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Isaac Newton Duhaney Gordon was born in Pondside, Hanover, on February 26, 1867. He was the seventh child of George and Frances Gordon; his father, who was an ardent worker for the Presbyterian church, died when Isaac was only a year old. His mother, Frances, was a typically strong and determined Jamaican woman, who ensured that her son got a good education, hoping that he would later enter the Presbyterian ministry. He and his siblings received their schooling from Mr Joseph Shaw, who had been a student at the 'famous Montego Bay Academy', a Presbyterian school. When his early schooling was finished, Isaac decided to apprentice himself to a joiner in Falmouth, but later, to his mother's delight, he decided to resume his academic studies, and was accepted at the Mico College, where he excelled.
While studying at Mico, Isaac used his holidays and Saturdays to learn Greek from a Presbyterian minister in Kingston. He also assisted with the work of the St Andrew's Kirk and of a 'ragged school' in the south-east of the city. After completing his course at Mico, he taught for four years, first at Academy Hall in Montego Bay and then at 'Ewing's Caymanas', where he taught many students who later went on to hold good positions in various professions.
He next entered the Theological Hall at 82 Duke Street to continue his studies for the ministry, under the guidance of the eminent clergyman, Dr Robb. While studying he continued his work for the church, being especially involved in the mission efforts in West Kingston. In 1889 he completed his studies and received his licence to preach. He received a 'call' from the congregation at Cedar Valley in St Catherine, where he was ordained on November 20th, 1899. He served there for many years, later serving in Hampstead in St Mary, and after that at Mount Horeb in St James. He was Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Jamaica in 1910.
He was a great supporter of the temperance movement, helping to establish Good Templar Lodges across the island. He was also deeply involved in the Christian Endeavour movement and attended the International Convention in Baltimore in 1905. He was President of the Jamaican Christian Endeavour Union in 1920.
He participated in an Evangelical Campaign in New York, sometime in the first decade of the century, where he preached to thousands in a tent on the East Side. Most of the audiences were largely made up of Whites, and it was reported that at least 100 professed conversion.
He was a member a different times of the St Catherine and St Mary Parochial Boards, and took a special interest in the development of agriculture in the parishes. He served on parish and district school boards and was particularly involved in the programme of setting up school gardens across the island.
The Rev Mr Gordon died in August 1926 as a result of a strange and tragic gun accident. A man, who was visiting him, used the stock of a gun which he had with him to chase away a turkey from the verandah where they were sitting. As he put down the gun its faulty trigger went off and Mr Gordon was shot in the hip. Although he received medical attention quite promptly, he died some hours later, presumably from loss of blood and shock. Mrs Eva Gordon, a fine teacher, never really recovered from the tragedy of her husband's death; the couple had four daughters and two sons, one of whom was a Presbyterian minister like his father.


The Union Furnace Post Office is located in the state of Ohio within Hocking County. This location serves 268 Union Furnace residents with a median income of $52,888. It's estimated that approximately 428 packages pass through this post office each year.


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Cody Johnson Stage-Crashes Josh Ward, They Sing 'Broken Heart' [DISTANT REPLAY]
Annie Davis Published: May 9, 2019
This week we Distant Replay back to September 2017. It was nearly 18 months ago when Josh Ward and Cody Johnson were a few states away from their native Texas playing for the good Kansans at High Plains Music Fest, where Johnson surprised his buddy with a welcomed stage-crashing.
The impromptu duet of Ward's former No. 1, "Broken Heart," was a hit with fans, and it was caught on camera by Kaeleigh Grace who made an extra long drive to see the show.
"I'd seen videos of Josh Ward and Cody Johnson preform songs before and thought it'd be a great thing to experience," Kaeleigh told us, "but never thought I'd have that chance. Being a native Texan but living in Kansas City for the last three years has afforded me the gift of valuing "when Texas comes to Kansas." Call me crazy but I took a solo road trip for the furthest concert I've been to (7 hours) to support Josh.
I knew when he began to introduce this song I had to record it," she continued, "and I'm so glad I did! It was definitely a moment I can check off as it was something I'd been hoping to experience!"
Josh Ward recenlty become the 50th artist to record a Live at Billy Bob's album, it'll be out next month. Check out more on that here.
Filed Under: Cody Johnson, Distant Replay, Josh Ward
Categories: Articles, News, Videos

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


In the wake of her divorce, Jameson O'Halloran has gone man-vegan. And this is one diet she's determined to stick with. Even when her long-lost ex-brother-in-law shows up looking like two scoops of double dutch dipped in chocolate… She's not giving in.
Conducting student Kate Brenner is caught between her father—a detested senator determined to defund the arts—and her peers—who are convinced that she shares his politics. Extraordinarily gifted but alone and lonely, the graduating Master's candidate struggles to get through each day with her dignity intact.
Young professor Drew Markham doesn't really hate Kate—it's just that she reminds him of a dark part of his past. But when fate throws her into his path—and his care—he finds himself torn between his grief for the woman he lost and his feelings for the one he's found.
The fire is warm, the pillow is soft, and the music of Bach is filling my dreams. But somewhere from deep inside my slumber is the nagging sense in the back of my mind that I need to get up and check on Katherine. My eyes flutter open and I'm peering into the familiar glow of my fireplace. I'm wide awake now, I'm certain of it. And yet, somehow, the Bach from my dreams has spilled over into my reality.
Because I'm not dreaming it, I realize suddenly. I get off the couch where I seem to recall being with Katherine before we both passed out from exhaustion. When I turn around, I see her. But she doesn't seem to notice me as I move slowly in Bach's direction until I'm standing behind Katherine as she plays the piano. I don't let on that I'm there, I just stand in silence, in the shadows, where I can see her hands on the keyboard.
it blows a hole through the previously-impenetrable wall of darkness and silence, bringing color to Helen's blind eyes and music to Helen's deaf ears.
hands come to rest at the end of the Aria, she stops. As if sensing my gaze upon her, she opens her eyes to find me shocked and dazzled all at once.
I see the puzzlement in her eyes and she opens her mouth to speak, but I am sitting beside her on the bench before the words can slip free. Before I can stop myself from putting her face in my hands and drawing her lips to mine. She doesn't fight me. Instead, her arms wrap under my arms and up my back to my shoulders, pulling my chest so close to hers that I can feel her heart beating underneath the white cotton shirt that she's wearing. My shirt. She tastes soft and sweet, her mouth opening hungrily to mine. I hear a soft whimper from her and I pull back just enough to get a good look at her face. Her eyes are half closed, her lips cherry red and glistening from our contact.
"Do you…do you want me to stop?" I ask in a whisper.
She shakes her head. "No. Please, don't," she says, leaning forward to find my lips again. I don't make her lean too far, pressing myself down to her while I reach behind and pull her closer.
Before I know what I'm doing, I'm on my feet and taking her with me. We're stuck together in a tangled, stumbling embrace as we somehow move from one end of the large room to the other. I grunt when my hip hits the sharp edge of an end table, and her wayward elbow knocks over a book that's balancing on the edge of a shelf.
"Oh, to hell with this," I mutter, suddenly bending down and scooping her up in my arms, the same way that I did when I carried her in from her car. But this time she's not fighting me.
This time, she throws her head back and kicks her feet in joy.


text:
Katelyn Best
Stories By Katelyn Best
Thorns' late-season slump is at odds with their history
To ask how the Portland Thorns were built — to ask how this team has been successful so consistently over the...
By Katelyn Best
Something's off with the Portland Thorns
I read the other day about a study showing that overtraining wears down athletes not just physically, but mentally. The researchers...
What's the Iron Front, and what does it have to do with the NWSL?
The banners and flags displayed by the Rose City Riveters at Portland Thorns games are typically a space for fans to...
Portland set a new NWSL attendance record—but this isn't just their moment
Gameday in Portland on Sunday proceeded as it always does: the drums, the smoke, the chanting (occasionally laced with profanity), the...
The Portland Thorns are more than the galacticas of the NWSL
That the Portland Thorns have been one of, if not the most, consistently successful team in the National Women's Soccer League...
A disappointing loss for France highlights the USWNT's depth advantage
In a disappointment that feels all too familiar for France, the host nation has been eliminated in the quarterfinals for the...
USA-France in the quarterfinal of the ages: Five things to watch
The United States women are set to take on their French hosts Friday at the Parc des Princes in a long-awaited...
Argentina come back to tie Scotland in emotional roller coaster of a match
You know those games where things keep happening, one after another, and you keep thinking they have to slow down soon,...
VAR's rocky rollout might have knocked Nigeria out of the World Cup
RENNES, France — "They didn't show us what happened." That statement from Nigerian keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie in the wake of her team's...
Australia-Brazil roller coaster exposes a poor Matildas game plan
MONTPELLIER, France — If the Australia team forecast to be the most exciting attacking team at the tournament disappointed with a...


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Lora&Amy*
Dundalk, County Louth
Lora & Amy are a duo act, playing covers mostly but working on writing their own material now. They comprise of Lora Gilbert - Vocals, Amy Walsh - Guitar/harmony.
The girls are from Balbriggan in Co. Dublin but now live in Dundalk as they are currently in their second year in college studying Applied Music at Dundalk Institute of Technology. Known each other since 2008/2009. They use to mess about with the guitar and sing with all of their friends and when they realised something they both wanted to do was play gigs and perform, so they decided to get together and start a duo! They both sing (Lora doing main vocals) and Amy plays guitar. The first thing they did together was 'Balbriggan's Got Talent' where they placed 3rd, and they have been playing gigs ever since in pubs and other competitions. They also played at the Ballyfermot Rocks Festival in 2011. The girls have played some more pub gigs during late 2012 and are now planning on doing a lot more during 2013. See below for gig dates!
Adele, Bon Iver etc., Florence and The Machine, Laura Marling, Paolo Nutini


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\section{Introduction}
When one thinks of fast movement, plants do not usually come to mind. The movements of most plants \cite{Darwin1880} typically involve a tropism, the growth or turning movement of a biological organism in response to a direction-dependent stimulus, and are normally only noticeable over the course of hours or days. Classic examples of tropisms include phototropic movements towards light, directional growth or reorientation in response to gravity (gravitropism), and touch sensitive growth of the roots (an example of thigmotropism) \cite{Darwin1880,Goriely1998, Gerbode2012, Wang2013,Silverberg2012}. In addition to tropisms, some carnivorous plants trap prey using nastic movements, or direction-independent, reversible orientational changes in response to direction-independent stimuli. Among these, of particular interest is the Venus flytrap (\emph{Dionaea}) which, upon consecutive triggering of the sensitive hairs on its namesake trap, can close a trap in less than a fraction of a second to capture its arthropod prey. This unusual plant, living in bogs with nutrient-deficient soil, was first discovered in 1760 by the North Carolina colonial governor Arthur Dobbs and was considered as ``the great wonder of the [plant] kingdom". Later, Charles Darwin \cite{Darwin} systematically investigated the mechanisms of the Venus flytrap's fast movement and called the plant ``one of the most wonderful in the world."

