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Youth Culture - Punk 1980s-1990s

Image by brizzle born and bred
If you're a fierce individualist who has a bone to pick with the profit-driven world, you might be a punk. Don't be a punk just because you think it's cool. Punk is a mindset and you don't have to dress or look like anything or conform to a name. You can not be a blue collar and be punk.

Purchasing the hair products, the clothes, and the music; that's buying into society, which is exactly what punk is against. So know who you are, know the reason for the culture, and understand the meaning behind the word.

The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.

The punk subculture emerged in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia in the mid-1970s. Exactly which region originated punk has long been a major controversy within the movement.

Two UK punks in a train carriage in 1986; note the hand-stencilled Crass symbol painted on the coat of on the man on the rightEarly punk had an abundance of antecedents and influences, and Jon Savage has described the subculture as a "bricolage" of almost every previous youth culture that existed in the West since the Second World War "stuck together with safety pins".

Various philosophical, political, and artistic movements influenced the subculture. In particular, punk drew inspiration from several strains of modern art. Various writers, books, and literary movements were important to the formation of the punk aesthetic.

Punk rock has a variety of musical origins both within the rock and roll genre and beyond.

The earliest form of punk rock, named protopunk in retrospect, started as a garage rock revival in the northeastern United States in the late 1960s.

The first ongoing music scene that was assigned the punk label appeared in New York City between 1974 and 1976.

At about the same time or shortly afterward, a punk scene developed in London.

Soon after, Los Angeles became home to the third major punk scene.

These three cities formed the backbone of the burgeoning movement, but there were also other scenes in a number of cities such as Brisbane and Boston.

Around 1977, the subculture began to diversify with the proliferation of factions such as 2 Tone, Oi!, pop punk, New Wave, and No Wave. In the United States during the early 1980s, punk underwent a renaissance in the form of hardcore punk, which sought to do away with the frivolities introduced in the later years of the original movement, while at the same time Britain saw a parallel movement called streetpunk.

Hardcore and streetpunk then spread to other regions just as the original subculture had. In the mid-1980s to the early 1990s in America, various underground scenes either directly evolved from punk or at least applied its attitudes to new styles, in the process producing the alternative rock and indie music scenes.

A new movement in the United States became visible in the early and mid-1990s that sought to revive the punk movement, doing away with some of the trappings of hardcore.

Fashion

Punks seek to outrage others with the highly theatrical use of clothing, hairstyles, cosmetics, tattoos, jewelry and body modification.

Early punk fashion adapted everyday objects for aesthetic effect: ripped clothing was held together by safety pins or wrapped with tape; ordinary clothing was customized by embellishing it with marker or adorning it with paint; a black bin liner became a dress, shirt or skirt; safety pins and razor blades were used as jewelry.

Also popular have been leather, rubber, and vinyl clothing that the general public associates with transgressive sexual practices like bondage and S&M.

Punk fashion in the early 1980s

Some punks wear tight "drainpipe" jeans, plaid/tartan trousers, kilts or skirts, T-shirts, leather jackets (which are often decorated with painted band logos, pins and buttons, and metal studs or spikes), and footwear such as Converse sneakers, skate shoes, brothel creepers, or Dr. Martens boots.

Some early punks occasionally wore clothes displaying a Nazi swastika for shock-value, but most contemporary punks are staunchly anti-racist and are more likely to wear a crossed-out swastika symbol.

Some punks cut their hair into Mohawks or other dramatic shapes, style it to stand in spikes, and color it with vibrant, unnatural hues.

Some punks are anti-fashion, arguing that punk should be defined by music or ideology. This is most common in the post-1980s US hardcore punk scene, where members of the subculture often dressed in plain T-shirts and jeans, rather than the more elaborate outfits and spiked, dyed hair of their British counterparts.

Dance

Two dance styles associated with punk are pogo dancing and moshing. Stage diving and crowd surfing were originally associated with protopunk bands such as The Stooges, and have appeared at punk, metal and rock concerts. Ska punk promoted an updated version of skanking.

Hardcore dancing is a later development influenced by all of the above mentioned styles.

Psychobillies prefer to "wreck", a form of slam dancing that involves people punching each other in the chest and arms as they move around the circle pit.

Punk Rock

Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock. They created fast, hard-edged music, typically with short songs, stripped-down instrumentation, and often political, anti-establishment lyrics. Punk embraces a DIY (do it yourself) ethic, with many bands self-producing their recordings and distributing them through informal channels.

By late 1976, bands such as the Ramones, in New York City, and the Sex Pistols and The Clash, in London, were recognized as the vanguard of a new musical movement. The following year saw punk rock spreading around the world, and it became a major cultural phenomenon in the United Kingdom. For the most part, punk took root in local scenes that tended to reject association with the mainstream. An associated punk subculture emerged, expressing youthful rebellion and characterized by distinctive styles of clothing and adornment and a variety of anti-authoritarian ideologies.

By the beginning of the 1980s, faster, more aggressive styles such as hardcore and Oi! had become the predominant mode of punk rock. Musicians identifying with or inspired by punk also pursued a broad range of other variations, giving rise to post-punk and the alternative rock movement. By the turn of the century, pop punk had been adopted by the mainstream, with bands such as Green Day and The Offspring bringing the genre widespread popularity.

Punk Rock Bands

Punk rock was developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States and the United Kingdom. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock. They created fast, hard-edged music, typically with short songs, stripped-down instrumentation, and often political, anti-establishment lyrics. Punk embraces a DIY (do it yourself) ethic, with many bands self-producing their recordings and distributing them through informal channels.

As well as The Clash's and Sex Pistols, Punk threw up a multitude of bands who often released the one single on their own record label before fading into obscurity. Some never even made it that far.

www.punk77.co.uk/linkpage/punkbands.htm

100 Greatest Punk Rock Artists

www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_punk.html

Punk's not dead - it just emigrated...

Hang out at a UK punk gig today and you'd be hard pushed to describe what you see as anything other than some good old harmless fun in a genre that long since became another subsidiary of rock 'n' roll.

While punk has produced its fair share of careerists, traditionalists and spotty herberts, let's not forget it has produced a few genuinely provocative bands, from the MC5 and Crass to Fugazi and Refused. But that was then, this is now and it's easy to forget that punk still means something - and I don't mean your drunk Uncle Terry or that bloke who still hangs around the town centre in his Angelic Upstarts T-shirts. Instead, the spirit of punk as an anti-establishment force lives on today. You're just not likely to find it in the UK or the US.

Instead, punk is kept alive in places like Cuba where simply criticising the communist regime can get your ass thrown in jail. As has been reported, that's what has happened to Gorki Águila Carrasco, leader singer of Porno para Ricardo, currently facing four years in prison for "peligrosidad" - literally meaning the dangerousness of his music - specifically for dismissing the ruling Castro brothers as "geriatrics". It's hardly GG Allin is it? Maybe it was their vaguely wacky song 'El Comandante' that upset, um, El Comandante.

Elsewhere the appetite for punk rock grows unabated. Readers of Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel Persepolis or its film adaptation will know the type of trouble faced when caught with contraband punk music under the theocratic tyranny of Islamist fundamentalists in post-revolution Iran. And indeed, how that hunger for anti-social sounds merely grows when challenged. The Sex Pistols might be a joke today, but for millions of oppressed youth they still represent a signpost to freedom.

The perceived controversial nature of punk bands merely highlights the conservative world we're living in, where fundamentalist religious regimes or paranoid governments still perceive punk bands as threatening. Just ask Canadian punk band The Suicide Pilots, who have a government file on them for their name alone. Or ask leading Chinese punk band Hang On The Box, who have previously been denied visas to travel abroad after their government deemed their music an "inappropriate" export. Punk scenes exist in China, but bands have to tread carefully and make sure not to criticise their government. "We are good citizens who obey the law and love our country," said Li Qing of Chinese punk band Snapline, when asked about governmental intervention when interviewed in 2007. And do you know how hard it is locating a Gang Of Four record in North Korea?

Even UK punks aren't immune - when Mike Devine, guitarist with a Clash tribute band, texted his friend some lyrics from The Clash's 'Tommy Gun' the father of two was paid a visit by the Avon & Somerset Special Branch.

"Selling out"

Ultimately, though, Western punk has got soft and largely apolitical thanks to us living in one of the freest countries in the world. Punk in America and Britain is John Lydon selling computer games and Green Day filling stadiums.

Iggy Pop's endorsement of car insurance has prompted accusations of selling out. But does anyone really care any more?

As the flailing, wild-eyed frontman of US garage-rock band The Stooges, Iggy Pop helped pioneer punk long before the Sex Pistols.

His solo career is approaching its fifth decade. Live, he's earned a reputation as one of rock's most exciting performers, with a frame that's not so much athletic as freakish.

So why is one of rock's most iconic rebels now selling car insurance on TV? Will we ever be able to listen to his music in the same way again? Or are we now inured to the fact that at some point our cultural heroes are going to turn round and exhort us to buy, buy, buy?

"Iggy Pop will return to continue Swiftcover.com's campaign to help UK motorists get cheap online insurance and make it clear that now even musicians can 'Get A Life'!'" she said.

However, Pop recently called his involvement with Swiftcover "embarrassing".

John Lydon Country Life (pictured)
Denis Leary Holsten Pils
Lou Reed Honda scooters
Black-Eyed Peas Pepsi
Mitchell & Webb Apple Mac

But is this just a generational thing? Would fans of Pete Doherty take such exception seeing him selling cough medicine or train tickets? If Amy Winehouse was unveiled as the new face of a coffee brand, would the sales of her next album plummet?

But if you think punk - the spirit of punk - is dead, go to South America, go to Russia, go to Eastern Europe and see what the young punk fans there have to say about it.

Were you a Punk? Do you have any stories from that era?

See My Other Youth Culture Links Below

www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/4082458089/

www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/5130733677/

www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/5130851019/

www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/5131064113/

Punks on Video

www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0IZdP3x66Y

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQkActP-isE

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFIp3hgbnWM

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Forums at annual AUSA exposition focused on the strength behind the Soldier— Army Families 091009

Image by familymwr
PHOTO CAPTION: Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston, along with Secretary of the Army John McHugh and Army Chief of Staff George W. Casey, Jr., signs the Army Family Covenant while friends and Family members look on. (Photo by Rob McIlvaine, FMWRC Public Affairs)

www.armymwr.com

Forums at annual AUSA exposition focused on the strength behind the Soldier— Army Families 091009

By Rob McIlvaine
FMWRC Public Affairs

WASHINGTON, DC - While the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) highlighted the business of the Army in DC’s cavernous exhibition hall at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, tucked away in many of the upstairs meeting rooms were Family and Army leaders discussing the resilience and quality of life of those who give their all for the sake of freedom.

The 2009 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition is the largest defense-related exposition in the nation, according to Gordon R. Sullivan, president.

Sullivan, Army Chief of Staff from 1991 to 1995, presided over fundamental transformation following the liberation of Kuwait and led the Army into the information age. He assumed his current position with AUSA, headquartered in Arlington, Va., in 1998.

“The exposition is designed to deliver the Army’s message, highlight the capabilities of Army organization and present a wide range of commercial industry products and services,” Sullivan said.

