Omsk State Agrarian University

Omsk State Agrarian University (Omsk SAU, Russian: Омский государственный аграрный университет имени П.А. Столыпина) is a public agricultural higher education institution located in the city of Omsk (Russia). The university has a large territory (1133 hectares), and a green campus space located within the city. Omsk SAU consists of the main university located in Omsk, its branch in the city of Tara, and the University College of Agribusiness.
History.
The history of Omsk SAU dates back to February 24, 1918, when Omsk Agricultural Institute was founded. It became the first higher education institution in Omsk and the first agricultural one east of the Ural Mountains. The initial 1918 enrollment consisted of only 200 students studying at the agronomy department.
In 1919, it was planned to merge Omsk Agricultural Institute with recently created Omsk Polytechnic Institute. If it happened, the agricultural institution would transform into a faculty. Nevertheless, its independence was preserved. In 1922, it was renamed as Siberian Agricultural Academy, and in 1925 in became Siberian Institute of Agriculture and Forestry. In 1930, four associated institutes were organized on its basis, and three years later they were again merged into a single institution.
Omsk SAU changed its name and structure several times more, until in 2011 the current name was approved to honor the Prime Minister of the Russian Empire Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin. During the Great Patriotic War, university buildings housed the workshops of the plant number 357 "Progress" that was evacuated from sieged Leningrad. Educational process continued in the converted rooms. After the war, the university actively developed its infrastructure. Several dormitories and sports grounds were constructed, roads on the campus were asphalted, a canteen, a bathhouse, a student club were built, etc.
In 1971, the university was awarded the Order of Lenin.
In 1992, Advanced Training Institute was founded as part of Omsk SAU, and each year more than 2000 managers and agricultural specialists retrain there.
University structure.
The main university consists of 7 faculties:
The Tara branch of Omsk SAU has the Faculty of Higher Education and the Faculty of Vocational Education.
Research activities.
Omsk SAU scholars have founded 28 scientific schools of thought that are still being developed by university faculty staff and students.The university has gained significant experience in selective breeding and genetics of field crops. Scientists at Omsk SAU Genetics and Breeding Center have created varieties of high-yielding wheat resistant to adverse conditions. Also, varieties of purple and blue wheat were developed. Other research priorities of the university include studies in the filed of zootechny, developing eco-friendly technologies of producing grain, improving the means for prevention and treatment of domestic animals diseases, etc. In 2020, Omsk SAU won a government megagrant for the creation of a laboratory to increase the nutritional value of wheat. This project will be lead by an invited foreign scientist.
University campus and infrastructure.
The main campus consists of closely located academic and administrative buildings and dormitories. Although the campus is located not far away from the city center and the main thoroughfare of the city, it is surrounded by a vast park and fields where students can practise.  In front of the main building there is a fountain "Crocodile and Frogs" built in 1937.  The fountain is one of the symbols of the university.
The main campus comprises:
The second campus comprising the academic building of the Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology and its two dormitories is located in the city center.
Shuttle transportation is not provided by the university. However, it cannot be considered as a serious disadvantage as the campus is relatively small and the public transport infrastructure is accessible.
Omsk SAU neighbors with four other Omsk universities, so that a student can easily commute between their campuses on feet or by bus. The infrastructure in the area where campuses are located includes 2 cinemas, cafes, a shopping mall and several grocery stores, and various banks.
International performance.
Up to 15% of 9000 Omsk SAU students are foreign citizens, coming primarily from Kazakhstan and other CIS countries. Omsk SAU technically can accept non-Russian speaking students, but it does not have study programs in other languages than Russian.
Since the International Relations Department was founded in 1995, Omsk State Agrarian University has participated in numerous scientific and educational international projects. Partnership network of Omsk SAU includes more than 100 institutions and organizations abroad. These are Grimme and Cargill companies, training centers DEULA-Nienburg and Logo e.V., Hartpury University and College, and University of Hohenheim.
Omsk SAU reputation and rankings.
Russian Ministry of Agriculture considers Omsk SAU a leading agrarian institution, placing it 7th among 54 participating HEIs. These universities are leaders in implementing educational programs and doing research that contribute to the technological renewal of agriculture.
The university holds 125th place in the ARES-2020 international rankings (category BB+), that proves good quality performance in teaching, research and reputation among employers.
According to Green Metric ranking, Omsk State Agrarian University takes the 5th place among agricultural universities in Russia, 31st place among 51 participants in Russia, and 641st place among 912 participants worldwide.
Student life.
There is a volunteer center "Globus", an eco-activist organization "The Earth - our common home", and a number of dancing, theater and music groups. Typical events students can participate in are visits to veterans’ houses, charity and patriotic events, help to handicapped people, visits to local schools to present the university to pupils, and sports competitions. Omsk SAU encourages students to actively participate in such events by offering higher scholarships for activists.
Curricula.
Academic year at Omsk State Agrarian University starts on 1 September and lasts till the beginning of July. It is divided into 2 semesters, with the winter exams starting in the middle of January and summer exams held in June–July. Before passing the exams, students have to pass so-called «zachety» (Russian: зачёты) which are typically pass-fail type small exams without grades.
Students are expected to pass internships to practise theoretical skills they gain at the university. Typically, these internships are organized in the end of summer or in fall. They are held on partner enterprises of Omsk SAU.
There are also certain detailed rules and requirements that are used in each of the study programs. They can be checked with Dean's offices representatives or found on the website.
Tuition fees and scholarships.
Omsk SAU can accept foreigners to study for free if they meet requirements set by the Russian government. In this case, a student is also paid a monthly scholarship amounting to 3000 rubles per month ($40).
If a foreign citizens decides to study on commercial basis, he is obliged to pay annual tuition fee of approximately 137 000 rubles (Bachelor's studies), 145 000 rubles (Master's studies) or 155 000 rubles (postgraduate studies).
Notable scholars and teachers.
Pyotr Ludovikovich Dravert — a Russian and Soviet scientist, geologist, mineralogist, historian and writer.
Alexandr Dmitrievich Kizyurin — a well-known horticulturist and Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, researcher in the field of creeping varieties of fruit trees.
Fyodor Mikhailovich Kokhomskiy — Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Hero of Socialist Labor, head of the project for creating a highly productive herd of cattle.
Alexey Mikhailovich Sitnikov — Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Hero of Socialist Labor, who wrote of more than 120 papers on tillage and farming.


Emily Dutton

Emily Dutton (13 November 1884 – 11 May 1962) was a businesswoman, musician and socialite of South Australia, wife of Henry Hampden Dutton. She was for many years manager of Anlaby Station and managing director of Anlaby Pastoral Company.
History.
Emily was born in Gawler, South Australia, the daughter of John Felix Martin (14 August 1844 – 14 December 1916) and his wife Christina, née McNeil ( – 27 December 1931), who married in Gawler on 10 October 1879.
She was an accomplished musician, studying violin and piano under Mrs. Alfred Law of Denbigh Cottage and the Anglican Sisters' school at North Adelaide. The Martins regularly entertained at their home "Martindale" in Duffield Street, Gawler East, where Emily learned the art of the gracious hostess. Cultivated, tall and strikingly beautiful, if somewhat austere, her name was frequently in the "Social Pages"; she was a fine catch for Harry Dutton, son of Henry Dutton (1844–1914), the "Squire of Anlaby". They were engaged in July 1905 and married four months later, on 29 November 1905. They took their honeymoon in Britain and Europe. They travelled a lot, and stayed at the best hotels. When the couple visited London in 1910, G. W. Lambert painted her portrait.
They were in England again when they received news of Henry's father's death on 25 August 1914. They arrived back in Adelaide on Saturday 17 October and returned to Anlaby. A memorial service was held on Sunday 24 October at nearby Hamilton, in St. Matthews Anglican Church, which, with its fine pipe organ, had been financed by the "Squire of Anlaby". Emily played the voluntary and recessional and C. de N. Lucas presided at the organ during the service.
Her involvement with the arts never waned – she was a founding member of the South Australian Symphony Orchestra in 1920, and displayed considerable talent with the brush, exhibiting regularly with the Royal South Australian Society of Arts.
Like her adventurous husband, Emily was a keen motorist. Following his historic drive from Adelaide to Darwin in August 1908, in 1921 the two of them motored from Oodnadatta to Katherine, around , the rest of the journey from Adelaide to Darwin being taken by rail; she was the first woman to make that trip. The party consisted of two Dodge cars, the second being driven by the Duttons' chauffeur, a Mr. Brearley, and though arduous the trip was practically trouble-free; one broken spring and one puncture in the Dunlop "Railroad" tyres being the only damages incurred.
She made many friends, including George II of Greece, among the "élite" of Britain and Europe, and was holidaying there in 1932 with daughter Helen when her husband died at Anlaby, the same week of her court appearance in Buckingham Palace; where she again appeared the following year.
Her civic and charitable interests included the Australian Red Cross Society, of which she was a longtime divisional councillor, from 1937 assistant controller of the Voluntary Aid Detachment and from 1938 country supervisor for the Voluntary Service Detachment (both World War II service organisations) and district officer for the St John Ambulance Brigade.
She died at Anlaby on 11 May 1962 and was buried in the family plot, St Matthew's Church, Hamilton.


