text:
Temporal range: Late Miocene – Recent
North American beaver (Castor canadensis)
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Castoridae
Subfamily: Castorinae
Genus: Castor
C. canadensis – North American beaver
C. fiber – Eurasian beaver
†C. californicus
†C. praefiber
†C. neglectus
Range of the living beavers as of 2016 (including introduced C. canadensis populations in Europe and Patagonia, but missing C. fiber populations in Mongolia and northwestern China, as well as reintroduced populations in the United Kingdom)
Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus Castor native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (Castor canadensis) and the Eurasian beaver (C. fiber). Beavers are the second-largest living rodents after the capybaras. They have stout bodies with large heads, long chisel-like incisors, brown or gray fur, hand-like front feet, webbed back feet and flat, scaly tails. The Eurasian beaver has a more elongated skull with a more triangular nasal bone opening, lighter fur color and a narrower tail. The animals can be found in a number of freshwater habitats, such as rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. They are herbivorous, consuming tree bark, aquatic plants, grasses and sedges.
Beavers build dams and lodges using tree branches, vegetation, rocks and mud; they chew down trees for building material. Dams impound water and lodges serve as shelters. Their infrastructure creates wetlands used by many other species, and because of their effect on other organisms in the ecosystem, they are considered a keystone species. Adult males and females live in monogamous pairs with their offspring. When they are old enough, the young will help their parents repair dams and lodges and may also help raise newly born offspring. Beavers hold territories and mark them using scent mounts made of mud, debris and castoreum, a urine-based substance excreted through the beaver's castor sacs. Beavers can also recognize their kin by their anal gland secretions and are more likely to tolerate them as neighbors.
Historically, beavers have been hunted for their fur, meat and castoreum. Castoreum has been used in medicine, perfume and food flavoring, while beaver pelts have been a major driver of the fur trade. Before protections began in the 19th and early 20th centuries, overhunting had nearly exterminated both species. Their populations have rebounded, and they are both listed as least concern by the IUCN Red List of mammals. In human culture, the beaver symbolizes industriousness and is the national animal of Canada.
The English word "beaver" comes from the Old English word beofor or befor and is connected to the German word Biber and the Dutch word bever. The ultimate origin of the word is from an Indo-European root for "brown".[1] The genus name Castor has its origin in the Greek kastor and translates as "beaver".[2] The name "beaver" is the source for several names of places in Europe including Beverly, Bièvres, Biberbach, Biebrich, Bibra, Bibern, Bibrka, Bobr, Bjurbäcker, Bjurfors, Bober, Bóbrka and Bjurlund.[3]
Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber)
There are two extant species: the North American beaver (Castor canadensis) and the Eurasian beaver (C. fiber). The Eurasian beaver has a more elongated skull with a more triangular nasal bone opening, lighter fur color and a narrower tail. In addition, the North American beaver is slightly longer.[4]
Carl Linnaeus coined the genus Castor in 1758;[5] he also coined the specific (species) epithet fiber.[6] German zoologist Heinrich Kuhl coined C. canadensis in 1820.[7] However, they were not shown conclusively to be separate species until chromosomal evidence became available in the 1970s. (The Eurasian has 48 chromosomes, versus the North American's 40.) Prior to that, many considered them the same species.[8][9] The difference in chromosome numbers prevents them from interbreeding.[10] 25 subspecies have been classified for C. canadensis and nine for C. fiber.[6][7]
Castorimorpha
Castoroidea
Castoridae
Agnotocastor coloradensis
Agnotocastor praetereadens
Anchitheriomys sp.
Castorinae (modern beavers)
Castoroidinae
Agnotocastor sp.
Migmacastor procumbodens
Palaeocastorinae
Geomyoidea
Heteromyidae (kangaroo rats and allies)
Geomyidae (gophers)
Phylogeny of extant and extinct relatives of modern beavers based on genetics and morphology.[11][12]
Beavers belong to the rodent suborder Castorimorpha, along with Heteromyidae (kangaroo rats, kangaroo mice, pocket mice and spiny pocket mice), and the gophers. Modern beavers are the only extant members of the family Castoridae. They originated in North America in the late Eocene and dispersed into Eurasia via the Bering Land Bridge in the early Oligocene, coinciding with the Grande Coupure, a time of great faunal turnover around 33 million years ago (mya).[13][14]
The more basal castorids had features such as: more complex occlusion between the cheek teeth, parallel upper tooth rows, premolars close to the molars in size, the presence of a third set of premolars (P3), the stapedius muscle, a smooth palatine bone with the palatine foramen (opening) closer to the rear end of the bone, and an elongated snout. More derived castorids have less complex occlusion, upper tooth rows that diverge posteriorly, larger second premolars compared to molars, loss of P3 and stapedius, and more grooved palatine with a palatine foramen shifted towards the front. Members of the subfamily Palaeocastorinae appeared in late Oligocene North America. This group was small-bodied and adapted to a fossorial or burrowing lifestyle having relatively large forelimbs, a low, broad skull and a short tail.[14]
In the early Miocene (about 24 mya), castorids evolved a semiaquatic lifestyle. Members of the subfamily Castoroidinae appeared around this time and included giants like Castoroides of North America and Trogontherium of Eurasia. Members of this group appear to have been less specialized for aquatic life than modern beavers.[12][14] Castoroides is estimated to have had a length of 1.9–2.2 m (6.2–7.2 ft) and a weight of 90–125 kg (198–276 lb).[15] Fossils of one genus in Castoroidinae, Dipoides, have been found near assemblages of chewed wood, though it appears to have been a rather poor woodcutter compared to Castor. Researchers suggest that modern beavers and Castoroidinae shared a bark-eating common ancestor.[16] Dam and lodge-building likely developed from bark eating and allowed beavers to survive in the harsh winters of Arctic latitudes.[12] There is no conclusive evidence for this behavior occurring in non-Castor species.[16]
The genus Castor likely originated in Eurasia;[17] the oldest fossil remains appear to be C. neglectus of Germany and dated 12–10 mya.[18] The ancestors of the North American beaver would have entered North America across the Bering Land Bridge in the late Miocene. Mitochondrial DNA studies place the common ancestor of the two living species at around 8 mya.[17] Castor may have competed with members of Castoroidinae, which led to niche differentiation.[19] The Eurasian beaver may have descended from C. praefiber.[20] C. californicus from the Early Pleistocene of North America was similar to but larger than the extant North American beaver.[21]
Characteristics and adaptations
Mounted North American beaver skeleton
Beavers are the second-largest living rodents, after the capybaras. They have a head-body length of 80–120 cm (31–47 in), with a 25–50 cm (9.8–19.7 in) tail, a shoulder height of 30–60 cm (12–24 in) and a weight of 11–30 kg (24–66 lb).[9] Males and females are almost identical externally.[22] Their bodies are streamlined like marine mammals and their robust build allows them to pull heavy loads.[23][24] A beaver coat has 12,000–23,000 hairs/cm2 (77,000–148,000 per in2) and functions to keep the animal warm, to help it float in water, and to protect it against the teeth and claws of predators. Guard hairs are 5–6 cm (2.0–2.4 in) long and typically reddish brown, but can range from yellowish brown to nearly black; while the underfur is 2–3 cm (0.79–1.18 in) long and dark gray. Beavers molt during the summer.[9][25]
Beavers have massive skulls adapted for withstanding the forces generated by their powerful chewing muscles. Their four chisel-shaped incisors grow continuously. The incisors' outer enamel is very thick and colored orange due to the presence of iron compounds.[26][27] The roots of the lower incisors extend throughout the length of the lower jaw. Beavers have one premolar and three molars on each side of the upper and lower jaws, 20 teeth in total. The molars have meandering ridges for grinding woody food.[25] The eyes, ears and nostrils are arranged so that they can remain above water when the rest of the body submerges. The nostrils and ears have valves that close underwater while nictitating membranes cover the eyes. Unusual among mammals, the epiglottis is contained in the nasal cavity rather than the throat, preventing water from flowing into the larynx and trachea. In addition, the back of the tongue can rise and create a waterproof seal. A beaver's lips can close behind the incisors, allowing for chewing in water.[28][29]
The fore foot, hind foot, and tail of a beaver
The beaver's front feet are dexterous, allowing them to grasp and manipulate objects and food, as well as dig. The hind feet are larger and have webbing between the toes, and the second innermost toe of the hind foot has double nails used for grooming.[29][30] Beavers can swim at 8 km/h (5.0 mph);[24] only their webbed hind feet are used while the front feet are tucked under the chest.[29] On the surface, the hind limbs thrust alternately while underwater they move simultaneously.[31] Beavers are awkward on land but can move quickly when frightened. They can carry objects while walking on their hind legs.[23][29] The beaver's distinctive tail consists of a conical, muscular, hairy base; and a flat, scaly end that makes up two-thirds of the appendage. The tail has multiple functions; it provides support for the animal when it is upright (such as when chewing down a tree), acts as a rudder when it is swimming and stores fat. It also has a countercurrent blood vessel system which allows the animal to lose heat in warm temperatures and retain heat in cold temperatures.[32]
The beaver's sex organs are inside the body, and the male's penis has a cartilaginous baculum. They have a single opening, a cloaca, that contains the genital, digestive and excretory openings. The cloaca evolved secondarily, as mammals have lost this feature, and may reduce the area vulnerable to infection when swimming in dirty water. The beaver's intestine is six times longer than its body, and the caecum is twice the volume of its stomach.[33] Microorganisms in the caecum allow them to digest around 30 percent of the cellulose they consume.[23] The beaver's feces take the form of balls of sawdust, which it deposits into the water. Female beavers have four mammary glands; these produce milk with 19 percent fat, higher than in other rodents. Beavers have a pair of castor sacs between the kidneys and urinary bladder that empty into the urethra and anal glands. The castor sacs secrete castoreum, a urine-based substance used mainly for marking territory. Anal glands produce an oily substance which beavers rub on their fur to make it waterproof. This plays a role in individual and family recognition. Anal secretions are darker in females than males among Eurasian beavers, while the reverse is true for the North American species.[34]
Eurasian beaver swimming
Compared to many other rodents, a beaver's brain has a smaller hypothalamus in relation to the cerebrum; this indicates a relatively advanced brain with higher intelligence. The cerebellum is well developed, giving the beaver coordination in three-dimensional space (such as underwater). The neocortex is dedicated mainly to touch and hearing. Touch is more advanced in the lips and hands than the whiskers and tail. Vision in the beaver is comparably poor, and the beaver eye is not as well adapted to seeing underwater as that of an otter. Beavers have an acute sense of smell, particularly important for sniffing out scent marks and detecting land predators.[35]
Beavers can hold their breath for as long as 15 minutes. However, they typically remain underwater for no more than five or six minutes.[36] Dives generally last less than 30 seconds and are usually shallow, at less than 1 m (3 ft 3 in).[37] Beaver tissue contains less myoglobin than fully aquatic mammals.[38] When diving, their heart rate decreases to 60 beats per minute, around half its normal function, while blood flow to the brain increases. Beavers also have a high tolerance for carbon dioxide in their body. When surfacing, the animal can replace 75 percent of the air in its lungs in one breath, compared to 15 percent for a human.[29][36]
Distribution and status
North American beaver in Yellowstone National Park
The IUCN Red List of mammals lists both beaver species as least concern.[39][40] The North American beaver is widespread throughout most of the United States and Canada and can be found in northern Mexico. The species was introduced to Finland in 1937 (and then spread to northwestern Russia) and to Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia, in 1946.[39] The introduced population in Finland has been moving closer to the range of the native Eurasian beaver as of 2019.[41] Historically, the North American beaver was trapped and almost extirpated because its fur was highly sought after. Protections have allowed the beaver population on the continent to rebound to an estimated 6–12 million by the late 20th century; this is a fraction of the originally estimated 60–400 million North American beavers before the days of the fur trade.[42] The introduced population in Tierra del Fuego is estimated at 35,000–50,000 individuals as of 2016.[39]
