WASHINGTON ? Al-Qaida's affiliate in Iraq has been severely weakened by a money squeeze, internal squabbling, a shortage of volunteer suicide bombers and more effective Iraqi efforts to snatch the terror group's foreign recruits when they slip across the border from Syria, a senior U.S. general said Thursday.
Maj. Gen. David Perkins, commander of the Army's 4th Infantry Division and of all U.S. forces in northern Iraq, said al-Qaida has suffered a "dramatic decrease" in local and foreign fundraising, to the point where members of the group are fighting over shrinking pieces of the financial pie.
"We are seeing, instead of foreign aid coming in, in large amounts, they're resorting to what I would call extortion, black marketing, robbery of jewelry stores, things like that," Perkins told reporters in a video link to the Pentagon from his base in Tikrit. "And it's devolving more into almost gang mafia-type activities. ... And so they are starting to, in some instances, turn against each other, which from our point of view is a good sign."
Northern Iraq, and particularly the city of Mosul and the Tigris River valley area, has for years been a hub for al-Qaida in Iraq.
Now, with U.S. forces preparing to leave Iraq, al-Qaida has become more of a criminal enterprise than a terrorist group, Perkins said. He asserted that U.S.-trained Iraqi army and police forces are getting better at using intelligence leads to capture and otherwise contain al-Qaida elements.
"Where we see that manifest itself is a dramatic decrease in numbers of attacks, especially your typical al-Qaida signature attacks, spectacular attacks, ones with a large amount of suicide folks involved," he said. "We see now more vehicle-borne explosive devices that are parked and detonated versus being driven and detonated, which means they're having a hard time getting people who are true believers to actually be the suicide folks."
Perkins said he has seen no clear evidence that the decline in numbers of foreign fighters crossing the border from Syria is connected to a 6-month-old anti-government uprising in Syria. He said Iraqi security forces have gotten better at border protection, in part because they are sharing intelligence more effectively.
Perkins also said that most of the 5,000 U.S. troops based in northern Iraq will be gone by the end of October. All U.S. forces are to leave by the end of the year, under a 2008 U.S.-Iraq agreement, although the two sides are now discussing the possibility of keeping some troops in Iraq beyond 2011.
In a reminder that northern Iraq remains dangerous, a U.S. soldier was killed there Thursday. Perkins offered no details of the death beyond saying the soldier was preparing to go out on an operation when he was killed by "indirect fire," meaning a rocket or mortar attack. It was the first U.S. combat death in Iraq since July.
___
Robert Burns can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/robertburnsAP
Cannon Beach Real Estate | Discovering Antigua ? salvana :D
Cannon Beach Real Estate | Discovering Antigua
If you have never been to Antigua then you are in for a real treat. Not only does it have fabulous beaches, apparently 365, one for each day of the year, but it also has a very interesting history. There are many signs all over the island where you can discover how such a small island in the middle of the Caribbean has developed over the ages and in fact its quite significant effect on the history, not only of the Caribbean but also to the rest of the world. I have put together some interesting facts which will, I hope, encourage you to take a more in depth look into this beautiful tropical island.
Nelson?s Dockyard in English Harbour
In 1889 Nelson?s dockyard was abandoned by the Royal Navy until 1961 when it was restored. Today you can visit a conglomeration of old stone warehouses, workshops and quarters filled with hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops and a museum. Around ten restored buildings are there, along with ruined forts and historical artifacts which still reflect its naval heritage. It retains its nautical charm with private yachts replacing Naval vessels in the harbour all year round. Thanks to its restoration it is now the only Georgian dockyard in the world and English Harbour is still a favourite port for those making the long Atlantic crossing.
English Harbour, Antigua?s graceful and evocative historic district, is focused on the fifteen square miles of Nelson?s Dockyard National Park. Developed as a base for the British Navy in the great age of sail, the harbour served as the headquarters of the fleet of the Leeward Islands during the turbulent years of the late 18th century.
Almost all of the park?s other sites of interest overlook the harbour. The closest of these is Clarence House, a residence built for the future King William IV (1765-1837) when he served under Nelson as captain of the H.M.S. Pegasus.
Clarence House
Clarence House can be found on a low hill overlooking Nelson?s Dockyard. It was originally built by English stonemasons to act as living quarters for Prince William Henry, later known as Duke of Clarence. The future king stayed at Clarence House when he was in command of the Pegasus in 1787. At present it?s the country home of the Governor of Antigua and Barbuda and is open to visitors when his Excellency is not in residence. A caretaker will show you on a little tour where you can see various pieces of furniture on loan from the National Trust. Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon stayed here on their honeymoon.
Shirley Heights
This rambling array of gun emplacements and military buildings is best known today for its absolutely breathtaking view, reaching right out over English Harbour. On Sundays this amazing view is accompanied by barbecue, rum punch, and free afternoon/evening concerts by reggae or steel bands, popular with locals and visitors alike. The site is named after General Shirley, Governor of the Leeward Islands when the area was fortified in the late eighteenth century. Nearby is the cemetery, in which an obelisk stands, erected in honour of the soldiers of the 54th regiment.
Sea View Farm Village
Antiguan folk pottery dates back at least to the early 18th century, when slaves fashioned cooking vessels from local clay. Today, folk pottery is fashioned in a number of places around Antigua, but the centre of this cottage industry is Sea View Farm Village. The clay is collected from pits located nearby, and the wares are fired in an open fire, under layers of green grass, in the yards of the potters? houses. Folk pottery can be purchased at outlets in the village as well as at a number of stores around the island. Buyers should be aware that Antiguan folk pottery breaks rather easily in cold environments.
Harmony Hall Art Gallery
Harmony Hall, in Brown?s Bay at Nonsuch Bay, is the centre of the Antiguan arts community, with exhibitions changing throughout the year. The annual highlights, both of which taken place in November, are the Craft Fair and the Antigua Artist?s Exhibition. Harmony Hall is built around a sugar mill tower. The tower itself has been converted to a bar and provides its patrons with one of the island?s best panoramic views, including a fine prospect of Nonsuch Bay.
St. John?s
St. John?s, the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda. It is dominated by the magnificently evocative white baroque towers of St. John?s Cathedral. St John?s Cathedral, originally built in 1683, has been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times. The figures of St John the Baptist and St John the Divine were supposedly taken from one of Napoleon?s ships. Built in 1845, the church is now in its third re-generation, as earthquakes in 1683 and in 1745 destroyed the previous structures. For those visitors arriving in Antigua by boat each year, (approximately half of the islands visitors), their first sight are the towers of St. John?s Cathedral. St. John?s recently completed cruise ship dock and several hotels has added to this already lively hub for shopping and dining.
For those interested in finding out about the early history of the island, there is the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda, housed in the colonial Court House (1750). The museum displays both Arawak and colonial artefacts recovered on archaeological digs on the islands. It also features a life-size replica of an Arawak house, models of sugar plantations and other exhibits.
Take time out either on Friday or Saturday morning and visit the vibrant farmers market on the southern edge of the city. At these markets be prepared to find folk crafts, colourful tropical fruits, and a buzzing crowd, everything you need to make it a lively and interesting Antiguan morning.
Museum of Antigua and Barbuda
This delightful museum tells the story of Antigua and Barbuda from its geological birth through the present day. A cool oasis in the middle of St. John?s, the museum contains a wide variety of fascinating objects and exhibits, ranging from a life-size replica of an Arawak dwelling to the bat of Viv Richards, one of the greatest cricket players of all time.
