Yenser - Crunch Time in Video Game Development

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Logan Yenser - Crunch Time in Video Game Development

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2021/03/24/crunch-laws/

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https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/gabby-petito-autopsy-fbi-brian-laundrie

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FIRST ON FOX: The 911 caller who reported the domestic incident between Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie in Moab, Utah, believed that the couple was fighting over a phone and that Laundrie may have been trying to ditch his fiancée, according to a witness statement obtained by Fox News."

They were talking aggressively [at] each other [and] something definitely seemed off," the witness, identified only as Christopher, wrote. "At one point, they were sort of fighting over a phone - I think the male took the female's phone. It appeared that he didn't want her in the white van."

The male, believed to be Laundrie, got into the driver's seat, according to Christopher, and the woman, believed to be Petito, followed. It happened outside the Moonflower Cooperative - an organic grocery store in downtown Moab.

Click here to read more on Fox News.

EXCLUSIVE: A Moab City Police Department statement obtained by Fox News' Michael Ruiz on Tuesday - which contains remarks from a 911 caller about what he saw on Aug. 12 - says "something seemed off" and "it appeared that he didn't want her in the white van."

"I heard her say 'why do you have to be so mean'" the witness said in describing the dispute between Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie.

"It was as if the guy was trying to leave her, and maybe take her phone? Not sure but wanted to help out," the witness added.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office in northwestern Florida said Tuesday that it is "actively" looking into a report about a trail camera capturing an image of a man resembling Brian Laundrie, the person of interest in the Gabby Petito case.

"I'm not saying this is the guy but whoever was on my trail camera this morning in Baker, Fl strongly fits the description of Brian Laundrie, authorities have been contacted but people in the North West Florida area be on the look out," a Facebook user named Sam Bass wrote last night about the picture taken at 6:17 a.m. local time Monday morning.

"Obviously we will keep everyone in the loop if and when there is anything to report," the sheriff's office added.

Francine Smetts, who says she has lived near the Carlton Reserve for more than a decade, described the area Tuesday as being "like a swamp right now because of all the rain we had.

"You can go maybe a mile in and then it's just water everywhere, lots of water," she told Fox News' Stephanie Pagones. "It's swampy. There are alligators out there, there are snakes out there, there are mosquitos -- they are relentless."

The Friends of the Carlton Reserve, a nonprofit that describes itself as being "in support of one of Sarasota County's natural lands," said in a Facebook message that "staff has notified us that effective Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, the Carlton Reserve is closed until further notice."

The search for Brian Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve has resumed after the FBI spent hours with his parents at their home in nearby North Port, Fla., on Monday.

Dozens of law enforcement vehicles from all around the state are at Carlton Reserve Monday, which is now blocked off at the entrance.

Search teams held a briefing at about 8:30 a.m. local time, according to Fox News' Stephanie Pagones.

The North Port Police Department said in a tweet Tuesday that the search for Brian Laundrie -- the person of interest in the Gabby Petito investigation -- will start up again in the Carlton Reserve, a 25,000-acre reserve located roughly five miles from the family's home.

"We join the FBI in asking for continued public assistance by sharing any information through the tip lines," the department added.

The search is resuming there after the North Port Police Department told Fox News on Monday that it "currently has no plans to conduct a major search of the Carlton Reserve today."

Authorities were looking for Laundrie in the reserve over the weekend, but as of Tuesday, his whereabouts remain unknown.

Melissa Hulls, a ranger at Arches National Park who responded to the Aug. 12 altercation in Utah between Petito and Laundrie, told the Deseret News that she warned Gabby her relationship had the markings of being "toxic."

"I was imploring with her to reevaluate the relationship, asking her if she was happy in the relationship with him, and basically saying this was an opportunity for her to find another path, to make a change in her life," Hulls said to the newspaper.

"She had a lot of anxiety about being away from him, I honestly thought if anything was going to change it would be after they got home to Florida," she added.

Laundrie later stayed in a hotel that night, while Petito stayed with the van, according to a police report.

"We thought we were making the right decision when we left them," Hulls said.
Fox News' Paul Best contributed to this report.

The attorney for Brian Laundrie canceled a press conference that was scheduled for Tuesday after speaking with the FBI, Fox News has learned.

Laundrie, 23, is the boyfriend of Gabby Petito, the missing Florida woman whose body may have been discovered Sunday in Wyoming.

A reporter from the New York Post, citing the attorney, tweeted that the press conference was not canceled at the behest of the FBI but rather because he said it is not in his clients' 'best interest.'

He has been named a person of interest in the case.His family told police that they have not seen him since last Tuesday.

The autopsy of the remains found in the investigation is set to be completed on Tuesday, which could confirm that the body belonged to Petito.

An apparent stone memorial has been discovered near where the likely remains of Gabby Petito were found by authorities, according to a report.

A cross made of rocks was seen on the ground in the area of the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, where the body was also found, according to KSTU-TV.

It was unclear who placed it there, according to the station.

Petito's family reported her missing on Sept. 11, weeks after she last spoke with her mother in late August.

The camping area had reopened after the body was discovered and investigators left the scene, the report added.

Grand Teton County, Wyoming, Coroner Brent Blue on Monday confirmed to Fox News that an autopsy of the remains authorities discovered in the Bridger-Teton National Forest on Sunday would be complete by Tuesday.

The body found in the Moran Vista dispersed camping area in Moose, Wyoming, was consistent with a description of Gabby Petito, the FBI said Sunday, adding that the remains matched the description of the missing woman as the search for her fiancé intensified.

