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Lullymore West and Lullybeg Reserve Event Report
A breezy, mild day with occasional sunny spells gave the weather context for our annual outing to the wonderfully rich habitats in the wilds of Lullymore and Lullybeg.
One of the great pluses of the area is the that there is no long trek to locate the areas treasures, no difficult terrain to tackle, no dull areas to traverse to reach the good spots. The entire area from the parking point to the western limits of Butterfly Conservation Ireland's reserve offers abunance to the wildlife lover.
Right beside our parking point a rarity was pointed out by Philip Strickland, our moth specialist. A lovely White-pinion Spotted moth, perched serenely on a birch leaf, its snowy white standing out sharply on dark green. There are no other midland records for this moth! You can see photographs of it on our Facebook page.
Cryptic Wood Whites fluttered gently along the track ahead, looking delicate and ethereal. This dainty sylph floats about the solid world of tangled grasses and scrub, searching almost abstractedly for a mate, nectar or a place to perch or lay an egg.
A sharp contrast to the dreamlike sensation evoked by the ghostly wood whites is the hyperactivity of the Dingy Skippers and Burnet Companions. These don't stop when the sun is out,buzzing excitedly around inky milkwort and cheery yellow bird's-foot trefoil, chasing and supping nectar. Mating was observed; a quiescent female folded her wings and allowed joining. Earlier, another disdainful female raised her abdomen towards an amorous male in the classic rejection posture. The ever-interesting Narrow-bordered Bee Hawkmoth was surging across the grassland, while a more ponderous female was observed inspecting the vegetation for egg-sites. This bumble-bee mimic not only imitates a bee's appearance, it makes a loud buzzing sound too.
Brimstones are still about too, but these showy butterflies are currently being gobbled by Hairy Hawker dragonflies which assassinated five on the track alone! Beautiful dragonflies they are, but also ferocious killers. Peacocks are still extant, and apparently not as vulnerable.
The star of the show was the Marsh Fritillary, just beginning to fly at Lullymore and Lullybeg. Only males were seen, all pristine. There will, given sunshine, be many more in the weeks again, but no two look alike, adding endless intrigue to the study of this iconic butterfly.
Thanks to everyone who joined us. It was great to have your company, and share the beautiful butterflies of Kildare's best butterfly site.
More photos cab be seen on our Facebook page.
To see an enlarged view of these images, open in a new tab and click on the + symbol.
Brimstone.©J.Harding
Marsh Fritillary.©J.Harding
Butterflies Seen in 2018
After a long, dark winter and wet, cold spring there has been some nice activity over the past two weeks. The Orange-tip has finally broken its silence and is tremulously flashing his fresh orange painted forewings across the countryside canvas. He took his time, held back by forbidding cold. He is a welcome sight.
The humbler, dainty Green-veined White is now occupying the same wood clearings, tree-lines, hedge-banks and wetlands as the Orange-tip. The two species often use different parts of the same food plant, Cuckoo-flower to avoid dangerous competition. The Small White has been sighted too but the second generation in summer is when the highest numbers are seen.
The Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstone and Comma were first out. These over-winter as fully developed adults so have a head-start on everyone else. They all have the crucial advantage of longevity so can wait for their larval food plants to be ready. The Brimstone, for example, waits around two weeks after mating to lay her eggs and she will continue to lay until well into June or even early July.
Red Admiral and Painted Lady butterflies are migrants and can appear at almost any time of the year. Small numbers are recorded so far. The bigger numbers usually begin in summer.
The lovely Holly Blue is out in sunny, sheltered areas from Donegal to Dublin. The main spring flight is usually in May but March records occur in early warm springs, but not this year. The tiny Green Hairstreak has been sighted in out of the way places such as bog edges and wet heaths beloved of this beautiful creature.
Finally, the Speckled Wood has emerged but in very small numbers so far. A fiercely territorial male will beat off any other male who tries to muscle in on his warm, sunny patch of hedgerow or wood edge. Battles involving tight spirals are often seen on country roads from April to October.
In May look for Wall Brown, Dingy Skipper, Large White, Cryptic Wood White, Common Blue and Marsh Fritillary. In the Burren, look for our greatest rarities, the Pearl-bordered Fritillary and Wood White. These two species will fly together, in herb-rich areas of open scrub. And remember to send in your records to us by email to conservation.butterfly@gmail.com. See Records tab first!
This female Brimstone has just woken after a long winter.©J.Harding.
Female Brimstone fluttering around Alder Buckthorn, the larval food plant.©J.Harding.
Orange-tip on dandelion, a favorite nectar plant.©J.Harding.
Peacock basking on warm vegetation. His livery is fading, but still elegant.©J.Harding.
Green-veined White showing veins picked out with black scales. It is the only member of the whites in Ireland with this pattern.©J.Harding.
Lift-off at Last
Today was not an impressive opening to the butterfly season at Butterfly Conservation Ireland's reserve at Lullybeg, County Kildare but at least butterflies were finally sighted.
The last butterfly sightings at Lullybeg before today, 24 March 2018, was of six species: Brimstone, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood, all recorded on 30 September, 2017, nearly six months and 174 days ago! The lateness of the season is also clear from the records on this website. Up to the 23 March 2017, 34 butterflies were recorded on the Butterfly Conservation Ireland Records page. Up to 23 March 2018, only three butterflies were recorded.
That underlines how long winter lasts in Ireland, and in particular how long the winter of 2017-2018 has been. And if the forecast for next week is correct, winter will make another attack, on us, but not as severe as earlier in March.
Twelve Celsius with sunshine is usually the temperature that allows flight, but today 11 Celsius was sufficient, with butterflies buoyed by extremely calm conditions and bright sunlight. Lullybeg's first butterfly of 2018, and also my first sighting was a Peacock that glided rather feebly, wings fully expanded, across my path and a stream to perch on a great bleached ball of moor-grass to warm itself. Soon afterwards, in a clearing, a spectacular male Brimstone, an almost luminous daffodil yellow, cheerfully fluttering around the wood edges, already searching for a mate. His golden gleam promised a end to the misery of winter, and here's hoping that promise is kept.
Lullybeg's Marsh Fritillary caterpillars were busy feeding and basking in the sunshine.. Some had reached the fifth instar stage but most were still in the fourth instar, the stage in which they spend the coldest months of the year. They still look small for late March but hopefully better days for feeding are close at hand.
Wherever you live, now is the time to get outside and look for signs of spring. At this time of year, butterflies are usually found very close to cover, in warm, sheltered sunny situations such as the south side of a hedge, along lanes, in woodland clearings, along wood edges and tracks though woodland especially tracks running from east to west.
Don't forget to send us your sightings. We'd love to see how our butterflies are faring after such a long winter. Email sightings to us at conservation.butterfly@gmail.com. Tell us:
your name, date of sighting, species, life stage and number seen, six figure grid reference and location name. Details of the conditions and temperature are also welcome. We will publish your sighting on our records page, which you can find on this website.
Enjoy spring, and make butterflies part of your spring walk.
All images ©J.Harding.
This Brimstone was the last butterfly seen at Lullybeg, on 30 September 2017.
This Peacock seen on 24 March 2018 is the first butterfly seen at Lullybeg since last September…a long winter intervened!
Early Tooth-striped Moth, Lullybeg Reserve.
Fourth instar Marsh Fritillary larvae on Lullybeg Reserve.These larvae are close to moulting. They will then reach the fifth instar stage, the second last instar before pupation.
Coltsfoot flowers are as yet the only nectar source in Lullybeg. The Grey Willow flowers should be out soon, offering hungry insects a good energy source.
Posted on March 8, 2018 January 6, 2019
The snow and ice are still melting and spring is attempting to make itself felt. Warmth, when it comes, will awaken our insects, our bees, moths and butterflies. Their first priority is to find food; after all, many of our insects have fasted for six months and need to recover diminished body weight to build reserves for activity, such as flight, mate-seeking and breeding.
One of the great challenges faced by nectar and pollen dependent insects is a simple but critical one of a lack of food. If the grassy hedge-bank in which a bumblebee hibernated is cut severely, the Primroses, Cowslips and Common Dandelions on it will be killed or be so reduced that flowering does not take place as it should. Worse still, some flowery verges, hedge banks and lawns are sprayed to kill 'weeds'. A bland green desert replaces colour, and the endless Saturday drone of lawn mowers and the snarl of strimmers replace the hum of bees shouldering their way through the leafy vegetation.
Happily, there is action being undertaken and lots we can do ourselves.
The National Biodiversity Data Centre has, since 2015, been involved in the National Pollinator Plan which describes actions that can be undertaken by me and you, by public bodies such as county councils and community groups, such as Tidy Towns to enhance the landscape for our flower feeders. Please click on this link and take on at least one action suggested.:
https://biodiversityireland.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ce2a764d51802fda4e5f78c14&id=750bd1c771&e=7408737bc7
If you are encouraged by rising daylight to pop to the local garden centre to brighten up the garden, look for plants that are good for insects. Not all very attractive flowers are valuable. Some are almost useless. Begonias, many roses, gladioli, daffodils contain little or no pollen or nectar. As far as helping bees and butterflies is concerned, these plants might as well be plastic ornaments.