The movements of live plants are typcally classified into two categories, tropistic and nastic movements \cite{Burgert2009}. Tropistic movements refer to directional movements in response to external stimuli that have certain directionality (e.g., gravity, light, and mechanical touches). For example, the development of tendrils may depend on where and how they touch an object that acts as a support, so this type of movement is tropistic (termed thigmotropic movement or thigmotropism, where the prefix `thigmo' denotes touch responsive \cite{Scorza2011}). In contrast, nastic movements refer to direction-independent mechanical movements in response to external stimuli \cite{Braam2005}. For instance, the way that a \emph{Dionaea} trap closes usually does not depend on where and in what direction the sensitive hairs are touched, so it is an example of a nastic (or more specifically, thigmonastic) movement. On the other hand, researchers have also distinguished between active and passive systems among plant movements \cite{Hill1981}. Action potentials are typically involved in active movements, whereby the live tissues or cells can actively deform in response to the stimuli by the transport of ions and fluids or the change in membrane permeability, often assisted by mechanical principles such as buckling, swelling, or cavitation \cite{Burgert2009,Forterre2013}. In contrast, passive movements refer to configurational changes of dead tissues that occur in response to environmental changes \cite{Elbaum2007,Armon_2011,Guo2013}. Because of the vast amount of literature on plants' movement, we choose to focus primarily on fast, nastic movements and by ``fast movement" we refer to any movement that takes place in few seconds or less.

Although it has been known for centuries that certain plants are capable of fast movement, the exact biomechanical, biochemical, and electrophysiological mechanisms which drive their fast movement have only begun to be comprehensively understood in recent years. For a more detailed overview of  existing knowledge of these mechanisms, the readers may refer to some recent review articles on fast moving plants \cite{Ueda2006,Fratl2009,Ellison2009,Martone2010,Joyeux2011b,Dumais2012,Zheng2013,Forterre2013,Poppinga2013,Moulia2013}. It is also worth noting that plant biomechanics and mechanobiology have garnered increasing attention from the scientific community, as they represent ``convergent paths to flourishing interdisciplinary research" \cite{Moulia2013}. In the past decades, the role of mechanical forces, both internal and external, has been considered critical in the shaping of biological shapes, such as in stem cell differentiation \cite{Discher2005}, embryonic morphogenesis \cite{Savin2011,Wyczalkowski2012,Kuhl2013,Gleghorn2013}, cancer cell migration \cite{Chihan2013}, plant morphogenesis \cite{Gerbode2012,Silverberg2012}, and touch-sensitive responses of plants \cite{Braam2005}. In this review, nevertheless, our focus is on the mechanically stimulated movement of plants.

The mechanical sensing, actuation, and movement in plants have since become sources of inspiration in biomimetic design, which have a wide range of engineering applications, including structural mechanics, biomedical engineering, and chemical engineering. In this article, we review the characteristics and mechanisms of several representative fast-moving plants and some recent development of engineering structures inspired by these plants. It is foreseeable that interdisciplinary collaborations between biologists, physicists, chemists, mathematicians, and engineers will bring forth new insights that ultimately lead to a unified picture of how these non-muscular systems operate. We hereby hope that our work can promote further interdisciplinary studies on the movements of plants as well as the advancement of bio-inspired and biomimetic technologies.

\section{Fast Movement of the Venus flytrap}
In this section, we examine the important structures and features of the Venus flytrap and review the biomechanical, chemical, and electrophysiological mechanisms behind its fast movement. Further study of these mechanisms will contribute to more comprehensive understanding of the nastic movements of plants.

\subsection{The structural features of the Venus flytrap}
The most spectacular feature of the Venus flytrap, is the ``open mouth", a pair of leaves that traps arthropods to nourish the plant. As shown in Figure \ref{flytrap}(a), the modified leaves of the Venus flytrap have two parts, the upper and lower leaf. The lower leaf, also known as the petiolus, has an expanded leaf-like structure \cite{Volkov2008}. The upper leaf has three main features: a shell-like ``open mouth" composed of a pair of symmetrical lobes, three to five (typically three) sensitive hairs (see Figure \ref{flytrap}(b)) on the inner side of each lobe, and cilia, the numerous interlocked ``teeth" located on the border of each lobe. When an external force is applied to the trigger hairs, the trap swiftly closes. Usually, two consecutive touches are needed to trigger this rapid closure, a mechanism that helps ensure the plant does not waste energy on capturing non-prey. This movement can also be triggered by other external stimuli, such as electricity or heat \cite{Brown1910, Volkov2007, Volkov2011}. In addition, upon mechanical stimulation, touch receptors, the small trichomes located on the outer leaves and stems of the Venus flytrap, generate action potentials which can sensitize the trigger hairs for contact \cite{DiPalma}.

\subsection{Biomechanics of fast movements in the Venus flytrap}
The physical mechanisms behind the trap of the Venus flytrap are highly complex and remain incompletely understood. Through systematic observation and experimentation, Darwin \cite{Darwin} discovered that the inner layers of the Venus flytrap's lobes contract during closure, while the entire leaf's shape changes from convex to concave. Following these observations, researchers have proposed that the trap is mechanically bistable, with two stable states, i.e., the open and closed configurations, and an intermediate state \cite{Forterre, Volkov2008, Yang2010}.

Following Darwin, several additional explanations have been proposed for the underlying mechanisms behind this trap closure. Brown \cite{Brown} proposed that trap closure is caused by the expansion of the outside of the lobes, and furthermore, that the opposite expansion of the inner surface of the lobes drives the reopening process of the Venus flytrap. Inspired by Darwin's hypotheses, Forterre \emph{et al.} used modern experimental technology to examine the biomechanics of leaf closure \cite{Forterre}. Using elasticity theory, they proposed that a dimensionless parameter, $\alpha = W^4 \kappa^2/h^2$ (where $W$ denotes the size of the lobe, $h$ is the thickness, and $\kappa$ is the curvature), controls bistability (see Figure \ref{flytrapNature}(a)-(c)). To test this hypothesis, Forterre and coworkers drew arrays of sub-millimetric ultraviolet-fluorescent dots on the surface of the leaves and irradiated the plant to fluoresce the dots, with the movements of these dots recorded by high speed camera during trap closure. From these experiments, the researchers inferred that the main source of the fast and dramatic closure of the trap is the bistable, doubly curved structure of the leaves, which snap-buckle to reverse their Gaussian curvature upon closing. Moreover, the sudden change of intrinsic curvature along the direction perpendicular to the midrib was determined to be the main source of the driving force behind trap closure, verified by measuring the strain field upon closure. The experiments also showed that the speed of the lobe during closure increases as a function of $\alpha$ (Figure \ref{flytrapNature}(d))

While Forterre and coworkers demonstrated that the fast motion of the Venus flytrap involves a snap-buckling instability of the shell-like geometry of the lobes, the cell and tissue scale sources of this active movement remain poorly understood. To address these concerns, Colombani and Forterre \cite{ColombaniForterre} studied the cell scale \emph{in vivo} measurements of the pressure and other poroelastic properties using a microfluidic pressure probe. Their initial results shed light on the time course of cellular pressure and volume change during plant movement, as well as membrane permeability and Young's modulus.  The determined poroelastic time of 20-150s, much too large to account for rapid closure of the trap, suggests that some other cellular property (e.g., pre-stress of mesophyll cells) rather than active, osmotically driven water transport between cells could be the the cell scale source of rapid trap closure. Additional studies are necessary to fully understand the exact nature of this source.

In addition, Markin \emph{et al.} \cite{Markin} proposed a hydroelastic curvature model to interpret the mechanism of the active movement of the Venus Flytrap. Here, based on the assumption that the trap possesses curvature elasticity and consists of outer and inner hydraulic layers where different hydrostatic pressures can build up, the natural principal curvatures are determined by the hydraulic states of the two layers of the plant, which are in turn defined by their differing hydrostatic pressures. Similar to a bimetallic couple, this so-called bilayer couple can change shape rapidly in response to triggering of the sensitive hairs of the plant. This change is thought to occur through transportation of water via aquaporins between the two layers. Yang \emph{et al.} \cite{Yang2010} further developed a mathematical model to simulate the closing and opening dynamics of the Venus flytrap from the nonlinear dynamics and control perspective. In a separate study, Joyeux \cite{Joyeux2013} presented an elasticity model of the Venus flytrap by accounting for the anisotropic nature of the strain field of the trap and assuming that the open geometry is the minimum energy state, which embodies improvement over the previous model \cite{Joyeux2011} developed by Joyeux and coworkers. More recently, Pandolfi \emph{et al}. \cite{Pandolfi2014} showed that this movement is intimately dependent on gravity, which has not been considered before; however, the detailed biophysical mechanism remains inconclusively explained and requires further examination.