According to Sylvia Kidd, director of AUSA Family Programs, Soldiers from many other countries came for more than just the exhibition, which included everything from armored fighting vehicles, artillery, body armor, explosives and helicopters to small arms, machine guns, medical supplies and rockets.

“Many militaries from around the world don’t have the programs needed to take care of their Soldiers and Families so they come here to learn best practices. In fact, we’re working with organizations in England this week helping them to develop a convention along the lines of AUSA,” Kidd said.

Lt. Col. Augusto Martinez-Segura and two of his friends with the Spanish Army spent the three days at the conference.

“We’re interested in just seeing how the United States Army does business,” Martinez-Segura said.

Throughout the smaller venues above the great exposition hall, the true measure of Army might was being measured, discussed and analyzed: the people who wear those uniforms and the Families who support them.

On each of the three days, an audience of more than 600 comprised of Soldiers, Family members and Army leaders including more than 500 Family Readiness Group (FRG) leaders from installations around the country came to listen, question and voice their opinions about the programs and services designed to support them during this era of persistent conflict.

During Monday’s forum, “Army Families: the strength behind the Soldier,” Gen. George W. Casey, Jr., Army chief of staff, along with the 21st Secretary of the Army John McHugh and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston, re-signed the Army Family Covenant.

“For this nation to continue, we have to take care of the Soldiers and their Families,” McHugh said. “By re-signing this Army Family Covenant, I’m reaffirming that we will not fail to uphold our commitment to you who have made great sacrifices to take care of the Families at home while your Soldiers are overseas.”

Sheila Casey, wife of Gen. Casey, reminded the audience that America has officially entered its ninth year of persistent conflict, which has seen multiple deployments, many back-to-back, put a strain on Soldiers and Families.

“The whole force is stretched, our Families have a difficult time finding balance and the effects are cumulative. Twelve months at home isn’t long enough to recuperate. You need to take yourself from the bottom and put yourself back on top,” Sheila said to resounding applause. “This isn’t being selfish. The fact is, if you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to care for anyone else.”

In the past two years of traveling with her husband from post to post, the issues that were brought to her attention the most were: access to quality medical and behavioral health care, access to quality schools for Army children and improving the resources and opportunities for employment.

Before he invited feedback from the audience on the effectiveness of the Army’s Family programs, Gen. Casey cited changes the Army has made to support its Soldiers and Families.

With BRAC about halfway completed, he told the audience that billion has gone into installations in a five-year period, making a huge improvement in the quality of life across the Army.

He also said the Army was tasked to bring in 74,000 new Soldiers by 2012, but was able to meet that goal last summer.

“In 2004 we had 33 brigade combat teams. Today we have 44 active brigade combat teams and next year we’ll have one more,” Casey said.

In July, the Army requested another 22,000 Soldiers needed to replace injured or already deployed Soldiers. He said that amounted to nearly 100,000 new troops over the last two or three years.

This increase in the number of personnel has allowed the Army to move closer to its objective of lengthening the time at home between deployments for its active duty, Reserve and Guard troops.

“We’re off 15-month deployments. In fact, our last group is coming home this month,” Casey told the cheering audience. “By 2011, our active duty troops will be one year out and two years back; our Guard and Reserve will one year out and four years back – and we will continue to provide our country the forces we need to succeed.”

Referring to the possibility that more troops might be called for in the near future to serve in Afghanistan, Casey said the Army is better postured now than two years ago to accept an additional commitment of active forces.

Then Casey turned to Family services, part of the Army Family Covenant.

Two years ago, the Army doubled the amount of money to fund Family programs. According to Casey, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates directed that money for Family programs be moved into the base budget. This means when this era of persistent conflict ends, the money supporting these programs won’t go away.

Finally, he asked the audience to vote with a show of hands on its satisfaction with the Army’s effectiveness in five areas: standardizing Family programs and services across installations, increasing accessibility to quality health care, improving Soldier and Family housing, providing excellent schools, childcare and youth services, and expanding educational and employment opportunities for Family members.

Each category got lackluster reviews with the final one receiving the most positive reaction, but not by much.

Within this category, though, rousing cheers rose up for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill and its ability to transfer benefits to Family members.

“Well, our efforts appear to be a jagged line, but we’re moving up,” Casey said.

When asked for questions, the FRGs were not at a loss in their search for answers. Many wanted to know why each unit’s commanding officer isn’t required to take training when FRG leaders are required to attend training sessions.

“We go through two to three days of training but command comes in not really understanding the structure or knowing what to do,” Dusti Cummins, FRG leader at Ft. Lewis, Wash., said. Cummins, active for four years in her unit’s FRG, recently became its leader. She was accompanied by two other leaders from Ft. Lewis, Kerri Moye and Ellie Hite who agreed with her assessment.

Amanda Maxwell, active in her FRG unit at Ft. Hood, Texas, for four years, also recently became an FRG leader. The four women’s comments were echoed across the room by FRG leaders from Ft. Drum, N.Y., Ft. Bragg, N.C. and Ft. Worth, Texas.

“It is the commander’s job to build the FRG team. We need to get the training for officers you’re asking for,” Gen. Casey said.

Lynn S. Heirakuji, deputy assistant for personnel oversight, reported on the preliminary results of a large-scale survey that examined how well the Army provides programs and services to geographically dispersed personnel.

“The volume of people who traveled to this conference sends an important statement about your concerns. We’ve been challenged to reach out to Families who are not part of an installation,” Heirakuji said.

More than 5,000 survey respondents indicated that they did not find large gaps in the services offered by the Army for military Families, but that greater awareness of and access to programs is needed.

As the distance from installations increases, the difficulty of obtaining information also climbs for military Families, especially Guard and Reserve Families, who are often unsure of their eligibility for Army programs. The most dispersed, she said, are Army parents.

“This is all part of building resilience,” she said, “but our FRGs are making the effort.”

Although the Internet, through the Virtual Installation Project, brings the installation to the Family, important sites for military Families such as TRICARE and Army One Source were reported to be confusing and difficult to use.

“One-on-one contact is strongly desired so we can get detailed information about specific questions,” Heirakuji said.

Kathleen Y. Marin, director of installation services, recently conducted town hall meetings at six sites to ascertain what programs are making a difference for Army Families and where improvements in services need to be made.

“While the number one issue is communication, the second biggest issue is training. But the toughest nut to crack is how do we deliver services to you,” Marin said.

She found highly valued programs include deployed respite child care, Military Family Life Consultants and Warrior Adventure Quest (WAQ).

“This is a wonderful partnership between FMWRC, the Medical Command and recreators. One installation is even including Families with Soldiers going through WAQ,” Marin said.

Echoing Heirakuji’s findings, town hall participants said they prefer one-to-one, confidential and personally targeted services. They particularly wanted to see improvements in the online registration process for children and youth services, which FMWRC is working on, she said.

“There’s a lot of amazing programs out there but you need a PhD to understand how to access them,” she told the audience.

Marin, along with Brig. Gen. Allison T. Aycock, IMCOM deputy commanding general, and Brig. Gen. Reuben D. Jones, FMWRC commanding general, conducted a mini town hall meeting at the conclusion of the day’s Military Family Forum.

Again, the FRG leaders asked for more information on CYSS online registration, noting there are too many hoops to jump through in order to get respite care. They also noted that the FRGs have a wealth of information to give out, but how can Soldiers and Family members be enticed to attend the meetings?

“FRG meetings are a commander’s program. When I was in charge, it was mandatory for husbands to attend,” Aycock said to loud applause.

“You have best practices out there,” Brig. Gen. Jones emphasized to the FRG leaders, implying the answers to their questions were all around them.

With an introduction from Jones, a small group of survivors rose up. The Survivors Outreach Services (SOS) is holding their second summit following the AUSA conference.

“I’m a survivor,” Dana Lambertson said. “I consider myself an Army spouse. I was an FRG leader at the birth of my husband’s brigade at Ft. Campbell, Ky., and now all of us have been working on SOS. Soon, this program will be implemented, globally.”

“Life goes on after the fallen Soldier,” Kristy Stanley, Ft. Campbell, Ky., said.

Brig. Gen. Jones, who also has been working with SOS, rose up to speak.

“Our purpose is to deliver on the Army’s commitment to Families of the Fallen. We will stay with Family members for as long as they want. After a Soldier, whether Active, Reserve or Army National Guard, has fallen, the Family will be provided access to services and support at garrisons and communities closest to where they live, for as long as they want.

“We will never leave a fallen comrade or Family member behind,” Jones said.

Connect with us:
www.Facebook.com/FamilyMWR
www.Twitter.com/FamilyMWR
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ks 101206

Forums at annual AUSA exposition focused on the strength behind the Soldier— Army Families 091009

Image by familymwr
PHOTO CAPTION: Surrounded by friends and Families, (from left) Secretary of the Army John McHugh, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey, Jr. and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston reaffirm the Army’s commitment to Soldiers and Families by signing the Army Family Covenant at the AUSA 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob McIlvaine, FMWRC Public Affairs)

www.armymwr.com

Forums at annual AUSA exposition focused on the strength behind the Soldier— Army Families 091009

By Rob McIlvaine
FMWRC Public Affairs

WASHINGTON, DC - While the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) highlighted the business of the Army in DC’s cavernous exhibition hall at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, tucked away in many of the upstairs meeting rooms were Family and Army leaders discussing the resilience and quality of life of those who give their all for the sake of freedom.

The 2009 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition is the largest defense-related exposition in the nation, according to Gordon R. Sullivan, president.

Sullivan, Army Chief of Staff from 1991 to 1995, presided over fundamental transformation following the liberation of Kuwait and led the Army into the information age. He assumed his current position with AUSA, headquartered in Arlington, Va., in 1998.

“The exposition is designed to deliver the Army’s message, highlight the capabilities of Army organization and present a wide range of commercial industry products and services,” Sullivan said.

According to Sylvia Kidd, director of AUSA Family Programs, Soldiers from many other countries came for more than just the exhibition, which included everything from armored fighting vehicles, artillery, body armor, explosives and helicopters to small arms, machine guns, medical supplies and rockets.

“Many militaries from around the world don’t have the programs needed to take care of their Soldiers and Families so they come here to learn best practices. In fact, we’re working with organizations in England this week helping them to develop a convention along the lines of AUSA,” Kidd said.

Lt. Col. Augusto Martinez-Segura and two of his friends with the Spanish Army spent the three days at the conference.

“We’re interested in just seeing how the United States Army does business,” Martinez-Segura said.

Throughout the smaller venues above the great exposition hall, the true measure of Army might was being measured, discussed and analyzed: the people who wear those uniforms and the Families who support them.

On each of the three days, an audience of more than 600 comprised of Soldiers, Family members and Army leaders including more than 500 Family Readiness Group (FRG) leaders from installations around the country came to listen, question and voice their opinions about the programs and services designed to support them during this era of persistent conflict.

During Monday’s forum, “Army Families: the strength behind the Soldier,” Gen. George W. Casey, Jr., Army chief of staff, along with the 21st Secretary of the Army John McHugh and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston, re-signed the Army Family Covenant.

“For this nation to continue, we have to take care of the Soldiers and their Families,” McHugh said. “By re-signing this Army Family Covenant, I’m reaffirming that we will not fail to uphold our commitment to you who have made great sacrifices to take care of the Families at home while your Soldiers are overseas.”