Betty?s Hope Sugar Plantation
In 1674 Sir Christopher Codrington was granted this estate by the English Crown. Arriving from Barbados, convinced that sugar would be the most important crop in the future, he named the estate after his daughter Betty, and his ?hope? was that he had made the right decision. The success of Betty?s Hope, the first large sugar plantation on Antigua, led to the island?s rapid development of large-scale sugar production. Although the only surviving structures are two stone sugar mills and the remains of the stillhouse, the site?s importance in Antiguan history has prompted the government to begin developing it as an open air museum. You will find about a hundred stone windmill towers dotted all over the Antiguan landscape.
As other large plantations, Betty?s Hope was both an agricultural and industrial enterprise employing a large number of people. It was supervised by a handful of European managers. Hundreds and hundreds of African lived out their lives on plantations such as this, initially as slaves, then as labourers after emancipation in 1834. Steadfastly contending with the hardship of cultivating and processing the sugar, under exhausting conditions, they developed great skills as craftsmen, boilers and distillers. This gave Betty?s hope its reputation for excellence lasting to this very day.
Today Betty?s Hope has been restored. The cane crushing machinery is in working order with new wings and sails reconstructed to the original specifications. A former cotton house storeroom has been converted into a visitor centre/museum. It includes the various aspects of the plantations history showing early estate plans, pictures and maps, artefacts and a model of the central site giving an overview of ?Betty?s Hope?. Other information such as how sugar and rum were produced long ago can also be found. The cost of admission is $2 US per person.
As you will see when you visit Betty?s Hope, the two restored examples, of these towers, provide a dramatic sense of the way these mills must have dominated the island during the hundreds of years when sugar production was the dominant industry.
Potworks Dam/Reservoir
Surrounded by an area of natural beauty, Potworks Dam holds the largest artificial lake on Antigua. The dam holds about one billion gallons of water and provides protection for Antigua in case of a drought. This expanse of freshwater is reputed to be the largest in the Eastern Caribbean. When full it is a mile long and half a mile wide. The western edge is great for bird-watching.
Indian Town
On the north-eastern point of Antigua there is a remote wild area known as Indian Town Point. As of yet the reason for its name is unknown and to date there have been no Indian archaeological remains found on this peninsula. In 1950 the area was legally constituted as a National Park. It is surrounded by numerous blowholes spouting surf, an absolutely amazing sight indeed. One local legend is that if you throw two eggs into the hole, the Devil will keep one and throw back the other. Indian Town is an environmentally protected area that lies at the tip of a deep cove, Indian Town Creek. The park fronts the Atlantic Ocean at Long Bay, just west of Indian Town Creek on the eastern side of Antigua. A large, grassy headland, around Devil?s Bridge, makes a great spot for a picnic.
Devils Bridge
Over the centuries, Atlantic Ocean breakers have lashed against the rocks and carved a natural bridge known as Devil?s Bridge. This name comes from an old myth foretelling of many mass suicides occurring among slaves in despair. At their very end they would go there and toss themselves over. There is an incredible example of sea-water erosion within the park. Geologically, Devil?s Bridge is a natural arch carved by the sea into the soft and hard limestone ledges of the Antigua formation ? a geological division of the flat north-eastern part of Antigua. Devil?s Bridge has been created over countless centuries by the action of rough Atlantic Ocean breakers crashing continuously against the limestone shoreline and causing this erosion.
A 104 year old Antiguan patriot, Sammy Smith, had the answer. In a quote from his memoirs ?To shoot Hard Labour? he says:
?On the east coast of the island is the famous Devil?s Bridge. Devil?s Bridge was called so because a lot of slaves from the neighbouring estates use to go there and throw themselves overboard. That was an area of mass suicide, so people use to say the Devil has to be there. The waters around Devil?s Bridge are always rough and anyone fall over the bridge never come out alive?.
Devils Bridge is definitely worth a visit. It is surrounded by both the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. In fact you can easily see where they both meet and witness those deep swells and raging waters which crash continuously into Devils Bridge most of the year.
Many people visit this sight and some, those who are more daring, or really rather silly, actually try to walk across the bridge. It is not advisable to do this. Should you fall into the Ocean, it would be near impossible, as you can imagine, escaping the currents without serious injury. There are, of course, various stories of people who have fallen in and never escaped. Although many of these may be fictional, it is better to be safe rather than sorry!
Devils bridge area is mostly rock with some surrounding greenery and a small bay to one side. There is usually quite a strong breeze to keep you cool, but please be aware that this can make the strength of the sun deceiving. If you are patient you will be able to get some stunning photos of the waves splashing up against the bridge. This is definitely nature working its magic to create an incredibly exciting and beautiful landscape.
Fort James
Fort James was built in the first half of the 18th century. This picturesque bastion was intended to guard St. John?s harbour. Today the walls are still in excellent condition, and even a few of the cannons are still intact. However, the main attraction of Fort James today is the incredible views to be seen of the surrounding harbour. Nearby is Heritage Quay, comprising of a hotel, four duty-free shops, restaurants and a casino, all part of the newest development in downtown St John?s.
Dow?s Hill Interpretation Centre
Dow?s Hill Interpretation Centre is located just 2 ? miles from the Dockyard. This centre is quite unique in the Caribbean. It uses multimedia presentations, covering six periods of the islands history, including the era of Amerindian hunters, the era of the British military, and the struggles connected with slavery. The centre is open daily from 9am to 5pm.
Fig Tree Drive
Fig Tree Drive is one of Antigua?s most picturesque drives. The road meanders from the low central plain of the island up into the ancient volcanic hills of the Parish of Saint Mary in the island?s southwest quarter. This none-too-smooth road passes through an area of lush vegetation and rainforest and rises to the steep farmlands around Fig Tree Hill (figs are what Antiguans call bananas) before descending to the coastline again. Along the way you will pass banana, mango, and coconut groves, as well as a number of old sugar mills and pleasant little churches.
Green Castle Hill
The ?megaliths? that initially drew curious visitors to Green Castle Hill are almost certainly geologic features, but they are no less impressive and picturesque for being natural features. Apart from these impressive ?megaliths? Green Castle Hill also provides an excellent view of the island?s interior, including both the south-western volcanic mass (of which it is a part) and the interior plain. (Due south of St. John?s, btw. Jennings and Emanuel).
Great Bird Island
Take an excursion to Great Bird Island from Dickenson Bay. Glass-bottomed boats afford leisurely views of the reef, and a restored pirate ship sails around the island and takes passengers for day or evening trips, with food, drink and entertainment included.
Half Moon Bay/Long Bay
Half Moon Bay is a popular national park; it is 1.6km (1 mile) long and renowned as one of Antigua?s most beautiful beaches. Nearby Long Bay is protected by a reef, shallow enough to walk to, making it ideal for holidaying families.
Barbuda
Visit the less-developed Barbuda for its wild beauty, deserted beaches and heavily wooded interior abounding in wildlife. The main village, Codrington, sits on the edge of a lagoon and its inhabitants rely largely on the sea for their existence. The Frigate Bird Sanctuary, home to over 5,000 frigate birds, is also here.
