Two Georgia fugitives accused of killing two corrections officers in an escape from a prisoner-transport bus this week may have stolen a second vehicle, authorities said Wednesday.
Investigators believe inmates Donnie Russell Rowe and Ricky Dubose took a white, 2008 Ford F-250 pickup from a business off Interstate 20 in north-central Georgia's Morgan County on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, authorities said.
The truck would be at least the second vehicle they're alleged to have stolen since their escape Tuesday morning from the prison bus in adjacent Putnam County, Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said.
"They're dangerous criminals, and we need the public's help in locating these vehicles and these individuals," Sills said.
On Wednesday afternoon the sheriff's office said a green Honda stolen Tuesday had been found.
A multistate manhunt is underway for Rowe, 43, and Dubose, 24, and a reward for their capture has risen to $90,000, the sheriff said.
Rowe and Dubose were on a state corrections bus with 31 other prisoners Tuesday morning when the two somehow got out of what should have been a locked, gated rear section of the bus, police said.
The men entered the driver's compartment, overpowered and disarmed Officers Christopher Monica and Curtis Billue while the bus was on State Route 16 between Eatonton and Sparta, police said.
At least one of the escapees shot and killed the officers, authorities said. Leaving the other prisoners in the bus, Rowe and Dubose carjacked a green Honda Civic and drove away after forcing the driver out, Sills said.
Both were serving prison sentences for separate armed robbery and assault convictions, and they knew each other, having once been cellmates, authorities said.
They most recently were housed at Baldwin State Prison near Milledgeville. They and the other prisoners were being transported Tuesday to the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison, some 45 miles west of Eatonton.
It wasn't immediately clear why the prisoners were being transferred.
Investigators will analyze footage from video cameras on the bus to determine how the two got free and who pulled the trigger, the sheriff said.
Sometime after the escape and carjacking, the men are believed to have ransacked a house perhaps 30 miles from where they left the bus, Sills said.
They took food and may have stolen some clothes, the sheriff said.
The 2008 white Ford F-250 pickup, with Georgia license plate BCX5372, was stolen between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning from a rural business.
The truck has damage to the right rear quarter panel, a trailer hitch that "in some manner has been cut with a torch," and tool boxes on each side, Sills said. The truck had been used for work at an unspecified site.
The business did not appear to have been broken into, the sheriff said.
Tracks and footprints led investigators to believe Rowe and Dubose took the truck, Sills said.
Sills said the two men may be in the truck, but he did not rule out that they may have split up.
The sheriff became emotional Tuesday as he recounted the scene when he got to the bus.
Sills was asked about reports that one of the prisoners was connected to a gang.
"I don't care if they're members of the First Presbyterian Church. They murdered two correctional officers," he said.
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said the state will use all available resources to track down the fugitives.
The sheriff of Oconee County, north of where the killings occurred, posted a message for the escaped convicts on Facebook.
"Donnie and Ricky, I hope you are reading this. What is done is done. However, I am asking you to surrender yourselves to the nearest law enforcement officer as soon as possible. You made your escape, but you won't be out long. … There is no one you can trust … and nowhere you can go that we won't find you," the sheriff wrote.
It is standard protocol to have two officers — armed but not wearing ballistic vests — transport prisoners on a bus, authorities said.
Monica, 42, a sergeant, worked for the department for almost eight years and leaves a wife. Billue, 58, a 10-year employee, is survived by his father, brother and sister, Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Greg Dozier said.
Rowe, who is 6 feet 1 inches tall and 181 pounds with blue eyes and brown hair, was serving a sentence of up to life in prison for armed robbery and aggravated assault in a 2001 case.
Dubose, 6 feet 1 inches tall and 140 pounds with blue eyes and brown hair, was sentenced up to 20 years in prison for armed robbery, aggravated assault and theft in 2014, the website shows. He also was convicted of theft and identity fraud in cases from August 2010. Dubose was sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for armed robbery, aggravated assault and theft in 2014. He also was convicted of theft and identity fraud in cases from August 2010.
The other prisoners on the bus were taken to the sheriff's office and put on another corrections department bus.


