Mammals and Phenogroups (MaPs): Schematic Note On Mammalian Signaling

Mammals and Phenogroups (MaPs): Schematic Note On Mammalian Signaling: SCHEMATIC NOTE ON MAMMALIAN SIGNALING Table 1: Sensory modalities of mammals (“Type of Signal or Display”), with examples, including,...

Mammals and Phenogroups (MaPs): Schematic Note On Mammalian Signaling

Mammals and Phenogroups (MaPs): Schematic Note On Mammalian Signaling: SCHEMATIC NOTE ON MAMMALIAN SIGNALING Table 1: Sensory modalities of mammals (“Type of Signal or Display”), with examples, including,...

Skip Breakfast

Skip Breakfast?

Once considered the foundation of any healthy diet, the morning meal may now be negotiable.

The belief that we won't have our get-up-and-go unless we down our bowl of Cheerios has turned the concept of eating upon rising into a die-hard dietary rule. Original research on whether breakfast made an impact on health did find that healthier people ate breakfast. But as we know, data alone doesn't always tell the whole story.

"Lots of people who skip breakfast or practice intermittent fasting are healthy too," says Dr. John Berardi, co-founder of Precision Nutrition. "About 85% of the clients we work with eat breakfast and tend to follow a guideline of eating small, frequent meals throughout the day, but that's largely to help them learn to practice healthier eating habits. If you're a person who regularly makes good nutritional choices, then eating breakfast is more negotiable."

In fact, skipping that first meal may lead to some real benefits—from possibly losing a few pounds to increasing your level of anti-aging growth hormone. And don't worry, your metabolism won't suffer. Eating small meals throughout the day, starting with breakfast, isn't necessary to stimulate metabolism, says Berardi, who co-authored an extensive study review on meal frequency for the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

His suggested revision to the dictate: Breakfast is optional. Hard-and-fast rules don't allow for much mindfulness, anyway—and that's an integral part of any nutritional approach.

So if you love how breakfast gets you going, feel free to stick with that routine, but if you're not a morning person, there's no harm in forgoing food first thing.

Here, 5 reasons to skip breakfast:

1. It's not required to boost metabolism. The idea that metabolism slows radically in response to not eating certain meals in a single day just isn't accurate. The amount of calories you're taking in and the composition of those calories—proteins, carbs, and fats—are really what impact metabolism.

2. It may lead to eating less overall. If you skip breakfast you can eat fewer, larger meals beginning later in the day, rather than six smaller meals throughout the day, which may be less satisfying. This can lower your total caloric intake for the day and may lead to weight loss.

3. There's a payoff even if you're only an occasional skipper. Intermittent fasting reduces insulin levels, so you can actually increase your insulin sensitivity for better blood sugar management. At the same time, your body will release more growth hormone, which helps to preserve lean tissue and burn fat tissue.

4. It can help lower your total carb intake for the day. Most of us are over-carbed. We eat too many refined carbs, too little protein, and too much fat. Skipping breakfast can steer you away from the typical high-carb breakfast foods (toast, oatmeal, cereal, pancakes) that may trigger an insulin response that kicks you out of fat-burning mode.

5. It can help you tune in to your body. You just might feel better sipping water with lemon or a green juice instead of forcing down food first thing every day. If you're one of many people who feel nauseous early in the day, you're better off listening to your body's cues. Sure, you're co-workers come into the office, bagels with cream cheese in hand, but at the end of the day (and the beginning), you want to figure out what works best for you.

Skip Breakfast

Skip Breakfast?

Once considered the foundation of any healthy diet, the morning meal may now be negotiable.

The belief that we won't have our get-up-and-go unless we down our bowl of Cheerios has turned the concept of eating upon rising into a die-hard dietary rule. Original research on whether breakfast made an impact on health did find that healthier people ate breakfast. But as we know, data alone doesn't always tell the whole story.

"Lots of people who skip breakfast or practice intermittent fasting are healthy too," says Dr. John Berardi, co-founder of Precision Nutrition. "About 85% of the clients we work with eat breakfast and tend to follow a guideline of eating small, frequent meals throughout the day, but that's largely to help them learn to practice healthier eating habits. If you're a person who regularly makes good nutritional choices, then eating breakfast is more negotiable."

In fact, skipping that first meal may lead to some real benefits—from possibly losing a few pounds to increasing your level of anti-aging growth hormone. And don't worry, your metabolism won't suffer. Eating small meals throughout the day, starting with breakfast, isn't necessary to stimulate metabolism, says Berardi, who co-authored an extensive study review on meal frequency for the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

His suggested revision to the dictate: Breakfast is optional. Hard-and-fast rules don't allow for much mindfulness, anyway—and that's an integral part of any nutritional approach.