Redonda
For even more solitude and greater eccentricity, stop over at Redonda, an uninhabited rocky islet, about 56km (35 miles) northeast of Antigua. The island is famous for its unusual monarchy and small population of burrowing owls, a bird now extinct on Antigua.
Well I hope that this article will have inspired you to take a look at this fascinating island, for its diversity as well as its incredible beaches, warm seas and beautiful landscapes. For luxury villas in which to stay and enjoy this wonderful island check out
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If you have never been to Antigua then you are in for a real treat. Not only does it have fabulous beaches, apparently 365, one for each day of the year, but it also has a very interesting history. There are many signs all over the island where you can discover how such a small island in the middle of the Caribbean has developed over the ages and in fact its quite significant effect on the history, not only of the Caribbean but also to the rest of the world. I have put together some interesting facts which will, I hope, encourage you to take a more in depth look into this beautiful tropical island.
Nelson?s Dockyard in English Harbour
In 1889 Nelson?s dockyard was abandoned by the Royal Navy until 1961 when it was restored. Today you can visit a conglomeration of old stone warehouses, workshops and quarters filled with hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops and a museum. Around ten restored buildings are there, along with ruined forts and historical artifacts which still reflect its naval heritage. It retains its nautical charm with private yachts replacing Naval vessels in the harbour all year round. Thanks to its restoration it is now the only Georgian dockyard in the world and English Harbour is still a favourite port for those making the long Atlantic crossing.
English Harbour, Antigua?s graceful and evocative historic district, is focused on the fifteen square miles of Nelson?s Dockyard National Park. Developed as a base for the British Navy in the great age of sail, the harbour served as the headquarters of the fleet of the Leeward Islands during the turbulent years of the late 18th century.
Almost all of the park?s other sites of interest overlook the harbour. The closest of these is Clarence House, a residence built for the future King William IV (1765-1837) when he served under Nelson as captain of the H.M.S. Pegasus.
Clarence House
Clarence House can be found on a low hill overlooking Nelson?s Dockyard. It was originally built by English stonemasons to act as living quarters for Prince William Henry, later known as Duke of Clarence. The future king stayed at Clarence House when he was in command of the Pegasus in 1787. At present it?s the country home of the Governor of Antigua and Barbuda and is open to visitors when his Excellency is not in residence. A caretaker will show you on a little tour where you can see various pieces of furniture on loan from the National Trust. Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon stayed here on their honeymoon.
Shirley Heights
This rambling array of gun emplacements and military buildings is best known today for its absolutely breathtaking view, reaching right out over English Harbour. On Sundays this amazing view is accompanied by barbecue, rum punch, and free afternoon/evening concerts by reggae or steel bands, popular with locals and visitors alike. The site is named after General Shirley, Governor of the Leeward Islands when the area was fortified in the late eighteenth century. Nearby is the cemetery, in which an obelisk stands, erected in honour of the soldiers of the 54th regiment.
Sea View Farm Village
Antiguan folk pottery dates back at least to the early 18th century, when slaves fashioned cooking vessels from local clay. Today, folk pottery is fashioned in a number of places around Antigua, but the centre of this cottage industry is Sea View Farm Village. The clay is collected from pits located nearby, and the wares are fired in an open fire, under layers of green grass, in the yards of the potters? houses. Folk pottery can be purchased at outlets in the village as well as at a number of stores around the island. Buyers should be aware that Antiguan folk pottery breaks rather easily in cold environments.
Harmony Hall Art Gallery
Harmony Hall, in Brown?s Bay at Nonsuch Bay, is the centre of the Antiguan arts community, with exhibitions changing throughout the year. The annual highlights, both of which taken place in November, are the Craft Fair and the Antigua Artist?s Exhibition. Harmony Hall is built around a sugar mill tower. The tower itself has been converted to a bar and provides its patrons with one of the island?s best panoramic views, including a fine prospect of Nonsuch Bay.
St. John?s
St. John?s, the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda. It is dominated by the magnificently evocative white baroque towers of St. John?s Cathedral. St John?s Cathedral, originally built in 1683, has been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times. The figures of St John the Baptist and St John the Divine were supposedly taken from one of Napoleon?s ships. Built in 1845, the church is now in its third re-generation, as earthquakes in 1683 and in 1745 destroyed the previous structures. For those visitors arriving in Antigua by boat each year, (approximately half of the islands visitors), their first sight are the towers of St. John?s Cathedral. St. John?s recently completed cruise ship dock and several hotels has added to this already lively hub for shopping and dining.
For those interested in finding out about the early history of the island, there is the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda, housed in the colonial Court House (1750). The museum displays both Arawak and colonial artefacts recovered on archaeological digs on the islands. It also features a life-size replica of an Arawak house, models of sugar plantations and other exhibits.
Take time out either on Friday or Saturday morning and visit the vibrant farmers market on the southern edge of the city. At these markets be prepared to find folk crafts, colourful tropical fruits, and a buzzing crowd, everything you need to make it a lively and interesting Antiguan morning.
Museum of Antigua and Barbuda
This delightful museum tells the story of Antigua and Barbuda from its geological birth through the present day. A cool oasis in the middle of St. John?s, the museum contains a wide variety of fascinating objects and exhibits, ranging from a life-size replica of an Arawak dwelling to the bat of Viv Richards, one of the greatest cricket players of all time.
Betty?s Hope Sugar Plantation
In 1674 Sir Christopher Codrington was granted this estate by the English Crown. Arriving from Barbados, convinced that sugar would be the most important crop in the future, he named the estate after his daughter Betty, and his ?hope? was that he had made the right decision. The success of Betty?s Hope, the first large sugar plantation on Antigua, led to the island?s rapid development of large-scale sugar production. Although the only surviving structures are two stone sugar mills and the remains of the stillhouse, the site?s importance in Antiguan history has prompted the government to begin developing it as an open air museum. You will find about a hundred stone windmill towers dotted all over the Antiguan landscape.
As other large plantations, Betty?s Hope was both an agricultural and industrial enterprise employing a large number of people. It was supervised by a handful of European managers. Hundreds and hundreds of African lived out their lives on plantations such as this, initially as slaves, then as labourers after emancipation in 1834. Steadfastly contending with the hardship of cultivating and processing the sugar, under exhausting conditions, they developed great skills as craftsmen, boilers and distillers. This gave Betty?s hope its reputation for excellence lasting to this very day.
Today Betty?s Hope has been restored. The cane crushing machinery is in working order with new wings and sails reconstructed to the original specifications. A former cotton house storeroom has been converted into a visitor centre/museum. It includes the various aspects of the plantations history showing early estate plans, pictures and maps, artefacts and a model of the central site giving an overview of ?Betty?s Hope?. Other information such as how sugar and rum were produced long ago can also be found. The cost of admission is $2 US per person.
As you will see when you visit Betty?s Hope, the two restored examples, of these towers, provide a dramatic sense of the way these mills must have dominated the island during the hundreds of years when sugar production was the dominant industry.
Potworks Dam/Reservoir
Surrounded by an area of natural beauty, Potworks Dam holds the largest artificial lake on Antigua. The dam holds about one billion gallons of water and provides protection for Antigua in case of a drought. This expanse of freshwater is reputed to be the largest in the Eastern Caribbean. When full it is a mile long and half a mile wide. The western edge is great for bird-watching.
