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What Is Return Fraud?
7 Types of Return Fraud
Why Does Return Fraud Happen?
How to Minimize Return Fraud
Using Fraud Detection Software to Fight Return Fraud
Online stores have to contend with aggressive competitors, grumpy customers, and ecommerce fraudsters. But at least, when it comes to fighting return fraud, there are a lot of defenses retailers can put in place today. Let's break them down below.
Return fraud is an act of theft that abuses a retailer's returns policy in one way or another. It is a form of friendly fraud in the sense that a purchase is made by a legitimate shopper albeit in a dishonest matter, where the actual motive is to secure a profit from some sort of theft. Within ecommerce, this most commonly includes stolen credit cards or false claims regarding delivery.
A study by Retail Dive shows that 88% of shoppers want the ability to return a purchase. Moreover, 95% of them claim a smooth return process will make them repeat buyers.
There's no way around it: Accepting returns is a fundamental way of engaging with your buyers. It turns shoppers into long-term customers, grows loyalty, and boosts your brand reputation online.
And while a lax return policy works wonders for giant retailers like Amazon, Etsy or eBay, it's the smaller e-tailers who have to bear the brunt when things go wrong, especially so with the growing problem of return fraud.
In this post, we'll see why this is the dirty secret giant companies want to hide from their sellers, and the kind of tools you'll need to prevent it.
Return fraud exists on a wide spectrum, ranging from honest shopper mistakes to malicious operations on a large scale by organized crime rings. Here is what a fraudulent return might look like:
Wardrobing or free renting: When shoppers buy items with the intention of using them once and returning them later. It is often seen by consumers as a victimless crime, and one-fifth of UK shoppers admit to having done it.
Opportunistic: Not all return fraud is pre-planned. Some buyers will sometimes select the wrong reason for a return, unaware that it will affect the seller. They may do it after changing their mind, or to protest a seller's policy. Buyers sometimes request a refund if the delivery is delayed (and then conveniently forget about it).
Seller sabotage: In the cut-throat world of online marketplaces – FBA, for instance – unscrupulous sellers have no qualms about buying all the items from a competitor, and sending them back as late as possible in an effort to deplete an inventory. Some will even return a counterfeit item in the original packaging, claiming they were sold counterfeit goods by you. This could trigger an account suspension, which would end your business.
Deliberate fraud: This is effectively a return scam, where the buyer will try to get the merchandise for free. One way to do this sees them create multiple accounts, purchase items, and return the packages empty before reselling their loot elsewhere.
Bricking: Typical with electronic devices, bricking is returning an item after stripping it from valuable parts, re-selling them for profit and pocketing the refund fee.
Empty box fraud: Connected to the infamous "double dipping" form of refund fraud, empty box fraud sees bad customers claim that they have received an empty box instead of the merchandise and claim a refund, hurting the seller in the process.
Stolen merchandise return: This is the most common type of fraud affecting merchants who have both online and brick and mortar stores. A fraudster will use a stolen credit card to buy the item online, and then return the effectively stolen good in store for a refund. Without reliable cross-department information on buyers, this is very difficult to catch – especially if the fraudulent order got through and a chargeback hasn't been filed yet.
It's worth noting that the most sophisticated return scammers can sure make a dent in retailers' profits. In 2019, for instance, the biggest European scam ever recorded by the USA's National Retail Federation cost Amazon $370k after a Spanish buyer stole items and returned boxes filled with dirt, to match the original items' weight.
Worried about Return Fraud?
The first point to keep in mind is that returns, including legitimate returns, are on the increase.
According to Deloitte, the online return rate is expected to reach close to 10% by 2022, which places a greater burden on retailers to inspect items and deal with them appropriately. This is true whether inspections are done in-house or by a third party logistics company (3PL).
US Ecommerce Market Size (Statista)
For FBA sellers, the pressure is on Amazon workers to inspect the returns as quickly as possible, which is why it's so easy for unscrupulous buyers to fool stores into thinking the box has never been opened, for instance.
As a side note, even if Amazon classifies the item as unsellable, you might still have to pay storage fees until the item is sent back or destroyed. It truly seems to be a lose-lose situation for third party retailers.
Shoppers are also becoming increasingly aware of how easy it is to fool the inspection process, and there are hundreds of free online resources and guides dedicated to the topic. Click To Tweet
There is little you can do by then except take it on the chin and report the buyer to the marketplace, the delivery service, or even the police. It's also possible to confront the buyer, but with professional fraudsters, it's pretty much a lost cause.
Some marketplaces have solutions in place designed to help with your due procedure. On eBay, for instance, you can set up buyer requirements – you can block buyers with unpaid item strikes, in risky locations, or those with negative feedback scores.
With Amazon, there is no such protection. You'll have to rely on their internal fraud detection methods, which can leave a lot to be desired, or keep manually checking your FBA customers' returns reports to spot suspicious activity yourself. And while patterns that point to return fraud are easy enough to spot, once it's happened, it's already too late.
Here are four ways that you can still protect yourself in advance.
Require ID and contact for returns: Frequently, retailers only ask for a receipt when processing a refund. If the item was bought online, ask for the buyer's contact details and cross reference them with the order. Have notes from your risk team accessible on the shop floor, or set up a mandatory check-in with them for flagged orders. This way, you can prevent refunding items purchased with stolen cards.
Eliminate cash refunds and offer credit or gift receipts: Fraud begins at the incentives. If you can, try to offer credits or gift receipts instead of cashbacks on returns. Criminals aren't looking for items; they want to launder money through your store, while regular customers might be just as satisfied with a new opportunity to purchase.
Update your return policies: While there are consumer protection guidelines detailing the musts of return policies, you can still use them to mitigate threats. For example, by weighing electronic items upon return and comparing this to their original weight, you can eliminate bricking altogether.
Read your buyers' digital footprint: Digital footprint analysis is a term used in fraud prevention. It is an advanced process that was once only manageable (and scalable) by the biggest e-tailers, as industry-grade tools were expensive and complex to integrate. Today, they are much more accessible and cost-efficient.
In recent years, innovative fraud detection software has made it possible for anyone to use anti-fraud tools, even with very little technical knowledge.
For instance, a quick reverse email lookup check could tell you a lot about a new buyer just from their email address.
As you can see, all the information returned can help us understand whether we're dealing with a legitimate user or a suspicious account. The risk score at the top lets us know how risky the account seems, based on:
email domain: Return fraudsters often have to create multiple email accounts. To scale their operations, they go through free domain addresses. Address creation date, and whois database checks also help gauge the legitimacy of the shopper.
social media lookup: Similarly, fraudsters won't have time to connect to social networks, so an absence of accounts linked to that email can be a red flag.
data breaches: An email address that appears on a data breach is actually safer. This is because it proves that it's a mature address, and one that's been in use before.
If you gather your buyers' phone numbers during checkout, you can perform a similar check:
Here, you'll be looking at country of origin, carrier, and type, along with instant messenger use (for instance, whether the phone number is connected to WhatsApp, Telegram or Viber).
Combining all these data points is a process known as data enrichment and the good news is that it works in real-time, it's affordable, and you can even do it directly from a Chrome extension.
The rationale behind this check is that a fraudster will probably use throwaway details that have no social media presence, while a regular buyer will give you the address or number they use for their everyday life – for example, on Twitter, Facebook or WhatsApp.
Key Takeaways: Reducing Return Scams
Return fraud is increasing, and it puts retailers in a challenging position. Making your return policy too strict could see you lose business. If it's too lax, unscrupulous buyers and competitors will abuse it.
But thanks to modern tools for preventing fraud, you can easily flag suspicious shoppers without technical skills or the need for a dedicated loss-prevention budget.
Return fraudsters who operate at scale have to create multiple accounts fast with a list of credit cards. A good data enrichment tool for digital footprint analysis can spot the riskiest buyers before they damage your business with excessive returns.
Detect return fraud with SEON
How Do You Identify Return Fraud?
Analyze the patterns of previously flagged fraud orders and set up rules to monitor historically suspicious signs – customers connected to previously charged back purchases would be the prime example, as are accounts using throwaway details.
What Solutions Are There to Detect Return Fraud?
A proper fraud detection solution allows you to flag suspicious orders, while connecting your risk team with your refund processing department and setting up information sharing can help you curb fraudulent returns before they happen.
SEON: 5 Types of Ecommerce Fraud: How to Prevent & Detect It in 2021
SEON: How Anti-Fraud Tools Can Help Your Business Prevent Chargebacks
SEON: Friendly Fraud: How to Mitigate Chargeback Risk More Effectively
SEON: How to Improve Gift Card Fraud Prevention
SEON: Which Online Payment Methods Have the Highest Fraud Risk?
Deloitte: Bringing it Back – Retailers Need a Synchronized Reverse Logistics Strategy
Newsweek: 22-Year-Old Allegedly Scammed Amazon Out Of $370K With Return Shipments Filled With Dirt
Drapers: Used Returns Costing Retailers £1.5bn
Retail Dive: Shoppers Are Judging Retailers by Their Returns Process
Bence Jendruszak
Bence is the co-founder and COO of SEON whose vision is to create a safer online environment for merchants in high risk verticals.
amazon amazon refund digital footprint ecommerce Email and phone profiling Email Lookup online retail phone spoofing refund retail fraud return fraud