No other information about the body, such as the physical state of the remains discovered, have been released. The 22-year-old blogger was one of three people missing near Grand Teton National Park this summer.
Click here for the full story

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Gabby Petito: Brian Laundrie search resuming in Carlton Reserve as autopsy due Tuesday: LIVE UPDATES

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Officials in Wyoming told Fox News that an autopsy of the remains authorities discovered in the Bridger-Teton National Forest that may belong to Gabby Petito will be complete Tuesday. Meanwhile, a search for Laundrie has resumed Tuesday at the Carlton Reserve in Florida.

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Author and Page information

This page: https://www.globalissues.org/issue/169/biodiversity.

To print all information (e.g. expanded side notes, shows alternative links), use the print version:

The variety of life on Earth, its biological diversity is commonly referred to as biodiversity. The number of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the enormous diversity of genes in these species, the different ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all part of a biologically diverse Earth. Appropriate conservation and sustainable development strategies attempt to recognize this as being integral to any approach. Almost all cultures have in some way or form recognized the importance that nature, and its biological diversity has had upon them and the need to maintain it. Yet, power, greed and politics have affected the precarious balance.

9 articles on "Biodiversity" and 2 related issues:

Why is Biodiversity important? Does it really matter if there aren't so many species?

Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play.

For example, a larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops; greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms; and healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters.

And so, while we dominate this planet, we still need to preserve the diversity in wildlife.

Read " Why Is Biodiversity Important? Who Cares? " to learn more.

It has long been feared that human activity is causing massive extinctions. Despite increased efforts at conservation, it has not been enough and biodiversity losses continue. The costs associated with deteriorating or vanishing ecosystems will be high. However, sustainable development and consumption would help avert ecological problems.

Read " Loss of Biodiversity and Extinctions " to learn more.

At the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (the Earth Summit), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was born. 192 countries, plus the EU, are now Parties to that convention. In April 2002, the Parties to the Convention committed to significantly reduce the loss of biodiversity loss by 2010.

Perhaps predictably, that did not happen. Despite numerous successful conservations measures supporting biodiversity, the 2010 biodiversity target has not been met at the global level. This page provides an overview on how the attempts to prevent biodiversity loss is progressing.

Read " Addressing Biodiversity Loss " to learn more.

The February 1999 Biodiversity Protocol meeting in Colombia broke down because USA, not even a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity, to which the protocol is meant to be part of, and five other countries of the "Miami Group" felt that their business interests were threatened. The safety concerns were unfortunately overridden by trade concerns. Some technological advances, especially in genetically engineered food, have been very fast paced and products are being pushed into the market place without having been proven safe. All over the world, concerned citizens and governments have been trying to take precautionary measures. However, 1999 was not a successful year in that respect.

Read " Biosafety Protocol 1999 " to learn more.

A Biosafety Protocol meeting was hosted in Montreal, Canada January 24 to January 28. Compared to the fiasco of the previous year, this time, there had been a somewhat successful treaty to regulate the international transport and release of genetically modified organisms to protect natural biological diversity. However, there were a number of important and serious weaknesses too.

Read " Biosafety Protocol 2000 " to learn more.

Read " Biodiversity Links for more Information " to learn more.

Environmental issues are also a major global issue. Humans depend on a sustainable and healthy environment, and yet we have damaged the environment in numerous ways. This section introduces other issues including biodiversity, climate change, animal and nature conservation, population, genetically modified food, sustainable development, and more.

Read " Environmental Issues " to learn more.

Author and Page Information

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Biodiversity is an important global issue. More than just 'I want my children to enjoy it', rich diversity allows medicines and foods to be naturally available. A healthy ecosystem maintains itself even with some natural disaster prevention mechanisms in most ecosystems. We also get various free services from the surrounding environment, which are not easily replaceable or replicable, so maintaining biodiversity is important.

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Introduction

Domestic cats ( Felis catus) are predators that humans have introduced globally1,2 and that have been listed among the 100 worst non-native invasive species in the world3. Free-ranging cats on islands have caused or contributed to 33 (14%) of the modern bird, mammal and reptile extinctions recorded by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List4. Mounting evidence from three continents indicates that cats can also locally reduce mainland bird and mammal populations and cause a substantial proportion of total wildlife mortality. Despite these harmful effects, policies for management of free-ranging cat populations and regulation of pet ownership behaviours are dictated by animal welfare issues rather than ecological impacts11. Projects to manage free-ranging cats, such as Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) colonies, are potentially harmful to wildlife populations, but are implemented across the United States without widespread public knowledge, consideration of scientific evidence or the environmental review processes typically required for actions with harmful environmental consequences11,12.

A major reason for the current non-scientific approach to management of free-ranging cats is that total mortality from cat predation is often argued to be negligible compared with other anthropogenic threats, such as collisions with man-made structures and habitat destruction. However, assessing the conservation importance of a mortality source requires identification of which species are being killed (for example, native versus non-native invasive species and rare versus common species) in addition to estimation of total numbers of fatalities. Estimates of annual US bird mortality from predation by all cats, including both owned and un-owned cats, are in the hundreds of millions13,14 (we define un-owned cats to include farm/barn cats, strays that are fed by humans but not granted access to habitations, cats in subsidized colonies and cats that are completely feral). This magnitude would place cats among the top sources of anthropogenic bird mortality; however, window and building collisions have been suggested to cause even greater mortality. Existing estimates of mortality from cat predation are speculative and not based on scientific data13,14,15,16 or, at best, are based on extrapolation of results from a single study18. In addition, no large-scale mortality estimates exist for mammals, which form a substantial component of cat diets.