Indian Town
On the north-eastern point of Antigua there is a remote wild area known as Indian Town Point. As of yet the reason for its name is unknown and to date there have been no Indian archaeological remains found on this peninsula. In 1950 the area was legally constituted as a National Park. It is surrounded by numerous blowholes spouting surf, an absolutely amazing sight indeed. One local legend is that if you throw two eggs into the hole, the Devil will keep one and throw back the other. Indian Town is an environmentally protected area that lies at the tip of a deep cove, Indian Town Creek. The park fronts the Atlantic Ocean at Long Bay, just west of Indian Town Creek on the eastern side of Antigua. A large, grassy headland, around Devil?s Bridge, makes a great spot for a picnic.
Devils Bridge
Over the centuries, Atlantic Ocean breakers have lashed against the rocks and carved a natural bridge known as Devil?s Bridge. This name comes from an old myth foretelling of many mass suicides occurring among slaves in despair. At their very end they would go there and toss themselves over. There is an incredible example of sea-water erosion within the park. Geologically, Devil?s Bridge is a natural arch carved by the sea into the soft and hard limestone ledges of the Antigua formation ? a geological division of the flat north-eastern part of Antigua. Devil?s Bridge has been created over countless centuries by the action of rough Atlantic Ocean breakers crashing continuously against the limestone shoreline and causing this erosion.
A 104 year old Antiguan patriot, Sammy Smith, had the answer. In a quote from his memoirs ?To shoot Hard Labour? he says:
?On the east coast of the island is the famous Devil?s Bridge. Devil?s Bridge was called so because a lot of slaves from the neighbouring estates use to go there and throw themselves overboard. That was an area of mass suicide, so people use to say the Devil has to be there. The waters around Devil?s Bridge are always rough and anyone fall over the bridge never come out alive?.
Devils Bridge is definitely worth a visit. It is surrounded by both the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. In fact you can easily see where they both meet and witness those deep swells and raging waters which crash continuously into Devils Bridge most of the year.
Many people visit this sight and some, those who are more daring, or really rather silly, actually try to walk across the bridge. It is not advisable to do this. Should you fall into the Ocean, it would be near impossible, as you can imagine, escaping the currents without serious injury. There are, of course, various stories of people who have fallen in and never escaped. Although many of these may be fictional, it is better to be safe rather than sorry!
Devils bridge area is mostly rock with some surrounding greenery and a small bay to one side. There is usually quite a strong breeze to keep you cool, but please be aware that this can make the strength of the sun deceiving. If you are patient you will be able to get some stunning photos of the waves splashing up against the bridge. This is definitely nature working its magic to create an incredibly exciting and beautiful landscape.
Fort James
Fort James was built in the first half of the 18th century. This picturesque bastion was intended to guard St. John?s harbour. Today the walls are still in excellent condition, and even a few of the cannons are still intact. However, the main attraction of Fort James today is the incredible views to be seen of the surrounding harbour. Nearby is Heritage Quay, comprising of a hotel, four duty-free shops, restaurants and a casino, all part of the newest development in downtown St John?s.
Dow?s Hill Interpretation Centre
Dow?s Hill Interpretation Centre is located just 2 ? miles from the Dockyard. This centre is quite unique in the Caribbean. It uses multimedia presentations, covering six periods of the islands history, including the era of Amerindian hunters, the era of the British military, and the struggles connected with slavery. The centre is open daily from 9am to 5pm.
Fig Tree Drive
Fig Tree Drive is one of Antigua?s most picturesque drives. The road meanders from the low central plain of the island up into the ancient volcanic hills of the Parish of Saint Mary in the island?s southwest quarter. This none-too-smooth road passes through an area of lush vegetation and rainforest and rises to the steep farmlands around Fig Tree Hill (figs are what Antiguans call bananas) before descending to the coastline again. Along the way you will pass banana, mango, and coconut groves, as well as a number of old sugar mills and pleasant little churches.
Green Castle Hill
The ?megaliths? that initially drew curious visitors to Green Castle Hill are almost certainly geologic features, but they are no less impressive and picturesque for being natural features. Apart from these impressive ?megaliths? Green Castle Hill also provides an excellent view of the island?s interior, including both the south-western volcanic mass (of which it is a part) and the interior plain. (Due south of St. John?s, btw. Jennings and Emanuel).
Great Bird Island
Take an excursion to Great Bird Island from Dickenson Bay. Glass-bottomed boats afford leisurely views of the reef, and a restored pirate ship sails around the island and takes passengers for day or evening trips, with food, drink and entertainment included.
Half Moon Bay/Long Bay
Half Moon Bay is a popular national park; it is 1.6km (1 mile) long and renowned as one of Antigua?s most beautiful beaches. Nearby Long Bay is protected by a reef, shallow enough to walk to, making it ideal for holidaying families.
Barbuda
Visit the less-developed Barbuda for its wild beauty, deserted beaches and heavily wooded interior abounding in wildlife. The main village, Codrington, sits on the edge of a lagoon and its inhabitants rely largely on the sea for their existence. The Frigate Bird Sanctuary, home to over 5,000 frigate birds, is also here.
Redonda
For even more solitude and greater eccentricity, stop over at Redonda, an uninhabited rocky islet, about 56km (35 miles) northeast of Antigua. The island is famous for its unusual monarchy and small population of burrowing owls, a bird now extinct on Antigua.
Well I hope that this article will have inspired you to take a look at this fascinating island, for its diversity as well as its incredible beaches, warm seas and beautiful landscapes. For luxury villas in which to stay and enjoy this wonderful island check out http://www.lushlocations.com
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Cannon Beach Real Estate | Discovering Antigua ? salvana :D
Cannon Beach Real Estate | Discovering Antigua
If you have never been to Antigua then you are in for a real treat. Not only does it have fabulous beaches, apparently 365, one for each day of the year, but it also has a very interesting history. There are many signs all over the island where you can discover how such a small island in the middle of the Caribbean has developed over the ages and in fact its quite significant effect on the history, not only of the Caribbean but also to the rest of the world. I have put together some interesting facts which will, I hope, encourage you to take a more in depth look into this beautiful tropical island.
Nelson?s Dockyard in English Harbour
In 1889 Nelson?s dockyard was abandoned by the Royal Navy until 1961 when it was restored. Today you can visit a conglomeration of old stone warehouses, workshops and quarters filled with hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops and a museum. Around ten restored buildings are there, along with ruined forts and historical artifacts which still reflect its naval heritage. It retains its nautical charm with private yachts replacing Naval vessels in the harbour all year round. Thanks to its restoration it is now the only Georgian dockyard in the world and English Harbour is still a favourite port for those making the long Atlantic crossing.
English Harbour, Antigua?s graceful and evocative historic district, is focused on the fifteen square miles of Nelson?s Dockyard National Park. Developed as a base for the British Navy in the great age of sail, the harbour served as the headquarters of the fleet of the Leeward Islands during the turbulent years of the late 18th century.
Almost all of the park?s other sites of interest overlook the harbour. The closest of these is Clarence House, a residence built for the future King William IV (1765-1837) when he served under Nelson as captain of the H.M.S. Pegasus.
Clarence House
Clarence House can be found on a low hill overlooking Nelson?s Dockyard. It was originally built by English stonemasons to act as living quarters for Prince William Henry, later known as Duke of Clarence. The future king stayed at Clarence House when he was in command of the Pegasus in 1787. At present it?s the country home of the Governor of Antigua and Barbuda and is open to visitors when his Excellency is not in residence. A caretaker will show you on a little tour where you can see various pieces of furniture on loan from the National Trust. Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon stayed here on their honeymoon.