\subsection{Different ways of triggering the Venus flytrap}
The Venus flytrap can be triggered in a number of ways. In nature, the trigger mechanism is mechanical stimulation, in which two consecutive touches on the sensitive hairs within around 30 seconds lead to closure. These touches can be on the same hair or on separate hairs. Each touch generates an electrical signal, which transmits between the lobes and the midrib of the trap. In addition to the typical two touches, a single sustained touch to one trigger hair can also close the trap, if two electrical signals are generated about two seconds apart in the same manner \cite{Volkov2009}. Furthermore, there exists a temperature dependence of mechanically stimulated closure, with evidence suggesting that higher temperatures result in a greater sensitivity to mechanical stimulation \cite{Brown1910}.

External electrical stimulation, involving the transmission of electrical charge between a lobe and the midrib by means of electrodes and a charged capacitor can also induce closure. At room temperature, a total charge of about 14 $\mu$C \cite{Volkov2007}, applied at once or in smaller increments, also causes the Venus flytrap to close, though the exact amount of charge required increases with trap size and decreases at higher temperatures. Closure by repetitive application of smaller charges demonstrates electrical memory in the Venus flytrap (see the section \textit{Electrophysiology behind the Venus flytrap's fast movement}), subject to a time interval similar to that associated with mechanical stimulation \cite{Volkov2008}.

The Venus flytrap also closes in response to optical stimulation in the mid-infrared region. The snapping mechanism can be triggered with 7.35 $\mu$m radiation from a continuous-wave laser directed at the interior of a Venus flytrap. Furthermore, electrical signals are found to propagate in the Venus flytrap concurrently with each optical stimulation, in the same manner observed in mechanical stimulation \cite{Eisen}. Also noteworthy are recent experiments involving chemical stimuli of trap closure. Volkov \emph{et al.} \cite{Volkov2014} showed that application of 10 $\mu$L of ether or chloroform on the midrib induces slow (10s) closure of the trap, and similarly, that application of 10 $\mu$L of chloroform directly on the sensitive hairs can induce closure as fast as mechanical stimulation of the hairs.

\subsection{Biochemistry behind the Venus flytrap's fast movement}
A number of plant hormones have been identified and linked to several key properties of the Venus flytrap and its prey-catching and digesting mechanisms. In plants, lipid-based hormone signals known as jasmonates regulate defense mechanisms in response to abiotic and biotic stresses. In contrast, these jasmonates play a role in nutrion retrieval for the Venus flytrap: the phytohormone jasmonic acid and coronatine (the molecular mimic of the isoleucine of jasmonic acid) are jasmonates involved in the secretion of digestive enzymes. Perez \emph{et al.} demonstrated that spray-application of these jasmonates on just one leaf can trigger secretion of digestive enzymes throughout a Venus flytrap without any mechanical stimulation, indicating that these jasmonates are systemic in nature \cite{Perez}. In addition, the researchers showed that jasmonates are involved in the trap closing mechanism. They also showed that isolated traps from \emph{D. muscipula} can be induced to close when aqueous-phase extracts containing 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid are adsorbed on the leaves. In these experiments, the total quantity of bioactive substance, as opposed to the concentration, influences closure. One hypothesis suggests that this bioactive trap-closing chemical may be secreted stepwise in response to each action potential, inducing trap-leaf closure past a specific threshold \cite{Ueda2010,Volkov2007}. This hypothesis would thereby link the observed memory effect associated with the accumulation of stimuli to the accumulation of this chemical.

Abscisic acid (ABA) is also involved in the trap closing mechanism. ABA is a plant hormone that activates anion channels to close stomata, reducing transpiration. ABA is produced in plants in response to low water availability. In \emph{D. muscipula}, ABA has been shown to lower trap sensitivity to mechanical stimuli. Compared to well-watered Venus flytraps, both ABA-sprayed and water-deficient traps require additional mechanical stimulation to trigger fast trap closure \cite{Perez}.

\subsection{Electrophysiology behind the Venus flytrap's fast movement}
The Venus flytrap's rapid closure is typically triggered by consecutive mechanical stimuli within a window of 30 seconds on the one or multiple sensitive hairs. It is known that such mechanical stimulation activates certain ion channels to generate both a receptor potential and an action potential, which may be responsible for the opening of fluid channels between different hydraulic layers. Nevertheless, two consecutive stimuli only put the trap into a semi-closed state. Without any further stimulations, the trap will gradually reopen in a few hours. In the case where a trapped insect keeps struggling and stimulating the sensitive hairs, the trap will close tighter and tighter until it is fully sealed, upon which the digestive fluids are secreted to help digest the nutrients.

As mentioned before, an alternative way to trigger closure is by applying an electrical pulse above a threshold value between the upper layer of one lobe and the midrib. In such an experiment, the polarity is critical because an electrical pulse with inverted polarity does not trigger trap closure \cite{Markin}. Whether triggered mechanically or electrically, the rapid closure of the Venus flytrap always follows the generation of receptor and action potentials \cite{Volkov2007}. There are usually three phases during closure: a mechanically silent phase (no noticeable movement), an accelerating movement phase, and a fast movement phase \cite{Volkov2007, Zheng2013}. Volkov and co-workers \cite{Volkov2008} employed a high-speed data acquisition device to record the duration and amplitude of the action potentials and showed that the duration of an action potential in the Venus flytrap is typically about 1.5 milliseconds. Furthermore, the researchers \cite{Volkov2008} used ion channel uncouplers and blockers to explore the mechanisms of different closure phases. They found that both ion channel uncouplers and blockers can increase the time delay of trap closure dramatically while decreasing the speed of closure.

It is also interesting to note that the Venus flytrap exhibits short-term electrical memory \cite{Volkov2009}, i.e., separate electrical pulses, each of which is less than the threshold and within a time window of no more than 50 seconds, can initiate closure as long as the sum of electrical stimulus exceeds the threshold value. Volkov and coworkers demonstrated that this stimuli threshold is temperature dependent, with a charge threshold between 8 to 9 $\mu C$ (with a larger electrical threshold corresponding to larger traps) at room temperature compared to only 4.1 $\mu C$  at 28 to 36 degree Celsius \cite{Volkov2009}. This electrical memory was also demonstrated to be time dependent through application of below-threshold electric shocks separated by a 15 second interval, with decreased number of below-threshold electric shocks required for closure of the trap with increasing current of each shock. Researchers have also begun to discover the biomolecular components underlying this electrical memory. Ueda and co-workers \cite{Ueda2010} demonstrated that there exists a threshold of accumulated bio-metabolite for stimulating trap closure. Using bioassays to separate \emph{Dionaea} extracts, a bioactive polysaccharide was identified that is capable of triggering trap closure in absence of any external mechanical or electrical stimuli. The molecular electronics and different electrical characteristics of the complete hunting cycle (the open state, closed state, locked state, constriction and digestion state, and semi-open state) were further examined \cite{Volkov2009b,Volkov2011}. Putting the results from these studies together, it is promising that a more comprehensive understanding of the biological electronic system and the associated ``memory" and actuation mechanisms in plants such as \emph{Dionaea} might be achieved. Furthermore, while there are clear parallels to be drawn between the electrical signals in plants and animals, additional studies are required to elucidate the unique physiological origins and functions of these signals in plants \cite{Rainier}.

\section{Comparative biomechanics on active plant traps}
The mechanics of movements in \emph{D. muscipula} differ from those in the underwater carnivorous traps \emph{Aldrovanda vesiculosa} and \emph{Utricularia}. Poppinga and Joyeux compared the biomechanical mechanisms of \emph{Aldrovanda} and \emph{Dionaea} by modeling the \emph{Aldrovandas} trap as a pair of thin elastic shells hinged to the midrib \cite{Poppinga2011} (see Figure \ref{flytrap}(c)-(g)). The midrib connecting the two lobes can bend inward in the closed configuration. This study indicates that the \emph{Aldrovanda}'s trap closure is due to swelling and shrinking \cite{Skotheim2005} of tissues in or around the midrib, rather than mechanical buckling that takes place in \emph{Dionaea muscipula}. Moreover, the model suggests that this mechanism is the source of the rapid speed of trap closure in \emph{Aldrovanda}, i.e., a large opening or closing movement of the trap can result from a relatively small bending deformation of the midrib, in contrast with the snap-buckling of convex to concave curvature seen in the lobes of \emph {Dionaea}. More recently, Joyeux \cite{Joyeux2013} proposed a precise mechanism for the action of motor cells surrounding the midrib of a \emph{Aldrovanda} trap that could lead to closing and opening of the trap. This new model confirms that the reversible movements of \emph{Aldrovanda} trap can be controlled by the swelling and shrinking of the motor cells near the midrib, in contrast to the irreversible mechanism operating in \emph{Dionaea} traps where mechanical buckling plays a dominant role.