We conducted a data-driven systematic review of studies that estimate predation rates of owned and un-owned cats, and estimated the magnitude of bird and mammal mortality caused by all cats across the contiguous United States (all states excluding Alaska and Hawaii). We estimate that free-ranging domestic cats kill 1.3-4.0 billion birds and 6.3-22.3 billion mammals annually, and that un-owned cats cause the majority of this mortality. This magnitude of mortality is far greater than previous estimates of cat predation on wildlife and may exceed all other sources of anthropogenic mortality of US birds and mammals.

Results

The magnitude of bird mortality caused by cat predation

After excluding studies that did not meet a priori inclusion criteria designed to increase the accuracy of our analysis, we developed probability distributions of predation rates on birds and mammals. We combined predation rate distributions with literature-derived probability distributions for US cat population sizes, and we also accounted for the proportion of owned cats allowed outdoors, the proportion of owned and un-owned cats that hunt, and imperfect detection of owned cats' prey items.

We generated an estimated range of bird and mammal mortality caused by cat predation by incorporating the above distributions-including separate predation rate distributions for owned and un-owned cats-and running 10,000 calculation iterations. We augmented US predation data by incorporating predation rate estimates from other temperate regions ( Supplementary Table S1). For birds, we generated three US mortality estimates based on predation data from studies in: (1) the United States, (2) the United States and Europe and (3) the United States, Europe, and other temperate regions (primarily Australia and New Zealand). Owing to a lack of US studies of un-owned cat predation on mammals, we estimated mammal mortality using data groupings 2 and 3. We based all other probability distributions on US studies (distribution details in Table 1; data in Supplementary Table S2).

Table 1 Probability distributions used for parameters in cat predation model.

The three estimates of bird mortality varied moderately, with a 19% difference among median estimates ( Table 2). We focus interpretation on the estimate generated using US and European predation data because it is the lowest value. Furthermore, this estimate is more likely to be representative of the US than the estimate based on incorporation of data from Australia and New Zealand, where the wildlife fauna and climate are less similar to the United States. We estimate that cats in the contiguous United States annually kill between 1.3 and 4.0 billion birds (median=2.4 billion) ( Fig. 1a), with ∼69% of this mortality caused by un-owned cats. The predation estimate for un-owned cats was higher primarily due to predation rates by this group averaging three times greater than rates for owned cats.

Table 2 Median estimates of annual wildlife mortality caused by cat predation in the contiguous United States.

( a) Probability distribution of estimated bird mortality caused by all free-ranging cats in mainland areas of the contiguous United States. ( b) Probability distribution of estimated mammal mortality caused by all free-ranging cats in mainland areas of the contiguous United States.

The magnitude of mammal mortality caused by cat predation

Our estimate of mammal mortality was robust to the choice of predation data as evidenced by a 1.6% difference between the two median estimates ( Table 2). We focus interpretation on the lower estimate, which was based on United States and European predation data and US values of other parameters. We estimate annual mammal mortality in the contiguous United States at between 6.3 and 22.3 billion (median=12.3 billion) ( Fig. 1b) with 89% of this mortality caused by un-owned cats. The estimate that incorporated European data (but not data from Australia and New Zealand) may be slightly lower because wildlife across much of Europe were historically exposed to predation by a similarly-sized wild cat ( Felis sylvestris) and, therefore, may be less naive to predation by domestic cats. However, it is unlikely that European wildlife have fully adapted to the unusually high densities of domestic cats in much of this continent9.

Factors explaining estimate uncertainty

For both birds and mammals, sensitivity analyses indicated that un-owned cat parameters explained the greatest variation in total mortality estimates ( Fig. 2). Un-owned cat population size explained the greatest variation in mortality estimates (42% for birds and 51% for mammals), and the un-owned cat predation rate explained the second greatest variation (24% for birds and 40% for mammals). The only other parameters that explained >5% of variation in mortality estimates were the owned cat predation rate on birds (16%) and the correction factor for imperfect detection of owned cats' prey items (8%).

Amount of variation in estimates of wildlife mortality in the contiguous United States contributed by each parameter in the cat predation model (percentages represent adjusted R ² values from multiple regression models).

Discussion

Our estimate of bird mortality far exceeds any previously estimated US figure for cats, as well as estimates for any other direct source of anthropogenic mortality, including collisions with windows, buildings, communication towers, vehicles and pesticide poisoning13,15,16,17,18,19,20,21. Systematic reviews like ours, which includes protocol formulation, a data search strategy, data inclusion criteria, data extraction and formal quantitative analyses22, are scarce for other anthropogenic mortality sources.21 Increased rigour of mortality estimates should be a high priority and will allow increased comparability of mortality sources23. Nonetheless, no estimates of any other anthropogenic mortality source approach the value we calculated for cat predation, and our estimate is the first for cats to be based on rigorous data-driven methods. Notably, we excluded high local predation rates and used assumptions that led to minimum predation rate estimates for un-owned cats; therefore, actual numbers of birds killed may be even greater than our estimates.