Sheila Casey, wife of Gen. Casey, reminded the audience that America has officially entered its ninth year of persistent conflict, which has seen multiple deployments, many back-to-back, put a strain on Soldiers and Families.

“The whole force is stretched, our Families have a difficult time finding balance and the effects are cumulative. Twelve months at home isn’t long enough to recuperate. You need to take yourself from the bottom and put yourself back on top,” Sheila said to resounding applause. “This isn’t being selfish. The fact is, if you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to care for anyone else.”

In the past two years of traveling with her husband from post to post, the issues that were brought to her attention the most were: access to quality medical and behavioral health care, access to quality schools for Army children and improving the resources and opportunities for employment.

Before he invited feedback from the audience on the effectiveness of the Army’s Family programs, Gen. Casey cited changes the Army has made to support its Soldiers and Families.

With BRAC about halfway completed, he told the audience that billion has gone into installations in a five-year period, making a huge improvement in the quality of life across the Army.

He also said the Army was tasked to bring in 74,000 new Soldiers by 2012, but was able to meet that goal last summer.

“In 2004 we had 33 brigade combat teams. Today we have 44 active brigade combat teams and next year we’ll have one more,” Casey said.

In July, the Army requested another 22,000 Soldiers needed to replace injured or already deployed Soldiers. He said that amounted to nearly 100,000 new troops over the last two or three years.

This increase in the number of personnel has allowed the Army to move closer to its objective of lengthening the time at home between deployments for its active duty, Reserve and Guard troops.

“We’re off 15-month deployments. In fact, our last group is coming home this month,” Casey told the cheering audience. “By 2011, our active duty troops will be one year out and two years back; our Guard and Reserve will one year out and four years back – and we will continue to provide our country the forces we need to succeed.”

Referring to the possibility that more troops might be called for in the near future to serve in Afghanistan, Casey said the Army is better postured now than two years ago to accept an additional commitment of active forces.

Then Casey turned to Family services, part of the Army Family Covenant.

Two years ago, the Army doubled the amount of money to fund Family programs. According to Casey, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates directed that money for Family programs be moved into the base budget. This means when this era of persistent conflict ends, the money supporting these programs won’t go away.

Finally, he asked the audience to vote with a show of hands on its satisfaction with the Army’s effectiveness in five areas: standardizing Family programs and services across installations, increasing accessibility to quality health care, improving Soldier and Family housing, providing excellent schools, childcare and youth services, and expanding educational and employment opportunities for Family members.

Each category got lackluster reviews with the final one receiving the most positive reaction, but not by much.

Within this category, though, rousing cheers rose up for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill and its ability to transfer benefits to Family members.

“Well, our efforts appear to be a jagged line, but we’re moving up,” Casey said.

When asked for questions, the FRGs were not at a loss in their search for answers. Many wanted to know why each unit’s commanding officer isn’t required to take training when FRG leaders are required to attend training sessions.

“We go through two to three days of training but command comes in not really understanding the structure or knowing what to do,” Dusti Cummins, FRG leader at Ft. Lewis, Wash., said. Cummins, active for four years in her unit’s FRG, recently became its leader. She was accompanied by two other leaders from Ft. Lewis, Kerri Moye and Ellie Hite who agreed with her assessment.

Amanda Maxwell, active in her FRG unit at Ft. Hood, Texas, for four years, also recently became an FRG leader. The four women’s comments were echoed across the room by FRG leaders from Ft. Drum, N.Y., Ft. Bragg, N.C. and Ft. Worth, Texas.

“It is the commander’s job to build the FRG team. We need to get the training for officers you’re asking for,” Gen. Casey said.

Lynn S. Heirakuji, deputy assistant for personnel oversight, reported on the preliminary results of a large-scale survey that examined how well the Army provides programs and services to geographically dispersed personnel.

“The volume of people who traveled to this conference sends an important statement about your concerns. We’ve been challenged to reach out to Families who are not part of an installation,” Heirakuji said.

More than 5,000 survey respondents indicated that they did not find large gaps in the services offered by the Army for military Families, but that greater awareness of and access to programs is needed.

As the distance from installations increases, the difficulty of obtaining information also climbs for military Families, especially Guard and Reserve Families, who are often unsure of their eligibility for Army programs. The most dispersed, she said, are Army parents.

“This is all part of building resilience,” she said, “but our FRGs are making the effort.”

Although the Internet, through the Virtual Installation Project, brings the installation to the Family, important sites for military Families such as TRICARE and Army One Source were reported to be confusing and difficult to use.

“One-on-one contact is strongly desired so we can get detailed information about specific questions,” Heirakuji said.

Kathleen Y. Marin, director of installation services, recently conducted town hall meetings at six sites to ascertain what programs are making a difference for Army Families and where improvements in services need to be made.

“While the number one issue is communication, the second biggest issue is training. But the toughest nut to crack is how do we deliver services to you,” Marin said.

She found highly valued programs include deployed respite child care, Military Family Life Consultants and Warrior Adventure Quest (WAQ).

“This is a wonderful partnership between FMWRC, the Medical Command and recreators. One installation is even including Families with Soldiers going through WAQ,” Marin said.

Echoing Heirakuji’s findings, town hall participants said they prefer one-to-one, confidential and personally targeted services. They particularly wanted to see improvements in the online registration process for children and youth services, which FMWRC is working on, she said.

“There’s a lot of amazing programs out there but you need a PhD to understand how to access them,” she told the audience.

Marin, along with Brig. Gen. Allison T. Aycock, IMCOM deputy commanding general, and Brig. Gen. Reuben D. Jones, FMWRC commanding general, conducted a mini town hall meeting at the conclusion of the day’s Military Family Forum.

Again, the FRG leaders asked for more information on CYSS online registration, noting there are too many hoops to jump through in order to get respite care. They also noted that the FRGs have a wealth of information to give out, but how can Soldiers and Family members be enticed to attend the meetings?

“FRG meetings are a commander’s program. When I was in charge, it was mandatory for husbands to attend,” Aycock said to loud applause.

“You have best practices out there,” Brig. Gen. Jones emphasized to the FRG leaders, implying the answers to their questions were all around them.

With an introduction from Jones, a small group of survivors rose up. The Survivors Outreach Services (SOS) is holding their second summit following the AUSA conference.

“I’m a survivor,” Dana Lambertson said. “I consider myself an Army spouse. I was an FRG leader at the birth of my husband’s brigade at Ft. Campbell, Ky., and now all of us have been working on SOS. Soon, this program will be implemented, globally.”

“Life goes on after the fallen Soldier,” Kristy Stanley, Ft. Campbell, Ky., said.

Brig. Gen. Jones, who also has been working with SOS, rose up to speak.

“Our purpose is to deliver on the Army’s commitment to Families of the Fallen. We will stay with Family members for as long as they want. After a Soldier, whether Active, Reserve or Army National Guard, has fallen, the Family will be provided access to services and support at garrisons and communities closest to where they live, for as long as they want.

“We will never leave a fallen comrade or Family member behind,” Jones said.

Connect with us:
www.Facebook.com/FamilyMWR
www.Twitter.com/FamilyMWR
www.YouTube.com/FamilyMWR

ks 101206

Nice Photo Effects Online photos

A few nice photo effects online images I found:

Poison Ivy, Toxicodendron radicans....Ivy có độc....#14

Image by Vietnam Plants & The USA. plants
Taken on June 8, 2012 in Waco city, Texas state, Southern of America.

Nếu nhìn trên bản đồ của Bộ Nông Nghiêp Hoa Kỳ ( USDA ) bạn sẽ thấy sự hiện diện của loài cây này trên phân nửa nước Mỹ .
Khi bạn chạm phải hay đến rất gần loài cây này, bạn cũng có khả năng bị nổi lên những mụn đỏ trên da gây ngứa dữ dội, ngứa đến nổi bạn có thể gãi đến chảy màu, nếu không đi đến bác sĩ kịp thời . Tốt nhất là sau khi đã đi vào rừng hay đến những vùng có nhiều cây cỏ thiên nhiên, bạn nên tắm gội toàn thân để trút sạch những độc tính mà bạn có thể vướng vào da thịt, quần áo . Lần đầu tiên khi chụp hình loài cây và hoa này, tôi chưa đọc kỷ thông tin cho nên chưa biết, sau khi trở về nhà, tôi đã làm nhiều việc nhà , cho đến 10 giờ tối tôi mới đi tắm ,và tôi đã bị nổi mụn đỏ khắp mình. mụn nổi đến đâu thì cơn ngứa hoành hành đến đó tôi rất kềm chế nếu không có thể gãi đến chảy máu , nhưng may là không nổi trên hai tay và mặt, có lẽ vì khi trở về nhà tôi đã rửa mặt và tay liền . Hậu quả là tôi đã phải uống thuốc chống dị ứng một tuần lễ , và các mụn đỏ để lại dấu vết trên cơ thể rất ghê. Con trai nóng ruột quá đi mua cho tôi Johnson Baby Lotion loại có : Vanilla Oatmeal để sau khi tắm xong ,thoa lên những chỗ có vết mụn để lại thì những vết đỏ sẽ mau phai cách nhanh chóng . Nếu trong vườn bạn có mọc loài cây này, hãy đốn bỏ đi tận gốc rể để đề phòng bênh tật nhất là nếu bạn có trẻ nhỏ, tôi không biết nếu trẻ nhỏ chạm phải cây này thì sẽ như thế nào.

I was itched and had many acne redness ( look like Chicken-pox )on skin from the hip to the feet, after I touched the leaves, flowers for taking some images of these plants. I used allergy tablet for stop itchy in 7 days. After that I read some information of this plant, and I tried to come back to take some more photos for , but I had a shower right after I came back home, not wait until evening as before, and I didn't be itch again.
That's my experience .....Read the information below carefully, please.
The foliage of Poison Ivy can irritate the skin of most people, causing redness and blisters. This is caused by a reaction of the immune system to urushiol. People who are immune to Poison Ivy when they are young, can become sensitive to its irritating effects when they become older ( www.illinoiswildflowers.info ).