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Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) - Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program
In Grant Alert
The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) are accepting applications for the 2018 Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program grants. DFC Support Program has two goals:
Establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, public and private non-profit agencies, as well as federal, state, local, and tribal governments to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth.
Reduce substance abuse among youth and, over time, reduce substance abuse among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance abuse and promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance abuse.
Award Amount: Up to $125,000
Please Note: The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS) does not administer this funding opportunity.
Please contact SAMHSA for more information and to apply for this funding.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Decisiveness is a middah that really holds the amidah together. This shows up in a few particular ways.
First, decisiveness shows up in the shacharit service where there is supposed to be no break between the conclusion of the shema section and the beginning of the amidah. The various kaddishim are normally transition markers between sections and the kaddish is absent between the shema and amidah. In fact, it is not permissible even to respond with an "amen" at the close of the final blessing in the shema section. So … what gives? The Bavli (Babylonian Talmud) teaches us that there should be no break between redemption (the subject of the close of the shema section) and the amidah (B'rakhot, 4b). In other words, we must be swift and decisive in our encounter with God after praising him for redemption.
Second, the Mishnah teaches us that, even if a snake were to begin to wrap itself around one's leg, it would be forbidden for one to interrupt his prayer (B'rakhot, 5:1)! The amidah is not to be interrupted for any reason. When we decide to encounter God in prayer it is the only thing that matters in the moment.
Third, if one finds that he or she has not prayed the first blessing with kavanah (intention), he or she is mandated by halakha to repeat it. In other words, without decisive intentionality, the act of prayer is not fulfilled.
Finally, the tractate of Megillah goes through a long list enumerating and describing the blessings over the amidah. At the end of the list our sages determine that the true end of the amidah is … silence (B.Megillah, Ch. 2). The halakha is that one should be still and silent before God before moving on to the next stage of davening. The decision to stop and be silent before God is one that the siddur cannot make for us. We have to be conscious and willing to decide to be still and silent before our King.
All of this is helpful regarding the amidah, but one might ask how this helps our decisiveness generally. I would suggest that decisively engaging our Creator and Redeemer impacts our ability to be decisive in other aspects of our lives. Why? Because God is Lord over everything that comes into our lives anyway! Any decision we are forced to make, however challenging, is something by which God wants to empower us. May we all be more decisive in our relationship with God, particularly in the amidah. Clearer decision making in all areas is likely to follow.


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Q: onclick event is not keeping the change permanently I am building a website in which I have to change the content of a div according to the option user select. When user click on the anchor onclick event handler changes the div correctly but just for an instant. I don't understand what is the problem with code. Here is the code:

Choose an Option:

   Add Student
   Delete Student

Any help will be appreciated.

A: The default behaviour for your anchor is to redirect you to a new page.
Return false from your function and click handler to prevent this.

function addStudent() {
  d1 = document.getElementById('main-content');
  d2 = document.getElementById('add-student');
  d3 = document.getElementById('delete-student');
  d4 = document.getElementById('para');
  d2.style.display = "none";
  d3.style.display = "none";
  d4.style.display = "none";

  d1.innerHTML = "
Hello World
";
  return false;
}

Choose an Option:

  Add Student

  Delete Student

A: After your addStudent() code runs (on the Delete Student button), the click event "completes" by loading the address specified in the <a href="" attribute - in this case, it's blank, so the page is just reloaded. Return false from onclick to prevent this.

function addStudent(){
d1 = document.getElementById('main-content');
d2 = document.getElementById('add-student');
d3 = document.getElementById('delete-student');
d4 = document.getElementById('para');
d2.style.display = "none";
d3.style.display = "none";
d4.style.display = "none";

d1.innerHTML = "
Hello World
";

}

Choose an Option:

Add Student
Delete Student

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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1 Twin Valley (Elverson, PA) 4:02.87 Morgan Mattia (1:03.02), Jackie Goebel (59.09), Anna Posh (1:00.04), Kayli Krohmer (1:00.74) SF
2 Thomas Saunders (Kingstown, SVG) 4:05.87 Tiwanny John (1:03.08), Shahalia Lynch (59.49), Daniella Lewis (59.84), Kaylia Edwards (1:03.47) SC
3 T.C. Williams (Alexandria, VA) 4:06.48 Louisa Obenw (1:00.34), Emma Reynolds (59.52), Akira Hamilton (1:05.04), Kennedy Browne (1:01.60) SM
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5 Justice (Falls Church, VA) 4:08.24 Alana Thomas (1:01.89), Julia Clark (1:00.83), Emma Woodrum (1:03.34), Miranda Kashynski (1:02.20) SE
6 Darien (Darien, CT) 4:11.78 Lexi Lyons (1:03.83), Suzanna Alliegro (1:03.33), Chelsi Chevannes (1:03.29), Charlotte Sulger (1:01.34) SI
7 WWP South (Princeton Junction, NJ) 4:12.40 Asia Barrett (1:03.32), Sam Miller (1:04.80), Julia Mao (1:04.44), Kavya Tummalapalli (59.86) SG
8 Palisades (Kintnersville, PA) 4:14.02 Sydney Odle (1:04.24), Amy Farese (1:03.00), Ava Moser (1:05.91), Dorothy Curtin (1:00.89) SK
9 Upper St. Clair (Pittsburgh, PA) 4:16.27 Anne Ferry (1:04.28), Claire Hoffman (1:03.73), Cara Marsh (1:04.93), Ashleigh Conn (1:03.35) SA
10 Westhampton Beach (Westhampton Beach, NY) 4:19.12 Jessica Dunn (1:05.64), Maeve Murphy (1:03.73), Trinity Valenzeula (1:05.19), Rose Hayse (1:04.56) SD
11 Notre Dame (Staten Island, NY) 4:23.57 Rylee Ignacio (1:03.73), Meghan Leonard (1:05.34), Colleen Huzinec (1:08.37), Casey Frazreb (1:06.15) SH
12 Springbrook (Silver Spring, MD) 4:26.39 Alex Farmer (1:04.16), Jordyn Walker (1:04.61), Solome Teferi (1:07.61), Hanna Torres (1:10.03) SN