Free-roaming cats in the United States may also have a substantial impact on reptiles and amphibians. However, US studies of cat predation on these taxa are scarce. To generate a first approximation of US predation rates on reptiles and amphibians, we used the same model of cat predation along with estimates of cat predation rates on these taxa from studies in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. We estimate that between 228 and 871 million reptiles (median=478 million) and between 86 and 320 million amphibians (median=173 million) could be killed by cats in the contiguous United States each year. Reptile and amphibian populations, and, therefore, cat predation rates, may differ between the regions where we gathered predation data for these taxa and the United States. Furthermore, reptiles and amphibians are unavailable as prey during winter across much of the United States. Additional research is needed to clarify impacts of cats on US herpetofauna, especially given numerous anthropogenic stressors that threaten their populations (for example, climate change, habitat loss and infectious diseases) and documented extinctions of reptiles and amphibians due to cat predation in other regions4,24.

The exceptionally high estimate of mammal mortality from cat predation is supported by individual US studies that illustrate high annual predation rates by individual un-owned cats in excess of 200 mammals per year6,25,26,27,28 and the consistent finding that cats preferentially depredate mammals over other taxa ( Supplementary Table S1). Even with a lower yearly predation rate of 100 mammals per cat, annual mortality would range from 3-8 billion mammals just for un-owned cats, based on a population estimate of between 30 and 80 million un-owned cats. This estimated level of mortality could exceed any other direct source of anthropogenic mortality for small mammals; however, we are unaware of studies that have systematically quantified direct anthropogenic mortality of small terrestrial mammals across large scales.

Native species make up the majority of the birds preyed upon by cats. On average, only 33% of bird prey items identified to species were non-native species in 10 studies with 438 specimens of 58 species ( Supplementary Table S3). For mammals, patterns of predation on native and non-native species are less clear and appear to vary by landscape type. In densely populated urban areas where native small mammals are less common, non-native species of rats and mice can make up a substantial component of mammalian prey29. However, studies of mammals in suburban and rural areas found that 75-100% of mammalian prey were native mice, shrews, voles, squirrels and rabbits. Further research of mammals is needed to clarify patterns of predation by both owned and un-owned cats on native and non-native mammals, and across different landscape types.

Sensitivity analyses indicate that additional research of un-owned cats will continue to improve precision of mortality estimates. Our finding that un-owned cat population size and predation rate explained the greatest variation in mortality estimates reflects the current lack of knowledge about un-owned cats. No precise estimate of the un-owned cat population exists for the United States because obtaining such an estimate is cost prohibitive, and feral un-owned cats are wary of humans and tend to be solitary outside of urban areas. In addition, human subsidized colonies of un-owned cats are maintained without widespread public knowledge. For example, in Washington DC alone there are >300 managed colonies of un-owned cats and an unknown number of unmanaged colonies. Population size estimates can be improved by incorporating observations of free-ranging cats into a wildlife mortality reporting database23.

Context for the population impact of a mortality source depends on comparing mortality estimates to estimates of population abundance of individual species. However, continental-scale estimates of wildlife population abundance are uncertain due to spatio-temporal variation in numbers. For mammals, clarification of the population impacts of cat predation is hindered by the absence of nationwide population estimates. For all North American land birds, the group of species most susceptible to mainland cat predation ( Supplementary Table S3), existing estimates range from 10-20 billion individuals in North America32. A lack of detail about relative proportions of different bird species killed by cats and spatio-temporal variation of these proportions makes it difficult to identify the species and populations that are most vulnerable. The magnitude of our mortality estimates suggest that cats are likely causing population declines for some species and in some regions. Threatened and endangered wildlife species on islands are most susceptible to the effects of cat predation, and this may also be true for vulnerable species in localized mainland areas5 because small numbers of fatalities could cause significant population declines. Threatened species in close proximity to cat colonies-including managed TNR colonies11,12-face an especially high level of risk; therefore, cat colonies in such locations comprise a wildlife management priority. Claims that TNR colonies are effective in reducing cat populations, and, therefore, wildlife mortality, are not supported by peer-reviewed scientific studies11.

Our estimates should alert policy makers and the general public about the large magnitude of wildlife mortality caused by free-ranging cats. Structured decisions about actions to reduce wildlife mortality require a quantitative evidence base. We provide evidence of large-scale cat predation impacts based on systematic analysis of multiple data sources. Future specific management decisions, both in the United States and globally, must be further informed by fine scale research that allows analysis of population responses to cats and assessment of the success of particular management actions. We are not suggesting that other anthropogenic threats that kill fewer individuals are biologically unimportant. Virtually nothing is known about the cumulative population impacts of multiple mortality sources. Furthermore, comparison of total mortality numbers has limited use for prioritization of risks and development of conservation objectives. Combining per species estimates of mortality with population size estimates will provide the greatest information about the risk of population-level impacts of cat predation. Although our results suggest that owned cats have relatively less impact than un-owned cats, owned cats still cause substantial wildlife mortality ( Table 2); simple solutions to reduce mortality caused by pets, such as limiting or preventing outdoor access, should be pursued. Efforts to better quantify and minimize mortality from all anthropogenic threats are needed to increase sustainability of wildlife populations.

The magnitude of wildlife mortality caused by cats that we report here far exceeds all prior estimates. Available evidence suggests that mortality from cat predation is likely to be substantial in all parts of the world where free-ranging cats occur. This mortality is of particular concern within the context of steadily increasing populations of owned cats, the potential for increasing populations of un-owned cats12, and an increasing abundance of direct and indirect mortality sources that threaten wildlife in the United States and globally.