Vietnamese named : Thường Xuân độc, Sơn đôc, Ivy độc.
Common names : Poison Ivy, Eastern Poison Ivy.
Scientist name : Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze
Synonyms :
Familly : Anacardiaceae - Sumac family.
Group : Dicot
Duration : Perennial
Growth Habit : Shrub - Forb/herb - Subshrub - Vine
Kingdom : Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom : Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision : Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division : Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass : Rosidae
Order : Sapindales
Genus : Toxicodendron Mill. – poison oak
Species : Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze – eastern poison ivy

**** vst.vista.gov.vn/home/database/an_pham_dien_tu/MagazineNa...
Khí nhà kính sinh ra những cây leo độc

Cây thường xuân có độc (toxicodendron radicans) mọc như một loại cây bụi hoặc leo lên thân các cây khác là hiểm họa đối với những người làm vườn và những người dân quê ở Bắc Mỹ vì chúng có thể gây ra chứng phát ban rất đau trên da. Loại cây này tạo ra một loại chất độc gọi là urushiol nằm trong lá cây.
Trong nghiên cứu này, Mohan và các cộng sự của bà đã bơm thêm khí CO2 vào 3 khu đất lớn bao quanh ở rừng thông phía Bắc California. Trong sáu năm, cây cối trong rừng nhận một lượng CO2 là 580 phần triệu so với lượng CO2 trong bầu khí quyển hiện vào khoảng 380 phần triệu. Con số 580 phần triệu là là con số chúng ta dự đoán mức độ ô nhiễm vào giữa thế kỷ 21.
Nghiên cứu khác đã cho rằng các cây leo có xu hướng lớn nhanh đặc biệt khi lượng CO2 tăng cao hơn, và những cây leo đang tăng nhanh về số lượng trên khắp trái đất. Không giống như các loại cây thông thường hấp thụ lượng khí cacbonic tăng thêm để sản sinh thêm gỗ, những cây leo này hấp thụ lượng lượng khí cacbonic tăng thêm để sản sinh thêm lá. Lượng lá cây tăng thêm lại giúp cây leo hập thụ thêm khí CO2, vòng tuần hoàn này lặp đi lặp lại và những cây leo này ngày càng phát triển hơn.
Thí nghiệm của Mohan nhằm mục đích kiểm tra xem liệu kết quả trên cây leo có lớn vọt lên trong thiên nhiên như chúng đã thể hiện ở thí nghiệm trong nhà kính hay không. Và câu trả lời là “Có, chúng lớn rất nhanh”. Những cây thường xuân có độc lớn nhanh gấp hai lần so với những cây cùng loại được phát triển ở dưới mức CO2 bình thường, trong khi tỷ lệ này ở các loài cây thân gỗ là khoảng 31%. Nhóm nghiên cứu cho biết khí CO2 tăng lên cũng tạo ra một loại chất độc urushiol nguy hiểm hơn.
Chất béo gây đau rát
Urushiol được tạo ra từ nhiều loại chất béo khác nhau. Loại chất béo ít độc hơn là chất béo “bão hòa,” có nghĩa là các nguyên tử cacbon trong phân tử chỉ có liên kết đơn với các nguyên tử cacbon khác, và phần còn lại của các liên kết này bão hòa với hyđrô. Tuy nhiên hầu hết các chất béo trong urushiol đều không bão hòa. Chúng có hơn 1 liên kết hóa học giữa nguyên tử cacbon và có ít hyđrô hơn. Những chất béo không bão hoà này được cho là những chất làm da tấy rát nhất.
Bằng cách chiết xuất chất urushiol từ lá cây, các nhà nghiên cứu đã phát hiện ra rằng cây thường xuân có độc phát triển trong môi trường có hàm lượng khí CO2 cao sinh ra một dạng chất độc không bão hoà urushiol nhiều hơn 150% và chất urushiol bão hòa ít hơn 60%.
Các nhà nghiên cứu không chắc chắn tại sao sự biến đổi hóa học này lại xảy ra, nhưng có ý kiến cho rằng hàm lượng cacbon tăng lên bằng cách nào đó sẽ tạo điều kiện thuận lợi cho các phản ứng hóa học sản sinh ra dạng không bão hòa của chất urushiol.
Ước tính ở Mỹ mỗi năm cây thường xuân độc gây ra 350.000 trường hợp phát ban trên da. Khoảng 80% người dân có phản ứng với chất độc này và càng tiếp xúc nhiều hơn với chất độc, phản ứng của họ càng tệ hơn. Mohan nói rằng: “Tôi có những đồng nghiệp bị dị ứng mạnh đến nỗi các bác sĩ chuyên khoa da liễu của họ nói rằng họ phải chuyển nghề.”
Mohan cho rằng sự tăng lên của CO2 cũng làm tăng trưởng các cây leo độc khác trong họ Toxicodendron trên khắp thế giới. “Những loài cây phổ biến của rừng trong tương lai sẽ khác với những loài cây phổ biến trong rừng hiện nay.”
N.M.N (theo Nature online, 30/5/2006)

________________________________________________________________

**** plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=tora2
**** en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxicodendron_radicans
**** www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/tora.html
**** www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=TORA2
**** www.illinoiswildflowers.info/trees/plants/poison_ivy.htm

**** www.kingdomplantae.net/poisonIvy.php

A highly variable perennial woody vine or shrub, native to North America and Asia and introduced in Great Britain, Europe, and Australia.
There is considerable disagreement over whether poison ivy is one species with variations, or many separate species. It is also sometimes said that the poison oaks (Toxicodendron diversilobum and Toxicodendron quercifolium) are merely variations of the same species.

The photos on this page depict the common form in my locale (a trailing vine), but the text is more general.

Poison ivy prefers rich soil with good drainage and plenty of water. It is particularly common around lakes, swamps, and rivers. It will grow perfectly well, however, in a wide variety of other habitats. It's common along roadsides and trails, in areas of waste ground, in thickets, in open woods, and in old fields. It seems to do best in my area (Minnesota) in places that are just slightly shaded.

New poison ivy shoots sprout from existing roots, from rhizomes (underground stems), from climbing vines, and of course, from seed.

The stems are woody, brown, and smooth (though older stems of climbing plants develop a very hairy appearance). They may trail along (or just under) the ground, sending frequent branches both out and up. They may grow upright, in a shrub form, which can reach 7 feet in height under good conditions. Or they may grow as a vine, up to 5 inches in diameter, climbing trees and fences by means of dense, dark, fibrous, aerial roots (giving the vines that hairy look).

The alternate leaves have rather long stalks and are palmately compound (the leaflets radiate outward from a center point, like the fingers on your hand). The three leaflets, around 2" to 4" in length, may be shiny or not, are generally (but not always) wavy-edged or slightly toothed, and are sometimes slightly lobed. The young leaves are green, often with a reddish cast that they lose as they mature. In late spring to early summer, the flowers appear, in loose clusters from the leaf axils. The flowers have five petals, are about 1/8" diameter, are off-white with a yellowish or greenish tinge, and develop into small (about 1/4" diameter), round, dry, off-white fruits with a yellowish or greenish tinge. The fruit ripens in late summer through late fall, and at about the same time the leaves turn bright red, providing a cue to the many birds that feed on the fruits. The leaves fall once temperatures drop below freezing, while the fruits remain on the plants through the winter.

The thing that makes poison ivy so famous is the presence of a pale yellow oil called urushiol. This oil is present within all parts of the plant, but is not found on the surface unless the plant is damaged or bruised. The plant is somewhat fragile, however, and the majority of specimens are damaged in some way. Furthermore, urushiol can take many years to break down, particularly in cool and dry conditions, so it is also present in dead plants.

Urushiol is sticky, and is easily transferred to anything that touches it. And, as it is a stable compound, once it's on something (like your clothes, tools, or pets), at least some of it will stay there for quite a while unless it's washed off. When poison ivy is burned, the urushiol is carried on particles of soot and dust in the smoke.

Urushiol itself is not poisonous. However, urushiol which remains on your skin for more than five minutes or so will begin to be absorbed and metabolized.


The metabolites bind with skin proteins, forming new structures. In about 85% of the human population, the immune system sees these structures as foreign and attacks them. It is this immune response, or allergic reaction, which causes the itching, inflammation, and blistering of the skin. These symptoms generally appear after half a day to two days. After a few more days, when all of the alien structures have been destroyed (along with much of the surrounding tissue), the rash begins to heal...

The average person doesn't have a reaction the first time they're exposed, and if they do, it's usually delayed by seven to ten days. It takes some time for your body to produce the appropriate T-cells. Sensitivity also varies among individuals, and usually decreases with age. The palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, where the skin is thicker, are generally immune.

Severe cases, especially those involving mucous membranes (eyes, mouth, throat, lungs, etc.) require medical attention. Hydrocortisone preparations or, in really severe cases, steroids, are generally given to reduce the immune response. As with many allergens, a severe reaction can be fatal if left untreated.


The best way to avoid getting "poison ivy" is to not get urushiol on your skin. Know what the plant looks like and avoid it. If you can't avoid it, wear protective clothing. Wash anything that may have come in contact with the plant before it touches your skin, including your dog. Never ever ever burn poison ivy. Stay away from forest fires (unless you're a firefighter, then wear protective gear). There are also barrier creams that are commercially available.

If you think you've been exposed, wash the area as soon as possible, preferably within an hour after exposure, with lots of cool running water. A lake or a river works well. Don't use soap unless it contains no oils (oil will cause the urushiol to spread). In the woods, look for bouncing bet (Saponaria officinales). With its high saponin content, it makes a workable oil-free soap. You may also wash the area with alcohol or another solvent, rinsing with plenty of water, but keep in mind that this strips your skin of its protective oils, making it more vulnerable to urushiol.

The most well known herbal treatment for poison ivy is the juice of jewelweed (Impatiens spp.) There may be a compound in jewelweed which binds to the same sites as the urushiol metabolites, thereby blocking their access. If this is true, applying jewelweed to the skin just before or just after exposure should prevent the rash. There is quite a lot of anecdotal evidence that this works. Jewelweed also has anti-inflammatory properties and should be a soothing treatment for an already developed rash.

Plantain (Plantago spp.), applied as a poultice, may also prevent the rash and will also soothe an already developed rash. Other plants with astringent and/or soothing properties may also help.

There is anecdotal evidence of people desensitizing themselves to poison ivy by eating poison ivy leaves, first starting with a tiny amount and then gradually increasing the dosage until a maintenance level is reached. The most common side effect of this treatment, however, is getting the rash where the urushiol passes out of your body. It is also possible to have symptoms internally. Similar treatments in pill form can be obtained from a doctor or dermatologist, but have the same unpleasant side effects. No other immunization appears to be available at this time.

Medicinally, poison ivy has been used to treat paralysis, arthritis, and certain persistent skin disorders, and also as a sedative. It is still used in homeopathic medicine for arthritis and skin disorders.

Poison ivy fruits are an important food source for a wide variety of birds (who also spread the seeds), and also for other wildlife, including deer. Goats quite like poison ivy and can be an effective means of controlling it. I've heard that drinking the milk from such a goat might desensitize a person, though I haven't seen any evidence to back that up. Studies have been done showing that urushiol is not transferred to the milk, but whether its metabolites are present seems to be unknown.

Poison ivy has occasionally been planted in gardens for color. This is how it arrived in England and Australia.

The sap turns black, and dries hard (like lacquer), when exposed to air, and has been used as a permanent ink, as a dye, and as an ingredient in varnishes.

To control poison ivy, either pull or dig it out by hand, cover it with mulch so that no light reaches it, mow it close to the ground, spray it with herbicides, or use any combination of methods. If you pull it out by hand, the best time is probably late fall or very early spring, and protective clothing must be worn. Be sure to get every part of the plant or it will regenerate. Throw it all in the trash (double bag it for the trash collector). Do not attempt to compost it and never ever try to burn it. When you're finished, wash everything, including yourself, thoroughly (wash your clothes separately from your other laundry or have them dry-cleaned if necessary). Using mulch is simple, but the ivy may pop through again, so cover it well. Mowing will kill a portion of it, anyway, as will the exposure to full sun, but remember that you're getting the oil all over the place, so wear protective gear and clean your equipment afterward. If herbicides are used, use them carefully, following the directions, and no more than necessary. Probably the most effective and least harmful method is to cut it and then use a disposable foam brush to paint the stump with the herbicide. You'll probably also want to wash everything when you're done. Herbicides are poisons, after all.

