1156 VERMIN. The liability of owners for damage to cargo by vermin has been the subject of frequent litigation; some charter parties include the words "damage by vermin excepted." When damage does occur, masters are always careful to "protest" against vermin, as early as possible after arrival.
1157 Of all vermin infesting ships, the most injurious is the rat, which arises from his great instinct, boldness, and natural qualifications. The inner portion of the four front teeth of rats is soft; the outer is composed of the strongest enamel; the continual growth of these teeth can only be checked by constant use. When one has been lost, the opposite tooth has been known to lengthen until it met the gum, which caused it to turn and ultimately to pass through the lip. It is this extraordinary growing property of the front teeth which, coupled with in unconquerable thirst, makes rats so formidable. They "eat" up under the waterways of the deck until within a wafer thickness of the surface, through which dew or rain can be sucked; and where there is leakage around the partners of a mast, they eat from below up to the deck, and also up through the covering boards alongside a stanchion or timber-head; unless protected by copper, they will cut their way to the scupper-holes, when they hear water running through them. They have been known to eat through the wooden filling piece in the space where a deck-light had been originally; as the hole was fully 2 inches diameter, and only about 15 inches from the waterway, and nearly abreast of the pumps, it may be imagined what a quantity of water must have found its way below into the 'tween decks, on the cargo, either when the ship's pumps were used, her decks washed, or she was in heavy weather with a body of water in the lee (starboard) waist. The hole being immediately under a water cask lashed to the spare spars in the side of the ship, was not discovered for some time and the ship was believed to be making water very badly on the port tack. Grain-laden ships have been put in great danger by holes through the pump-casing, which admit cargo and choke the pumps. The greatest peril however is when rats attack the sides between wind and water, in the vain effort to assuage their thirst. Guided by the rippling of the sea, they select a plank where the sap is gone close to a seam, and by combining together, work incessantly until salt water oozes through and they find their labour useless. The weak barrier left gives way sooner or later, the cargo is injured, and the lives of all on board are in jeopardy, especially if the holes are under the channels, in the counter, or in any other concealed part. Rats will boldly come on deck in rainy weather, even in the day time, and in sight of the seamen, and will ascend the shrouds to suck water from the interstices of the rigging. Where they are so numerous, it seems better to give them a daily supply of water rather than risk such perils. Rats will gnaw holes in casks containing water, by cunningly selecting a seam close to the chime, where the heads are thinnest, and waste the ship's stores long before the voyage is completed. Casks of wine, spirits, and most other liquids, lead pipes, &c. are liable to the same attacks.
1158 At Calcutta there is a small earth rat with round ears, white belly, and yellow back; not so anxious for water as the common rat, which they will soon drive out of the ship. These earth rats come clown in the country (dobah) boats, and make great havoc among hides, selecting the thick parts of the neck and rump. Bandicote rats are very large and nearly all black.
1159 When ships are loading sugar at Port Louis, Mauritius, rats at sun set, swim off from the shore in swarms, and crawl up the cables; they feast all night and leave early in the morning. The ordinary prevention is a cicular piece of wood, like the head of a cask, made in two parts, to fit on the cable at right angles; the outside covered with tin. There is at Mauritius also a species of rat, not much larger than a mouse, which will bore holes in those parts under the ship's counters, where there is little access for air, commonly in lockers — such ill ventilated parts rotting soonest. Masters are not allowed to smoke ships here without first giving notice to the harbour master.
1160 When Musk rats pass over wines in bottle, the fœtid odour which emanates from them, destroys the quality of the wine, unless the bottles are covered with tinfoil or metallic capsules; seal wax is no protection. When several travel together, they go in a file each holding in his mouth the tail of the one preceding; this habit has induced the erroneous belief that the species is blind; their eyes are exceedingly small, and can only be discovered by very close inspection. Cats will not touch musk rats, and very few dogs will muzzle them.
1161 Rats make considerable havoc amongst sails, especially in those parts on which oil or grease has been dropped, and give a decided preference for new canvas, on account of the starch or sizing, or because it is softer for their nests, which are found in the bunts of the topsails, and in the jibs when stowed on the bowsprit; sails should therefore be loosed occasionally for this if for no other purpose. Some masters have, it is said, saved their sails by supplying soft paper for the nests. Spare sails require to be rolled up as snugly as possible; sometimes they are stowed on a number of empty water casks, and instances have occurred where the loose end has fallen down between two, and rats have eaten holes merely to obtain a clear run through. In the hold, rats' nests are made in the driest parts, between the frames, on the chocks, and on the knees. It has been suggested as possible that the fibrous matter and oily substances collected occasionally for these nests may lead to spontaneous combustion. When two different kinds are on board a ship, one will locate forward, the other aft.
1162 It is very difficult to stow aniseed so as to be secured from the attack of rats; the amount of destruction which they create in a cargo of sugar is almost incredible; they will nibble away cork bungs in casks of wine, &c. and waste the contents. They are very fond of parchment, but will not touch leather bags of a tan colour. Unless driven by extreme necessity they decline beans or peas, which are difficult to masticate; neither will they eat oats or barley while wheat is to be had; and they will leave bad for good — sparing neither time, trouble, nor perseverance, to get at the best. When winches of yarn are stowed in the same hold with wheat in bulk, and the grain gets mixed with the yarn, rats in order to get at the wheat will eat through the yarn and much diminish its value. The loss by Mice in a cargo of rice is not so much from what they consume as by what they waste, and what is lost when handling bags perforated by them.
1163 Cockroaches will attack the corks of bottles containing champagne and other delicate articles, unless protected with tinfoil or metallic capsules. Cockroaches, scorpions, &c. come on board in firewood, bags of rice, gunny bags, &c; in warm climates, when it rains, they fly about and drop on the crew; they devour almost everything, and scarcely any poison seems to affect them; mercurial ointment, tobacco, cantharides, &c. are said to be eaten by them with avidity. When the crew are asleep in their hammocks cockroaches will attack the hard skin on the soles of their feet until blood is drawn; toe nails, finger nails, and horn buttons are consumed in the same way. Their increase on board Calcutta and other ships, is enormous; when inner planks have been taken out, the space between the limbers, above the wash of the bilge water, has been found completely full of a compact mass of cockroach dirt; it does not appear to injure teak. When rounding the Cape of Good Hope these insects become torpid, and hang about the hold, and can be easily swept into a bucket. Although a ship may pass an entire winter in England, and all the living cockroaches may die, yet their eggs, if deposited in a warm place, will be hatched on approaching the equator; two winters at home are said to be requisite. Cockroaches abound as much in iron as in wooden ships. Ants feed on their bodies, and are reported to attack them when alive. Spiders will attack cockroaches and bugs.
1164 Ants. There is a species of ant infesting the West coast of Africa, which perforates casks of oil, &c. and creates considerable loss. This ant thrives in timber; and where the hulls of condemned slave vessels have been used for building purposes in St. Helena, their ravages have so weakened the sills of the windows, the frames of doors, &c. as to involve the necessity of taking down houses, to prevent them from falling. In the Mauritius there are white ants which perforate casks of port wine; every year they are furnished, for a short time, with wings, which fall off as they fly; where the insects drop, the work of destruction commences. About the year 1828, the son of Judge Smith, while writing, was suddenly killed by a roof beam, the end of which had been gradually destroyed by these insects. Red ants are said to infest teak timber; ants cannot readily cross powdered chalk.
1165 In passing the accounts for troop ships, at the Admiralty, a quantity of provisions, equal to one-tenth part of the established proportion for the number of persons actually victualled, is allowed for waste and for destruction by vermin.
1166 Smoking Ships. The course usually adopted for the total destruction of vermin, is to stop every crevice, and smoke the ship with a fire of charcoal in the hold, or with sulphur, or mercury, &c. Charcoal fires should be made near the deck, not low down on the keelson. A practical chemist recommends chlorine instead of vapor or sulphur; the gas from chlorine is violently irritating, and its inhalation may cause serious illness if not fatal results. Some recommend the suspension of iron pots containing quicksilver, about six or eight inches above the fires, which it is said will destroy beetles, cockroaches, bugs, &c; when quicksilver is used the residue will not be injured, nor will much have evaporated. After the mercury is put over the fires, it is dangerous for any one to remain in the hold. Some run the mercury into deep gimlet holes bored in thick pieces of wood, which they calculate will not be burnt through until the last hatch is down. Ships are generally smoked in dock, when the cargo is out, but if rats are found to be increasing at sea, the process can be performed in warm latitudes, where all hands can sleep on deck under awnings; for this reason every ship destined for a long voyage, should take a supply of charcoal, &c. In all cases especial care should be observed not to allow any one to go below during the fumigation, or even to sleep in a round-house on deck, until several hours after the hold has been well ventilated. Fumigations at sea are however dangerous and should if possible be avoided, as some ships have been thereby burnt, and many lives lost. After smoking, rats are usually found near the fire, but some are in other parts, especially where it is likely there may be small openings — usually in the ends. Some owners contend that the best and least dangerous way to destroy vermin is to clear out everything during a very hard frost, open all the hatchways and entrances, remove the vent-boards in the hold, the limber boards, &c. &c. It is contended that by this mode, rats, mice, cockroaches, and every description of vermin have been destroyed.
1167 Food flavoured with oil of carraway, mixed with nux vomica, will poison rats and twice; with strychnine their bodies will be found near. Phosphorous mixed with fat, heated to 150°, will have the same effect, especially if a good supply of water is close at hand; they should he fed some days previously with scraps of bread and cheese, and clean water. The use of poison however is very dangerous, as its destructive properties may be communicated to food intended for human consumption. It is said that rats will not remain in a ship containing assafœtida, and that if entirely deprived of water when close to the shore, they will leave. Every possible means should he adopted to prevent their approach, which usually takes place by night. Planks communicating with the shore or with other ships should, where practicable, be removed early, and bundles of furze or birch should be fastened around cables and warps when lying in a tidal harbour.
1168 When numerous, rats will attack the common English domestic cat, and if unsuccessful in destroying it, will much diminish its usefulness. At Milford, in 1857, a cat was taken on board the guano-laden Dutch ship Konigin der Nederlanden, in the evening; the next morning nothing was to be seen but her skin and bones. The ring-tailed Malay cats, being very strong, can more easily secure rats, with which they feed their young. Bull-terriers are considered preferable to domestic cats, but they cannot follow vermin so easily; to be of service they should weigh 8 to 14lb, over that they are unwieldy. A wire trap with a wire bottom, placed on a bucket of water, has often proved successful. Rats will not eat food that has been handled, and will carefully avoid a trap that has been chafed by their own species.*
1169 Abbot, in his work on shipping, says: moreover, the master must, during the voyage, take all possible care of the cargo. If it require to be aired or ventilated, as fruit and some other things do, he must adopt the usual and proper methods; and although he is not responsible for injury done to it in consequence of a leak occasioned by tempest or other accident, yet, where rats occasioned a leak, whereby the goods were spoiled, the master was held responsible, notwithstanding the crew, afterwards, by pumping, &c. did all they could to preserve the cargo from injury; and this determination agrees with the rule laid down by Roccus, who says: if mice eat the cargo, and thereby occasion no small injury to the merchant, the master must make good the loss, because he is guilty of a fault. Yet if he had cats on board his ship, he shall be excused. This rule and the exception to it, although bearing somewhat of a ludicrous air, furnish it good illustration of the general principle, by which the master and owners are held responsible for every injury that might have been prevented by human foresight or care. In conformity to which principle they are responsible for goods stolen or embezzled by the crew or other persons, or lost or injured in consequence of the ship sailing in fair weather against a rock or shallow known to expert mariners.†
1170 It has been held that if a master can produce evidence to show that he has used every precaution to guard against rats, before taking in the cargo; that the ship was sea-worthy, as far as rats were concerned, when taken in; and that, after taking it in, and during the voyage, he took every means in his power to protect his cargo, and to keep clear of rats; the consignee could not recover compensation. Referring to damage caused by this class of vermin, it has also been held that where rats occasion a leak in a vessel, whereby the goods are spoiled, the owners are responsible, as they would also be if a cargo were eaten by mice, unless the master can show that proper precautions were taken and that he had sufficient cats, in which case the ship would not be liable.
1171 Cheese. In the Court of Exchequer, Baron Martin decided that where tubs containing Parmesan cheese, shipped at Genoa for London, had been broken in stowing, and their contents destroyed by rats, the ship was held liable, notwithstanding there were cats on board.
1172 Coffee. In the United States District Court, December, 1861, Judge Shipman gave judgment in the case of Wm. P. Kirkland v. the barque Fame, as follows:— This libel seeks to recover damages for injuries to coffee transported from Rio Janerio to New York. The answer alleges that this occurred, not from any cause for which the barque or her owners are responsible, but solely from "the dangers and accidents of the sea and navigation." It is clear that a portion of the injury was caused by rats. This fact was anticipated by the answer, which alleges that due care was exercised, two cats being kept on board from the time the coffee was laden. Claimants insist that, having exercised due care, the injury is within the exception of the bill of lading, and is to be deemed one of the "dangers or accidents of the seas and navigation." On the other hand, the libellants maintain as matter of law, that damage to a cargo by being gnawed by rats, is not a peril of the sea within the meaning of that term or the terms used in the bill of lading; and that, therefore, the claimants cannot exempt themselves from liability by showing that they adopted certain precautions. The question of damage done by rats has been the subject of repeated decisions by courts, and has been often discussed. The oldest case which has generally been relied on at all is that of "Dale v. Hall" (Wilson, R. p. 281) an action in the King's Bench, on a contract to carry. Mr. Justice Burnett admitted evidence to show that rats had gnawed a hole through the bottom of the ship, by which the damage occurred. A verdict was given for defendant, and on motion for a new trial the verdict was set aside (Lee, ch.1), remarking that the ruling below was clearly wrong. In this the whole court concurred. By the report, it appears that the judge who tried the case was in doubt as to the admissibility of the evidence. This case was decided in 1750. In the case of "Hunter v. Potts," (4, Campbell, 203) in 1850, Lord Ellenborough held in a Nisi Prius trial that a loss arising from rats eating holes in the ship's bottom was not within the perils insured against in the common form of a policy of insurance. Of course he held it not a peril of the seas. But a very recent English case, "Laveroni v. Drury," (16, Eng. Law and Eq. Rep. 510), fully sustains the claim of the libellants in this case. It was there held that a cargo of cheese having been damaged by rats, the injury could not be attributed to a peril of the sea, that it was "a kind of destruction not peculiar to the sea or navigation, or arising directly from it, but one to which such a commodity as cheese is equally liable in a warehouse as in a ship at sea." The court held that the presence of cats as is alleged in the present answer, was no defence. It is true that Judge Story states that the Continental writers on maritime law maintain a different doctrine, although he says the English law holds the ship liable. But I do not understand him as endorsing the doctrine of the foreign writers, although he does not expressly dissent. Here are two cases which conflict with the English rule— "Carrigues v. Coxe," 1 Binney, 592, and "Aymer v. Astor," 6 Cowen, 266. Of the former, Angell in his work on the "Law of Carriers," remarks "But this has been considered and pronounced to be the only case contrary to English law." As to the case of "Aymer v. Astor," the reasoning of the Court on this point does not appear to be wholly consistent with either doctrine, and consequently is sometimes cited as supporting the English rule, and sometimes as in conflict with it. The learned libellant, in the case under consideration, has cited it in support of his claim but I agree with the claimant's counsel that it has no such effect. On the trial in the court below, the judge charged the jury that damage by rats was not a peril by sea, and therefore not within that exception in the bill of lading. To this part of the charge exception was taken, and on the hearing of the writ of error, judgment was reversed. Savage, Chief Justice, said, in giving the opinion of the court — and in this part of his opinion the whole court concurred. "The true question to be submitted to the jury was, whether the master had used ordinary care and diligence; whether a cat is a sufficient preventive; or whether smoking the ship is the proper or more efficacious remedy, is a proper consideration for the jury." This view of the court must have proceeded upon the idea that damage by rats was a peril of the sea, against which the master and owners were not obliged to secure the cargo at all hazards, and, therefore came within the exceptions in the bill of lading. This, of course, would let in the proof, and if the fact that ordinary care and diligence were used, was proved, it would excuse the ship. Of course, too, without this care and diligence the extremest perils of the sea would not excuse a loss. If a ship were destroyed by a tornado, unless ordinary diligence to prevent it were shown, the loss would not be a peril of the sea within the meaning of the law. The result to which the court came in this case of "Aymer v. Astor," was a logical deduction from the principle which they assumed — that the master of a ship was" not responsible like a common carrier for all losses, except they happen by the act of God or the enemies of the country." I understand that this principle has been distinctly overruled ("Sewell v. Allen," 2 Wendell, 327; Angell on Law of Carriers, sec. 80 and sec. 170, note, Greenleaf; over-ruled cases, revised edition, 1856, page 23). After careful examination of the authorities I am inclined to adopt the conclusion of Chancellor Kent, who, after remarking that it was a "vexed question, upon which the authorities are much divided," says — "the better opinion would, however, seem to be, that the insurer is not liable for this sort of damage, because it arises from the negligence of the common carrier, and it may be prevented with due care, and is within the control of human prudence and sagacity." (3 Kant's Com. 300, 301). This conclusion has since been strengthened by the case of "Laveroni v. Drury," already cited. But whatever may be the conclusion warranted by the authorities, I do not think the master of the Fame, has proven due diligence on his part. The witnesses offered by the claimants, consisting of several masters who carry similar cargoes from Rio, say it is a very bad port for rats. The master of the Fame himself testifies that it is the worst port for rats he ever visited, and he always has some on board. Yet he did not fulminate his ship. Knowing the danger, as be admits he did, I think common prudence would have led to the use of every known means of ridding her of the vermin. Let a decree be entered for the libellants, with an order of reference, and let the Commissioner in his report, carefully distinguish the various kinds of damage to the cargo and the causes of that damage.
1173 Coffee. Com. Pleas, Jan. 24, 1866, Kay v. Wheeler. A special case stated without pleadings for the opinion of the Court. Defendant's ship Victoria took on board from Messrs, Wilson & Co. at Ceylon, a parcel of coffee consigned to plaintiff. The bill of lading was in the ordinary form, the goods were, therefore, to be carried safely and securely, the perils of the sea, the act of God, and the Queen's enemies, only excepted. On arrival, it was found that rats had gnawed the bags and caused a loss of £25. Defendant denied liability because it was not through his fault; the ship was cleared before starting and two cats and two Cingalese ferrets were placed on board. Sir G. Honeyman said that it was preposterous for defendant to say he was not liable because he had cleared the ship, for the loss did not arise from any of the excepted perils. He did not know whether it was meant to be contended that the loss was caused by the "perils of the sea." Mr. Justice Willes: He would probably say that the damage arose from the perils of navigation. Sir G. Honeyman: The Court of Exchequer had delivered an elaborate judgment, "Laveroni v. Drury," to the effect that an owner was not excused from damage by rats, notwithstanding he kept cats on board." Mr. W. Williams, for defendant, tried to distinguish this case from "Laveroni v. Drury." Mr. Justice Smith said the only difference seemed to be, that here there were two ferrets in addition to two cats, Mr. Justice Willes thought that it was a barbarism that a carrier should be more liable than any other bailee, but such was the law. The Court held that they were bound by the decision in "Laveroni v. Drury," which if questioned, must be so in the Court of Error. Judgment for plaintiff, which was confirmed on an appeal to the Exchequer, Feb. 4, 1867,
* A rat was caught in a gin on board a coasting schooner; he bit his leg off and escaped. No bait would attract him to the trap again, but for two years he was heard by night hobbling about. The hold being clear of cargo, the master fastened the entrails of a fish well up the side, placed the gin near the limber boards covered with hay, and at length secured the rat.
† An owner writes February 8, 1861, to the Shipping Gazette. My charter party for loading a general cargo for the Mediterranean, says "The captain to sign bills of lading at any rate of freight, and made payable in any manner the charterers may choose, without prejudice to this charter party." They place on board some goods liable to be damaged by rats, and the captain wants to insert in the bills of lading, "not accountable for injury by vermin," which they will not allow, and threaten to keep the ship until he signs without the clause. Is the captain bound to sign as they wish; and if so, what course should be adopted if the charterers keep the vessel after her lay-days have expired? The Editor answers: The captain has no right to insert any new condition in the bills of lading, and the charterers are justified in retaining the ship.
Robert White Stevens: On the Stowage of Ships and Their Cargoes: With Information Regarding Freights, Charter-Parties,
Longmans, Green, and Co., London, 1894 (7th). pp 667-675.
Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius.
The Maritime History Virtual Archives | Seamanship.
Copyright © 2005 Lars Bruzelius.