The Eurasian beaver's range is not contiguous but fragmented. It was historically widespread throughout Eurasia, but overhunting had greatly reduced its range by the early 20th century. In Europe, beavers were reduced to isolated populations in the Rhône of France, the Elbe in Germany, southern Norway, the Neman river and Dnieper Basin in Belarus and the Voronezh river in Russia with combined numbers estimated at 1,200 individuals. The beaver has since returned to parts of its former range because of management measures and reintroductions. Beaver populations now range from Spain and France, through central and eastern Europe and into Scandinavia and Russia.[40] Beginning in 2009, beavers have been reintroduced successfully to parts of Great Britain.[43] In 2020, the total beaver population in Europe was estimated at over one million.[44] Small native populations are also present in Mongolia and northwestern China; their numbers were estimated at 150 and 700 respectively as of 2016.[40] Under New Zealand's Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996, beavers are classed as a "prohibited new organism" preventing them from being introduced into the country.[45]
Eurasian beavers swimming and foraging
Beavers live in freshwater ecosystems such as rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. Water is the most important part of the beaver habitat. They require a year-round supply for swimming, diving, floating logs, protection of lodge entrances and safety from land-dwelling predators. Beavers prefer to use slower moving streams, typically with a gradient or steepness of one percent, though they have been recorded using streams with gradients as high as 15 percent. Beavers also prefer wider streams over narrower ones. They typically avoid areas with regular flooding and may abandon a location for years after a significant flood.[46]
Beavers prefer areas with flatter terrain and diverse vegetation close to the water. North American beavers colonize an area where trees are around 60 m (200 ft) from the water but can harvest trees several hundred meters away. Beavers have also been recorded in mountainous areas. Dispersing beavers will use certain habitats temporarily before arriving at their final destinations. These include small streams, temporary swamps, ditches and even backyards. These sites lack important resources, so the animals do not remain there for long. Beavers have settled increasingly at or near human-made environments, including agricultural areas, suburbs, golf courses and even shopping malls.[47]
North American beaver eating lily pads
Beavers have an herbivorous and a generalist diet. During the spring and summer, they mainly feed on herbaceous plant material such as leaves, roots, herbs, ferns, grasses, sedges, water lilies, water shields, rushes and cattails. During the fall and winter, they eat more bark and cambium of woody plants; tree and shrub species used include aspen, birch, oak, dogwood, willow and alder.[9][48][49] There is some disagreement about why beaver select specific woody plants; some research has shown that beaver more frequently select species which are more easily digested,[50] while others suggest beaver principally select forage based upon size.[51] Beavers may cache their food for the winter, piling up wood in the deepest part of their pond where it cannot be reached by other browsers. This is known as a "raft" the top of which becomes frozen creating a "cap".[23] The animal accesses the raft by swimming under the ice. Many populations of Eurasian beaver do not make rafts but forage on land during winter.[9]
Beavers usually live up to 10 years. Felids, canids and bears may prey upon them. Beavers are cautious on land and escape into the water when they sense a threat, their shelters providing them with protection. Their parasites include the bacteria Francisella tularensis, which causes tularemia; the protozoan Giardia duodenalis, which causes giardiasis (beaver fever); and the beaver beetle and mites of the genus Schizocarpus.[52][53] They have also been recorded with the rabies virus.[54]
"Beaver lodge" redirects here. For the town in Alberta, Canada, see Beaverlodge.
Further information: Beaver dam
North American beaver chewing down a tree
Beavers need trees and shrubs as building material for dams, which impound flowing water to create a pond for them to live in, and lodges, which provide shelter and protection. Without such material, beavers dig burrows into a bank to live. Construction begins in late summer or early fall, and they repair them whenever needed. Beavers can fell trees 15 cm (5.9 in) wide or less in under 50 minutes; trees as large as 25 cm (9.8 in) can require over four hours.[55] When chewing down a tree, beavers bite the trunk at a 45-degree angle and chew with the side of the mouth; alternating between the left and right sides. Tree branches are cut and carried through land and water using the powerful jaw and neck muscles. Other building materials, like mud and rocks, are carried under the chin with the forelimbs.[56]
The sound of running water appears to stimulate dam-building, and the sound of a leak in a dam triggers them to repair it.[57] To build a dam, beavers use log poles, around 2 m (6 ft 7 in) long and 5 cm (2.0 in) in diameter, to brace against the banks. They align these in the direction of the water's flow at an angle of around 30 degrees. Heavy rocks weigh down the poles, and grass is stuffed between them. Beavers continue to pile on more material until the dam settles into a compact slope on the enclosed side. Dams can be as low as 20 cm (8 in) to as high as 3 m (10 ft) tall and can stretch from 0.3 m (1 ft 0 in) to several hundred meters long. Beaver dams appear to be more effective than human-made concrete dams in trapping water and slowly releasing it. Lake-dwelling beavers do not need to build dams.[58]
Open-water beaver lodge in Canada
Beavers make two types of lodges: bank lodges and open-water lodges. Bank lodges consist of tunnels and holes in steep-sloped banks with sticks piled over them. The more complex freestanding, open-water lodges are built over a platform of piled-up sticks. The roof is sealed up with mud apart from an air vent at the top. Both types are accessed by underwater entrances.[23][59] The space inside the lodge is known as the living chamber which is above the water line. A dining area may exist near the water.[9] North American beavers build more open-water lodges than Eurasian beavers. Beaver lodges built by first-time settlers are typically small and sloppy. More experienced families can build structures that are 6 m (20 ft) in diameter (above the water line) and 2 m (6 ft 7 in) high. One sturdy enough to withstand the coming winter can be built in just two nights.[60]
Both lodge types can be present at a beaver site. During the summer, beavers tend to use bank lodges that are cooler than the surrounding air. They use open-water lodges during the winter, whose temperature is similar to that of the surrounding water. The air vent provides ventilation, and carbon dioxide can clear out in 60 minutes. The amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in a lodge changes little with the seasons. During the winter, warm air coming out of the vent helps to melt the snow and ice on the lodge.[61]
Beavers in some areas will dig canals connected to their ponds. The canals fill up with groundwater and increase accessibility of river resources, facilitate transport of acquired resources, and lessen the risk of predation. These canals can stretch up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) wide, 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) deep and over 0.5 km (0.31 mi) long. It has been hypothesized that beavers' canals are not only transportation routes but an extension of their "central place" around the lodge and/or food cache.[49][62] Beavers create trails or "slides" as they drag wood, which then make it easier for the animals to transport new material.[23]
Beaver dam enlargement
Images of a beaver dam over a four-month period. Dams block rivers and create ponds.
Main article: Environmental impacts of beavers
The beaver works as an ecosystem engineer and keystone species as its activities can have a great impact on the landscape and biodiversity of an area.[63] Aside from humans, no other extant animal appears to do more to shape its environment.[64] When building dams, beavers alter the paths of streams and rivers allowing for the creation of extensive wetland habitats.[65] In one study, beavers were associated with large increases in open-water areas. When beavers returned to an area, 160% more open-water was available during droughts than in previous years when they were absent.[66] Beaver dams have a tendency to raise the water table, both in mineral soil environments and in wetlands such as peatlands. In peatlands particularly, their dams can stabilize the often fluctuating water table, which controls the levels of both carbon and water.[67]
Beaver ponds, and the wetlands that succeed them, remove sediments and pollutants from waterways, and can stop the loss of important soils.[68][69] These ponds can increase the productivity of freshwater ecosystems by accumulating nitrogen in sediments.[63] Beaver activity can affect the temperature of the water. In northern latitudes, ice thaws earlier in the warmer beaver-dammed waters.[70] Beavers may contribute to climate change. In Arctic areas, the floods they create can cause permafrost to thaw, releasing methane into the atmosphere.[71][72]
As wetlands are formed and riparian habitats enlarged, aquatic plants colonize the newly available watery habitat.[63] One study in the Adirondacks found that beaver engineering leads to a 33 percent increase in the number of herbaceous plant species on river banks.[73] Another study in semiarid eastern Oregon found that the width of riparian vegetation on stream banks increased several-fold as beaver dams watered previously dry terraces adjacent to the stream.[74] Riparian ecosystems in arid areas appear to maintain more vegetation productivity when beaver dams are present.[75] Beaver ponds act as a refuge for river bank plants during wildfires and provide them with enough moisture to resist such fires.[76] Introduced beavers at Tierra del Fuego have been responsible for destroying the indigenous forest.[77][78] Unlike many trees in North America, trees in South America rarely regenerate when cut down.[79]
Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) jumping a beaver dam
Beaver activity impacts communities of aquatic invertebrates. Damming typically leads to an increase of lentic (slow or motionless water)-dependent species, like dragonflies, oligochaetes, snails and mussels, at the expense of lotic (rapid water) species like black flies, stoneflies and net-spinning caddisflies.[63][80][81] Beaver floodings create an increase in dead trees which benefit terrestrial invertebrates like Drosophila flies and bark beetles, which live on dead wood.[63][82][83] The presence of beavers can increase wild salmon and trout populations, and the average size of these fish. These species use beaver habitats for spawning, overwintering, feeding and as refuges from increased water flow. The positive effects of beaver dams on fish appear to outweigh the negative effects, such as inhibition of migration.[84] Beaver ponds have been shown to be beneficial to frog populations by protecting areas for larvae to mature in warm water.[85] The slow-moving and standing waters of beaver ponds also provide ideal habitat for freshwater turtles.[86]
Beavers help waterfowl by creating increased areas of water. The widening of the riparian zone associated with beaver dams has been shown to increase the abundance and diversity of birds favoring river banks, an impact that may be especially important in semi-arid climates.[87] Fish-eating birds use beaver ponds for foraging, and in some areas certain species appear more frequently where beavers were active than at sites with no beaver activity.[63][88][89] In a study of Wyoming streams and rivers, watercourses with beavers had 75 times as many ducks as those without.[90] As trees are drowned by rising beaver impoundments, they become ideal nesting sites for woodpeckers, which carve cavities that attract many other bird species.[63][88] Beaver-caused ice thawing in northern latitudes allows Canada geese to nest earlier.[70]
Other semi-aquatic mammals, such as water voles, muskrats, minks and otters use beaver lodges.[63] Beaver modifications to streams in Poland have been associated with increased activity of bat species that hunt at the water surface and use moderate vegetation clutter.[91] Large herbivores such as deer benefit from beaver activity as they can access vegetation from fallen trees and ponds.[63]
Beavers are mainly nocturnal and crepuscular and spend the daytime in their shelters. In northern latitudes, beaver activity is decoupled from the 24-hour cycle during the winter and may last as much as 29 hours. They do not hibernate during winter, and spend much of their time in their lodges.[9][23][92]
North American beaver family, with the center pair grooming one another
Eurasian beaver parent and kit
The basic unit of beaver social organization is the family, which is composed of an adult male and an adult female in a monogamous pair and their offspring, both from the current and previous years' litters.[9][29] Beaver families can have as many as ten members besides the monogamous pair. Groups about this size build multiple lodges, while smaller families usually need only one. However, large families have been recorded living in one lodge.[93] Mutual grooming and play fighting reinforces bonds between family members, and aggressive behavior amongst them is uncommon.[29]