German Shepherd

The German Shepherd (, ) is a breed of medium to large-sized working dog that originated in Germany. According to the FCI, the breed's English language name is German Shepherd Dog. The breed was officially known as the "Alsatian Wolf Dog" in the UK from after the First World War until 1977 when its name was changed back to German Shepherd. Despite its wolf-like appearance, the German Shepherd is a relatively modern breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899.
As a herding dog, German Shepherds are working dogs developed originally for herding sheep. Since that time, however, because of their strength, intelligence, trainability, and obedience, German Shepherds around the world are often the preferred breed for many types of work, including disability assistance, search-and-rescue, police and military roles and acting. The German Shepherd is the second-most registered breed by the American Kennel Club and seventh-most registered breed by The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom.
Description.
German Shepherds are medium to large-sized dogs. The breed standard height at the withers is for males, and for females. German Shepherds are longer than they are tall, with an ideal proportion of 10 to . The AKC official breed standard does not set a standard weight range. They have a domed forehead, a long square-cut muzzle with strong jaws and a black nose. The eyes are medium-sized and brown. The ears are large and stand erect, open at the front and parallel, but they often are pulled back during movement. A German Shepherd has a long neck, which is raised when excited and lowered when moving at a fast pace as well as stalking. The tail is bushy and reaches to the hock.
German Shepherds have a double coat which is close and dense with a thick undercoat. The coat is accepted in two variants: medium and long. The gene for long hair is recessive, and therefore the long-haired variety is rarer. Treatment of the long-haired variation differs across standards; it is accepted but does not compete against standard-coated dogs under the German and UK Kennel Clubs while it can compete with standard-coated dogs, but is considered a fault, in the American Kennel Club. The FCI accepted the long-haired type in 2010, listing it as the variety b, while the short-haired type is listed as the variety a.
Most commonly, German Shepherds are either tan/black or red/black. Most color varieties have black masks and black body markings which can range from a classic "saddle" to an overall "blanket". Rarer color variations include the sable, pure-black, pure-white, liver, silver, blue, and panda varieties. The all-black and sable varieties are acceptable according to most standards; however, the blue and liver are considered to be serious faults and the all-white is grounds for instant disqualification from showing in conformation at All Breed and Specialty Shows.
Intelligence.
German Shepherds were bred specifically for their intelligence. In a list of breeds most likely to bark as watchdogs, Stanley Coren ranked the breed in second place. Coupled with their strength, this trait makes the breed desirable as police, guard and search and rescue dogs, as they are able to quickly learn various tasks and interpret instructions better than other breeds.
Temperament.
German Shepherds are moderately active dogs and are described in breed standards as self assured. The breed is marked by a willingness to learn and an eagerness to have a purpose. They are curious, which makes them excellent guard dogs and suitable for search missions. They can become overprotective of their family and territory, especially if not socialized correctly. They are not inclined to become immediate friends with strangers. German Shepherds are highly intelligent and obedient, as well as protective of their owners.
Aggression and biting.
While an Australian report from 1999 provides statistics showing that German Shepherds are the breed third most likely to attack a person in some Australian locales, once their popularity is taken into account, the percentages of GSD attacks drops to 38th.
According to the National Geographic Channel television show "Dangerous Encounters", the bite of a German Shepherd has a force of over (compared with that of a Rottweiler, over , a Pit bull, , a Labrador Retriever, of approximately , or a human, of approximately ).
Modern breed.
The modern German Shepherd breed is criticized by some for straying away from Max von Stephanitz's original ideology that German Shepherds should be bred primarily as working dogs and that breeding should be strictly controlled to eliminate defects quickly. He believed that, above all else, German Shepherds should be bred for intelligence and working ability.
Controversy.
The Kennel Club, in the United Kingdom, is involved in a dispute with German Shepherd breed clubs about the issue of soundness in the show strain of the breed. Some show strains have been bred with an extremely roached topline (back) that causes poor gait in the hind legs.
The debate was catalyzed when the issue was raised in the BBC documentary, "Pedigree Dogs Exposed", which said that critics of the breed describe it as "half dog, half frog." An orthopedic vet remarked on footage of dogs in a show ring that they were "not normal."
The Kennel Club's position is that "this issue of soundness is not a simple difference of opinion, it is the fundamental issue of the breed's essential conformation and movement." The Kennel Club has decided to retrain judges to penalize dogs suffering these problems.
The Kennel Club also recommends testing for haemophilia and hip dysplasia, other common problems with the breed.
Variants.
East-European Shepherd.
The East-European Shepherd is a variety of the German Shepherd bred in the former Soviet Union with the purpose of creating a larger, more cold resistant version of the German Shepherd; it lacks the physical deformities bred into western show lines of German Shepherds and has become one of Russia's most popular dog types.
King Shepherd.
The King Shepherd is a variety of the German Shepherd bred in the United States, its breeders hoping to rectify the physical deformities that have been bred into the original breed.
Shiloh Shepherd.
The Shiloh Shepherd is a variety of the German Shepherd bred in the United States. It was developed in the 1970s and 1980s to correct behavioural and conformational issues that have been bred into modern German Shepherds, and was bred for large size, length of their back, temperament and soundness of hips. It has been recognized by the American Rare Breed Association since 1990.
White Shepherd.
The White Shepherd is a variety of the German Shepherd bred in the United States. White coated German Shepherds were once banned from registration in their native Germany, but in the United States and Canada the colouration gained a following and a breed club was formed specifically for white coloured German Shepherds, calling their variety the White Shepherd. The variety is recognized as a separate breed by the United Kennel Club.
White Swiss Shepherd Dog.
The White Swiss Shepherd Dog (, , ) is a variety of the German Shepherd bred in Switzerland. It descends from the American White Shepherds; the first stud dog of what became the breed was an American dog born in 1966 and imported to Switzerland. The variety was recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale as a separate breed in 2003, and it is now recognised by a number of national kennel clubs.
Use as a working dog.
German Shepherds are a popular selection for use as working dogs. They are known for being easy to train and good for performing tasks and following instructions. They are especially well known for their police work, being used for tracking criminals, patrolling troubled areas and detection and holding of suspects. Additionally, thousands of German Shepherds have been used by the military. Usually trained for scout duty, they are used to warn soldiers to the presence of enemies or of booby traps or other hazards. German Shepherds have also been trained by military groups to parachute from aircraft or as anti-tank weapons. They were used in World War II as messenger dogs, rescue dogs and personal guard dogs. A number of these dogs were taken home by foreign servicemen, who were impressed by their intelligence.
The German Shepherd is one of the most widely used breeds in a wide variety of scent-work roles. These include search and rescue, cadaver searching, narcotics detection, explosives detection, accelerant detection and mine detection dog, among others. They are suited for these lines of work because of their keen sense of smell and their ability to work regardless of distractions.
At one time the German Shepherd was the breed chosen almost exclusively to be used as a guide dog for the visually impaired. When formal guide dog training began in Switzerland in the 1920s under the leadership of Dorothy Eustis, all of the dogs trained were German Shepherd females. An experiment in temperament testing of a group of Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherds showed that the Retrievers scored higher on average in emotional stability, ability to recover promptly from frightening situations, cooperative behavior and friendliness; while the German Shepherds were superior in aggression and defensive behavior. These results suggested that Labrador Retrievers were more suited to guide dog work while German Shepherds were more suited to police work.
Currently, Labradors and Golden Retrievers are more widely used for this work, although there are still German Shepherds being trained. In 2013, about 15% of the dogs trained by Guide Dogs of America are German Shepherds, while the remainder are Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers. The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association in the United Kingdom trains some German Shepherds, while the comparable organization in the US only trains Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and crosses between these breeds.
German Shepherds are still used for herding and tending sheep grazing in meadows next to gardens and crop fields. They are expected to patrol the boundaries to keep sheep from trespassing and damaging the crops. In Germany and other places these skills are tested in utility dog trials also known as Herdengebrauchshund (HGH) herding utility dog trials.
One Mexican German Shepherd, Zuyaqui, was dissected and his body put on display at the Sedena's "Narco Museum" in Mexico. He is regarded to be the dog who has captured the most drugs in Mexican police and military history.
History.
In 2018, a genetic study found that, just prior to 1859, a broadly distributed European herding dog had given rise to the German Shepherd Dog, the French Berger Picard, and the five Italian herding breeds: the Bergamasco Shepherd, Cane Paratore, Lupino del Gigante, Pastore d'Oropa, and the Pastore della Lessinia e del Lagorai.
During the 1850s, attempts were being made to standardize dog breeds. Dogs were being bred to preserve traits that assisted in their job of herding sheep and protecting their flocks from predators. In Germany this was practiced within local communities, where shepherds selected and bred dogs. It was recognized that the breed had the necessary skills for herding sheep, such as intelligence, speed, strength and keen senses of smell. The results were dogs that were able to do such things, but that differed significantly, both in appearance and ability, from one locality to another.
To combat these differences, the Phylax Society was formed in 1891 with the intention of creating standardised development plans for native dog breeds in Germany. The society disbanded after only three years due to ongoing internal conflicts regarding the traits in dogs that the society should promote; some members believed dogs should be bred solely for working purposes, while others believed dogs should be bred also for appearance. While unsuccessful in their goal, the Phylax Society had inspired people to pursue standardising dog breeds independently.
With the rise of large, industrialized cities in Germany, the predator population began to decline, rendering sheepdogs unnecessary. At the same time, the awareness of sheepdogs as a versatile, intelligent class of canine began to rise. Max von Stephanitz, an ex-cavalry captain and former student of the Berlin Veterinary College, was an ex-member of the Phylax Society who firmly believed dogs should be bred for working. He admired the intelligence, strength and ability of Germany's native sheepdogs, but could not find any one single breed that satisfied him as the perfect working dog.
In 1899, Von Stephanitz was attending a dog show when he was shown a dog named "Hektor Linksrhein". Hektor was the product of few generations of selective breeding and completely fulfilled what Von Stephanitz believed a working dog should be. He was pleased with the strength of the dog and was so taken by the animal's intelligence, loyalty and beauty, that he purchased him immediately. After purchasing the dog he changed his name to Horand von Grafrath and Von Stephanitz founded the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (Society for German Shepherd Dogs). Horand was declared to be the first German Shepherd Dog and was the first dog added to the society's breed register. In just a few decades of the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde's establishment, the breed became one of the world’s most popular and numerous, a position it has maintained to this day. By 1923, the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde claimed 50,000 dues-paying members in more than 500 branches in Germany alone.