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Jatropha – Xantree
Micro Algea
Syndiesel/Biodiesel
Vertical Axis Wind Turbine – 1KW 2ndGen
Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine – 750KW
Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine – 1MW
Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine – 1.5MW
Combined Solutions
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Geothermal's Golden Year – 50th
by piotr | Sep 5, 2010 | Geothermal | 0 comments
WASHINGTON, D.C.– As Sacramento, Calif., prepares to host the 2010 Geothermal Energy Expo, the geothermal energy industry's largest annual event, the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) recognizes the 50th anniversary of utility-scale geothermal power in the United States.
Half a century ago, just north of San Francisco, construction began on The Geysers, the nation's first commercial geothermal site. Now an extensive complex of geothermal energy production, the Geysers has come a long way from its beginnings as a single 11-megawatt power plant. It set both the state of California and the nation on a path toward strong and steady geothermal growth during the ensuing five decades, and now produces enough electricity to power a city the size of San Francisco. Since the Geysers began operation, the United States has become the world leader in geothermal energy production and geothermal energy is the largest renewable source of energy in the state of California, providing 5% of the state's electric power.
"As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Geysers, we are working to ensure that it remains a viable and valuable power source for generations to come," said Mike Rogers, senior vice president of regional operation at Calpine Corporation (NYSE: CPN), the largest operator at The Geysers. "In addition to piping treated wastewater from nearby communities to replenish the geothermal resource, we have completed eight new exploratory wells and are evaluating the feasibility of adding at least 40 megawatts of capacity to help meet California's trendsetting goals for renewable energy production."
And California is no longer alone in geothermal production. Approximately 3,086 Megawatts of installed capacity is produced by 77 plants in nine states. Just last year, seven new plants were brought online. Currently 188 projects in 15 different states are in consideration or under in development. Those developing projects could triple geothermal capacity over the next decade.
"These numbers are impressive," said Karl Gawell, the GEA's executive director. "In the past 50 years, geothermal energy has blazed the trail for renewable power in this nation. But this industry has not yet peaked; the growth potential for geothermal energy is incredible." Geothermal is a green, clean power source with the potential to create thousands of jobs and satisfy the energy needs of 10 million people in the coming years, according to GEA.
'As we get serious about addressing global warming, geothermal will grow in importance because it can more effectively replace conventional coal-fired powered plants,' Gawell added. Where other renewable technologies look to development of storage technology to offset the intermittent nature of their production, geothermal is a baseload energy source supplying a constant, uninterrupted source of clean power.
"After what is headed to be the hottest summer on record and in the wake of the Gulf oil spill disaster, the world has been shown that we must re-examine our reliance on traditional sources of power and commit to increasing renewable energy's role in powering our communities," said Gawell. "There is the potential to power millions of homes, businesses and schools from the heat of the earth. The success of geothermal power over the past 50 years gives us an incredible foundation to build a green future over the next 50 years."
From October 24-27, Sacramento will host the 2010 Geothermal Energy Expo. This annual event is the stage for the world's largest gathering of geothermal industry leaders from all along the supply chain, including resource exploration, characterization, development, production and management. For more information on the expo, please visit: http://www.geothermalenergy2010.com/
Concerning Consumer Confusion
Diesel Cadillacs are Coming!
Amazing New Energy Source: TREES
EV's are more polluting than Diesel
The New Normal Weather
Exotic Source of Biodiesel
Alaska is no longer Arctic
Awesome Neander Motorcycle
What is Food? Harry Blazer
Reviving Algae from the (Almost) Dead
Dodge Doubles 1500 Ram Diesel Production
Renewable Energy Killing Birds
U.S. Clean Diesel Car Sales Up 25% in 2014
XanaFlow Increases MPG and Lowers Emissions
Senators propose 12-cent fuel tax increase
Scotland is going 100% Green by 2020
2014 Mercedes E250-45mpg EPA Hwy Rating
FIAT 500L Diesel Coming to US
Diesel vehicles earn the lowest cost/mile rating


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Welcome to the Domestic Appliance Helpline Appointment Request page. Please complete the form below if you would like to arrange a service call for your faulty appliance.
Domestic Appliance Helpline conduct servicing and repairs to certain brands of domestic appliances including washing machines, tumble driers, dishwashers, cookers and ovens etc. We service brands such as Miele, Lacanche, Falcon, Mercury, Smeg, Fisher & Paykel, Burley, Barazza, Steel Cuisine, and Britannia across Leeds and West Yorkshire, including Harrogate, York, Bradford, Wakefield, Halifax and Huddersfield. For further information, please see our Coverage Area Map. We specialise in repairs to various Domestic Appliance brands for members of the public, and we also specialise in supplying new appliances and repairing existing equipment to Schools, Colleges, Universities, Charities, Housing Associations, Property/ Housing Organisations, and the Local Authority Sector.
If you have a brand of appliance that isn't listed as one of our specialist brands, please complete the online form below and submit it to us, and we will respond as soon as possible with any advice or assistance.
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Domestic Appliance Helpline was formed in 1991, and now specialised in specific brands. Please check our website to view our coverage area and to see the appliance brands that we specialise in. We supply and service Domestic Appliances for members of the public, Schools, Charities, Housing Associations, Property/ Housing Organisations and the Local Authority Sector.
Domestic Appliance Helpline specialise in Miele, Lacanche, Barazza, Burley, Smeg, Fisher & Paykel, Mercury, Falcon, Britannia and Steel Cuisine repairs in Leeds, West Yorkshire, Harrogate, York, Bradford, Wakefield, Halifax and Huddersfield. We are able to repair and service the following appliance types:
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For Domestic Appliance Repairs, Domestic Appliance Service and Domestic Appliance Sales and Installations, Please contact Domestic Appliance Helpline via our Contact page or via the above Appointment Request page.