Here are some suggestions. Herbs such as mint, Wild Marjoram, often called oregano, borage and thyme carry lots of nectar. Lavenders are good too. Primrose, by which I mean the native Primula vulgaris will be welcome, as will the native Irish Cowslip, Primula veris. Hebes, small to medium-sized evergreen shrubs produce lots of nectar too, and when planted in warmer coastal areas, these plants bloom in winter and sustain insects that wake up on mild days. There is evidence that the hebes grown by gardeners on Howth Head is helping Red Admiral butterflies, which usually leave our shores in autumn for sunny climes further south to remain there throughout the winter.
For mid-summer, there are buddleias which are medium-sized shrubs that like sunny, dry conditions. Bees and butterflies are irresistibly drawn to these shrubs, and you will have weeks of pleasure observing their antics. Verbena bonariensis is a tall, willowy flower that bears purple flowers is a great draw too, and this will provide nectar into September. Ice Plant, a small succulent plant, flowers in September and if in a sunny sheltered spot, be ready for crowds of bees and butterflies.
I prefer the native Irish flowers. The flowers of wild willow shrubs are a big favourite for bees, moths and butterflies. I already mentioned Cowslips and Primroses, but the Common Dandelion trumps these. I cannot think of any butterfly that rejects this plant and when the seeds are ready, Goldfinches will be fed. Common Hawthorn blossom in May is a lovely sight and also a great nectar source. Wild roses, like Dog-rose, Rosa canina, is good too. Honeysuckle is terrific for bees and moths, and its fragrance on a June night is an essential summer scent. Two final winners; Common Knapweed, Centurea nigra and Devil's-bit Scabious Succisa pratensis will between them, feed our bees, butterflies and moths from June to October.
A couple of further tips. Do not mow your lawn too tight and cut it every six weeks from April to October to allow Red Clover, Common Bird's-foot-trefoil to fatten our insects. These flowers bring crimson and gold to your lawn too, cheering the place up! And to go all the way, sow a wildflower meadow consisting of these flowers, along with Common Knapweed and Devil's-bit Scabious and leave uncut from May to September, depending on the warmth of the season-delay mowing/strimming longer in cool years. Cut on a high setting. Remove cuttings to keep the soil suitable to grow your wildflowers the following year.
Never use sprays.
Relax, and enjoy sharing your garden with nature. By taking the steps described here and in the video, you will be enhancing the survival chances of our flowering plants, insects and broader biodiversity as well as increasing the value of your home and garden for your own well-being. People's well-being is improved by contact with high levels of biodiversity. Make your garden a haven for you, your loved ones, and the creatures who would share it with us, if we gave them what they need.
Enjoy spring!
All photos ©J.Harding.
Clouded Yellow butterfly which feeds and breeds on Red Clover.
Red Admiral on Buddleia davidii.
Devil's-bit Scabious, flowers from August to October.
Shrill Carder Bee on Common Knapweed. This bee is now rare, confined to the best remaining flower-rich habitats.
Ashy Miner Bee on Common Dandelion. This solitary bee nests in bare soil banks.
Butterfly Impacts from Extreme Climatic Events (ECEs)
An earlier post looked at the effect of extreme climatic events on butterflies but this topic is timely given the current heavy snow.
A study published in 2017, Sensitivity of UK butterflies to local climatic extremes: which life stages are most at risk? examined the impact of ECEs on the resident UK butterfly species (n = 41) over a 37-year period. The study investigated the sensitivity of butterflies to four extremes (drought, extreme precipitation, extreme heat and extreme cold), identified at the site level, across each species' life stages. Variations in the vulnerability of butterflies at the site level were also compared based on three life-history traits (voltinism, (how many broods a species will produce in a year), habitat requirement and range.
This is the first study to examine the effects of ECEs at the site level across all life stages of a butterfly, identifying sensitive life stages and unravelling the role life-history traits play in species sensitivity to ECEs.
Butterfly population changes were found to be primarily driven by temperature extremes. Extreme heat was detrimental during overwintering periods and beneficial during adult periods and extreme cold had opposite impacts on both of these life stages. Previously undocumented detrimental effects were identified for extreme precipitation during the pupal life stage for univoltine species. Generalists (widely distributed butterflies that use a range of habitats, such as the Small White) were found to have significantly more negative associations with ECEs than specialists (local species confined to specific habitats, such as the Small Blue).
With future projections of warmer, wetter winters and more severe weather events, UK (and probably Irish) butterflies could come under severe pressure given the findings of this study.
What does this mean for our butterflies given the cold winter and heavy snow?
Extreme cold in winter has a beneficial effect on butterflies but cold weather during adult flight period in spring and summer is very negative. Extreme heat in winter, expressed as very mild weather in Ireland when we are likely to see Small Tortoiseshells on the wing during January, is very negative. Certainly, the butterfly will be on the wing at a time when its adult food and larval food is unavailable. Paul Waring in his excellent Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain states that the large decline in the Garden Tiger moth population may be due to mild, wet Januarys followed by colder weather in February. The Garden Tiger overwinters as a larva which may become active during mild January conditions when food-plant quality may be poor. Feeding requires heat for digestion, and sudden onset of cold weather may affect the animal's digestive processes and damage the food-plant leaving it vulnerable to starvation. The report also considered that extreme warmth in winter made larvae more susceptible to disease and fungal infections, but the report believes that causing the species, whether over-wintering as an adult or larva to become active before the food is available is a more likely cause of decline.
It is interesting that habitat specialists are at less risk (but are still negatively affected) from extreme climatic events. Factors that may contribute to this reduced impact may be protection given to them by their habitats, the fact that all but one (the Wood White) of our habitat specialists are single-brooded. Indeed, the report found that drought had a much more negative impact on multi-brooded species than on single-brooded species. Yet this does not apply to all life-stages; drought during the egg-stage was noted as a driver of population increase. Furthermore, the response to drought across the species studied was not as uniform as the response to the other extremes. However, there is no doubt that ECEs affect specialists; extreme cold in May and flooding arising from unseasonably heavy rain has eliminated Marsh Fritillary colonies.
Interestingly, the report, when considering why ECEs have a greater effect on generalists than specialists makes the hypothesis that generalist species are more vulnerable as they are filling their climatic niche, and hence, many populations within the species range may be situated on the climatic range edge and be more vulnerable to increased climate inconsistency outside of their comfort zone. In contrast, specialist species are confined to particular host plants which may not common across the specialist species' climatic niche; hence, those specialist species are not filling their climatic niche and are effectively in or close to their core range and are not subjected to ECEs that are outside their ability to adapt and cope. It is also possible that specialist species are being protected by their habitats where they have been able to survive.
Finally, the report, while careful not to be too definitive, concludes with some important findings. Butterflies (especially single-brooded species) could benefit from warmer, drier summers associated with climate change but milder, wetter winters would damage populations. A key finding is to make sure that habitats do not become fragmented, especially for specialists, and that habitat management should look to protect species from extreme warmth in winter-not a problem for us in 2018!
Peacock on snow. This was disturbed from a wooded area and was returned to over-wintering. ©J.Harding.
Down which road does the future of our butterflies lie? ©J.Harding.
Reserve Management Event Report
Today we had a sunny, dry and mild day at last, giving perfect conditions for tackling scrub at Lullybeg. We further broadened the track connected the excellent habitats at Lullymore and Lullybeg by cutting back scrub on both sides of the track.
This intervention has a number of benefits. The track itself contains excellent habitat. It contains a high density of the nectar-rich perennial, Devil's-bit Scabious, which is fed on by adult butterflies in July, August, September and October. This plant is the only larval food plant of two important species of lepidoptera, the Narrow-bordered Bee Hawkmoth and the Marsh Fritillary butterfly. Increasing the levels of sunlight entering the track has allowed the Marsh Fritillary to move in to breed. We found two larval nests last autumn, and re-found these today. The nests are large, and the larvae were basking in today's sharp late winter sunshine. Direct sunlight is vital to the larval development, and conditions created here by clearing work carried out in 2017 and continued today has yielded positive results.
The habitat here approximates to the Annex I habitat under the 1992 Habitats' Directive, Molinia grassland (grassland rich in Purple Moor-grass). This grass dies back to a straw colour and this is vital for the Marsh Fritillary larvae, and other species' larvae which use it as a basking site. Another larva to do this is the Ruby Tiger moth larva, which over-winters as a fully-fed caterpillar but which needs to bask for several weeks before pupating in April. This leaf litter is also used by Brimstone butterflies as basking sites in spring. Furthermore, the track contains two species of small tree, Purging Buckthorn and Alder Buckthorn, used by the Brimstone butterfly for breeding. This butterfly lays on unshaded plants, and prefers plants that are both unshaded and sheltered, making the plants growing here ideal for this beautiful and local butterfly.
The shelter and the removal of shading scrub creates a warm micro-climate which draws in many insects, making the area a very attractive site for dragonflies to feed and to heat up. The scrub bordering the track creates a warm, especially sheltered woodland edge habitat, a natural patrolling edge for male butterflies engaged in mate-seeking. This is especially evident in the case of Orange-tips and Brimstones in spring, and Silver-washed Fritillaries in mid-summer.