Splash is our mini jamboree camp. A week packed with activities including rafting, coracling, high ropes, tomahawk throwing and zip wire, competitions, social opportunities with the other groups, off site walk on Cannock Chase, campfire, evening activities and an optional day out (additional cost).
£80 per person includes activities & camp fees.
Leader £33. Optional days out from £25.
To book your places, please contact us.


Role: Application designer and project manager.
The TeenCope study was an Internet-based coping skills training program for adolescents with type 1 diabetes. To create the content and intervention strategy we analyzed the prior in-person intervention, convened a focus group with teens and parents, and designed the look of the intervention and a pilot session. Then we did think-aloud evaluations of the intervention with different teens and parents. Based on that response we made modifications and went into production of the program.
Artwork and animation by Kelsey Doherty.
Video page for animated stories.
Home page for the web site that the control group used.


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A selection of recent landscape paintings by London based artist Amelia Humber.
Amelia's oil paintings strive to relay the atmosphere and emotion of the landscape through a personal and momentary experience. They contain the ideas of capturing those immediate feelings of drama in a continuously changing landscape.
Her interest in the landscape was stimulated by her childhood in the countryside of Sussex where adventures on the South Downs with its ever changing skies and their dramatic effects on the land beneath became her inspiration when she discovered her passion for painting. Choosing Falmouth College of Arts in Cornwall to pursue her degree allowed Amelia to surround herself with an endless supply of exciting subject matter. As a result Amelia had a sell-out graduation show from Falmouth in 2007. Since graduating she has exhibited across the UK including Cornwall, London, Surrey and Scotland, and continues to undertake commissions.
Amelia Humber returned to London in 2007 where she originally studied her foundation course at Wimbledon School of Art, choosing to move back to the hubbub of the capital to be among and involved in the diversity of creative talents. More recently her subject matter extended to the Highlands which she had been visiting annually.
In 2013, Amelia moved north to pursue a unique opportunity to surround herself with the dramatic Scottish landscape and produce an inspired body of work. She enjoys travelling to a diversity of landscapes, often painting on location and returning to her studio to finalise the work.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Till the end of December receive National Library of Udmurt Republic library card for free and get a chance to win theatre tickets!
Contact for further information: tel. (3412) 63-55-56.
Winners will be announced on January 15 on our site.


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The New Byre Theatre
St Andrews, Scotland
St Andrews is an architecturally and historically rich town, with unique charms where its fabric and buildings sometimes take on an almost museum like quality. The Byre sits in exactly such an area and fronts one of the principle routes through the town, surrounded by a variety of scales from the five storey St Leonard's public school to the east, traditional two and a half storey terraced houses along Abbey Street to the north and south, and stone built garden walls and narrow vennels to the west. The Byre of course had its own homespun charms, having grown steadily since its humble beginnings in a cattle shed in 1933, which we felt we should not avoid.
The knub of the whole project was therefore to somehow respond to those challenges whilst squeezing a fully functioning theatre, with all its support accommodation, into the assembled site, which was only made up of two domestic feus, whilst creating a sophisticated architectural response and maintaining the spirit of the Byre itself. Our response was borne by a sensitivity to the site as well as our passion for the arts, which allowed us to surgically graft these state of the art facilities, including a two hundred and twenty seat auditorium with a height of twenty meters, seamlessly into the site and to negotiate the many planning and conservation hurdles to eventually realise the building.
The Theatre grows from the existing town's fabric and houses its oval concrete auditorium under a 'barn' roof, with the public functions situated in a glazed vennel linking Abbey Street and a captured garden to the west, on one side of the auditorium, and all the support accommodation located on the other side. The sensitivity of the massing of the building is continued in its appropriate use of natural materials and sometimes industrial detailing to physically ground it on the site and with its history.
photos/byre/1.jpg
photos/byre/10.jpg
Photography : Keith Hunter

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Uranotaenia mashonaensis is een muggensoort uit de familie van de steekmuggen (Culicidae). De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort is voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 1901 door Theobald.

mashonaensis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Monroeville Elementary has been featured by American Reading Company (ARC Core) as one of their success stories. We are so proud and honored to be recognized by them! This is the article that they released and we would like to share with you.
The approved calendar for the 2019-20 school year along with Conference Dates and School Makeup days has been posted on the Website. The new start time for all grades k-12 will be 8:15am with breakfast starting at 7:45am in the cafeteria. Student dismissal will remain at 2:45pm. The teacher work day will remain the same from 7:30am to 3:00pm.
EHOVE students should report to the bus garage by 7:30am to be transported to EHOVE. EHOVE students must find transportation to the bus garage or notify Mr. Don Beck at 465-2093 by August 9th.
Monroeville Elementary School will hold its Kindergarten Registration on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Your child must be five (5) years of age by August 1st.
Each child that is registered must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian, as they will be assessed at this time for vision, hearing, speech and will be filling out the appropriate paperwork. The whole process takes about 30 minutes to complete.


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Nirmala Mishra (21 October 1938 – 31 July 2022) was an Indian singer of predominantly Bengali and Odia film songs. She also sang popular Assamese songs, most notably "Ki Naam di Matin". She was a recipient of the Sangeet Sudhakar Balakrushna Das Award as an honour for her lifetime contribution to Odia music.

Early life and family
Mishra was born in Majilpur, as the daughter of Pandit Mohinimohana Mishra and Bhabani Devi on the eve of Durga Saptami. Later for her father's job, her family settled down in Chetla of Kolkata. There was a musical environment in her family. Father Pandit Mohinimohan Mishra and elder brother Murarimohan Mishra, both were famous singers. Her family title was Bandopadhyay (Banerjee). Later her family was awarded the title of 'Mishra'. Her father was also awarded the titles of 'Pandit', 'Sangitratna', and 'Sangitnayak' on behalf of 'Kashi Sangit Samaj'.

Career
Music director Balakrushna Das gave her a chance to sing a song in 1960 for the first time in the Odia movie Shri Lokanath. Some of the hit Odia movies in which she has sung are: Stree, Kaa, Malajanha, Abhinetree, Anutap, Kie Kaahaara, Amadaa Baata, and Adina Megha.