So if you love how breakfast gets you going, feel free to stick with that routine, but if you're not a morning person, there's no harm in forgoing food first thing.

Here, 5 reasons to skip breakfast:

1. It's not required to boost metabolism. The idea that metabolism slows radically in response to not eating certain meals in a single day just isn't accurate. The amount of calories you're taking in and the composition of those calories—proteins, carbs, and fats—are really what impact metabolism.

2. It may lead to eating less overall. If you skip breakfast you can eat fewer, larger meals beginning later in the day, rather than six smaller meals throughout the day, which may be less satisfying. This can lower your total caloric intake for the day and may lead to weight loss.

3. There's a payoff even if you're only an occasional skipper. Intermittent fasting reduces insulin levels, so you can actually increase your insulin sensitivity for better blood sugar management. At the same time, your body will release more growth hormone, which helps to preserve lean tissue and burn fat tissue.

4. It can help lower your total carb intake for the day. Most of us are over-carbed. We eat too many refined carbs, too little protein, and too much fat. Skipping breakfast can steer you away from the typical high-carb breakfast foods (toast, oatmeal, cereal, pancakes) that may trigger an insulin response that kicks you out of fat-burning mode.

5. It can help you tune in to your body. You just might feel better sipping water with lemon or a green juice instead of forcing down food first thing every day. If you're one of many people who feel nauseous early in the day, you're better off listening to your body's cues. Sure, you're co-workers come into the office, bagels with cream cheese in hand, but at the end of the day (and the beginning), you want to figure out what works best for you.

3 Things Could Destroy Humanity

Stephen Hawking's new thinking that 3 Things Could Destroy Humanity

                                                                                     Stephen Hawking 

Stephen Hawking may be most famous for his work on black holes and gravitational singularities, but the world-renowned physicist has also become known for his outspoken ideas about things that could destroy human civilization.

Hawking suffers from a motor neuron disease similar to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, which left him paralyzed and unable to speak without a voice synthesizer. But that hasn't stopped the University of Cambridge professor from making proclamations about the wide range of dangers humanity faces — including ourselves.

Here are a few things Hawking has said could bring about the demise of human civilization. [End of the World? Top Doomsday Fears]

Artificial intelligence

Hawking is part of a small but growing group of scientists who have expressed concerns about "strong" artificial intelligence (AI) — intelligence that could equal or exceed that of a human.

"The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race," Hawking told the BBC in December 2014. The statement was in response to a question about a new AI voice-synthesizing system that Hawking has been using.

Hawking's warnings echo those of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla Motors, who has called AI humanity's "biggest existential threat." Last month, Hawking, Musk and dozens of other scientific bigwigs signed an open letterdescribing the risks, as well as the benefits, of AI.

"Because of the great potential of AI, it is important to research how to reap its benefits while avoiding potential pitfalls," the scientists wrote in the letter, which was published online Jan. 11 by the Future of Life Institute, a volunteer organization that aims to mitigate existential threats to humanity.

But many AI researchers say humanity is nowhere near being able to develop strong AI.

"We are decades away from any technology we need to worry about," Demis Hassabis, an artificial intelligence researcher at Google DeepMind, told reporters this week at a news conference about a new AI program he developed that can teach itself to play computer 

games

. Still, "It's good to start the conversation now," he added.

Human aggression

If our machines don't kill us, we might kill ourselves. Hawking now believes that human aggression might destroy civilization.

The physicist was giving a tour of the London Science Museum to Adaeze Uyanwah, a 24-year-old teacher from California who won a contest from VisitLondon.com. When Uyanwah asked, "What human shortcomings would you most like to alter?" Hawking responded:

"The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression. It may have had survival advantage in caveman days, to get more food, territory or partner with whom to reproduce, but now it threatens to destroy us all," The Independent reported.

For example,a major nuclear war would likely end civilization, and could wipe out the human race, Hawking added. When asked which human quality he would most like to magnify, Hawking chose empathy, because "it brings us together in a peaceful, loving state."

Hawking thinks space exploration will be important to ensuring the survival of humanity. "I believe that the long-term future of the human race must be space, and that it represents an important life insurance for our future survival, as it could prevent the disappearance of humanity by colonizing other planets," Cambridge Newsreported.

Alien life

But Hawking had made ominous warnings even before these recent ones. Back in 2010, Hawking said that, if intelligent alien life exists, itmay not be that friendly toward humans.

"If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn't turn out very well for the Native Americans," Hawking said during an episode of "Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking," a show hosted by the Discovery Channel, reported The Times, a U.K.-based newspaper.

Advanced alien civilizations might become nomads, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they could reach, Hawking said. "If so, it makes sense for them to exploit each new planet for material to build more spaceships so they could move on. Who knows what the limits would be?"