Finally, the track connects the rich grassland habitats in the wider area, allowing for connectivity and dispersal within the landscape. Evidence for the use of the track for dispersal has been observed in the Marsh Fritillary, a mainly sedentary butterfly which occasionally moves to colonise new habitat patches and maintain genetic variety by mating with individuals from other existing populations. Marsh Fritillary butterflies have been seen entering the track, from both Lullymore and Lullybeg, suggesting a connection and interaction between the two populations. Research strongly supports the need for populations of this species to remain connected by dispersal, and barriers such as a block of woodland may be sufficient to isolate colonies, which has often proved to be very damaging to the long-term survival of this vulnerable butterfly.
Later in the year we will get to observe the benefits of our work, for butterflies are quick to exploit new opportunities, making for a satisfyingly quick return on our investment!
Thanks are due to all who support our work in any way, and particularly to our members who put in such great work today.
Ruby Tiger larva basking, Lullybeg.©J.Harding.
Marsh Fritillary larvae basking on Purple Moor-grass blades, Lullybeg.©J.Harding.
What February means for Butterflies and Butterfly-lovers.
The following article by Jesmond Harding appeared in The Irish Times on February 3rd 2018. The brief was to say what February means for seekers of butterflies in 150 words.
February is a winter month, and the year's coldest, says Met Éireann. For butterfly-lovers, February continues the butterfly famine. Butterflies that over-winter as adults remain concealed in woodland, muted underwings blending with greys and browns of tree trunks or mimicking holly, bramble and ivy leaves, in the case of the Brimstone butterfly.
Spring is coming even if it seems a distant hope. The poet Edward Thomas suggested that, in February, spring must be dreamed up. To ideate spring the butterfly-lover seeks the white golf-ball eggs of the Brown Hairstreak butterfly on dark leafless Common Blackthorn stems and nests of spiky hedgehog-like caterpillars of the Marsh Fritillary, huddling together in lucid February sun.
Occasionally, a warm day rouses a Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma or Brimstone butterfly. These bask on walls, tree trunks and tufts of dry grass litter, but soon return to their winter abodes. They're not out of the woods yet.
Brimstone takes shelter under a bramble leaf at Lullybeg, County Kildare during bright but cool weather in early April, 2013.©J.Harding.
Butterfly Conservation Ireland Annual Report 2017 is now available under the Report tab.
We thank everyone who helped to produce the report and we hope you find it interesting.
Marsh Fritillary, Kildare. Photo copyright J.Harding
Posted on December 24, 2017 November 17, 2019
How to Care for Hibernating Butterflies
In Ireland, we have four butterfly species that over-winter in the adult form. We have a number of moths that hibernate as adults. One of these is the iconic Herald moth. A group of this species will sometimes shelter in your attic to wait for spring.
One of our butterflies has a habit of entering rooms in houses to pass the winter. The Small Tortoiseshell, a beautifully marked butterfly likes to stay close to us in late summer and will even stake out likely hibernation sites indoors especially during August and September before settling to fold its wings for winter in some obscure spot in our homes, sheds or even cars! This well-studied butterfly has some fascinating characteristics. It has shown an ability to relocate specific sites when it has been disturbed from the site, suggesting a spatial memory; if a nettle on which a female is laying her eggs is moved, the female returns to the spot where the nettle was located, not to the site it was removed to. The butterfly is very mobile and some of 'our' Small Tortoiseshells may have travelled from Britain and Europe. Males establish and defend territories but if he finds a female he switches to defending the female from other males. She makes him work hard by flying away at speed to see if he can keep up and sometimes by flying into territory held by other males so that her suitor may have to fight several males throughout the rest of the day. He will drive them away by engaging in a series of aerial combats, with high altitude climbs when he tries to fly above the intruder. When the intruder is expelled, the male returns to his female who usually remains perched where he left her. Sometimes, though, she gives him the slip, giving him an anxious search as he inspects the surrounding nettle bed for her. Some females hide, and later accept defence by another male. Even a female who has cooperated with a male all day tries to lose him when she goes to roost in the nettles in the evening by dropping into the nettles and running along the ground. If the male manages to stay with her, she suddenly becomes quiet and allows mating, which lasts all night. Presumably, her demanding behaviour ensures that only the fittest males father offspring, ensuring the health of the next generation. This provides a fascinating example of selection by the female of the fittest male.
Another, related feature of the butterfly is its impressive longevity. The over-wintering generation is long-lived, and individuals can survive 10 months. The impressive life-span allows the female Small Tortoiseshell the chance to be selective; most female butterflies accept the first male encountered; these females lack the luxury of an extended life to test male powers of endurance.
However, our Small Tortoiseshells have one significant challenge when they enter our homes to see out the winter in our bedrooms, living rooms and hallways. The butterflies are very careful to select the best spots, picking excellent hiding places in curtain folds, behind mirrors and pictures, in unused chimney brests, behind dressers and, to complete the concealment, their dark cryptic coloured undersides blend nicely with their chosen surface. However, the mod con that is central heating confounds their attempts to complete their winter slumber. Heat rouses the butterfly, causing it to believe that spring, with its sunshine, flowers and nettles beckon it to fly outdoors. The confused butterfly flies around lights and windows, trying to get out.
Householders who release the butterfly into the winter are usually dooming it. The butterfly rapidly loses the ability to fly when its body temperature plummets in the cold and is picked off by birds or mammals. The other problem is starvation. The butterfly built up vital fats by gorging on nectar in our gardens and countryside before switching off for winter and long periods of unseasonable activity reduces these reserves.
What should you do if you encounter an active Small Tortoiseshell in your home?
If this happens in warm spring weather release the butterfly in the knowledge that it's time to let it go. It is now ready to feed on the spring flowers, move in search of territories, breeding grounds and mates.
If the butterfly wakes up in winter it should be placed in a dry, transparent container lined with a folded section of kitchen roll to absorb moisture and placed in the salad drawer in the fridge, where the temperature is around four Celsius. The butterfly will soon settle and can be kept there until warm, sunny weather arrives in March or April. Alternatively, remove the butterfly from the container when it is quiet and place in an unheated shed or room to complete its winter rest.
If the butterfly has been flying around for some time, it may need to be fed. Dissolve sugar or honey in hot water, allow it to cool and use a cotton pad to absorb the sweetened solution. When cool, place the calmed butterfly (cooled in the salad drawer but not long enough to be made fully docile) on the pad, in softly-lit mild conditions. It should begin to feed. When it has finished, place in a cool place to sleep.
Over the years I have successfully over-wintered adult Small Tortoiseshells and felt a burst of delight to watch the butterfly surge into the sunshine in spring. Interestingly, the released butterfly does not loiter. It flies strongly away, as though hyper-energised by the promise of brightness and freshness of a world renewed by the return of sunshine.
Small Tortoiseshell.©J.Harding.
Butterfly Conservation Ireland wishes our members, supporters, friends and your families a joyful and peaceful Christmas season.
Thank you for your enthusiasm and support during 2017.
Here is a photograph of a beautiful Peacock butterfly, taken on our reserve at Lullybeg, County Kildare on Wednesday 23rd of August, 2017. This lovely butterfly is now tucked up for the winter.
We look forward to seeing this butterfly and many others in the new year!
Peacock.©J.Harding.


text:
2020 Season Reviews
Season review: Alex Dickerson
What a year from the left-handed outfielder.
By Brady Klopfer@BradyKlopferNBA Oct 26, 2020, 10:53am PDT
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Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
Next up on the San Francisco Giants season reviews is outfielder Alex Dickerson.
52 games, 170 plate appearances, .298/.371/.576, .947 OPS, 10 home runs, 27 RBI, 16 walks to 30 strikeouts
157 OPS+, 151 wRC+, 0.6 rWAR, 0.9 fWAR
Status throughout the season
Dickerson made the Opening Day roster, and stayed on the active roster all season long.
When Farhan Zaidi took over as president of baseball operations, hopefully he can find his Max Muncy was a common refrain. Muncy, you might recall, had an uninspiring start to his career with the Oakland A's, before Zaidi, then with the Los Angeles Dodgers, signed him to a Minor League contract. The Dodgers identified something in his swing, helped him make a tweak, and now he's an All-Star and core part of one of the best offenses in baseball history.
The hope — or assumption, even — was that Zaidi would find a few players to fit the Muncy mold on the Giants. And when we revisit that now, nearly two years after Zaidi's hiring, almost everyone will point to Mike Yastrzemski's name. Which is understandable.
But Alex Dickerson also deserves to be in that discussion.
Dickerson was a classic Zaidi pickup. He had a decent, albeit not electric, rookie year with the San Diego Padres in 2016. Then he missed 2017 with a bulged disk and 2018 with a torn UCL, and you'd be forgiven for thinking that was the end of him.
But after setting flames to the PCL for a month in 2019, Dickerson was recalled by the Padres, who gave him a mere 19 plate appearances before designating him for assignment. The Giants swooped him for the lowly price of Franklin Van Gurp, and went to work helping Dickerson with his swing.
I don't know enough about mechanics or analytics to tell you what the Giants helped Dickerson do, but they obviously helped him do something. And the .788 OPS in 2016 turned into a .880 OPS with the Giants in 2019, which turned into a .947 OPS in 2020, which has turned into Dickerson feeling like part of the Giants core, even if he's 30 on a rebuilding and/or retooling team.