Adult beavers mate with their partners, though partner replacement appears to be common. A beaver that loses its partner will wait for another one to come by. Females may have their first estrus cycle of the season in late December and peak in mid-January. They may enter estrus two to four times per season; each cycle lasts 12–24 hours. Mating typically takes place in the water but may also occur in the lodge and lasts 30 seconds to three minutes.[94] Gestation lasts 104–111 days, up to four young or kits being born.[29][95] Newborn beavers are precocial and fully furred and can open their eyes within a few days.[23][29] Their mother is the primary caretaker, while their father maintains the territory.[9] Older siblings from a previous litter also play a role.[96]
After they are born, the kits spend their first month or two in the lodge.[29] During this time, parents routinely clean out the young's "bedding", pushing out the decaying plants and bringing in new material.[97] Beavers nurse for the first two or three months but can eat solid food within their first week and rely on their parents and older siblings to bring it to them. Eventually, beaver kits explore outside the lodge and forage on their own but may follow an older relative and cling to their tails.[29] After their first year, young beavers participate in construction.[9] Beavers are sexually mature at 1.5–3 years of age.[23] They may leave their birth colonies at two years of age, but remain with their parents for an extra year or more during times of food shortage, high population density, or drought.[98][99]
Territories and spacing
Eurasian beaver near its dam
Beavers typically disperse from their parental colonies when the winter snow melts. They often travel less than 5 km (3.1 mi), but long-distance dispersals are not uncommon when previous colonizers have already exploited local resources. Beavers are able to travel greater distances when they have access to free-flowing water. Individuals meet their mates during the dispersal stage and the pair travel together. It may take them weeks or months to reach their final destination; longer distances may require several years.[100][101] Beavers establish and defend territories along the banks of their ponds, which may be 1–7 km (0.62–4.35 mi) in length.[102]
Beavers mark their territories by constructing scent mounds made of mud and scented with castoreum.[103] Those with many territorial neighbors create more scent mounds. Scent marking increases in spring during the dispersal of yearlings to deter interlopers.[104] Beavers are generally intolerant of intruders and fights may result in deep bites to the flanks, tail and rump.[29] They exhibit a behavior known as the "dear enemy effect". A territory-holder will investigate and become familiar with the scents of its neighbors. They respond less aggressively to the scents of their territorial neighbors than those made by strangers.[105] Beavers are also more tolerant of individuals that are their kin. They recognize them by using their keen sense of smell to detect differences in the composition of anal gland secretions. Related beavers share more features in their anal gland secretion profile than unrelated beavers.[106][107]
Beavers within a family greet each other with whines. Kits will attract the attention of adults with mews, squeaks and cries. Defensive beavers produce a hissing growl and gnash their teeth.[29] Tail slaps, which involve an animal hitting the water surface with its tail, serve as alarm signals warning other beavers of a potential threat. An adult's tail slap is more successful in alerting others, which then escape into the lodge or deeper water. Adults normally ignore those of juveniles, who have not yet learned the proper use of a tail slap.[108][109] Eurasian beavers have been recorded using a "stick display" at the borders of their territories. This involves individuals rising out of the surface of shallow water while holding a stick in the mouth and front feet and bobbing up and down, sometimes creating splashes.[29][110]
Interactions with humans
Grey Owl feeding his beaver
Beavers sometimes come into conflict with humans over land use; the individual beavers being labeled a "nuisance beaver". Beavers can damage crops, timber stocks, roads, ditches, gardens and pastures via cutting, burrowing or flooding.[23] They occasionally attack humans and domestic pets, particularly when infected with rabies, in defense of their territory, or when they feel threatened. Some of these attacks have been fatal, including at least one human death.[111][112][113] Beavers can spread giardiasis by contaminating surface waters.[53]
Flow devices, like beaver pipes, are used to manage beaver flooding, while fencing and hardwire cloth protects trees and shrubs from beaver damage. If necessary, dams are removed by hand tools, heavy equipment or explosives.[114][115] Hunting, trapping and relocation may be permitted as forms of population control and for removal of individuals.[23] In both Argentina and Chile, governments have encouraged hunting and trapping of invasive beavers in hopes of their eradication.[116] Landscape designers, ecologists, and land managers have recognized the ecological importance of beavers, particularly in urban areas where they help maintain green spaces. Cities like Seattle have designed their parks to accommodate the animals.[117] The Martinez beavers became famous in the mid-2000s for their role in improving the ecosystem of Alhambra Creek in Martinez, California.[118]
Beavers have historically been kept in captivity for entertainment, fur farming and conservation breeding. Zoos have displayed them since at least the 19th century, though not commonly. Captive beavers require access to water, substrate for digging, and artificial shelters.[119] Archibald Stansfeld "Grey Owl" Belaney pioneered beaver conservation in the early 20th century. Belaney wrote several books and made the first professional film about beavers in their natural habitat. In 1931 he moved to a log cabin in Riding Mountain National Park, after he had been given the job of "caretaker of park animals", and raised four rescued beaver kits which were later released.[120]
Depiction of a beaver hunt from a medieval bestiary with the beaver depicted as biting off its testicles
Beaver pelts were the driving force of the North American fur trade.
Beavers have been hunted, trapped and exploited for their fur, meat and castoreum. Since they typically stayed in one place, trappers could easily find the animals and would kill entire families in a lodge.[121] Pre-modern people appear to have believed that the castor sacs of the beaver were its testicles. Aesop's Fables describes beavers chewing off their testicles to preserve themselves from hunters, which is impossible because a beaver's testicles are inside its body; this myth has persisted for centuries.[122][123] Tools for hunting beavers included deadfalls, snares, nets, bows and arrows, spears, clubs, firearms and steel traps. Castoreum was used to bait the animals.[124][125]
Castoreum was used for a variety of medical purposes; Pliny the Elder suggested it could treat vertigo, seizures, flatulence, sciatica, stomach diseases and epilepsy. He stated it could cure hiccups when mixed with vinegar, toothaches if mixed with oil and injected into the ear opening on the same side as the tooth, and could be used as an antivenom. The substance has traditionally been prescribed to treat hysteria in women, which was believed to have been caused by a "toxic" womb.[126] Castoreum's properties have been credited to the accumulation of salicylic acid from willow and aspen trees in the beaver's diet, and has a physiological effect very similar to aspirin.[127] Today, the medical use of castoreum has declined and is limited mainly to homeopathy.[9] The musky odor of the substance has lent itself as an ingredient in perfumes and for food flavorings.[128]
Various Native American cultures have historically hunted beavers for food.[124] Beaver meat was advantageous since it had more calories and fat than other red meats, and the animals remained plump in winter. The bones were used to make tools.[129] In medieval Europe, the Catholic Church considered the beaver to be part beast and part fish and allowed followers to eat the scaly, fishlike tail on meatless Fridays during Lent.[130] Beaver tails were thus a delicacy in Europe and were described by French naturalist Pierre Belon as having the flavor of a nicely dressed eel.[131]
Beaver pelts were used to make hats; felters would remove the guard hairs. A good-quality top hat required two to three pelts, while Cavalier and Puritan hats used more.[132] In the late 16th century, Europeans began to deal in North American furs since there were no taxes or tariffs in the New World and fur-bearing animals in Europe declined. Beaver pelts were valuable enough to cause or contribute to the Beaver Wars, King William's War and the French and Indian War. Fur traders were the main driver of the westward expansion of Europeans into the continent and were the first to meet and negotiate with the native peoples, who traded with the Europeans.[133] Between 1860 and 1870, the peak of the fur trade, the Hudson's Bay Company and fur companies in the US bought over 150,000 beaver pelts per year.[134] Conservation, anti-fur and animal rights campaigns have led to lower demand for beaver pelts and the global fur trade is no longer profitable.[9][125]
Beaver sculpture over entrance to the Canadian Parliament Building
The beaver has been used to represent industry, tradition, masculinity and respectability. References to the beaver's skills are reflected in everyday language. The English verb "to beaver" means to work energetically or to be "as busy as a beaver", and a "beaver intellect" refers to a slow but honest mentality. The name "beaver" is also a sexual slang term for the human vulva.[135][136]
Native American myths emphasize the beaver's skill and industriousness. In the mythology of the Haida, beavers are descended from the Beaver-Woman, who built a dam on a stream next to their cabin while her husband was out hunting and gave birth to the first beavers. In a Cree story, the Great Beaver and its dam caused a world flood. Other tales involve beavers using their tree chewing skills against an enemy.[137] Beavers have been featured as companions in some stories, including a Lakota tale where a young woman escapes her evil husband with the help of her pet beaver.[138]
Europeans have traditionally thought of beavers as fantastical animals due to their amphibious nature. They depicted them as looking dog-like with dagger-like tusks, fish tails and visible testicles. French cartographer Nicolas de Fer illustrated beavers building a dam at Niagara Falls; fantastically depicting them like human builders. Beavers have also appeared in literature such as in Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy and in the writings of Athanasius Kircher, who wrote that when the beavers entered Noah's Ark they were given a stall near a water-filled tub which they shared with mermaids and otters.[139]
The beaver has long been associated with Canada, appearing on the first pictorial postage stamp issued in the Canadian colonies in 1851—the so-called "Three-Penny Beaver". It was declared the national animal in 1975. The five-cent coin, the coat of arms of the Hudson's Bay Company and the logos for Parks Canada and Roots Canada use its image. Bell Canada used two cartoon beavers, Frank and Gordon, in their advertising campaign from 2005 to 2008. However, the beaver's status as a rodent has made it controversial, and it was not chosen to be on the Arms of Canada in 1921.[140][141] The beaver has commonly been used to represent Canada in political cartoons, typically to signify it as a benign nation, and as subject to both affection and ridicule.[136] In the United States, the beaver is the state animal of New York and Oregon.[142] It is also featured on the coat of arms of the London School of Economics.[143]
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^ a b Francis, Margot (2004). "The Strange Career of the Canadian Beaver: Anthropomorphic Discourses and Imperial History". Journal of Historical Sociology. 17 (2–3): 209–239. doi:10.1111/j.1467-6443.2004.00231.x.
^ Poliquin 2015, pp. 14–15, 130–131.
^ Poliquin 2015, pp. 20–21, 28–32, 134.
^ Backhouse 2015, pp. 5–6.
^ Runtz 2015, pp. 2–4.
^ Backhouse 2015, p. 6.
^ Runtz 2015, p. 2.
Backhouse, Frances (2015). Once They Were Hats: In Search of the Mighty Beaver. ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-77090-755-3.
Müller-Schwarze, Dietland; Sun, Lixing (2003). The Beaver: Natural History of a Wetlands Engineer. Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0-8014-4098-4.
Poliquin, Rachel (2015). Beaver. Reaktion Books. ISBN 9781780234564.
Runtz, Michael (2015). Dam Builders: The Natural History of Beavers and their Ponds. Fitzhenry & Whiteside. ISBN 978-1-55455-324-2.
Beaver Institute Charity that supports beavers
Beaver Tracks: How to identify beaver tracks in the wild
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Beaver (category)
Beaver (category)
Wikispecies has information related to Castor.
Wikisource has original text related to this article: Beaver
Taxon identifiers
Wikidata: Q47542
Wikispecies: Castor
ADW: Castor
BOLD: 48255
EPPO: 1KASTG
Fauna Europaea: 213643
Fauna Europaea (new): e5399f4f-6482-4570-9786-b5dcd76ae2e7
Fossilworks: 41539
NBN: NHMSYS0000376498
NCBI: 10184
Plazi: 7B69D3D6-B6A4-5FEE-8AF1-47BBCB024415
uBio: 8327465
WoRMS: 890547
ZooBank: 131B4098-7383-4DD7-AF03-A27FB5D24689
Holarctic fauna
Extant Miocene first appearances
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Semiaquatic mammals