From the threat of nefarious AI, to advanced aliens, to hostile humans, Hawking's outlook for humanity is looking pretty grim.

read original article from:

http://www.livescience.com/49952-stephen-hawking-warnings-to-humanity.html 

3 Things Could Destroy Humanity

Stephen Hawking's new thinking that 3 Things Could Destroy Humanity

                                                                                     Stephen Hawking 

Stephen Hawking may be most famous for his work on black holes and gravitational singularities, but the world-renowned physicist has also become known for his outspoken ideas about things that could destroy human civilization.

Hawking suffers from a motor neuron disease similar to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, which left him paralyzed and unable to speak without a voice synthesizer. But that hasn't stopped the University of Cambridge professor from making proclamations about the wide range of dangers humanity faces — including ourselves.

Here are a few things Hawking has said could bring about the demise of human civilization. [End of the World? Top Doomsday Fears]

Artificial intelligence

Hawking is part of a small but growing group of scientists who have expressed concerns about "strong" artificial intelligence (AI) — intelligence that could equal or exceed that of a human.

"The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race," Hawking told the BBC in December 2014. The statement was in response to a question about a new AI voice-synthesizing system that Hawking has been using.

Hawking's warnings echo those of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla Motors, who has called AI humanity's "biggest existential threat." Last month, Hawking, Musk and dozens of other scientific bigwigs signed an open letterdescribing the risks, as well as the benefits, of AI.

"Because of the great potential of AI, it is important to research how to reap its benefits while avoiding potential pitfalls," the scientists wrote in the letter, which was published online Jan. 11 by the Future of Life Institute, a volunteer organization that aims to mitigate existential threats to humanity.

But many AI researchers say humanity is nowhere near being able to develop strong AI.

"We are decades away from any technology we need to worry about," Demis Hassabis, an artificial intelligence researcher at Google DeepMind, told reporters this week at a news conference about a new AI program he developed that can teach itself to play computer 

games

. Still, "It's good to start the conversation now," he added.

Human aggression

If our machines don't kill us, we might kill ourselves. Hawking now believes that human aggression might destroy civilization.

The physicist was giving a tour of the London Science Museum to Adaeze Uyanwah, a 24-year-old teacher from California who won a contest from VisitLondon.com. When Uyanwah asked, "What human shortcomings would you most like to alter?" Hawking responded:

"The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression. It may have had survival advantage in caveman days, to get more food, territory or partner with whom to reproduce, but now it threatens to destroy us all," The Independent reported.

For example,a major nuclear war would likely end civilization, and could wipe out the human race, Hawking added. When asked which human quality he would most like to magnify, Hawking chose empathy, because "it brings us together in a peaceful, loving state."

Hawking thinks space exploration will be important to ensuring the survival of humanity. "I believe that the long-term future of the human race must be space, and that it represents an important life insurance for our future survival, as it could prevent the disappearance of humanity by colonizing other planets," Cambridge Newsreported.

Alien life

But Hawking had made ominous warnings even before these recent ones. Back in 2010, Hawking said that, if intelligent alien life exists, itmay not be that friendly toward humans.

"If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn't turn out very well for the Native Americans," Hawking said during an episode of "Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking," a show hosted by the Discovery Channel, reported The Times, a U.K.-based newspaper.

Advanced alien civilizations might become nomads, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they could reach, Hawking said. "If so, it makes sense for them to exploit each new planet for material to build more spaceships so they could move on. Who knows what the limits would be?"

From the threat of nefarious AI, to advanced aliens, to hostile humans, Hawking's outlook for humanity is looking pretty grim.

read original article from:

http://www.livescience.com/49952-stephen-hawking-warnings-to-humanity.html 

Translation Agency :- Somya Translators Pvt. Ltd.: Proof reading and editing services can boost your ...

Translation Agency :- Somya Translators Pvt. Ltd.: Proof reading and editing services can boost your ...: Globalization has gained impetus and in today’s time where perfection and professionalism rules, it is imperative to fritter time and money ...

Translation Agency :- Somya Translators Pvt. Ltd.: Proof reading and editing services can boost your ...

Translation Agency :- Somya Translators Pvt. Ltd.: Proof reading and editing services can boost your ...: Globalization has gained impetus and in today’s time where perfection and professionalism rules, it is imperative to fritter time and money ...

How to build your SELF CONFIDENCE

Building Self confidence in 10 super ways 

1. Dress Sharp

Although clothes don’t make the man, they certainly affect the way he feels about himself. No one is more conscious of your physical appearance than you are. When you don’t look good, it changes the way you carry yourself and interact with other people. Use this to your advantage by taking care of your personal appearance. In most cases, significant improvements can be made by bathing and shaving frequently, wearing clean clothes, and being cognizant of the latest styles.

This doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot on clothes. One great rule to follow is “spend twice as much, buy half as much”. Rather than buying a bunch of cheap clothes, buy half as many select, high quality items. In long run this decreases spending because expensive clothes wear out less easily and stay in style longer than cheap clothes. Buying less also helps reduce the clutter in your closet.

2. Walk Faster

One of the easiest ways to tell how a person feels about herself is to examine her walk. Is it slow? tired? painful? Or is it energetic and purposeful? People with confidence walk quickly. They have places to go, people to see, and important work to do. Even if you aren’t in a hurry, you can increase your self confidence by putting some pep in your step. Walking 25% faster will make to you look and feel more important.

3. Good Posture

Similarly, the way a person carries herself tells a story. People with slumped shoulders and lethargic movements display a lack of self confidence. They aren’t enthusiastic about what they’re doing and they don’t consider themselves important. By practicing good posture, you’ll automatically feel more confident. Stand up straight, keep your head up, and make eye contact. You’ll make a positive impression on others and instantly feel more alert and empowered.

4. Personal Commercial

One of the best ways to build confidence is listening to a 

motivational

speech. Unfortunately, opportunities to listen to a great speaker are few and far between. You can fill this need by creating a personal commercial. Write a 30-60 second speech that highlights your strengths and goals. Then recite it in front of the mirror aloud (or inside your head if you prefer) whenever you need a confidence boost.

5. Gratitude

When you focus too much on what you want, the mind creates reasons why you can’t have it. This leads you to dwell on your weaknesses. The best way to avoid this is consciously focusing on gratitude. Set aside time each day to mentally list everything you have to be grateful for. Recall your past successes, unique skills, loving relationships, and positive momentum. You’ll be amazed how much you have going for you and motivated to take that next step towards success.

6. Compliment other people

When we think negatively about ourselves, we often project that feeling on to others in the form of insults and 

gossip

. To break this cycle of negativity, get in the habit of praising other people. Refuse to engage in backstabbing gossip and make an effort to compliment those around you. In the process, you’ll become well liked and build self confidence. By looking for the best in others, you indirectly bring out the best in yourself.

7. Sit in the front row

In schools, offices, and public assemblies around the world, people constantly strive to sit at the back of the room. Most people prefer the back because they’re afraid of being noticed. This reflects a lack of self confidence. By deciding to sit in the front row, you can get over this irrational fear and build your self confidence. You’ll also be more visible to the important people talking from the front of the room.

8. Speak up

During group discussions many people never speak up because they’re afraid that people will judge them for saying something stupid. This fear isn’t really justified. Generally, people are much more accepting than we imagine. In fact most people are dealing with the exact same fears. By making an effort to speak up at least once in every group discussion, you’ll become a better public speaker, more confident in your own thoughts, and recognized as a leader by your peers.

9. Work out

Along the same lines as personal appearance, physical fitness has a huge effect on self confidence. If you’re out of shape, you’ll feel insecure, unattractive, and less energetic. By working out, you improve your physical appearance, energize yourself, and accomplish something positive. Having the discipline to work out not only makes you feel better, it creates positive momentum that you can build on the rest of the day.

10. Focus on contribution

Too often we get caught up in our own desires. We focus too much on ourselves and not enough on the needs of other people. If you stop thinking about yourself and concentrate on the contribution you’re making to the rest of the world, you won’t worry as much about you own flaws. This will increase self confidence and allow you to contribute with maximum efficiency. The more you contribute to the world the more you’ll be rewarded with personal success and recognition.

How to build your SELF CONFIDENCE

Building Self confidence in 10 super ways 

1. Dress Sharp

Although clothes don’t make the man, they certainly affect the way he feels about himself. No one is more conscious of your physical appearance than you are. When you don’t look good, it changes the way you carry yourself and interact with other people. Use this to your advantage by taking care of your personal appearance. In most cases, significant improvements can be made by bathing and shaving frequently, wearing clean clothes, and being cognizant of the latest styles.

This doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot on clothes. One great rule to follow is “spend twice as much, buy half as much”. Rather than buying a bunch of cheap clothes, buy half as many select, high quality items. In long run this decreases spending because expensive clothes wear out less easily and stay in style longer than cheap clothes. Buying less also helps reduce the clutter in your closet.

2. Walk Faster

One of the easiest ways to tell how a person feels about herself is to examine her walk. Is it slow? tired? painful? Or is it energetic and purposeful? People with confidence walk quickly. They have places to go, people to see, and important work to do. Even if you aren’t in a hurry, you can increase your self confidence by putting some pep in your step. Walking 25% faster will make to you look and feel more important.