Honours and awards
 Balakrushna Das Award

References

External links

 Nirmala Mishra: Odia Music Songs Collection

1938 births
2022 deaths
Singers from West Bengal
Indian women playback singers
Indian women singer-songwriters
Indian singer-songwriters
20th-century Indian singers
20th-century Indian women singers
Women musicians from West Bengal
People from Jaynagar Majilpur


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Carers' Corner
Global update
PD in Practice
Subscribe Support us
We assumed that 30 to 40 people would come. In the end, we put out 260 chairs and people were standing in the back
Debbie Shapiro, founder, Tikvah for Parkinson
Powerful partnership promotes Parkinson's rehab in Jerusalem
Author: Debbie ShapiroPublished: 24 August 2017
Prep: Cook: Serves:
Debbie Shapiro founded Tikvah for Parkinson to provide more activities for her local community. By partnering with Israel's largest volunteer health organisation, she expanded a core offering of physical therapy to a broad mix of sessions including boxing, dance, movement and singing
There are more than 10,000 people with Parkinson's in greater Jerusalem. They need support, information and rehabilitation to optimise their health. The main difficulties that people with Parkinson's and their families in my country face, is a lack of information. This includes accurate information on Parkinson's in Hebrew. Many people with Parkinson's know nothing about it. Many people don't have internet access, and many don't read English.
Hope for Parkinson's
Our organisation is called Tikvah for Parkinson. 'Tikvah' means 'hope' in Hebrew. We provide regular articles for the local newspapers to help raise awareness of Parkinson's in Jerusalem.
After the World Parkinson Congress 2016, I wanted to do something more. I spoke with community medical activists, who told me that the stigma of Parkinson's causes many people to simply stay at home. But, as people with Parkinson's know, without physical exercise, the body quickly becomes frozen, and the disease progresses much more rapidly.
I decided to create an evening for the community and invited several prominent speakers, including Professor Nir Giladi, the head of Neurology at Ichalov Hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel. We assumed that 30 to 40 people would come. In the end, we put out 260 chairs and people were standing in the back. It was awesome. People left with tears in their eyes, so grateful to see that they are not alone. Since that event, we've added four information evenings, a support group for carers and a full-day workshop for families, training them to do physical exercise with their person with Parkinson's.
Partnership helps to expand programme
Tikvah for Parkinson is a small group. We employ two paid therapists, seven volunteer therapists and a secretary. We also have a young volunteer working with us.
Our biggest success has been our rehabilitation programme. We run this in cooperation with Yad Sarah – a wonderful health organisation, and the largest national volunteer group in Israel. We pay for use of their rooms, administrative services and eight therapists.
In the space of just a few months, we started weekly four-hour exercise sessions for men and women and expanded the programme to twice a week for six different groups. Our 40 participants have access to a full gym. The programme includes physical and speech therapy, occupational and art therapy, boxing, Tai Chi and Nordic walking. We also have a choir.
We hope that, in the near future, we can offer more walking groups and yoga – and our ambition is to take our choir to Broadway! Later this year we are expanding the programme to offer women's boxing, movement and dance, men's singing and monthly lectures.
Breaking the stigma and silence
There is also a misconception I want to shatter in my country – people with Parkinson's are not miskeinim (pitiful creatures). We are not nebuch (terrible). We are people faced with a challenge and doing our utmost to stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible. Tikvah for Parkinson is here to help us accomplish that.
There was almost nothing available for people with Parkinson's in Jerusalem. Today, the hospitals send their patients to us. I cannot tell you how appreciative people are.
A network of friendships
We are just starting, but we have had some support from some of the pharmaceutical companies. Abbvie has pledged a grant and Neuroderm helped sponsor our first lecture. Although, it does seem easier to raise public awareness than to raise funds – we are working on it. After two years our organisation can apply for government assistance. Until then we rely on donations, grants and our members' participation fees. I hope that the government will eventually recognise rehab as crucial for controlling Parkinson's, and fund it in the same way they fund medicines.
I think our organisation is helping to change the way people view Parkinson's disease. Through our existence, we've broken through the barrier of stigma and silence surrounding Parkinson's. We've created a network of friendships, which has translated into support.
To find out more about Tikvah for Parkinson visit the website
Read more: How New York inspired Copenhagen to walk for Parkinson's
Why I launched Nepal's first Parkinson's support group
"I came home, spoke to my wife, and we cried together"
Meet the man using poetry to express his feelings about Parkinson's
Scientists 'revive' foetal implant treatment for Parkinson's
Foetal cells are injected into a man's brain to 'cure' his Parkinson's
Scottish Ballet: dance therapy for Parkinson's
Free weekly dance classes for Parkinson's
MOST READ RECENT ARTICLES
6 tips for improving speech in Parkinson's
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Carefully selected news stories from the international Parkinson's community.
Scottish university reveals multimillion-pound Parkinson's research partnership
The University of Dundee, UK, has announced a collaboration with South Korean pharmaceutical company Bukwang to develop a new treatment for Parkinson's. Collaborating with researchers at the University of Oxford, UK, the university's drug discovery unit (DDU) has found molecules that may reduce levels of a protein closely connected to the development of the condition. The new partnership will build on this existing relationship between the universities – and facilitate a further three-year Parkinson's research programme which will move the molecules towards clinical development. Professor Paul Wyatt, head of the DDU, said: "Drug discovery for neurological disorders is especially challenging and an area where academia and industry need to be working together. "This project brings together the clinical and translational research expertise in Oxford with Dundee's professional drug-discovery capabilities, allowing us to move one stage further towards a treatment."
Parkinson's may originate in the gut, says new study
A new study, published in medical journal 'Neuron', has found evidence to suggest that Parkinson's may originate in the gut. As part of the study, researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, US, injected abnormally folded alpha-synuclein – a protein closely connected to the development of Parkinson's – into the gut of over 100 mice. After one month the misfolded protein had spread to areas of the brain, with researchers saying the animals' symptoms closely mirrored the condition in humans. The results follow on from a study in Sweden in 2017, when a team of researchers at the Karolinska Institutet found similar results. Ted Dawson, professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University and co-author of the research said: "It supports and really provides the first experimental evidence that Parkinson's disease can start in the gut and go up the vagus nerve."
Acupuncture may alleviate Parkinson's symptoms
A study conducted by researchers in South Korea has found that acupuncture may help alleviate motor symptoms of Parkinson's. The study – published in science journal 'Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience' – collected data from 42 existing trials testing the effects of acupuncture on different mouse models of Parkinson's disease. A total of 40 studies showed that acupuncture increased levels of tyrosine hydroxylase – an enzyme in the brain which is part of the dopamine-producing process. Although there was no evidence to suggest acupuncture can induce changes in dopamine levels, results suggested that acupuncture may help alleviate motor symptoms in mice. Discussing their findings, the researchers commented: "Acupuncture treatment potentially protected [dopamine] neurons through various beneficial mechanisms. "Nevertheless, resolving the low quality of studies and further research investigating the efficacy of different acupuncture treatment methods in Parkinson's disease rodent models will be needed."
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Dosa is the typical south Indian pancake that is generally made with par-boiled rice and split black gram. However, dosa can be made with different combinations of cereals, pulses, millet and their derivatives. So far, I have uploaded ten different dosa recipes on Rathika's nest. Today, I intend to share with you three more dosa recipes.
Rice dosa (பச்சரிசி தோசை) is made with raw rice alone. As it does not require fermentation, you can make the dosa immediately after grinding the batter. Rice dosa is thin, soft and filling. It goes well with coconut chutney or with 'thengai pooranam' (தேங்காய் பூரணம்) made with jaggery and coconut. I shall share 'thengai pooranam' recipe on this platform shortly.
How to prepare the batter: Wash and soak rice in 3 tumblers (600ml) of water for four hours. Later drain and grind the rice with required water into a very smooth paste using the mixer-grinder. Add salt and more water to make the batter into thin pouring consistency. Please note that the batter should be as thin as rava dosa batter. DO NOT let the batter to stand. Make dosas immediately.
How to make the dosa: Mix the batter well before making dosas. Heat the dosa tava on medium flame. Once hot, pour a large hollow ladleful of batter on the tava along the edge. Slightly tilt the tava from side to side so that the batter spreads evenly around (Fig1).
Fig.1: Pour the batter along the edge of the tava.
Pour oil around the dosa. Cover with a lid for 10 seconds (Fig.2).
Fig.2: Cover the dosa with a lid.
Rice dosa being very thin, cooks fast. Once cooked the edges separate from the tava. Carefully remove the dosa and turn it over. Remove it immediately from the tava. DO NOT allow the dosa to brown. Rice dosa should be white and soft. Serve hot with coconut chutney or 'thengai pooranam' (தேங்காய் பூரணம்).