Bladderwort (\emph{Utricularia}) traps also employ a mechanical buckling mechanism which differs from that of \emph{Dionaea} \cite{Vincent1}. \emph{Utricularia}'s suction traps are among the most complicated of all active traps in the plant kingdom \cite{Joyeux2011}. The trap is composed of a hollow trap body, a ``trap door" (which grants entrance to the trap body's interior), and four outward facing trigger hairs located on the trap door \cite{Joyeux2011}. During the trap-setting phase, active cells pump water out of the trap body through two-armed glands, termed bifids, creating a negative pressure differential up to -16 kPa \cite{Sydenham1985, Singh2011} between the interior and exterior of the trap body. As a result, the thin walls of \emph{Utricularia} become concave (modeled as spherical) with stored elastic energy in the doubly-curved shell of the trap body. Joyeux \emph{et al.} \cite{Joyeux2011} modeled this buckling scenario like a trap door. The researchers also showed that this buckling can also be initiated by a local deformation of the shell from mechanical stimulation of the trigger hair. Figure \ref{bladderwort} further suggests that the swinging motion of the panel starts with local curvature inversion, and that the ``door" acts like a flexible valve that flips under external pressure (and changes curvature from concave to convex)\cite{Joyeux2011}. Additionally, \emph{Utricularia} traps fire not only upon mechanical stimulation of the trigger hairs, but also spontaneously to capture small organisms and detritus (e.g., phytoplankton or bacteria) which are too small to mechanically trigger the trap \cite{Vincent2}. This spontaneous action occurs through mechanical oscillations of regular pumping and mechanical buckling of the trap door. The underlying mechanisms of the spontaneous firing could inspire biomimetic design of engineering structures that are capable of autonomous elastic deformation.\\

Furthermore, Llorens and co-workers developed a model to simulate the dynamical process of \emph{Utricularia}'s trap closure by considering hydrodynamics, buckling of the door, and deformation of the trap body. This comprehensive treatment can predict the main mechanical features of the \emph{Utricularia}'s trap closure, namely triggered closure and spontaneous firing. Firing and resetting of traps in \emph{Utricularia} are associated with water flow and trap volume changes, which mechanism is studied experimentally by Lubomir Adamec. The experimental data suggest that only a direct recording of a physiological activity in trigger hairs of a stimulated \emph{Utricularia} trap can determine whether or not the mechanical stimulus results in an action potential (like in \emph{Dionaea muscipula} and \emph{Aldrovanda vesiculosa}), which could serve as an electrical signal for the trap-door buckling \cite{Adamec2012}. Bartosz J. Plachno \emph{et al.} studied the relationship between trap anatomy and its firing-resetting efficiency in nine Australian \emph{Utricularia} species and found that the trap firing-resetting rate, while conceivably dependent on trap thickness, did not seem to depend on the number of cell layers in the trap wall, as quantitative functional trap characteristics of the 3-4 cell layer thick traps of \emph{U. volubilis} were similar to those of the 2-3 cell layer thick traps of \emph{U. dichotoma} \cite{Plachno2015}.

\section{Catapult-flypaper traps}
Sundews (\emph{Drosera}) are mostly known for capturing prey with sticky traps. However, one recently discovered sundew (\emph{Drosera glanduligera}, \emph{Droseraceae}) demonstrates fast motion for the capture of prey. Upon sensing prey with its touch-sensitive snap tentacle heads, \emph{Drosera glanduligera} catapults prey using outstretched snap-tentacles (as shown in Figure \ref{drosera} (a)) onto adjacent sticky glue-tentacles (Figure \ref{drosera} (b) and (c)) in as little as 75 milliseconds \cite{Hartmeyer2010,Poppinga2012,Hartmeyer2013}. These sticky glue-tentacles then slowly fold up and surround the prey over several minutes to several hours while digesting the prey with secreted digestive enzymes.
The rapid catapulting movement of the snap-tentacle is considered to be primarily due to change in hydraulic pressures within the tentacle. Two possible mechanisms of this hydraulic pressure change have been proposed \cite{Poppinga2012}: rapid transport of water from cells in the adaxial half of the tentacle to cells in the abaxial half, resulting in adaxial contraction and abaxial extension and the fast catapulting movement; or, a sudden loss of turgor pressure in adaxial cells, followed by tentacle bending due to prestress of the abaxial surface to release the elastic energy stored in the epidermal cells on the adaxial side. However, further investigations are needed to test these hypotheses and elucidate the operating mechanisms of the fast catapulting motion of the snap-tentacles. Notably, unlike the snap-through movement of the Venus flytrap, the catapulting movement of the snap-tentacles is irreversible, possibly because non-recoverable fracture of the epidermal cells occurs in the hinge zone of the snap-tentacle upon initiation of movement\cite{Poppinga2012}. Some other flypaper traps, such as \emph{Pinguicula} (\cite{Heslop-Harrison1970,Heslop-Harrison2004}), less mobile in nature, are nevertheless not reviewed in detail in the current article.

\section{Other fast movements in plants}
Besides these carnivorous plants with active traps, there are other plants that can move at a comparably dramatic speed. Since the main focus of this review article is on the fast, nastic movements mostly discovered in carnivorous plants, here we only mention a few examples of other types of fast movements in plants. Interested readers can refer to some excellent review articles \cite{Martone2010,Forterre2013}. As yet another well-known moving plant, \emph{Mimosa pudica} exhibits a rapid, defensive response to external stimuli, such as the closing of its leaves (Figure \ref{Mimosa}(a)-(c)) and bending of its pulvinus, the joint-like thickening of the plant near the bottom of a leaf or leaflet where the plants ``motor cells" reside. \cite{Scorza2011,Poppinga2013} (Figure \ref{Mimosa}(d)). These motor cells, divided into flexor and extensor cells on the ventral and dorsal side of the leaf, respectively, regulate the volume and shape according to their relative turgor pressure. Upon mechanical stimulation of the plant, an action potential is initiated which propagates a signal from the site of the stimulus to the pulvinus. This results in another action potential which initiates the differential transport of K$^{+}$ and Cl$^{-}$, leading to a change in turgor pressure in the cells (Figure \ref{Mimosa}(e)). Consequently, the water potential in the extensor cells increases, resulting in loss of water and shrinkage of the cells, with the opposite occurring in the flexor cells, which swell to a turgid state. As a result, the leaflet folds up, ensnaring the trapped prey within. Calcium ions are shown to play an important role in this nastic movement as well \cite{Toriyama1972,Cote1995,Scorza2011}. More recently, Song \emph{et al.} \cite{Song2014}, using advanced bio-imaging techniques including 2D X-ray micro-imaging and 3D X-ray tomography, non-destructively monitored the pulvinis at a high resolution to analyze the morphological characteristics of the pulvinis in real time.

In contrast with the plant initiated, hydraulically driven movements of \emph{Mimosa pudica}, some plants use purely mechanical mechanisms to achieve rapid movements. Among such plants, a variety of mechanisms exist to achieve the fast dispersion of small solid objects, such as spores, pollen, or seeds \cite{Edwards2005,Elbaum2007,Martone2010,Forterre2013}. For example, the stamen of the bunchberry dogwood (\emph{Cornus canadensis}) has evolved a trebuchet-like method for ``catapulting" their pollen skywards after the flower opens \cite{Edwards2005}, and the sphagnum moss can shoot its spores out like an airgun using built-up internal pressure \cite{Sundberg2010}. Yet another example of projectile motion is the release of fern spores \cite{King1944,Noblin2012}, where through a cavitation catapult mechanism, generation of bubbles causes rapid cell expansion, inducing dramatic bending of the annulus cells and subsequently converting stored elastic energy into kinetic energy \cite{Noblin2012,Forterre2013}.

Last but not least, a number of plants also exhibit thigmonastic movements in their reproductive parts such as the floral organs and fruits \cite{Jaffe1977, Schlindwein1997,Romero1986, Liu2010, Nicholson2008,Scorza2011,Joyeux2011b}. For example, when touched gently, the stamens of the moss rose, \emph{Portulaca grandiflora} can bend within less than a second and return to the original positions in about five minutes \cite{Jaffe1977}, similar to the thigmonastic movement of \emph{Mimosa} leaves in terms of the response times. Orchids have also evolved remarkable actuating structures and morphologies, such as sexually dimorphic flowers, to induce insects to cross-pollinate for them \cite{Romero1986,Nicholson2008}. Such touch sensitive movements of the reproductive organs represent an active adaption to enhance cross-pollination by transporting the pollen grains to arthropods (such as bees) and birds who serve as pollinators. Interesting questions then naturally arise about how these plants and their pollinators have co-evolved over millions of years. Addressing the molecular and biophysical mechanisms in these thigmonastic movements may help elucidate the co-evolutionary relationships between the species of flowering plants and the pollinators as well as provide information about the evolution paths of these versatile floral morphologies \cite{Scorza2011}.

\section{Engineered actuating structures inspired by fast-moving plants}
Fast-moving plants, as examples of dynamically morphing biological structures, are good model systems in the field of biomimetics, a relatively new discipline that takes inspirations from biology for problems in engineering. For example, the leaves of the \emph{Mimosa} plant, which contract upon certain external stimuli (physical, heat, chemical etc.), have inspired research in structures that can change on demand between flexible and stiff states through changes in hydraulic pressure \cite{Bruhn2014}. In particular, \emph{Dionaea muscipula}, the Venus flytrap, has drawn strong interest from engineers and plant biologists alike. The quick sensing and closing properties of \emph{Dionaea} have inspired a number of imitative designs with potential applications in drug delivery systems, artificial muscles, and shape changing structures \cite{Holmes,Shahinpoor2011,Lee,Chen2012}.

Holmes and Crosby \cite{Holmes} used mechanical buckling of plates (in a two-dimensional analog of Euler buckling) and bi-axial compressive loads to fabricate an array of lens-like bistable shells, shown in Figure \ref{snapthrough2}. A layer of biaxially prestretched polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which is patterned with periodic arrays of holes, is topped via spin coating by a thin film of uncured PDMS. The two layers of PDMS are then bonded via crosslinking. The micro-lenses formed by this process can possess either a concave or convex shape; a characteristic snap-through movement, similar to that of the Venus flytrap, occurs upon transition between the shapes. The focal point of each micro-lens is either above the structure surface (when the micro-lens is convex) or below the structure surface (when the micro-lens is concave). The researchers demonstrated finely tunable mechanical properties of the micro-lens structure through tuning of the geometric properties of the structure, e.g., lens size and spacing between adjacent lenses.

Chen and coworkers \cite{Chen2012} studied the geometric and mechanical properties of a bistable strip (Figures. \ref{Fig6}(a) to \ref{Fig6}(e)). They proposed a theoretical model for the large deformation of shell structures by the conformation of a strip on the doubly-curved surface of a torus. The theory captures the main feature of the competition between bending and stretching energy of an elastic plate when the Gaussian curvature changes. In addition, they fabricated a physical model of a bistable structure by uniaxially pre-stretching two rubber sheets in perpendicular directions, ``sandwiching" a much thicker rubber sheet between the two pre-stretched sheets and bonding the three sheets together. Using the theoretical model, the researchers identified two dimensionless parameters (related to the mechanical forces and geometry) that control the bistable behavior of the system. In particular, the geometric parameter, $\eta \equiv W \sqrt{\kappa/H}$, also discussed by Armon \emph{et al.} \cite{Armon_2011} in an independent study, is equivalent to $\alpha^{1/4}$ (where $\alpha$ is the geometrical parameter that controls the elastic energy barrier in the Venus flytrap's closure \cite{Forterre}). Their work quantified the conditions for bistability, providing a mathematical framework for the study of bistable and multi-stable structures, with application in artificial muscles, bio-inspired robots, and shape-changing structures. Subsequent finite element simulations and experiments further support the validity of the theory \cite{Guo_2014a,Guo_2014b,Chen_2015}. Based on this mechanical principle, bistable helical ribbons have been designed which can morph from one helical shape to the other upon certain external stimulus \cite{Guo_2014b}.