Horand became the center-point of the breeding programs and was bred with dogs belonging to other society members that displayed desirable traits and with dogs from Thuringia, Franconia and Wurttemberg. Fathering many pups, Horand's most successful was "Hektor von Schwaben". Hektor was inbred with another of Horand's offspring and produced "Heinz von Starkenburg", "Beowulf" and "Pilot", who later fathered a total of eighty-four pups, mostly through being inbred with Hektor's other offspring. This inbreeding was deemed necessary in order to fix the traits being sought in the breed. Beowulf's progeny also were inbred and it is from these pups that all German Shepherds draw a genetic link. It is believed the society accomplished its goal mostly due to Von Stephanitz's strong, uncompromising leadership and he is therefore credited with being the creator of the German Shepherd Dog.
During the first half of the twentieth century, the breed came to be strongly identified with Imperial and Nazi Germany, because of its association with purity and militarism. German Shepherds were coveted as "", being close to the wolf, and became very fashionable during the Nazi era. Adolf Hitler acquired a German Shepherd named "Prinz" in 1921, during his years of poverty, but he had been forced to lodge the dog elsewhere. However, she managed to escape and return to him. Hitler, who adored the loyalty and obedience of the dog, thereafter developed a great liking for the breed. Hitler kept several more of the breed, including Blondi, who was among several dogs in the Führerbunker during the Battle of Berlin at the end of World War II in Europe. Dogs played a role in Nazi propaganda by portraying Hitler as an animal lover. Preparing for his suicide, Hitler ordered Dr Werner Haase to test a cyanide capsule on Blondi, and the dog died as a result. Erna Flegel, a nurse who worked at the emergency casualty station in the Reich Chancellery stated in 2005 that Blondi's death had affected the people in the bunker more than Eva Braun's suicide. German Shepherds were also used widely as guard dogs at Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust.
When the German Shepherd was introduced to the United States it was initially a popular dog. But as the dogs' popularity grew, it became associated as a dangerous breed owned by gangsters and bootleggers. The reputation of the German Shepherds as a dangerous breed had grown to such an extent that it was briefly banned to import them in Australia in 1929. It was even decided that all German Shepherds were to be sterilised.
Etymology.
The breed was named "Deutscher Schäferhund" by von Stephanitz, literally translating to "German Shepherd Dog". The breed was so named due to its original purpose of assisting shepherds in herding and protecting sheep. At the time, all other herding dogs in Germany were referred to by this name; they thus became known as "Altdeutsche Schäferhunde", or Old German herding dogs.
The direct translation of the name was adopted for use in the official breed registry; however, at the conclusion of World War I, it was believed that the inclusion of the word "German" would harm the breed's popularity, due to the anti-German sentiment of the era. The breed was officially renamed by the UK Kennel Club to "Alsatian Wolf Dog", after the French region of Alsace bordering Germany. This name was also adopted by many other international kennel clubs.
Eventually, the appendage "wolf dog" was dropped, after numerous campaigns by breeders who were worried that becoming known as a wolf-dog hybrid would affect the breed's popularity and legality. The name Alsatian remained for five decades, until 1977, when successful campaigns by dog enthusiasts pressured the British kennel clubs to allow the breed to be registered again as German Shepherds. The word "Alsatian" still appeared in parentheses as part of the formal breed name and was only removed in 2010.
Popularity.
When the UK Kennel accepted registrations in 1919, 54 German Shepherds were registered. By 1926 this number had grown to over 8,000. The breed gained international recognition after the end of World War I. Returning soldiers spoke highly of the breed and animal actors Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart popularised the breed further. The first German Shepherd Dog registered in the United States was "Queen of Switzerland". Her offspring suffered from defects as the result of poor breeding, which caused the breed to suffer a decline in popularity during the late 1920s.
Popularity increased again after the German Shepherd "Sieger Pfeffer von Bern" became the 1937 and 1938 Grand Victor in American Kennel club dog shows, only to suffer another decline at the conclusion of World War II, due to anti-German sentiment. Popularity increased gradually until 1993, when they became the third most popular breed in the United States. , the German Shepherd is the second most popular breed in the US. Additionally, the breed is typically among the most popular in other registries. The German Shepherd Dog's physique is very well suited to competing in shows and competitions, such as agility trials.
Health.
Many common ailments of the German Shepherd are a result of the inbreeding practiced early in the breed's life. One such common ailment is hip and elbow dysplasia which may cause the dog to experience pain later on in life and may cause arthritis. A study conducted by the University of Zurich found that 45% of the police working dogs were affected by degenerative spinal stenosis, although a small sample size was used. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals found that 19.1% of German Shepherd are affected by hip dysplasia. There are, however, ways to help prevent hip dysplasia, including getting a pup from a good breeder, keeping it on a healthy diet, and limiting the amount of jumping or rough play. German Shepherds have low frequency of ear infections, since this breed is well-known for hyperactivity of its cerumen-producing glands. According to a recent survey in the UK, the median life span of German Shepherds is 10.95 years, which is normal for a dog of their size.
Degenerative myelopathy, a neurological disease, occurs with enough regularity specifically in the breed to suggest that the breed is predisposed to it. A very inexpensive DNA saliva test is now available to screen for degenerative myelopathy. The test screens for the mutated gene that has been seen in dogs with degenerative myelopathy. A small study in the UK showed 16% of young asymptomatic GSDs to be homozygous for the mutation, with a further 38% being carriers. Now that a test is available the disease can be bred out of breeds with a high preponderance. The test is only recommended for predisposed breeds, but can be performed on DNA samples from any dog, collected through swabbing the inside of the animal's cheek with a sterile cotton swab. Prospective German Shepherd buyers can now request the test from the breeder or buy from a breeder who is known to test their dogs.
Additionally, German Shepherds have a higher than normal incidence of Von Willebrand disease, a common inherited bleeding disorder, and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), a degenerative disease of the pancreas. It is estimated that 1% of the UK GSD population suffers from this disease. Treatment is usually provided in the form of pancreatic supplements taken with food.
Skeletal health and supplementation.
Musculoskeletal disorders are debilitating conditions that are often associated with genetic makeup, malnutrition, and stress-related events. Some breeds like the German shepherd, are predisposed to a variety of different skeletal disorders, including but not limited to: canine hip dysplasia, Cauda equina syndrome, and osteoarthritis. These conditions can be a result of poor breeding or induced by intense exercise and poor diet.
Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) is an orthopedic condition resulting from abnormal development of the hip joint and surrounding tissue causing the instability and partial dislocation of the hip joint, resulting in pain, inflammation, lameness, and potentially osteoarthritis of the joint. German shepherds are genetically predisposed to CHD and the University of Veterinary Medicine in Germany found its prevalence estimated to be approximately 35% of veterinary cases associated with the disorder.
Osteoarthritis is one of the main contributors of musculoskeletal pain and disabilities that commonly affect German shepherds. Mechanical stress, oxidative damage and inflammatory mediators combine to induce the gradual degeneration of the articular cartilage in the joint, resulting in reduced muscle mass, pain, and locomotion.
Feeding a well-balanced diet designed for large breeds like the German shepherd to ensure adequate growth rates and proper maintenance of musculoskeletal health is essential. Dietary energy levels should be monitored and controlled throughout all life stages and activity levels of the German shepherd to assist in the prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal disorder symptoms. Several dietary factors play a crucial role in maintaining skeletal health and are described as follows:
Appropriate calcium levels are vital in developing a strong skeletal system and aid in preventing orthopaedic diseases like Canine Hip Dysplasia. Furthermore, the ratio of calcium and phosphorus must be balanced and at a recommended ratio of 1.2:1 to ensure proper bone development and structure. Imbalances in calcium and phosphorus levels can result in various skeletal complications. Excess phosphorus can produce lesions in bones whereas excessive calcium can lead to hypocalcaemia and result in excess bone deposition, interfering with normal bone development. In extreme circumstances of insufficient calcium intake, bone resorption can occur due to the body withdrawing calcium deposits from the skeletal frame as a last resort to fulfill dietary needs.
Omega-3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been shown to be highly effective in the prevention of cartilage catabolism in "in vitro" models, suggesting that its supplementation in food could aid in decreasing the symptoms of osteoarthritis in German shepherds. Furthermore, EPA and DHA inhibit key regulators of the inflammatory process and suppress their activation which can help alleviate pain and reduce inflamed joints associated with many skeletal disorders. Ensuring an appropriate ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids of approximately 5:1 is very important for inflammation processes. Animals source, specifically marine life such as fish, krill, and mussels, and plant sources such as flaxseed, soybean and canola oil, are particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Glucosamine is an amino-monosaccharide that naturally occurs in all tissues, particularly in articular cartilage of joints and from the biosynthesis of glucose. Natural synthesis of glucosamine occurs in the extracellular matrix of articular cartilage in joints. However, as a result of damage to the joint or cartilage, there is decreased ability to synthesize glucosamine resulting in the deterioration of the joint, and supplementation is required. Clinical trials of long term administration of glucosamine in German Shepherds have reduced symptoms of degenerative joint disease and accelerated cartilage healing. Anti-inflammatory effects of glucosamine are believed to contribute to the reduction of pain, promote joint recovery and mobility, and prevent further cartilage degradation. Similarly, chondroitin supplementation is proposed to have comparable results in inhibiting degradative enzymes within the cartilage matrix to reduce the effects of osteoarthritis, but further research is required to assess long term benefits.
Vitamins such as A and D also have crucial roles in bone development and maintenance by regulating bone and calcium metabolism. Adequate levels should be incorporated into a German shepherd diet to promote a healthy musculoskeletal system.
In popular culture.
German Shepherds have been featured in a wide range of media.
In 1921 Strongheart became one of the earliest canine film stars, and was followed in 1922 by Rin Tin Tin, who is considered the most famous German Shepherd. Both have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Batman's dog Ace the Bat-Hound appeared in the Batman comic books, initially in 1955, through 1964. Between 1964 and 2007, his appearances were sporadic.
A German Shepherd named Inspector Rex is the star of an Austrian Police procedural drama program of the same name, which won many awards, where German Shepherd Rex assists the Vienna "Kriminalpolizei" homicide unit. The show was aired in many languages.
Kántor (Cantor) was a famous and very successful police dog in Hungary in the 1950s and early 1960s. After his death his story was popularized by a two-volume novel by Rudolf Szamos, titled "Kántor, the detective" (Kántor nyomoz) and "Kántor in the metropolis" (Kántor a nagyvárosban). The novel wasn't entirely historically accurate. In 1975 a television miniseries titled [Kántor] was also created, which was only very loosely based on the actual dog's story, setting the events more than a decade after the real Kántor died. Nevertheless it became one of the staple productions of Hungarian television history, making German Shepherds the most popular dog breed in the country ever since.