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Waterloo Hawks – amerykański klub koszykarski z siedzibą w Waterloo (Iowa) działający w latach 1947–1951.

Historia
W ciągu czterech lat istnienia zespół wystąpił w czterech różnych ligach PBLA, NBL, NBA oraz NPBL.

Rekordzistą klubu w liczbie punktów zdobytych w pojedynczym spotkaniu ligi NPBL (National Professional Basketball League) jest Ralph O'Brien. 5 lutego 1951 zanotował ich 30.

Wyniki sezon po sezonie

Historyczne składy

 1947/48
 Clarence Anderson, Price Brookfield, Carl Bruch, Noble Jorgensen, Otto Kerber, Emil Lussow, Richard Lynch, Harry Roos, Jack Spehn, Nick Vodick, Ollie White

 1949/49
 Harry Boykoff, Bill Brown, Leslie Deaton, Ray Ellefson, Gordon Flick, Elmer Gainer, Dale Hamilton, Leo Kubiak, Robert Lowther, Dick Mehen, Ben Schadler, Rollie Seltz, Charley Shipp, Jack Spencer, David Wareham

 1949/50
 Don Boven, Harry Boykoff, Paul Cloyd, Elmer Gainer, Hoot Gibson, Dale Hamilton, Leo Kubiak, Dick Mehen, Ken Menke, Al Miksis, Gene Ollrich, Johnny Orr, Stan Patrick, Johnny Payak, Jack Phelan, John Pritchard, Wayne See, Charley Shipp, Jack Smiley, Gene Stump, Bob Tough

 1950/51
 Don Boven, Buddy Cate, Ed Dahler, Harold Haskins, Leo Kubiak, Elmore Morgenthaler, Joseph Nelson (koszykarz)Joseph Nelson, Ralph O'Brien, Mac Otten, Claude Overton, Johnny Payak, Wayne See, Chuck Share, Jack Smiley, Robert Vollers, Stanley Weber, Murray Wier

Ligowi liderzy
 Liderzy strzelców NPBL
(według sumy punktów)
 1951 – Don Boven – 781

Nagrody indywidualne

 I skład NBL
 Dick Mehen (1949)

 I skład NPBL
 Don Boven (1951)
 Ralph O'Brien (1951)

 II skład NPBL
 Ed Dahler (1951)

 NBL All-Time Team
(zespół wszech czasów NBL)
 Charley Shipp

Bibliografia
 Waterloo Hawks Roster 1947/48
 Waterloo Hawks Roster 1948/49
 Waterloo Hawks Roster 1949/50
 Waterloo Hawks Roster 1950/51
 Historia zespołu na sportsecyclopedia.com
 Historia zespołu na nbahoopsonline.com
 1950-51 NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE

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text:
The next COVID-19 vaccine challenge: influencing people's behaviour
by Dan Berry
Director, Behavioural Science
The light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel just shone a little brighter. Hot on the heels of early vaccine results from BioNTech and Pfizer, similarly early results from Moderna suggest their vaccine should also be highly effective in protecting against COVID-19. While we need to remain a little cautious until more data is published, this is undoubtedly great news.
So job done, then? Sadly, not. Aside from the enormous logistical challenges in getting two doses of vaccines to 67 million Brits, vaccines only work if people accept them. And we need a lot of people to get the vaccine if we're to achieve herd immunity.
This is a massive challenge of influencing people's behaviour.
One of the lessons from the pandemic has been the importance of communications in motivating behavioural change: from wearing face coverings to social distancing. We've seen that precisely how the NHS and the government frame information can be as important as the information itself. For example, appealing to a desire to protect vulnerable older people appears to be more effective than appeals to protect oneself.
A number of vaccines have been questioned over the years. Even though there are policies in place, and safe and effective vaccines available, almost every country struggles with vaccine hesitancy.
Surveys suggest a small minority of people are anti-vaccine: they believe myths or conspiracy theories about vaccines. However, these myths and conspiracy theories can quickly spread on social media to a bigger proportion of people who, while not anti-vaccination, may have reasonable questions about the risks and benefits. Recent research from Cambridge University suggests there is a link between exposure to vaccination conspiracy theories online and being anti-vaccination.
Part of the solution might be to shut down these online conspiracy theories; this is a policy supported by the Labour party. I suspect that's likely to help. But putting to one side the issue of free speech, this is likely to be insufficient. People also need good information that addresses their questions.
For instance, both vaccines reporting positive results are based on RNA technology, which is a new type of vaccines for humans. I suspect most of us don't really know what RNA is. But we might intuitively be a little sceptical about a new type of vaccine based on "something about genetics". Similarly, we know vaccines usually take many years to develop. We might intuitively assume these rapid COVID-19 vaccines have cut corners somehow. Even though this is false, it sort-of adds-up if we're not closely paying attention to the details of how clinical trials are managed.
Addressing these and other questions require good, clear information that gets to the heart of people's real-world concerns. It's a little more nuanced than just shutting down the lies.
There are a range of approaches to reassure and motivate people to get the vaccine. Behavioural scientists have been researching vaccines uptake for years, so there exists lots of good evidence. The key principle is to go with the grain of how people actually think and make decisions in the real world. That is, while some people are paying very close attention to the details of the science, most of us – most of the time – are going with gut reactions of what feels right.
Here are three evidence-based recommendations:
Use relatable stories rather than relying solely on statistics
Though, of course, stories grounded in facts. All good communicators know stories are easier to relate to than numbers, though we still too often overlook this when it comes to health. The more relatable and vivid the story is to recall, the better. I appreciated, for example, the deputy chief medical officer, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, and his 'mum test'. In a government press conference he said he'd want his own, elderly mother to have the vaccine: "I've already said to her, 'Mum, make sure when you're called you're ready, be ready to take this up, this is really important for you because of your age.'" This is very relatable and very human.
Consider the messenger for the vaccination campaigns
This can matter as much as the message itself. It should be someone people trust. Professor Heidi Larson from the Vaccines Confidence Project has suggested the secret weapon to boost the public's trust in the COVID-19 vaccine might be Her Majesty the Queen. At 94, the Queen is in the at-risk age group. She's extremely liked and trusted by older people who are first in line for the vaccine. To motivate younger people, we may need to enlist other types of messengers.
Be positive and celebrate the social norm
Rather than dwelling on a vocal minority of sceptics. Surveys results vary a little, but around three-quarters of Brits would likely get the vaccine – and over half definitely would. One way to intuitively motivate others is to make the COVID-19 vaccination feel like the usual thing to do rather than something odd or unusual.
The next few months will be hard, especially as various levels of lockdown continue over the winter. We need to stay motivated to stick to all those necessary actions of social distancing and wearing face coverings – while keeping an eye on that light at the end of the tunnel.
Sector: Health + Wellness, Government + Public Sector
Specialist Expertise: COVID-19 Intelligence + Advisory Communications Team (I-ACT), Behavioral Science, Issues + Crisis
Dan Berry
Read articles by Dan Berry
Learn more about our Health + Wellness sectorLearn more about our Government + Public Sector sectorLearn more about our COVID-19 Intelligence + Advisory Communications Team (I-ACT) specialist expertiseLearn more about our Behavioral Science specialist expertiseLearn more about our Issues + Crisis specialist expertise
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Two leaders, one pandemic
What is behind government thinking on connectivity?
What price our health?
Back to school: never a more important time to focus on public affairs
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In the news: Behavioural Science and Pandemic Messaging for Sky News
Keeping the Entertainment industry focused on Black Lives Matter
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'Hard times are here' – the Great British Recession?
Effective health communication in the era of corona