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How to be a Digital Nomad in Daytona Beach Florida, US
by Ashley Wells | Digital Nomad, Digital Nomad Locations
10 people find this post amazing!
Daytona Beach is a city on Florida's Atlantic coast. It's known for Daytona International Speedway, which hosts February's iconic Daytona 500 NASCAR race. The beach has hard-packed sand where driving is permitted in designated areas
The city is historically known for its beach, where the hard-packed sand allows motorized vehicles to drive on the beach in restricted areas. This hard-packed sand made Daytona Beach a mecca for motorsports, and the old Daytona Beach and Road Course hosted races for over 50 years. This was replaced in 1959 by Daytona International Speedway. The city is also the headquarters for NASCAR.
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. As of 2008, the city had a population of 64,211.
Daytona Beach hosts large groups of out-of-towners during the year, who visit the city for various events, notably Speedweeks in early February when over 200,000 NASCAR fans come to attend the season-opening Daytona 500. Other events include the NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400 race in August, Bike Week in early March, Biketoberfest in late October, and the 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race in January.
🌟 Total score 50 2.68/5 (Rank #1145)% 50 2.68/5 (Rank #1145)%
🛍 Quality of life score 70 Good% 70 Good%
👪 Family Friendly Score 70 Good% 70 Good%
💰 Cost of Living 40 Too expensive: $4,554 / mo% 40 Too expensive: $4,554 / mo%
🖥 Internet 100 🚀 Fast: 47 (Mbps)% 100 🚀 Fast: 47 (Mbps)%
🌴Adventure 60 Okay% 60 Okay%
☀ Temperature 85 Perfect: 23°C (feels 23°C)% 85 Perfect: 23°C (feels 23°C)%
🗺 Continent North America 🏳🌈 Country United States
✈ Average trip length 📅4 days 🖥 Internet speed (avg) 🚀46 Mbps
☀ Weather (now) ☂ 25°C + 😊 Comfy (78%) 💨 Air quality (now) 27 US AQI 🍃 OK
🔋 Power 115V 60Hz 🚖 Best taxi app* Uber
In Daytona Beach, the summers are long, hot, oppressive, and mostly cloudy; the winters are short, cool, windy, and partly cloudy; and it is wet year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 50°F to 89°F and is rarely below 36°F or above 93°F.
Florida Beach, Florida weather forecast hourly
Daytona Beach is a city located in Volusia County Florida. With a 2020 population of 70,617, it is the 38th largest city in Florida and the 531st largest city in the United States. Daytona Beach is currently growing at a rate of 0.68% annually and its population has increased by 15.76% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 61,005 in 2010. Spanning over 68 miles, Daytona Beach has a population density of 1,076 people per square mile.
The average household income in Daytona Beach is $52,005 with a poverty rate of 24.31%. The median rental costs in recent years come to $934 per month, and the median house value is $153,000. The median age in Daytona Beach is 40.6 years, 38.6 years for males, and 43.2 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Daytona Beach was:
White: 57.97%
Black or African American: 33.63%
Two or more races: 2.83%
Asian: 2.74%
Other race: 2.54%
Native American: 0.24%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.05%
💵 Cost of living for nomad $4,554 / month 💵 Cost of living for expat $3,135 / month
💵 Cost of living for family $5,595 / month 💵 Cost of living for local $1,599 / month
🏠 1br studio rent in center $1,300 / month 🏢 Coworking $275 / month
🏨 Hotel (median price) $3,151 / month 🏨 Hotel (median price) $148 / night
🏡 Airbnb (median from 1,001 listings) $5,779 / month 🏠 Airbnb (median price) $189 / night
Most of the best areas to stay in Daytona Beach are clustered around the shore. This allows travelers to enjoy the city's amazing mix of high-octane fun, beach activities, and perfect relaxation.
No matter what type of traveler you are, you'll find something to occupy yourself in this city. And best of all, the neighborhoods are well-connected thanks to the bus services and to the Votran, a series of trolleys that run through certain areas.
When you're trying to decide where to stay in Daytona Beach for your first time, then Daytona Beach Shores is a good choice. This is close to the city center but far enough away that you won't have to contend with the crowds in the main area.
New Smyrna Beach is even quieter and yet it's a better beach with famous surfing conditions. This is a charming little area with shops and restaurants that are usually quieter and a little cheaper while still offering the same great eats.
The Downtown area is ideal when you're trying to decide where to stay in Daytona Beach with kids. There's always something to do and see in this part of the city and the close proximity to the beach offers the best of urban and seaside living.
And the final area to look at is Daytona Beach itself. This is often crowded and busy, but there's always something going on for active types who love being in the center of all the noise and excitement.
You'll find plenty of things to do in Daytona Beach. No matter where you stay in Daytona Beach, you're always within minutes of countless adventures. Famous for its beaches and motorsports, there is an abundance of arts, culture, and history, shopping, golfing, and sports events – all for you to explore! With so much to do for all ages, Daytona Beach is the perfect vacation spot.
✅ Pretty safe ❌ Way too expensive
✅ Fast internet ❌ Not much to do
✅ Warm now ❌ Difficult to make friends
✅ Warm all year round ❌ Hospitals are bad
✅ Good air quality on average
✅ Spacious and not crowded
✅ Very easy to do business ✅ Everyone speaks English
✅ High quality of education ✅ Very safe for women
✅ Roads are very safe ✅ Family friendly
✅ Great freedom of speech ✅ Very friendly to LGBTQ+
✅ Democratic ✅ Not many people smoke tobacco
Born and raised 1 hour from Daytona Beach. Pros – Beach is nice. The sand is so packed down you and bike up the beach. You can drive onto the beach and snag wifi from local hotels work in your van. There are a few decent coffee shops. Some nice Diners and local farmers markets depending on the day.
Ted Jr
For longer stays it can get a little quiet and slow.
I look forward to if / when this area shifts into more of an entrepreneur vibe.
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How to be a Digital Nomad in Madrid, Spain
A Digital Nomad Guide to Madrid Madrid is the capital and most inhabited city of Spain; it is likewise the nation's political, financial, and cultural center. With a population of 3,334,730 million occupants (sense of the year 2021). It is the second-largest city in...
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A Digital Nomad Guide to Santiago, Chile The capital of Chile, founded in 1541 in between the universal Andes range of mountains and the Pacific Ocean, represents the heart of the nation considering its colonial times and, as such, it has developed into a city with...
Graphic Design for Digital Nomads