Zeldenrust, Oss

Zeldenrust (formerly De Zwaluw (English: "The swallow")) is a smock mill in Oss, Netherlands.
History.
Zeldenrun (known at the time as De Zwaluw) was built in 1860 and was in use up until the end of the 1950s.
It was later sold to the municipality of Oss in 1971. In 1974 "De Osse Molen stichting" (English: The Oss Mill foundation) was established to raise funds for restoration of the mill. The campaign was successfully funded by 1975 and restoration was completed on 24 February 1978.
Details.
Zeldenrun is a round stone smock mill that functions primarily as a flour mill.
The windmill sail is of Old Hollandic design. The mill contains three pairs of millstones.


Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria

The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV) was founded in 1840, when a group of Melbourne's leading citizens formed the Agricultural Society of Victoria with the aim of "furthering the quality of Australia's primary production by means of contests and competitions".
RASV promotes the development of and celebrates agriculture through agricultural events and food and drinks awards programs.
RASV's flagship event, the Royal Melbourne Show attracts around 450,000 people each year.


Samuel William Johnson

Samuel William Johnson (3 July 1830 Kingsboro, New York – 1909) was a U.S. American agricultural chemist. He promoted the movement to bring the sciences to the aid of American farmers through agricultural experiment stations and education in agricultural science.
Johnson, working in the 19th century, covered various aspects of farming that today would be called both organic and nonorganic. His work included exposing frauds in artificial manures (some of which would today be called chemical fertilizers).
Biography.
Samuel was the son of Abner Adolphus Johnson and Annah Wells Gilbert. Abner was Samuel’s first teacher; later he studied with David Mayhew in a school at Lowville, New York. Early on he obtained a textbook on chemistry by Fresenius, in which he learned methods of analytical chemistry.
Gaining admission to Yale University, Samuel took lessons from John Pitkin Norton, Benjamin Silliman, Benjamin Silliman, Jr. and James Dwight Dana among others. Upon graduation he went to Leipzig, studying with Otto Linne Erdmann. The next year he went to Munich and Liebig's lab. He studied physiological chemistry with Max Joseph von Pettenkofer and Wolfgang Franz von Kobell. Returning through England, he visited the lab of Edward Frankland and the experimental farms of John Bennet Lawes and Joseph Henry Gilbert.
In 1855 Johnson had his translation of Liebig's "The Relations of Chemistry to Agriculture and the Experiments of Mr. J. B. Laws" published by Luther Tucker, editor of "The Country Gentleman".
In 1858, he became a chemist for the Connecticut Agricultural Society, in which capacity he issued an important series of papers on commercial fertilizers and allied subjects. In 1866, he became a member of the Connecticut State Board of Agriculture. Also in 1866, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.
Johnson’s skill with analytical chemistry brought him the position of First Assistant at the Yale Analytical Lab in 1874. A year later he was made professor of analytical chemistry. The following year he was also named professor of Agricultural Chemistry. He regularly attended meetings of agricultural societies and farmers' clubs.
He was director of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station from 1877 to 1899.
In 1878 Johnson was president of the American Chemical Society.
Johnson retired in 1896.
References.
Bibliography.
Works.
He edited Fresenius' "Quantitative Chemical Analysis" (1864, 1875, 1883).


Torsten Nothin

Torsten Karl Viktor Nothin (13 February 1884 – 1 March 1972) was a Swedish official and social democratic politician. He was Minister for Justice from 1924 to 1926 and Governor of Stockholm from 1933 to 1949.
Career.
Nothin was born in Voxtorp Parish, Jönköping County, Sweden, the son of Johannes Nothin, a vicar, and his wife Anna Bengtson. He completed his civil service degree in law ("hovrättsexamen") in 1905. Nothin was acting legal clerk ("hovrättsfiskal") in 1910, a co-opted member of the "Hovrätt" in 1911, acting audit secretary in 1915, legal clerk in 1914, and "hovrättsråd" in 1917. He then served as Director of Legal matters in the Ministry of Finance in 1918 and as audit secretary in 1920. Nothing was minister without portfolio from 10 March to 27 October 1920 and from 13 October 1921 to 19 April 1923. He then served as acting Director General of the National Swedish Land Survey Board from 1923 to 1924. Nothin was a member of the "Första kammaren" from 1921 to 1928, and served as Minister for Justice from 18 October 1924 to 7 June 1926. He was appointed Director General of the National Swedish Land Survey Board in 1926, and served as minister without portfolio from 24 September 1932 to 16 September 1933. Nothin was Governor of Stockholm from 1933 to 1949.
Nothin was chairman of about 20 committees and expert investigations, including the Committee on the "Hovrätterna" ("Kommittén angående hovrätterna") in 1926, "Dalautredningen" from 1930 to 1932, "Statens organisationsnämnd" ("National Organization Board") until 1932, Aviation Investigation of 1934 ("1934 års luftfartsutredning"), the "Mother Investigation" of 1935 ("1935 års "mammututredning"") and the Municipal Tax Preparation of 1936 ("1936 års kommunalskatteberedning"), and various negotiating delegations between the Crown and the City of Stockholm. He was also the state's board member in Grängesbergsbolaget and in LKAB from 1923 to 1955.
Nothin was the initiator of, among other things the National Society for Road Safety, Society and Defence and "Riksluftskyddsförbundet" ("National Aerial-Protection Association"). He was chairman of the AB Papyrus, Saab AB, Rederi AB Nordstjernan, and vice chairman of the Thule Group. Nothin was initiator of and one of the publishers of "Svensk lagsamling" (1950–1954). Nothin was also chairman of a number of foundations and associations, including the Swedish Gymnastic Association ("Svenska gymnastikförbundet") until 1936, the Swedish Flag Day, the Swedish Tourist Traffic Association ("Svenska turisttrafikförbundet"), the Stockholm Shooting Federation ("Stockholms skytteförbund") (until 1944), the Stockholm Choral Society ("Stockholms sångarförbund"), and the Nordic Society.
Personal life.
In 1925, he married Vera Åkerman (1900–1955), the daughter of the District Judge Assar Åkerman and Othilda Borg. They had one child: Margareta (born 1927).


Catamarca Province

Catamarca () is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. The province had a population of 334,568 as per the , and covers an area of 102,602 km2. Its literacy rate is 95.5%. Neighbouring provinces are (clockwise, from the north): Salta, Tucumán, Santiago del Estero, Córdoba, and La Rioja. To the west it borders the country of Chile.
The capital is San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, usually shortened to Catamarca. Other important cities include Andalgalá, Tinogasta, and Belén.
Geography.
Most of Catamarca's territory of 102,602 square kilometers (2.7% of the country total), is covered by mountains (80%), which can be grouped into four clearly differentiated systems: the Pampean sierras, in the east and center; the Narváez-Cerro Negro-Famatina system, in the west; the cordilleran-Catamarca area of transition, in the western extreme; the Puna, an elevated portion, in the northwest.
Located in an arid and semi-arid climate zone, the scarce water resources determine the human settlement pattern. Agricultural activities are concentrated in the pockets and valleys between the mountains. In the east the population is concentrated around a number of water courses, water being distributed by canals and irrigation ditches.
Climate.
The province is located with the semi–arid region of Argentina. Mean annual precipitation of the province is around which decreases significantly to the west. The province is characterized by the presence of different microclimates based on variations in altitude. In general, there are three different climatic zones found within the province.
The northeastern parts of the province has a subtropical highland climate that is characterized by abundant rainfall and high temperatures. Summers are hot while winters are mild with abundant humidity. At the highest peaks of Sierra del Aconquija, snow cover is permanent.
Most of the province and its intermontane valleys have an arid climate. Within these valleys which includes the provincial capital, the climate is characterized by its extreme aridity, large thermal amplitudes (different between day and night temperatures) and strong northeastern winds. The region is characterized by abundant sunshine with winds predominantly coming from the northeast and southeast. Nonetheless, there is large variation between different locations owing to differences in altitude and differences in the relief and altitudes of the surrounding mountains that enclose the valleys. Mean annual precipitation ranges from in the eastern parts of the region (some areas receive more than ) to less than in the west. In the arid valleys, mean annual precipitation is around . Most of the precipitation occurs during summer, falling as short but heavy bursts with the rest of the year being dry. Mean annual temperatures range between with eastern and central parts having mean annual temperatures of . In summer, the mean temperature is although they can reach up to . Winters, with a mean temperature of are characterized by frequent frosts. Locations in the west experience colder winters due to their higher altitudes with temperatures that can decrease to . During winter, the Zonda wind occasionally occurs, leading to very dry conditions that can lead to dust storms.
In the extreme west of the province is the Puna region, mostly located in the Antofagasta de la Sierra Department. The region has a desert climate with very low precipitation; most of it is concentrated during summer. This is due to the mountains that block moist air from Pacific Ocean. Mean annual precipitation decreases from north to south and from east to west; some areas receive an annual rainfall of . Owing to its high altitude, the climate is characterized by low temperatures. The thermal amplitude is large, reaching up to due to the combination of low humidity and high solar radiation.
History.
Before the arrival of the Spanish conquest, most of today's Catamarca was inhabited by the Diaguitas indigenous people, including the fierce Calchaquí tribe. In 1558 Juan Pérez de Zurita founded "San Juan de la Ribera de Londres", but since it was constantly under attack by indigenous people its population remained small; it was re-founded several times at new sites with new names. The sixth foundation was by Fernando de Mendoza Mate de Luna on July 5, 1683, with the name "San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca".
When the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata was created in 1776, Catamarca obtained the title of "Subintendencia" under the Salta intendency. In 1821, the province claimed its autonomy, and Nicolás Avellaneda y Tula (grandfather of Nicolás Avellaneda) was elected as the first governor of the province.
The name is believed to come either from Quechua "cata" 'slope' and "marca" 'fortress', or from Aymara "catán" 'small' and "marca" 'town'.
Catamarca remained isolated from the rest of Argentina by its mountains until 1888, when the rapidly expanding railways first appeared in the province. Attracting immigrants with its spacious, fertile valleys and dry, agreeable weather, Catamarca was soon favored by immigrants from Lebanon and Iran, who found Catamarca reminiscent of the fertile, orchard-lined mountain valleys of the homes they left behind.
One such family, the Saadis, became prominent in local commerce and politics (much as the Syrian Menems in neighbouring La Rioja). In 1949, the newly designated province elected Vicente Saadi as governor. Eventually, Saadi, a Peronist, would become indispensable to local politics (a "Caudillo"), exerting influence mostly by proxy. Passing away in 1988, he was succeeded by his son Ramon. In 1990, however, close friends of the Saadis were involved in the brutal murder of a local teenager, Maria Soledad Morales; this "cause cèlebre" cost Gov. Saadi much of his popularity and, in 1991, his office, when Catamarca (for the first time) voted in a Radical Civic Union (UCR) candidate, Arnoldo Castillo. Elected to the Senate by his still considerable following, Saadi is today an ally of President Cristina Kirchner, though the governor's seat remains in the UCR's column.
Demography.
Annual growth rate is 2.35‰, while density amounts to 2.6 inhabitants per square kilometer. Urban population represents 70%. (1991).
Economy.
Catamarca's economy is Argentina's smallest, though still developed. Its 2006 economy was estimated at US$1.728 billion, or, US$5,284 per capita, 40% below the national average.
Less diversified than most in Argentina, agriculture has never played an important role in the Catamarca economy (contributing less than 5% to its output). The province's livestock includes around 200,000 head of cattle, 100,000 sheep, and 150,000 goats, with an annual production of 7,000 tonnes of beef, 5 tonnes of mutton/lamb, and 10 tonnes of pork, although outbreaks of foot and mouth disease has kept at times the production from reaching full potential. Large numbers of cattle, fattened in the alfalfa fields of Pucara, Tinogasta and Copacabana, were historically driven into northern Chile across the San Francisco pass and mules were bred for the Bolivian market in the 1910s.
Mining was important in the past. After becoming less active in the early 1990s, grew to now account for over 20% of the economy. Catamarca is home to one of the largest copper gold mines in the world, Bajo de la Alumbrera, which produces approximately 600,000 ounces of gold and 190,000 tonnes of copper annually. The mine employs over 1,000 people and contributes hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes and royalties to the federal and provincial governments.
The agriculture of Catamarca focuses on wood (walnut), vineyards, olive, citrus, cotton and tobacco, for which the government gives tax cuts to facilitate economic growth , but so far with poor results and no oversight.
Tourism is a lesser contributor to the economy in Catamarca, with more than 3,465 beds in hotels and other types of accommodation. Although high hopes are focused in this industry, lack of infrastructure, service-oriented and trained businesses and an overall endemic corruption culture, tourism has yet to become a strong element the local economy. Mountains and geological formation are the main attraction, with sights such as Antofagasta de la Sierra, Balcones del Valle, the Snow-Covered Summits of Aconquija, and the San Francisco Pass. The road over the San Francisco Pass, an endeavor developed during the Castillo Administrations (1991–2003) at a high cost in public funds has failed to bring trade and tourism to the underdeveloped Tinogasta county.
Cultural attractions include the city of Catamarca, the archaeological park "Las Huellas del Inca", prehistoric petroglyphs, local music, handcrafts and wines.
Transport.
Major highways include Ruta 33 from Catamarca 98 km south to San Martin, 38 from Catamarca north via San Pedro 228 km to Tucuman, 60 north-west from Córdoba Province 577 km from La Guardia north-west (partly through La Rioja) to Chile by the Paso de San Francisco (4722 m), 64 west from Santiago del Estero to join 38 and 157 north from La Guardia 103 km to Frias where it connects with 89 west from Villa San Martin (Santiago del Estero), and north to Tucuman province at San Pedro, connecting with 64 near Las Cañas.
There is an airport at Catamarca.
Government and politics.
The provincial government is divided into the usual three branches: the executive, headed by a popularly elected governor, who appoint the cabinet; the legislative; and the judiciary, headed by the Supreme Court and completed by several inferior tribunals.
The Constitution of Catamarca Province forms the formal law of the province.
In Argentina, the most important law enforcement organization is the Argentine Federal Police but the additional work is carried out by the Catamarca Provincial Police.
Since its foundation in 1991 by the Catamarcan branch of the Radical Civic Union and minor local parties the Civic and Social Front of Catamarca has dominated state politics. It has held the governor's house in Catamarca, first with Arnoldo Castillo (1991–1999), then with his son Oscar Castillo (1999–2003), and now with the present governor, Eduardo Brizuela del Moral.
Political division.
The province is divided into sixteen departments ().
Department (Capital)


