Field Notes: Chapters 5 and 6

As much as I know about global warming now, I was under the impression that the catalyst of it speeding up is because of the life we as humans have been living. When I read Kolbert's description of the ancient civilization and how global warming has been around and is not necessarily caused by one civilization or the other. I thought that this was pretty interesting. Yes, I know that the world has been around for a while and because of that, needs to regulate itself. But although the world needs to regulate itself, (i.e global warming) we haven't been helping too much either. I thought it was very important that Kolbert take this approach and it was a good way to inform readers like me about global warming history. She also went on to discuss and breakdown the world and its atmosphere and did so in a way that kept me interested while learning a lot. Her method of breaking the world up into cubes was very helpful in making me understand what she was talking about, which I think Kolbert is very good at doing when it comes to informing readers who know nothing about the subject.

Like always, I have enjoyed Kolbert's style of writing and although her extra comments and descriptions (i.e the amphibian houses in a row like toasters) may be a bit useless, they still place a picture in your head and make you remember that chapter.

Field Notes Part 2

After reading these chapters I can honestly say that I think Arrhenius' prediction of global warming was truly eye opening. The information that was presented by him shows that he knew what would happen to the world's climate just by judging the levels of CO2 during his time. I thought it was interesting that he was able to deduce this and I thought it was really impressive that he was correct. What really makes me think hard about it is that this man was able to predict the climate change in the world but did not add in the effects of greenhouse gases that would be produced by factories and cars in the future. That was something that I thought was really amazing that his assumptions were still correct even though all of that was before his time. Kolbert introduced a bunch of new information in these chapters but she did it in a non-overbearing way so that I wasn't overwhelmed when reading it. It was still very much conversational and flowed very nicely. I like the way she added small quirky bits about each scientist and even though it wasn't necessarily relevant to the topic, it still gave a more personal feel to the chapter. As I keep reading, I am continually learning more about climate change and global warming. 

Observations from Field Notes from a Catastrophe

As soon as I opened then book and started reading I got an immediate image in my head of what this woman was talking about. I thought that her writing was very descriptive. I think that this is a good quality to have in your writing because when you're writing about the Earth and climate change, you want to have the reader know and understand what your trying to say. When the author is talking about nature and the weather, its important to envision what they describe. Another thing that I really liked about the writing is how conversational it was. Kolbert would add little quirky bits on information about the people she interviewed or the town that it made the story that much more personal. I think that it was important that the writing was so conversational because, to be honest, I thought that this book was going to be really boring because of its topic. However, while reading it, the writing was very smooth and flowed well and it made it that much more of an easy read. 

Finally, while reading this piece I thought her use of information was placed perfectly in the writing. In the beginning when she was describing the village, she talked about its history and the people and then talked about the changes that the village went through since then. I thought the way she described the relocation of the town was very interesting and she kept me engaged. I really liked her writing style and I learned a lot. 

Black and White Menace

A few weeks ago a was sitting in my living room with my roommate watching a scary movie. Now, when it comes to these types of movies I'm a wimp but my roommate is not and likes to play tricks on me. We came to this one suspenseful part and all of a sudden I hear a tapping at the window. Immediately I jump up and accuse my roommate of scaring me but she laughed it off and said it wasn't her. A few times later I yelled at her again, but she assured me it wasn't her and this time I started to believe her because she looked just as scared as I was. Shrugging it off, still angry I went to bed. But the next afternoon the tapping continued. This time I was determined to figure out just who was messing with me and when I opened the curtain I noticed a little ball of black and white feathers hopping along side my window. A woodpecker!

Although doing it unintentionally, the Downy Woodpecker was in fact our mystery window tapper. A common sight among backyard feeders, woodlots, brushy weeded areas and city parks all over the entire United States and parts of Canada, Downys are usually confused with their larger look-alike the Hairy Woodpecker. Downys are much smaller however. With tiny chisel-like bills(which seems to look smaller for the bird's size than most woodpeckers, but works just the same), blocky heads, and a straight postured back, the Downys lean back onto their tail-feathers in order to obtain the most acrobatic-like positions to peck at treats inside branches and tree trunks.

Downys have a white belly and back with black wings that are littered with checkered spots. They have a line of black that runs along the sides of the mouth, eyes and head. Females are just black an white in these parts, while the males are contrasted by a brilliant red spot that covers the back of the head. Because of their size, about 4-5 inches in length and 2 1/2 inches in width, the Downys are able to hang upside down and sideways from branches and trees easier than their larger relatives. Their rising and falling flight patterns is a distinctive woodpecker trait.