Shirley Heights
This rambling array of gun emplacements and military buildings is best known today for its absolutely breathtaking view, reaching right out over English Harbour. On Sundays this amazing view is accompanied by barbecue, rum punch, and free afternoon/evening concerts by reggae or steel bands, popular with locals and visitors alike. The site is named after General Shirley, Governor of the Leeward Islands when the area was fortified in the late eighteenth century. Nearby is the cemetery, in which an obelisk stands, erected in honour of the soldiers of the 54th regiment.
Sea View Farm Village
Antiguan folk pottery dates back at least to the early 18th century, when slaves fashioned cooking vessels from local clay. Today, folk pottery is fashioned in a number of places around Antigua, but the centre of this cottage industry is Sea View Farm Village. The clay is collected from pits located nearby, and the wares are fired in an open fire, under layers of green grass, in the yards of the potters? houses. Folk pottery can be purchased at outlets in the village as well as at a number of stores around the island. Buyers should be aware that Antiguan folk pottery breaks rather easily in cold environments.
Harmony Hall Art Gallery
Harmony Hall, in Brown?s Bay at Nonsuch Bay, is the centre of the Antiguan arts community, with exhibitions changing throughout the year. The annual highlights, both of which taken place in November, are the Craft Fair and the Antigua Artist?s Exhibition. Harmony Hall is built around a sugar mill tower. The tower itself has been converted to a bar and provides its patrons with one of the island?s best panoramic views, including a fine prospect of Nonsuch Bay.
St. John?s
St. John?s, the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda. It is dominated by the magnificently evocative white baroque towers of St. John?s Cathedral. St John?s Cathedral, originally built in 1683, has been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times. The figures of St John the Baptist and St John the Divine were supposedly taken from one of Napoleon?s ships. Built in 1845, the church is now in its third re-generation, as earthquakes in 1683 and in 1745 destroyed the previous structures. For those visitors arriving in Antigua by boat each year, (approximately half of the islands visitors), their first sight are the towers of St. John?s Cathedral. St. John?s recently completed cruise ship dock and several hotels has added to this already lively hub for shopping and dining.
For those interested in finding out about the early history of the island, there is the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda, housed in the colonial Court House (1750). The museum displays both Arawak and colonial artefacts recovered on archaeological digs on the islands. It also features a life-size replica of an Arawak house, models of sugar plantations and other exhibits.
Take time out either on Friday or Saturday morning and visit the vibrant farmers market on the southern edge of the city. At these markets be prepared to find folk crafts, colourful tropical fruits, and a buzzing crowd, everything you need to make it a lively and interesting Antiguan morning.
Museum of Antigua and Barbuda
This delightful museum tells the story of Antigua and Barbuda from its geological birth through the present day. A cool oasis in the middle of St. John?s, the museum contains a wide variety of fascinating objects and exhibits, ranging from a life-size replica of an Arawak dwelling to the bat of Viv Richards, one of the greatest cricket players of all time.
Betty?s Hope Sugar Plantation
In 1674 Sir Christopher Codrington was granted this estate by the English Crown. Arriving from Barbados, convinced that sugar would be the most important crop in the future, he named the estate after his daughter Betty, and his ?hope? was that he had made the right decision. The success of Betty?s Hope, the first large sugar plantation on Antigua, led to the island?s rapid development of large-scale sugar production. Although the only surviving structures are two stone sugar mills and the remains of the stillhouse, the site?s importance in Antiguan history has prompted the government to begin developing it as an open air museum. You will find about a hundred stone windmill towers dotted all over the Antiguan landscape.
As other large plantations, Betty?s Hope was both an agricultural and industrial enterprise employing a large number of people. It was supervised by a handful of European managers. Hundreds and hundreds of African lived out their lives on plantations such as this, initially as slaves, then as labourers after emancipation in 1834. Steadfastly contending with the hardship of cultivating and processing the sugar, under exhausting conditions, they developed great skills as craftsmen, boilers and distillers. This gave Betty?s hope its reputation for excellence lasting to this very day.
Today Betty?s Hope has been restored. The cane crushing machinery is in working order with new wings and sails reconstructed to the original specifications. A former cotton house storeroom has been converted into a visitor centre/museum. It includes the various aspects of the plantations history showing early estate plans, pictures and maps, artefacts and a model of the central site giving an overview of ?Betty?s Hope?. Other information such as how sugar and rum were produced long ago can also be found. The cost of admission is $2 US per person.
As you will see when you visit Betty?s Hope, the two restored examples, of these towers, provide a dramatic sense of the way these mills must have dominated the island during the hundreds of years when sugar production was the dominant industry.
Potworks Dam/Reservoir
Surrounded by an area of natural beauty, Potworks Dam holds the largest artificial lake on Antigua. The dam holds about one billion gallons of water and provides protection for Antigua in case of a drought. This expanse of freshwater is reputed to be the largest in the Eastern Caribbean. When full it is a mile long and half a mile wide. The western edge is great for bird-watching.
Indian Town
On the north-eastern point of Antigua there is a remote wild area known as Indian Town Point. As of yet the reason for its name is unknown and to date there have been no Indian archaeological remains found on this peninsula. In 1950 the area was legally constituted as a National Park. It is surrounded by numerous blowholes spouting surf, an absolutely amazing sight indeed. One local legend is that if you throw two eggs into the hole, the Devil will keep one and throw back the other. Indian Town is an environmentally protected area that lies at the tip of a deep cove, Indian Town Creek. The park fronts the Atlantic Ocean at Long Bay, just west of Indian Town Creek on the eastern side of Antigua. A large, grassy headland, around Devil?s Bridge, makes a great spot for a picnic.
Devils Bridge
Over the centuries, Atlantic Ocean breakers have lashed against the rocks and carved a natural bridge known as Devil?s Bridge. This name comes from an old myth foretelling of many mass suicides occurring among slaves in despair. At their very end they would go there and toss themselves over. There is an incredible example of sea-water erosion within the park. Geologically, Devil?s Bridge is a natural arch carved by the sea into the soft and hard limestone ledges of the Antigua formation ? a geological division of the flat north-eastern part of Antigua. Devil?s Bridge has been created over countless centuries by the action of rough Atlantic Ocean breakers crashing continuously against the limestone shoreline and causing this erosion.
A 104 year old Antiguan patriot, Sammy Smith, had the answer. In a quote from his memoirs ?To shoot Hard Labour? he says:
?On the east coast of the island is the famous Devil?s Bridge. Devil?s Bridge was called so because a lot of slaves from the neighbouring estates use to go there and throw themselves overboard. That was an area of mass suicide, so people use to say the Devil has to be there. The waters around Devil?s Bridge are always rough and anyone fall over the bridge never come out alive?.
Devils Bridge is definitely worth a visit. It is surrounded by both the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. In fact you can easily see where they both meet and witness those deep swells and raging waters which crash continuously into Devils Bridge most of the year.
Many people visit this sight and some, those who are more daring, or really rather silly, actually try to walk across the bridge. It is not advisable to do this. Should you fall into the Ocean, it would be near impossible, as you can imagine, escaping the currents without serious injury. There are, of course, various stories of people who have fallen in and never escaped. Although many of these may be fictional, it is better to be safe rather than sorry!