One last way to control poison ivy is to make the site inhospitable for it. Pay attention to the local conditions that it likes to grow in, and those it doesn't grow in, and then add or remove other plants to make the poison ivy feel less at home. Planting aggressive plants or plants that inhibit the growth of other plants, like black walnut or mugwort might be worth a try.

A last thought - don't create a problem where none exists. Behind the building where I work, there's a granite outcropping covered in wild blackberries, wild roses, staghorn sumac, moss with tiny little flowers and poison ivy. Small animals and birds loved the place, as did I, often picking blackberries there (carefully) on my lunch break. The poison ivy never spread off the rock because the area around it was kept mowed. But some safety official from the big city decided it was dangerous and had to be eliminated, so our maintenance crew has been spraying Round-up all over it for months and months. They haven't killed the poison ivy - and probably won't, even if they try to dig it out, since the roots run through the rock, but they've killed almost everything else there - there are no more blackberries, no roses, no birds or rabbits or tiny little flowers - and as far as I know noone ever actually got poison ivy there because only a few of us ever went back there and we were all nature types who knew enough to avoid it. It's just a waste of time, energy, and much needed habitat to start a war against something that isn't hurting anyone.

Cool Photo Effects Online images

A few nice photo effects online images I found:

Sappho's Stylus & Papyrus (Washington, DC)

Image by takomabibelot
The Greek text is an extract from (or based on?) her Fragment 55.

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There are plenty of translations of Sappho online, but here is a wonderful rendering of Fragment 55 from a 2002 edition called If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho by the Canadian poet and professor of Classics Anne Carson:

Dead you will be and never memory of you
will there be nor desire into the aftertime--for you do not share in the roses
of Pieria, but invisible too in Hades' house
you will go your way among dim shapes. Having been breathed out.

Carson's notes explain that:

"a participle in the aorist tense (katthanoisa) begins the poem and a participle in the perfect tense (ekpepotamena) ends it. The aorist tense expresses past action as a point of fact; the perfect tense renders past action whose effect continues into the future; so does Sappho's poem softly exhale some woman from the point of death into an infinitely featureless eternity. Cognate with words for wings, flying, fluttering and breath, the participle ekpepotamena, with its spatter of plosives and final open vowel, sounds like the escape of a soul into nothingness." (p. 368)

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For the original Greek, with some other translations into English, see: Sappho: Memoir, Text, Selected Renderings and a Literal Translation by Henry Thornton Wharton, with paraphrases in verse by Anne Bunner (1920).

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Vinnie Ream is buried at Arlington where a 1915 bronze copy of this ca. 1870 marble marks her tomb.

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See also:
www.flickr.com/photos/the_hurd_family/495507811/
www.flickr.com/photos/lbraverm/2387461547/
www.flickr.com/photos/rockypix/401190173/

Cool Photo Effects Online images

A few nice photo effects online images I found:

doidedcomics vol.3 / 2012 - in memoria btjunkie page 6

Image by 2dedcomics
doidedcomics vol.3 / 2012 - in memoria btjunkie page 6

doidedcomics vol2.an2012 - Îţi dai seama că eşti din Cluj dacă

Image by 2dedcomics
doidedcomics vol2.an2012 - Îţi dai seama că eşti din Cluj dacă

Sesame Street characters delight children of all ages

A few nice photo effects online images I found:

Sesame Street characters delight children of all ages

Image by USAG-Humphreys
The Sesame Street Experience for Military Families took USAG-Humphreys by storm as several hundred Humphreys community members flocked to the Community Activity Center for two shows Feb. 9.

Since 2008, United Service Organizations and Sesame Street have teamed up to bring the show to military installations world-wide but this year marks the first time it was performed in the Republic of Korea.

Before the show started, eager Sesame Street fans received several giveaways including Talk, Listen, Connect program outreach materials.

The 30-minute show featured dancing and singing performances by Cookie Monster, Zoe, Elmo, Grover and Rosita. Fans of all ages were excited as the characters made their way through the crowd during the performance and posed for pictures.

According to the Sesame Workshop web site, the show is an initiative that provides support and offers significant resources for military families with young children experiencing the effects of deployments, multiple deployments or when a parent returns home changed due to a combat related injury.

U.S. Army photos by Lori Yerdon

For more information on U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys and living and working in Korea visit: USAG-Humphreys' official web site or check out our online videos.

Sesame Street characters delight children of all ages

Image by USAG-Humphreys
The Sesame Street Experience for Military Families took USAG-Humphreys by storm as several hundred Humphreys community members flocked to the Community Activity Center for two shows Feb. 9.

Since 2008, United Service Organizations and Sesame Street have teamed up to bring the show to military installations world-wide but this year marks the first time it was performed in the Republic of Korea.

Before the show started, eager Sesame Street fans received several giveaways including Talk, Listen, Connect program outreach materials.

The 30-minute show featured dancing and singing performances by Cookie Monster, Zoe, Elmo, Grover and Rosita. Fans of all ages were excited as the characters made their way through the crowd during the performance and posed for pictures.

According to the Sesame Workshop web site, the show is an initiative that provides support and offers significant resources for military families with young children experiencing the effects of deployments, multiple deployments or when a parent returns home changed due to a combat related injury.

U.S. Army photos by Lori Yerdon

For more information on U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys and living and working in Korea visit: USAG-Humphreys' official web site or check out our online videos.

Sesame Street characters delight children of all ages

Image by USAG-Humphreys
The Sesame Street Experience for Military Families took USAG-Humphreys by storm as several hundred Humphreys community members flocked to the Community Activity Center for two shows Feb. 9.

Since 2008, United Service Organizations and Sesame Street have teamed up to bring the show to military installations world-wide but this year marks the first time it was performed in the Republic of Korea.

Before the show started, eager Sesame Street fans received several giveaways including Talk, Listen, Connect program outreach materials.

The 30-minute show featured dancing and singing performances by Cookie Monster, Zoe, Elmo, Grover and Rosita. Fans of all ages were excited as the characters made their way through the crowd during the performance and posed for pictures.

According to the Sesame Workshop web site, the show is an initiative that provides support and offers significant resources for military families with young children experiencing the effects of deployments, multiple deployments or when a parent returns home changed due to a combat related injury.

U.S. Army photos by Lori Yerdon

For more information on U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys and living and working in Korea visit: USAG-Humphreys' official web site or check out our online videos.

Nice Photo Effects Online photos

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doidedcomics vol2.an2012 - Îţi dai seama că eşti din Cluj dacă

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doidedcomics vol2.an2012 - Îţi dai seama că eşti din Cluj dacă

doidedcomics vol.3 / 2012 - in memoria btjunkie page 7

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doidedcomics vol.3 / 2012 - in memoria btjunkie page 7

Cool Photo Effects Online images

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Oct. 3, 1952: atomic cloud above Trimouille Island in the Monte Bello group off WA - courtesy CPO Jack Duperouzel, RAN 1949-60.

Image by Kookaburra2011
5959. This is what the voyage was all about - Britain joins the Nuclear Club with her first atomic explosion. It was called Operation Hurricane. In this image it is 0935 hours, five minutes after the nuclear device has been detonated on board a former WWII Royal Navy River Class frigate, HMS PLYM, vapourising the ship and leaving a huge 6m deep and 300m wide indentation in the ocean floor of the Bunsen Channel at Trimouille Island in the Monte Bello group, 81 kms, or 44 miles off the coast of Western Australia.

The atomic cloud, not now the conventional mushroom, is taking on a spectral shape. It had reached 12,000ft within three minutes of thge expolosion and was then aboiut one mile across. HMS PLYM had been used to test the effect of a ship-smuggled bomb, reflecting Cold War fears that this could be done in a British port. The 25kt bomb was similar in scale to the Aug. 9, 1945 Nagasaki explosion.

We had a photo of PLYM awaiting her fate in a series of several images on the explosion beginning at Pic NO. 5259. It includes an Oct 4 West Australian newspaper report and photograph that Jack Duperouzel also sent us, but which is already seen on the Photostream, here:

www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/6491456293/in/photostr...

The newspaper report shown there states that the task of tracking the radio-active nuclear cloud was allotted to RAAF Lincoln bombers flown to Broome from Amberley air force base in Queensland, and the paper says it is believed they were assisted at lower levels by Sea Fury and Firefly aircraft from HMAS SYDNEY [II].

[*We find a sentence in the RAN Sea Power Centre's online history of 817 Squadron which says that 817 Squadron Fireflies and 805 Squadron Sea Furies were used to secure at 72 km radius - almost 45 miles, perhaps to the coast - around the atomic test site].

There is much that was not known about the test, and the newspaper of the day inaccurately speculated that the device had been detonated from a tower. HMAS SYDNEY [III] left the Monte Bello islands on Oct 4, the day after the explosion, but remained at Shark Bay in the general vicinity until Oct. 12.

Photo: courtesy CPO Jack Duperouzal, RAN 1949-60.

strolling

Image by joiseyshowaa
Bengali strolling on a beach by the Bay of Bengal....

www.joiseyshowaa.com

Used in these web sites:

www.biblemoneymatters.com/2008/07/single-step-personal-fi...
silvinohenriques.blogspot.com/

Inspired by flickr.com/photos/iamnotanumber8885/
pickthebrain.com/blog/how-to-figure-out-what-you-want-in-...
biblemoneymatters.com/index.php?s=procrastinating&usg...
www.elanso.com/ArticleModule/JNJNSYVITDIsR6KULcVwKAIi.html
www.biblemoneymatters.com/2008/07/single-step-personal-fi...
wswms.blogspot.com/2009/02/blog-post_28.html
www.creativityprompt.com/inspiration-prompt-keep-on-tryin...
www.epictrip.com/Bangladesh-tourism-l187.html
www.wereldpagina.nl/index.php/Sundarbans
www.freepursuits.com/2009/07/01/are-you-putting-off-life-...
wagefreedom.com/depart-sooner-improvise-more/
www.creativityprompt.com/category/inspiration-prompt/
wagefreedom.com/depart-sooner-improvise-more/
blog.current-observations.com/2010/01/flickr-three-violet...
digital-photography-school.com/less-is-more-weekend-photo...
www.rescuemarketing.com/blog/2010/03/28/business-is-perso...
www.palavrasdeosho.com/
www.palavrasdeosho.com/2010/07/lao-tzu.html
quizlet.com/2837563/wod-flash-cards/
www.onextrapixel.com/2010/10/28/5-ways-you-can-improve-yo...
viralmom.com/12-must-read-online-resources-to-become-a-be...
www.pickthebrain.com/blog/how-to-figure-out-what-you-want...
www.photofidelity.com/blog/olympus-e-pl2-negative-space-h...
www.webdesignfact.com/2011/03/effect-of-negative-space-in...
article.yeeyan.org/view/163202/170880
talkingrich.net/page/information-trademarks
www.digital-photography-school.com/negative-space-weekly-...
www.pickthebrain.com/blog/how-to-figure-out-what-you-want...
www.thedailyzen.org/2012/02/4-ways-to-kick-anxiety-in-ass...
www.oldstinger.com/2012/02/4-ways-to-kick-anxiety-in-butt...
ashirvachan.org/

Duet

Image by Bill Selak
Here's my new favorite piece of sound equipment: Apogee Duet. You can plug anything musical straight into it (electric guitar, vocal mic, etc), and it works seamlessly with Garageband and Logic. And it sounds amazing. I plugged my guitar straight in (I didn't even plug in my fancy, awesome sounding amp (or effects)), and my guitar sounded soooo good in Garageband.