Math is a subject that students learn at different rates. While some of your students may struggle with number sense, other students may be ready to solve word problems. Differentiation is key in the math classroom, but giving the students who have mastered the objectives busy work or random worksheets is not helping them engage or expand their learning. These 5 activities for early finishers in the math classroom will not only help you focus on the struggling students, they will give your advanced students a chance to have fun with engaging and enriching tasks.
5 Activities for Early Finishers in the Math Classroom
Try some Math Apps
Break out the tablets and let your early finishers use technology for some game-based learning in action! Some apps are perfect complements to your coursework, and others will allow students to go as far as they want in reaching their math goals by leveling up with some fun game play. Try a few of these tried and tested apps for early finishes in your classroom.
Develop a lesson.
Students often tell me that they learn so much more when they explain concepts to their peers. It cements their knowledge of the concept, and by modeling thinking aloud by explaining their problem-solving processes, they’re able to show their confidence in the material. Let early finishers work independently or in small groups to review concepts they’ve mastered in class with students that are struggling. No need to single the kids not quite there out. Let the students present to the whole class. As an added bonus, the students will hear a voice other than yours explaining the lesson. Sometimes it helps to get a fresh perspective.
Plan a trip.
Have your students pick a dream location for a vacation. Give them a budget and have them plan. Make sure they include transportation, activities, food, lodging, and emergency funds. They can also include packing lists and figure out the space (area) they have and what they can fit in suitcases or additional gear (if traveling by car).
If a child is ready to master concepts without your one-on-one instruction, let them! There’s no substitute for you as a teacher, but be the coach and the guide as your early finishers try out courses on Khan Academy which has expanded to include math lessons for all grade levels (K-12).
The Math Workshop concept helps both early finishers and students struggling to reach the math objectives. Traditionally, the Math Workshop begins with an opening warm up for 5 minutes followed by 10-20 minute full group instruction. The differentiation comes with the small group instruction in Guided Math. Your early finishers can use this time to explore some of the activities mentioned above. Finally, the workshop ends with a closing where all students can reflect on what they learn.
These 5 activities for early finishers in the math classroom are sure to be a hit with your students. Let them enhance their learning while you make sure the rest of your students “get it”. All of these ideas are perfect for building a classroom centered on differentiation.
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If you’re ever considering dental surgery, it’s important to understand the difference between a filling and a root canal. Both treatments can be necessary according to the situation.
What is a filling?
A filling is a procedure that replaces tooth decay or damage with silicone and other materials, on either an upper or lower tooth if needed. It can last anywhere from six to twelve months with or without anesthesia. A filling is a relatively cheap and easy way to restore tooth function while eliminating any discomfort or pain.
Signs you need a filling
If you experience any of the following signs, it’s definitely time for a dental filling.
Dark spots and holes
Tooth decay can cause dark spots or holes on the tooth surface.
Fractured teeth can be a pain and inconvenience for the individual as well as an economic burden on society.
What is a root canal?
A root canal is an invasive surgery that removes the infected, diseased or necrotic roots from your teeth. It’s important to remember that it’s an expensive and time-consuming procedure.
Signs you need a root canal
If you experience any of the following signs, it’s definitely time for a Root Canal.
Sensitivity to temperature
If you are experiencing tooth pain, it can be many reasons for pain, from sensitivity to temperature, root canal problems can often occur. It’s important to note that if you have toothache accompanied by other symptoms such as sensitivity to cold or hot temperatures.
Tooth discoloration can happen as a result of tooth decay, gum disease or trauma. If left untreated, tooth decay can eventually cause the gums to recede and tooth colour may change from a healthy white to brown or black.
If you have purple, red, tender, or swollen gums to touch, it is a sign you need a root canal. This can cause considerable pain and discomfort so it’s important that you seek professional advice right away.
Pain when you touch the tooth
There are various reasons for tooth pain, but the most common one is when there is a problem with the root of the tooth. In this case, your dentist will use numbing agents and an extraction instrument to get rid of the problem root. After the procedure, you might experience some pain and stiffness for a few days but these should gradually go away over time.
A loose tooth
Tooth decay is bacteria attacking and rotting teeth pulp which can eventually lead to cavities. If left untreated, cavities will worsen and may even require a dental crown or an entire extraction of the tooth. Root canal therapy may be necessary in order to save the teeth structural integrity.
What’s the difference between a filling and a root canal?
When it comes to dental pain, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Every patient is different and requires a treatment plan according to their specific needs. This is where filling and root canal come in.
- Filling is a routine procedure that restores vascularity to the dental pulp, while root canal is an extraction of all or part of the tooth’s roots.
- A filling typically lasts around six months, but a root canal may last up to two years depending on the severity of the pathology involved.
Do I need a root canal of filling?
It can be difficult to determine if you need a root canal or filling. If the dentist is concerned that you may need one, they can perform a filling instead. The procedure is the same, just the material used is different. A root canal is a surgery to remove the entire tooth, including the roots