Hydrogel polymers, which swell and contract in response to a wide range of input stimuli (chemical, temperature, mechanical), can lead to a variety of sensing and actuating systems with a wide range of engineering applications \cite{Geryak}. Inspired by \emph{Dionaea}, Lee \emph{et al.} \cite{Lee} fabricated a jumping microgel device as illustrated in Figure \ref{Fig6}(h), utilizing the sensing-actuating properties of hydrogel to engineer a microgel jumping device that generates a snapping motion within 12 milliseconds. The researchers created a doubly curved shape from hydrogel and employed elastic instability to create the snap-buckling mechanism responsible for the quick actuation of the device. Upon swelling, the microgel legs of the device snap-buckle, resulting in a rapid jump. The power density of this device, at 34.2 mW g$^{-1}$, approaches that of human muscle. Also inspired by \emph{Dionaea}, Gracias and coworkers \cite{Bassik,Yoon} have designed and fabricated smart photo-patterned bilayer hydrogel actuators. These hydrogel actuators exhibit external stimuli dependent swelling behavior, which, employed in a bilayer design, can act as a hinge for a Venus flytrap-like actuator. Santulli and coworkers \cite{Santulli2005}, combining hydrogel polymer with braided fibers, developed and characterized actuators with tunable stiffness and force generation capacity.

In order to understand the behavior of these hydrogel devices, the underlying behaviors and properties of the hydrogel must be characterized and quantified. Stoychev \emph{et al.} \cite{Stoychev2012} explored the folding behavior of rectangular hydrogel bilayers on a substrate, characterizing the effects of both non-homogenous swelling and adhesion of the hydrogel to the substrate.  The capillary forces which drive liquid absorption based hydrogel actuation have been reviewed by Roman and Bico \cite{RomanBico}. Nevertheless, many properties and behaviors of hydrogel structures remain to be explored.

Hydrogel composites allow for the design of complex, dynamically morphing pre-programmed shapes. Erb and coworkers \cite{Erb2013}, inspired by the shape changes in natural seed dispersal units and carnivorous plants, designed hydrogel composites with embedded structural reinforcements which can deform into complex, bioinspired shapes, such as a twisting seed pod. Hydrogels and other polymers may also be utilized with origami design principals, combining the sensing-actuating properties of polymers with the pre-programmed, dynamically tunable properties of origami designs. For instance, Wei \emph{et al.} \cite{Wei2014} designed hybrid hydrogels which can dynamically morph into specific shapes, including helical sheets with reversible chirality, while Ryu and coworkers develped photo-origami designs which, in reaction to certain wavelengths of light, fold into precise 3-D structures from 2-D sheets \cite{Ryu2012}.
Origami designs incorporating stiff plate elements \cite{Kunstler2011} and biomimetic leaf folding patterns \cite{DeFocatiisGuest} might also be used towards the development of novel actuators.

In addition, ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) have garnered much interest from the scientific community for both their biomimetic sensor and actuator properties \cite{Shahinpoor1}. IPMCs exhibit characteristic sensing and mechanical bending in an electrical field, actions which strongly resemble the sensing and bending capabilities of the leaves of the Venus flytrap. IPMCs also have potential medical and industrial applications; current study of IPMCs focuses on further modelling of IPMC actuators and development of application prototypes \cite{Shahinpoor3,Shahinpoor4,Jo2013}. Because of the similarities between the two, studies of the bending and sensing mechanics behind IPMC actuators and Venus flytrap mechanics go hand in hand. As illustrated in Figure \ref{Fig6}(f) and (g), a novel flytrap-inspired robot was fabricated by Shahinpoor using IPMC artificial muscles as distributed sensors and actuators \cite{Shahinpoor2011}. A conductive copper spine served as a ``midrib", which transmitted the signals sensed by the IPMC trigger hair to the solid-state relay system and to activate a small dynamic voltage generator capable of actuating the robotic trap. When certain stimuli were applied to the IPMC trigger hairs, the functioning of the voltage generator can cause the flytrap robot to close. Such biomimetic design of smart systems/structures, integrated with functional sensors and actuators, can be potentially useful in a number of engineering applications \cite{Zheng2013}.

The hydraulic redistribution driven movements of plants have also influenced the development of osmotically actuating, shape changing structures. Sinibaldi \emph{\emph{et al.}} \cite{Sinibaldi2013}, inspired by osmotic-driven plant movements, modelled the dynamic behavior of two implementations of the osmotic actuator concept. Both models were formulated on the basis of two chambers, a reservoir chamber (RC) filled with solute and actuation chamber (AC) filled with solute and solvent, which are separated by a solute-impermeable osmotic membrane (OM). The two models are different in their implementation of the actuator: the first has actuation work stored through the elastic deformation of a spring by a piston which displaces through solvent flux; the second has actuation work stored through the elastic deformation of a non-permeable bulging membrane. These models represent preliminary steps towards understanding towards the development of biomimetic, biorobotic solutions inspired by plant movement.

There are additional examples of morphing structures inspired by the hydraulic redistribution driven plant movement. Inspired by the hydraulic movements of \emph{D. muscipula} and \emph{M. pudica}, Pagitz \emph{et al.} developed a model for morphing structures driven by pressure-actuated cellular structures \cite{Pagitz2012}. The researchers further refined this model by introducing a shell-like structure that can, through its characteristic ``snap-through" morphology, change the sign of its Gaussian curvature \cite{Pagitz2013}. These shape changing structures, driven by multi-layer cellular pressure actuation, have potential applications in aerospace engineering, automobile engineering, architectural design, etc. Moreover, Freeman \cite{Freeman2009, Freeman2012} designed biomimetic flexible morphing membranes, so called ``engineered nastic membranes", for on-demand change of aircraft wing shape during flight. Upon introduction of adenine triphosphate (ATP) to these nastic membranes, proton pumps are activated which move select ions across the membrane into a cylindrical inclusion (analogous to protons being pumped into the intracellular space). The resulting electrochemical gradient activates co-transporters and exchangers located in the nastic membrane, which drive the ions back out of the inclusion and down their electrochemical gradient while concurrently using this ionic flux to move fluid into the inclusion. This inward flow of fluid results in expansion of the cylindrical inclusion until fluid pressures are equalized and hydrostatic equilibrium reached and is responsible for the dynamic morphology of the structure. Detailed analysis of the mechanical, morphological, and electrochemical properties of this bio-inspired actuator in ABAQUS for the surrounding polymer and UFLUID for the driving transport processes revealed that various properties including slow reaction time, difficulty in upwards scaling, and limited displacement prevented this design from application in its original purpose of morphing aircraft wings; however, the design showed promising applications in enhanced osmotic actuation, water purification through protein-driven selective transport and highly targeted drug or vaccine delivery devices, which burst and release their contents upon contact with the proper stimulus in the body. More recent developments to this design by Freeman and Leiland \cite{Freeman2012} incorporated the use of voltage-gated ion channels for the control of activation and a novel dual activation chamber design capable of simultaneous swelling and shrinking, with potential applications in biomorphic structures.

The mechanical principles demonstrated by moving plants also have potential application in systems engineering. Recently, Lenau and Hesselberg \cite{Lenau2014} studied the self-organization principles demonstrated in stimulated motion plants. They divided the plant motions into three categories (according to the purpose): dispersal of spores, pollen, or seeds (e.g., sphagnum mosses); obtainment of nutrients (e.g., carnivorous plants such as \emph{Dionaea}); and protection of vital organs or obtainment of optimal light and temperature conditions (e.g. \emph{Mimosa}). They outlined the self-organization principles behind sun-tracking plants, i.e., detect sunlight, communicate this signal to an actuator, and perform a motion to optimize internal and external conditions based on the amount of sunlight, and showed that these design principles could be applied to the design of window blinds that open and close based on the amount of sunlight or solar energy devices that track the sun's position through the sky in order to maximize exposure. These designs for sun tracking devices have potential applications in energy conservation on an industrial or consumer scale. Also inspired by the sun-tracking movements of plants, Dicker and coworkers \cite{Dicker} developed a biomimetic analogue of the sun-tracking leaves of the Cornish Mallow (\emph{Lavatera cretica}), which reversibly move the plane of the leaf to be perpendicular to available sunlight, termed diaheliotropic movement. As shown in Figure \ref{suntracker}, the designed biomimetic photo-actuator consists of a reversible photobase as the sensor and pH sensitive hydrogels as the actuator. The photobase 4,4-bis(dimethylamino)triphenlmethane leucohydroxide (malachite green carbinol base) is stored in a pair of artificial leaf veins which limit light exposure via shades oriented 45 degrees to the tube surfaces and changes pH when exposed to UV light. Upon pH change, the pH sensitive hydrogel, an epoxy hydrogel described by Yoshioka and Calvert \cite{YoshiokaCalvert}, reversibly swells within a pair of novel flexible matrix composite (FMC) tubes in a twisted double T joint configuration. Due to the twisted double T joint configuration of the tubes and limited light exposure of the artificial leaf veins, the biomimetic photo-actuator continues to bend until the light exposure of the photobase is maximized, analogous to the sun-tracking movements of plants. This biomimetic sun-tracking device acts as a proof of concept for chemical sensing, control and actuation with potential applications in solar tracking for solar power generation.