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Home Video Games 12 days of Christmas Gifts: day 12 is an evening of Star...
12 days of Christmas Gifts: day 12 is an evening of Star Wars Battlefront with the one you love
It's the 12th and final day of the 12 days of Christmas gift series. On this, the day before Christmas Eve, you won't find any drummers drumming. What you will find is a great gift idea for the Star Wars fan on your shopping list.
With the recent, theatrical release of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Unleashed, Star Wars mania is in full swing. Read Chris's excellent review of the movie and you'll see why fans are ecstatic this holiday season. With that said, what else could make your Star Wars fan dream come true? An evening playing Star Wars Battlefront with the one they love.
A dream come true for Star Wars fans
Combining an unprecedented collaboration with Lucasfilm Ltd. and EA DICE's award-winning Frostbite game engine, comes the highly anticipated Star Wars game—Star Wars Battlefront for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Star Wars Battlefront is an amazing game that thrusts you right in the middle of the Star Wars battles that fans have been dreaming about playing.
A Star Wars game for all ages
Star Wars Battlefront allows you to experience a wide range of intense battle and heroic moments from the Star Wars universe including riding Speeder bikes, piloting TIE fighters, firing blasters, navigating the Millennium Falcon, and commanding the massive four-legged transport and combat vehicles used by the Imperial ground forces—AT-AT walkers. Live out your Star Wars fantasies as you play as one of the six legendary Star Wars characters from the original trilogy, each with their own unique attributes and abilities. You'll have non-stop fun as you Force Choke your opponents as the evil Sith Lord Darth Vader, shock enemies with Emperor Palpatine, or play as the legendary smuggler Han Solo. You'll unlock customizable weapons, gear, character species, and abilities as you level up. You can even share your weapons with your friends in co-op play. Totally awesome!
Iconic locations from the original trilogy
The epic battles in Star Wars Battlefront take place on some of the most iconic planets from the original Star Wars trilogy. The Frostbite engine brings each of these locations to life with jaw-dropping 3D graphics and incredible attention to detail that will leave you astounded. You'll ooh and awe as you battle in Luke Skywalker's home planet of Tatoonine, shiver with delight at the remote icy planet Hoth, gaze in amazement at the Ewoks home world known as The Forest Moon of Endor, and scream with delight at the previously unexplored planet of Sullust.
Local and online co-op play
Star Wars Battlefront features online and offline split-screen play with a wide range of modes tailored to different types of battles. Compete online in large-scale 40-person multiplayer battles or pair up with another friend and team up to fight off bad guys in a series of "missions". These "missions" include a variety of simple tutorials where you'll learn how to wield Darth Vader's lightsaber as well as learning how to ride a Speeder bike across Endor.
You and your friend can participate in "battles" which are essentially firefights against computer-controlled bots, and a "survival" mode where you'll fight of waves of AI Imperial forces, trying to last until the end. The best part is that all three modes give you the ability to play co-operatively online with a friend or offline via split-screen local co-op.
Expand your galaxy
Giving fans what they want, Star War Battlefront is the game that just keeps giving with downloadable content. The recently released Battle of Jakku DLC, features two maps and one new gameplay mode of the planet Jakku. Here you'll experience the events that created the massive battle-scarred landscape of Jakku shown in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Unleashed. In addition, starting in 2016 there will be four expansion packs filled with new content and new locations that further enhance the Star Wars Battlefront experience.
The Force is strong with PlayStation
If the Star Wars fan on your holiday shopping list doesn't yet have a console, there is no need to worry. Best Buy Canada has you covered, check out the special Darth Vader inspired PlayStation 4 500GB Star Wars Battlefront Limited Edition Bundle and the PlayStation 4 500GB Star Wars Battlefront Bundle. Just imagine the look on your loved ones face when they open either one of these Christmas morning.
For a full in-depth review of Star Wars Battlefront, look at Brad's review. Have you seen all of the 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas? There is sure to be a gift that will fit anyone on your holiday shopping list. From everyone here at the Plug-in Blog, have a happy and safe holiday!
Click here to read more articles in our 12 days of gift giving series