The island state of Trinidad and Tobago has seen increasing numbers of migrants in the past decade and is both a transit and destination point. Consistent with Caribbean trends, refugees of various nationalities are increasingly making it to Trinidad and Tobago’s shores. 184 persons were registered as asylum seekers in Trinidad and Tobago in 2014, 209 in 2015 and 314 in 2016. According to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, the first few months of 2017 showed a doubling of 2016’s figures, with 640 registered asylum seekers, refugees and other persons of concern as of May 2017. This rapid increase is expected to continue as there remains a backlog of persons to be registered; the total for 2017 is projected to be about 1,800.
Asylum seekers and refugees in Trinidad and Tobago come from six main countries – Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Bangladesh, Jamaica, Colombia and Nigeria – representing a mix of both regional and extra-regional refugees. Previously, the majority hailed from Cuba and Syria but as of 2017 Venezuelans became the second largest group of asylum seekers. However, refugees and asylum seekers also represent many other countries of origin such as Pakistan, Congo, Mali, Sudan and Uganda. More widely, according to UNHCR statistics dated March 2017, the number of refugees and asylum seekers in the Caribbean region rose by 50% between 2015 and 2016. The top ten countries of origin in descending order are El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Guatemala, Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, Syria, Jamaica and Bangladesh.
Protection challenges and shortcomings
In the Independent Commonwealth Caribbean, only Belize has legislation for refugees, while Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago have a refugee policy but no legislation. Trinidad and Tobago acceded to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol in November 2000. To date, these have not been incorporated into domestic legislation but the drafting process to do so is now underway. This process is being undertaken in a commendably participatory way with the main stakeholders including the International Affairs Unit and the Immigration Division of the Ministry of National Security, UNHCR and the NGO Living Water Community (LWC).
The good relationship among stakeholders has resulted in the protection of hundreds of refugees over the past three decades. A refugee policy, approved in June 2014, outlines rights that refugees are entitled to: a permit authorising their stay in the country, the right to work, identity papers, travel documents, public assistance (if unable to work and in need), medical care, freedom of movement, family reunification, educational opportunities and recreational activities, counselling for trauma or other psychological issues, and the right not to be expelled from the country (unless the refugee poses a threat to national security or to public order). It envisages a three-phased approach to enabling the government to assume responsibility for refugee protection and take over refugee status determination. Despite an overly ambitious timeline, capacity building of government actors has been taking place to enable them to assume this responsibility.
However, not all of the rights listed in the policy are actually accorded to the refugees. Other than freedom of movement, medical care and the right not to be expelled, in practice there is no right to work, no issuance of identity documents on handing over of passports to receive an order of supervision, no public assistance nor access to culturally sensitive psychological treatment, limited access to education for children, and no easy route to family reunification.
Any refugee or asylum seeker who wishes to claim protection in Trinidad and Tobago is bound by the Immigration Act and its regulations, and this makes it difficult to implement effective protection safeguards. Persons who enter or remain in Trinidad and Tobago without correct documentation may be treated as criminals (imprisoned and/or fined) and are likely to be detained in an administrative detention centre pending deportation to their countries of origin. The Act’s rulings apply to asylum seekers and refugees as well, especially if they are in possession of false documents or are undocumented.
When asylum seekers register with UNHCR through LWC, and in line with procedures agreed in 2014, they are referred to the Immigration Division which grants them an order of supervision. This imposes a reporting requirement and protects the asylum seeker from refoulement or detention so long as they comply with the laws of the country. This alternative to detention was negotiated years ago with the Immigration Division along with the removal of the usual requirement of paying a bond. However, a recent case from the High Court of Trinidad and Tobago has indirectly called into question the legality of the current use of orders of supervision for asylum seekers and refugees. The stakeholders are due to meet to discuss the implications of this decision and to look at alternative solutions.
The refugee policy also recognises the three durable solutions promoted by UNHCR to help refugees rebuild their lives in dignity and peace. In Trinidad and Tobago, however, as refugees cannot legally integrate into the country or work, UNHCR depends heavily on resettlement as the main possible solution for most refugees (traditionally in the United States). This can be lengthy and there is no guarantee that the refugees will be accepted by another country. With declining numbers of available resettlement spaces worldwide, local integration remains the de facto solution.
Additional protection concerns relate to LGBTI persons, children and women, in particular. Many LGBTI persons flee their home countries seeking refuge in Trinidad and Tobago. However, due to the country’s cultural norms and Sexual Offences Act of 1986, they face many of the same protection concerns in Trinidad and Tobago that they had in their country of origin. Due to restrictions imposed by the Immigration Division, concerns over a lack of school places and a preference for enrolling refugees over asylum seekers, growing numbers of children remain out of school. There is little capacity for accommodating unaccompanied or separated children; this is due in part to a lack of bilingual personnel and in part to a shortage of spaces in children’s homes. Meanwhile, with longstanding discrimination towards Latina women in Trinbagonian society, and entrenched misogyny, many refugee women face harassment daily and remain particularly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. This vulnerability is exacerbated in the workplace where refugee women (and all refugees, for that matter) are forced to work in the informal economy.
Options in the face of limited resources and capacity
LWC is the only civil society organisation on the island that is dedicated to refugees. A recent partnership with the University of the West Indies, however, offers some hope for expansion of services through the provision of English language classes (and in the future perhaps offer courses on refugee studies). Another partnership envisions the provision of legal aid in collaboration with the local law school.
Arguably, like any other State, Trinidad and Tobago should ensure that basic legal obligations are met and access to asylum facilitated, despite not yet having domestic legislation in place. It should provide humanitarian assistance to those in need in a way that respects the dignity and security of all persons. While putting its existing capacities and resources to use to effectively and efficiently guarantee the protection of refugees and all persons on its territory, its own limitations as a Small Island Developing State should be acknowledged, including its ongoing recession. Where Trinidad and Tobago falls short of being able to provide protection for the growing number of asylum seekers, the international community should consider how to provide appropriate, adequate support to ensure that those protection needs are met. The entire Caribbean could certainly benefit from additional international support.
Rochelle Nakhid firstname.lastname@example.org
Andrew Welch email@example.com
Former Legal Officer
Living Water Community www.lwctt.org
 This does not include persons who spontaneously depart or refugees who are resettled to third countries.
 This includes Belize.
 This refers to English-speaking countries in the Caribbean which gained full independence from the United Kingdom.
 LWC has partnered with UNHCR since 1989; UNHCR established a presence on the island in January 2016.
 National Policy to Address Refugee and Asylum Matters in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, adopted by Cabinet in June 2014 www.refworld.org/docid/571109654.html
 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex


You might want to think twice about eating bacon.
We love our dogs because they're loyal to us, they listen to us, and it seems like they understand us. But as it turns out, dogs can be outperformed on IQ tests by an animal we typically consider food: pigs.
Pigs get higher scores than dogs on many cognitive ability tests, and they can compete with animals that we generally consider to be the most intelligent: elephants, dolphins, and chimpanzees.
Several studies have concluded that pigs excel at tests of long term memory, mazes, and puzzles. A pig named Moritz was recently filmed putting the correct pieces into a pig puzzle.
Other studies have revealed that pigs feel empathy--they react to sadness and happiness in different ways. Pigs have relatively complex social lives, where they cooperate and learn from each other, so it makes sense that they would have some degree of emotional intelligence.
Lori Marino, a neuroscientist and the author of one of the latest studies on pig intelligence, said in an interview with Huffington Post that she wants her research to make people more aware of the fact that pigs are cognitively complex animals. Her research was funded by the Someone, Not Something project, which aims to gather information about the intelligence and emotions of farm animals.
When you realize that pigs are actually very crafty critters, you might want to think twice about eating bacon for brunch. Marino, who is a vegan, hopes that her research will encourage people to stop eating meat.


Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa highlight the holiday season. But as Georgia absorbs more foreign-born residents, the holidays are reflective of the countries they came from – whether it’s Seollal (Lunar New Year) for Koreans, Zweiter Weihnachtstag (second day of Christmas) for Germans or Diwali (festival of lights) for those from India.
In 2008, Georgia’s foreign-born citizens represented 9.4 percent of the state’s total population. Of those, 8.9 percent were from Africa, 25 percent from Asia, 10.3 percent from Europe and 53.6 percent from Latin America. A tiny percentage are from Canada, Bermuda and other countries.
“They come here for many reasons, but one of which is that they value our country,” said Sharon Gibson, a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension multicultural specialist with the College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
“I, like many of these new residents, can trace my family back to immigrants,” Gibson said. “My grandfather came here in 1910 and with him he brought family tradition, which my family treasures to this day.”
Knowing other holidays exist is important, especially for parents of children whose friends or classmates may be celebrating these days. But the bigger factor is to recognize that every family celebrates a little differently, she said.
“The holidays give us a sense of identity with our families and with our regional traditions,” she said. “It's not just a time of consumption.”
Gibson remembers Swedish friends from her childhood and how they celebrated St. Lucia’s Day on Dec. 13. “I always thought the girls were so lucky because they got to wear white dresses and wreaths with candles on their heads.”
Her family comes from Germany and England, and “we postponed Christmas” compared to other American families, she said. “We didn't start decorating until St. Nicholas Eve, and we always celebrated Old Christmas on Jan. 6.”
Catholics, Presbyterians, Methodists, Lutherans and Episcopalians celebrate the season of Advent, lighting special candles on the Sundays leading up to Christmas. Baptists and other Protestant denominations often have Christmas pageants or hold Christmas Eve services.
Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah, an eight-day festival of light that begins on the eve of Kislev 25 (Jewish calendar) and celebrates the triumph of light over darkness. It starts this year on Dec. 2.
Muslims celebrate the three-day festival Eid-al-Adha, which starts on Jan 10. The days remember Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son. The Hindu, Sikh and Jain’s most important holiday of Diwali was held Nov. 5-9.
“All of these celebrations have to do with family, community and sense of sharing and common good,” Gibson said. “If we get nothing else from this season, we should recognize that all around the world families and neighbors come together in thankfulness to share their bounty and to express the basic human desire for peace.”
A few other winter holidays include:
• St. Nicholas Day, celebrated in northern Europe on Dec. 6, is similar to Christmas.
• Bodhi Day, commemorates the enlightenment of Buddha. Buddhists celebrate Dec. 8 and consider it their most important holiday.
• Las Posadas (the Inn), celebrated in Mexico between Dec. 16-24, is marked with processions remembering Joseph’s search for a room in Bethlehem.
• Kwanzaa (first fruits), is an African-American holiday based on an ancient African harvest festival. It is celebrated Dec. 26-Jan. 1.
• New Year’s Day, called Hogmanay in Scotland and Shogatsu in Japan, is a major day of celebration in Japan. They recognize it as starting afresh and give their children gifts.
• Lunar New Year, a two-week winter holiday, is celebrated in late January or early February by the Vietnamese, Koreans and Chinese.
• Mardi Gras, which means Fat Tuesday in French, occurs one day before Ash Wednesday.
“Georgia is a state made of people from every continent, every faith and every culture,” Gibson said. “This makes Georgia strong and interesting place to live.”


Setting up and running a school garden: A manual for teachers, parents and communities
Schools in the West are currently under pressure to ensure they provide children with healthy food; this manual aims to address the issue on a global scale. Produced by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), the authors argue that education about nutrition must begin at an early age, with learning by doing - growing and eating their own healthy food within a school garden. Aimed at teachers working with 9 – 14 year olds, development of a school garden is thought to improve the social and physical wellbeing of the school community, and give students a better understanding of the natural world. The manual is to assist teachers, parents and communities, drawing on classroom experiences from across the world. Tips include deciding what will be needed, how big the garden will be, how much time it will take, and how to look after 'sick' plants, as well as more complex topics such as integrated pest management. All you could need for setting up your own school garden!
Available electronically at www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0218e/a0218e00.htm, or in Spanish (Crear y manejar un huerto escolar) at www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0218s/a0218s00.htm
Ellen Muehlhoff (ed), 2005
Published by the Food and Agricultural Organisation, Rome
ISBN 92 5 105408 8
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By visiting Amazon using our link, anything you buy will help us continue our critical conservation work. (Just click on the 'powered by Amazon.co.uk' logo to go to the main Amazon site, a percentage of anything you buy will be donated to BGCI).


