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knock knock, anybody here?
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Page Summary
October 2009
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There it is again…you stumble into the kitchen in the morning – bleary eyed, and just wanting a little something to eat to get your day started. Toast. Yes, that’s it. You open the bread bag, and…MOLD! Yuck! Green furry spots now inhabit several slices of your bread. You swear they weren’t there just yesterday – or were they? Now you’re wondering if you unknowingly ate any yesterday morning, somehow overlooking the little green patches of fur. Into the trash goes the bread – and you’re disgusted at the waste, but know that it will happen again… Mold is a funny thing, isn’t it? Kind of creepy, really, if you think about it – mold spores are essentially floating through the air at all times, or sitting on the surfaces around us, just waiting for the right conditions to grow. Their ultimate purpose is to cause the decay of whatever they grow on. They may be tiny, but they play a very important role on earth. They keep the world from being overrun with organic garbage. We only see mold when the spores land on a suitable surface and germinate, growing and sending out a web of filaments called hyphae. Molds are not animals, and not plants, but rather a member of the fungi family. They survive by secreting enzymes that break down the organic matter they roost upon, allowing the nutrients to enter the hyphae. The mold spreads…the surface breaks down, and we are kept from drowning in a sea of organic matter. Mold is a highly beneficial organism on earth, but to us humans, it has both positive and negative impacts on our lives. I got to thinking about mold recently when I discovered a leak in my apartment. It turned out that when the tenants above me got a new washer and dryer, the hoses had been connected improperly, and water began leaking from beneath the thermostat unit on my bedroom wall. I had noticed a musty smell coming from the area of my washer and dryer for a few days, but couldn’t really pinpoint what was causing it. Fortunately, I found the leak and the problem seems to be fixed now – the musty smell is almost gone, and my wall is no longer crying. I was also able to keep the water off of my carpet, which I’m sure will help in the long run. I don’t know the extent of the water damage within the wall, but thankfully our weather is still warm and things are drying quickly. However, the fact is any household leak can lead to an infestation of toxic mold if not addressed quickly. Cellulose based materials like wood, drywall, wallpaper, and carpet are all potential food sources for mold, and with enough moisture mold can obtain a foothold and begin to spread. And as luck would have it, our homes and businesses are full of these materials. Molds are responsible for a number of human health ailments, though not all people will be affected in the same way by the same amount of mold. Many allergies, asthma, and other respiratory problems can be caused by breathing the airborne spores in our environment. By keeping our homes clean and dry, we can minimize the amount of mold spores we come in contact with. This is not always easy, as many of us live in climates that are very moist at least part of the year. If you suffer from allergies, chances are they may be caused by mold. Symptoms such as runny noses, headaches, fatigue and nausea may all be caused by mold. And as is often the case, anyone with already compromised health is at a greater risk to suffer from mold caused illness. Mold really isn’t bad – it’s just an inconvenience to us as humans, and thus we consider it to be bad. It’s like a natural disaster – it’s only a disaster when it adversely affects human life and livelihood. We suffer from some of the effects of mold, but also benefit greatly from the decompositional activities of mold. Mold breaks down organic matter everywhere, releasing chemical compounds for reuse in the environment. But we are also able to use mold in the production of food and drink, and for the benefit of our health. Ironic, isn’t it? A very common food and drink additive, citric acid, is the byproduct of a process that uses the mold species Aspergillus Molds are used to ferment soy and produce tempeh and soy sauce, and to ferment rice in the production of sake. Other varieties of mold are used in the production of cheese – most of us knowingly eat bleu cheese – full of green mold, yet so tasty! But that green fuzz on the bread? No way. Have you ever looked at mold closely? I usually don’t spend much time pondering the fine colors and details of mold as I unceremoniously toss whatever infected food I’ve discovered into the garbage. It’s green, or black, or white – or a mix of the three…and no longer edible. End of story, right? Of course not! I found a fantastic picture of molds growing in petri dishes, that lends an entirely different sense to those ubiquitous organisms. They are remarkably beautiful.