John R. Horne

John R. Horne (born c. 1939) is an American businessman. He served as the chief executive officer of Navistar from 1995 to 2003.
Early life.
John R. Horne was born circa 1939. He graduated from Purdue University, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering in 1960, and he earned a master of science degree in mechanical engineering from Bradley University in 1964.
Career.
Horne began his career at Caterpillar Inc.. By 1966, he was hired by International Harvester, later known as Navistar. He eventually served as its chief operating officer from 1990 to 1995, and its chief executive officer from 1995 to 2003.
Horne served on the board of directors of the Corrections Corporation of America (now known as CoreCivic) from 2001 to 2014.


Nash Mill

Nash Mill was a paper mill in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. The local residential area (Nash Mills) takes its name from the mill.
Early records.
There was originally a corn-mill recorded in the Domesday Book. This belonged in the Middle Ages to the Abbey of St Albans.
Paper mill.
The mill was purchased in 1811 by John Dickinson. It had been converted to papermaking by A. Blackwell at the end of the eighteenth century and was a half mile from Dickinson's original Apsley Mill on the Grand Junction Canal. The mill-house, called Nash House, became the family home for Dickinson and his new wife Ann (née Grover) whose father Harry Grover supported this business development through his Grover's Bank. In a very few years Nash Mill was renowned for its production of tough thin paper for Samuel Bagster's "Pocket Reference Bible".
A major fire in 1813 was a setback, but, being covered by insurance, enabled redevelopment towards large scale production and by 1825 steam power had been installed, powered by coal delivered by canal. John Dickinson & Co. Ltd had their Engineering Department at Nash Mills until 1888 (managed by Leonard Stephenson), when it was transferred to Apsley Mill. The production of fine rag paper on electrically driven machines was a successful innovation at Nash.
There was unrest amongst the workers in 1821 when pay was cut in response to declining trade. Local leaders of the Society of Papermakers were dismissed and replaced by recruits from Abbots Langley. The dismissed workers and their families, living in tied cottages, suffered distress and some "went on the parish". After some disruption and even sabotage, the situation calmed.
In 1823 and in 1826, there were repeated mechanical problems. The mill maintained its own fire brigade with steam fire engine.
By the end of the nineteenth century, Nash Mill, which was small and had a reputation for independence, experienced a drop in profitability. Continuous minor changes were implemented until, in 1926 it underwent improvements with expansion, remodelling and refurbishment.
Closure and redevelopment.
In 1999, the paper mills owned by John Dickinson in the Apsley area were closed and the land was redeveloped. Nash Mill, however, was sold to the international Sappi Group and continued to make paper until 2006. This mill was closed and subsequently sold; the warehouse business was relocated to Dunstable. Housing redevelopment plans were publicised in September 2009. By late 2010, the site had been largely cleared, retaining Nash House, Stephenson's Cottage and a war memorial.


Belgian horse

The Belgian or Belgian Draft, , , is a Belgian breed of draft horse. It originates from the Brabant region of modern Belgium, and is one of the strongest of the heavy breeds. The breed associations are the Société Royale Le Cheval de Trait Belge/ Koninklijke Maatschappij van het Belgisch Trekpaard and the Eleveurs Wallons du Cheval de Trait Belge/ Vlaamse Fokkers van het Belgisch Trekpaard.
History.
Historically, it is theoretically possible the Belgian may have had ancestors that were destriers in the Middle Ages, although no independent evidence supports this claim. The foundation stock for the Belgian was originally known as the Brabant. Other names for essentially the same breed include the Cheval de trait Belge, Brabançon, and Belgisch Trekpaard. Until the 1940s, the Belgian and the Brabant were essentially the same breed. Following World War II, the Brabant in Europe was selectively bred to be thicker bodied and heavier - while in the United States, the Belgian was bred to be somewhat taller and lighter bodied. The main use was as a farm horse. Closely related breeds include the Trait du Nord and Nederlands Trekpaard.
In 1887, the American Association of Importers and Breeders of Belgian Draft Horses was founded in Wabash, Indiana, to register and keep track of all Belgian Draft Horses. Today, the Belgian is the most numerous breed of draft horse in the United States.
Importation of Belgians to the United States slowed during the Second World War with Erwin F. Dygert transporting the last Belgians out of Europe as the war was beginning.
Characteristics.
The Belgian stands between . On average the Belgian grows to weigh slightly over . Most American Belgians are a light chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail. The head is relatively small and well-shaped. American Belgians in North America are not as large as the European Brabant but are of a similar build.
Currently, the world's tallest horse is a Belgian Draft horse named Big Jake, a gelding born in 2000. He stands tall.
The world's largest Belgian Draft was named Brooklyn Supreme. He weighed and stood at .
Belgians have a high occurrence of junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB), an inherited genetic disorder that causes newborn foals to lose large areas of skin and have other abnormalities, normally resulting in euthanasia. A study conducted in 2001–2003 found that 17.1% of tested Belgians in the US and Canada were carriers, including 13.5% of stallions and 28.9% of mares. If carriers are not mated, JEB can be avoided, and scientists are studying the disease further in the hope of completely eliminating it. The US Belgian breed registry requires JEB testing. Belgians have also been identified to be at risk for chronic progressive lymphedema, a chronic progressive disease that includes symptoms of progressive swelling, hyperkeratosis and fibrosis of distal limbs. The disease is similar to chronic lymphedema in humans.
Uses.
Belgians are still used as working animals, but have also become popular as show horses, and pleasure riding horses. The Brabant and related breeds remaining in Belgium today are also desirable for horse meat, producing a tender meat that is considered a delicacy.
Belgian horses are able to pull tremendous weights. At the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado, a team of two horses in the Heavyweight class pulled 17,000 pounds a distance of 7 ft 2 in (7,700 kg a distance of 2.18 m). The team of Belgians weighed 4,800 pounds (2,200 kg). At the Iowa State fair, the heavyweight champions in the pulling contest pulled 14,600 pounds the complete distance of 15 ft (6,690 kg, 4.6 m). The team consisted of one Belgian and one Percheron and weighed 3,600 pounds (1,600 kg).
Other meanings.
In Britain, "Belgian Black" is a colloquialism used to describe a Friesian horse.