Gerrymandering is when political district boundaries are drawn to benefit one group over another, thus creating an imbalance in the value of votes cast for each side. The Efficiency Gap is a way of quantifying this effect by counting the number of wasted votes for each party and identifying large imbalances towards either side.
The Efficiency Gap is a measure of partisan symmetry, introduced by Stephanopoulos and McGhee1. They proposed this measure, which is a single percentage for district plan, as a practical legal test for Political Gerrymandering cases.
Given election results for a set of
districts, usually statewide, the wasted votes for each party in
each district are computed. All the votes for a losing
candidate are wasted. Any votes in excess of those
required to win are wasted. E.g., with 100 district voters, 51
are required to win. In the case of ties, which cannot
happen in practice, all votes in that district are wasted.
Maptitude for Redistricting also allows for third party candidates, usually assumed to be from a collection of random minor parties. In such cases, the votes required to win are reduced by the third party votes. It is assumed that no third party is viable and none can win a majority of the districts.
Maptitude for Redistricting does not use Stephanopoulos and McGhee's simplified equation: Efficiency Gap = Seat Margin - (2 x Vote Margin), since the number of registered voters varies by district, violating their mathematical assumption. However, their formula is still useful in understanding the properties of the efficiency gap.
Maptitude for Redistricting can estimate the Efficiency Gap for a plan based on historical election results. The user needs to estimate the votes received for each party by district. Maptitude will assemble a report detailing the wasted votes for each party and then give a final statistic of the Efficiency Gap as a percentage of overall votes cast.


Flared gas is a problem for Iraq. The term describes the natural gas that “flares” during the production of crude oil – and the oil-wealthy nation of Iraq has a lot of it. Flared gas causes atmospheric pollution – one expert estimates that Iraq, one of the worst offenders in the world, is emitting the equivalent of 15 million cars’ emissions in one year.
On an everyday level, the flared gas is also a waste for Iraq. It could actually be being converted into electrical power, something that locals desperately need. In an effort to solve these problems, the Iraqi government signed a contract with Anglo-Dutch energy giant Royal Dutch Shell and Japanese company Mitsubishi in November 2011. The deal was apparently three years in the making. Alongside the Iraqi-owned South Gas Company, the two multi-national corporations will endeavour to convert the flared gas into electrical power for Iraq. It is expected that by the end of that process there will also be a surplus available for export.
NIQASH spoke with Mounir Bouaziz, Shell’s Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa region, about what has been achieved in Basra so far and when locals will start seeing some results.
NIQASH: How much is Iraq’s daily loss resulting from gas emitted and burnt off in the air as a result of oil extraction operations?
Bouaziz: Iraq is losing approximately US$80 per second worth of gas - or about US$7 million a day, as a result of gas flared during the extraction of crude oil.
Currently there are some 700 million cubic feet a day of gas burning in the air. If we can use this amount properly we can cover the energy needs of 2.5 million consumers.
The amount [currently wasted] is expected to increase further too, to more than 1 million cubic feet of gas a day once more oil companies have been granted contracts and begin to increase their production.
NIQASH: What will be your first steps in this area?
Bouaziz: Our first achievement has been to capture 300,000 million cubic feet of gas every day, out of a total of 1 million cubic feet. IN the future we will get the rest and put an end to the wastage.
Our second achievement will be opening up the of Shatt al-Arab waterway to commercial traffic after 30 years. We have built a small port there at the cost of millions of dollars. Last week a shipment carrying heavy equipment arrived at this port.
NIQASH: When will this project be completed and when will most of this flared gas, which has so much potential but which is currently going to waste, be properly used?
Bouaziz: The project eventually aims to use all of the gas wasted by flaring. If we can utilise all of the flared gas then we’ll need to build storage facilities, both for the gas for export and for the gas that will be used locally. This takes time.
Additionally the amount of flared gas is expected to increase once oil production increases. That’s why we can’t estimate how much time everything will take.
NIQASH: How does Iraq as a nation benefit from this investment?
Bouaziz: The contract will more than double Iraq\'s natural gas production. The project also includes an investment of US$15 billion on the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure and the creation of new infrastructure.
For instance, US$4.4 billion has been allocated for a liquefied natural gas facility. And the gas that’s produced there will cover local needs and end electricity supply shortage.
I expect that Iraq’s revenue from this project - which covers three oil fields Rumaila, Zubair and West Qurna 1 – to rise to US$30 billion over a period of 25 years.
NIQASH: How has the investment been split between the three partners involved?
Bouaziz: The total value of the investment is around US$17 billion. The South Gas Company’s share is about US$5 billion and Shell and Mitsubishi shares are US$7 billion together. The remaining money will be raised through the project’s own revenues.
In terms of the project, the South Gas Company owns 51 percent, Shell has44 percent and Mitsubishi has 5 percent.
NIQASH: What’s going to happen to the gas: will it be exported or will it be used to supply local needs?
Bouaziz: According to the contract, flared gas that is currently just being wasted will be sold to the Iraqi company to meet local demand and any surplus can be exported.
NIQASH: Shell is also working on the Majnoon oil field in Basra. How is that going?
Bouaziz: It’s a work in progress. We’ve just started receiving heavy equipment and we’re digging for new oil. We’ve already drilled two oil fields and work continues on that. At the moment we don’t have a specific date for increasing output there but it will be soon.
NIQASH: As a result of ongoing EU sanctions, Shell has stopped all operations in Syria. How does this impact on Shell’s work in Iraq?
Bouaziz: What happened in Syria was a result of decisions made by the European Union – as a European company we need to abide by that. However this won’t have any impact on our work in Iraq, neither negative nor positive.
NIQASH: The next licensing round for oil industry companies wanting to work in Iraq is approaching. Will Shell be taking part in this round?
Bouaziz: We are actually still waiting for a contract and as yet the responsible ministry hasn’t formulated that contract. The company needs to discuss whether it wants to participate in this upcoming round – it’s too early to tell, as yet.


Could Mould Be Making You or Your Family Sick?
Moulds are microscopic fungi that grow anywhere there is moisture. They reproduce by making spores that can permeate our clothes and shoe cupboards, and they can also enter our bodies via the lungs and digestive tract. In doing so, they can make us sick.
As a Naturopath, I have witnessed the serious impact mould can play in a person’s health, so I am passionate about highlighting the dangers of this common, invisible threat.
Where should I look for mould?
Anywhere that is poorly ventilated (like a clothes cupboard, garage, or basement) and damp (such as a bathroom, area below the kitchen sink, or underneath a house ) can be the perfect breeding ground for mould. You don’t need to see it for mould to exist. If the area smells damp or musty or feels clammy, then mould is likely to be present. If you need to use air fresheners regularly, then chances are mould is present.
Any area that has been affected by water damage can be a haven for mould spores. Poor drainage systems, cold rooms with poor ventilation, and areas prone to flooding or rising damp are at risk.
It’s not just old buildings that are a problem; even new buildings can potentiate the growth of mould. Particleboard is generally considered to be much worse than solid untreated timber, because the processing of the wood makes it easier for mould to take hold. Natural timber breathes, whereas manufactured building products do not, and chemicals used on the manufactured timbers can provide food for mould spores.
So, why all the concern about mould?
There is clear evidence that shows upper respiratory conditions such as allergic rhinitis, hay fever, asthma, and flu like symptoms, such as nose and throat irritation, wheezing, coughing, and headache, can be associated with indoor dampness and mould.
The American Academy of Paediatrics concluded that there was a plausible link between lung bleeding in infants and exposure to mould toxins. A 2005 study suggested a relationship between water damaged buildings and chronic fatigue illness. Other links regarding mould exposure have been drawn to skin irritation, digestive disorders, mental illness, and some immune diseases.
So how does mould make us sick?
Mould spores are foreign to the human body. When they come into contact with our tissue, whether through the airways, skin, or digestive tract, the body activates the immune system to make antibodies that are designed to clear that specific foreign spore from our system. For up to 24 percent of the population, this part of the immune system becomes hypersensitive in the presence of mould, resulting in a chronic inflammatory response to mould, which can be diverse and poorly identified. Examples include:
- Sensitivity to light and smell
- Eye irritation
- Brain fog
- Sleep disturbances<
- Aches and pains, and increased sensitivity to pain
- Poor temperature regulation, e.g. night sweats
- Poor water regulation, resulting in increased urination and thirst
- Gastro intestinal complaints such as diarrhoea and cramps
What can you do about mould remediation?
Mould will only grow if there is moisture. The key is controlling the moisture.
First point of call is to identify where moisture and mould may exist in the home. Conduct a visual inspection of the home, including laundry, basement, and subfloor areas, as well as roof, garage, backs of cupboards, air conditioning units, and plumbing. Are these areas stained? Are pipes or windows leaking? Is the area wet or damp? Does it smell musty? Is water pooling, and is there condensation on windows or walls?
Depending on the extent of the mould and moisture issue, you may require professional help to successfully fix the problem. This may include a plumber, builder, or air conditioning technician. In extensive cases, there are companies that specialise in mould remediation and they will audit your home, sample and measure the mould and humidity (according to the American Industrial Hygiene Association), and then utilise a specialist team to rectify the problem. If you are experiencing health concerns, you should consult a professional before commencing any clean up yourself.
General tips to keep mould at bay:
- Clean up any water leaks or spills immediately. Mould will grow in moisture after 24 – 48 hours.
- Replace water damaged walls, carpets, and floors.
- Ventilate the home with regular air movement (fans, open window / door), especially areas that produce moisture such as the laundry and kitchen. Ensure shower fan is efficient.
- Increase air temperature.
- Keep indoor humidity below 60 percent (most hardware shops will sell a hygrometer). Use air conditioning or dehumidifier if necessary.
- Clean gutters regularly.
- Ensure adequate drainage around your building.
- Avoid long showers. Ensure fan in bathroom is working well.
- Clean mould affected surfaces with a mixture of 80% white vinegar and 20% water. Bleach will not remove mould and may actually fuel it. Always use gloves and a facemask when cleaning mould. If you are sensitive to mould, then get another family member to do it for you or call a mould remediation professional.
- Don’t put up with mould in your home. It will never go away and is likely to make someone in the home sick at some point if it is not dealt with.
If you feel mould may be affecting your health, schedule an appointment with Kathleen McFarlane to discuss how Naturopathy may help.Previous Post Next Post