Jon is the Gaming Editor and is based in Toronto. He is a proud Canadian who has a serious passion for gaming. He is a veteran of the video game and tech industry with over 20 years experience. You can often find Jon streaming the latest games on his YouTube channel. Jon loves to talk about gaming and tech, come say hi and join the conversation with Jon on Twitter @4Scarrs_Gaming.
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Home/Tech/Up to 1 million animal species may be at risk of disappearing — yet another sign we're in the middle of a sixth mass extinction
Up to 1 million animal species may be at risk of disappearing — yet another sign we're in the middle of a sixth mass extinction
Admin May 3, 2019 Tech, Technology 20 Views
The world may be in the throes of a mass extinction — the sixth time in the planet's history that species are experiencing a major, global collapse in numbers.
Historically, mass extinctions have been caused by catastrophic events like asteroid collisions. This time, human activities are to blame.
Research suggests that the average rate of extinction over the last century is 100 times higher than normal. Frogs and insects are dying off at record rates, animal species are experiencing " biological annihilation."
According to an early draft of a United Nations report obtained by the AFP, up to 1 million species are projected to be threatened with extinction, many within decades. The full report comes out May 6.
An ever-growing body of evidence suggests the planet may be in the midst of a sixth mass extinction.
The phrase "mass extinction" typically conjures up images of the asteroid crash that led to the twilight of the dinosaurs. But another devastating (though perhaps less obvious) extinction event appears to be taking place today. The trend is hitting global fauna on multiple fronts, as hotter oceans, deforestation, and climate change drive animal populations down on an unprecedented scale.
Next week, yet another report is expected to back up that idea.
On Monday, the United Nations is scheduled to release a report from its Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) that assesses the state of the planet's biodiversity. That document, the first such analysis since 2005, evaluates how many species are threatened by extinction and why, how many species have already been lost, and looks at other metrics like population growth and greenhouse-gas emission increases.
The 1,800-page document aggregates research from more than 15,000 academic papers and research publications, and it aims to inform policy makers about how to better address the impacts of climate change.
The AFP appears to have obtained an early draft of the report, and according to their characterization of its findings, things may be even worse than we thought.
The AFP reported in April that the draft describes "an imminent rapid acceleration in the global rate of species extinction," and goes on to say that "half-a-million to a million species are projected to be threatened with extinction, many within decades."
The UN is set to release a summary of the full report after it gets finalized at a summit in Paris this weekend.
According to the AFP, the draft it obtained also concludes that 75% of land, 40% of oceans and 50% of rivers already "manifest severe impacts of degradation" from human activity. Much of this has to do with greenhouse-gas emissions from energy production, manufacturing, and transportation. Since 1980, the rate of man-made emissions has doubled, leading to a global temperature rise of at least 0.7 degrees Celsius (about 1 degree Fahrenheit).
Although we have yet to read the full report — in-depth coverage from Business Insider will follow its release Monday — the trends that the AFP reported align with other studies about the falling populations of many animal species.
Read More: 16 signs we're in the middle of a 6th mass extinction
A 2017 study found that species around the world are experiencing a "biological annihilation" and that our current "mass extinction episode has proceeded further than most assume."
Roughly 40% of the world's insect species are in decline. A 2019 study found that the total mass of all insects on the planets is decreasing by 2.5% per year. If that trend continues unabated, the Earth may not have any insects at all by 2119.
Already, there is consensus on one key driver of of these alarming extinction trends: human activities. According to a 2014 study, current extinction rates are 1,000 times higher than they would be if humans weren't around.
The impending UN report will likely confirm that conclusion.
According to the AFP, the report "depicts a planet ravaged by rampant overconsumption and drowning in pollution."
SEE ALSO: So many animals are going extinct that it could take Earth 10 million years to recover