Devils bridge area is mostly rock with some surrounding greenery and a small bay to one side. There is usually quite a strong breeze to keep you cool, but please be aware that this can make the strength of the sun deceiving. If you are patient you will be able to get some stunning photos of the waves splashing up against the bridge. This is definitely nature working its magic to create an incredibly exciting and beautiful landscape.
Fort James
Fort James was built in the first half of the 18th century. This picturesque bastion was intended to guard St. John?s harbour. Today the walls are still in excellent condition, and even a few of the cannons are still intact. However, the main attraction of Fort James today is the incredible views to be seen of the surrounding harbour. Nearby is Heritage Quay, comprising of a hotel, four duty-free shops, restaurants and a casino, all part of the newest development in downtown St John?s.
Dow?s Hill Interpretation Centre
Dow?s Hill Interpretation Centre is located just 2 ? miles from the Dockyard. This centre is quite unique in the Caribbean. It uses multimedia presentations, covering six periods of the islands history, including the era of Amerindian hunters, the era of the British military, and the struggles connected with slavery. The centre is open daily from 9am to 5pm.
Fig Tree Drive
Fig Tree Drive is one of Antigua?s most picturesque drives. The road meanders from the low central plain of the island up into the ancient volcanic hills of the Parish of Saint Mary in the island?s southwest quarter. This none-too-smooth road passes through an area of lush vegetation and rainforest and rises to the steep farmlands around Fig Tree Hill (figs are what Antiguans call bananas) before descending to the coastline again. Along the way you will pass banana, mango, and coconut groves, as well as a number of old sugar mills and pleasant little churches.
Green Castle Hill
The ?megaliths? that initially drew curious visitors to Green Castle Hill are almost certainly geologic features, but they are no less impressive and picturesque for being natural features. Apart from these impressive ?megaliths? Green Castle Hill also provides an excellent view of the island?s interior, including both the south-western volcanic mass (of which it is a part) and the interior plain. (Due south of St. John?s, btw. Jennings and Emanuel).
Great Bird Island
Take an excursion to Great Bird Island from Dickenson Bay. Glass-bottomed boats afford leisurely views of the reef, and a restored pirate ship sails around the island and takes passengers for day or evening trips, with food, drink and entertainment included.
Half Moon Bay/Long Bay
Half Moon Bay is a popular national park; it is 1.6km (1 mile) long and renowned as one of Antigua?s most beautiful beaches. Nearby Long Bay is protected by a reef, shallow enough to walk to, making it ideal for holidaying families.
Barbuda
Visit the less-developed Barbuda for its wild beauty, deserted beaches and heavily wooded interior abounding in wildlife. The main village, Codrington, sits on the edge of a lagoon and its inhabitants rely largely on the sea for their existence. The Frigate Bird Sanctuary, home to over 5,000 frigate birds, is also here.
Redonda
For even more solitude and greater eccentricity, stop over at Redonda, an uninhabited rocky islet, about 56km (35 miles) northeast of Antigua. The island is famous for its unusual monarchy and small population of burrowing owls, a bird now extinct on Antigua.
Well I hope that this article will have inspired you to take a look at this fascinating island, for its diversity as well as its incredible beaches, warm seas and beautiful landscapes. For luxury villas in which to stay and enjoy this wonderful island check out
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Study shows heifers don't have to be pigs at the feed bunkPublic release date: 28-Sep-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Evelyn Boswell evelynb@montana.edu 406-994-5135 Montana State University
BOZEMAN, Mont. -- Heifers being prepared for breeding don't have to eat like pigs, stuffing themselves at all-you-can-eat feed bunks with unlimited refills, according to scientists at a Montana State University experiment station.
Researchers at the Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory at Miles City, Mont., conducted a two-year study that showed that heifers can safely eat 20 percent less during the seven months between weaning and breeding. They won't suffer from reduced rations, and producers save $21 per animal. Industry-wide savings would be significant -- especially in drought areas -- if producers adopted the practice.
"With the cost of fuel and the cost of production increasing, more and more people are open to more ideas. This is one tool producers can put in their toolbox," said Richard Waterman, research animal scientist who headed the study.
Waterman and five Fort Keogh colleagues recently published their findings in the British Journal of Nutrition, one of the premier journals devoted to animal nutrition.
The researchers conducted their study with 32 heifers born to mothers that were fed harvested feed from the middle to end of their pregnancies. Each heifer was half Red Angus, a quarter Charolais and a quarter Tarentais. All the animals belonged to the Fort Keogh beef herd.
The scientists divided the heifers into two groups and fed them in confinement during the development period between weaning and breeding, Waterman said. Young cows, commonly called heifers, are weaned at seven months and bred for the first time when they're 14 to 16 months old. Animals in one group for the study ate all they wanted. Their feed bunks were never empty. Animals in the other group ate 80 percent as much feed as heifers of a common weight.
The researchers found that heifers with unlimited feed grew faster than the calves on reduced rations, but the heifers that ate less used their feed more efficiently. It took less feed for them to gain a pound, Waterman said.
Montana State University Extension Beef Specialist John Paterson, a professor in MSU's Department of Animal and Range Sciences, said producers have traditionally thought that heifers needed to reach 65 percent of their full body size by the time they were bred for the first time, but the study disputes that. It shaved the percentage to about 55 percent, meaning that heifers could be lighter at breeding.
The study showed strong evidence to support its findings about reducing feeding, Paterson said.
"If you are in Texas and you are paying $300 a ton for hay, a 20 percent savings in forage is huge," he commented. "That's a huge savings especially in a drought environment where you are trying to save feed, or hay is really expensive."
Neither Waterman nor Paterson said they could predict if producers will decide to reduce the amount of feed delivered to heifers based on this study. Paterson said Montana beef producers treat their animals very well, so, if they have plenty of rain and hay, they may decide to continue feeding their animals all they want.
But producers who live in Texas, New Mexico and other states currently hit by drought may be relieved to learn they won't hurt their heifers by feeding them less during the development stage, Paterson said.
Researchers in the Fort Keogh study came to their findings, in part, by administering two tests that measure how efficiently a heifer turns feed into energy. One test was a glucose tolerance test, and the other was an acetate irreversible loss test. Acetate -- a secondary energy source for cows -- is produced by fermentation in the rumen. One goal of the study was to see how fast the acetate disappeared from the blood stream and was used for energy.
The scientists administered the two tests at the end of the 140-day development period and again when the heifers were pregnant with their second calves. During the second test, the heifers were no longer in confinement, but they were grazing dormant forage on rangeland. A previous Fort Keogh study found that animals use nutrients differently depending on the time of year, Waterman said. The worst time is fall and winter, when range forage is dormant. Nutrients at that time can't enter the heifers' cells as efficiently as at other times.
Waterman said the heifer study was unique and valuable to producers for a couple of reasons. For one, it was part of a long-term beef productivity study that Fort Keogh scientists started in 2002. For another, the study included the treatment of the heifers when they were fetuses.
###
Members of the Fort Keogh team that conducted the heifer nutrition study, in addition to Waterman, were Andrew Roberts, Thomas Geary, Elaine Grings (now at the International Livestock Research Institute in Nigeria), Leeson Alexander and Michael MacNeil.