So here's part 2 of this photo description-thing. I discovered the Apogee Duet while reading an article about Coldplay's producer. This guy recorded with the Duet, and was stoked with the result. I found 300 amazing reviews online... and they are all true. This hardware rocks. I think my next album will be recorded on this.

Day 319

Poison Ivy, Toxicodendron radicans....Ivy có độc....#5

A few nice photo effects online images I found:

Poison Ivy, Toxicodendron radicans....Ivy có độc....#5

Image by Vietnam Plants & The USA. plants
Taken on June 8, 2012 in Waco city, Texas state, Southern of America.

Nếu nhìn trên bản đồ của Bộ Nông Nghiêp Hoa Kỳ ( USDA ) bạn sẽ thấy sự hiện diện của loài cây này trên phân nửa nước Mỹ .
Khi bạn chạm phải hay đến rất gần loài cây này, bạn cũng có khả năng bị nổi lên những mụn đỏ trên da gây ngứa dữ dội, ngứa đến nổi bạn có thể gãi đến chảy màu, nếu không đi đến bác sĩ kịp thời . Tốt nhất là sau khi đã đi vào rừng hay đến những vùng có nhiều cây cỏ thiên nhiên, bạn nên tắm gội toàn thân để trút sạch những độc tính mà bạn có thể vướng vào da thịt, quần áo . Lần đầu tiên khi chụp hình loài cây và hoa này, tôi chưa đọc kỷ thông tin cho nên chưa biết, sau khi trở về nhà, tôi đã làm nhiều việc nhà , cho đến 10 giờ tối tôi mới đi tắm ,và tôi đã bị nổi mụn đỏ khắp mình. mụn nổi đến đâu thì cơn ngứa hoành hành đến đó tôi rất kềm chế nếu không có thể gãi đến chảy máu , nhưng may là không nổi trên hai tay và mặt, có lẽ vì khi trở về nhà tôi đã rửa mặt và tay liền . Hậu quả là tôi đã phải uống thuốc chống dị ứng một tuần lễ , và các mụn đỏ để lại dấu vết trên cơ thể rất ghê. Con trai nóng ruột quá đi mua cho tôi Johnson Baby Lotion loại có : Vanilla Oatmeal để sau khi tắm xong ,thoa lên những chỗ có vết mụn để lại thì những vết đỏ sẽ mau phai cách nhanh chóng . Nếu trong vườn bạn có mọc loài cây này, hãy đốn bỏ đi tận gốc rể để đề phòng bênh tật nhất là nếu bạn có trẻ nhỏ, tôi không biết nếu trẻ nhỏ chạm phải cây này thì sẽ như thế nào.

I was itched and had many acne redness ( look like Chicken-pox )on skin from the hip to the feet, after I touched the leaves, flowers for taking some images of these plants. I used allergy tablet for stop itchy in 7 days. After that I read some information of this plant, and I tried to come back to take some more photos for , but I had a shower right after I came back home, not wait until evening as before, and I didn't be itch again.
That's my experience .....Read the information below carefully, please.
The foliage of Poison Ivy can irritate the skin of most people, causing redness and blisters. This is caused by a reaction of the immune system to urushiol. People who are immune to Poison Ivy when they are young, can become sensitive to its irritating effects when they become older ( www.illinoiswildflowers.info ).

Vietnamese named : Thường Xuân độc, Sơn đôc, Ivy độc.
Common names : Poison Ivy, Eastern Poison Ivy.
Scientist name : Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze
Synonyms :
Familly : Anacardiaceae - Sumac family.
Group : Dicot
Duration : Perennial
Growth Habit : Shrub - Forb/herb - Subshrub - Vine
Kingdom : Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom : Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision : Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division : Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass : Rosidae
Order : Sapindales
Genus : Toxicodendron Mill. – poison oak
Species : Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze – eastern poison ivy

**** vst.vista.gov.vn/home/database/an_pham_dien_tu/MagazineNa...
Khí nhà kính sinh ra những cây leo độc

Cây thường xuân có độc (toxicodendron radicans) mọc như một loại cây bụi hoặc leo lên thân các cây khác là hiểm họa đối với những người làm vườn và những người dân quê ở Bắc Mỹ vì chúng có thể gây ra chứng phát ban rất đau trên da. Loại cây này tạo ra một loại chất độc gọi là urushiol nằm trong lá cây.
Trong nghiên cứu này, Mohan và các cộng sự của bà đã bơm thêm khí CO2 vào 3 khu đất lớn bao quanh ở rừng thông phía Bắc California. Trong sáu năm, cây cối trong rừng nhận một lượng CO2 là 580 phần triệu so với lượng CO2 trong bầu khí quyển hiện vào khoảng 380 phần triệu. Con số 580 phần triệu là là con số chúng ta dự đoán mức độ ô nhiễm vào giữa thế kỷ 21.
Nghiên cứu khác đã cho rằng các cây leo có xu hướng lớn nhanh đặc biệt khi lượng CO2 tăng cao hơn, và những cây leo đang tăng nhanh về số lượng trên khắp trái đất. Không giống như các loại cây thông thường hấp thụ lượng khí cacbonic tăng thêm để sản sinh thêm gỗ, những cây leo này hấp thụ lượng lượng khí cacbonic tăng thêm để sản sinh thêm lá. Lượng lá cây tăng thêm lại giúp cây leo hập thụ thêm khí CO2, vòng tuần hoàn này lặp đi lặp lại và những cây leo này ngày càng phát triển hơn.
Thí nghiệm của Mohan nhằm mục đích kiểm tra xem liệu kết quả trên cây leo có lớn vọt lên trong thiên nhiên như chúng đã thể hiện ở thí nghiệm trong nhà kính hay không. Và câu trả lời là “Có, chúng lớn rất nhanh”. Những cây thường xuân có độc lớn nhanh gấp hai lần so với những cây cùng loại được phát triển ở dưới mức CO2 bình thường, trong khi tỷ lệ này ở các loài cây thân gỗ là khoảng 31%. Nhóm nghiên cứu cho biết khí CO2 tăng lên cũng tạo ra một loại chất độc urushiol nguy hiểm hơn.
Chất béo gây đau rát
Urushiol được tạo ra từ nhiều loại chất béo khác nhau. Loại chất béo ít độc hơn là chất béo “bão hòa,” có nghĩa là các nguyên tử cacbon trong phân tử chỉ có liên kết đơn với các nguyên tử cacbon khác, và phần còn lại của các liên kết này bão hòa với hyđrô. Tuy nhiên hầu hết các chất béo trong urushiol đều không bão hòa. Chúng có hơn 1 liên kết hóa học giữa nguyên tử cacbon và có ít hyđrô hơn. Những chất béo không bão hoà này được cho là những chất làm da tấy rát nhất.
Bằng cách chiết xuất chất urushiol từ lá cây, các nhà nghiên cứu đã phát hiện ra rằng cây thường xuân có độc phát triển trong môi trường có hàm lượng khí CO2 cao sinh ra một dạng chất độc không bão hoà urushiol nhiều hơn 150% và chất urushiol bão hòa ít hơn 60%.
Các nhà nghiên cứu không chắc chắn tại sao sự biến đổi hóa học này lại xảy ra, nhưng có ý kiến cho rằng hàm lượng cacbon tăng lên bằng cách nào đó sẽ tạo điều kiện thuận lợi cho các phản ứng hóa học sản sinh ra dạng không bão hòa của chất urushiol.
Ước tính ở Mỹ mỗi năm cây thường xuân độc gây ra 350.000 trường hợp phát ban trên da. Khoảng 80% người dân có phản ứng với chất độc này và càng tiếp xúc nhiều hơn với chất độc, phản ứng của họ càng tệ hơn. Mohan nói rằng: “Tôi có những đồng nghiệp bị dị ứng mạnh đến nỗi các bác sĩ chuyên khoa da liễu của họ nói rằng họ phải chuyển nghề.”
Mohan cho rằng sự tăng lên của CO2 cũng làm tăng trưởng các cây leo độc khác trong họ Toxicodendron trên khắp thế giới. “Những loài cây phổ biến của rừng trong tương lai sẽ khác với những loài cây phổ biến trong rừng hiện nay.”
N.M.N (theo Nature online, 30/5/2006)

________________________________________________________________

**** plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=tora2
**** en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxicodendron_radicans
**** www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/tora.html
**** www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=TORA2
**** www.illinoiswildflowers.info/trees/plants/poison_ivy.htm

**** www.kingdomplantae.net/poisonIvy.php

A highly variable perennial woody vine or shrub, native to North America and Asia and introduced in Great Britain, Europe, and Australia.
There is considerable disagreement over whether poison ivy is one species with variations, or many separate species. It is also sometimes said that the poison oaks (Toxicodendron diversilobum and Toxicodendron quercifolium) are merely variations of the same species.

The photos on this page depict the common form in my locale (a trailing vine), but the text is more general.

Poison ivy prefers rich soil with good drainage and plenty of water. It is particularly common around lakes, swamps, and rivers. It will grow perfectly well, however, in a wide variety of other habitats. It's common along roadsides and trails, in areas of waste ground, in thickets, in open woods, and in old fields. It seems to do best in my area (Minnesota) in places that are just slightly shaded.

New poison ivy shoots sprout from existing roots, from rhizomes (underground stems), from climbing vines, and of course, from seed.

The stems are woody, brown, and smooth (though older stems of climbing plants develop a very hairy appearance). They may trail along (or just under) the ground, sending frequent branches both out and up. They may grow upright, in a shrub form, which can reach 7 feet in height under good conditions. Or they may grow as a vine, up to 5 inches in diameter, climbing trees and fences by means of dense, dark, fibrous, aerial roots (giving the vines that hairy look).

The alternate leaves have rather long stalks and are palmately compound (the leaflets radiate outward from a center point, like the fingers on your hand). The three leaflets, around 2" to 4" in length, may be shiny or not, are generally (but not always) wavy-edged or slightly toothed, and are sometimes slightly lobed. The young leaves are green, often with a reddish cast that they lose as they mature. In late spring to early summer, the flowers appear, in loose clusters from the leaf axils. The flowers have five petals, are about 1/8" diameter, are off-white with a yellowish or greenish tinge, and develop into small (about 1/4" diameter), round, dry, off-white fruits with a yellowish or greenish tinge. The fruit ripens in late summer through late fall, and at about the same time the leaves turn bright red, providing a cue to the many birds that feed on the fruits. The leaves fall once temperatures drop below freezing, while the fruits remain on the plants through the winter.

The thing that makes poison ivy so famous is the presence of a pale yellow oil called urushiol. This oil is present within all parts of the plant, but is not found on the surface unless the plant is damaged or bruised. The plant is somewhat fragile, however, and the majority of specimens are damaged in some way. Furthermore, urushiol can take many years to break down, particularly in cool and dry conditions, so it is also present in dead plants.