3. Good Posture

Similarly, the way a person carries herself tells a story. People with slumped shoulders and lethargic movements display a lack of self confidence. They aren’t enthusiastic about what they’re doing and they don’t consider themselves important. By practicing good posture, you’ll automatically feel more confident. Stand up straight, keep your head up, and make eye contact. You’ll make a positive impression on others and instantly feel more alert and empowered.

4. Personal Commercial

One of the best ways to build confidence is listening to a 

motivational

speech. Unfortunately, opportunities to listen to a great speaker are few and far between. You can fill this need by creating a personal commercial. Write a 30-60 second speech that highlights your strengths and goals. Then recite it in front of the mirror aloud (or inside your head if you prefer) whenever you need a confidence boost.

5. Gratitude

When you focus too much on what you want, the mind creates reasons why you can’t have it. This leads you to dwell on your weaknesses. The best way to avoid this is consciously focusing on gratitude. Set aside time each day to mentally list everything you have to be grateful for. Recall your past successes, unique skills, loving relationships, and positive momentum. You’ll be amazed how much you have going for you and motivated to take that next step towards success.

6. Compliment other people

When we think negatively about ourselves, we often project that feeling on to others in the form of insults and 

gossip

. To break this cycle of negativity, get in the habit of praising other people. Refuse to engage in backstabbing gossip and make an effort to compliment those around you. In the process, you’ll become well liked and build self confidence. By looking for the best in others, you indirectly bring out the best in yourself.

7. Sit in the front row

In schools, offices, and public assemblies around the world, people constantly strive to sit at the back of the room. Most people prefer the back because they’re afraid of being noticed. This reflects a lack of self confidence. By deciding to sit in the front row, you can get over this irrational fear and build your self confidence. You’ll also be more visible to the important people talking from the front of the room.

8. Speak up

During group discussions many people never speak up because they’re afraid that people will judge them for saying something stupid. This fear isn’t really justified. Generally, people are much more accepting than we imagine. In fact most people are dealing with the exact same fears. By making an effort to speak up at least once in every group discussion, you’ll become a better public speaker, more confident in your own thoughts, and recognized as a leader by your peers.

9. Work out

Along the same lines as personal appearance, physical fitness has a huge effect on self confidence. If you’re out of shape, you’ll feel insecure, unattractive, and less energetic. By working out, you improve your physical appearance, energize yourself, and accomplish something positive. Having the discipline to work out not only makes you feel better, it creates positive momentum that you can build on the rest of the day.

10. Focus on contribution

Too often we get caught up in our own desires. We focus too much on ourselves and not enough on the needs of other people. If you stop thinking about yourself and concentrate on the contribution you’re making to the rest of the world, you won’t worry as much about you own flaws. This will increase self confidence and allow you to contribute with maximum efficiency. The more you contribute to the world the more you’ll be rewarded with personal success and recognition.

Soy Mexico Americano - Los Cenzontles

Soy Mexico Americano - Los Cenzontles

Los Cenzontles - La Milpa

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=590176047771374&pnref=story

Los Cenzontles - La Milpa

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=590176047771374&pnref=story

Flor de Canela y Josefinita

Flor de Canela y Josefinita

Protect the forest

Protect the forest

This photograph taken on February 24, 2014 during an aerial survey mission by Greenpeace in Central Kalimantan province on Indonesia's Borneo Island, shows cleared trees to make way for a palm oil plantation in a Borneo forest (AFP Photo/Bay Ismoyo)

Indonesia's ancient forests, a cradle of biodiversity and a buffer against climate change, have shrunk much faster than thought, scientists said. Between 2000 and 2012, Indonesia lost around 6.02 million hectares (14.4 million acres or 23,250 square miles) of primary forest, an area almost the size of Sri Lanka, they reported.

Primary or ancient forests are distinguished from managed forests, which are plantations of trees grown for timber and pulp. The researchers found that primary forest loss accelerated during the period under review, reaching an annual 840,000 hectares by 2012 -- nearly twice the deforestation rate of Brazil, which was 460,000 hectares in the same year."Indonesia's forests contain high floral and faunal biodiversity, including 10 percent of the world's plants, 12 percent of the world's mammals, 16 percent of the world's reptile-amphibians and 17 percent of the world's bird species," said the study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

"Extensive clearing of Indonesian primary forest cover directly results in habitat loss and associated plant and animal extinctions." Deforestation is also a blow to the fight against climate change, as ancient trees store more carbon emissions from the atmosphere than new ones do, and for a longer period, thus mitigating global warming. The research, led by geographer Belinda Margono of the University of Maryland, looked at long-term satellite images.

During 2000-2012, total forest cover in Indonesia retreated by 15.79 million hectares, of which 6.02 million, or 38 percent, was primary forest, the investigation found.