Methods

Literature search

We searched JSTOR, Google Scholar, and the Web of Science database (formerly ISI Web of Science) within the Web of Knowledge search engine published by Thomson Reuters to identify studies that document cat predation on birds and mammals. We initially focused this search on US studies, but due to a limited sample of these studies, we expanded the search to include predation research from other temperate regions. We also searched for studies providing estimates of cat population sizes at the scale of the contiguous United States and for US studies that estimate the proportion of owned cats with outdoor access and the proportion of cats that hunt wildlife. The search terms we used included: 'domestic cat' in combination with 'predation,' 'prey,' 'diet,' 'food item' and 'mortality'; all previous terms with 'domestic cat' replaced by ' Felis catus,' 'feral,' 'stray,' 'farm,' 'free-ranging,' and 'pet'; 'trap-neuter-return colony'; 'TNR colony'; and 'cat predation' in combination with 'wildlife,' 'bird,' 'mammal,' and 'rodent'. We checked reference lists of articles to identify additional relevant studies. Lead authors of three studies were also contacted to enquire whether they knew of ongoing or completed unpublished studies of cat predation in the United States.

Classification of cat ranging behaviour

We grouped studies based on the ranging behaviour of cats investigated. We defined owned cats to include owned cats in both rural and urban areas that spend at least some time indoors and are also granted outdoor access. We defined un-owned cats to include all un-owned cats that spend all of their time outdoors. The un-owned cat group includes semi-feral cats that are sometimes considered pets (for example, farm/barn cats and strays that are fed by humans but not granted access to habitations), cats in subsidized (including TNR) colonies, and cats that are completely feral (that is, completely independent and rarely interacting with humans). We did not classify cats by landscape type or whether they receive food from humans because the amount of time cats spend outdoors is a major determinant of predation rates33,34 and because predation is independent of whether cats are fed by humans.

Study inclusion criteria

Studies were only included if: (1) they clearly reported cat ranging behaviour (that is, a description of whether cats were owned or un-owned and whether they were outdoor cats or indoor-outdoor cats), and (2) the group of cats investigated fit exclusively into one of the two groups we defined above (that is, we excluded studies that lumped owned and un-owned cats in a single predation rate estimate). For some studies, we extracted a portion of data that met these criteria but excluded other data from cats with unknown ranging behaviour. We only included mainland and large island (New Zealand and United Kingdom) predation studies, because cat predation on small islands is often exceptionally high36,37 and focused on colony nesting seabirds38. We excluded studies from outside temperate regions and those with predation rate estimates based on fewer than 10 cats, <1 month of sampling, or on cats that were experimentally manipulated (for example, by fitting them with bells or behaviour altering bibs). We included studies that used cat owners' records of prey returns, but we excluded those that asked owners to estimate past prey returns because such questionnaires may lead to bias in estimation of predation rates39. (For a list of all included and excluded studies, see Supplementary Table S1).

Data extraction and standardization of predation rates

Most studies report an estimate of cat predation rate (that is, daily, monthly or annual prey killed per cat) or present data that allowed us to calculate this rate. When studies only reported predation rate estimates for all wildlife combined, we calculated separate predation rates by extracting taxa-specific prey counts from tables or figures and multiplying the total predation rate by the proportion of prey items in each taxon. If taxa-specific counts were not provided, we directly contacted authors to obtain this information. For studies that presented low, medium and high estimates or low and high estimates, we used the medium and average values, respectively. For studies that presented more than one predation estimate for cats with similar ranging behaviour (for example, owned cats in rural and urban areas), we calculated the average predation rate.

Nearly all studies of un-owned cats report numbers or frequencies of occurrence of different taxa in stomachs and/or scats. For studies reporting numbers of prey items, we estimated annual predation rates by assuming one stomach or scat sample represented a cat's average daily prey intake (for example, an average of one prey item per stomach or scat=365 prey per cat per year). This assumption likely resulted in conservative estimates because cats generally digest prey within 12 h (ref.2828) and can produce two or more scats each day29. For studies reporting occurrence frequencies of prey items, we assumed this proportion represented a cat's average daily prey intake (for example, a 10% bird occurrence rate=0.1 bird per stomach or scat=36.5 birds per cat per year). This assumption results in coarse predation rate estimates, but estimates from this approach are even more conservative than those from the first assumption because many stomachs and scats undoubtedly included more than one bird or mammal.

Predation rate estimates from many studies were based on continuous year-round sampling or multiple sampling occasions covering all seasons. However, seasonal coverage of some studies was incomplete. To generate full-year predation rate estimates in these cases, we adjusted partial-year predation estimates according to the average proportion of prey taken in each month as determined from year-round studies reporting monthly data (birds and mammals8,33, birds only7,40). For partial-year estimates from the northern hemisphere, we offset monthly estimates from southern hemisphere studies by 6 months. The final annual predation rate estimates for all studies are presented in Supplementary Table S1. The year-round studies we used represent different geographical regions (for birds-England, Kansas (US), Australia and New Zealand; for mammals-England and Australia) with varying climates and slightly varying seasonal patterns of predation. For both birds and mammals, averaging across full-year studies resulted in higher proportions of predation in the spring and summer compared with fall and winter, an expected pattern for much of the United States. The reference studies we used, therefore, provide a reasonable baseline for correcting to full-year mortality estimates. This approach greatly improves upon the assumption that mortality is negligible during the period of the year not covered by sampling.