Urushiol is sticky, and is easily transferred to anything that touches it. And, as it is a stable compound, once it's on something (like your clothes, tools, or pets), at least some of it will stay there for quite a while unless it's washed off. When poison ivy is burned, the urushiol is carried on particles of soot and dust in the smoke.

Urushiol itself is not poisonous. However, urushiol which remains on your skin for more than five minutes or so will begin to be absorbed and metabolized.


The metabolites bind with skin proteins, forming new structures. In about 85% of the human population, the immune system sees these structures as foreign and attacks them. It is this immune response, or allergic reaction, which causes the itching, inflammation, and blistering of the skin. These symptoms generally appear after half a day to two days. After a few more days, when all of the alien structures have been destroyed (along with much of the surrounding tissue), the rash begins to heal...

The average person doesn't have a reaction the first time they're exposed, and if they do, it's usually delayed by seven to ten days. It takes some time for your body to produce the appropriate T-cells. Sensitivity also varies among individuals, and usually decreases with age. The palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, where the skin is thicker, are generally immune.

Severe cases, especially those involving mucous membranes (eyes, mouth, throat, lungs, etc.) require medical attention. Hydrocortisone preparations or, in really severe cases, steroids, are generally given to reduce the immune response. As with many allergens, a severe reaction can be fatal if left untreated.


The best way to avoid getting "poison ivy" is to not get urushiol on your skin. Know what the plant looks like and avoid it. If you can't avoid it, wear protective clothing. Wash anything that may have come in contact with the plant before it touches your skin, including your dog. Never ever ever burn poison ivy. Stay away from forest fires (unless you're a firefighter, then wear protective gear). There are also barrier creams that are commercially available.

If you think you've been exposed, wash the area as soon as possible, preferably within an hour after exposure, with lots of cool running water. A lake or a river works well. Don't use soap unless it contains no oils (oil will cause the urushiol to spread). In the woods, look for bouncing bet (Saponaria officinales). With its high saponin content, it makes a workable oil-free soap. You may also wash the area with alcohol or another solvent, rinsing with plenty of water, but keep in mind that this strips your skin of its protective oils, making it more vulnerable to urushiol.

The most well known herbal treatment for poison ivy is the juice of jewelweed (Impatiens spp.) There may be a compound in jewelweed which binds to the same sites as the urushiol metabolites, thereby blocking their access. If this is true, applying jewelweed to the skin just before or just after exposure should prevent the rash. There is quite a lot of anecdotal evidence that this works. Jewelweed also has anti-inflammatory properties and should be a soothing treatment for an already developed rash.

Plantain (Plantago spp.), applied as a poultice, may also prevent the rash and will also soothe an already developed rash. Other plants with astringent and/or soothing properties may also help.

There is anecdotal evidence of people desensitizing themselves to poison ivy by eating poison ivy leaves, first starting with a tiny amount and then gradually increasing the dosage until a maintenance level is reached. The most common side effect of this treatment, however, is getting the rash where the urushiol passes out of your body. It is also possible to have symptoms internally. Similar treatments in pill form can be obtained from a doctor or dermatologist, but have the same unpleasant side effects. No other immunization appears to be available at this time.

Medicinally, poison ivy has been used to treat paralysis, arthritis, and certain persistent skin disorders, and also as a sedative. It is still used in homeopathic medicine for arthritis and skin disorders.

Poison ivy fruits are an important food source for a wide variety of birds (who also spread the seeds), and also for other wildlife, including deer. Goats quite like poison ivy and can be an effective means of controlling it. I've heard that drinking the milk from such a goat might desensitize a person, though I haven't seen any evidence to back that up. Studies have been done showing that urushiol is not transferred to the milk, but whether its metabolites are present seems to be unknown.

Poison ivy has occasionally been planted in gardens for color. This is how it arrived in England and Australia.

The sap turns black, and dries hard (like lacquer), when exposed to air, and has been used as a permanent ink, as a dye, and as an ingredient in varnishes.

To control poison ivy, either pull or dig it out by hand, cover it with mulch so that no light reaches it, mow it close to the ground, spray it with herbicides, or use any combination of methods. If you pull it out by hand, the best time is probably late fall or very early spring, and protective clothing must be worn. Be sure to get every part of the plant or it will regenerate. Throw it all in the trash (double bag it for the trash collector). Do not attempt to compost it and never ever try to burn it. When you're finished, wash everything, including yourself, thoroughly (wash your clothes separately from your other laundry or have them dry-cleaned if necessary). Using mulch is simple, but the ivy may pop through again, so cover it well. Mowing will kill a portion of it, anyway, as will the exposure to full sun, but remember that you're getting the oil all over the place, so wear protective gear and clean your equipment afterward. If herbicides are used, use them carefully, following the directions, and no more than necessary. Probably the most effective and least harmful method is to cut it and then use a disposable foam brush to paint the stump with the herbicide. You'll probably also want to wash everything when you're done. Herbicides are poisons, after all.

One last way to control poison ivy is to make the site inhospitable for it. Pay attention to the local conditions that it likes to grow in, and those it doesn't grow in, and then add or remove other plants to make the poison ivy feel less at home. Planting aggressive plants or plants that inhibit the growth of other plants, like black walnut or mugwort might be worth a try.

A last thought - don't create a problem where none exists. Behind the building where I work, there's a granite outcropping covered in wild blackberries, wild roses, staghorn sumac, moss with tiny little flowers and poison ivy. Small animals and birds loved the place, as did I, often picking blackberries there (carefully) on my lunch break. The poison ivy never spread off the rock because the area around it was kept mowed. But some safety official from the big city decided it was dangerous and had to be eliminated, so our maintenance crew has been spraying Round-up all over it for months and months. They haven't killed the poison ivy - and probably won't, even if they try to dig it out, since the roots run through the rock, but they've killed almost everything else there - there are no more blackberries, no roses, no birds or rabbits or tiny little flowers - and as far as I know noone ever actually got poison ivy there because only a few of us ever went back there and we were all nature types who knew enough to avoid it. It's just a waste of time, energy, and much needed habitat to start a war against something that isn't hurting anyone.

Poison Ivy, Toxicodendron radicans....Ivy có độc....#8

Image by Vietnam Plants & The USA. plants
Taken on June 8, 2012 in Waco city, Texas state, Southern of America.

Nếu nhìn trên bản đồ của Bộ Nông Nghiêp Hoa Kỳ ( USDA ) bạn sẽ thấy sự hiện diện của loài cây này trên phân nửa nước Mỹ .
Khi bạn chạm phải hay đến rất gần loài cây này, bạn cũng có khả năng bị nổi lên những mụn đỏ trên da gây ngứa dữ dội, ngứa đến nổi bạn có thể gãi đến chảy màu, nếu không đi đến bác sĩ kịp thời . Tốt nhất là sau khi đã đi vào rừng hay đến những vùng có nhiều cây cỏ thiên nhiên, bạn nên tắm gội toàn thân để trút sạch những độc tính mà bạn có thể vướng vào da thịt, quần áo . Lần đầu tiên khi chụp hình loài cây và hoa này, tôi chưa đọc kỷ thông tin cho nên chưa biết, sau khi trở về nhà, tôi đã làm nhiều việc nhà , cho đến 10 giờ tối tôi mới đi tắm ,và tôi đã bị nổi mụn đỏ khắp mình. mụn nổi đến đâu thì cơn ngứa hoành hành đến đó tôi rất kềm chế nếu không có thể gãi đến chảy máu , nhưng may là không nổi trên hai tay và mặt, có lẽ vì khi trở về nhà tôi đã rửa mặt và tay liền . Hậu quả là tôi đã phải uống thuốc chống dị ứng một tuần lễ , và các mụn đỏ để lại dấu vết trên cơ thể rất ghê. Con trai nóng ruột quá đi mua cho tôi Johnson Baby Lotion loại có : Vanilla Oatmeal để sau khi tắm xong ,thoa lên những chỗ có vết mụn để lại thì những vết đỏ sẽ mau phai cách nhanh chóng . Nếu trong vườn bạn có mọc loài cây này, hãy đốn bỏ đi tận gốc rể để đề phòng bênh tật nhất là nếu bạn có trẻ nhỏ, tôi không biết nếu trẻ nhỏ chạm phải cây này thì sẽ như thế nào.

I was itched and had many acne redness ( look like Chicken-pox )on skin from the hip to the feet, after I touched the leaves, flowers for taking some images of these plants. I used allergy tablet for stop itchy in 7 days. After that I read some information of this plant, and I tried to come back to take some more photos for , but I had a shower right after I came back home, not wait until evening as before, and I didn't be itch again.
That's my experience .....Read the information below carefully, please.
The foliage of Poison Ivy can irritate the skin of most people, causing redness and blisters. This is caused by a reaction of the immune system to urushiol. People who are immune to Poison Ivy when they are young, can become sensitive to its irritating effects when they become older ( www.illinoiswildflowers.info ).

Vietnamese named : Thường Xuân độc, Sơn đôc, Ivy độc.
Common names : Poison Ivy, Eastern Poison Ivy.
Scientist name : Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze
Synonyms :
Familly : Anacardiaceae - Sumac family.
Group : Dicot
Duration : Perennial
Growth Habit : Shrub - Forb/herb - Subshrub - Vine
Kingdom : Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom : Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision : Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division : Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass : Rosidae
Order : Sapindales
Genus : Toxicodendron Mill. – poison oak
Species : Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze – eastern poison ivy