Fort Keogh is a USDA-Agriculture Research Service rangeland beef cattle research facility. It is run in cooperation with the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, an agriculture research component of MSU.
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Study shows heifers don't have to be pigs at the feed bunkPublic release date: 28-Sep-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Evelyn Boswell evelynb@montana.edu 406-994-5135 Montana State University
BOZEMAN, Mont. -- Heifers being prepared for breeding don't have to eat like pigs, stuffing themselves at all-you-can-eat feed bunks with unlimited refills, according to scientists at a Montana State University experiment station.
Researchers at the Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory at Miles City, Mont., conducted a two-year study that showed that heifers can safely eat 20 percent less during the seven months between weaning and breeding. They won't suffer from reduced rations, and producers save $21 per animal. Industry-wide savings would be significant -- especially in drought areas -- if producers adopted the practice.
"With the cost of fuel and the cost of production increasing, more and more people are open to more ideas. This is one tool producers can put in their toolbox," said Richard Waterman, research animal scientist who headed the study.
Waterman and five Fort Keogh colleagues recently published their findings in the British Journal of Nutrition, one of the premier journals devoted to animal nutrition.
The researchers conducted their study with 32 heifers born to mothers that were fed harvested feed from the middle to end of their pregnancies. Each heifer was half Red Angus, a quarter Charolais and a quarter Tarentais. All the animals belonged to the Fort Keogh beef herd.
The scientists divided the heifers into two groups and fed them in confinement during the development period between weaning and breeding, Waterman said. Young cows, commonly called heifers, are weaned at seven months and bred for the first time when they're 14 to 16 months old. Animals in one group for the study ate all they wanted. Their feed bunks were never empty. Animals in the other group ate 80 percent as much feed as heifers of a common weight.
The researchers found that heifers with unlimited feed grew faster than the calves on reduced rations, but the heifers that ate less used their feed more efficiently. It took less feed for them to gain a pound, Waterman said.
Montana State University Extension Beef Specialist John Paterson, a professor in MSU's Department of Animal and Range Sciences, said producers have traditionally thought that heifers needed to reach 65 percent of their full body size by the time they were bred for the first time, but the study disputes that. It shaved the percentage to about 55 percent, meaning that heifers could be lighter at breeding.
The study showed strong evidence to support its findings about reducing feeding, Paterson said.
"If you are in Texas and you are paying $300 a ton for hay, a 20 percent savings in forage is huge," he commented. "That's a huge savings especially in a drought environment where you are trying to save feed, or hay is really expensive."
Neither Waterman nor Paterson said they could predict if producers will decide to reduce the amount of feed delivered to heifers based on this study. Paterson said Montana beef producers treat their animals very well, so, if they have plenty of rain and hay, they may decide to continue feeding their animals all they want.
But producers who live in Texas, New Mexico and other states currently hit by drought may be relieved to learn they won't hurt their heifers by feeding them less during the development stage, Paterson said.
Researchers in the Fort Keogh study came to their findings, in part, by administering two tests that measure how efficiently a heifer turns feed into energy. One test was a glucose tolerance test, and the other was an acetate irreversible loss test. Acetate -- a secondary energy source for cows -- is produced by fermentation in the rumen. One goal of the study was to see how fast the acetate disappeared from the blood stream and was used for energy.
The scientists administered the two tests at the end of the 140-day development period and again when the heifers were pregnant with their second calves. During the second test, the heifers were no longer in confinement, but they were grazing dormant forage on rangeland. A previous Fort Keogh study found that animals use nutrients differently depending on the time of year, Waterman said. The worst time is fall and winter, when range forage is dormant. Nutrients at that time can't enter the heifers' cells as efficiently as at other times.
Waterman said the heifer study was unique and valuable to producers for a couple of reasons. For one, it was part of a long-term beef productivity study that Fort Keogh scientists started in 2002. For another, the study included the treatment of the heifers when they were fetuses.
###
Members of the Fort Keogh team that conducted the heifer nutrition study, in addition to Waterman, were Andrew Roberts, Thomas Geary, Elaine Grings (now at the International Livestock Research Institute in Nigeria), Leeson Alexander and Michael MacNeil.
Fort Keogh is a USDA-Agriculture Research Service rangeland beef cattle research facility. It is run in cooperation with the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, an agriculture research component of MSU.
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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.
BILLINGS, Mont. ? The Obama administration is taking steps to extend new federal protections to a list of imperiled animals and plants that reads like a manifest for Noah's Ark ? from the melodic golden-winged warbler and slow-moving gopher tortoise, to the slimy American eel and tiny Texas kangaroo rat.
Compelled by a pair of recent legal settlements, the effort in part targets species that have been mired in bureaucratic limbo even as they inch toward potential extinction. With a Friday deadline to act on more than 700 pending cases, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service already has issued decisions advancing more than 500 species toward potential new protections under the Endangered Species Act.
Observers said the agency's actions mark a breakthrough for a program long criticized by conservatives and liberals alike as cumbersome and slow. But most of the decisions made under the current settlements are preliminary, and a key Republican congressman has vowed to continue his efforts to cut the program's funding.
Still, said Patrick Parenteau, an environmental law professor at the Vermont Law School, "Here at a single glance, you see the sweep of the Endangered Species Act. They are moving through this large backlog at a fairly crisp clip now. This is the largest number of listing actions we've seen in a very long time, in decades."
The flurry of recent action could help revive President Barack Obama's standing among wildlife advocates upset over the administration's support for taking gray wolves off the endangered list in the Northern Rockies and Upper Great Lakes, among other issues.
But it also could set the stage for a new round of disputes pitting conservation against economic development. In the Southeast, for example, water supplies already stretched thin could be further limited by constraints resulting from a host of new fish, salamanders, turtles and other aquatic creatures eligible for protections.
That's likely to fuel a rising Republican backlash in Congress against the 37-year-old endangered species program. Earlier this year, citing restrictions against development and other activities, lawmakers unsuccessfully sought to strip the federal budget of money to list new species as threatened or endangered.
The administration is seeking $25 million for the listing program in 2012, an 11 percent increase.
U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, who chairs the appropriations subcommittee overseeing the program, plans to continue seeking to cut that money from the budget, his office said.
"Congress desperately needs to modernize the ESA (Endangered Species Act) to make it work," the Idaho Republican said in a statement. "Today the ESA is a tool for controlling land and water, not for preserving species."
Under the current settlements, only 12 new animals and plants have reached the final step and been added to the almost 1,400 species on the government's threatened and endangered list. Also, not every species made the cut to take the next step. Roughly 40 rejections have been meted out, including for plains bison, the giant Palouse earthworm of Idaho and Utah's Gila monster. Those rejections are subject to court challenges.
Also among species that advanced for further consideration are 35 snails from Nevada's Great Basin, 82 crawfish from the Southeast, 99 Hawaiian plants and a motley cast of butterflies, birds, fish, beetles, frogs, lizards, mussels and more from every corner of the country.
Some have languished for decades on a "candidate list" of species the government says warrant protection but that it lacks the resources to help.
Friday's deadline was established in a pair of settlements approved by U.S. District Judge Emmett Sullivan on Sept. 9. Those deals resolved multiple lawsuits brought against the Fish and Wildlife Service by two environmental groups, Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity and New Mexico-based WildEarth Guardians.