\section{Conclusion}
Plants with fast thigmonastic movements have evolved the capability to quickly and dramatically alter their shapes in response to certain external stimuli. Although these mechanically-induced active movements may appear to serve different purposes, from a protective mechanism (e.g., the folding of $Mimosa$ leaflets) to a hunting function (for example, the rapid closure of the traps of $\emph{Dionaea}$, $\emph{Utricularia}$, and $\emph{Aldrovanda}$), some common ground exists. For instance, recent investigations have started to show that most thigmonastic movements result from differential changes of turgor pressure in the tissues, and the opening of certain key ion channels are often involved \cite{Scorza2011}. While some biophysical and biochemical mechanisms behind the fast motions of plants have been extensively studied, many questions remain unanswered. For example, how the action potentials are generated through the touch receptors in $Dionaea$ remains to be investigated. Moreover, the source and role of action potentials in fast-moving plants, especially in carnivores other than $Dionaea$, are not completely understood. The coupling between these action potentials and molecular-level activities (which drive macroscopic movement) also remains not well understood. In $\emph{Dionaea}$, recent studies suggest that it is the speed of ion transport, instead of water transport, that constrains the speed of osmotic flows; therefore, alternative mechanisms of perturbing the water potential in cells should be searched for \cite{Forterre2013}. Last but not least, the roles of actin cytoskeleton, microtublues, and auxin during these active movements require elucidation.

Understanding the molecular, biomechanical, biochemical, and electrophysical mechanisms among the diverse types of movements in plants may be the key to reveal the universal mechanisms governing plants' movements and how they evolve as a result of adaption to the ever-changing living environments \cite{Haswell2013}. However, it remains a grand challenge how to develop more realistic, multi-scale biomechanical models that incorporate various factors at the molecular, cellular, tissue, and organism level. The difficulty in bridging the physical and biological aspects of the problem also arises from the fact that there is a lack of effective non-invasive experimental techniques for measuring the stresses inside cells and monitoring the transport of fluids (not to mention ions) inside the plant cells during these rapid movements \cite{Forterre2013}. The recent \emph{in vivo} measurement of pressures and poroelastic properties in cells of $Dionaea$ \cite{ColombaniForterre} and the measurement of mechanical stresses in developing embryos \cite{Campas2014} seem to have paved way for further breakthroughs in investigating the underlying mechanisms in fast-moving plants. In addition, the comparisons between the behaviors and operating mechanisms in the moving plants, $Mimosa$, $Dionaea$, $Aldrovanda$, $Utricularia$, and $Drosera$ also bring forth interesting questions from the evolutionary biology and comparative biomechanics perspectives that remain to be addressed. The study of fast-moving plants will not only foster integration of physics, chemistry, biomechanics, and molecular biology to address intriguing mechanisms involved in plants' fast motions, but also inspire various kinds of biomimetic designs for engineering applications.

\section*{Author Contributions}
Q.G., E.D., X. H., and Z.C. generated the idea for the manuscript, performed literature searches, helped to draft and edit it. S.X. and E.C. also performed literature searches, helped to draft and edit it.

\section*{Acknowledgments}
The authors thank J. Hanlin, I. Trase, J. Ballard, K. Tan, H. Zheng, and the anonymous reviewers for helpful comments.

\section*{Funding statement}
This work is in part supported by the National Science Foundation of China Grant No.11102040, Projects of International Cooperation and Exchanges NSFC (Grant No.11201001044), and Fujian University of Technology Research Fund (Grant No.GY-Z15006). Z.C. acknowledges support from the Society in Science - Branco Weiss fellowship, administered by ETH Z$\ddot{u}$rich.

\section*{Conflict of interests} The authors have no financial or personal relationships with other people or organizations that might inappropriately influence or bias the work.

\begin{figure}[th]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.9\textwidth]{Fig1.eps}
\end{center}
\vspace*{8pt}
\caption{Images of \emph{Dionaea} ((a) and (b)) and \emph{Aldrovanda} ((c)-(g)). (a)
The modified leaves of \emph{Dionaea} are divided in two parts, the upper (ul) and the lower
leaf (ll). (b) The upper leaf has two lobes which center is brightly colored red and
contains three sensitive trigger hairs (arrows). The free edge of each lobe is lined with spine-like projections or cilia. (a) and (b) are adapted from Ref. \cite{Scorza2011}. (c) Photograph of a node of an \emph{Aldrovanda vesiculosa} whorl with eight leaves (photograph \copyright Dr. Barry Rice, Sierra College, Rocklin, CA, USA). (d, e) Microphotographs of a trap in open and closed configurations, respectively. The oval lobes are approximately 5 mm long. (f, g) Models of the trap in open and closed configurations, respectively. (d)-(g) are adapted from \cite{Poppinga2011}.} \label{flytrap}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[th]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.9\textwidth]{Fig2N.eps}
\end{center}
\vspace*{8pt}
\caption{Snap-buckling of the Venus flytrap (\emph{Dionaea muscipula}). (a) Venus flytrap in its open and closed states, shown in the upper and lower panel, respectively.  (b) Computational reconstruction of trap lobe during closure from experimental data. (c) The mean curvature as a function of the dimensionless parameter $\alpha = W^4 \kappa^2/h^2$. For $\alpha < \alpha_c$. No multistability is predicted when $\alpha < \alpha_c$. When $\alpha > \alpha_c$, the system goes through a region featuring multistability where a ``snap-through" motion occurs.
(d) Average speed of trap closure as a function of $\alpha$. Adapted from Ref. \cite{Forterre} and Ref. \cite{Forterre2013}.}\label{flytrapNature}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[th]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.9\textwidth]{5New.eps}
\caption{
(a) \emph{Utricularia inflata} in untriggered, set configuration (adapted from Ref. \cite{Vincent1}). Note that the trap, approximately 3mm wide,  has concave curvature of its walls due to the negative internal pressure in set configuration. (b) Experimentally determined time course behavior of trap thickness during trap closure following mechanical stimulation of one of the trigger hairs. (c, d, e) Time course behavior of door opening of \emph{Utricularia australis} trap at 0, 7.6, and 8.6 ms following mechanical stimulation of trigger hairs, respectively. (f, g, h) Computational reconstruction of the trap door in set configuration (f), at the initial stages of buckling (g), and in the process of curvature inversion (h) door in set condition, at the onset of buckling, and while swinging open, respectively. (b)-(h) are adapted from Ref. \cite{Joyeux2011}. `p'  and `f' denote the panel and the frame of the door, respectively; `thr' denotes the threshold (following the conventions in Ref. \cite{Joyeux2011b}). \label{bladderwort}}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[th]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.9\textwidth]{Drosera.eps}
\caption{Trap leaves of \emph{Drosera glanduligera} (adapted from Ref. \cite{Poppinga2012}). (A) \emph{Drosera glanduligera} in its natural habitat; note the radially long, outward extending, non-sticky snap tentacles and the shorter glue tentacles they snap towards. (B) An example of cultivated \emph{Drosera glanduligera}. (C) \emph{Drosera glanduligera} with a captured fruit fly, stuck within the concave interior of the trap. \label{drosera}}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[th]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.85\textwidth]{Mimosa.eps}
\end{center}
\caption{Thigmonastic movement of leaflets and schematics of mechanisms in \emph{Mimosa pudica}. (a) Leaflets open; (b) leaflets closing due to touch-induced changes in cell turgor of cells within the pulvinus, a structure located at the base of each leaflet. (c) Leaflets closed. The time-lapse between each photograph is about 1 sec. (a) to (c) are adapted from Ref. \cite{Scorza2011}. (d) Cartoon illustrating the mechanism of leaf movement in \emph{Mimosa pudica} before (top panel) and after (bottom panel) application of stimulus. Note the corresponding states of the flexor and extensor cells in each condition, which implies that the extensor cells are the primary effector of pulvinus bending. (e) Cartoon illustrating turgor changes in an extensor cell and the resulting shape changes of the cell as it changes between turgid (above) and flaccid (below) states; here, N denotes the cell nucleus. The primary ionic movements underlying these turgor changes are shown: when the leaves are mechanically simulated, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) dephosphorylating H$^{+}$ pumps (green) allow for the rapid outward flux of K$^{+}$ and Cl $^{-}$ ions, which in turn trigger outward osmotic movement of water. Tannin-rich vacuoles (TnV) store Ca$^{2+}$ to regulate K$^{+}$ flux. (d) and (e) are adpated from Ref. \cite{Scorza2011} and \cite{Poppinga2013} \label{Mimosa}}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[th]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.9\textwidth]{snapthrough.eps}
\end{center}
\caption{Shown is a diagram of ``snap-through" transition of the microlens structure. The surface of a concave microlens (b1) undergoes snap-through transition to a convex shape (b2) in $\sim$30 ms. Figure adapted from Ref. \cite{Holmes}. \label{snapthrough2}}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[th]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=1.0\textwidth]{Fig6.eps}
\end{center}
\caption{(a) Schematics of the bench-top experiments: two pieces of latex rubber sheets (blue and yellow) were pre-stretched
along perpendicular directions and a thicker elastic strip is sandwiched in-between. Upon release, the bonded multilayer
composite will deform into one of the following shapes in (b) to (e): (b) A saddle shape when the composite layer is narrow enough. (c)
A saddle shape when the composite layer is thick enough. (d) A stable, nearly cylindrical shape when the composite layer is wide and thin enough. (e) The other stable shape (bending upwards) for the same sheet as in (d). Figures \ref{Fig6}(a)
to \ref{Fig6}(e) are adapted from Ref. \cite{Chen2012}. (f) The robotic Venus flytrap (VFT) with a pair of lobes (traps), embedded
spine (copper roll), IPMC trigger fingers, and lead wires for sensing and actuation. (g) Schematics of a robotic VFT in
an open and closed configuration (adapted from Ref. \cite{Shahinpoor2011}). (h) Snap-buckling of the doubly curved hydrogel device by swelling of the lobes from solvent in the microfluidic channels. Note the characteristic shape changes and reversal of curvature that occur during actuation of the device. Scale bar indicates 100$\mu m$. Adapted from Ref. \cite{Lee}. \label{Fig6}}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[th]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=1.0\textwidth]{suntracker.eps}
\end{center}
\caption{(a) Un-actuated device with quarter section removed to reveal internal structure. (b) Full device in actuated state showing orientation towards the light source. Figure adapted from Ref. \cite{Dicker}. \label{suntracker}}
\end{figure}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