Distinguishing between primary and managed forest is vital in the campaign to preserve biodiversity and combat climate change, the paper said."It is critically important to know the context of forest disturbance, whether of a high-biomass natural forest or a short-cycle plantation," it said. "Similarly, the clearing of natural forest has very different implications on the maintenance of biodiversity richness."

                                                            "It noted that in 2010, the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) put Indonesia's overall forest loss at 310,000 hectares per year from 2000-2005, and 690,000 hectares annually from 2005-2010. Indonesia itself, in a report to the UN's Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2009, estimated forest loss of 1.1 million hectares annually from 2000-2005."

Margono's study found the biggest losers were lowland and wetland forests in Sumatra and Kalimantan, where trees are typically chopped down by loggers for use in farming. In other islands or island groups -- Papua, Sulawesi, Maluku, Java and Bali and Nusa Tenggara -- primary forest cover fell back only slightly or remained stable from 2000-2012.

Protect the forest

Protect the forest

This photograph taken on February 24, 2014 during an aerial survey mission by Greenpeace in Central Kalimantan province on Indonesia's Borneo Island, shows cleared trees to make way for a palm oil plantation in a Borneo forest (AFP Photo/Bay Ismoyo)

Indonesia's ancient forests, a cradle of biodiversity and a buffer against climate change, have shrunk much faster than thought, scientists said. Between 2000 and 2012, Indonesia lost around 6.02 million hectares (14.4 million acres or 23,250 square miles) of primary forest, an area almost the size of Sri Lanka, they reported.

Primary or ancient forests are distinguished from managed forests, which are plantations of trees grown for timber and pulp. The researchers found that primary forest loss accelerated during the period under review, reaching an annual 840,000 hectares by 2012 -- nearly twice the deforestation rate of Brazil, which was 460,000 hectares in the same year."Indonesia's forests contain high floral and faunal biodiversity, including 10 percent of the world's plants, 12 percent of the world's mammals, 16 percent of the world's reptile-amphibians and 17 percent of the world's bird species," said the study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

"Extensive clearing of Indonesian primary forest cover directly results in habitat loss and associated plant and animal extinctions." Deforestation is also a blow to the fight against climate change, as ancient trees store more carbon emissions from the atmosphere than new ones do, and for a longer period, thus mitigating global warming. The research, led by geographer Belinda Margono of the University of Maryland, looked at long-term satellite images.

During 2000-2012, total forest cover in Indonesia retreated by 15.79 million hectares, of which 6.02 million, or 38 percent, was primary forest, the investigation found.

Distinguishing between primary and managed forest is vital in the campaign to preserve biodiversity and combat climate change, the paper said."It is critically important to know the context of forest disturbance, whether of a high-biomass natural forest or a short-cycle plantation," it said. "Similarly, the clearing of natural forest has very different implications on the maintenance of biodiversity richness."

                                                            "It noted that in 2010, the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) put Indonesia's overall forest loss at 310,000 hectares per year from 2000-2005, and 690,000 hectares annually from 2005-2010. Indonesia itself, in a report to the UN's Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2009, estimated forest loss of 1.1 million hectares annually from 2000-2005."

Margono's study found the biggest losers were lowland and wetland forests in Sumatra and Kalimantan, where trees are typically chopped down by loggers for use in farming. In other islands or island groups -- Papua, Sulawesi, Maluku, Java and Bali and Nusa Tenggara -- primary forest cover fell back only slightly or remained stable from 2000-2012.

Free Software Foundation?

Where do we stand 30 years after the founding of the Free Software Foundation?

There is a growing concern about government surveillance. At the same time, those of us who live and breathe technology do so because it provides us with a service and freedom to share our lives with others.

There is a tacit assumption that once we leave the store, the device we have in our pocket, backpack, or desk is ours. We buy a computer, a tablet, a smartphone, and we use applications and apps without even thinking about who really owns the tools and whether we truly own any of it. You purchase a device, yet you are not free to modify it or the software on it in any way. It begs the question of who really owns the device and the software?


The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a nonprofit with a worldwide mission to promote computer user freedom and defend the rights of all free software users. FSF proudly promotes the idea of free software—not "free" as in "free beer," but "free" as in "free to modify the code, share the code, and distribute it freely."


As the FSF describes on its about page, "The free software movement is one of the most successful social movements to arise from computing culture, driven by a worldwide community of ethical programmers dedicated to the cause of freedom and sharing."


I had a chance to interview John Sullivan, Executive Director of FSF, and what he said was both refreshing and thought provoking. The Foundation sponsors theGNU project, which maintains an entire operating system licensed as free software.



Tell us about yourself. How did you get involved in the free software movement, and why do you continue your involvement?