Quantification of annual mortality from cat predation

We estimated wildlife mortality in the contiguous United States by multiplying data-derived probability distributions of predation rates by distributions of estimated cat abundance, following41. Quantification was conducted separately for owned and un-owned cats and for birds and mammals. As there was a relatively small sample of US studies that estimated predation rates ( n=14 and 10 for birds and mammals, respectively), we repeated calculations using predation rate distributions that were augmented with predation rates from Europe and all temperate zones. However, we only used studies from the contiguous United States to construct all other probability distributions (listed below).

We estimated mortality using the following model of cat predation:

where npc is the number of owned cats in the contiguous United States, pod is the proportion of owned cats granted outdoor access, pph is the proportion of outdoor owned cats that hunt wildlife, ppr is the annual predation rate by owned cats, cor is a correction factor to account for owned cats not returning all prey to owners, nfc is the number of un-owned cats in the contiguous United States, pfh is the proportion of un-owned cats that hunt wildlife, and fpr is the annual predation rate by un-owned cats. From the probability distribution of each parameter (see Table 1 and Supplementary Methods for details about the specific probability distributions used), we randomly drew one value and used the above formulas to calculate mortality. Random draws were made using distribution functions in Programme R (rnorm and runif commands for normal and uniform distributions, respectively). We conducted 10,000 random draws to estimate a potential range of annual predation on each wildlife taxa. For all analyses, we report median mortality estimates and lower and upper estimates bracketing the central 95% of values.

Sensitivity analyses

We used multiple linear regression analysis to assess how much variance in mortality estimates was explained by the probability distribution for each parameter. We treated total mortality estimates as the dependent variable ( n=10,000) and we defined a predictor variable for each parameter that consisted of the 10,000 randomly drawn values. We used adjusted R ² values to interpret the percentage of variance explained by each parameter.

Additional information

How to cite this article: Loss S.R. et al. The impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife of the United States. Nat. Commun. 4:1396 doi: 10.1038/ncomms2380 (2012).

References

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The impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife of the United States - Nature Communications

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Free-ranging domestic cats cause wildlife extinctions on islands, but their impact on wildlife in mainland areas is unclear. This study presents an estimate of mortality caused by cats in the United States, suggesting that 1.4-3.7 billion birds and 6.9-20.7 billion mammals are killed annually.

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Kaitlyn Prince - abusive relationships going unnoticed until too late

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A national park ranger said she warned Gabby Petito that her relationship with Brian Laundrie seemed "toxic."

"I was imploring with her to reevaluate the relationship," ranger Melissa Hulls told Deseret News.

Hulls responded to a call of a domestic indicent between Petito and Laundrie in Utah on August 12.

A National Park Service ranger who responded to a call of a domestic incident between Gabby Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie in Utah warned the young woman at the time that the couple's relationship seemed "toxic."

"I was probably more candid with her than I should've been," ranger Melissa Hulls, the visitor and resource protection officer at Arches National Park, told Deseret News of her conversation with Petito during the aftermath of the August 12 incident.

Hulls added, "I was imploring with her to reevaluate the relationship, asking her if she was happy in the relationship with him, and basically saying this was an opportunity for her to find another path, to make a change in her life."

Petito, 22, "had a lot of anxiety about being away from" 23-year-old Laundrie, according to Hulls.

"I honestly thought if anything was going to change it would be after they got home to Florida," said Hulls.

Hulls told the news outlet that by the time she responded to the call that day, a visibly distraught Petito was already sitting in the back of a police cruiser.

"I can still hear her voice," Hulls said of Petito, whose body is believed to have been found Sunday at a campsite in Wyoming. "She wasn't just a face on the milk carton, she was real to me."

Officers with Utah's Moab Police Department responded to the incident involving Petito and Laundrie near Arches National Park while the couple was in the midst of a cross-country road trip.

The couple told police that they got into an argument in Moab that resulted in Petito slapping Laundrie, a police report and officer body-camera footage released by the Moab Police Department showed.

But in a 911 call about the same incident obtained by Fox News, a witness can be heard telling dispatchers with the Grand County Sheriff's Office that he saw a man "slapping the girl."

"He proceeded to hit her, hopped in the car and they drove off," the 911 caller said, according to the audio.

An officer wrote in the police report of the incident that it "wasn't clear," but an initial witness described seeing Laundrie hit Petito.

That same officer wrote in the report that he later found a witness who said he "saw what appeared to him as Gabrielle hitting Brian in the arm and then climbing through the driver's window as if Brian had locked her out and she was trying to find a way in," according to the police report.

In police body-camera footage showing the aftermath of the scuffle, officers can be seen considering whether to charge Petito with domestic violence. But they opted not to when she told them she didn't intend to hurt Laundrie.

Instead, police recommended the two spend the night apart.

"This wasn't a good day for anybody," Hulls told Deseret News. "We thought we were making the right decision when we left them."

She continued, "I wouldn't have called [the relationship] unsafe. If we had any reason to think any one of them was in danger, we would've separated them."

"It's not that we didn't think he was manipulative, but we have to worry about the safety, and not the psychology of it," Hulls said. "We have to go by the facts that we were faced with at the time, and not let our emotions drive the decision."

Hulls, a 17-year law enforcement ranger, said that she still has not looked at her body-camera footage from that day.

"It's hard not to second-guess myself, and wish I said more, or wish I had found the right words to make her believe that she deserved more," Hulls said.