It would be understandable if you expected regression, but Dickerson moved in the other direction instead. He proved capable of being a middle-of-the-lineup stalwart, and put together two of the hottest streaks of any Giants hitter this year.
From Aug. 29 through Sept. 4, Dickerson hit 13-24, with 4 home runs, 4 doubles, and 2 walks. And then, from Sept. 16 to 23, he hit 11-20 with 4 doubles, 2 home runs, and 3 walks.
When he was on he was mesmerizing, such as in the Giants 23-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies, when Dickerson had one of the greatest games in MLB history.
The Giants offense dramatically outperformed expectations, and Dickerson was their third-best hitter, so he deserves much credit for that.
There are still some holes in his game. He's poor defensively, so he needs to keep hitting at this level to provide value. And the Giants only trusted him with 12 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers all year; that might just be the team taking advantage of having a large roster to work with, but it's likely that they don't trust him when not platooned.
But even with those weaknesses, he was dynamic, and had a better wRC+ than Fernando Tatis Jr., Mookie Betts, or Manny Machado (that was, of course, helped by only hitting against righties, but still).
Role in 2021
Unless the Giants try to sell high on him, which seems unrealistic given his age and injury concerns, he'll be a staple of the 2021 team. The question is not if he'll be on the roster, but if he'll be trusted to be an everyday player, or just a platoon option.
When you're the team's third-best hitter and have one of the best offensive days in franchise history, you get a good grade. Don't blame me, I don't make the rules.
How would you grade Alex Dickerson's season?
A-/B+
B-/C+

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Lynn Public Schools is dedicated to providing optimal learning opportunities that improve student achievement while delivering standards-based instruction in a technology rich educational environment. The district is committed to the effective use of information technologies available in education to support and enrich the curriculum.
The U.S. Department of Education defines technology literacy as "computer skills and the ability to use computers and other technology to improve learning, productivity, and performance." The members of our school community will use technology as a tool to prepare our students to acquire the 21st century skills including critical thinking, problem solving, collaborating, taking initiative, analyzing information and promoting curiosity and imagination.
Our department includes: (1) Network Administrator, (1) PC Lan Manager, (6) Technicians, (1) Network Wiring Technician and (1) Clerk. We provide anti-virus protection for all computers, CIPA compliant web filtering, email archiving, backup data protection and internet connectivity at all sites.
The district will follow the guidelines recommended by the Massachusetts Department of Education to be met by the end of the school year 2014 - 2015. The goals are organized into the key areas defined in the Massachusetts STaR chart.
Our mission is to provide students and staff access to the technology needed to advance both teaching and learning. Providing current and effective access to the resources available as well as the skillful use of it will help prepare our students to enter the global community.
Lynn Public Schools will strive to insure our staff and students are using 21st Century skills to be critical thinkers, problem solvers, communicators, and responsible digital citizens in information and media literacy. The use of technology will help our community to excel as learners and develop as leaders.
- A district website to keep parents, students and other members of the community informed.
The Lynn Public School district works to continually assess and evaluate existing and emerging technologies. All academic resources and programs, including technology resources are and will continue to be evaluated regularly by department heads, principles, program directors and the curriculum department. Any new technologies are first piloted by several teachers and department heads as a first step toward integration.
- Hardware for staff and students (software and licensing must be included with hardware).
The district has a budget for its local technology plan with line items for technology in its operational budget. It included funding for staffing, district wide administrative hardware and software, technology professional development, support, and contracted services. The district sets aside funding annually for the co-payment and non-discounted elements of each E-rate application. A copy of this budget, which is updated regularly, is available from the Office of the School Business Administrator.
For all other staffing, hardware, software, professional development, support, and contracted services, the district leverages the use of federal, state, and private resources. Copies of these budgets are available from the Lynn Public Schools External Grants Office.
Lynn has implemented a Wide Area Network since 1998 utilizing Full Data T1's from Verizon. Many buildings that do not have access to the T1 lines are connected using wireless bridges. These connections no longer provide adequate bandwidth for some of our classroom initiatives including video streaming. We have added other burdens to the existing network, including VIOP, Security video, online Student Information Systems.
We are in the process of generating an RFP to install Fiber Optic cables and associated networking from our central data center to our secondary schools. This will provide almost unlimited bandwidth for the foreseeable future. We then plan to upgrade the connections to other buildings as funding sources allow. Internally, buildings are wired utilizing Cat-5e copper wire and Fiber Optic cables where necessary. Internet access for the district is provided by a T1 connection purchased through Primus.
Many school buildings have a broadband Internet connection provided by Comcast and/or Verizon. Wherever Internet service is available, the district configures a Widows Server, with ISA firewall and Web sense Internet filtering. The district is supporting around 35 servers, some for Internet access, some for E-Mail, some for DNS DHCP WINS and other infrastructure functions. The district provides an institutional X-Drive to all users for collaboration and informational purposes.
Special Internet access is provided for Personnel and Payroll to insure high availability. Special servers and support are provided for Database purposes, Security Systems, Cafeteria Systems, Transportation and other departments. The school district is attempting to take advantage of a special Technology Fund provided by Comcast in lieu of their Institutional I-Loop, which Comcast removed from their contractual requirements in the most recent contract renewal.
This Technology Fund was designated as a one-time payment to the city, to be used to replace the I-Loop functionality. The district plans to use this funding source to install the citywide fiber-optic network. E-Mail is provided to district staff through MS Exchange 2010. We currently do not provide E-Mail to students, and do not allow student access to external E-Mail systems. Network infrastructure and servers upgrades and maintenance will utilize E-Rate Funding whenever possible.
Use of student performance assessments to indicate to what degree access to technology is helping students achieve on standardized tests such as MCAS.
An outside evaluator collects and collates reports, surveys, interviews and observation results as a part of the formal evaluation of our technology plan. Resultant changes to program are and will continue to be communicated to the Superintendent and staff and taken into consideration during the budget process. Program changes are reported to the local school board. The technology team will work to continue to align the plan with district goals, curriculum goals and seek to inform the community.
Teachers in Lynn Public Schools will work to integrate technology into their instruction. Grades are submitted online for all middle and high school, as well as in many of the elementary schools. All classroom teachers are responsible for online attendance records submitted daily. All teachers have access to a computer in their classroom, as well as to the district website where they can access MassOne, as well as other links to educational websites that include lesson plans and ideas for teachers. Each school in the district has its own website. The district offers a web course to one teacher from each school who then maintains the school website. Many classroom teachers post homework, upcoming assignments, and other information to a class page that both students and families can access.
Teachers in the district are participating in videoconferencing over the internet, webinars, and long distance learning and collaboration to improve the student learning. Interactive white boards have been installed in all schools in the district. Teachers have access to online lessons through the boards to enrich curriculum. District trained trainers are working to ensure all teachers are able to access and properly use this technology.
The district is working to encourage teachers to include technology as part of their professional development plans. Teachers are also encouraged to take more professional development around technology integration. Through the online portal, MyPDC, all teachers are able to access all district course offerings.
The district has partnered with Ed Tech Leaders Online(ETLO), Gordon College, Northeast Consortium, North Shore University, Salem State University, , and the Massachusetts Department of Education to provide course offerings in technology. In order to ensure the use and implementation of new technology purchases, the district offers in-service day trainings for teachers and other courses to meet the instructional needs of both teachers and students. Teacher requests for training and the results from the Massachusetts Department of Education's TSAT survey also drives the courses and trainings offered. All professional development is electronically recorded by the district.
Teachers in our district have been trained in and are involved with multiple different technologies. A group of elementary teachers piloted the use of Apple IPODs. The students download scientific podcasts about the topics studied in class. They are responsible for viewing clips downloaded by the classroom teacher over a set amount of time. Several of the schools in the district participated in BrainFuse, an online tutoring program. Students are able to receive specialized instruction as needed. Additionally, the district has sent several teachers and administrators for training in the data assessment tools in order to guide instruction.
The Lynn Public Schools maintains an updated website and encourages each school to keep an updated school website. Staff is educated about district policies and legal issues related to technology, online communications, and other district policies through the Acceptable Internet Use Policy. Students and parents can also access the Usage Policy through the district website. Schools are expanding the use of technology as a primary mode of communication amongst faculty.
The district works with the public libraries, Girls, Inc and Boys and Girls Club to provide additional internet access to students after school hours. Many schools provide access to their computer labs extended hours, including Connery and Ford Elementary Schools.
The district will strive to meet the Massachusetts DOE benchmark that calls for 1 FTE instructional technology teacher per 60-120 instructional staff, and one designated district-level technology coordinator/director.
The district will continue to update its website with information for staff, teachers, parents, students and other community members. Individual schools will be encouraged to keep their websites up to date as well.
The district will continue to encourage the development and use of innovative strategies for delivering specialized courses through the use of technology. Partnerships with local colleges and universities to provide online AP courses will continue to be developed. Access to web based and/or interactive video learning on the local, state, regional, national and international level will be maintained and use of it will also be encouraged.
The district has a CIPA-compliant Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) regarding internet and network use. The policy is updated as needed to help ensure the safe and ethical use by both staff and students. A copy is available to all students in the student handbook, as well as on the website.