I started working with the FSF in 2003 after earning an MFA in writing and poetics. It was a natural fit! My first contributions as an employee were in documentation, merchandising, and fundraising, but the roots of my involvement go back to early days of running a dial-up BBS on my Commodore 64 (and later IBM PC). That was my first experience with online communities, the sharing of programs, the frustration of programs that couldn't be shared, and the power of collaboration. I got into GNU/Linux and Emacs in the 90s, when Windows "upgrades" rendered my PC useless, and I decided I wanted off that treadmill for good.


I stay involved because I think it's one of the most important social movements in existence, and it needs help—a lot of help. As more and more of the world's social, cultural, economic, and political interactions are mediated by technology, control over the technology becomes incredibly important for the exercise of any basic individual freedoms. I love the people I meet in this work, and the enormity of the challenge.
What tips do you have for others who want to be involved in the free software movement?


The Free Software Foundation is a great place to start. We have volunteer opportunities in documentation, translation, coding, design, conference organizing, advocacy writing, and much more.
Where do you see the things moving in the near term?


This year is the FSF's 30th anniversary. We've come a long way, but in the near term there are several areas where we need to step it up. Mobile and wearable computing are currently terrifying for user freedom. iOS is the epitome of everything we need to avoid to have a free society: a single gatekeeper who claims it is illegal for you to even install software they don't approve on your own device.


Fortunately, more people are using Android than iOS, but between hardware drivers and applications, they are still primarily using proprietary software or software that just interfaces with a service over which they have no control. Future versions of Android can also be made proprietary at any moment, and that's frightening. We need our mobile, embedded, and wearable operating systems to be copyleft so that no one can ever take them away when the wind changes.


We need to stop the backsliding that's happening with laptop hardware too. Companies like Intel are building separate chips into their machines running proprietary software that provides remote access to the computer. Instead, they should be working with us and projects like Libreboot and Coreboot to have support for a fully free, secure, stack.


We also need to spearhead a transition to decentralized, encrypted replacements for services like Facebook, Google Translate, Flickr, iCloud, etc. If the software you are using to do your work is running on some company's machine, then you don't have the ability to inspect it or modify it. Time and time again, this leads to abuses like privacy violations by both governments and individuals. We need projects like MediaGoblin, GNU social, pump.io, GNUnet, GPG, Tor, and Tahoe-LAFS to succeed.

Do you have any long-term goals for the free software movement?

Yes. We want all users to be able to do anything they want to do on any computer using exclusively free software. Proprietary software should not exist. To achieve this, we need the movement to be much more diverse than it is so far, and to be as effective at messaging and communication as it has been at software development.
How can we continue to support you and/or get involved with FSF?

In addition to the volunteer opportunities I mentioned, we are funded overwhelmingly by individuals. Over 80% of our funding last year came from individuals, with only the remaining part coming from corporations and other organizations. This distinguishes us significantly from most organizations involved in this space. Joining as a member at member.fsf.org is a great way to get involved. We're going to be working on some ways this year to help our members get to know each other and build a stronger community of free software activists.

Of course, we would also welcome more resources from employers. That can come from matching their employees' individual donations through our corporate patron program, or from making donations to match the hours their employees volunteer for the FSF and GNU. I'm happy to talk with anyone interested atjohns@fsf.org.

If you're a programmer, any time you write free software, you're helping the free software movement. Thank you! This is especially true if you release your software under a copyleft license like the GPL. Using GPLv3 is best, because when you do that, you are helping protect free software and its users from patents and DRM.

What will you be talking about at SCALE 13x?

Where do we stand after 30 years of the FSF? I'll be talking about why free software is an important social movement for everyone, not just programmers. Even people who don't write code need to care about the freedom to see the source and modify the code. Those conditions are what enable other people to create software that serves all of our freedom and interests.


The alternative is ubiquitous surveillance and a kind of totalitarianism. Thepotential to modify software, much like the right to vote, is a powerful check on misuse of technology, even if you don't exercise that freedom yourself. How do we inspire more people to care, and to fight for freedoms they don't directly use?

This article is part of the Speaker Interview Series for SCALE13X. The Southern California Linux Expo brings together Linux and open source users, developers, companies, and enthusiasts.

Free Software Foundation?

Where do we stand 30 years after the founding of the Free Software Foundation?

There is a growing concern about government surveillance. At the same time, those of us who live and breathe technology do so because it provides us with a service and freedom to share our lives with others.

There is a tacit assumption that once we leave the store, the device we have in our pocket, backpack, or desk is ours. We buy a computer, a tablet, a smartphone, and we use applications and apps without even thinking about who really owns the tools and whether we truly own any of it. You purchase a device, yet you are not free to modify it or the software on it in any way. It begs the question of who really owns the device and the software?


The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a nonprofit with a worldwide mission to promote computer user freedom and defend the rights of all free software users. FSF proudly promotes the idea of free software—not "free" as in "free beer," but "free" as in "free to modify the code, share the code, and distribute it freely."