Meanwhile, Florida police said for the first time Tuesday that the case of Petito's disappearance is now officially a "criminal investigation" as authorities continue to search for Laundrie, who remains missing.

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An Arches National Park ranger warned Gabby Petito that her relationship with Brian Laundrie seemed 'toxic' after their fight in Utah

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A national park ranger said she warned Gabby Petito that her relationship with Brian Laundrie seemed "toxic." "I was imploring with her to reevaluate the relationship," ranger Melissa Hulls told Deseret News. Hulls responded to a call of a domestic indicent between Petito and Laundrie in Utah on August 12.

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https://aahd.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Obesity2011.pdf

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https://medium.com/@c.nicholls23/how-perfectionism-in-dance-is-becoming-a-mental-health-crisis-4e795c761e3d

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fbi searches family home of fiancé brian laundrie after gabby petito's likely remains were found - cnn

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FBI spends hours searching family home of Gabby Petito's fiancé Brian Laundrie as he remains missing

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The FBI searched the family home of Gabby Petito's fiancé, Brian Laundrie, in Florida for hours Monday, a day after investigators across the country found what they believe to be her remains.

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https://www.charlestoncarriagehorseadvocates.com

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We Need Your Help.

2020 has been a tough year for all of us. It has brought immense challenges. But we have been encouraged by all of the acts of kindness we are seeing.

Since the pandemic lockdown Charleston Carriage Horse Advocates has purposely not asked for donations. Keeping our advocacy going has been rewarding and hard. With a frivolous lawsuit filed by a carriage wagon company against the Charleston Animal Society and us, we have expended thousands of dollars that could have gone for advocacy.

Our social media outreach has informed tens of thousands of concerned people locally and nationally. For the past year, CCHA has been running billboard campaigns throughout Charleston - effectively reaching thousands of visitors and residents each day. After two runaway carriage horse incidents, CCHA sponsored a billboard on I-26 depicting a runaway carriage and the tag line, "Better Safe than Sorry". It has proven to be a powerful image. Throughout the pandemic we were on the streets, monitoring the animals, the wagonloads of tourists, the too often lack of enforcement of COVID regulations and reporting the infractions.

We realized the need for a Carriage Safety ordinance and at our own expense we had a model ordinance created that the City Council will take up.

We have asked for no donations during this time of pandemic. But we are running out of money. We need your help. The horses and mules that work the streets of Charleston need our voice. We hope that you'll consider partnering with us, so we can continue to be a voice for these voiceless animals.

Please consider making a charitable donation as you are able by clicking here or by sending a check made out to CCHA PO Box 22827 Charleston, SC 29413. ALL donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Thank you for your generous contribution and for refusing to accept cruelty in plain sight, as well as supporting Charleston residents' quality of life.

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2020 has been a tough year for all of us. It has brought immense challenges. But we have been encouraged by all of the acts of kindness we are seeing. Since the pandemic lockdown Charleston Carriage Horse Advocates has purposely not asked for donations. Keeping our advocacy going has been rewarding and hard.

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-09-19/haitian-migrants-continue-to-flock-to-texas-border-some-flown-back-to-homeland-by-u-s

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A week after Haitian migrant Junior Desterville, 30, and his family had made it all the way from Chile to the burgeoning migrant camp here on the U.S. banks of the Rio Grande, the shaggy-haired mechanic set back out to the Mexican side early Sunday to buy food for his hungry wife and 4-year-old daughter, Nayalla.

By noon, Desterville, dressed in a blue T-shirt and black shorts, had waded back north through the chest-high water to return successfully from Ciudad Acuña as Mexican police and Texas state troopers sought to block ongoing river crossings by hundreds of incoming migrants.

(Eric Gay / Associated Press)

Making his way past a crowd of hundreds and up dirt trails along the riverbank that reeked of human waste, he found his wife, Stephanie, in one of the scores of huts that migrants have built from the carrizo cane lining the waters. They have slept on the dirt inside the hut since making their way to this hot, chaotic camp of an estimated 14,000 migrants after a three-month slog, mainly by bus, through Chile, Central America and Mexico.

Desterville said he can't imagine returning to Haiti.

"We don't have a president or security," he said, referring to the recent assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and devastating earthquake.

"Let us get out of here," said Stephanie, 24. "We're hungry."

For many, however, crossing the Rio Grande appears likely to mean a one-way air ticket back to troubled Haiti.

On Sunday, the Biden administration began making good on its promise to send Haitian migrants in Del Rio back to their homeland, the Associated Press reported. The U.S. sent back three flights of migrants taken from the camp, and the number of flights is expected to reach at least six a day shortly, according to a U.S. government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not allowed to discuss the issue publicly.

The planes left from San Antonio, the AP reported, and arrived Sunday afternoon in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, each carrying 145 passengers.

Families on the first flight held children by the hand or carried them as they exited. Dozens lined up for a meal of rice, beans, chicken and plantains while pondering where they would find housing or jobs. Each was given $100 and tested for COVID-19, though there was no plan to place any in quarantine, said Marie-Lourde Jean-Charles with the Office of National Migration.

(Eric Gay / Associated Press)

In Del Rio, a large number of buses to transport additional migrants arrived on Sunday for transfer to the flights, or to place them in holding facilities run by the Border Patrol.

Some 3,300 migrants have already been removed from the Del Rio camp to planes or detention centers, Border Patrol Chief Raul L. Ortiz said at a news conference Sunday, and he expected to have 3,000 of approximately 12,600 additional migrants moved within a day. The rest should be gone within the week, he said.