The district educates its students and staff about acceptable behavior when online. Prior to use of the network, all users are required to read and sign the AUP and therefore are informed that any information distributed over the district or school network are a public record.
The district maintains spyware detection software (McAfee) and firewall hardware to protect the confidential data of both students and staff. The filtering program Websense works to provide student safety while on the internet.
The district complies with federal and state law for archiving electronic communications produced by both staff and students.
Dr. Jaye E. Warry, Ed. D.
However, on a global network, it is impossible to control all materials and an industrious user may encounter inappropriate information while on the Internet. The valuable information and interaction available on the worldwide network far outweigh the possibility of students attaining material inconsistent with the educational goals of the Lynn Public Schools.
- Respect and protect the privacy of others.
- Users will not use another individual's account.
- Users will not share passwords with other individuals.
- Users will not attempt to log on as administrators.
- Users will not distribute information about others or themselves.
- Network users will not respond to unsolicited online contact.
- Respect and protect the intellectual property of others.
- Users will not infringe copyrights (no making illegal copies of music, games or movies).
- Users will not plagiarize.
- Respect and protect the integrity, availability and security of all electronic resources.
- Users will not install any software on any school computer.
- Users will not download files from the internet.
- Users will not distribute mass e-mail, spam or chain letters.
- Users will not subscribe to list servers or news groups.
- Users will not make any changes to the computer settings or change nor delete any files or directories stored on school computers.
- Users will not bring laptops or any other type of computer or wireless device from home and attempt to connect to the Lynn Public Schools network.
- Users will report security risks or violations to teacher or network administrator.
- Respect and practice the principles of the educational community.
- Use of the Internet is for educational purposes only. "Web surfing," social networking (facebook, myspace), watching non-educational videos and listening to music are forbidden.
- Instant messenger services such as AOL messenger, MSN messenger, etc are forbidden.
- Users will be polite – do not write or send abusive messages to others. Use appropriate language at all times. Bullying of others is not allowed.
- Users will not post false or defamatory information about a person or organization.
- Users may not use the network for commercial profit purposes, private business, product advertisement, or for political lobbying.
- Users will be filtered/blocked from the following categories of URLs: adult, chat rooms, web-based e-mail, gambling, personal web space hosts, dating, offensive, etc. However if a student encounters such a site, they should close the program and inform a teacher.
- Users will not use the school network to further acts that are criminal or violate the school's code of conduct.
- E-mail and computer use of the school network are not private. Any data transmitted over the network is property of the Lynn Public Schools and may be monitored by administrators.
Violations of these rules may result in disciplinary action as outlined in the Lynn Public Schools' disciplinary code, including the loss of privileges to use the school's information technology resources. Administrators reserve the rights to examine, use and share any data found on the school's network.
Teacher and staff conduct, as outlined in the Massachusetts General Laws, applies to computer and internet use in Lynn Public Schools.
Lynn Public School district reserves the right to change and amend this policy at any time.
As an independent user of the Lynn Public Schools network, I agree to follow the terms and conditions as indicated above. I will be an ethical, efficient and responsible user. My signature indicates that I have read and understand the rules as stated above.
**Parents, please discuss these rules with your student to ensure he or she understand them. These rules provide a good framework for your student's use of computers not only at school, but at home, libraries, etc.
An assessment of the telecommunication services, hardware, software and other services that will be needed to maintain and improve education.
This section is an assessment of the E-Rate eligible telecommunication services, software, and other services that are requested yearly by the Lynn Public Schools. The following is for Schools and Libraries funding year 10, FY08, a year in which the Lynn Public Schools qualifies for a shared discount of 85% (eighty – five percent reimbursements). The user ID field to be used on the corresponding funding request identifies each of the following sub-sections.
The Lynn Public Schools has approximately 230 Centrex like /POTS lines and (3) T1/PRI trunks in its schools and central offices. We are also in the process of adding "Voice over IP" Technology for Intercom use in schools and between schools and offices. This VIP Technology will, in time, drastically reduce the need for Centrex like/POTS lines. This is essential for communication between schools, district offices and parents.
Access to the Internet is a key infrastructure component to many of the Lynn Public Schools instructional technology programs. The Lynn Public Schools utilizes an Internet link through a T1 connection directly to the Internet and then uses numerous T1 lines to create a wide area network to provide for high network reliability for all schools and offices. The Lynn Public Schools monitors Internet access bandwidth utilization on a continuous basis. These measurements ware used to define Internet access link capacity requirements and are the basis for an E-Rate funding request.
Internet service is requested for all schools and district offices.
Long distance telephone service is necessary to provide effective communication between the schools and various stakeholders and information and support providers. The Lynn Public Schools carefully monitors its long distance service utilization by providing access codes to its users. Funding will be requested based on the results of this monitoring. Long distance telephone service is requested for all schools and district offices.
The Lynn Public Schools has phone lines and networking wiring at all its schools. In many cases Lynn Public School's staff, 3 Technicians are used to ensure effective communication and network access for students. Also, funding is requested of the SLD to maintain the infrastructure that supports these functions.
As schools receive technology upgrades, which include extensive network wiring, LAN equipment and a number of workstations they require network servers for such E-Rate eligible purposes as providing DHCP, DNS services. A funding request is submitted for upgrading servers at schools that have problematic servers and servers that are out of warranty.
The Lynn Public Schools maintains a complete inventory of server equipment used in its network and for what purposes they are used.
As schools undergo network upgrades and purchase additional workstations, switches are needed to be able to add these workstations to the network.
To keep pace with the additional workstations being purchased and facilitate network and internet access, wireless LANs are being added to schools where data wiring isn't available.
The Lynn Public Schools has approximately 220 wireless phones that enhance communication between schools, district office and parents. A continuous assessment is made of usage.
Wireless phone service is requested for all schools and district offices.
The Schools and Libraries Division E-Rate Program has strict guidelines, assessments and auditing procedures. The Lynn Public School District strictly follows these policies and complies with yearly requests for assurances of compliance.
The Lynn Public Schools has utilized and plans to continue to utilize, to the best of its abilities, the reimbursements provided by the Schools and Libraries Division E-Rate Program. This program has greatly increased our ability to provide effective technology to help meet the instructional needs of Lynn students. SLD Year 10 Funding was detailed and each year Lynn Public Schools will have internal issues addressed based on many factors, i.e. long term plan, budgetary and needs.
Effective technology plans begin with a focus on learning goals and they must be approved by the Lynn Public School's Central Office to insure learning and technology are "compatible" with the district's existing hardware/software and the district's plan.
Lynn Public School's basic rule of technology acquisition is that hardware (equipment) purchases should be driven by the software (instructional materials and applications) that best suit our school district's instructional needs. Reliability, compatibility and ease of use are important considerations in acquiring both hardware and software. Focusing on "cutting edge" or "state-of-the-art" items can be a waste of resources, unless they address a specific need.
All purchases are made through the City of Lynn's Purchasing Office and comply with all State and Federal regulations. One challenge in outlining hardware and supporting equipment needs is determining the right degree of specificity. We must account for important constraints, such as cost or compatibility.
- The Network Administrator and will then approve or make recommendations to the requests.


Fully built 29-Spline 3rd members using all new parts and ready to drop into your 8" Toyota axle. Third members feature top quality high-strength 29-spline ring & pinion gears and your choice of lockers. V6 units feature larger OEM style V6 gear sets with longer pinion gear. Each unit is setup with solid pinion spacers for long gear life. Trail-Safe 29-spline pinion seal provided at no extra charge. Quadruple-drilled flange covers most Pickup/4Runner and Tacoma driveshaft patterns.
Application Notes: High Pinion units should only be used in front axle applications. Use in the rear axle will lead to ring and pinion failure. Spool lockers should only be used in rear applications. Spools will be harder on axles than a selectable or automatic locker. Fully built 3rd members will not fit stock Tacoma or T100 axles.
This may seem unnecessary but it is very easy to damage the differential by loading it before the gear set is completely run in. New ring & pinion gears create excess heat when they are new. This excess heat can damage the heat treatment of the gears. are new. This excess heat can damage the heat treatment of the gears.
Note: Fully-built 3rd members will not fit stock Tacoma or T100 axles. Will not fit 7.5" IFS front axles.


The Peer Volunteer Program (PVP) is a free resource for you and your family members to get information about alcohol and drug abuse and obtain access to treatment. The Peer Volunteers know what it's like to become clean and sober, and they can help.
Peers are available by phone 24/7 (confidentially or anonymously) to you and your family members. The Peer Volunteers are your fellow PG&E coworkers and they have been in long-term recovery themselves or have a loved one who is.
Contact one of our Peer Volunteers today; you can find their information on our website.


So after our meeting on Friday, we had a lot to get done. Fortunately, our motivation has, and will continue to be extremely high. Each of our skills sets compliment each other quite nicely so we each had our own areas of focus. Before we even realized it, Eric had our new splash page, this blog, a post for our Hackathon (sign up!), and a link to Startup Weekend | New Orleans all set up! And, on top of that, he had our first blog post done. We decided to take down our working prototype because we did not want anyone to find it and think it was our final product, hence the new splash page. Eric splurged a few bucks for a nice design for the site and I must say it's quite clean, fresh, and modern.