As the FSF describes on its about page, "The free software movement is one of the most successful social movements to arise from computing culture, driven by a worldwide community of ethical programmers dedicated to the cause of freedom and sharing."


I had a chance to interview John Sullivan, Executive Director of FSF, and what he said was both refreshing and thought provoking. The Foundation sponsors theGNU project, which maintains an entire operating system licensed as free software.



Tell us about yourself. How did you get involved in the free software movement, and why do you continue your involvement?


I started working with the FSF in 2003 after earning an MFA in writing and poetics. It was a natural fit! My first contributions as an employee were in documentation, merchandising, and fundraising, but the roots of my involvement go back to early days of running a dial-up BBS on my Commodore 64 (and later IBM PC). That was my first experience with online communities, the sharing of programs, the frustration of programs that couldn't be shared, and the power of collaboration. I got into GNU/Linux and Emacs in the 90s, when Windows "upgrades" rendered my PC useless, and I decided I wanted off that treadmill for good.


I stay involved because I think it's one of the most important social movements in existence, and it needs help—a lot of help. As more and more of the world's social, cultural, economic, and political interactions are mediated by technology, control over the technology becomes incredibly important for the exercise of any basic individual freedoms. I love the people I meet in this work, and the enormity of the challenge.
What tips do you have for others who want to be involved in the free software movement?


The Free Software Foundation is a great place to start. We have volunteer opportunities in documentation, translation, coding, design, conference organizing, advocacy writing, and much more.
Where do you see the things moving in the near term?


This year is the FSF's 30th anniversary. We've come a long way, but in the near term there are several areas where we need to step it up. Mobile and wearable computing are currently terrifying for user freedom. iOS is the epitome of everything we need to avoid to have a free society: a single gatekeeper who claims it is illegal for you to even install software they don't approve on your own device.


Fortunately, more people are using Android than iOS, but between hardware drivers and applications, they are still primarily using proprietary software or software that just interfaces with a service over which they have no control. Future versions of Android can also be made proprietary at any moment, and that's frightening. We need our mobile, embedded, and wearable operating systems to be copyleft so that no one can ever take them away when the wind changes.


We need to stop the backsliding that's happening with laptop hardware too. Companies like Intel are building separate chips into their machines running proprietary software that provides remote access to the computer. Instead, they should be working with us and projects like Libreboot and Coreboot to have support for a fully free, secure, stack.


We also need to spearhead a transition to decentralized, encrypted replacements for services like Facebook, Google Translate, Flickr, iCloud, etc. If the software you are using to do your work is running on some company's machine, then you don't have the ability to inspect it or modify it. Time and time again, this leads to abuses like privacy violations by both governments and individuals. We need projects like MediaGoblin, GNU social, pump.io, GNUnet, GPG, Tor, and Tahoe-LAFS to succeed.

Do you have any long-term goals for the free software movement?

Yes. We want all users to be able to do anything they want to do on any computer using exclusively free software. Proprietary software should not exist. To achieve this, we need the movement to be much more diverse than it is so far, and to be as effective at messaging and communication as it has been at software development.
How can we continue to support you and/or get involved with FSF?

In addition to the volunteer opportunities I mentioned, we are funded overwhelmingly by individuals. Over 80% of our funding last year came from individuals, with only the remaining part coming from corporations and other organizations. This distinguishes us significantly from most organizations involved in this space. Joining as a member at member.fsf.org is a great way to get involved. We're going to be working on some ways this year to help our members get to know each other and build a stronger community of free software activists.

Of course, we would also welcome more resources from employers. That can come from matching their employees' individual donations through our corporate patron program, or from making donations to match the hours their employees volunteer for the FSF and GNU. I'm happy to talk with anyone interested atjohns@fsf.org.

If you're a programmer, any time you write free software, you're helping the free software movement. Thank you! This is especially true if you release your software under a copyleft license like the GPL. Using GPLv3 is best, because when you do that, you are helping protect free software and its users from patents and DRM.

What will you be talking about at SCALE 13x?

Where do we stand after 30 years of the FSF? I'll be talking about why free software is an important social movement for everyone, not just programmers. Even people who don't write code need to care about the freedom to see the source and modify the code. Those conditions are what enable other people to create software that serves all of our freedom and interests.


The alternative is ubiquitous surveillance and a kind of totalitarianism. Thepotential to modify software, much like the right to vote, is a powerful check on misuse of technology, even if you don't exercise that freedom yourself. How do we inspire more people to care, and to fight for freedoms they don't directly use?

This article is part of the Speaker Interview Series for SCALE13X. The Southern California Linux Expo brings together Linux and open source users, developers, companies, and enthusiasts.