**** vst.vista.gov.vn/home/database/an_pham_dien_tu/MagazineNa...
Khí nhà kính sinh ra những cây leo độc

Cây thường xuân có độc (toxicodendron radicans) mọc như một loại cây bụi hoặc leo lên thân các cây khác là hiểm họa đối với những người làm vườn và những người dân quê ở Bắc Mỹ vì chúng có thể gây ra chứng phát ban rất đau trên da. Loại cây này tạo ra một loại chất độc gọi là urushiol nằm trong lá cây.
Trong nghiên cứu này, Mohan và các cộng sự của bà đã bơm thêm khí CO2 vào 3 khu đất lớn bao quanh ở rừng thông phía Bắc California. Trong sáu năm, cây cối trong rừng nhận một lượng CO2 là 580 phần triệu so với lượng CO2 trong bầu khí quyển hiện vào khoảng 380 phần triệu. Con số 580 phần triệu là là con số chúng ta dự đoán mức độ ô nhiễm vào giữa thế kỷ 21.
Nghiên cứu khác đã cho rằng các cây leo có xu hướng lớn nhanh đặc biệt khi lượng CO2 tăng cao hơn, và những cây leo đang tăng nhanh về số lượng trên khắp trái đất. Không giống như các loại cây thông thường hấp thụ lượng khí cacbonic tăng thêm để sản sinh thêm gỗ, những cây leo này hấp thụ lượng lượng khí cacbonic tăng thêm để sản sinh thêm lá. Lượng lá cây tăng thêm lại giúp cây leo hập thụ thêm khí CO2, vòng tuần hoàn này lặp đi lặp lại và những cây leo này ngày càng phát triển hơn.
Thí nghiệm của Mohan nhằm mục đích kiểm tra xem liệu kết quả trên cây leo có lớn vọt lên trong thiên nhiên như chúng đã thể hiện ở thí nghiệm trong nhà kính hay không. Và câu trả lời là “Có, chúng lớn rất nhanh”. Những cây thường xuân có độc lớn nhanh gấp hai lần so với những cây cùng loại được phát triển ở dưới mức CO2 bình thường, trong khi tỷ lệ này ở các loài cây thân gỗ là khoảng 31%. Nhóm nghiên cứu cho biết khí CO2 tăng lên cũng tạo ra một loại chất độc urushiol nguy hiểm hơn.
Chất béo gây đau rát
Urushiol được tạo ra từ nhiều loại chất béo khác nhau. Loại chất béo ít độc hơn là chất béo “bão hòa,” có nghĩa là các nguyên tử cacbon trong phân tử chỉ có liên kết đơn với các nguyên tử cacbon khác, và phần còn lại của các liên kết này bão hòa với hyđrô. Tuy nhiên hầu hết các chất béo trong urushiol đều không bão hòa. Chúng có hơn 1 liên kết hóa học giữa nguyên tử cacbon và có ít hyđrô hơn. Những chất béo không bão hoà này được cho là những chất làm da tấy rát nhất.
Bằng cách chiết xuất chất urushiol từ lá cây, các nhà nghiên cứu đã phát hiện ra rằng cây thường xuân có độc phát triển trong môi trường có hàm lượng khí CO2 cao sinh ra một dạng chất độc không bão hoà urushiol nhiều hơn 150% và chất urushiol bão hòa ít hơn 60%.
Các nhà nghiên cứu không chắc chắn tại sao sự biến đổi hóa học này lại xảy ra, nhưng có ý kiến cho rằng hàm lượng cacbon tăng lên bằng cách nào đó sẽ tạo điều kiện thuận lợi cho các phản ứng hóa học sản sinh ra dạng không bão hòa của chất urushiol.
Ước tính ở Mỹ mỗi năm cây thường xuân độc gây ra 350.000 trường hợp phát ban trên da. Khoảng 80% người dân có phản ứng với chất độc này và càng tiếp xúc nhiều hơn với chất độc, phản ứng của họ càng tệ hơn. Mohan nói rằng: “Tôi có những đồng nghiệp bị dị ứng mạnh đến nỗi các bác sĩ chuyên khoa da liễu của họ nói rằng họ phải chuyển nghề.”
Mohan cho rằng sự tăng lên của CO2 cũng làm tăng trưởng các cây leo độc khác trong họ Toxicodendron trên khắp thế giới. “Những loài cây phổ biến của rừng trong tương lai sẽ khác với những loài cây phổ biến trong rừng hiện nay.”
N.M.N (theo Nature online, 30/5/2006)

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**** plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=tora2
**** en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxicodendron_radicans
**** www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/tora.html
**** www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=TORA2
**** www.illinoiswildflowers.info/trees/plants/poison_ivy.htm

**** www.kingdomplantae.net/poisonIvy.php

A highly variable perennial woody vine or shrub, native to North America and Asia and introduced in Great Britain, Europe, and Australia.
There is considerable disagreement over whether poison ivy is one species with variations, or many separate species. It is also sometimes said that the poison oaks (Toxicodendron diversilobum and Toxicodendron quercifolium) are merely variations of the same species.

The photos on this page depict the common form in my locale (a trailing vine), but the text is more general.

Poison ivy prefers rich soil with good drainage and plenty of water. It is particularly common around lakes, swamps, and rivers. It will grow perfectly well, however, in a wide variety of other habitats. It's common along roadsides and trails, in areas of waste ground, in thickets, in open woods, and in old fields. It seems to do best in my area (Minnesota) in places that are just slightly shaded.

New poison ivy shoots sprout from existing roots, from rhizomes (underground stems), from climbing vines, and of course, from seed.

The stems are woody, brown, and smooth (though older stems of climbing plants develop a very hairy appearance). They may trail along (or just under) the ground, sending frequent branches both out and up. They may grow upright, in a shrub form, which can reach 7 feet in height under good conditions. Or they may grow as a vine, up to 5 inches in diameter, climbing trees and fences by means of dense, dark, fibrous, aerial roots (giving the vines that hairy look).

The alternate leaves have rather long stalks and are palmately compound (the leaflets radiate outward from a center point, like the fingers on your hand). The three leaflets, around 2" to 4" in length, may be shiny or not, are generally (but not always) wavy-edged or slightly toothed, and are sometimes slightly lobed. The young leaves are green, often with a reddish cast that they lose as they mature. In late spring to early summer, the flowers appear, in loose clusters from the leaf axils. The flowers have five petals, are about 1/8" diameter, are off-white with a yellowish or greenish tinge, and develop into small (about 1/4" diameter), round, dry, off-white fruits with a yellowish or greenish tinge. The fruit ripens in late summer through late fall, and at about the same time the leaves turn bright red, providing a cue to the many birds that feed on the fruits. The leaves fall once temperatures drop below freezing, while the fruits remain on the plants through the winter.

The thing that makes poison ivy so famous is the presence of a pale yellow oil called urushiol. This oil is present within all parts of the plant, but is not found on the surface unless the plant is damaged or bruised. The plant is somewhat fragile, however, and the majority of specimens are damaged in some way. Furthermore, urushiol can take many years to break down, particularly in cool and dry conditions, so it is also present in dead plants.

Urushiol is sticky, and is easily transferred to anything that touches it. And, as it is a stable compound, once it's on something (like your clothes, tools, or pets), at least some of it will stay there for quite a while unless it's washed off. When poison ivy is burned, the urushiol is carried on particles of soot and dust in the smoke.

Urushiol itself is not poisonous. However, urushiol which remains on your skin for more than five minutes or so will begin to be absorbed and metabolized.


The metabolites bind with skin proteins, forming new structures. In about 85% of the human population, the immune system sees these structures as foreign and attacks them. It is this immune response, or allergic reaction, which causes the itching, inflammation, and blistering of the skin. These symptoms generally appear after half a day to two days. After a few more days, when all of the alien structures have been destroyed (along with much of the surrounding tissue), the rash begins to heal...

The average person doesn't have a reaction the first time they're exposed, and if they do, it's usually delayed by seven to ten days. It takes some time for your body to produce the appropriate T-cells. Sensitivity also varies among individuals, and usually decreases with age. The palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, where the skin is thicker, are generally immune.

Severe cases, especially those involving mucous membranes (eyes, mouth, throat, lungs, etc.) require medical attention. Hydrocortisone preparations or, in really severe cases, steroids, are generally given to reduce the immune response. As with many allergens, a severe reaction can be fatal if left untreated.


The best way to avoid getting "poison ivy" is to not get urushiol on your skin. Know what the plant looks like and avoid it. If you can't avoid it, wear protective clothing. Wash anything that may have come in contact with the plant before it touches your skin, including your dog. Never ever ever burn poison ivy. Stay away from forest fires (unless you're a firefighter, then wear protective gear). There are also barrier creams that are commercially available.

If you think you've been exposed, wash the area as soon as possible, preferably within an hour after exposure, with lots of cool running water. A lake or a river works well. Don't use soap unless it contains no oils (oil will cause the urushiol to spread). In the woods, look for bouncing bet (Saponaria officinales). With its high saponin content, it makes a workable oil-free soap. You may also wash the area with alcohol or another solvent, rinsing with plenty of water, but keep in mind that this strips your skin of its protective oils, making it more vulnerable to urushiol.

The most well known herbal treatment for poison ivy is the juice of jewelweed (Impatiens spp.) There may be a compound in jewelweed which binds to the same sites as the urushiol metabolites, thereby blocking their access. If this is true, applying jewelweed to the skin just before or just after exposure should prevent the rash. There is quite a lot of anecdotal evidence that this works. Jewelweed also has anti-inflammatory properties and should be a soothing treatment for an already developed rash.

Plantain (Plantago spp.), applied as a poultice, may also prevent the rash and will also soothe an already developed rash. Other plants with astringent and/or soothing properties may also help.

There is anecdotal evidence of people desensitizing themselves to poison ivy by eating poison ivy leaves, first starting with a tiny amount and then gradually increasing the dosage until a maintenance level is reached. The most common side effect of this treatment, however, is getting the rash where the urushiol passes out of your body. It is also possible to have symptoms internally. Similar treatments in pill form can be obtained from a doctor or dermatologist, but have the same unpleasant side effects. No other immunization appears to be available at this time.

Medicinally, poison ivy has been used to treat paralysis, arthritis, and certain persistent skin disorders, and also as a sedative. It is still used in homeopathic medicine for arthritis and skin disorders.

Poison ivy fruits are an important food source for a wide variety of birds (who also spread the seeds), and also for other wildlife, including deer. Goats quite like poison ivy and can be an effective means of controlling it. I've heard that drinking the milk from such a goat might desensitize a person, though I haven't seen any evidence to back that up. Studies have been done showing that urushiol is not transferred to the milk, but whether its metabolites are present seems to be unknown.

Poison ivy has occasionally been planted in gardens for color. This is how it arrived in England and Australia.

The sap turns black, and dries hard (like lacquer), when exposed to air, and has been used as a permanent ink, as a dye, and as an ingredient in varnishes.

To control poison ivy, either pull or dig it out by hand, cover it with mulch so that no light reaches it, mow it close to the ground, spray it with herbicides, or use any combination of methods. If you pull it out by hand, the best time is probably late fall or very early spring, and protective clothing must be worn. Be sure to get every part of the plant or it will regenerate. Throw it all in the trash (double bag it for the trash collector). Do not attempt to compost it and never ever try to burn it. When you're finished, wash everything, including yourself, thoroughly (wash your clothes separately from your other laundry or have them dry-cleaned if necessary). Using mulch is simple, but the ivy may pop through again, so cover it well. Mowing will kill a portion of it, anyway, as will the exposure to full sun, but remember that you're getting the oil all over the place, so wear protective gear and clean your equipment afterward. If herbicides are used, use them carefully, following the directions, and no more than necessary. Probably the most effective and least harmful method is to cut it and then use a disposable foam brush to paint the stump with the herbicide. You'll probably also want to wash everything when you're done. Herbicides are poisons, after all.

One last way to control poison ivy is to make the site inhospitable for it. Pay attention to the local conditions that it likes to grow in, and those it doesn't grow in, and then add or remove other plants to make the poison ivy feel less at home. Planting aggressive plants or plants that inhibit the growth of other plants, like black walnut or mugwort might be worth a try.

A last thought - don't create a problem where none exists. Behind the building where I work, there's a granite outcropping covered in wild blackberries, wild roses, staghorn sumac, moss with tiny little flowers and poison ivy. Small animals and birds loved the place, as did I, often picking blackberries there (carefully) on my lunch break. The poison ivy never spread off the rock because the area around it was kept mowed. But some safety official from the big city decided it was dangerous and had to be eliminated, so our maintenance crew has been spraying Round-up all over it for months and months. They haven't killed the poison ivy - and probably won't, even if they try to dig it out, since the roots run through the rock, but they've killed almost everything else there - there are no more blackberries, no roses, no birds or rabbits or tiny little flowers - and as far as I know noone ever actually got poison ivy there because only a few of us ever went back there and we were all nature types who knew enough to avoid it. It's just a waste of time, energy, and much needed habitat to start a war against something that isn't hurting anyone.