In the spring and summer, the Downys are very loud, their call is a high pitched chirping noise which is made by both sexes during breeding season, followed by constant drilling. The drilling and drumming on trees is worse in the spring because it signifies their mating season. They drum not only to find food but as a type of mating call as well to attract mates. Both sexes drum on trees to claim territory and express their readiness for mating and this allows other Downys to answer the call. When the drumming is in a fast steady pace, it may mean "stay away this is my tree." But when the beats are slow and farther apart, it may signify a call to a mate. Although their pretty cute to look at, if you have a Downy near by, there's no need for an alarm clock!

What Causes Hangovers?

After a long night of laughing, dancing and, of course, drinking, I proceeded to wake up this morning feeling, well, less than perfect. As I lay in my bed pondering what happened the night before, my thoughts shifted and inspired me to figure out just how my symptoms arose. So what are the causes of  a hangover?

Of course the main reason why you get a hangover is because of drinking alcohol. But what is inside the alcohol is what you need to watch out for.

 Alcohol contains toxins which can build up in your body when you drink too much, which can cause you to feel sick the next day. These toxins build up because your body cannot metabolize the alcohol fast enough. A chemical called acetaldehyde is found in alcohol and is one of the main culprits to the cause of a hangover. 

Other things, such as congeners are another cause of hangovers. These are impurities found in the alcohol that arise during the fermentation process. Studies also show that if you drink darker liquors you are more prone to get a hangover and worse. 

 Dehydration is another reason why people can get hangovers and when you drink, many vitamins and nutrients in your system are lost because of the alcohol. 

So what can you do to fix your post drinking bedroom blues? Watch how much you drink. Prevention is the best thing you can do. Drinking lighter liquors and drinking water in between alcoholic 

drinks is also a way of preventing a hangover because it will keep your body hydrated. Having food in your stomach before going out will also help you from getting really intoxicated and allows you to have more nutrients in your body before hitting the bottle. 

When you do get a hangover, don't keep drinking! "Hair of the dog" will not help and it will only prolong your symptoms. Also pumping up the vitamin B's the morning after will help your body reboot so eating fruit the morning you get a hangover will help. If you're truly in pain, taking Tylenol is not the best bet when hungover. Studies have shown that when mixed with the preexisting alcohol in your system, Tylenol can damage your liver. Sports drinks like Gatorade are good to drink because they contain the sugars your body has lost the night before and some say that exercise (even sex!) is best for a hangover because it gets the blood pumping and moves the toxins out of the body. All in all, as most people know, drinking too much will give you a hangover, but now you know how to fix it! 

What's that ringing noise in our ears?

Whether you just got back from a rock concert, its allergy season or someone might be "talking about you", everyone has experienced their ears ringing. But where does this ringing come from and are there real ways of treating it? Yes, there are.

The ringing in the ears that we experience is called Tinnitus. Not a disease but a symptom of an underlaying condition from a disorder which 36 million people suffer from. The mild form of Tinnitus that all people experience is not harmful but it does have the potential to do much more damage.

Tinnitus itself is the brain trying to reboot itself after the eardrum (tympanic membrane) has been damaged. This damage can come from a number of things, like loud music, sinus pressure or even to much earwax. Tinnitus can arise in the outer, inner or middle ear or can be caused by abnormalities in the brain. Excess fluid or In most cases, these factors can cause the intensity of the noise to increase but damage is only slight and usually resolves on its own. Tinnitus can, however, become very severe, but everyone's experience with it is different.

A study that was done at Johns Hopkins University says that 10 percent of adults have severe cases of Tinnitus by age 70. This severity can lead to intense debilitating pain and more intense ringing or buzzing of the ear. In cases like these hearing impairment or loss can be results of Tinnitus.

Going to the doctors and getting a general hearing evaluation is the best way to determine whether or not you are suffering from Tinnitus. It is important to let your doctor know if you Tinnitus is constant, like a heartbeat, or if it associated with hearing loss or loss of balance. In some extreme and severe cases, Tinnitus can be tumor related and an auditory brain stem response (ABR), a computerized test of hearing nerves and brain pathways, computer tomography scan, (CT scan) or, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be needed to rule out a tumor occurring on the hearing or balance nerve.

There are many remedies that have been developed in order to help the effects of Tinnitus, but for now there is no lasting cure. Once you have an understanding of the severity of your tinnitus you and your doctor can make the right decision in helping it.