After seeing this, Jessica and I quickly got to work. She jumped onto the business plan, letting me know my aspects to complete. Most of my parts had to do with explaining our goals, strategies, how much investment we were requesting, and how we planned to accomplish everything. I created a draft of our Hackathon flyer and shot it over to her to put her touches on it. I haven't seen the final copy yet, but I'm sure it looks a lot better than how it started, I'm not the most artistic! Having knocked out my aspect of the flyer, I jumped onto our introductory video. I decided that the "Band of Brothers" theme from the HBO miniseries was the perfect music accompaniment to the "Uniform of My Country" quote and the war visuals we planned to use. After searching on youtube for hours, I stumbled across the perfect piano rendition by Huw Rees (check him out here!) I messaged him requesting to use the song, explaining why and how it would be used and asking how much it would cost to purchase the rights. Surprisingly, Huw (he's British, it's pronounced 'Hue') replied rather promptly and said I could use it for free! What an awesome ol' Chap! Thanks Huw! I told him I was very appreciative and would send him the final cut when we released the video. I spent the next few hours downloading official military footage from various wars and chopped it into pieces to fit between the quote slides of the movie. After showing the first cut to Eric and Jessica, they provided some good feedback, I modified the video as such, and when it was all said and done, the final cut was awesome. Unfortunately, I cannot post it here yet, we will be releasing it on September 11th, so stay tuned! The entire purpose of the video piece is to show how and why the military uniform is so important to the military and why we take our uniform inspections and regulations in general very seriously. It's a reminder of who has worn the very same uniform before us, and the conditions in which they have worn it. Some of whom have worn it to their grave.
Next I hopped onto my portion of the business plan. We have all had the various aspects of it in our heads for awhile now, so I sat down, hashed it out and shot it over to Jessica. I'll have to let Jessica speak for herself as to the details she's been up to. She mentioned she was in the process of securing a venue for our Hackathon at USM, finishing up the flyer, and handling the rest of the business plan. She also started work on our flow chart of important dates for the next couple of months which was Eric's idea to help keep us on track as we progress through the various aspects of this project. Anyway, she's been a busy bee and I'm sure has plenty to update the blog with. I'm off for now.
It's been a busy weekend, lots of work done (quite productive!), more to do, and excited for the next few weeks!


Great for gifting clothing items such as saris, lehenga sets, sari blouses, etc.
Emerald green fabric bag with velvet details and gold borders.
Front clear plastic provides for view of stored items and zipper closure, perfect for long term storage.


Bath Rugby head to Twickenham tomorrow full of the joys of spring, following a win against Northampton Saints on Tuesday night.
"There was a great buzz after the match," said Head Coach Steve Meehan about the game. "The mood just gets better and better.
"Once that final whistle went the energy was magnificent. There were a lot of smiles and slaps on the back. The guys are so intent on being as good as they possibly can, so there is an enormous amount of spirit and passion."
The match will not only mark St George's Day, but also a crucial moment in Bath's Guinness Premiership campaign.


So Treyarch's game that we are all playing, Call of Duty: Black Ops, has destroyed the record set by Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2. The $360 Million dollars was made up from the combination of both the earnings in the United States and the United Kingdom. Making $50 Million more than Modern Warfare 2.
The game sold 5.6 million units between the two countries while Modern Warfare 2 sold 4.7 million copies. Why was Activision so conservative with their sales prediction of this game? Surprised that they thought it would sell %20 less.
"There has never been another entertainment franchise that has set opening day records for two consecutive years and we are on track to outperform last year's five-day global sales record of $550 million ," said Bobby Kotick , CEO of Activision Blizzard.
"The game's success underscores the pop culture appeal of the brand. Call of Duty: Black Ops is the finest game that Treyarch has ever made and raises the bar for online gameplay by delivering the deepest and most intense Call of Duty experience yet.


The term employability is used in different contexts and in different ways.
Employability is not the same as gaining a graduate job, rather it is about the capacity to function successfully in a role and be able to move between occupations, thus remaining employable throughout their life.
Career Development Learning – the knowledge, skills and experience to help students manage and develop their careers.
Emotional Intelligence – "the capacity for recognising our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships" (Goleman, 1998). This is particularly important in recruitment situations and in developing effective working relationships.
All five elements are important and missing one can considerably reduce a student's employability. Each element is important in its own right, but all five overlap and are integral to each other.


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Mercedes-Benz Sports Cars
Browse the article Mercedes-Benz Sports Cars
Mercedes-Benz managed to survive some early hardships to become one of the most recognized producers of luxury cars. See more pictures of Mercedes-Benz Sports Cars.
Mercedes-Benz is now a household name, but it wasn't always smooth sailing for this automaker. In the years following World War II, Daimler-Benz's first priority was to get their factories running again, producing the pre-war models they'd already developed. As you'll learn in the following article, Daimler-Benz was back on its feet and innovating by the mid-1950s.
Their first postwar models were sports cars were the Mercedes-Benz 190SL and Mercedes-Benz 300SL, and -- like many other companies of the day -- Daimler-Benz made use of an existing model as the base for these machines. Both of these models were well-received, but while the 300SL was more powerful, the 190SL was more profitable. Eventually, though, they were both supplanted by the built-from-the-ground-up Mercedes-Benz 230SL (and later the 250SL and 280SL), which introduced the "pagoda" roofline and provided Daimler-Benz with an attractive, high-performance sports tourer.
The next step was the Mercedes-Benz "R107" family, named for the internal code used to designate the project. The line updated the Mercedes-Benz look and made many improvements under the hood, giving the cars more than 15 years of production.
There's more to the story, of course, and you can learn about it in the following pages. Inside you'll discover the history of Daimler-Benz through detailed car profiles and photos.
To learn more about Mercedes-Benz and other sports cars, see:
How Sports Cars Work
New Sports Cars Reviews
Used Sports Cars Reviews
How the Ford Mustang Works
Mercedes-Benz 300SL
The great Mercedes-Benz 300SL was a LeMans-winner brought to the road. The high sills of its tube frame necessitated top-hinged doors for the celebrated "gullwing" effect.
The Mercedes-Benz 300SL once stood tall over its competitors. Over time, impressions of the classic Ferraris, Jaguars, Lamborghinis, and Porsches tend to swirl into a single golden sports-car memory, their pecking order indistinct. But step back into the mid-1950s, and it's clear the Mercedes-Benz 300SL was in an orbit of its own.
"We can state unequivocally...the 300SL coupe is the ultimate in an all-round sports car," said Road & Track in April 1955. Gushed Walt Woron in the July 1956 Motor Trend, "If there's a better production sports car in the world than the 300SL, show me the way to it!" Only Ferrari approached such accolades, but it couldn't blend around-town gentility with open-road speed the way the 300SL could, and it certainly couldn't match the Benz's impeccable workmanship or even its unique design.
S for Super, L for Light, 300 for the engine's 3.0 liters, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL was conceived not as a road car but as a 1952 sports-racer. It promptly took first and second in the Carrera Panamericana, the 24 Hours of LeMans, and the Nürburgring 1000 Kilometers. American import baron Max Hoffman convinced Mercedes to issue a production version, which it did in 1954.
The steel and aluminum bodies employed a robust frame of triangulated tubes. The structure's tall sills precluded ordinary doors, necessitating the top-hinged "gullwing" portals that were the coupe's signature design feature.
The Mercedes-Benz 300SL's fuel-injected inline-six took 16 quarts of oil and produced a peerless blend of power and poise.
The inline-six was drawn from that of the big Mercedes 300 sedan, but was canted 50 degrees left to clear the 300SL's hood. It was made of aluminum, used Bosch mechanical fuel injection, and had 220 hp -- 54 more than the LeMans-winning version. An optional cam brought 240.
This flexible six worked through an all-synchro four-speed and propelled the most-aerodynamic road car of its day to 140 mph with the 3.42:1 gearing, and to near 160 with the available 3.25:1. A coil suspension furnished a stable ride and spirited handling, but swing rear axles could prompt vicious oversteer.
In 1957, Mercedes replaced the Gullwing with the 300SL Roadster. Its modified space frame permitted conventional doors and its reworked rear suspension was friendlier at the limit; it was built through 1963. Time has softened the impact of the Gullwing, but to the sports-car enthusiast of the mid-1950s, nothing else could touch it.
Sports Cars of the 1950s
The Mercedes-Benz 190SL resembled the 300SL, but didn't have gullwing doors or supercar performance.
The 1950s sports-car establishment never could come to terms with the Mercedes-Benz 190SL, an aristocratic European.
It had the proper sporting cues: dashing two-seat styling; all-independent coil-sprung suspension; floorshifted four-speed; even a slightly temperamental overhead-cam four-cylinder engine. But cars of this specification -- and this price -- were supposed to rip out to the road course on the weekend, go fender-to-fender with XK 120s, then terrorize the populace on the way home. Ferraris could. Porsches could. But this roadster from mighty Mercedes-Benz could not.
"It's a dull-but-expensive piece of transportation in sports car clothing," wrote Jerry Titus in Sports Car Graphic. "While this opinion may infuriate some proud 190 owners, we doubt it will even raise an eyebrow at the factory, as we suspect this is exactly what they had in mind."