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By the river, in an old four bedroomed house in red brick, on La Seine, in Paris. It had a cobbled court yard to the front behind a big old porch gate, and an orchard at the back from where I could see the long boats heading down the river. Back then La Frette-sur-Seine was the dodgy side of Paris, out in the 95th district – now it's bijou and expensive. It had a similar reputation to somewhere like Brixton in the 80's – even my mortgage lender asked me if I was mad. It was a fun house by the church. I found a diary from the Great War in the loft, written by the previous owner, who had survived four years of battle. For a writer, it was an interesting story. He should have died like the rest of his unit, hit by shells, but was home for three days' compassionate leave, in my house on the river, for his mother's funeral. One day I'd like to write his story – it's all there, day by day, with maps and pictures he drew by hand.
Why choose Miradoux for the literary retreats?
I love the big old eighteenth century house with its mix of Oriental, English and French antiques. It is the sort of house I would read about in Agatha Christies novels as a child, back home in a dormer bungalow where there was nowhere to hide. It is the sort of house I only imagined existed between the pages of a book. There is a drawing room, a salon, a library room, and secret passages down to the cellar. It's the sort of house, if any, where Colonel Mustard is likely to be murdered by a blunt object. There's a faint air of the Oxford don's room in the tutorial room, but no doubt that we are in Gascony, as the sun beats in form the South facing windows, overlooking the mountains beyond. I felt this to be the perfect place for our writers to escape from the world and experience A Chapter Away.
Why the passion for Literary Retreats? Why not just write at home, alone?
I spent a week in retreat, in Lancaster. It was the first time in my life I'd been 'locked away' with other writers and the first time I realised that it was possible to take the art of writing seriously, both as a craft and a profession. Lancaster Uni had experimented with the idea of a week-long retreat for writers, and had tested the water a few years earlier in Bordeaux. The notion of escape, combined with sunshine, and scenery of outstanding beauty was both an appealing and inspirational idea. Gascony seemed the obvious choice. The experience of stepping back in time, sitting beneath the olive tree with a glass of wine, and concentrating solely on the written word for five full days, accompanied not just with other aspiring writers, but best-selling authors who had turned the dream into a reality, was too tempting. I'd heard so often that manuscripts sit at the bottom of the slush pile for weeks, and that novels were returned without even having been opened. I imagined students being able to pitch their work to an agent in person and to received feedback in person. The first time I received feedback on my own work six writers were swimming together in the pool with the literary agent. A surreal experience. I don't think he thought he'd get out alive!
Have you written about Gascony?
Yes, a play Cinq à Sept. I set the play in the 50's and the main character is a salesman from Lectoure, who has to make his way to Paris for his new job, though he is from rural Gascony. It is the retelling of a lot of the old stories I heard here from locals. I'm intrigued that for a long time after the war, there weren't any road signs in Gascony, as they were taken down to confuse the Germans. This was a tight-knit community and everyone knows everyone's life. Outsiders were rare, until the first Brits started to descend on the area to live in the 50's and 60's. This is a period of Gascon history which interests me a lot. The mayor of Fleurance, Messegue, who worked with plants to heal, who is said to have treated Elizabeth II and was responsible for the fact that the tour de France set off from Fleurance. It was a time when Gascony was almost on the international map, but not quite. An interesting period. Today so many pockets of Gascony remain locked in time. Houses which look like stage sets from the 50's, or 60's or 70's. The Gascons don't seem to have been influenced like the Brits for example, by the mania of house renovations, and it is so often an experience of stepping into another place and time. If I'd had a time machine, it would have been the perfect time to travel back and find a lovely house! Stone houses weren't the fashion then, and farmers were knocking them down and burying them in holes on their land, preferring to build modern new houses to demonstrate their wealth. I would love to have experienced Gascony back then, though I'm sure much of it is still the same.
A typical day in Gascony? An ideal day?
Every day is different but I always try to go to the market in Lectoure on Friday mornings. It's a busy street, lined with stalls, delicious cheeses, vegetables, fish and charcuterie. I catch up with friends there for lunch in one of the tea-rooms. It's also a good place to see everyone, whether a meeting is planned or not. It's quite difficult to get from the top of the street to the bottom as every couple of steps someone stops to say hello.
An ideal day: Sundays, coffee and a couple of hours writing in one of my favourite cafés, or at home. Dinner with friends. Tonight we're meeting our best friends: Stephanie is from Paris, and Petr from Prague and we're having traditional English cottage pie with Gascon duck!