M7 Snow Tractor

The Allis-Chalmers M7 snow tractor was designed for use by the U.S. Army Air Corps as a rescue vehicle in remote northern bases.
History.
The M7 (T26E4) snow tractor was standardized in August 1943, and was downgraded to Limited standard in November 1944. It was intended to pull a one-ton M19 snow trailer (T48). The tractor used many Allis Chalmers farm tractor components. It also used many MB jeep powertrain components to lessen the military's spare parts inventory requirements.
The distinguishing feature of the M7 was the track system (halftrack). The M7’s track ran on two rubber belts with four steel cables inside. The machine had a tendency to have the tracks come off in use. Another feature of both the tractor and trailer is that the tires could be switched with skis.
Prototyping of the machine that eventually became the M7 included several machines by Emmett Tucker ( of subsequent Tucker Sno-Cat fame ) At least one of the prototypes, a T26E3, still exists.
Something over ten percent of production, over 30 units, still survive. The track system and track plate width (18") look to have been borrowed from the early versions of the Weasel, although the M7 tracks are shorter with fewer plates.
M19 snow trailer.
Saginaw Products made the M19 ski-wheel trailers. Two production batches are known, one in 1944 and one in 1950.
The M19 trailer had a net weight of 640 lbs, and a payload of 2,000 lbs. It had a wooden body on a steel hollow-section frame, with hood, hoops, side and end panels all easily detachable, and it was normally equipped with a heater and two stretchers, plus a rear pintle hitch so that trailers could be doubled up. The two-bolt mounting pintle hitch was unique to the M7 and M19, and would not accommodate even an ordinary MB / GPW jeep trailer lunette.
They had three main functions;
Rescue and recovery, for which they were equipped with two stretchers and a personnel heater
Aircraft starting, for which they were outfitted with much larger aircraft engine heaters and slave power equipment
Cargo, for which they could be operated with or without canvas hood, top bows, side and end frames
Serial numbers for the 1950 units seem to start at 1,000 and were dated around November of that year, suggesting they were made to supplement a batch of 1944 originals that were going to Norway, and seem to top out around 1,150.
It is quite likely that the 1944 batch did not run to as much as 1,000 units, as 600 would have supplied two trailers for every M7 that Allis Chalmers built. Estimated total production would be around 750 ( 600 in 1944 and 150 in 1950 ) but many 1950 trailers seem to have survived due to careful use by the Norwegian Army.
The 1944 originals had several noted weak points which can all be attributed to the lightness of construction ( they were rated at 2,000 lbs, same as a Ben Hur trailer, but weighed only one third as much - 640 lbs )
The 1944 tow bar frames had holes for bolting through the drag chains - 1950 trailers had no holes and drag chain ends welded to the tow frame.
The 1944 skis were mostly wood / ply with metal brackets and strake - 1950 trailers had metal sheath underneath, with strake welded to it.
The 1944 front support legs were quite short - 1950 support legs were lengthened by a couple of inches.
The 1944 units came with ordinary MB / GPW split combat rims, 1950 units came with 15" solid rims, which were interchangeable and might have been from M series jeeps. (clarification needed)
In addition to those points they tried to recover as much weight as they could by lightening. The 1944 heavy rectangular bracket for mounting the heater was replaced by a much lighter flimsy unit on the 1950 production. The type of plug and socket for the lights and auxiliary power also looks to have been updated.
Despite this rework all M19s are very prone to damage. The trailer body will bend noticeably when loaded away from the axle line and normally stays out of flat. The tow frame is a fabrication work of art, being split, angled, and welded, but this results in a lot of work and since they appear not to have been coated internally when new, most are now quite weak as a result of internal rusting.
The canvas covers were insulated by quilting, and had one green side and one white side, plus flaps and reinforcement for the various heater and ventilation exhaust outputs - many of which were doubled to allow the covers to be reversible.
The low tow hitch position and small tow ring means they were really only suitable for towing behind an M7, as they dragged at quite an angle when hitched to a Weasel. An M7 tractor could tow two loaded M19 trailers on solid going such as an ice or snow-covered road, and when rougher ground was to be traversed it would drop one unit and shuttle them across the rougher ground one at a time.


Aureliano Brandolini

Aureliano Brandolini (August 8, 1927 – September 5, 2008) was an Italian agronomist and development cooperation scholar.
Born in Calolziocorte, Italy, after studying at Liceo Alessandro Manzoni high school in Lecco with Giovanni Ticozzi, he graduated in agriculture at the University of Milan in 1950 and specialized in plant breeding and microtechnique at the Department of Botany and Agronomy at Iowa State University, in the United States, graduating in 1955.
Brandolini was the research director of the "Istituto di ricerche orticole" (Horticultural research institute) and of the "Lombardy center for horto-flori-fruit-crops" in Minoprio (Italy) from 1964 to 1971 and of the "Centro di ricerca fitotecnica" in Bergamo from 1976 to 1983, developing and producing special maize hybrids in Europe and Latin America, and from 1983 to 1993 work as general director of the Istituto agronomico per l'oltremare in Florence, managing the agricultural development projects of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He was a member of the "Accademia di Agricoltura di Torino" in Turin, Italy and of the "Academia Nacional de Agronomia y Veterinaria" in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Under the supervision of his teacher Luigi Fenaroli, his early studies were in the field of to the collection, characterization, and breeding of agricultural crops, and the biodiversity in Italy and Southern Europe. From 1958 to 1960 he assisted the Italian Trust Administration in Somalia on maize, sorghum, and sesame production. He organized technical assistance and coordinated hybrid maize introduction programs in Spain, Romania, Hungary, Yugoslavia, and other Southern European countries.
With Jean Aimé Baumann and Gonzalo Avila of the Geneva-based "Fundación Simón I. Patiño", he established the "Centre ecofitogenetico" and the "Seed Center" in Pairumani, Bolivia, in order to study agricultural genetic resources and the production of improved varieties of Andes ridge and tropical crops. In collaboration with Adolfo Pons and Giovanni C. Vandoni, he studied the agronomic, morphological, and cytological traits of maize from Ecuador, they later classified in 6 sections, 18 race complexes and 34 races. With Gonzalo Avila, A. Rodríguez, A.G. Brandolini, and other researchers he studied Bolivian traditional maize varieties, classifying 7 race complexes, 28 races and 108 agro-ecotypes.
He studied the history of maize in Italy during 2005 and 2006, and characterized the traditional Italian varieties of the crop, by establishing the phylogenetic relations between the original American varieties and those in Italy. He identified the migration routes of maize from the New to the Old World. His classification of the germplasm of the 562 accessions of Italian traditional maize varieties resulted in the description and classification of 10 race complexes, 37 races, and 77 agro-ecotypes.


Bothy ballad

Bothy ballads are songs sung by farm labourers in the northeast region of Scotland.
Bothies are farm outbuildings, where unmarried labourers used to sleep, often in harsh conditions. In the evening, to entertain themselves, these bothy bands sang. Several Child Ballads that had died out elsewhere in the UK survived until the 1920s, sung by these workers. It was a male-only environment and some songs are obscene. They celebrated ploughmen as lovers ("The Plooman Laddies", "My Darling Ploughman Boy").
Subjects.
The farmlands around Aberdeen produced satirical songs, critical of working conditions. The best known is "The Barnyards of Delgaty", (a pun on "The Barren Yirds o Delgaty" meaning "The Barren Soils of Delgaty"). Real names of farmers, supervisors and farms are given, and mocked. Other satirical attacks are "Rhynie", "The Guise O Tough" and "Harrowing Time". By contrast "The Bogheid Crew" is a celebration of the fine work done by the labourers, naming each one in turn.
Some songs celebrate the countryside, including "Where The Gadie Rins", "Bonny Udny" and "Arlin's Fine Braes".
Some songs match a high-born with a servant. The most famous is "The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter" (Child Ballad 110), recorded by Steeleye Span as "Royal Forrester". "The Laird o Dainty Doonby" is another. In 1951 Davie Stewart sang this song for American collector Alan Lomax. It is a version of a song published by David Herd in 1776, in "Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs".
Soldiers from Highland military regiments sometimes ended up working in bothies. Some ballads concern encounters between soldiers and innocent maids. "The Trooper and the Maid" (Child Ballad 299) is one. Most famous of all is "The Bonnie Lass o' Fyvie" (Pretty Peggy-O), covered by Simon and Garfunkel and many others. "The Forfar Sodger" relates to the Peninsular War (1808–1814) and was recorded as late as 1951.
Notable recordings.
In the mid-1960s Grampian Television produced two series of programs re-enacting the kind of songs that were sung in bothies. It was called "Bothy Nichts". A tragic song might be followed by a joke or a story, then a humorous song. Only rarely would a servant girl be present at these events, and musical instruments were also rare, but they appeared on the shows.
Lomax interviewed John Strachan, Jimmy MacBeath and Davie Stewart. Hamish Henderson recorded bothy songs from Willie Scott. Bill Leader recorded Belle Stewart.
In 2012, Euan McIlwraith interviewed Jock Duncan.
Stewardship.
Organisations such as the Traditional Music and Song Association help to maintain the tradition.
Podcasts.
Scottish history podcast "Stories of Scotland" features bothy ballads in its first episode.