There are many ways to prevent Tinnitus. According to MedicineNet.com, one common mistake many people make is cleaning their ears with Q-tips (which is something that surprised me). This will cause earwax to impact in your ear and may cause and infection in your inner ear near your eardrum. It is also very important to keep loud music and noises away from your ears. This is also something that people ignore but make sure you don't, it will truly benefit you in the long run.

Little White Foam Flower

There are times in the Spring where I have noticed this flower around Plattsburgh but really didn't put much thought into it. Just another flower that caught my eye from time to time, even though it has a pretty plain presence. But then I started thinking about what kind of flower it was, I didn't think I knew who it would be related to. Maybe the lupin? So I decided to find out.

The Heartleaf Foamflower or Tiarella Cordifolia is a common wild flower that is found only on the eastern side of the country. It can stretch from Quebec all the way down to the Carolinas (with the exception of Maryland and Rhode Island). However it is endangered in New Jersey and Wisconsin. In the Northeastern areas, the plant has no leaves but in Southern regions it bears small heart-shaped leaves. It blooms small, white feathery petals that resemble foam, giving the flower its name. Blooming regularly in March, April and May the plant stands about a foot tall. It likes to hang out in partially sunny average to moist areas and spreads stems underground in wooded areas in order to create colonies. This plant is a perennial.

Ignoring signs of Cancer?

"You might expect that the next advances in cancer prevention will mean better and more frequent tests that will pick up tumors at the earliest possible stage, followed by a blitzkrieg treatment that will completely wipe out the disease. Not so, predicts physician H. Gilbert Welch, professor at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice. He believes that as our understanding of cancer biology improves, we will use cancer tests more judiciously —and treat less. Already, he says, we have overdiagnosed and overtreated millions of patients who would have done just fine without medical intervention. Welch wants doctors to do the unthinkable: Consider ignoring some early signs of cancer. It sounds like an outrageous proposal, but some of Welch’s skepticism about the value of aggressive screening and early treatment is taking hold."

I picked this lede out from a recent article found online from Discovery Magazine. I thought that this lede was very engaging. We all know that cancer is such a serious topic so it shocked me that someone would think it best to ignore its early signs.

Its probably true that all of us know someone who has been affected by cancer and early detection is the main thing that might have saved them so why ignore it? Well, you'll have to read the article.

I think that this lede made me think. Which in turn made me want to learn more, which is why I read the rest of the article. Good ledes that make you think are important. Not only do they have some catchy title or phrase that gets your attention but they give you a hint of detailed information that makes you want to read on. I think that this lede did that perfectly.

Little Yellow

So lately on my walks to class I've noticed little yellow butterflies near plants and flowers. It was a typical thing you would see outdoors so I never thought anything of it. however, it was a sight that reminded me of when I was younger. I always used to see these little butterflies in my mother's garden when I was playing. So it made me think. What kind of butterfly was this? Was it even a butterfly, or could it be a moth? In my research, I found out that in fact it was a butterfly and its name was "Little Yellow". Scientifically known as Pyrisitia lisa, this butterfly is fairly small. Also known as "Little Sulphur" this small butterfly has a wingspan of 32-44mm so it makes sense that some people, like myself, would think it was a moth. Because of its small wingspan, it is not the best flier, which is why when people see them it looks like they're flying all over the place and not on a straight path. The males are a very prominent yellow, while the females can look white. You can usually find them in open areas like fields or open spaces and they are mostly seen during late spring to early fall. There are about 700 species of butterfly and 74 of those species reside in the Adirondacks. (That's about 7 different families all together.)

Creepy Crawlies!!

Ok, so my front deck is littered with these brown spiders and they hang out in the corners of the ceiling and in the doorways and i really wanted to make sure i knew what they were. I don't dislike spiders, but they're not my favorite. So this is the one I've been seeing the most. Its a brown sac spider and is in the 2-clawed hunting spider category. It's a typical house spider that generally hangs out in ceilings or walls. But they can be found outside in the grass, under rocks or on plants too. Because it has 2 claws they do bite, but I saw a couple of them in the house and haven't had any bites. They are small to medium sized (which still looks pretty big) around 1/5-2/5 inch long. They don't make webs like people are normally used to, but they do make cobweb looking homes which include leaves wrapped up in silk. I have noticed this, and the leaves and extra silk sacs hang from these cobweb looking spider homes. (gross...) They are not potentially dangerous at all, and just kind of do their own thing, but they are very good at dangling in front of my face when i try to get into my front door at night, which is pretty skeevy but it's good that they wont hurt me!