Greeting Cards Alternative ways to recycle Recycling Bin Musical Greeting Cards Contain Mercury Musical greeting cards contain mercury, a dangerous chemical that cannot be put in recycling or the garbage. Find out how to dispose of musical cards. Remove Everything But Paper Before recycling a greeting card, remove parts that have glitter, foil, metal charms, felt cutouts and ribbons. All of these items will contaminate the paper recycling. Foil-Lined Envelopes Are Not Recyclable Foil lined envelopes cannot be recycled, so throw them out. Recycle the envelopes of greeting cards as paper. It’s okay to keep stamps and adhesive strips when recycling envelopes or cards. Alternative Ways to Recycle St. Jude’s Recycled Card Program St. Jude’s Ranch for Children operates a recycling program in which the greeting cards are made new again. Find out how to participate. Ways to Reduce Stick to Simple Gift Cards Avoid purchasing gift cards that are covered in glitter and other decorations because these cards are non-recyclable. Also consider not purchasing greeting cards that come with foil-lined envelopes. Switch to E-Cards Sending your cards electronically is not only more economical and timely, but much more environmentally friendly. Ways to Reuse Turn Greeting Cards Into Gift Tags One way to reuse greeting cards is to make them into gift tags. Simply cut out any part of the card, write a little note on the back, and use that as a gift tag. Did You Know? The Environmental Impact of Greeting Cards Making and transporting greeting cards has its own carbon footprint on the environment. It is estimated that the average greeting card produces 600 times the carbon dioxide as an email (Verus Carbon Neutral). Americans purchase enough greeting cards to produce the same amount of CO2 as 22,000 cars annually.


This map tells us whether countries make primary education accessible to their citizens by providing tuition-free education at the primary level.
- Tuition reported means that the country reports charging tuition in primary school. A country’s constitution may state that education is tuition-free, but if the country reports that tuition is charged, it appears as tuition reported.
- Tuition-free includes cases where no tuition is charged in primary school, but there may be other fees. These additional fees cannot be compared across countries as there is not enough information available.


The effects of drug abuse and addiction can harm the body in a variety of different ways, from health problems to behavioral problems. Psychological dependence requiring more of the drug to get the same effect the physical effects of marijuana use, particularly on developing adolescents, can be acute. Prenatal substance abuse continues to be a significant problem in this country and poses important health risks for the developing fetus the primary care. Other effects a parent’s substance abuse can have other effects on children besides parent-child interactions for example, if a. Learn about substance abuse addiction causes, withdrawals, side effects, warning signs & symptoms of substance abuse options behavioral health.
All drugs carry the potential of side effects—some immediate, some that develop over time your wellbeing—or that of someone you know or love—may depend on. Alcohol and teens - treatment learn statistics, facts, warning signs, and effects related to teen substance abuse of over-the-counter (otc) medications. Family members might fight a lot because of the problems the drug use is causing home » effects of drugs » drug use and families drug use and families listen. How drug and alcohol abuse affects families and steps to recovery for all family members. According to the united states office of juvenile justice and delinquency programs, adolescents who abuse substances are at risk for a wide variety of. Get the facts on drug abuse and addiction symptoms, causes, treatment centers (rehab), physical and psychological effects, types of drugs, and statistics.
The teenage years are vital to healthy cognitive function as an adult, so it is important to maintain a strict level of healthy behavior during these years drug. The insidious connection between substance abuse and stress can lead to alcohol or drug addiction stress affects the have a substance abuse.
The effects of prescription drugs such as and educating employees about the health and productivity hazards of substance abuse through company wellness. The effects of alcohol on college students alcohol is the most popular and dangerous drug on college campuses by far to many, drinking is synonymous with the.
Here's a list of the many drugs that are being abused and their harmful effects that they cause see what happens to a person when you use these drugs and how to help someone who might be. Webmd explains the different types of side effects of prescription and over-the-counter medications, and the role of the fda in approving and regulating them.
Learn more about the effects of smoking, drinking alcohol, and drug use during pregnancy in this patient education faq. Drug information and facts about the side effects of drugs & substance abuse. 2 lindsey capaldi the relationship between parental substance abuse and the effects on young children abstract. Comprehensive side effect and adverse reaction information for over 5,000 drugs and medications.


Last summer, Ashley Wall and Dean Williams fit 19 horned lizards with small radio-transmitters and located them every day. Each transmitter sends a unique signal to a hand-held receiver, allowing researchers to re-find tagged lizards. After weeks of tracking, we found that individuals had small home ranges and rarely crossed roads, indicating that their movement is very limited compared to populations in larger, connected habitats. Characteristics of the urban environment, like roads, can inhibit movement, which in turn prevents reproduction.
We also obtained DNA samples from every lizard we found (22 in Kenedy and 98 in Karnes City). By analyzing the DNA of each sample, we found low genetic diversity in both towns. Genetic diversity is important because it allows populations to survive and adapt to changing conditions (like an outbreak of disease). We then compared individuals in Kenedy to those in Karnes City and found large genetic differences between the towns, suggesting that lizard populations in the two towns have been isolated from each other for a long time. We even found large genetic differences within the towns. In Karnes City, groups of horned lizards are different east and west of Panna Maria and north and south of Calvert Avenue. In other words, these roads have prevented lizards on either side from moving and reproducing with each other so that the lizards on either side of the road have diverged genetically. We think this reduced movement of lizards in town may mean that when lizards disappear from a neighborhood they are unlikely to move back from areas that still contain horned lizards.
This summer we are censusing areas we searched last year and when we find horned lizards we are obtaining a DNA sample and inserting a small barcode under the skin which gives each lizard a unique number that can be detected with a small scanner placed above the lizard. This marking method is permanent so we can now start getting estimates of survival from one year to the next and also see if individual lizards stay in the same place from one year to the next. Visit the “TCU Horny Toad Project” on facebook and post any observations and pictures of horny toads you have from Karnes County.


Opium is a drug derived from the opium poppy, and one of the most popular drugs in the world. While the pure version is difficult to find in modern times, opiates, or drugs derived from opium, are extremely popular as painkillers. In fact, many of the world’s most popular painkillers are derived from or synthesized from opium, making opiates one of the most addictive and most abused drugs in the world.
If you or a loved one is struggling with an opium addiction, you aren’t alone. In 2017, over 2 million people in the United States struggled with an opium addiction.
With over 118 overdose deaths per day related to opiates, opium addiction is also extremely dangerous. At the same time, most opium addicts trace addictions back to prescription pain pills, with 20-30% of all persons with a prescription abusing their prescription, and an estimated 80% of heroin addicts having moved to the drug from a prescription.
Opium addiction is dangerous, but it is important to stop, identify the addiction, and work to get help to prevent further harm.
Opium Addiction Symptoms
Opium addiction can have slightly different symptoms depending on the drug, the individual, and their frequency and volume of use. In most cases, users will show a range of physical, mental, and psychological symptoms relating to drug use, a changing pattern of behavior as their focus shifts to drug use rather than family, career, or study, and decreasing health as drug use takes its toll on the body.
A person with an opium addiction may doctor shop, where they visit multiple doctors or hold prescriptions from several doctors. They might purchase opiates outside of their prescription or even use prescription pills with other medication. They may hide pill usage. They may turn to using heroin or injecting opiates. And they might begin to change how they interact with others, such as by withdrawing, becoming more manipulative, asking for money, or otherwise changing personality.
Most people also show specific symptoms of opium usage, including elation and euphoria, sedation or drowsiness, slowed breathing, loss of concentration, confusion, and constricted pupils.
These symptoms likely mark that the individual is currently using, not that they are addicted. Specific addict-behaviors include an inability to quit or stop, an increasing usage of opium or using it outside of their prescription and continuing to use despite recognizing negative side-effects of doing so.
Opium Addiction Withdrawal
Opiate drugs interact with the opioid receptors inside the brain. Over time, this changes how the brain produces opiates and what the brain is accustomed to. Going cold turkey or even reducing an opium dose will cause withdrawal symptoms, which can be severe. Common withdrawal symptoms include:
These symptoms can be moderate but may have severe side-effects. Anyone attempting to withdraw from opium should seek out medical attention in the form of medical detox, where withdrawal symptoms are monitored to ensure the safety of the patient.
Opium withdrawal lasts an average of 14 days for standard opiates but may last 30-45 days or longer for slow-release prescription painkillers.
Opium Addiction Treatment
Opium addiction treatment begins with detox and then moves into behavioral therapy, counseling, and training. This typically includes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), counseling, group counseling, and one-on-one therapy designed to tackle the underlying causes behind addiction. It will also likely include skills training through CBT, where individuals work through negative behavior and thought patterns contributing to substance abuse.
In some cases, opium addiction treatment also includes medication such as buprenorphine and naltrexone. These drugs are partial opioid agonists and work to prevent relapse by reducing withdrawal symptoms and cravings, while minimizing the impacts of opium should the individual relapse.