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When Discovery Wings went off the air earlier this year, many pilots went into mourning. Well, that can end now, because the Outdoor Channel just debuted a new show called "Wings to Adventure" that's perfect programming for pilots.
That's because channel executives had made the decision to go to High Definition (HD) programming and "Wings to Adventure" became its premiere vehicle.
So spectacular, in fact, that when channel executives saw the first few shows, they extended the original contract from 13 to 26 episodes. Each episode runs three times a week, with the show making its premiere June 27 at 10 p.m. Pacific time. It also airs at 11:30 a.m. Eastern on Wednesdays and 2:30 p.m. Eastern on Sundays.
In putting together the show, Gresham had some absolutes. First and foremost, this is a show for pilots by pilots. "We did not make it fluff, with a lot of 'gee, isn't flying fun?'" he says.
While appealing to the "core constituency" — TV talk for the pilots in the audience — Gresham's challenge was to make the show also appealing to people who aren't pilots. "It's like pilots talking to each other and we let others listen in," he says.
Gresham has surrounded himself not only with a fun staff, but a highly experienced one. All are pilots and aircraft owners and among them they have more than 100 years of flying experience.
When first given the green light to produce the show, Gresham found some highly regarded cinematographers with great reputations — who he fired almost immediately — "because they weren't pilots," he says.
Then he heard about the award-winning Experimental Aircraft Association Television Department. "I hopped in a plane to Oshkosh and talked to Tom Poberezny and other EAA officials and learned that the television department had produced a number of television shows, but had been downsized a bit," he recalls.
Perdue, who Gresham met a few years ago at AirVenture when the two camped next to each other, also is in charge of logistics for the show — a talent he honed when he was in charge of logistics for Air Force One.
Each "Wings to Adventure" episode is 30 minutes long and includes two airplane profiles, ranging from a Cirrus and the latest glass cockpit machines to a 1929 Travel Air and the Vickers Vimy replica now attempting to duplicate the first transAtlantic flight. There's a destination segment, with reports ranging from lodges that you can fly into to where to find the best Texas barbecue, and a feature segment, which can be on anything from a museum to an interesting person to an interesting plane. There's also either an instruction piece or a gear review, which will cover everything from the latest electronic gizmo to how to clean bugs off the leading edge of an airplane.
Interested, but not sure if you have the Outdoor Channel? The network is available on all cable systems in the United States and usually is offered as part of the basic package. If your cable company doesn't offer it, contact company officials and request that they add it. There's a sample letter at OutdoorChannel.com to get you started. Got DISH Network or DirecTV? It's offered on both, often as part of a package. If it's not in your package, call your provider and order it "a la carte." Saying those magic words means it will only cost you $1.99 a month for the channel, Gresham notes.
"It's not quite IMAX, but it's cool," he says.


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text:
Cloud from hydrochloric acid forces Texas City residents to stay indoors
Editor's Note: A toxic cloud that formed after 300 gallons of hydrochloric acid leaked at a plant in southeast Texas sent nine people to the hospital and forced thousands of residents to stay indoors for a few hours. Here is the story.
The following were the developments as they came in:
[Updated at 8:47 a.m.] The stay-indoors order has been lifted, according to the Texas City Emergency Management office. Roads that were closed in the south of the city also have been reopened, CNN affiliate KTRK reports.
[Updated at 6:35 a.m.] Officials say they expect to lift the stay-indoors order at 6 a.m. local time (7 a.m. ET).
[Updated at 4:53 a.m.] None of those exposed to the chemical have life-threatening injuries, KTRK reports.
It's not the first time the more than 45,000 residents of Texas City have dealt with a threat from a chemical leak. In March, an acid leak was reported at BP's refinery in the port city. And last year, several dozen homes were evacuated when 250,000 gallons of gasoline spilled following a pipeline rupture.
[Updated at 4:38 a.m.] Right now, city officials are trying to clean up the leak that occurred when a tank at the plant ruptured, Clawson told CNN affiliate
KTRK. Officials hope to lift the order to stay inside by about 3 a.m. local time.
It wasn't immediately known what the chemical was being used for at the plant. Hydrochloric acid has a number of industrial uses. It also has a corrosive effect on human tissue, with the potential to damage the lungs, eyes, skin, and intestines.
[Updated at 4:19 a.m.] The leak occurred at the Dallas Group of America's plant near the Port of Texas City, Bruce Clawson of the Emergency Management office said. The toxic cloud has covered portions of the port and possibly southern parts of the city that sits along the coast of Galveston Bay, he said.
Of those who were hospitalized for exposure, four were firefighters, according to Clawson.
[Posted at 4:05 a.m.] At least nine people have been hospitalized after being exposed to a toxic cloud that formed after 300 gallons of hydrochloric acid leaked in Texas City, according to the Texas City Emergency Management office.
Residents in the city are being asked to remain indoors, turn off air conditioning units and make sure all windows and doors are closed until the vapor cloud dissipates.
Post by: CNN's Tina Burnside
Filed under: Texas • U.S.
soundoff (2 Responses)
BOMBO ©
300 gallons isn't much. Suck it up.
October 25, 2012 at 10:27 am | Report abuse |
Less EPA!
That's the ticket!
October 25, 2012 at 1:11 pm | Report abuse |
Algerian Coffee Stores opened on London's Old Compton Street in 1887 under the ownership of an Algerian national no�twitter.com/i/web/status/1…At


text:
Vancouver, BC's top destination attraction
Native Vancouverite Nancy Stibbard purchased Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in 1983 and has spearheaded the attraction's development and phenomenal success over the past 30 years. Nancy's commitment to exceeding guest expectations and her vision to 'create experiences people are amazed by' guide every aspect of her businesses.
Nancy's initial success came from retail, reworking the merchandise mix at Capilano Trading Post to include more Canadian-made products and upscale brands. She opened new stores in BC and Alberta, then purchased and rebuilt two luxury accommodation properties in the Canadian Rockies – Moraine Lake Lodge (1991) and Cathedral Mountain Lodge (2002). In 2014, Nancy added Stanley Park Pavilion and Prospect Point Cafe and Gift Shop to the Capilano Group portfolio. The Prospect Point property will be renovated in a way that enhances its function and its history, while the Pavilion has recently been restored to its former glory.
3735 Capilano Road, North Vancouver, BC
Embark on an aquatic adventure
845 Avison Way
Ziptrek Ecotours
Global Leader in Zipline Tours
4290 Mountain Square
Vancouver's first, largest, and most beloved urban park


There is a widespread misconception that pain is a normal thing that comes with aging. It doesn't have to be so! You may be waking up with rusty joints and ending your days with swollen joints and a shattering back. There is a good chance that you have a deficiency of this vitamin.
Both back and joints pain could negatively affect your physical activity capacities. They will also interfere with how well you can enjoy your life.
It is up to you to determine whether pain should hamper your life or not. Everyone should live an active life, and explore their new hobbies rather than leading a life full of pain.
This is a commonly occurring vitamin deficiency and most people take the associated joint and back pain as related to aging.
What is This Vitamin Deficiency behind your Joint & Back Pain?
There is a big surprise in store for you!
Your joint and back pain doesn't have to be linked to your weight, age, your work, or how active you are. In most cases it is related to your food or the lack of certain nutrients!
Scientists have found a strong link between deficiency of vitamin D and joint pain. The fact is that most people cannot meet the daily recommended dosage of vitamin D. Are you getting a balanced diet or spending good amount of time outdoors?
According to researchers, your back and joint pain could aggravate progressively if your vitamin D deficiency persists for a long time. You may also develop several bone-related problems including arthritis.
Press the chest bone. It is also called sternum. If you feel some pain, it is a sign that you are suffering from the deficiency.
So How to Get Required Vitamin D?
Once you realize how important vitamin D is to your body, you would want to know how to get the required dosage and eliminate those painful back and joint problems.
The sun is easily the best source out there. All you need to do is to spend just 10 minutes out in the sunlight everyday and your body will get enough of vitamin D.
Because you need a larger amount of this vitamin, it will be best to consider some vitamin D supplementation too.
There are serious effects of suffering from vitamin D deficiency. And it is difficult to get the high amount of your recommended daily allowance (RDA) of it. So supplementation is considered as a good source. It will help ensure that you are getting the required RDA without having to work hard on tracking your diet and sun hours.
Even when choosing a vitamin D supplement, you should be careful. It should have vitamin D3 and not vitamin D2 in it. It is D3 that gets naturally produced in our body when we spend time in sunlight. And it is exactly the vitamin D that our body needs.
I use Pro D3 to meet my vitamin D needs. It has 5000 IU of the vitamin that gives me my RDA. It is also loaded with probiotics, which helps keep my digestive system health, which further has a positive effect on my health. Try it and find out how it can alleviate your joint pain too!


