Despite having launched a full battalion of Handycams back at CES, Sony left the adventurous crowd out by not introducing any ruggedized shooters. With that in mind, the Japanese outfit has taken the wraps off of its first waterproof (and dustproof) Handycam, which packs a mouthwatering 20.4-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor capable of 1080p video at 60fps. Staying true to its Handycam roots, the HDR-GW77V sports a 3-inch swivel screen while also offering 16GB of internal storage and a 10x optical zoom. Sony claims the camcorder can handle up to 16 feet of water as well as sustain a five-foot freefall. The HDR-GW77V will be hitting Japanese shelves late next month for 70,000 yen (around $860), and there's no word on when -- or if -- it'll make a trip outside its home turf.
San Francisco-based?Fingerprint Digital, a startup building educational apps for kids as well as a parent-child communication system for iOS apps, is doubling the size of its network today with the addition of a series of six new apps from French developer Happy Blue Fish Studio. The developer has chosen Fingerprint's in-app "Mom-Comm" system (as the company calls it) to enhance its "The Deskplorers" story-telling apps designed for ages 6 through 9. The newly added apps are focused on reading comprehension, problem solving, and foreign languages, while also taking kids through adventures in history.
Ryan Seacrest embarrassed his girlfriend, actress Julianne Hough, on Wednesday’s episode of “American Idol”. Seacrest mentioned to the audience that Hough spotted Phillips backstage, stating, [...]
Forget TVs. Want something more whimsical and lo-fi than Instagram? This is a digital camera made of cardboard that Ikea included with its press kit at this year's Milan Design Week. It runs on two AA batteries (Ikea-branded, natch) and features a swing-out USB plug, viewfinder cutout, shutter key and paperclip-friendly erase button. While there are no details on the sensor, lens or storage capacity, the camera holds up to 40 pictures. It's expected to land in Ikea stores at some point but exact pricing and availability are still a mystery. No matter -- this camera is sure to impress hipsters everywhere (and yes, that includes us). Awesome demo video after the break.
Bark beetle management and ecology in southern pine forestsPublic release date: 23-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Timothy D. Schowalter tschowalter@agcenter.lsu.edu 225-578-1634 Entomological Society of America
Integrated pest management techniques suggested for the management of bark beetles
Periodic outbreaks of bark beetles can cause annual losses of millions of dollars and pose serious challenges for forest managers, and the suppression of outbreaks is particularly difficult and expensive.
According to T. D. Schowalter, author of a new open-access article in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management called "Ecology and Management of Bark Beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in Southern Pine Forests," preventative measures are most effective in minimizing losses to these beetles, and several factors should be considered in planning bark beetle management in southern pine forests.
First, managers should consider the fact that the effects of these beetles on ecosystem services are not necessarily destructive and, in some cases, may contribute to management objectives in multiple-use forests. Second, these beetles are controlled naturally by environmental factors that can be manipulated through management practices.
The keys to managing bark beetles are maintaining a diversity of healthy, site-adapted tree species and adequate spacing between host trees.
The diversity of site-adapted tree species reduces the likelihood of beetle outbreaks because a mixture of tree species creates a more complex environment within which beetles must detect and reach suitable hosts.
Selective thinning of pine density also lowers the risk of beetle outbreaks by reducing resource availability for beetle populations, and by reducing competition between trees for water and nutrients, which can minimize or delay the effects of drought. In addition, thinning the trees creates a more open canopy, which reduces the effectiveness of pheromone communication between beetles.
###
The full article is availabe for free at http://bit.ly/Js5gWD.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/IPM11025
The Journal of Integrated Pest Management is an open-access, peer-reviewed, extension journal covering the field of integrated pest management. The intended readership for the journal is any professional who is engaged in any aspect of integrated pest management, including, but not limited to, crop producers, individuals working in crop protection, retailers, manufacturers and suppliers of pest management products, educators, and pest control operators.
JIPM is published by the Entomological Society of America, the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines. Founded in 1889, ESA today has more than 6,000 members affiliated with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry, and government. Members are students, researchers, teachers, extension service personnel, administrators, marketing representatives, research technicians, consultants, and hobbyists.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Bark beetle management and ecology in southern pine forestsPublic release date: 23-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Timothy D. Schowalter tschowalter@agcenter.lsu.edu 225-578-1634 Entomological Society of America
Integrated pest management techniques suggested for the management of bark beetles
Periodic outbreaks of bark beetles can cause annual losses of millions of dollars and pose serious challenges for forest managers, and the suppression of outbreaks is particularly difficult and expensive.
According to T. D. Schowalter, author of a new open-access article in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management called "Ecology and Management of Bark Beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in Southern Pine Forests," preventative measures are most effective in minimizing losses to these beetles, and several factors should be considered in planning bark beetle management in southern pine forests.
First, managers should consider the fact that the effects of these beetles on ecosystem services are not necessarily destructive and, in some cases, may contribute to management objectives in multiple-use forests. Second, these beetles are controlled naturally by environmental factors that can be manipulated through management practices.