WildEarth Guardians' Mark Salvo said the agency's actions so far lend credence to claims that the affected species were in serious trouble.
"The science supports protecting these species," he said. "They were obviously in peril, and our agreement with the agency was intended to allow it to finally address these listings."
Fish and Wildlife Service director Dan Ashe praised the deal and referred to the Endangered Species Act as a "critical safety net for America's imperiled fish, wildlife and plants" in a statement provided by his office.
Agency spokeswoman Vanessa Kauffman said much of the work to comply with the settlements was well under way before the deals were finalized. The settlements also contained provisions aimed at limiting the number of petitions that can be filed by the two environmental groups if they want additional animals and plants considered for protections.
Kauffman said that would free up agency staff to spend more time on species recovery.
Noah Greenwald with the Center for Biological Diversity said the Fish and Wildlife Service was making "substantial progress."
"This is what we were looking for ? starting to move species out of the pipeline into listing, and getting more species into the pipeline to get them under consideration," he said.
Under the settlements, the Fish and Wildlife Service put off until later decisions on some of the more contentious species, including greater sage grouse, the Pacific walrus and Sonoran desert tortoise. Those could have wide-ranging implications for oil and gas drilling, grazing and, in the case of the walrus, potentially climate change policies.
Similar tensions have surfaced throughout the Endangered Species Act's history, from fights in the 1990s over the spotted owl and logging in the Pacific Northwest to recent clashes over how much undeveloped habitat threatened grizzly bears need to survive.
But there are ways to work through those conflicts, said Thomas Lovejoy, with the Heinz Center in Washington. A former biodiversity adviser to the World Bank, Lovejoy said the government has shown a willingness to be flexible with other protected species. He pointed to the red-cockaded woodpecker, found in 11 southern and south-central states, and said recovery was being achieved even as development continues, under deals that ensure enough habitat is protected elsewhere.
"The first thing that will happen is people will look at this and say, `Oh my God, the slender salamander, what is that going to do for us? Or Franklin's bumblebee, what is that going to do?'" Lovejoy said. "It's not in every example the government tightens the screws."
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Which?s a Targeted Choice Process?? As connected to prospecting, it is a course of action or system of defining whom you would want to get in touch with on and executing the due diligence of info procurement to understand who you are getting in touch with on and why you have picked them. It can be as easy as choosing an marketplace, selecting a company title out of the yellow pages, understanding the ideal level of get in touch with to contact on, and investigating a name which goes with the title.? Or it can be as complex as an expensive CRM (buyer partnership administration) pc for present customers, defining industry give of your product portfolio and routinely touching the present bottom to broaden the income pond.?
But right here?s which?s vital to realize.? Your Focused Selection Process is a separate part of your product sales method.? It stages by alone. But it is immediately allied with your other Sales efficiency indicators.? The scale of success you?ll possess in the organization of gross sales is proportional to raising and maintaining these success indicators to a level much more proficient than the marketplace norm.? And the advice you determine to journey is strategic to the consequence.? I get in touch with it the ?Playing Field?.? Due to the fact that?s where it all commences? it?s where the game begins.
Here?s which I mean.? There are generally (2) techniques in choosing your ?Enjoying Area?; a ?Bottom-up? strategy or a ?Top-down? method.? The following is an example of a Bottom-up method.? A Telecommunications rep initiates a telephone call into a company and asks the query ?Who address your telecommunications should??? Guess the place these folks are sent?? If you mentioned ?or hospitals manager? you guessed right.? If you said ?Head Janitor? you weren?t far off.
Is there anything ?wrong? with that?? Not genuinely; it?s legal and a lot of people on the web do it.? But let?s assume by means of it hope as a ?Organization man or woman? would.? Let?s study it as it relates to our sales course of action and particular person Key Overall performance Indicators (KPI); Conversation-to-appointment ratio, 1st appointment to Proposal ratio, Closing ratio, sales cycle and normal revenue per purchase.? Because these success indicators are gateways that immediately have an effect on the result of a gross sales course of action.
Do your KPI?s go up or lower with a bottom-up strategy?? Historically, a bottom-up method encourages a:
1.?1st appointment to Proposal ratio to lessen 2.?Closing ratio to lessen 3.?Product sales cycle to rise 4.?Regular money per sale to lower
Bottom series, you?ll be leaving time and cash on the table if you choose that Target approach. We?ll revisit the Conversation-to-appointment KPI in a minute.
At the various end of the Target spectrum is the ?Top-down? technique for obtaining a new Focused business appointment.? Let?s say that exact same telecommunications rep selected it strategy in prospecting for new organization.? The first stage in this approach is ?Research?; most due diligence prior to responing to the phone.
Activities like:
??Gathering a list of suitable sectors ??Assigning the best suitable degree of reach to every single account; by company measurement and industry ??Researching get in touch with title for each and every suitable name and account ??Studying which every single organization does to exist and prosper
That appears prefer a bit of work.? But which traditionally transpires with a ?Top-down? approach in series with sales performance KPI?s?
1.?1st appointment to Proposal ratio rises 2.?Closing ratio increases 3.?Product sales cycle decreases 4.?Common income per purchase will increase
OK.? We agree that?s a no-brainer.? So it all arrives lower to the 1st and foremost sales performance indicator, your Conversation-to-appointment ratio.? Which?s simply how quite a few times you carry out a dialogue with a goal prospective client versus how a lot of occasions you accomplish one.? And the nationwide regular on that KPI is between 4% and 18%; Top-down or Bottom up approach.? So it requires 10, 12 or 20 conversations to achieve 1 or 2 appointments.? And that?s many work.? In actual fact, JDH Organization team studies show gross sales individuals commit an regular of 50% of their time on prospecting activities, or regarding 22 hrs per week.
That prospects a wise person to the summary that one should concentrate on efficiencies in Prospecting.? And to safe individuals ?Competencies? one need to create a conversation ?system? in family with your business enterprise solutions, your ?Top-down? Likelihood perceptions and your competitive influences.? Not from a product/support angle, which?s ?selling? over the telephone.? But a communications methodology that lends alone to ?Organization acumen?; perception into which is strategic to your target prospective client?s organization objectives, what pains they are dealing with owing to recent activities or what transforms are as a horizon which may compel their current status quo.
Following is figuring out how to communicate to your ?Top-down? goal the prospective positive aspects of your product/support in terms applicable to their financial Key Efficiency Indicators; line products like ROI, IRR and Return Period.? Individuals are triumph indicators which businesses depend on to determine advancement toward their organizational goals.? It?s their ?Scorecard?.
So lesson number one.? When you?re approaching a goal level which has Funds authority; a Leader/Who was the owner of a modest company or a CFO/Controller of a medium size one, you?d far better be speaking terms in line with what they need to accomplish, not in a ?sales language? making a potential customer perception that you?re (1) don?t comprehend their company and (2) are simply attempting to make a living. From a 10,000 feet altitude, fully grasp and communicate what?s on your ?Top-down? target likelihood?s ?Entrance Burner? business enterprise targets?not clear at the time of in the freezer!
It is possible to choose not to accept the regular ?sales 101 enjoying field?.? Establish your person performance components (KPI?s) which are necessary to your triumph and develop or look for systems to elevate your competency ratios and efficiency efficiencies.? And begin your course of action by picking a ?Top-down Taking part in Discipline? and instructing on your own to their world.
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Public release date: 28-Sep-2011
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