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Repairman Jack : Infernal…
Infernal is the ninth book in the Repairman Jack series by F. Paul Wilson.
Another family tragedy has the effect of reuniting Jack with his brother Tom, the judge. It turns out Tom is not as squeaky clean has he appears and needs Jack's help for something less than legal. As you can probably guess by now, it all turns sinister and mystical…
Repairman Jack : Crisscross
Crisscross is the eighth book in the Repairman Jack series by F. Paul Wilson.
I'm trying desperately not to sing "Kris Kross will make you jump, jump". Failed.
Two quick fix-it jobs get very complicated. First Jack tries to help a Nun who is being blackmailed. Then a concerned mother asks him to find her missing son who has joined a cult. You would have though by now Jack would realize there is nothing like a simple fix-it.
Repairman Jack : Gateways…
Gateways is the seventh book in the Repairman Jack series by F. Paul Wilson.
Jack's dad has an "accident" and is left in a coma. Jack goes to visit him and tries to find out what happened. Another brush with "The Otherness" inevitably follows.
As I've come to expect, the backdrop to the story is quite sinister, but it moves too fast for you to dwell on that. It's more like a full on action story and much less bleak than some of the previous stories. Maybe I'm just getting acclimatized…
PS. Having this cold has certainly allowed me to motor through some of these books.
Repairman Jack : The Haunted Air…
The Haunted Air is the sixth book in the Repairman Jack series by F. Paul Wilson.
It seems the world is quite literally going to Hell and Jack is one of the few people that might be able to stop it. This latest adventure sees Jack getting drawn into investigating the ritual killing of children, phony mediums and a ghost interfering in his private life.
On the plus side, the book was well paced and I was desperate to know what happens next. On the negative side, the content is really heavy and disturbing. There are elements that are very similar to one of the Felix Castor books, but with a much darker edge.
The Haunted Air
Repairman Jack : Hosts
Hosts is the fifth book in the Repairman Jack series by F. Paul Wilson.
Jack is reunited with his sister, just as a new virus threatens to link all human brains into a single collective hive mind, turning the human race into a docile petri dish living for the greater good of the virus.
Perhaps it's my mood, but this story is just a little too depressing for my tastes. I'm hoping the rest of the series won't degenerate into this type of doom and gloom. It needs a little more wit and humor to lift it.
Repairman Jack: All The Rage…
All The Rage is the fourth book in the Repairman Jack series by F. Paul Wilson.
There is a new designer drug in town. In the right dose it makes you assertive and confident. Too much and you become a savage killer. What seems like an innocent case for Jack, turns into a life or death situation for him and the people he loves.
A pretty neat romp that follows on quite nicely from the previous books…
Repairman Jack: Conspiracies…
Conspiracies is the third book in the Repairman Jack series by F. Paul Wilson.
Jack is hired to look for a missing woman who happens to be part of a very exclusive conspiracy theory group. What's more she went missing just before presenting her Grand Unification Theory, that supposedly explains the true root of all conspiracies through all the ages. Coincidence?
I really liked this story. I'm not into conspiracy theories myself, but I can see why they are fascinating to people. That constant spiral of the lack of evidence because the evidence is being withheld. It kinda draws you in.
Repairman Jack: Legacies…
Legacies is the second book in the Repairman Jack series by F. Paul Wilson.
This book was more like a straight detective story based around a new scientific discovery. There was no supernatural aspect to the case, which was a bit disappointing. The story itself was fine, but the supernatural thing peaks my interest that bit more. I'm still happy to keep reading the books in the series, especially since they are only £1.97 on Kindle.
Repairman Jack: The Tomb…
The Tomb is the first book in the Repairman Jack series by F. Paul Wilson.
Jack fixes things. Not washing machines and stuff like that. He fixes situations for people. It's a job that takes him outside the law and means he has to separate himself from most of the things society think of as normal. It also recently separated him from his girlfriend when she found out his job doesn't involve fixing household appliances. Now he's got to fix a situation for his ex girlfriend involving a family curse that started generations ago in India.
Terry Pratchett: Snuff…
Snuff is book 39 in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. In this one Sam Vimes is forced by his wife to go on holiday to his country estate. Being a copper he's on the lookout for anything amiss and ends up getting involved in more than he bargained for. It's typical Vimes, typical Discworld and typical Pratchett.
I love how Terry Pratchett manages to state the obvious in a way that makes it sound novel. It's not just what he says, but when he says it. For example, in one part of the book a rather nasty incident occurs, then he hits you with the line,
"I tell you commander, it's true that some of the most terrible things in the world are done by people who think, genuinely think, that they are doing it for best, especially if there is some god involved."