Precisely. Daimler-Benz had made a remarkable postwar recovery, rising from Stuttgart's bombed rubble to resume auto and truck production and even to go racing in 1952 with the purpose-built 300SL. Road versions of that competition coupe reached showrooms about the same time as the Mercedes-Benz 190SL, which was styled inside and out to resemble the exotic 300, but was never intended to duplicate its performance.
Power from the tweaked sedan engine was merely adequate for the Mercedes-Benz 190SL.
Like most sports cars of the day, the 190SL was bred from a sedan platform. Its engine was tweaked with twin Solex carbs, but they were difficult to adjust and power was only adequate for the car's weight. The suspension, tuned to fight the snap-oversteer tendency of M-B's swing rear axles, delivered a compliant ride and relatively modest cornering.
There was a removable steel hardtop option, and eventually, a fixed-roof coupe. In all of them, passenger and luggage space were unusually generous for a two-seater, and workmanship was of the highest order.
Judged as the sports tourer it was designed to be, the Mercedes-Benz 190SL delivered at least as much as it promised. In fact, said Motorsport in 1956, "Proper use of the gears will propel a 190SL faster than most pilots can safely drive, and they will survive thanks to an overall dynamically balanced design."
By 1963, Mercedes would offer only one two-seater, the "pagoda-roof" 230SL. It was more like the suave 190 than the fierce 300, settling any debate about the sports-car philosophy of this German giant.
Mercedes-Benz 230SL/250SL/280SL
The 1960s-era Mercedes-Benz SLs were sporty tourers rather than out-and-out sports cars, and popular because of it.
Contrary to oft-repeated statements, the W113 Mercedes-Benz SL, introduced at the Geneva auto show in March 1963, was not a direct replacement for the 190 or 300SLs. Instead, it was a ground-up project, an up-to-date sports tourer with 190 size and performance but somewhat more luxury.
Like the 190, this new SL borrowed its chassis and running gear from a volume sedan -- here, the finny W111/112 series that began appearing in 1959. Power was supplied by the overhead-cam six of the contemporary 220SE, with a 2-mm bore increase lifting displacement to 2306 cc and new multiport Bosch fuel injection (replacing the previous single-point manifold system) boosting output by no less than 30 DIN horsepower.
Retained from the 190 were monocoque body/chassis construction and coil-and-wishbone front suspension; new was a "low pivot" swing-axle rear suspension with transverse camber-compensating spring. Brakes were Girling front discs and Al-Fin rear drums with vacuum assist.
Dimensionally, the 230SL compared almost inch for inch with the 190, with a similar wheelbase and only 1.5 extra inches in overall length. Curb weight was the exception: 2850-3200 pounds depending on equipment (versus 2500-2600 pounds), though the W113 structure would prove to be one of the sturdiest then in production.
Speaking of equipment, it now included the first automatic transmission ever offered on a sporting Mercedes, the new 4-speed Daimler-Benz unit with a simple fluid coupling instead of a torque converter. Fully synchronized 4-speed manual remained standard. Final-drive gearing was initially 3.75:1, but 3.69 and 3.92 gearsets were also offered from September 1965.
The typical 230SL could run the standing quarter-mile in 17-18 seconds and reach 100 mph from rest in 27 seconds -- not Corvette-ferocious but more than adequate. As proof, a 230 won the prestigious Spa-Sofia-Liege rally in its introductory year, the first of several rally wins for these SLs. In all, they were rugged cars that could certainly take the rough with the smooth.
Styling was completely fresh -- conservative, angular, and obviously related to that of contemporary D-B sedans -- though the SL grille and big tristar emblem were carried over from earlier models. An interesting new element was the optional hardtop's "pagoda" roofline, curved upward slightly at the sides to increase rigidity and glass area.
The leather-swathed cockpit offered a pair of large, comfy reclining seats and D-B's then-usual dash motif, with big, round speedometer and tachometer flanking a bank of vertically reading minor gauges. New features included windows-up fresh-air ventilation and one of the industry's first multi-purpose control stalks for lights and wipers. The standard soft top folded away beneath a hinged cover, and the square-cut styling made for considerably more trunk space than on previous SLs.
All this signalled the W113's primary mission as a luxury sports tourer, not all-out sports car. Yet its road manners garnered considerable praise. Bernard Cahier found the 230 "free of handling vices...almost neutral with very slight understeer" in sharp corners. Said Hansjorg Bendel: "Body roll is quite pronounced, but the driver never feels it; the steering remains light, accurate and smooth near the limit. . . . This is one of those cars that [impresses as] having [a] center of gravity below road level." Cahier concluded that this SL was "one of D-B's very finest cars."
And so it would remain through a relatively long eight-year production life. There would be only two major changes: a pair of larger engines to counter the extra weight and reduced performance of mandated American safety and emissions equipment.
The Mercedes-Benz SL sported a noteworthy concave windshield header as part of its "pagoda-roof" design.
The first arrived in late 1966 with a revised 250SL. Changes included a 6-mm stroke increase, bringing displacement to 2496 cc, plus a switch from four to seven main bearings and adoption of rear disc brakes, improved seatbelts, and a collapsible steering wheel. Horsepower stayed the same, but torque rose by a useful 15 lbs-ft. Final drive was now 3.69:1 exclusively.
After just 12 months and some 5200 units, the 250 bowed to the 280SL, powered by a new bored-out M130 engine with 2778 cc and 180 bhp (SAE gross) in U.S. trim or 170/180 DIN for Europe. Styling was again basically unchanged. New "federal features" included energy-absorbing steering column, three-point inertia-reel seatbelts, removable top latch handles for the windshield header, and side-marker lights outside.
Torque swelled by another 19 lbs-ft, which enhanced low-speed tractability if not mileage, and a new 5-speed ZF manual option helped exploit it. Alas, the 280 had more rubber and thus "slop" in its suspension, and the 5-speed option was pricey ($500), like the car itself. U.S. models came with 4.08:1 final gearing, though the 3.69 and 3.92 ratios were available "upon request."
By 1971, the W113 was old hat, having been denied recent D-B developments like a revised 4-speed automatic, anti-dive front suspension geometry, and new semi-trailing-link rear geometry. All would be rectified with the new R107 generation introduced late that year, a different breed altogether.
In fact, the W113s would be the last two-seat Mercedes true to the original meaning of SL (sehr leicht, very light). They were also far more successful than their '50s forebears, with annual sales of about 6000 units. So in retrospect, these cars are a bit like the Roman god Janus -- looking backward and forward. Today they're valued for precisely that reason: pleasant, well-rounded sporty cars with a certain timeless grace, and an important step in the evolution of Mercedes two-seaters.
Mercedes-Benz 350/450/380/500/560SL
The R107-series Mercedes-Benz SL saw little external change in its 16-year run.
Strictly speaking, the R107 Mercedes SL isn't a sports car but a two-seat GT. You may or may not consider that A Good Thing, but it's precisely what Daimler-Benz intended.
D-B began contemplating a successor to the "pagoda-roof" W113 SL in the mid-60s. The firm was in an expansionist mood, seeking increased profits (though not necessarily more sales) especially in the lucrative U.S. market. Management realized that bigger, plusher, costlier cars were the way to go. Kicking off another design cycle for the entire Mercedes line, the replacement SL, internally coded R107, was the first model to embody this new philosophy, from which D-B has reaped vast rewards ever since.
Bigger and plusher the R107 certainly was, and very much designed with America in mind. Compared with the 230/250/280SL, it was longer overall (by 3.3 inches) and in wheelbase to provide a little more space behind the cockpit and room ahead for air conditioning, standard for the States.
It was also wider to accommodate Washington's required door guard beams as well as bigger tires -- almost a necessity, as a switch from aluminum to steel body panels added some 300-400 pounds to curb weight. The extra beef undoubtedly contributed to passive safety, though several other features did more: a fuel tank tucked out of harm's way over the rear axle, safety door handles and steering wheel, new-design seatbelts.
The R107 certainly looked heavier, with none of the previous SL's lithe simplicity. A lift-off pagoda-style hardtop was retained (and even mimicked by a slight trunklid concavity) and there were functional features like ribbed taillamp lenses and A-pillar troughs that shed rain and muck to help the driver see and be seen. Overall, though, the styling was not readily accepted. One U.S. magazine initially described it as "Americanized" and "Anti-agile."
And this weightier Mercedes-Benz SL was less agile than its predecessors, though more civilized. Yet its chassis was quite capable, evolved from that of the late-60s "New Generation" compact sedans, with D-B's typical rear swing axles (altered to function like semi-trailing arms) and excellent recirculating-ball power steering. To counteract the greater heft and enhance refinement, D-B specified its smooth 3.5-liter V-8 as standard for Europe.
American SLs got a 4.5-liter enlargement that emission controls rendered no more powerful. A clumsy four-headlamp treatment, instead of single flush-mount lights, also marred the U.S. version, as did protruding 5-mph "impact" bumpers, federally mandated from 1972-73.
The R107 SL was plusher inside, one of many aspects of the car designed with the American market in mind.
Though far removed from the original "Sports Light" concept, the R107 sold like no previous Mercedes-Benz SL, and has remained popular for a remarkable 16 years without major alteration. Not that Daimler-Benz has ever advocated change for its own sake but, with sales consistently strong, there's been no need to monkey with this assured, polished, and solid sports tourer -- timeless in its open-air appeal and always decently quick, sometimes exhilarating.