Waste, waste everywhere – built-in obsolescence versus recycling and more ecological use of our land resources. Which is progressing?
Many of the troubles with our waste come from the use of the land not from the amount of available resources, but how we choose to distribute what is available. As a species, we are wasteful of the land’s gifts.
(Audit of the Universe, chapter 4.3 )
In the developed world, we waste:
- 61% of the energy generated in the United States alone (enough to power the entire UK for 7 years)
- 40% to 50% of food produced for consumption
- 35 million cell phones and 350 million printer cartridges
- 10 liters of water for each sheet of A4 paper produced
- 7,000,000 tons of solid waste dumped annually into the ocean
The immense scale of our waste doesn’t just come from consumers choosing to throw things away rather than repair or fully use them. Much comes from the producers who take raw materials from the land and craft them into our wondrous comforts.Land resources - how are we using them: Built-in obsolescence and waste or quality and recycling? Click To Tweet
The term “planned obsolescence” is manufacturing jargon that means building a product at a lower quality than is possible, specifically so it will break and force consumers to buy replacements rather than live with a working product. When you buy an umbrella or a pair of shoes from Walmart, they will not last as long as they might have lasted even if manufactured at the same cost. The manufacturer designed and built them to wear out so you would come back and buy a new one.
All of that waste has to go somewhere. Thilafushi Island in the Maldives is one of those places. Although called an “island,” Thilafushi is technically a lagoon filled with rubbish until the garbage heap has risen above sea level. The artificial landmass of some 500 thousand square meters, (the area of Vatican City) is the regional dumping ground for rubbish and food waste, but also the final resting place of batteries, mercury products, computer components, and other items that leach toxins directly into the sea. Open burning on the island pollutes air for kilometers in every direction, and rubbish floats into the open sea with every outgoing tide.
More than a few unscrupulous producers opt instead to dispose of the waste by dumping it in remote areas of the Land or Sea; there, it seeps into the water table. Or, they simply hire space in a developing nation with a less stringent (and therefore less expensive) set of environmental laws. International agencies and action combat such antics, but it isn’t easy to patrol the world.
The Best Laid Plans
Even when regulation is strict and carefully observed, human wonders can lead to unintentional disaster. The design and human errors behind the Chernobyl nuclear disaster rendered over 150,000 square kilometers of land unavailable for many years, and the epicenter will not be safe for us to re-enter for another 20 millennia. When earthquake damage opened the core of the Fukushima plant in Japan, radiation was detectable in small amounts as far away as Alaska and Northern California.
Even these disasters simultaneously stimulated the resourcefulness that makes us what we are at our best. A team at Michigan State University has discovered and tested a bacteria that eats radioactivity and excretes electricity – a discovery they are even now putting into play to aid cleanup efforts at Fukushima.We cause the Chernobyl crisis, we make bacteria that eats radioactivity and excretes electricity Click To Tweet
Solutions for Our Solutions
In a further example of our contradictory nature, we humans have found ways to counter the destructive effects of our mistakes. In Africa, solar ovens and lamps generate light and heat without using polluting energy sources like wood and rubber or even dangerous ones like scavenged jet fuel. The Wello venture, founded to create a wheel that holds water, allows people to roll rather than carry larger loads of water from the local well or river. It means higher productivity and better sanitation that impacts entire communities throughout Africa and Southeast Asia.
The automobile industry demonstrates another example of this trend to curb the profligate waste of the mid-and-late 20th century. Building a new car from scratch takes massive amounts of energy and materials, and recycling those materials to create new vehicles has been a multibillion-dollar industry for decades. Recently, car manufacturers have addressed the recycling issue more holistically. Volvo and Toyota now make cars out of 95% recycled parts, and most significant manufacturers include steps in their design intended to make their vehicles more accessible to recycle than before.
There’s the problem of producing hybrid cars which are more pollution-intensive than the production of conventional vehicles. The innovative incorporated technology and rarer resources call for more expensive production and disposal costs. Regular waste handling companies do not accept composite components and those that do have higher prices. Frequently transported by workers who are both under-trained and poorly equipped.
Our consumption of fossil fuels has led to acid rain, smog, and global warming even in countries with advanced emission regulations. In response to those dangers, we have begun investing significant money and human resources into developing safe, renewable sources of energy, including wind, tidal, solar, and biofuels.
Some cities have begun fighting pollution and improving the quality of urban life by installing community gardens where people from the neighborhood work to produce some of the vegetables they need. Besides feeding locals, these gardens create green space to lower temperatures and improve air quality throughout the city. Most cities with such programs also give tax rebates and other benefits to companies that build or occupy offices with lower energy footprints. It is a worldwide movement, including cities in Germany, Spain, Australia, Brazil, Sweden, Denmark, The United States, Canada, and Iceland.
People are also working on using the gifts of the land more effectively. In Indonesia, Germany, and the United Kingdom, companies are recovering wood from fallen trees and turning them into beautiful furniture without having to contribute to the global deforestation epidemic. Throughout the developed world, entire movements, including the “Freegans” and “Voluntary Simplicity” choose to live while consuming as little as possible, and by reusing and recycling as much as they can. One company has built a world-spanning business out of turning recycled water bottles into fleece outerwear, recycling 80 million plastic bottles each year.
We have always tried to curb some consequences of our consumption through recycling. From our earliest history, we gave food scraps to livestock to turn food waste into more food. We smelt down used glass and metals, melt plastics, and recast paper into newly usable materials. We have even invented ways to recycle used oil into a reusable lubricant, and toxic sludges into stable and safe materials.
Striking a Balance?
“Impressive,” Galacti says, “we’ve finished our audit of land—for now.”
On the one hand, man grows immense amounts of food from the land, while on the other we let so much go to waste. With mineral resources, we build magnificent structures and wondrous technologies, but we won’t open the windows to let in the fresh air because we prefer expensive air conditioning.We can grow vast amounts of food from the Land, and let so much go to waste Click To Tweet
“Your agile mind daily crafts planet earth so you can play, work, and eat better. And, parallel to that, there is a downside to this progress, for which you are admittedly finding or trying to find solutions.” Galacti produces a glass of water, the line of its contents filling it exactly halfway.
The glass is both half full and half empty. The real question is: are we filling it or emptying it?
As we contemplate the question, we must consider this not just for the land itself but for the plants that grow on the land. What happens with the land directly affects what happens with the Flora—which directly affects everything else on Earth.
This blog post is an excerpt from chapter 4.3 of Audit of the Universe.
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June 7, 2010
STAR METRICS: Measuring The Impact Of Federally-Funded Research
By Michael D. Shaw
According to the National Science Foundation, federal expenditures for research and development are well in excess of $110 billion per year. STAR METRICS is a new program aiming to monitor the impact of federal science investments on employment, knowledge generation, and health outcomes.
STAR METRICS is a multi-agency venture led by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Naturally, the name is an acronym, short for Science and Technology in America’s Reinvestment—Measuring the Effect of Research on Innovation, Competitiveness and Science.
“STAR METRICS will yield a rigorous, transparent review of how our science investments are performing,” said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. “In the short term, we’ll know the impact on jobs. In the long term, we’ll be able to measure patents, publications, citations, and business start-ups.”
Collins is summarizing the goals of Phase I and Phase II of the project…
Phase I: Uniform, auditable and standardized measures of the initial impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act science spending on job creation.
Phase II: Collaborative development of measures of the impact of federal science investment on:
- Economic growth—through patents, firm start ups and other measures
- Workforce outcomes—through student mobility and employment
- Scientific knowledge—such as publications and citations
- Social outcomes—such as health and environment
This sounds good, but where will the basic data come from? It will come from the source—the research institutions that volunteer to participate, and the federal agencies that fund them. STAR METRICS leaders note that highly automated means are in place for filing of the requisite reports, and university officials tell me that much of the information needed is already being compiled.
Still, what incentive does an organization have to participate? What’s in it for them? Besides, aren’t scientists notoriously sensitive about themselves being placed under the microscope?
Writing in Nature, Julia Lane, director of NSF’s Science of Science and Innovation Policy program, observed that…
Scientists are often reticent to see themselves or their institutions labeled, categorized or ranked. Although happy to tag specimens as one species or another, many researchers do not like to see themselves as specimens under a microscope—they feel that their work is too complex to be evaluated in such simplistic terms.
But, given the immense pressure these days to trim government spending, let alone the public’s growing appetite for full disclosure, they will be evaluated, so the metrics must be accurate. Or else, as Lane contends, “If we do not press harder for better metrics, we risk making poor funding decisions or sidelining good scientists.”
As far as reasons to participate, most universities are sincerely interested in self-assessment, not to mention the inherent PR benefit of being able to tout what they bring to the local economy, their role in the expansion of knowledge, and their overall impact on improving society. To be sure, these precepts have been proclaimed for generations, but the proof was all anecdotal. As Lane puts it, “The plural of anecdote is data.”
STAR METRICS is already underway. Over the last year, a pilot project was carried out with seven institutions within the Federal Demonstration Partnership. STAR METRICS is now in the expansion phase, on its way to full fledged operation. About 60 institutions have shown interest in participating.
“It is essential to document with solid evidence the returns our nation is obtaining from its investment in research and development,” said John P. Holdren, assistant to the President for science and technology and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. “STAR METRICS is an important element of doing just that.”
Although the word “accountability” is not mentioned in any official documents, it is certainly on the minds of taxpayers. STAR METRICS should help bring the ivory tower back into the mainstream.