The first time Hashem is talking to Avraham he is instructing him :Lech lecha .. to go forth (go out) of his land, homeland and the House of his father.
We are told this was one of the 10 tests Avraham went through, in the same list as the test of Akedat Yitzhak (being told to sacrifice his son Isaac). From a point of view of 3000 years later this seems a bit of a stretch, what is the big deal, he made Aliyah (moved to Israel)... in a comfortable way with wealth and his wife and his followers.
So what is the fuss regarding Lech Lecha?
We need to look from the inner perspective, the inner meaning of "Lech Lecha" as the Lubavitcher Rebbe explained to us. It is going out of your will (land – in Hebrew is Eretz, will in Hebrew is Ratzon and they share the same root).
Going out of your home land = out of your habits, personality traits, limiting thoughts and paradigms.
Going out of your father house = out of your intelligence, when your knowledge and intelligence becoming a limiting factor.
But there is a continuation to the instruction, which makes the whole difference, go out "TO THE LAND I WILL SHOW YOU".
Land in the chassidus interpretation is one's will as mentioned before; i.e. to the land I will show you; to your true will, to your true essence.
Going out of your thoughts and paradigms, habits, will, fantasies – get out of all of these. Get to your true essence.
Avraham Avino (Abraham our father) gave us a spiritual genetic inheritance. This was not only his journey this is our journey as descendants of Avraham.
We see many young and not so young American Jews and Israelis travel to unknown places, getting familiarized with unknown cultures, willing to taste, try take part of all kinds of rituals, they feel so global and far away from their "limiting Jewishness".
It seems this "global" journey is so easy to go through, yet there is another journey. One that seems is not so easy and is still a true challenging test to all of us Jews. It is the test to follow the instruction that was given to Avraham and actually to all of us thru the generations his "descendants " and it is the test of getting out of one's' habits and limitations to one's true essence, the TRUE essence of our Neshama (soul).
When I look back at my life it seems that going trough the "Road Less Traveled" as we were inspired in the 70's and 80's …was easier than going through the road that resonates with our Jewish soul.
It is still easier for so many Jews to indulge in discovering the secrets and mystery of Eastern religions and their philosophy, Shamanism and so on and on.. there is some sort of seductive attraction towards all of those by the searching Jewish souls. But to study my own roots seemed so archaic, so not the fad.. at least that is what it seemed to me.
When I started to observe Miztvot some of my intellectual friends and acquaintances kind of mumbled "it does not fit you.." it would have looked better to some of them if I would have left to the Himalaya to search for myself..
On the first Shabbat I observed I had a flashback; I saw as in a movie all the opportunities I had to tap into the beauty and depth and true essence of my soul that is connected to my Jewish spiritual genes.
The Shabbat candles my mother lit mesmerized me as a little girl. A drawing of a Jewish woman lighting the Shabbat candles in my text book of first grade that I used to glance at for hours. The first Kabbalas Shabbat I attended, at the age of 14 and hearing "Shalom Aleyichem" feeling so much "at home" and knowing that I want to stay with "this" forever but I ignored these feelings and went on with my life..
When at the age of 23 while living in Brookline Massachusetts and watching the Jews going to pray on Shabbat morning, I remember feeling so uncomfortable and walking on the other side of the road. The time I was lost in a journey in a "road less traveled" in the western part of America not realizing it was Rosh Hashana and only by meeting Jews on their way to Shul did I feel a big hole in my heart and just wanted to throw away everything and join them. Once again, I just ignored it.
Years later I was leading a communication workshop on Friday early evening in Israel with more than 100 people in the room. The workshop was in high spirits, transformational, amazing and inspiring. However, I did not understand why my neshama is crying, only at the break when I heard the tune of Lecha Dodi of Kabbalat Shabbat I decided to follow the tune and found myself in a synagogue on the first floor of the same building that the workshop was being held in.
I got inside, took a seat at the end of the room and found myself (seemingly without a reason) just crying and crying and crying. I knew my Neshama was crying. This time I admitted it, but I could not go with it. I went back to the workshop and back to my life and habits.
All of this I saw as in a movie on the first Shabbat that I started to observe several years later. It was almost as an out of the body experience and I cried. I cried because of realizing that all the years I did not listen to my Neshama. I cried because I felt the pain when the Neshama was begging but I did not relate to it and even more so I was sad realizing that at those times in the past I was not able to listen.
While crying I looked around at the Shabbat setting and spirit in my single woman apartment in Tel Aviv, took a deep breath and whispered to myself "this is my journey this is my "Lech Lecha". This is the instruction Hashem gave to AVRAHAM's descendants. It is not simple, and many times it is concealed.
I was born on Parashat Lech Lecha, it is so clear my journey could not have been different. I had to go thru the struggle of being in touch with my true Jewish essence so I can support others in their journey (as human beings, as Jews , as women, in relationship etc..) , that is so challenging in our times. But we are promised that if we are given an instruction we are given the strength to to thru and fulfill it.
On my birthday (the Lubavitcher Rabbi taught us that on the birthday a person's luck is enhanced and he/she can bless others) I want to bless all of us to go through our personal "Lech Lecha" to our true essence which Beezrat Hashem (with the help of G-d) will support the whole world to get to their true essence.
copyright & by Rachel Wheeler – Lecturer, Writer, Consultant and Workshop Facilitator in the field of relationship and communication. Working with thousands of people both in the private and corporate sectors, including seminaries and rabbinical organizations. She lives with her husband and son in the Golan Heights, ISRAEL. She can be contacted here.