Birthright...Does sibling order matter?

Ok, so the newest NY Times article that I just read was specifically about this. Author, Perri Klass, wrote about the destinction between siblings and if their birth order makes them who they are and how they stand out in the family. Ok, I totally get the cliche of the oldest kid setting a prime example and being the star student or athlete or specially talented, but seriously who can really say that that's true?
Growing up in a family of 7 and being the youngest of 5 this article really made me think. A LOT!
I guess you could say that my eldest brother has accomplished alot, but so have my other 4 siblings. Just in different ways. Klass went on to talk about studies from a Norweigan study that was published in 2007, saying that the eldest sibling's IQ was about three points higher than the rest of his/her younger siblings. I'm not saying I disagree with any Norweigan scientists, but from my own experiences I couldn't tell you who was smarter in my family.
The boys are the oldest and are both doctors like my father but from their experiences growing up, I couldn't tell you that this is how I knew they would turn out. Yes they were the oldest but they did some crazy things too. Even though they are both about 12 years older than me, from what I remember they never seemed to be the "apple of my parents' eye". But there are phases everyone goes through, and that's pretty much how it has always been.
My sisters however, who are about 8-10 years older than me were different. Yes, they had their times where they did crazy things, but I think because they were girls they held their composure a bit more than my brothers. Although they are not doctors, they still have very upstadning jobs working for publishing companies and universities. So it makes me wonder, because my brothers are the eldest in the family and have both gone on to become doctors, does that mean that they are smarter or more superior to my sisters? I dont think so. I do agree with the article in saying that even though you come from the same household, no two children are alike because each experiences there upbringing differently. This I can definatly relate to.

Its funny because looking at my brothers and sisters, the oldest boy and the youngest girl before me are the most alike and the youngest boy and the oldest girl are the most alike when it comes to personality, even though they're all pretty much different. I guess I'm a mix of both. I wonder why that is...

As for me, being the youngest and adopted I really couldn't tell you if I have the same drive as my brothers and sisters do genetically, but I really dont think that matters. I think it is the way you are brought up. The 5 of us were brought up all the same way and harbor all the same mannerisms but we use them in the ways we know best, which all are different. I don't think that this has to do with our birth order though.
The the article went on in saying, and this I do agree with, that the second child does not speak as early or is not as forthright as the first child. I know this because the first child is usually so excited that they have a brother or sister, that they do things for them. They can talk for them, and do things for them without the younger child asking so it sort of makes the younger child a bit delayed. Not in brain function (meaning the older child is smarter), but in developement. They might walk or talk later because someone else was doing it for them. My mom told me that my oldest brother did it for the second sibling, and I saw it when my niece and nephew were born.

When it comes to speaking later, that might be true for the second sibling but not for the fifth. Being the youngest in a house of 5 kids I needed to make sure people knew I was there. I'm not sure what age I started speaking but I know that when I started I made sure people heard me, and I've pretty much been the same way some 21 years later. Walking and talking were never a problem for me because I had so many siblings to show me and teach me.

So when it comes to Norweigan studies, I can't say that I know more, but I definately know from experience. The conclusion of the article that I can totally agree with is that even though we all grow up in the same family no two children have the same experience growing up. I think that this is the best conclusion because although we are all family, we are all completley different people.

What color were they??

Ok, so when I read the NY Times' article on figuring out the color of fossilized birds and how they would have looked during their prehistoric time, I have to say I was intrigued. By finding melanosomes, a gene in the birds' feather that produces color, Jakob Vinther, a grad student at Yale is able to determine more closely what  color prehistoric birds would be just by looking under a microscope. Yes, we have been able to piece together the body type and shape of these birds but never the color. And like it says in the article, "Birds, more than any other group of animals, are a celebration of color." Very, true. I also thought it was pretty sweet that a grad student was able to figure this out and not some 80 year old scientist from London or Germany, which I would probably expect. 

There was a blog that I read from the Times that was posted today about how some people believe that science leads to dehumanization and that it is wrong that it is required above the regular history and english classes that we are to be taught. But I totally agree with the author of the blog arguing the fact that "science is what makes us human." This article about prehistoric birds and melanosome is proof too! If it weren't for science how would we even know about melanosomes or even be able to come a step closer to knowing about our past and what was here before us?