Diplodia ear rot (Photo 1) is possibly the most damaging and important ear rot disease in southern Africa caused by the fungi Stenocarpella maydis and Stenocarpella macrospora.
Stenocarpella macrospora ear rot symptoms are almost identical to those of Diplodia ear rot, but occur under different climatic and epidemiological conditions. Macrospora ear rot appears to be predominant in areas of KwaZulu-Natal where Diplodia ear rot can occur throughout the entire maize production area of South Africa.
Diplodia ear rot control measures are not always directly applicable to Macrospora ear rot and must be treated as two distinct separate diseases which vary greatly in terms of their epidemiology. Macro spora ear rot can easily be confused with Diplodia ear rot, not only by producers, but by agricultural advisors and agronomists as well.
This confusion stems from the inability to determine the correct identity of the specific disease in a specific area often resulting in conflicting research results and advice. If a producer is not certain which ear rot organism is present, they must please contact their local plant pathologist.
These two pathogens, although visually identical in the field, can only be distinguished based on isolation onto artificial media and then identified based on spore size and shape. Diplodia ear rot results in yield loss (when light weight rotten kernels are discarded in the harvesting process), grain grade reductions and toxicity problems for both humans and animals.
Diplodia stalk rot (Photo 2) is caused by the same pathogen, namely, Stenocarpella maydis, however, the epidemiology and climatic conditions that favour disease development differs significantly.
Diplodia ear rots are usually noted in seasons with early drought followed by excessive and extended rainfall during the maturation stage of the maize plant. Diplodia stalk rots become common in seasons where early season rainfall is followed by a midseason drought period during grainfill.
This unexpected stress on the maize plants at this critical period predisposes the plants to increased withdrawal of sugars from the stems which increase their susceptibility to various stalk rot pathogens.
Diplodia stalk rots may also occur when the roots and crown are infected by fungi such as Gibberella root and crown rot which prevents nutrient and water uptake by the plant during grainfill. This again stresses the plant, forcing it to withdraw sugars and nutrients from the stalk, which in turn predisposes the stalk to infection by stalk rot pathogens of which Diplodia stalk rot is one.
Diplodia ear and stalk rot disease produce specific mycotoxins which have been shown to affect animals differently in various studies, many of which were originally determined in South Africa where field symptoms of diplodiosis were initially reported.
S. maydis. Recent reports of diplodiosis in Argentina, Australia, Brazil and the USA have resulted in an increase in local and international research on the mycotoxins produced.
Maize infected with S. maydis has been reported to be acutely toxic to ducklings and rats. Reports have indicated that Diplodia-infected maize used in the chicken broiler and egg laying industries has resulted in reduced performance in both industries.
In subsequent studies no correlation was found between the toxicity of S. maydis isolates in ducklings and their ability to induce diplodiosis in cattle and sheep. Some of the S. maydis isolates were acutely toxic to ducklings and rats, but were unable to induce diplodiosis in either cattle or sheep.
This may indicate that more than one mycotoxin may be produced by S. maydis isolates and that the isolates of the fungus may vary in their ability to produce certain mycotoxins. Their effect on humans has not yet been determined. Continued research on Diplodia ear rot, stalk rot and their mycotoxins will improve our understanding of this complex disease and its mycotoxicology.
Diplodia ear rot symptoms associated with early infections during early ear development are yellowing and drying of husk leaves while the stalks and leaves remain green (Photo 3). Infection generally begins at the ear base and ramifies upwards. The entire ear becomes overgrown with a white mycelial growth.
A cross section of an infected ear shows black spore producing bodies (pycnidia) at the kernel bases (Photo 4). Late season infections may occur when kernel moisture is low and symptoms are less obvious. Embryos become infected and slightly discoloured, but no ramification of the rest of the ear occurs. Such symptomless infections are locally referred to as skelm Diplodia.
Yield losses caused by Diplodia ear rot have not yet been quantified, because the harvest method, make of harvester, harvest speed, harvester settings, etc all affect the percentage rotten kernels that remain in the grain bin or trailer.
The rotten kernels that are light enough are blown out during the harvesting process, the percentage hereof depending on abovementioned factors. This implies that where diplodia ear rot infections are serious, damage is twofold.
Firstly, if a low percentage of rotten kernels are discarded during the harvesting process, serious grain quality reductions occur.
Secondly, where a high percentage of rotten kernels are discarded in the harvesting process, it will improve grain quality, but manifest itself as yield loss.
Diplodia stalk rot reduces the ability of the maize plant to reach its full yield potential by preventing adequate grainfill, i.e. a reduced thousand kernel weight and by preventing the pollinated ear from filling all kernels on the ear. This results in incomplete ears without grain developing on the cob towards the tip.
Diplodiosis, a nervous disorder of cattle and sheep, results from the ingestion of ears infected by S. maydis. Cases of diplodiosis occur from six days to two weeks after the animals are placed on fields with infected maize cobs.
The disease is characterised by reluctance of the animals to move, a wide-based stance, incoordination, tremors, paralysis and death. Myelin degeneration (status spongiosis) is the major histopathological change observed in affected animals. The disease also causes abnormal foetal development and foetal death.
Field outbreaks of diplodiosis in southern Africa are favoured by late, heavy rains and occur during the late winter months (July to September). The practice of using harvested maize fields for winter grazing is a major contributing factor to outbreaks of this mycotoxicosis. In addition to diplodiatoxin, new metabolites, namely dipmatol, diplonine and chaetoglobosins K and L, have recently been isolated from S. maydi-infected crops.
To date, none of the pure metabolites has been administered to ruminants in order to reproduce the disease. Until such time that the toxic metabolite(s) responsible for this disease are fully understood, diplodiosis will continue to be reproduced experimentally only by feeding naturally infected maize or pure cultures of the fungus or their extracts to ruminants.
As previously mentioned in this article, not all S. maydis isolates are toxic. For example, two isolates from the same field may be fed to ducklings with one being toxic and the other not. This makes decisions difficult on whether or not to use Diplodia-infected grain for feed for certain animals.
Ruminants and poultry are found to be the animals most affected by Diplodia-infected material. Milling-infected grain is thought to reduce the heat-sensitive toxin and ensure that the total Diplodia-infected grain content of feed rations is lower than 10%.
Animals, particularly cattle, being fed Diplodia-infected rations must be monitored.
As soon as symptoms of reluctance to move, standing with wide-based stance, poor co ordination, walking stiff legged with a high stepping gait, falling, paralysis, constipation, salivation and tremors are observed, animals must be removed immediately and fed on healthy rations. Recovery rates are high, but animals will die if kept on the infected ration.
The incidence and severity of Diplodia ear and stalk rots are largely seasonal which means climatic factors play a major role in the epidemiology of these two diseases. Epidemics of Diplodia ear rot have been associated with early season droughts and late season rains, particularly where infected stubble has been retained on the soil surface and susceptible hybrids have been planted.
The epidemic of the mid 80s in South Africa has since been followed by smaller, more localised epidemics. These areas are generally where susceptible hybrids have been planted in monoculture where surface stubble retention was high following a previous yet often unnoticed Diplodia stalk rot epidemic.
The reason that Diplodia stalk rot epidemics often go unnoticed is that breeding programs have focussed on resistance to lodging which does not equate to resistance to the stalk rot pathogens, but rather to rind (outer layer) strength. This means that plants may still be infected by the stalk rot pathogens, but not lodge as easily.