The keys to managing bark beetles are maintaining a diversity of healthy, site-adapted tree species and adequate spacing between host trees.
The diversity of site-adapted tree species reduces the likelihood of beetle outbreaks because a mixture of tree species creates a more complex environment within which beetles must detect and reach suitable hosts.
Selective thinning of pine density also lowers the risk of beetle outbreaks by reducing resource availability for beetle populations, and by reducing competition between trees for water and nutrients, which can minimize or delay the effects of drought. In addition, thinning the trees creates a more open canopy, which reduces the effectiveness of pheromone communication between beetles.
###
The full article is availabe for free at http://bit.ly/Js5gWD.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/IPM11025
The Journal of Integrated Pest Management is an open-access, peer-reviewed, extension journal covering the field of integrated pest management. The intended readership for the journal is any professional who is engaged in any aspect of integrated pest management, including, but not limited to, crop producers, individuals working in crop protection, retailers, manufacturers and suppliers of pest management products, educators, and pest control operators.
JIPM is published by the Entomological Society of America, the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines. Founded in 1889, ESA today has more than 6,000 members affiliated with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry, and government. Members are students, researchers, teachers, extension service personnel, administrators, marketing representatives, research technicians, consultants, and hobbyists.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Actress Ashley Tisdale has apparently split from Martin Johnson, the lead singer of Boys Like Girls, and has been spotted with her ex-boyfriend Scott Speer. [...]
Keith Urbanhas made country-music history! The singer, who was born in New Zealand and raised in Australia, was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on April 21. The crooner is now the first performer from another continent to become a member of Nashville's venerable country music establishment.
Earth Day ? or any day ? is the peak time to be gardening with children, sowing the seeds of a lifelong habit.
With Earth Day upon us, not to mention the warmer and longer spring days, many of us have been heading into our gardens. Around much of the Northern Hemisphere, this is the peak time to sow some seeds into the ground, as well as plant a lifelong gardening habit into the children in our lives.
Skip to next paragraph Susan Sachs Lipman
Guest blogger
Susan Sachs Lipman is the author of "Fed Up with Frenzy: Slow Parenting in a Fast-Moving World," which grew out of her award-winning blog,?Slow Family Online. She is the social media director for the Children & Nature Network. Susan and her family enjoy gardening, hiking, soap crafting and food canning.
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Gardening helps families spend time together outdoors, take pride in growing our own food, and connect to others who have lived on the land before us. Even though gardening offers a bounty of simple wonder, beauty and fun for even the smallest children, it doesn?t hurt to employ a few methods for getting and keeping them especially engaged.
Here are some simple ways to maximize your child?s interest in the garden.
Are you a Helicopter Parent? Take our quiz!
Let children select some plants they want to grow.
Something magical happens when one has ownership of a project from its initial stages. When choosing plants, check that you have the right growing conditions for them to help ensure a successful experience. Planting information is available on seed packets and through garden-supply store folks, who are generally very helpful. You can choose seeds, young seedlings, or a combination of the two. Seeds are more cost-effective and can be especially rewarding and wondrous. Bedding plants of course give your garden instant color.
Some plants that come up quickly, and are easy to plant and grow, include nasturtiums, peas, sunflowers and beans.
(As an aside, my daughter always chose marigolds to plant, just like I did I when I was a kid. They?re so colorful and cheery and happen to be easy to grow from seedlings or seeds. Perhaps many children are drawn to bright marigolds.)
Chop chores into small blocks.
Kids can lose interest if the project seems daunting. Try to break up the tasks into doable chunks and over more than one session if necessary.
Make a sign that identifies the garden, area, or container as the child?s.
The sign can be as simple as a painted rock or as ambitious as a mosaic-tile kit from an art-supply store. If other people are sharing the garden, you can still identify different children?s plantings by putting each name on a wooden stick (available in bags at garden-supply stores) in permanent ink.
Create a fun space in the garden.
Create a hiding place with trellises or plantings, or plant a sunflower house by planting sunflowers in the shape of a large playhouse that you can later go inside. (Leave room for your door!) Designate a tree stump to serve as a table for tea parties, or decorate an area with whimsical objects you make or find. For instance, use pipe cleaners and beads to make simple butterflies, ladybugs, mushrooms and flowers, and then place them among the plants.
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We know Yanks using AT&T's network will be getting their own flavor of the HTC One X early next month, thus it's only appropriate for the neighbors up north to get a taste of the same smartphone medicine. Thanks to Rogers, those of you in Canada will be able to get your hands on this Sense 4, ICS-filled handset as soon as today. Rogers says HTC's One kin is coming as an exclusive to its shop, currently listing it for $169.99 on "select" three-year deals or $624.99 without any attachments. Keep in mind, this specific model's loaded with the Snapdragon S4 chip, which is slightly different than the One we reviewed a few weeks back. However, if all those cores don't make a difference to you, then all that's left to do is head to the source below and pull the trigger.
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Public release date: 23-Apr-2012
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