"We are working around the clock to expeditiously move migrants out of the heat, elements and from underneath this bridge to our processing facilities in order to quickly process and remove individuals from the United States consistent with our laws and our policies," Ortiz said.

Meanwhile, more Haitian migrants appeared to be arriving at the border, undeterred by the U.S. plan.

The influx at the border outpost 145 miles west of San Antonio has come since the U.S. temporarily halted expulsions to Haiti last month following a magnitude 7.2 earthquake, which struck a month after Haiti's president was assassinated.

Nearly 28,000 Haitians have been intercepted by the Border Patrol for the fiscal year that ends this month, compared with 4,395 last fiscal year and 2,046 the year before. More were in camps in southern Mexico.

Del Rio Mayor Bruno "Ralphy" Lozano, a Democrat, declared a local state of emergency on Friday and announced authorities were closing the port of entry. He warned that with more migrants on the way, the camp was expected to reach 20,000. The city of 35,000 has already been the site of an anti-immigrant protest.

Haitian migrants have not pushed north into town, instead moving back and forth across the river to buy food and other supplies in Ciudad Acuña. Late Saturday, U.S. officials attempted to cut off access to Mexico, confining migrants to the camp. But migrant camp inhabitants and new arrivals continued to wade north across the shallows, the newest ones turning themselves in to Border Patrol agents and receiving blue numbered tickets they hoped would allow them to claim asylum.

Desterville, whose number was 11,240, said that the Border Patrol separated migrants when they arrived, removing single people and leaving families to wait at the river.

Several of the camp dwellers were pregnant women, including at least one who gave birth after crossing into the U.S., was taken to the hospital and then returned to the camp.

On Sunday, a woman collapsed within sight of National Guard troops, who slowly approached and carried her away.

Zareal German, 45, who has spent four days at the camp with his wife, who is five months pregnant, said he and other migrants have been denied medical help. Only emergencies were taken to the hospital, he said.

"You see, they don't care about us," German said. "Look how we're living like animals."

He said he had heard about the deportation flights, but they would not deter him, he said.

"It doesn't change my mind. I've got one thing on my mind: to get to my destination," he said. He has family in South Florida, he said, where his father recently died, and he came hoping to arrive in time for the funeral on Saturday.

"To get here, we had to cross 10 countries. We had to spend a lot of money. You become broke," said Alex Bravener, 25, who lived in Chile and Brazil before arriving here with his wife and 3-year-old daughter last week.

"We know that we come here illegally, but we are human too, like the president. We have children," he said. "If you're going to deport us, why did you let us in here? If we're already here, try to do something for us. The world knows we lost our president. We had our earthquakes.

"You deport us, what will we do in Haití? Some of us have been in another country for years. We don't even know our family there. How are we going to live? We know America can help us to save our children."

(Eric Gay / Associated Press)

Haitians have been exempted at times from the pandemic policy known as Title 42 that the Biden administration has used to expel migrants back to Mexico without allowing them to claim asylum. Many of the Haitian migrants had gathered in Mexican border cities southeast of Del Rio in recent months after hearing that families with children were not being expelled to Mexico.

Homeland Security announced Saturday that it was accelerating the expulsion flights, although it was not clear how many daily flights Haitian authorities had agreed to receive. Federal officials were also trying to return some Haitians to countries they had passed through on their way to Mexico, such as Brazil and Chile.

Republicans have complained of a crisis on the border for months. In August, the Border Patrol stopped migrants nearly 209,000 times, close to a 20-year high. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has made Del Rio the focus of a campaign to secure the border more tightly, sending scores of state troopers and National Guard troops who have packed local hotels and even pitched a tent camp at the fairgrounds.

On Saturday, Abbott tweeted a photo of state troopers' cars lining the river, blocking migrants.

The Texas Department of Public Safety is in full force along the border around the Del Rio area.

They have built a barricade with their squad cars and State Troopers.

The National Guard is working with them to secure the border.

⁦@TxDPS⁩ ⁦@TexasGuard⁩ pic.twitter.com/U2XR9qgZce
- Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) September 18, 2021

"The Texas Department of Public Safety is in full force along the border around the Del Rio area," he wrote. "They have built a barricade with their squad cars and State Troopers. The National Guard is working with them to secure the border."

The Del Rio mayor thanked Abbott for the deployment in a video posted late Saturday.

"The governor is trying to provide assistance to help ensure the security of the port and to ensure that we don't have any major mass movement in case anybody or any individuals begin to just flock the port," Lozano said.

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U.S. begins removing Haitian migrants, but they continue to flock to Texas border

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A week after Haitian migrant Junior Desterville, 30, and his family had made it all the way from Chile to the burgeoning migrant camp here on the U.S. banks of the Rio Grande, the shaggy-haired mechanic set back out to the Mexican side early Sunday to buy food for his hungry wife and 4-year-old daughter, Nayalla.

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https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/21/us/gabby-petito-brian-laundrie-update-tuesday/index.html

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gabby petito update: fbi cart away possible evidence from gabby petito's fiancé's home as the search for him continues - cnn

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FBI cart away possible evidence from Gabby Petito's fiancé's home as the search for him continues

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After many hours spent and many items removed, the FBI's search of the family home of Gabby Petito's fiancé, Brian Laundrie, in Florida ended Monday. But authorities are continuing to look for the man who, according to his family, disappeared a week ago, three days after Petito was reported missing.