S. maydis spores are transmitted by air, seed and soil. Airborne spores result in heavy infections up to 10 m from the inoculum source and the number of successful infections is reduced with distance. Single spores travelling long distances may lead to trace infections which may then develop into an epidemic focal point. Infected maize seed is an important inoculum source which may result in seedling and crown rot diseases. However, the majority of S. maydis-infected kernels do not germinate.
Spores land behind leaf or ear sheaths where they germinate and infect stalks or ears. Stalk infections may occur through root and crown infections where viable spores in the ground infect under favourable conditions and the fungus ramifies up through the crown into the lower internodes when the maize plant becomes stressed. Spore germination is inhibited by exposure to sunlight and desiccation. Free water is necessary for germination and an infection may take up to seven days after spore germination to flame up. Germinated spores may enter tissue and lie dormant until conditions are favourable for fungal growth through the tissues.
Mycelial colonisation is accompanied by cell wall degradation ahead of the growing pathogen. This is due to enzymes that are secreted. Fungal ramification of maize ears begins at the shank. Cob tissue colonisation begins at the attachment with embryonic tissues and proceeds into the endosperm. Similarly stalk ramification may also occur. These infected tissues develop fruiting bodies (pycnidia) which produce spores during the subsequent season.
Control of Diplodia ear rot includes surface stubble reduction by means of grazing, burning, baling or ploughing in of surface maize stubble. As the fungus (Stenocarpella maydis) survives on maize stubble and survives poorly in soil, any management practice that reduces levels of infected surface stubble will reduce inoculum concentrations in the field.
The removal of stubble for a single season and then resorting back to stubble retention practices, only reduces Diplodia ear rot for that specific season. Where stubble is present the following season, the risk of Diplodia ear rot will increase to its original level, should weather conditions be favourable.
There is however, a slight contradiction when taking Diplodia stalk rot into consideration as conservation tillage practices improve soil water retention and in doing so reduce plant stress levels which reduces predisposition to Diplodia stalk rot. These are two separate diseases as the climatic conditions influencing the epidemics of the two diseases, but the same pathogen and host, are however involved. Stubble retention may on the one hand increase Diplodia ear rots should the pathogens' inoculum survive on this stubble the previous season; it may however reduce possible stalk rot incidence which in turn may reduce inoculum levels for the following season.
To reduce the possible effects of this contradiction, it is critical that Diplodia ear and stalk rot control is seen holistically and that other control measures are included in an integrated control programme to manage both Diplodia ear and stalk rots.
Avoid planting unrealistically high plant populations on marginal soils and in areas where there is a high probability of drought, leaf or alternate stalk rot disease conditions. Ensure plant nutrition is adequate and balanced relative to the yield potential of the land or area to be planted.
Unnecessary stressors on the crop may increase the potential for Diplodia stalk rot which indirectly in the long term may increase inoculum levels on the land and under conditions favourable for Diplodia ear rots an epidemic may occur. To date no direct relationship between plant stress and Diplodia ear rot has been reported.
Crop rotations reduce Diplodia ear rots by reducing inoculum levels in two ways. Firstly, a non-host for the fungus will not allow the fungus to persist for the season where maize is not grown. Secondly, a greater period (a season or two) between maize crops allows for a natural breakdown of maize stubble, which again reduces the survival of the fungus.
Leguminous crops, such as soybeans, dry beans, groundnuts, cowpeas, etc are very good rotation crops. Other rotation crops that reduce Diplodia ear rots, are wheat, oats etc. Sunflowers do not significantly reduce Diplodia ear rots under experimental conditions, but, the reason therefore has not yet been found.
Early harvesting will reduce Diplodia ear rots as it reduces the time available for the fungus to grow on the ear. The fungus (Stenocarpella maydis) can grow on maize ears in the field until 11% moisture. Late or winter rains keep ears wet and increase the chance for fungal growth. In certain cases it would pay to harvest early at higher moisture levels and artificially dry grain. This is possibly why Diplodia ear rot is not a major problem in the USA where maize is harvested early and dried artificially.
Selection of cultivars is very important in the control of Diplodia ear and stalk rots. However, it appears that there is widespread confusion regarding resistance and the use of resistance.
Four concepts involved in reactions of hybrids to diseases are tolerance, resistance, susceptibility and immunity. These all refer to different reactions of a hybrid to a specific disease. Resistance does not imply that a hybrid will not get a specific disease. This is immunity. Resistance is a scale that runs from resistant to susceptible, with varying degrees of resistance/susceptibility in between.
It is a misconception that resistance implies no disease at all (immunity). Resistance is relative to other hybrids. For example, where the mean of all hybrids tested is 30% diplodia ear rot, any hybrid with less than 30% is resistant and those above 30% are susceptible. This mean percentage varies from one season to another, depending on weather conditions and inoculum levels. During a season where the mean ear rot of all hybrids is 5%, the resistant hybrid should still be resistant and the susceptible still susceptible where hybrid reactions are consistent. Thus, resistance/susceptibility is relative to other hybrids.
This effect is an interaction between the available inoculum, the host and prevailing weather conditions. Generally speaking, a resistant hybrid will always have less Diplodia ear rot than susceptible hybrids relative to prevailing conditions. However, there are many maize hybrids that react consistently over all localities, but there are some that do not. The local South African National Cultivar Trial entries are used to screen maize hybrids annually for resistance/susceptibility to Diplodia ear rots under various weather and inoculum conditions.
Resistance to Diplodia stalk rot is difficult to quantify as plant standability or resistance to lodging, does not necessarily mean the stalk is not infected with Diplodia stalk rot. It means that even though the stalk may be infected with Diplodia stalk rot, it will not lodge.
This counters Diplodia stalk rot by preventing lodging and is generally achieved by improving stalk rind thickness. A thicker rind may still have Diplodia stalk rot which results in the breakdown of the stalk pith tissue within the rind. Thicker rinds may in the long term have the unintended effect of actually increasing Stenocarpella maydis inoculum as it is more resistant to decomposition and may improve survival of the inoculum which from extensive studies has been shown to survive successfully in intact maize residues, particularly those retained on the soil surface. It is therefore important that Diplodia stalk rot resistance is seen in the correct context.
There is no antidote for diplodiosis, but risks can be managed by removing the animals from harvested fields as soon as the first signs of diplodiosis appear. Most, if not all, of the affected animals should recover with good nursing after removal from the infested fields.
All mouldy maize cobs should be removed from the field and destroyed before the animals are allowed back into the harvested fields. Integrated control practices discussed above to reduce Diplodia ear and stalk rot epidemics which include the use of resistant crop varieties and crop rotation, aimed at reducing the levels of S. maydis infection of the maize plants, should be considered as preventive measures for the outbreak of diplodiosis.
Should any producers observe suspicious symptoms in ruminants grazing on maize fields and suspect diplodiosis, please contact the author at 018 299 6362 or at FlettB@arc.agric.za; or Dr Mxolisi Masango at MasangoM@arc.agric.za from the Toxicology and Ethnoveterinary Medicine, Food, Feed and Veterinary Public Health (FFVPH) Programme, Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (ARC-OVI), South Africa.
As we receive confirmed reports, it will be added to a database to trace confirmed cases of diplodiosis in South Africa.