East Meadow, NY: The LIGBT kicked off Season 4 with an event at AMF East Meadow and attracted a great crowd of 103 entries. Courtney Harris, New York, NY, won his first LIGBT title by defeating second place finisher Ken Harrison, Queens, NY 272-243 (includes handicap.) Courtney earned $600 for his victory while Ken took home $300. A total of 23 bowlers advanced to the finals and shared $3,790 in prize money.
Courtney had a great tournament as he qualified with a 706 series (with handicap and bonus pins.) Courtney, who is a constant casher in LIGBT events, and finished second last month at the AMF Babylon Major, finally got his LIGBT Champions trophy after 32 qualifying squads. In the final shootout Courtney took control early and never relinquished the lead. His victory was solidified by the 8th frame.
Ken Harrison was the high qualifier from the first squad with a 768 and was seeded directly into the final shootout. Joe Muscat, Melville, NY was the high qualifier for the second squad with an 806 and received 1 bye. Jae M Yi, Flushing, NY was the high six game series by a non-qualifier with a 1406 and was added to the finals.
Syosset, NY: Pinacle Events, owners of the Long Island Generations Bowling Tour (LIGBT), has released a 21 event schedule for its fourth season. All events will be held on Sunday with squads at 1pm and 3pm except for two-day major competitions. All events will now be handicap (90% of 230) with all amateurs averaging 230 & under welcomed.
Eligibility for LIGBT events has changed as no PBA members will be allowed and anyone that has ever won a regional or national PBA title also excluded. LIGBT amateur scratch members, who averaged over 230 in league may still compete as long as they averaged under 210 in LIGBT events (minimum 21 games.) Approximately 30 scratch LIGBT members will now be restricted to special scratch events only.
LIGBT's change to handicap only events was due to the rapid decline in scratch entries. With deep regrets Steve Sanders announced the elimination of regular scratch tournaments. "We started the LIGBT as mainly a scratch competition and for the first two seasons we had wonderful turnouts. But as the economy soured, and events were being dominated by several bowlers, entries declined to a point where it didn't make sense to continue." We will still hold a few scratch tournament each season and we are glad most of our scratch members will be eligible to compete in the handicap tournaments.
The LIGBT will be visiting 10 different centers in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. There will be an average of two tournaments per month with one per month during the summer. All tournaments will have a 1 in 5 cashing ratio with everyone making the finals guaranteed $100. Top prizes each week will pay a minimum of $500 & $250 and will grow higher with 80 entries or more. Entry fees will remain at $60 for the first entry and will be discounted to $40 for all re-entries. New to season 4 events are women and senior bonuses plus a new wild card finalist which places the bowler (with the highest 6-game series) that entered both squads and didn't make the finals directly into round 1. Also new is a final insurance option where anyone paying an extra $10 and missing the finals by 5 pins or less will advance and guaranteed $100. LIGBT Season 4 kicks off on Sunday, September 25th at AMF East Meadow. Visit www.ligbtour.com for complete information on the upcoming season. The LIGBT is sponsored by Columbia 300, Station Casinos, Kegel, Randi B. Siegel Law Firm, and Digital Motion. To speak with someone in the LIGBT office please call 1.877.900.6464.
Babylon, NY: LIGBT's third season came to a close with its 2-day major tournament at AMF Babylon. A total of 200 entries packed the center and after 5 qualifying squads and 4 rounds of finals Sam Cooke and Adam Chase stood as LIGBT Major Champions each earning $1,000.
Adam Chase, Seaford, NY won his 8th LIGBT title by defeating Steve Chiarella, Staten Island, NY 167 to 162 in the final match. Steve earned $500 for second. Although the final match was low scoring Steve shot a 279 and Adam shot a 259 in the semi-finals to advance to the shootout. Adam also had the highest qualifying series of the tournament with a 1033 four game series.
Once again the LIGBT crowned another first time handicap champion. Sam Cooke, Patchogue, NY had "the best tournament of his life." Sam shot a 765 series which made him the high qualifier for the day (earning him 2 byes). In the final shootout Sam rolled a 269 handicap game to win the title by 18 pins. Finishing second and earning $500 was Courtney Harris, of New York, NY with a 251. Rounding out the handicap top 5 was third place finisher George Stephens, Lawrence, NY who shot a 224 earning him $250, fourth, worth $225, went to Wayne Garvey, Manchester, CT with a 218 and fifth was taken by James Campitiello, Holtsville, NY who shot a 198 and earned $200.
Compete details of the LIGBT Babylon Major is available at www.ligbtour.com. LIGBT's Season 4 Schedule will be released in the next few weeks. SAVE THE DATE OF SEPTEMBER 25TH as this is the day the LIGBT will be kicking off its fourth season. The LIGBT is sponsored by Columbia 300, Kegel, CLS Upholsterers, Randi B Siegel Law Office, Sunset Station Casinos and the Mini-Eliminator.


text:
Randolph Schwabe: scholarly artist, meticulous draughtsman and influential teacher
Posted 17 May 2011, by Gill Clarke
Head of an Old Woman
Randolph Schwabe (1885–1948)
Manchester Art Gallery
The Square, Swindon	1947
Swindon Museum and Art Gallery
Frederick Gold Rogers	1927
Braintree District Museum
Randolph Schwabe was 'a scholarly artist', meticulous draughtsman and an influential teacher. His ceaseless delight and interest in all that surrounded him meant that he was seldom without a sketch book and sharp pencil poised, or a pen charged with his specially made brown Stephens' ink. Whatever the medium, his approach was one of thoroughness and acute perception. Such an approach is reflected in his paintings represented on Art UK.
'Suffer the little children to come unto me' 1905
UCL Culture
This is particularly evident in his early prize-winning composition Suffer the little children to come unto me (UCL Art Museum, University College London), completed in 1905 when a student at the Slade School of Art. Schwabe shared the £25 award for the best Summer Composition with Ian Strang. Of all the prizes this was the most prestigious – it was seen as the final test of a student's accomplishment. Schwabe studied at the Slade from 1900 to 1906, having transferred from the Royal College of Art after what he described as three 'inglorious and unhappy months'.
Also in the UCL collection is Schwabe's portrait of the eminent physician and past president of the Royal College of Physicians of London Sir John Rose Bradford (1863–1935).
Sir John Rose Bradford (1863–1935) 1938
Schwabe completed this posthumous portrait (from a photograph) in 1938 while Professor and Principal of the Slade – a post he had been appointed to in 1930 following the retirement of Henry Tonks. Schwabe worked intermittently on the portrait over several months and completed it in early October 1938.
Schwabe's two oil paintings of women's wartime work, completed during 1918–1919, are important documentary records and worthy of detailed comment. Schwabe was contacted in March 1918 by Alfred Yockney, from the Ministry of Information, to ascertain if he were free of military obligations and could put aside any private work to undertake work for the Ministry. Schwabe agreed (he had been rejected for service in the armed forces owing to his weak heart, frail physique and uncertain health), and was subsequently employed as an official war artist. He was tasked with undertaking a series of drawings and paintings of 'Women on the Land'.
The Women's Land Army and German Prisoners 1918
IWM (Imperial War Museums)
The Women's Land Army and German Prisoners was the first painting Schwabe completed as a war artist. He records German prisoners of war assisting Land Girls with making a straw stack after the corn has been threshed in the late summer of 1918, probably at Rushden Farm, some three miles from Podington, Northamptonshire. The composition is noteworthy, particularly the close proximity of the Land Girl to the German soldier, as the Government had prohibited their working alongside Land Army women, and the LAAS (Land Army Agricultural Section) Handbook required recruits to promise 'to avoid communication of any sort with German prisoners'. Prisoners of war were an important source of labour during the last two years of the war. The number of them employed increased markedly and, by autumn 1918, 30,000 were gathering in the harvest.
Voluntary Land Workers in a Flax Field, Podington, Northamptonshire 1919
As part of Schwabe's commission he completed a large painting entitled Voluntary Land Workers in a Flax Field, Podington, Northamptonshire in a studio on Kings Road, Chelsea. The flax camp was in Podington, one of several in Northamptonshire, as flax culture had been revived to supply the demands of aeroplane manufacture and specifically fabric to cover the aircraft's wings. Schwabe shows women tying the flax plants in small sheaves by twisting a few stems round them just below the seed bolls, while others stook them in much the same way as wheat. In the background is their camp of old army camouflaged bell tents supplied by the War Office, in which seven girls would be accommodated for about two months – the women being under semi-military discipline.
Both oil paintings form part of the Imperial War Museums collection.
Portrait of a Lady 1905–1925
Schwabe gradually gave up painting in oils and concentrated more on drawing with pen, pencil and watercolour.
Dr Gill Clarke, Visiting Professor at the University of Chichester
Rediscovering Evelyn Dunbar's lost works at Pallant House Gallery
E. H. Shepard and the First World War
Frank Brangwyn's 'Mater Dolorosa Belgica'
How not to be seen: the war art of Joseph Gray
The Royal Watercolour Society: a brief history
Looking for solace: C. R. W. Nevinson and Futurism
Christopher Nevinson's 'He Gained a Fortune but He Gave a Son'
From Bradford to Benares: the art of William Rothenstein
Masters of the red-brick wall: L. S. Lowry and C. J. Holmes
Avoid working with children and animals: Robert Organ's 'Portraits and Self Portraits, the Uffculme Children'
The genius of the place: Mark Gertler
Derbyshire Museum Loans Service: the roadshow's final stop
Allan Gwynne-Jones' 'Peaches in a Basket'
Clara Klinghoffer: the girl who drew like Raphael and Leonardo
Under fire: William Rothenstein's war memorial designs
In praise of teachers: the art and writing of Evelyn Gibbs
The Square, Swindon 1947
Frederick Gold Rogers 1927


Removable Wrist Strap – never leave your wallet on the counter again!
Roomy Interior …lined with matching solid fabric …cell phones & checkbooks fit so well!
Fusion Leaf Purple: Transparent leaves in rich hennas and winter tans floating over a deep royal purple ground. Stylish & goes with so much!