James Macklin

Sir James Macklin, DL, JP (23 September 1864 – 17 April 1944) was an English jeweller and farmer, active in public life in Wiltshire.
Early life and business career.
Macklin was born in West Harnham on 23 September 1864, the son of James Macklin (senior) and his wife, Sarah.
When the national census of England was taken in April 1871, James Macklin (senior) was described as a jeweller's shopman, living in West Harnham with his wife, four daughters and three sons. He later went into business as a cutler at No. 7, Catherine Street in Salisbury and the business became well known as James Macklin & Son, watchmakers and jewellers, silversmiths and cutlers.
When the census was taken again, in April 1881, Macklin was described as an assistant in his father's business, living and working at No. 7, Catherine Street with his father (now described as a cutler, employing one man and one boy), mother, three sisters, two brothers and nephew.
Eventually Macklin took over the running of the business: When the census was taken again, in April 1891, he was described as a jeweller, living and working at No. 7, Catherine Street with his wife and a domestic servant.
When the census was taken again, in April 1911, however, he described himself as a retired jeweller, living at "Watersmeet" in Harnham with his wife, two daughters, son and domestic servant.
Macklin demonstrated significant business acumen. "Succeeding to an old-established business, which represents the last of the old cutlery trade, for which Salisbury at one time had a considerable reputation, he considerably extended its scope, and retired very early in life to a beautiful home he created for himself at East Harnham. ... Acquiring considerable property in the old village, which was incorporated into the borough [of Salisbury] in 1904, Mr. Macklin readily gave up land to improve the roads, and generally devoted himself to the interests of the parish. He has lately given considerable attention to agricultural pursuits, in conjunction with his son, and is in occupation of a large farm at Tytherley."
In the years that followed he concentrated on his farming interests.
Mayor of Salisbury.
Macklin served six successive terms as Mayor of Salisbury, commencing in November 1913, and coming to an end in 1919. His incumbency of the office coincided with the First World War.
On 16 September 1918 Macklin "was presented to His Majesty [King George V] by Lieut.-General Sir Henry Sclater. The King said to him, 'I understand, Mr. Mayor, that you have been Mayor of the city for five years. I am very grateful to you for the unselfish way in which you have devoted yourself to the services of the city and to myself.' The Mayor, acknowledging this gracious remark, said, with becoming modesty: 'I have to thank my colleagues for any success I have had Your Majesty,' and the King rejoined: 'Will you also express my thanks to your colleagues.' His Majesty, continuing, said he understood that his troops on [Salisbury] Plain had been well treated in the way of entertainments and hospitality at Salisbury. The Mayor assured His Majesty that the citizens had been pleased to do everything they could for the troops, and the King graciously added: 'I wish you to thank the citizens for all they have done for the soldiers.' His Majesty then expressed good wishes for the Mayor's health and said he wished the Mayor to convey his message to the citizens."
As mayor of the city he was appointed as a magistrate for the Salisbury petty sessional division. He served as deputy mayor during 1919–1920, was made an alderman in 1919, and was given the freedom of the city of Salisbury in 1921.
Honours.
In January 1919 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Wiltshire.
He was knighted in the 1920 New Year Honours for his public and local services, receiving the accolade from King George V at Buckingham Palace on 4 March 1920.
Last years.
During his last years Macklin lived at "Harnham Lodge" in Salisbury. He continued to serve as an alderman on the Salisbury City Council, at least until November 1943, and was chairman of the Salisbury Gas Company.
He died in "The Nursing Home", Salisbury, on 17 April 1944.
Family.
Macklin was married in 1890 to Barbara Emily Main, the daughter of George John Masters Main and his wife, Emily Mariah (née Hayter). She was born in 1870. She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1919 for work among Colonial and British troops during the First World War and was awarded the Golden Palms of the Order of the Crown, by the King of the Belgians in 1921 for work among Belgian refugees during the same conflict. She died in Salisbury on 19 November 1960.
Sir James and Lady Macklin had four children: Bernard James Macklin, born on 18 January 1893; Dulcie Emella Macklin, born on 15 February 1894; Harold George (Main) Macklin, born on 12 August 1898, and Phyllis Frances M. Macklin, born on 13 February 1904.
Portrait.
A portrait of Sir James Macklin has been published at the BBC's "Your Paintings" website, see James Macklin (1864–1944), Mayor of Salisbury (1914–1919)


Millungera Station

Millungera Station is a pastoral lease that operates as a cattle station.
Description.
It is located about north east of Cloncurry and south of Croydon in Queensland.
The station occupies an area of approximately one million acres, , and is the primary breeding ground for the Acton Land and Cattle Company, which is able to stock 40,000 head of cattle. The property has at least one outstation, Crowfels, which has a Santa Gertrudis stud. The station is situated in the Queensland Gulf country a generally flat tropical savannah with plains of mitchell grass. The property has some frontage along the Flinders River and is close to the Saxby River.
History.
The station was established in 1864 along with nearby Taldora Station by the pioneer James Gibson in 1864. Gibson had also established the first property along the Flinders River, Prairie, in 1861.
In 1880 the property was still owned by James Gibson and Company. The Melbourne Queensland Pastoral Company was set up with capital of £120,000 to purchase both Millungera and Taldora Station which had a combined area of 937,600 acres along with 20,000 head of cattle for £80,000 leaving plenty of capital left for further development, the property had been inspected by William Meredith who was to manage the station.
Meredith died in 1881 with his share of the station and stock being passed onto Salome Meredith of Brisbane.
In 1886 Millungera was owned by Meredith, Menzies and C. and the property was being managed by Mr Nutting. The homestead had been built by this stage and was described by a visitor as "the home station house a good one, built at great expense with a 12 foot verandah all around, good kitchen and stores and outbuildings with a permanent hole of water close by". Meredth's grave was also located just a short distance from the homestead.
A total area of was resumed from Millungera early in 1907 which was cut into eight separate properties in the hope of attracting immigrants to the area. Large tracts of grazing country at the station were burnt out by bushfires later the same year, other properties surrounding Millungera were similarly affected.
While some of the surrounding districts were struck by drought in 1928, Millungera was inundated by of rain in 24 hours.
The herds at Millungera and surrounding properties affected by the condition known as pegleg in 1929. This condition is a phosphate deficiency and it was recommended that the cattle were provided with Nauru phosphate salts.
The station was put up for auction along with all the plant, improvements and 24,800 head of cattle in 1930. All of the pastoral holdings separate leases were listed in the sale, Millungera , Tharwan , Savannah Downs , Kuradin , East Creek and other smaller leases. The holding, with a total area of , was passed in with no bids.
In 1933 an experiment was conducted to introduce Zebu cattle into the herd to make the English bred stock would give them resistance to tropical diseases and cope better with the tropical conditions. The station was still owned by Meredith Menzies Pty Ltd at this time.
In 1950 a stockman, Alan Doyle, went missing in the heavily timbered Savannah portion of the holding prompting a search party to be sent out. Doyle was the third person that had gone missing at Millungera in a period of five weeks. Doyle was found a week later after feeding himself on boiled grass and goanna.
CSR Limited auctioned off the property, which the Actons bought for 7 million in 1985 with its 26,000 head of cattle.


Sidi Brahim (wine)

Sidi Brahim is a range of branded wines produced in the Atlas mountains, first in Algeria, then in Morocco and now in Tunisia. The wines are blended and bottled or filled into bag-in-boxes in France, and are primarily sold there. It was the second-best selling foreign wine in France, behind Boulaouane (also a Castel brand), as of 2005. The production volume is around three million bottles annually. The wine has been named after the Battle of Sidi-Brahim (1845).
The brand is currently owned by Groupe Castel, which acquired it (and Malesan) in 2003 from William Pitters, a company founded by Bernard Magrez. Magrez/Pitters in turn bought it in 1982. The label of the red wine bottle states that it is "harvested by hand since 1924".
The grape composition of Sidi Brahim and the range of wines offered has varied throughout the years, but in 2010 the composition is indicated as the following:
The blend of the red wine has previously included traditional grown varieties of North Africa (which it used to share with Languedoc-Roussillon), such as Alicante, Aramon, Carignan, Cinsault, and Grenache. The current composition is more "New World-like".


St. Pauli Girl

St. Pauli Girl :beers are brewed and bottled by the St. Pauli Brauerei, which is located within the Beck's brewery in Bremen, Germany. However, in the US, it is manufactured in St. Louis, Missouri.
The brand is not named after the famous St. Pauli neighbourhood in Hamburg, which is home to one of the world's largest entertainment and red light districts. Rather, the name comes from the former in Bremen, which was next to the original brewery established in 1857 by Lüder Rutenberg.
There are currently three brands of beer brewed: St. Pauli Girl Lager, St. Pauli Girl Special Dark and St. Pauli Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverage. The beer is only produced for export and is not sold in Germany.
The distinctive label depicting a woman wearing traditional outfits was introduced in the 19th century with the advent of the bottled beer. The local artist commissioned for the label drew his inspiration from the waitresses at the time.
St Pauli Girl's Beers were first introduced into select US markets in 1965. National Distribution began in 1975. St. Pauli Non-Alcoholic was first sold in the United States in 1991. The St Pauli Girl website claims that their beer is the number two selling German beer in the United States. Per the label on the bottle, it is a product of the US, brewed in St. Louis, MO.
St Pauli Girl spokesmodels.
Since 1982, St. Pauli Girl Beer has chosen a model to represent the beer brand nationally each year and appear on the popular St. Pauli Girl poster.


Mount Elvire Station

Mount Elvire Station was a pastoral lease and sheep Station located approximately south west of Leonora in the Goldfields of Western Australia.
The explorer John Forrest passed through the area in 1869. Travelling in the area to the North of Mount Elvire, which he named after his wife, he then named the nearby Lake Barlee after the Colonial Secretary of Western Australia. The station encompasses a large peninsula of Lake Barlee at its northern boundary.
Malcolm Campbell Ross, of Menzies, first took up the lease on the station in 1966 but it was never fully stocked or developed. The owners from 1973-77 were the McLaughlin family who ran 3,500 head of sheep on the lease.
In 1989, an inspector from the Department of Agriculture stumbled across a large cannabis crop at Kalli Station, another sheep station in the Mid West near Cue. Following a police investigation, Operation Cerberus, another crop was found at Gingin and another was planned to be planted at Mount Elvire by the L'Onorata Syndicate. As a result, ten men were arrested including Rocco Versace and Sebastino Pizzata, who were the ringleaders. The head of the operation Bruno "The Fox" Romeo was arrested years later.
The pastoral lease was acquired by the Department of Environment and Conservation in 1991 and is now used as a tourist destination which offer overnight stays on the site.
In 2006, the Department of Environment and Conservation proposed that the station be converted to the Mount Elvire Conservation Park as past of the larger Mount Manning Nature Reserve.


Mount Victor Station

Mount Victor Station is a pastoral lease currently operating as a sheep station located about east of Hawker and west of Broken Hill in the state of South Australia,
The property and neighbouring Plumbago Station occupy an area of of arid country which has a mean annual rainfall of .
The property is stocked with 32,000 poll merino sheep and 120 cattle.
The property was established by Dr C. G. Hawker prior to 1859, one of many holdings passed onto his children following his death in 1895.
Mount Victor was one of many properties owned by Michael Seymour Hawker along with Bungaree, Partacoona, McCoy's Well and Sturt's Meadow.
The station was acquired in 1971 by H.G. MacLachlan of the Jumbuck Pastoral Company who still owned it in 2012.
The land occupying the extent of the Mount Victor pastoral lease was gazetted as a locality by the Government of South Australia on 26 April 2013 under the name 'Mount Victor Station'. The term 'station' was added to prevent duplication of the locality name within Australia.