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Cole County History: Driving the hogs out of Hog Alley
July 6th, 2019 by Carolyn Bening, Historic City of Jefferson in Local News

Summers collection, Mo State Archives

ABOVE: The Capitol Telephone Company office is seen at the corner of Madison and the alley.

Following the Civil War, Jefferson City's large residences scattered along High and Main streets, now East Capitol Avenue — from the statehouse to the penitentiary to the cemetery. These dirt streets, not paved until 1880s, were divided by alleys — narrow lanes lined with wooden dwellings. Reminiscing on the roads and boarded walkways at the turn of the century, Julius Conrath said "after a rain, High Street, Main Street and in fact all the streets were seas of mud. Hogs wallowed on High Street in the mud" (NT: Nov. 21, 1965).
Out of all this flowing mud erupted "Hog Alley," the capital's red-light district and a haven for all termed evil: gambling, drinking, fighting and prostitution. The three blocks of Hog Alley, named for scavenger hogs penned in the alley, stretched from the old Carnegie Library on Adams Street to the parking lot of the Jefferson Office Building. If you walk past Bones Restaurant, you are walking in "Hog Alley."
Jobs were limited in the capital after the Civil War, especially for freed slaves. The alley itself was "planned housing"—called "Negro Dw'gs" (Dwellings) by Sanborn maps — built by white owners directly behind their "respectable" homes and businesses east of the Capitol for their servants or laborers. Living in the alley dwellings ensured cheap, albeit unhealthy and unsafe, segregated accommodations, but ensured employment. According to Gary Kremer (Heartland History I), the 1880 census lists 635 black people living in the city with 82 percent in the downtown area, the highest concentration in Hog Alley.
Besides "Negro Dw'gs," several businesses were located on both sides of the Alley: a tailor, barber, cabinet shop, brick cigar shop, a furniture/undertaker business, even a sausage factory. On each side of Madison Street entrance stood the five-story brick Madison Hotel — containing its own bar, billiards and barber — and the three-story City Hotel. The latter hotel bar became a focal point for drunkenness and fighting in 1867 when an argument escalated into a black/white fight with thrown brick-bats that swept into the alley, spreading its "immoral" reputation.
In addition to crime, Hog Alley became the city's unofficial red-light district. Employment was especially difficult for unmarried or widowed black women, often necessitating their resorting to prostitution to provide for their families. Bettie Barnes, a former slave, resided as a young adult in Hog Alley, where she was arrested for theft, prostitution and failure to pay the city dog tax. Reflecting the capital's prejudices, the local paper reported on her suicide: "Bettie Barnes, the notorious colored wench who has disgraced this town for a number of years, yesterday took a dose of morphine" (People's Tribune: April 27, 1881).
Of course, not all Alley residents were criminals or ladies of the night. The 1880 Census records well-respected black people, employed as domestic servants, living in the Alley, including Fannie Smith and Newton Wright working for lumber merchant Louis Lambert at 329 E. High St., and Mahala Carter, a servant for Wm. Q. Dallmeyer at 289 E. Capitol Ave. According to historian Dr. Robert Young, the well-known freed slave Uncle Billy Hart inhabited an East Main rear alley log house most of his life.
Besides Alley houses, several black-owned businesses sprouted around Hog Alley, attesting to the respectability and responsibility of the African-American community. Howard Barnes, known as one of the best cooks in the city, and John Lane, former slave, operated "Delmonico's," a hotel/restaurant at 212 Madison St. (Hotel Governor), around the corner from the Alley. Another popular establishment fronting the Alley on Monroe Street was the "Silver Moon Hotel and Cafe," where traveling African Americans could safely stay in a racially integrated capital. The historic Silver Moon was razed for parking lots.
The city ignored the crowded, unsanitary conditions in the downtown ghetto, as police ignored the crimes, blaming the disgraceful situation on the Alley itself: "The breeding place for all manner of diseases that have their origin and flourish in the midst of filth" (People's Tribune: May 1882). It was fear and ignorance that finally cleaned up the "intolerable nuisance" of Hog Alley in 1882. A local physician had mistakenly blamed the deaths of one black family's three children on smallpox; the coroner later determined cause was stomach inflammation. Panic-driven officials herded the black residents out of their Alley homes, boarded the buildings to deter occupation and blocked entrances with armed guards, thereby imprisoning remaining residents.
However, it took another 10 years to clean out the hogs. The Hog Ordinance was enforced, Alley structures were razed, some streets were paved, signs were posted at Alley entrances to keep "undesirables" out, and Hog was sanitized to Commercial Alley.
By 1915, the Alley residents and businesses had moved on to other segregated neighborhoods around Lafayette Street, rebuilding successful lives around the "Foot" and Lincoln Institute — until the next "cleansing" erupted with urban renewal in the 1960s.
An unabridged version of this article is available in the online November 2017 newsletter at historiccityofjefferson.org/resources.
Carolyn Bening is a retired high school/university teacher, historian and genealogist. She is a former writer and assistant editor for the Historic City of Jefferson's Yesterday and Today Newsletter.


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With increased depth, Maryland men's basketball anticipates more defensive variability
Eric Myers
Guard Anthony Cowan plays defense on forward Ricky Lindo at practice on Oct. 15, 2019. (Julia Nikhinson/The Diamondback)
Trailing by 13 points with 16 minutes to go, Maryland men's basketball coach Mark Turgeon needed an answer to slow down LSU and erase the deficit in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
The margin grew to 15 after Turgeon picked up a technical foul and guard Skylar Mays converted two free throws. And following the free throws, the Terps lined up in a 3-2 zone instead of the man-to-man defense they typically employ.
Maryland used that zone for the remainder of the game, confounding the Tigers on the majority of its remaining possessions. After scoring 46 points in the first 24 minutes, LSU only managed 23 in the final 16, allowing the Terps to storm back to even the score before ultimately losing on a layup with 1.6 seconds remaining.
During Sunday's open practice, the team's first on-court appearance in front of fans since that loss, Turgeon wore a mic and told fans this year's team would incorporate more zone and press defenses, a decision that has the potential to make life more difficult for opposing offenses.
"Being able to go from press to man-to-man to zone, it makes it confusing for the offense when we're playing against them," guard Aaron Wiggins said after Sunday's practice.
[Read more: Feeding off last year's ending, Maryland men's basketball's sophomores look to make jump]
Throughout his coaching career, Turgeon's defensive philosophy has been rooted in a half-court man-to-man. Typically, he's only strayed away from that scheme when his team finds itself trailing and searching for answers.
But entering his ninth season as the Terps head coach, Turgeon thinks he has the most depth of any team he's led in College Park. The options and ability to rotate players is conducive to Turgeon featuring hounding — and taxing — press defenses.
During Sunday's open practice, the team showed a three-quarter-court press and half-court press. As the season goes on, Turgeon expects to continue expanding the press defenses he'll have at his disposal.
"Today is only our 13th day together, and so we've got a lot in. And we're doing it actually pretty well for this early," Turgeon said. "I do think there's two more presses that we'll still put in before December maybe."
[Read more: No more pizza in CP: How Maryland men's basketball cuts out junk to shape up their bodies]
Last season, Maryland didn't have the depth it has this year. But the defense did have the presence of forwards Bruno Fernando and Jalen Smith serving as the last line of defense to block shots, combining for 104 rejections between the two.
With Fernando now in the NBA, the preseason-No. 7 Terps' top strength on the defensive end is their size and length. Of the team's 13 scholarship players, only guard Anthony Cowan is listed under 6-foot-4.
When the team uses zone this season, that size and length can help Maryland get in passing lanes to cause miscues and force difficult shots for the opposition.
"We've got a lot of length, a lot of athleticism," forward Jalen Smith said during preseason media day on Oct. 15. "I believe we can be a deadly team in the zone."
Using the three-point shot is a common strategy to beat a zone that congests the middle of the floor. But that strategy will become slightly more difficult this season with the three-point line moving back over a foot.
On the offensive end of the floor, Turgeon wants the team to play faster this season, again citing the depth as a catalyst for that style.
One way to create increased pace is by wreaking havoc on the defensive end and forcing turnovers — an area that Maryland has struggled with under Turgeon. Since he started as head coach in 2011, the highest ranked the Terps have finished in steals per possession among more than 300 Division I schools is 156 in the 2013-14 season.
Last season, Maryland turned the ball over 119 more times than its opponent. There's hope that a switch in offensive philosophy, and switching defenses, will help correct that issue this season.
"We want to be a little bit more complicated on defense," Turgeon said, "and a little bit more simple on offense."
aaron wiggins
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