God will use my gifts and skills for his glory, in Jesus name. Amen.
We all have unique gifts and skills designed to advance the kingdom of God and better our lives. Unfortunately, only very few people recognize their gifts, and fewer people put their gifts to good use.
I personally believe that if every Christian out there functioned effectively in their gifts, the world would be so afraid of us because of how we excel. Unfortunately, we seem to be stuck with binding the devil and struggling to get our daily needs met that we don't even have time to question the special gifts and skills God gave us. We end up like the guy in Jesus' parable who went and hid his talent out of fear (Matthew 25:14-30).
The Message Bible translated the word talents into money here because these talents equal to money. If we recognize our gifts, skills and talents, they will not just advance the kingdom, they will also advance our lives economically. That is why I believe that this call to consecration is not complete without us praying to wake up our gifts, skills, and callings.
Matthew 25: 14-30 (MSG) – It's also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master's investment. The second did the same. But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and ….
1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV) – 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Heavenly Father, give me wisdom to recognize the gifts and talents you have blessed me with, in Jesus name.
Lord, grant me opportunities and open doors this year to put my gifts into profitable use, for Your kingdom advancement and for my betterment, in Jesus name.
May all my buried and undiscovered gifts begin to manifest today by the fire of the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus Christ.
O Lord, I dedicate and consecrate my gifts, skills and talents to You. I recognize that You are the creator and giver of all good gifts. May I only become what You have designed me to become and may my gifts and skills glorify Your name on this earth, in Jesus name.
This year, I will bear fruits that bring glory to Jesus Christ, for God has called me to bear fruits. So I will not be barren. My life will be fruitful, both spiritually and physically. Through my gifts and skills, God's kingdom will go forward. Through my gifts, my generation will be blessed, in Jesus name.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I decree that I will not leave this world without fully making use of all the gifts and callings that God has given to me. This world will be blessed through my life, gifts and talents, in Jesus name.
May every attack on my gifts and skills, designed to frustrate and keep me unfulfilled cease today, in the name of Jesus Christ.
I command all my gifts, skills and talents to wake up from this day forward, and begin to speak loudly, in Jesus name.
I command every spirit of fear, indiscipline, and laziness, projected to keep my gifts and skills from speaking out, to lose their grips on me from this day forward. I set myself free from all forms of limitations against my gifts and skills, and decree that I will henceforth excel in what God has empowered me to do and become, in Jesus name.
I thank God Almighty for making to participate in this ongoing 10 day programme. Thank you sir for this wonderful teaching with great insight and powerful revelations on every single topic. This programme for me is life transforming.
I would like to thank you for sending me this information. God bless you!!!!
I THANK GOD FOR THE GRACE AND ENABLEMENT TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE TEN(10) DAYS VESSEL OF HONOUR PRAYERS. I AM AMAZED BY WHAT GOD IS DOING IN MY LIFE. IT IS ONLY THE 8TH DAY, BEFORE THE 10 DAYS ARE OVER, I SHALL SHARE MY TESTIMONY ON THIS PLATFORM IN JESUS NAME. THANK SIR FOR THIS DIVINE TEACHINGS. I AM INDEED GRATEFUL. LOOKING FORWARD TO SHARE THIS WITH MY BRETHREN. MULTIPLIED GRACE SIR. GLORY TO GOD. FRASHIA NJOROGE – NAKURU, KENYA.
Thanks very much for sharing. Much appreciated!!


text:
New stats out: Private prison populations up 120%. Lobbyists paying $6 million+ to state officials.
Michelle	 June 26, 2011	 3 Comments
New report in from Dailykos.com, "Private prison companies boost incarceration rates for profit"
A new report from the reformist Justice Policy Institute concludes that private prison companies have not only benefited from increased incarceration, they have also helped fuel it.
According to Gaming the System: How the Political Strategies of Private Prison Companies Promote Ineffective Incarceration Policies, private prisons have increased their "market share" of the overall prison population. While the number of inmates over the past decade has risen 16 percent, the number in private federal facilities has risen 120 percent and the number in state facilities has risen 33 percent. Meanwhile, the two largest private prison operators, Correction Corporations of America and GEO Group (formerly Wackenhut), raked in a combined $2.9 billion in revenue in 2010.
While private prison companies may try to present themselves as just meeting existing 'demand' for prison beds and responding to current 'market' conditions, in fact they have worked hard over the past decade to create markets for their product. As revenues of private prison companies have grown over the past decade, the companies have had more resources with which to build political power, and they have used this power to promote policies that lead to higher rates of incarceration. …
While private prison companies may claim that changes in criminal justice legislation are "outside our control," they are in fact engaged in a number of activities aimed at increasing their control of the market; this includes applying political pressure to lawmakers, working to influence elections, and building relationships within agencies or with government officials to directly formulate policy. …
In order to ensure that they have a stable or increasing 'market share' of incarceration (and therefore increasing revenue), private prison companies engage in a political game to influence policy and incarceration. Over the last two decades private prison companies have developed a three-pronged approach to influence incarceration policy and secure government contracts. Through campaign contributions, lobbying and building relationships and associations, private prison companies engage in an aggressive political strategy to influence criminal justice policies in ways that lead to more people in prison and more money in their pockets. …
One way to do that is to make direct, monetary contributions to political campaigns for elected officials and specific policies.
How much? A bundle. In the past five election cycles, the three biggest companies in the private prison industry have contributed $835,514 to federal candidates and $6,092,331 to state politicians. Democrats received 31.8 percent of the money, Republicans got 59.1 percent, and 8.7 percent went to ballot measures, according to the institute.
Lobbying is a big part of the industry's approach. CCA had 41 lobbyists in just three states—Tennessee, Nevada and Florida—from 2003 to 2010. The institute found it impossible to track all the money spent on lobbying at the state level by these companies as a consequence of widely differing disclosure laws. With the arrival of the Citizens United ruling, that task will not become easier.
The "revolving door" also benefits the private prison industry, with many former government officials joining prison companies the same way ex-colonels and ex-generals join the weapons industry upon retirement, and for the same reason: influence among their former colleagues. It works in the other direction, too, of course. One example cited in the institute's report is Stacia Hylton, director of the United States Marshals Service.
In 2010, Hylton started a private prison consulting firm, called
Hylton Kirk and Associates, while still working at the Department of Justice as the Federal Detention Trustee. After retiring from the trustee position, Hylton agreed to a consulting contract with The GEO Group worth $112,500.90. As Director of the U.S. Marshals, Hylton will head an agency that has a long-standing contractual relationship with The GEO Group. In 2010, the U.S. Marshal's accounted for 19 percent of GEO's revenue. With Hylton in a position to oversee government contracts with private prisons, the ongoing influence of private prison companies in the public sphere is virtually guaranteed.
One of the key claims of the prison industry is that private is cheaper. That may be true in some instances, but studies by the Government Accountability Office, the National Institute of Justice and the University of Utah have found no cost savings. Often, this is because the private companies fail to mention hidden costs of their operations and make low-ball estimates of their expected overhead when bidding on a new prison. The one place they regularly beat the public sector is the speed with which they typically build a prison.
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text:
The Illinois Civil War General Who Helped Create Memorial Day
A few years after the Civil War, as the nation started upon its long road toward reconciliation, Memorial Day was created.
A few years after the Civil War, as the nation started upon its long road toward reconciliation, rebuilding, and healing the wife of one of the war's union generals noticed the touching devotion of Confederate widows, wives and their children as each year they came together to place flowers and little flags at the graves of their fallen. Mary Simmerson Cunningham Logan was so moved by the devotion she witnessed that she urged her husband, Illinois General John A. "Blackjack" Logan, to look into creating what was to become Memorial Day.
General Logan was a Senator from Illinois and eventually became a candidate for Vice President on the 1884 Republican ticket, losing to Grover Cleveland and another Illinoisan, Vice President Adlai Stevenson. But before all that Logan was instrumental in creating Decoration Day, the celebration of the nation's war dead that eventually became Memorial Day.
The following is the general order that Logan issued in 1868.
HEADQUARTERS GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
General Orders No.11, WASHINGTON, D.C., May 5, 1868
The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet church-yard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.
We are organized, comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose among other things, "of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together the soldiers, sailors, and marines who united to suppress the late rebellion." What can aid more to assure this result than cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead, who made their breasts a barricade between our country and its foes? Their soldier lives were the reveille of freedom to a race in chains, and their deaths the tattoo of rebellious tyranny in arms. We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed grounds. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.
If other eyes grow dull, other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain to us.
Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan.
It is the purpose of the Commander-in-Chief to inaugurate this observance with the hope that it will be kept up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades. He earnestly desires the public press to lend its friendly aid in bringing to the notice of comrades in all parts of the country in time for simultaneous compliance therewith.
Department commanders will use efforts to make this order effective.
By order of
JOHN A. LOGAN,
Commander-in-Chief
N.P. CHIPMAN,
Adjutant General
WM. T. COLLINS, A.A.G.
Today, America takes the time to remember those who served and died in service to our country and it is fitting that the holiday was born of both a re-united South and North after our bloodiest war.
Please enjoy your Memorial Day and say a prayer for the souls of our fallen heroes.
Related Topics:FeaturedHISTORYmemorial day
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Coimbatore : Protesting against the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all ages to the hill shrine of Sabarimala, Coimbatore Sree Ayyappa Seva Sangham is organising a massive procession here on October 13.
Over 25,000 devotees, including women, were expected to participate in the procession through the main thoroughfare, covering nearly 5 km, chanting traditional 'saranam Ayyappa', Sangham president K K Ramachandran said.
The Sangham and devotees wanted to follow the age-old tradition at the hills, restricting the entry of female between the age of 10 and 50 years, he said in a statement here on Thursday.