From Green Right Now Reports
Image: U.S. Department of the Interior
Mindful that natural areas continue to disappear in the wake of pollution and urban sprawl, the Obama Administration is inviting a cross-section of interested parties to a summit on conservation to be held in Washington, D.C. on April 16.
The White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors will promote local leadership rather than programs on the federal level. The guest list is scheduled to include sportsmen, environmentalists and others with an interest in finding a way to manage and protect our connection with our natural resources.
According to a White House statement, the summit will attempt to bring together cities, states, tribes and nongovernmental organizations to promote conservation efforts and encourage families to spend more time outside.
“Across the country, Americans are working to protect the places they know and love, from the streams they fished as children and the parks where families gather together to the battlefields and buildings that tell America’s story,” said Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior. “The Conference is a great chance to learn about these efforts, start a new dialogue about conservation in America, and find ways to further the work that is already going on in cities and towns, counties and states throughout the country.”
Michael Brune, Executive Director of the Sierra Club, offered his support for the initiative.
“Smart management of our forests, mountains, rivers, and wildlife has never been more challenging or more important than it is today,” he said. “In the face of global warming, we have to transform the way we think about conservation. As climate change alters food sources and habitat for wildlife like grizzly bears, lynx, and bighorn sheep, we need to limit stresses like unchecked development and protect migration routes that will help animals adapt and survive.
“It is also more important than ever to make America’s wild legacy accessible to families and young people. Our public lands are one of our nation’s greatest treasures. Every family and every child should be able to share in the wonder of places like the Rocky Mountains, the Everglades, and Redwood forests. By acting as good stewards of our public lands, we can ensure that our children and grandchildren enjoy these special places.”
What makes these tea pots so special? It is the clay (zisha) they are made out of? The clay, which can only be found in the southern portion of Jiangsu province, about 120 miles northwest of Shanghai in China, has three characteristic colors: light buff, cinnabar red and purplish brown. The blue and dusty black also found with Yixing pots is achieved by mixing certain minerals into the clay. Tea aficionados consider Yixing pots superior vessels for tea brewing because the purple clay is porous and absorbs small amounts of tea with every brewing. The patina which develops over time retains some of the flavor and scent of the tea brewed in the pot which explains why it is best to choose one particular (your favorite) tea for brewing in this pot. Some tea drinkers will swear that after repeated use you can fill the pot with hot water and still get a good cup of tea out of it. Typically used for Oolong teas, these pots only hold a small amount of water. But, this allows for maximum tea/water contact producing a great cup of tea. Most oolong teas can be infused three or more times in these pots making them as functional as larger pots, despite their size. 
Dear Mark,
The ‘war’ between China and Google seems to be escalating, even though China hasn’t made too much of a deal out of Google’s decision to close down its Chinese search engine and move it to Hong Kong. The page Google has set up to keep track of the availability of its services in mainland China is now reporting that its mobile services are being “… (