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Maha govt to probe assets, liabilities of Jaycee Homes, DSK and Temple Rose Group
The decision was taken by Minister of State for Home Ranjit Patil, who last night met with the aggrieved flat buyers.
Satish Nandgaonkar
November 16, 2017, 07:48 IST
In a move that could change the dynamics of the real estate business in Maharashtra, the state government on Wednesday night decided to examine assets and liabilities of three top builders against whom there has been a spate of complaints by the home buyers. In a meeting attended by the Minister of State for Home Ranjit Patil, officers of Mumbai, Thane, and Pune Police, and home buyers from three stalled projects – one in Mumbai and two in Pune – it was decided that the state government will take co-ordinated action against developers who fail to deliver property possession as promised. The developers who will be probed are Bhagtanis of Jaycee Homes Ltd, the DSK Group, and Temple Rose Group, against whom several home buyers have lodged complaints of cheating in Mumbai, Thane, and Pune.
The meeting was facilitated by BJP Member of Parliament Kirit Somaiya, who said the complaints against the builders were discussed in detail. "It was decided that there should be a single agency coordinating the action. Hence, the Pune Police will be the nodal agency for DSK Group as majority of complaints against DSK are filed in Pune. Similarly, Mumbai and Thane police are probing complaints against Bhagtani developers but Mumbai Police will work as the nodal agency. In the Temple Rose case, Mumbai and Pune police will jointly probe the complaints," Somaiya said.
The police have been investigating complaints against the DSK Group, headed by Punebased realtor DS Kulkarni. The group has been accused of accepting investments and fixed deposits from home buyers, besides availing 27 secured loans from banks and financial institutions. A Pune-based RTI activist, Vijay Kumbhar, who exposed the alleged fraud, estimates the liabilities of DSK Group at Rs 5,400 crore, including fixed deposits from public worth Rs 1,000 crore, and Rs 815 crore as investments from home buyers.
Similarly, the Economic Offences Wing of the Mumbai Police has taken over the probe against Jaycee Homes, Diipesh Bhagtani, and his family members. At least four FIRs have been lodged by home buyers who invested in Riyo project in Mira Road, Sapphire in Dahisar, Serenity in Powai, and Savannah in Kanjurmarg.
Hearing in the anticipatory bail application moved by Bhagtani, one of the two directors in group company JVPD Properties, before Justice AM Badar of the Bombay High Court was adjourned on Tuesday to February 2. When the hearing began, Justice Badar recused himself and said, "Not before me".
In case of the Temple Rose Group, the Pune Police's Economic Offences Wing is probing allegations of the developer tricking people into buying and selling the same plot twice — first as non-agriculture (NA) plot and then as agricultural land — through a group company.
The alleged scam is estimated to be of Rs 400 crore and involves over 12,000 investors. Devidas Sajnani, his wife Vanita, and daughter Deepa are promoters of the group.
When contacted, Bhagtani said, "We are not aware of any such meeting. If any clarification is required by any government agency, we will cooperate. We have already filed a scheme with the National Company Law Tribunal to secure our investors and creditors."
While the officials of DSK Group and Temple Rose Group were not available for comment, Somaiya told Mumbai Mirror that the government has sought help from the Law & Judiciary Department, and ensure experienced lawyers represent the home buyers in court. "It has been agreed upon that an appropriate agency will be appointed to assess the assets and liabilities of these developers. Under the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositions Act, the deputy collector is the right office."
Buying a home? Don't fall for these 10 claims by builders
New real estate norms have put life back in a sleepy property market. Some of you may be considering to buy a home now. This is also the time when salesmen and agents dole out freebies and discounts. Here's how to see through some of their sales pitches and take a decision based on facts.
Source: ET Bureau
You can never go wrong with property
The first thing a builder or realtor is likely to tell you is that real estate prices never go down. In other words, don't think about the price, just go ahead and buy. This is also the wisdom you may have received from friends, relatives or parents, the people who had bought property earlier. However, what was true then may not be so now.
Real estate, like other asset classes, goes through periods of ups and downs. The only difference is that it is not as volatile as, say, stocks or gold. Property prices in some markets have been stagnant for the past 1-2 years. In fact, some areas have actually witnessed a fall in prices
This area will be sought after soon
Buying a house in a far-flung area may be cheap, but will come with other costs, including long commutes to office, children's school, weekend shopping, social visits, etc. Don't fall for projections of high rental income from property if you are not planning to occupy it immediately. No one can predict the rent a property will fetch in the future.
There may have been some correction, but we have not cut prices
Recent media reports have talked about a correction in real estate prices, but if you mention this to the builder, he might laugh at you. Even if he agrees that some locations have witnessed a price correction, he will contend that the area where his project is coming up has not been affected. However, if you look around, you will see the signs.
A correction in the property market does not necessarily mean that the builder has brought down the prices. Even if there has been an increase in price in the past year or so, it effectively means a correction in real terms if one accounts for inflation. Likewise, steeper discounts than the previous year on the same property are a correction in real terms
This is the most affordable project in this area
If a new project has 2-BHK flats priced at Rs 42 lakh each, when the going price in the area is Rs 50 lakh, isn't it a steal? Not really. The full-page ads in newspapers speak a lot about the facilities and features of the project, but miss out on an important detail—size of the flat.
A recent report by Jones Lang LaSalle, a property consultant, reveals that the average apartment size has come down in top metros in the country.
Another ground rule is to not go by the price quoted by the builder for the flat because there will be a long list of attendant charges. You will have to pay extra for parking, club membership and preferential location. All these can add up to a significant amount.
These rates will be revised soon
It's the favourite trick used by almost every builder to entice buyers. If you tell a builder that you need time to think it over, he will say that the project is almost sold out and prices will soon be revised upwards.
The fact is that today developers are more desperate to sell than buyers are eager to buy.
We will deliver on time since there's a penalty clause
Project delays are a reality and very few are completed on schedule. Some builders do offer compensation for delays in handing over possession, but it's not something you can bank upon.
One, the amount offered will be nowhere close to the EMI you are paying. This is because you would be paying the instalment for the total cost of property, but the compensation offered will be linked to the base price, which does not include additional charges for parking, club membership, etc. Some builders slip in a clause in the agreement, which insulates them against any claim by the buyer. Others have an upper limit for the compensation they will pay.
Most, however, have a clause in the agreement which states that if the project is delayed because of 'factors outside their control', they will not be liable. Take a good look at the sale agreement because these points are hidden away in the fine print.
Is neither true for the price quoted by the builder, nor for the sample flat that you see at the construction site. The latter may look like the perfect home you have been dreaming of, but the reality is quite different.
The interior designers hired by the builders to do up the sample flats are experts at creating optical illusions. They know how to use lighting and place furniture in such a way that the house appears bigger.
Even the furniture is an accomplice in this charade.
For a buyer, a better indicator of what he will get is the architectural drawing of the apartment, as well as the layout map of the project. These drawings will tell you the exact carpet area of the flat.
You can take your money back any time you want
Don't take the builder's word for it. Getting a refund from a cash-strapped company is not easy. The salesperson who is hawking the property is focused sharply on the down payment. He knows that once you have done that, you won't be able to get out as easily.
There is no norm that builders are required to follow while cancelling bookings. While some builders deduct 10 per cent of the booking amount, others quote the same figure on the 'cost of property'. Yet others deduct up to 20 per cent, whereas smaller developers may forfeit the entire booking amount.
The freebies bring down the effective cost
Freebies are the flavour of the season. From registration fee to modular kitchens, even cars, all are being offered when you book an apartment in a project.
Don't fall for these lures. All freebies are already factored into the price of the apartment.
The same goes for the attractive schemes on offer. The truth is that developers urgently need the cash and many of the projects have not even got approvals from the authorities. This puts a question mark on these projects.
Don't worry about the loan. We have tie-ups with banks
Builders do have tie-ups with banks, but this is no way an endorsement for the project. A tie-up also does not promise the best home loan rate.
Plan your purchase according to the current interest rate, not on the expectations of a future rate cut.