Early Church Fathers
V.-From the Book on Providence.
Being is in God. God is divine being, eternal and without beginning, incorporeal and illimitable, and the cause of what exists. Being is that which wholly subsists. Nature is the truth of things, or the inner reality of them. According to others, it is the production of what has come to existence; and according to others, again, it is the providence of God, causing the being, and the manner of being, in the things which are produced.
Willing is a natural power, which desires what is in accordance with nature. Willing is a natural appetency, corresponding with the nature of the rational creature. Willing is a natural spontaneous movement of the self-determining mind, or the mind voluntarily moved about anything. Spontaneity is the mind moved naturally, or an intellectual self-determining movement of the soul.


How a Saint John’s willow sparked an exploration of urban forests and personal stories
Carissa Brown and I stand under a tall willow tree overlooking the Rennie River, in the shade of its generous canopy.
“I see something old and respectful in St. John’s,” says Brown.
“This tree has been around for a long time, and much longer than the people walking past.”
Brown is a biogeographer at Memorial University who studies boreal forests; I make documentaries. The willow does a lot more than the two of us.
“He saw things, this willow tree. You can see where it got damaged somehow, and then there was bark and wood that collected in those damaged areas,” Brown said, running his hand over one of the logs.
The willow is huge, “by Newfoundland standards,” she says. It is really impressive. It overlooks the river and the trail, stretching out luxuriously into the sun. It is impossible not to touch the passage. The texture of the bark is irresistible.
A childhood chestnut
It reminds me of another tree.
I grew up in the shade of a large horse chestnut tree in the town of Sisak, Croatia. It grows in the courtyard of a 19th-century two-story brick building built for railway workers. My grandfather was one of them.
This tree was the seat of parliament for the neighborhood’s six-year-old children. We met there, planning our adventures and robberies – mostly plums and cherries from nearby backyards.
On my last trip to the old country, when my daughters were old enough to remember things, one of the people I wanted them to meet was the old horse chestnut. If I’m being honest I wanted the horse chestnut to meet them. I wanted the old tree to know that everything went well and that there are two new saplings in the world.
I really felt like I was introducing my daughters to an old patriarch of the family. I even took a photo of it under the chestnut tree – just like we did photos with grandma and grandpa and great aunts and uncles.
Because we are not alone in the world. Even the trees are not alone.
Especially no old trees like my horse chestnut and the old willow tree on the bank of the Rennie river.
There, says Brown, the willow’s roots expand and interact with fungi, microbes and bacteria in the soil, transferring nutrients and making connections.
“Maybe this tree isn’t directly connected to this maple tree that’s right on the other side of the fence, but they’re both part of this great underground living web,” says Brown.
This is how things work in a forest. Trees connect to each other – and not just trees of the same species. They care for the young, care for the sick and support the elderly.
The problem of urban trees
In a city, things work differently.
The problem with urban trees is that we often plant them so far apart that there is no way for roots and fungal networks to connect the trees, according to Peter Duinker, professor emeritus of environmental studies at Dalhousie University.
Duinker says that although the roots may extend under the pavement and the sidewalk, such a construction compacts the soil below and “it itself becomes like an impermeable pavement”.
Duinker sees many services and benefits for urban forests. It starts with beauty and goes all the way to property values, shade and stormwater regulation.
But the nature of our cities is that they are not only built environments, but also social environments. Of course, geography, soil, and climate matter to urban forests, but so do budgets, resident preferences, and a city’s willingness to embark on a dense urban tree policy. .
Duinker would very much like us to see the towns as a forest with a few buildings and roads conveniently placed inside.
“I would call it social, as long as it’s kind of a cultural thing that we take with us in creating cities,” he said.
26:09The big old willow tree
Take an old town like St. John’s.
This willow we are under is 150 or even 200 years old. It’s hard to say. Brown and I wonder what he would have seen. Lucky for us, each tree keeps a detailed and accurate log of everything it witnesses.
“In years of really good growth, the rings are quite large,” says Brown, because the tree would add a lot of wood under the right conditions. In poor years, the reverse is true.
Tree cells can also accumulate things like lead and other environmental pollutants: think of the Great Fire of 1982.
“We might see a fire scar in some of the rings that were scorched by the fires, but then regenerated,” she says. “And so that’s something that I especially love about trees, thinking of how much they’ve witnessed through time. We use trees to tell us what happened in a place where we weren’t there to see it ourselves or when there is no recording. “
If our short lives could be recorded in rings, what would we read there?
In 1986, my rings would certainly record the Chernobyl disaster. Are we registering major political upheavals? The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989? Would there have been close circles in the early 90s during the Croatian War of Independence? Large sprawling rings recording my joy of traveling to Canada in the mid-90s for the first time? Or a scar, when I first felt the connection to my childhood and my home?
When I was six, we moved to a new apartment building next to a busy road connecting my hometown with the capital of Croatia, Zagreb. On both sides of the road, a row of straight, tall, majestic black poplars provided shade and protection from the sun and traffic.
I loved these poplars. The point is, I had no idea how much I loved them until one day, in my twenties, when I came back from Canada and they left.
The whole area was paved, and big box stores, gas stations, car dealerships, and parking lots covered this entire expanse of land. The poplars, dozens, were all cut down so that the newly erected billboards were visible from the road. Walking from the train station to my parents’ house was like a punch in the stomach to see them go.
It broke my heart, but it also, in a very real way, broke the connection I felt with a place where I grew up. It wasn’t quite my house anymore.
The old willow tree along the Rennie River, my horse chestnut and lost poplars are not amenities. It is not biomass, nor wood, nor a percentage of the city’s canopy.
The trees and we are linked in a deeper way.
Here in the West, we are reluctant to speak openly about these connections. In other places of the world there are forests and trees that are revered. In Japan, where American artist and writer Patrick Lydon spends much of his time, the concept of kami make this link explicit.
“It is basically the spirit that resides in a part of the natural world or represents a part of the natural world,” Lydon said.
“I think it’s kind of like an acknowledgment that there is something alive in this world that is bigger than us.”
Think about it just a moment.
The Irish alphabet of the early Middle Ages Ogham had 19 characters, each based on a sacred tree. The Japanese developed the concept of shinrin-yoku, or forest bath, and the Germans have a word for this feeling of being alone in the woods: Waldeinsamkeit. (Of course, the Germans would have a word for that.)
I told Patrick about my horse chestnut tree, and he told me about the tree he would climb in his neighborhood in California where he grew up.
“I’m sure every kid that has had a big old tree around them in their childhood, if you think about it, most people have that kind of experience,” he said.
Then he wondered if that feeling had been lost. “Can we rediscover it? I think we can, if we put the effort into it, ”he said.
We still love trees. Indeed, from Vancouver to New Delhi, from Belgrade to Hanoi, citizens throng again and again to protect old trees to be felled.
Trees are still important to us. And they might soon become more important.
“The more trees we have in the city, of the right species and in the right places, the better off we will be in dealing with a warmer urban environment throughout the 21st century,” said Duinker.
“We have to be careful to manage the urban forest so that it is as resilient as possible to climate change.”
I enjoy Duinker’s hands-on approach to urban forests, but I can’t help but wonder if there is a way for us to recapture that childlike awe in front of a big, old tree.
The artist Patrick Lydon wonders it too.
“We have created these social rules that sort of ignore trees, ignore nature, ignore our innate human relationship with the biosphere and all the living things it contains,” he said.
Lydon, through his art and his writing, reconnects his audience to the natural world, one leaf and one tree at a time. And he wants trees to have a say in how we build our cities.
“We would live in a truly beautiful, sacred, slow, calm, peaceful and wise place that would then come back and help us understand how to live more peacefully with compassion for all sentient beings, for our neighbors,” he said.
So here we are under the old willow tree.
I wonder what St. John’s would be like if we listened to its trees.
I am grateful every day for the river and this green oasis of peace almost on my doorstep. And for the old willow who now I hope recognizes me the same way I think that old horse chestnut far from an ocean does.
Read more about CBC Newfoundland and Labrador


Metamerism is a visual phenomenon which can be caused by a number of different factors. The result is that two samples may look the same under some conditions and different under others.
The most common cause of metamerism is that the pigmentation used to make a match is different than that found in the standard. The spectral curves are different even though the L*a* b* values are the same. The effect of different light sources reflecting off of the different materials results in a visual color difference between the two under some lighting conditions.
Often the difference in pigmentation is hard to avoid. The pigments (dyes) used in automobile interior fabric will likely be different than that used in the interior plastics, resulting in a good match in some lights and a poor match in others. Manufacturers often accept a good match in daylight, and live with the metamerism seen under fluorescent or showroom lighting.
Metamerism can also be caused by a difference in geometry. This is most often seen in fabric where the weave or nap of the fabric causes a difference in apparent color, depending on the angle of view. In this case the metamerism is planned and considered to be a desirable quality.