Perry J. Eggborn

Perry Jackson Eggborn (November 1, 1817 – June 29, 1866) was a plantation owner, two-term member of the Virginia House of Delegates and judge in Culpeper County.
Biography.
The firstborn son of George Eggborn (1796–1848) and his wife Amy Ann McQueen (1801–1835), the family moved to Culpeper county in 1820. About two years later his brother Jacob S. Eggborn was born, who would be elected the county' sheriff by 1860. The family also included at least two and maybe four daughters, including Martha Ann Perry (1819–1887) and Elizabeth Frances (1821–1899) who survived the Civil War.
Perry Eggborn married Lucy Little (who died before the Civil War), with whom he had a son, William Hugh Eggborn (1844–1923). Like his uncle Jacob, William Eggborn would marry into Culpeper County's Burgess family (descended from William Burgess of Richmond County) after the Civil War.
In addition to farming, Perry J. Eggborn was the postmaster of Eldorado in Culpeper County at least beginning in 1842 and 1844. In 1850, he was among investors in the Hazel River Canal Company (which tried to make that river navigable to the Rappahannock Canal), and four years later also invested in the El Dorado Turnpike Company (to connect the Rappahannock Turnpike with Culpeper Courthouse).
Eggborn built a house near Rixeyville, Virginia in 1852. He owned about 15 slaves in the 1850 census, and more in the 1860 census, which only listed him and his son William as a household, stating that they owned $10,000 in real estate and $20,000 in personal property (including slaves). William Eggborn enlisted as a private in the Confederate 7th Virginia Infantry under Captain J.C. Porter during the American Civil War. He was a courier, chief wagon master and (after 1863) at general J. E. Johnston's headquarters.
After the Civil War, Perry Eggborn became a local judge. Although he died shortly thereafter, Eggborn came to support the Republicans, in part because of financial mismanagement by local officeholders with respect to the Hazel canal (such as paying former delegate George Ficklin's estate more for damage to his races and dam in 1853 than he had recently paid for them).
Perry Eggborn's gravesite is not recorded. In part because of his brother Jacob Eggborn's strong support of Republican Rutherford B. Hayes in the Presidential election of 1876, a post office was established called Eggbornsville, Virginia on August 22, 1877 at the Eggborn Brothers store. However, the first postmaster was not an Eggborn, but rather William F. Kyle. William Hugh Eggborn's sons Jacob A. ("Army") Eggborn and Edward J. Eggborn took over the postmastership in 1885 (during the Democratic administration of Grover Cleveland), and William H. Eggborn succeeded them in 1900. That post office closed in 1915, but the Eggborn store continued operating until 1934.


Royal Geelong Show

The Royal Geelong Show is an annual event held at the Geelong Showgrounds. Established in 1855, it's principally an agricultural event which focuses on the primary industries of Victoria, and rural lifestyle of many Victorians with events such as livestock judging, equestrian events, animal breeders competitions, produce competitions and wood chopping, although it also incorporates live entertainment, sporting events, food tasting, and fashion shows. A popular feature of the show is the sideshows which feature showrides, foodstalls, games of skill, and showbag stalls.
Unlike its capital-city counterpart, the Royal Melbourne Show, over recent years the Royal Geelong Show has maintained its agricultural focus, with displays of many classes of animals, and has a carnival atmosphere.
The show runs for four days, from Thursday through to Sunday, ending on the third Sunday in October. The Saturday is known as family day and usually involves many discounts and savings on showbags and rides.
There were no shows in 1915–18, 1940–44, and 2020 because of the Great War, World War II, and the COVID-19 pandemic respectively.


Digital Green

Digital Green is a global development organization that empowers smallholder farmers to lift themselves out of poverty by harnessing the collective power of technology and grassroots-level partnerships.
Digital Green is an independent non-governmental organization that focuses on training farmers to make and show short videos where they record their problems, share solutions and highlight success stories. It was first conceived as a project in Microsoft Research India's Technology for Emerging Markets in 2006 by Rikin Gandhi and his colleagues. It later branched out as an independent NGO in 2008.
Digital Green's approach is primarily a technology-enabled means of behavior change communication, which is cost-effective, scalable, and brings together researchers, development practitioners, and rural communities to produce and share locally relevant information through videos. In a controlled evaluation, on a cost per adoption basis, Digital Green was shown to be at least 10 times more effective, per dollar spent, than a conventional extension system.
Digital Green works across seven states in India, parts of Ethiopia, Ghana and Afghanistan. The organization engages over 150,000 farmers (over 70% women) in more than 2,000 villages. It received an Rs 3 crore Global Impact Award from Google in 2013, and Manthan award in 2012. Rikin Gandhi, the Chief Executive Officer of Digital Green, was awarded IFA Norman Borlaug Award by the International Fertilizer Industry Association in 2012.
Loop.
With time, it was found that smallholder farmers in rural India spend anywhere from a half to a full day selling their produce at the nearest market while also incurring transport costs. To reduce costs, Digital Green created Loop, a mobile app based intervention that improves farmers’ access to markets by helping them to aggregate their perishable produce through a local village level entrepreneur trained to use the app and aggregate - himself a farmer.
Digital Green nurtures these village-level entrepreneurs to recruit farmers, assess daily produce volumes, determine which nearby market offers the best price, arrange transport based on volume, and sell farmers’ produce directly to wholesale buyers. They record volumes and sales on the Loop mobile app, which sends receipts to farmers via text messages. After completing transactions on behalf of all farmers, the entrepreneurs return to the villages to deliver same-day payment and earn their commission.
Wonder Village and Farmer Book.
Digital Green has developed two social online games, Wonder Village and Farmer Book. Through these games, players set up a simulated village economy and have opportunities to relate with the actual farmers that the organization works with in the field. Players are placed in a resource-constrained setting and pursue quests like setting up small farms of paddy and maize and supplying raw materials to farmers' markets. The game follows a so-called "freemium" model which allows users to play for free and allows users to purchase virtual currency to advance more quickly. Deniss Berezins composed the music for Wonder Village.


Arthur Halcombe

Arthur William Follett Halcombe (16 January 1834 – 3 March 1900) was a New Zealand farmer, farm manager and immigration agent. He was born on 16 January 1834. He was the fifth child of John Halcomb (who was later known as Halcombe), MP for Dover (1833–1835). His mother was Margaret Birch.
He came to New Zealand about 1855 as an immigration agent under the patronage of William Fox. Fox had in 1842 married Sarah Halcomb, a first cousin of Arthur Halcombe. Her father William Halcomb was his father's brother.
He married Edith Swainson on 3 December 1863 at St James' Church, Hutt. She was the daughter of William John Swainson and his second wife, Anne Grasby.
He represented the Rangitikei electorate on the Wellington Provincial Council from May 1865 to March 1872. Between May 1865 and July 1871, he was a member of four Executive Councils, where he held the roles of provincial secretary and treasurer.
He lived in Feilding from the 1870s, and the nearby township of Halcombe is named for him. The settlement of Stanway near Halcombe is named for his wife; her middle name was Stanway.
The Halcombes later moved to Urenui in Taranaki, where he died on 3 March 1900. His wife survived him by three years.


Charles Fox Cap Classique Wine Estate

Charles Fox Cap Classique Wine Estate is a wine estates in South Africa that specialises in the Cap Classique method and is located in Elgin, Western Cape.
The Estate.
Originally a fruit farm planted with apples, pears and plums, Furneaux farm was purchased by Charles and Zelda Fox in 2005 after an inter-regional search for Cap Classique-specific terroir. The cellar was built in 2010 with an underground storage capacity of 200 000 bottles.
In concordance with advice on clone and site selection from viticulturist Paul Wallace, 6.3ha of land was planted to 10 blocks of vines. These face north-east and south on an elevation between 230m and 300m above sea level. Perold-trellised rows were planted in a north-west to south-east direction primarily to minimise wind damage.
An analysis conducted by soil scientist Johann Lanz indicates that the soils are mainly Tukulu with a thin horizon of clay grading into weathered shale in the subsoil. These soils are well suited to quality wine production. Water is well retained so drip irrigation is used twice a year at most. Kevin Watt has been the consultant viticulturist since 2008.
The Wines.
The vineyards at Furneaux farm have been planted with the three traditional Champagne varietals Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. The wines are blended by Nicolas Follet, a Riems-based Champagne producer.


Amalthea Cellars

Amalthea Cellars ( ) is a winery in the West Atco section of Winslow in Camden County, New Jersey. The vineyard was first planted in 1976, and opened to the public in 1981. Amalthea has 10 acres of grapes under cultivation, and produces 5,000 cases of wine per year. The winery is named after Amalthea, a moon of Jupiter, reflecting the owner's scientific background and love of mythology.
Wines.
Amalthea Cellars is in the Outer Coastal Plain AVA, and produces wine from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chancellor, Chardonnay, Dolcetto, Merlot, Pinot gris, Rayon d'Or, Riesling, Rkatsiteli, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah, Traminette, Villard blanc, and Viognier grapes. Amalthea also makes fruit wines from blueberries and peaches. It is the only winery in New Jersey that produces wine from Rayon d'Or, which is a white hybrid grape developed in France in the early twentieth century. Amalthea was a participant at the Judgment of Princeton, a wine tasting organized by the American Association of Wine Economists that compared New Jersey wines to premium French vintages.
Advocacy, licensing, and associations.
The winery advocates traditional winemaking techniques, and uses egg whites, sulfur, and oak barrels to produce its wine. Amalthea has a plenary winery license from the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which allows it to produce an unrestricted amount of wine, operate up to 15 off-premises sales rooms, and ship up to 12 cases per year to consumers in-state or out-of-state. Amalthea is a member of the Garden State Wine Growers Association and the Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Association.


Wagonhouse Winery

Wagonhouse Winery is a winery in South Harrison Township (mailing address is Swedesboro) in Gloucester County, New Jersey. Wagonhouse's original vineyard was first planted in 2004 in Mickleton, also in Gloucester County. The winery began sales of its wine in 2005, and opened a tasting room in South Harrison in 2011. Wagonhouse has 10 acres of grapes under cultivation, and produces 7,000 cases of wine per year. The winery is named for an old wagon house that is on their farm.
Wines.
Wagonhouse Winery is located in the Outer Coastal Plain AVA, and produces wine from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinotage, Pinot gris, Sangiovese, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah, Vidal blanc, and Viognier grapes. Wagonhouse also makes fruit wines from almonds, apples, blueberries, cranberries, mangoes, peaches, pomegranates, and strawberries. The winery has a separate brand for their sweet wines, named "Three Boys Brand" after the owners' three sons. Wagonhouse is the only winery in New Jersey that produces wine from Pinotage, which is a red "vinifera" grape developed in South Africa in 1925.
Licensing and associations.
Wagonhouse has a plenary winery license from the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which allows it to produce an unrestricted amount of wine, operate up to 15 off-premises sales rooms, and ship up to 12 cases per year to consumers in-state or out-of-state. The winery is also a member of the Garden State Wine Growers Association.