People around the world gathered in front of their television sets to watch Barack Obama take his oath as the 44th President of the United States. They cheered as he spoke of how America will lead the world in the 21st century, by not using force but with diplomacy. There was also a moment where he struck an emotional chord with the millions watching and thousands in attendance, when he said he would extend a hand to those with a clenched fist. Obviously this is a policy statement that will reverberate to distant corners of the globe, where tyrannical regimes and hostile governments prevail.
President Obama knows that he can't change everything all at once and mentions it may takes years for him to accomplish his tasks. But one thing is for sure, he embodies the hope that people need to see so they can work together and make their country and world a better place.


text:
"use strict";
/*jshint browser:true */
/*jslint browser:true */

define(
	'lib/request',
	[
		'dom', 'underscore', 'lib/app', 'lib/messenger', 'entity/from-json'
	],
	function ($, _, app, messenger, fromJson) {

		function successHandler(responseEntity, callback) {
			var errorMessage = _(responseEntity.get('message')).reduce(function (result, messageEntity) {
				var type = messageEntity.isError && messenger.TYPE_ERROR || messenger.TYPE_MESSAGE;
				app.$root.trigger('lib/messenger:show', [type, messageEntity.text]);
				return result === null && messageEntity.isError && messageEntity.text || null;
			}, null),
				error = errorMessage && new Error(errorMessage) || null;

			// For now we use only one payloadEntity per response
			return callback(error, responseEntity.get('payload').shift());
		}

		function parseResponse(text, callback) {
			return fromJson(text, function (error, responseEntity) {
				if (!error) {
					successHandler(responseEntity, callback);
				} else {
					veryBadErrorHandler(error, callback);
				}
			});
		}

		function errorHandler(response, callback) {
			if (!response.responseText) {
				return veryBadErrorHandler(new Error("OMFG!!!!!11 Very bad error happened, report was sent, developers will be punished."), callback);
			}
			return parseResponse(response.responseText, callback);
		}

		function veryBadErrorHandler(error, callback) {
			app.$root.trigger('lib/messenger:show', [messenger.TYPE_ERROR, error.message]);
			return callback(error);
		}

		function run(method, url, data, callback) {
			$.ajax({
				url: url,
				type: method,
				data: JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(data)),
				dataType: 'text',
				success: function (json) {
					return parseResponse(json, callback);
				},
				error: function (responseText) {
					return errorHandler(responseText, callback);
				}
			});
		}
		run.METHOD_GET = 'GET';
		run.METHOD_POST = 'POST';
		run.METHOD_PUT = 'PUT';
		run.METHOD_PATCH = 'PATCH';
		run.METHOD_DELETE = 'DELETE';
		run.METHOD_HEAD = 'HEAD';
		run.METHOD_OPTIONS = 'OPTIONS';

		return run;

	}
);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This entry was posted in Delicious and tagged design, Graphic on 24 شهریور 1392 by nasser.
This entry was posted in Delicious and tagged Graphic on 15 خرداد 1392 by nasser.
This entry was posted in Delicious and tagged Graphic, icons on 15 خرداد 1392 by nasser.


BBC Radio London has almost doubled its audience in the last quarter, giving the station its highest ever audience since RAJAR's current methodology began.
Weekly Reach has increased quarter on quarter from 329,000 to 621,000, and is also up year-on-year by 112,000 listeners. Vanessa Feltz attracts 307,000 listeners each week to her breakfast show.
Meanwhile, at BBC Radio Kent, the station has lost 73,000 listeners this quarter, taking it down to 198,000 weekly listeners. The new figure takes the station back to around the 200,000 mark where it has been since 2014 with the exception of the last few surveys.
– London DAB stations Chris Country and Thames Radio are up – Chris Country has gone from 23,000 to 33,000 quarter on quarter. Thames Radio – which recently dropped all presenters from its schedule and went non-stop music – has quadrupled its audience reach compared with Q1/17, up from 4,000 to 16,000.
Have you seen any significant increases or losses in weekly reach that we haven't mentioned? Email [email protected] as we update this story through the day.


Cognitive Behavioural Play Therapy (CBPT) is a type of Play Therapy which merges the traditional and very successful Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Play Therapy which can help manage problems by changing the way your child thinks and behaves through play and creative arts.
It is most commonly used to treat anxiety and depression but can be useful for other mental and physical health problems.
CBPT can help your child deal with problems in a more positive way. It is based on the concept that thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions are interconnected, and that negative thoughts and feelings can trap someone in a vicious cycle.
CBPT aims to help your child crack this cycle by breaking down overwhelming problems into smaller parts and showing your child how to change these negative patterns to improve the way your child feels.
Unlike some other talking treatments, CBPT deals with current problems, rather than focusing on issues from the past. It looks for practical ways to improve your child's state of mind on a daily basis through play and creative arts.
Who can benefit from CBPT?
What are the differences between CBPT and traditional Play and Creative Arts Therapy?
CBPT is similar to what people know as Play and Creative Arts Therapy. They both rely on a positive therapeutic relationship that is based on rapport and trust as well as the use of play activities as a means of communicating between therapist and child, and the message that therapy is a safe place.
The difference is that CBPT is a more active and directional intervention in which the therapist and child work together in establishing goals and choosing play materials and activities. The CBPT therapist is also part educator, where new skills are taught to the child.
In contrast to traditional Play and Creative Arts Therapy in which play takes whatever direction the child chooses and therapist takes on whatever role the child assigns. Rather than teaching or changing behaviour directly, traditional Play and Creative Arts Therapy provides a safe environment for the child to act out and release his or her emotional conflicts in a non-directional method.
How long does CBPT last?
CBPT is much shorter intervention than some other kinds of therapy, which can go on for years.
The average number of sessions children attend is 16. This takes about 4 months. But each person is different, and the number of recommended sessions can vary depending on how long the symptoms have persisted and how complicated they are.
Sessions are 50 minutes and take place once weekly. 40 minutes of the session is spent with the child and 10 minutes for Dr. Madeleine Vieira, child, and parent(s) to review the session and to determine homework for the coming week. It is very important that the child and parents work on tasks from CBPT in their home environment. These tasks help the child move skills from the therapy room to his or her life.
What happens in CBPT sessions?
"It was really good to talk to Dr. Madeleine. She always made me feel welcome and comfortable so it was easier to talk about my problems that made me feel very sad and stressed. I also liked creating drawings, making sculptures out of clay, and playing with puppets. I am now so much happier than before!"
"Dr. Vieira always listened to me and helped me when I struggled with failure anxiety at school. I am now doing much better because of her."
"I used to suffer from OCD, but since Dr. Madeleine helped me my symptoms have improved a lot!"
"I very much enjoyed talking to Dr. Vieira about my anxiety and shyness. And creating art work was so much fun! She helped me feel more confident and now I am better able to cope with social situations. I feel so much better than last year. Thanks so much for this!"


The intercession that Abraham brought before God did NOT work for the people of Sodom & Gomorrah! It only had enough 'prayer power' to save Abraham and his people!!!!!
And the longer I stayed, the more harm I brought upon myself and my house! God had to literally use TWO hurricanes to get me out of ONE false church!!!
Stay tuned for 'Shake the Dust From Your Feet, Part 2' where Pam discusses her exodus from the church!
I personally believe that we are living in the endtimes, and it is my hope that I will not see the grave before the Lord returns. However, if I depart and leave you among the living, allow me to share with you the mandate, the mission, and the method of Pam Sheppard Ministries so that you can go forth and "set captives free.