Which brings us to the changes that have been made, mostly in engines. Let's start with Europe, where a 2.8-liter twincam six-cylinder version was added in 1974 as an Energy Crisis special. This ran through 1985, when D-B substituted its new 3.0-liter sohc six (from the W124 sedans) for a new 300SL (though it was nothing like the hallowed Gullwing).
A hot 500SL appeared for 1980 -- just in time for "Energy Crisis II," though inflation had lifted all Mercedes into such rarefied price territory by then that sales were hardly affected by a mere fuel shortage.
Meanwhile, America got a smaller version of this all-aluminum 5.0-liter V-8 for a 1981-model 380SL, whose tame acceleration led to a "black market" demand for European 500s that frankly embarrassed Mercedes-Benz of North America. This plus an eventual oil glut persuaded D-B to develop a 5.6-liter replacement as a U.S. exclusive for '86. Like the 500, it boasted improved anti-dive/anti-squat control, Bosch anti-lock brakes, and front chin spoiler (but no rear spoiler), plus driver's airbag, limited-slip differential, and upgraded trim and equipment. In Europe, a 420SL replaced the 3.8-liter as the mid-range offering.
Today, the R107 is the senior citizen of the Mercedes line, and engines alone, no matter how good, aren't enough against younger, higher-tech, more aerodynamic competitors. D-B is ready with a new R129SL, for 1989-90, and the R107 will be retired at last.
Many will be sad to see it go, but it will not be forgotten. Good Things never are.
The hardtop on the Mercedes-Benz SLK folds and stows automatically, giving the car a conversation piece.
The Mercedes-Benz SLK brought true sport performance back to the German luxury manufacturer. Two-seat roadsters from Mercedes-Benz had grown less sports-car-like after the original 190 and 300. By the late 1990s, the flagship SL600 was a $120,100, 4455-lb luxo-cruiser with a 389-hp 6.0-liter V-12. It could do 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds and run at 155 mph, but even Mercedes didn't call it a sports car. It called the new SLK a sports car.
Translated from German, SLK is an acronym meaning "Sporty, Light, and Short." Introduced to America in early 1997, this roadster is Mercedes's answer to the BMW Z3 and Porsche Boxster, and is distinguished from both by its engine and roof.
The SLK rides a shortened Mercedes C-class sedan platform and has a new, all-steel body. Retaining the compact sedan's independent suspension and generous wheel travel gives it good ride quality, while judiciously firming up the damping, replacing recirculating-ball steering with rack-and-pin-ion, and fitting more aggressive tires -- wider in back than in front -- produces curve-hugging handling.
The most unique feature is a fully automatic retracting hardtop. Pushing one button transforms the SLK from a closed coupe to an open convertible in 25 seconds. The electrohydraulic roof cleaves at the rear pillars, the trunklid opens backward, and the top retracts into a rear compartment. The trunklid then works conventionally, though luggage space shrinks from 12.3 cubic feet to 5.1 with the roof stowed. Still, the roof gives the SLK weather protection, security, and a conversation piece its rivals don't have.
Mercedes returned to sports cars on its own terms with the SLK and gave all U.S. models a supercharged 2.3-liter twincam four.
"Kompressor" fender script signals presence of a "compressor," making this the first supercharged Mercedes since the 1930s. The crankshaft-driven blower fortifies a 2.3-liter iron-block, aluminum-head four-cylinder. European SLKs can have a naturally aspirated 136-hp 2.0 four-cylinder and a five-speed manual gearbox, but all U.S. cars get the supercharged 2.3 and a five-speed automatic that electronically adjusts shifts to suit driving style.
The American combination produces fine power through a wide rpm range. There's little supercharger whine, but the exhaust emits a swaggering snarl. Simulated carbon-fiber interior trim substitutes for traditional Mercedes wood. Tube bars behind each seat offer rollover protection, and a special child seat is available that disarms the passenger-side air bag. Forty-three years after the original SLs helped rejuvenate one of the world's great automakers, Mercedes-Benz is back in the sports-car business.


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Self-Managed Superannuation Funds
What are franking credits?
By admin • 15 January 2020 • Tax
Franking credits are a kind of tax credit that allows Australian companies to pass on the tax paid at a company level to shareholders. Franking credits can reduce the income tax paid on dividends or potentially be received as a tax refund.
Where a company distributes fully franked dividends (and those dividends are included in the taxable income of the taxpayer) the taxpayer can claim a credit against their taxable income for the tax that has already been paid by the company from which the dividend was paid.
Since the 2016-17 income year, the standard formula for calculating the maximum franking credits is:
Franking credit = (dividend amount / (1-company tax rate)) – dividend amount
Franking credits are paid to investors in a 0-30% tax bracket, proportionally to the investor's tax rate. If an individual's top tax rate is less than the company's tax rate, the ATO will refund the difference. Therefore, an investor with a 0% tax rate will receive the full tax payment paid by the company to the ATO as a tax credit. Franking credit payouts decrease proportionally as an investor's tax rate increases. Investors with a tax rate above 30% do not receive franking credits with dividends and may even have had to pay additional tax.
There can be eligibility requirements that must be met before franking credits can be paid, such as that you must hold the shares 'at risk' for at least 45 days to receive a total franking credits entitlement of $5,000 or more. There are also rules that can apply to buying, holding and selling shares with franking credits attached.
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Did you know that the West 6th Street Bridge over Shoal Creek is older than the Texas State Capitol Building? Built in 1887, this historic bridge is one of the state's oldest masonry arches and located at the site of the first bridge in Austin, which opened up the area west of the city to development. It continues to serves as a major east-west transportation artery for motorists, walkers and cyclists.


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Jupiter Retrograde 2018 Dates: The Cycle Ends In Months, So It's Gonna Be A While Before Things Settle Down
By Jacqueline Burt Cote
If you're not particularly into astrology, you probably haven't given the planet Jupiter much thought since you made a model of the solar system out of styrofoam balls for your elementary school science fair. If you are an avid follower of astrology, on the other hand, you're probably aware that Jupiter is in retrograde right now. You might even be aware that this seemingly backwards pattern of celestial movement is occurring in the sign of Scorpio, which sets the stage for some major internal and spiritual changes. But when is this Jupiter retrograde over, and what does it signify?
The answer to the first question is a simple one. While Mercury retrogrades, for example, are more frequent and fairly short (the planet's current retrograde started on March 22 and ends April 15), Jupiter goes into retrograde just once a year for a period of several months, as astrologer Maressa Brown told Romper.
This time around, the largest planet went retrograde on March 8, and will stay that way until it goes "direct" on July 10. That's basically an entire season and-a-half!
The answer to the second question, however — what the purpose of this retrograde will have been — is a bit more complicated, as astrologer Pam Younghans of NorthPoint Astrology tells Romper.
"By the time Jupiter reaches the end of its retrograde phase on July 10, the planet will have backtracked to where it was on December 12, 2017," she says.
"To understand what that might mean, we need to look at how Jupiter in Scorpio has been manifesting. The same week in October 2017 that Jupiter entered Scorpio, the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke; in the weeks and months since then, we've been riding a tidal wave of revelations about others who have similarly abused their power."
She's right, of course: From comedians to politicians to CEOs and everything in between, it seems like every other day we're discovering that somebody allegedly did something awful to somebody else at some point, and whatever they did was likely covered up for a period months or years or even decades. As disappointing and infuriating as this time has been, however, it's also served as a catalyst for those who previously felt they had no voice to step up and start making some serious noise.
"The #MeToo and Time's Up movements have played a major role, as more and more people are taking back their power and no longer living in the shadows," says Younghans.
And if it seems like the world is turning into the tawdriest of soap operas lately (perhaps even on a personal level!), well, you can blame Scorpio for that one, Younghans explains.
"During this time, we've also seen investigations unfolding of political figures and behind-the-scenes subterfuge," she says.
"Since Scorpio is the ruler of sexuality, power, and secrets, these events are textbook-case examples of how Jupiter's magnifying glass works when in Scorpio."
Basically, this is the time when we can expect to see closets everywhere purging themselves of their skeletons (something to keep in mind if you've got any of your own stashed away). With Jupiter in review mode, Younghans says, it's "taking us back through the looking glass, to expose another layer of truth where we may have thought all had been revealed."
As an example, Younghans points to the recent scandal over the role Facebook allegedly played in Russia's meddling in the 2016 election. It's as if everybody's darkest mysteries are being unraveled, with Jupiter in the role of detective.
"No doubt we will see more in the days ahead, as Jupiter is playing bloodhound and picking up the trail — in spite of efforts that were made to cover tracks," says Younghans.
"And yet we're not yet reading the end of the story, just a very intriguing middle chapter."
Will this rollercoaster tale end when Jupiter goes direct again in July? Not quite. Though it's safe to say still more previously hidden truths will likely come to light between now and then, we might have to wait even longer for the resolution we're seeking. As Younghans explains, Jupiter won't again reach the same degree where it was stationed retrograde on March 8 until the second week of October 2018.
"By then, the pieces of the puzzle will come together to create a clearer picture of all that was once hidden in darkness," she says.
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