Photo by: Dr. David Midgley Cultures: Dr. David Midgley University of I look at this picture, and I am amazed at the colors and patterns the molds form when they grow. At first glance they remind me of sliced limes, or flowers, or sand dollars. Each one has a unique beauty in the way it grows – even the space between the mold patches has an artistic quality to it. At even the smallest scale, nature has the ability to produce such lovely creations…a reminder to me to slow down and enjoy every bit of the world around me. Sure, I’ll be annoyed the next time I open up that bread bag and find it spoiled by mold, but I’ll also take the time to look at that hardworking organism a little more closely. It’s only doing its job, after all. It really doesn’t have anything against me, so why should I hold a grudge towards it? I’ll just send it along, and have a bowl of oatmeal instead. Further Aspergillus - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspergillus Citric Acid - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citric_acid Mold - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molds Washington State Department of Health: Got Mold? Frequently Asked Questions About Mold - http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/IAQ/Got_Mol
The first I heard of it was from my brother, when he asked if I was going to see Michelle Shocked at the Island Festival, here on “What on earth are you talking about?” I asked him. It turned out that my brother in There was just one little problem…so many shows I want to see this summer, and as can be expected, only a finite amount of funding to go around. A few days before the festival, I was checking the ticket prices, and noticed in very tiny letters – VOLUNTEER. Now we’re talking. I clicked on the link to find out what they were looking for in a volunteer. It sounded pretty reasonable - just twelve hours of my time over three days. This would get me a three day pass, free parking, and even free camping if I chose to stay onsite. Not only did it sound like a good deal to me, it also sounded like an adventure. They accepted my application – who’s going to turn down a warm body that wants to help? As I was to learn, there is a lot that goes into the running of even a small festival, and warm bodies (especially those with brains) are in high demand. I attended the volunteer orientation meeting Thursday evening, only to discover that my glorious idea of being a musician host or helping out some other way with the music was not to be. No, my friends, I was to work on the parking and traffic crew. Parking and traffic. I will not lie – my shoulders slumped a little and I imagined myself standing in a grassy field wearing a safety orange vest and waving cars by. However, this didn’t turn out to be the case and actually, standing in a parking lot for twelve hours really wasn’t all that bad. Really, it wasn’t! Mark, the parking crew coordinator, discovered that I am a Librarian and have experience disseminating information to the public, so he decided to assign me to the main entrance as a greeter of sorts. I quickly came up with a better title – Parking Information Specialist. I decided that no matter what I ended up doing, I might as well make it fun. And I took my job – which consisted of saying hello and briefing festival goers of the ticket and parking logistics – very seriously. You may think I’m joking a little, and perhaps I am, but the truth is we were the first faces that people arriving saw – and it’s important for people to have a good experience from their first moments at the festival. There were also a lot of local people driving through just to see what was going on, and other than the crotchety old man who wanted to know where he could find “the man in charge of this fiasco” (and wasn’t about to listen reasonably to anything I had to say), it was important to be able to answer their questions and make sure even their short visit to the parking lot was a positive experience. Whether the festival returns in the future partially depends on how it was received in the community, and I wanted to do my part to help in their success. *************** The Island Festival is the brainchild of two men, Jacob Mosler and Drew Elliott, who both lived here on the island when they were growing up. I didn’t have the opportunity to talk to either of them over the course of the weekend (they were just a bit busy), but through my various conversations with other people and the local newspaper, I learned that this festival has been many years in the works. Drew and Jacob spent 2002 traveling the country to research festivals like Burning Man (the grand-daddy of them all), and then got down to planning their own. They chose *************** I arrived a bit early for my shift on Friday, and had the opportunity to watch the logistical swirl of people move around me for a little while as I leaned on a post outside the office. It was raining, but nobody seemed to let this bother them. People came and went, talking on radios or phones, working to get all the pieces to fall into place – ladders to put up, broken down RVs requiring mechanical assistance, and recycle bins to put into place throughout the festival site were just a few of the items that needed attention in that short time span. There was certainly tension in the air, but despite the potential for disaster all parties had an air of calm and determination to get the festival up and running smoothly. If one only attends a festival as a regular ticket buyer, it might slip by unnoticed just how much work goes into putting such an event together. Not counting all of the work done prior to the festival – securing the venue, lining up artists, vendors, and other attractions – the sheer amount of manpower required during the actual festival is impressive. There are, of course, several paid employees that work hard to keep things going. But without the volunteers, it really couldn’t be done. Volunteers stand in parking lots, pick up garbage, and take care of all the little tasks that need to be done, but that the paid staff doesn’t have time to do. I found volunteering for the festival to be a very fulfilling experience. Despite the lack of glamour, my hours spent in the parking lot were not wasted time. Even though traffic was light, I and my fellow volunteers greeted each car with a smile and made sure their first impressions were good. It wasn’t a lonely job, either – there was always somebody to talk to, whether it was another volunteer like Dietrich (who spent a full eight hours with me tending the lot on Friday) or the security company employee Hank (who really liked to talk, and though he seemed a little odd was actually a very nice guy). I met a lot of good people, and have some new friends that I will see again. We all know in the back of our minds that we should spend some of our time volunteering somehow, but finding the time or place is sometimes difficult. This time, however, I took that step and made a commitment to help – and I’m glad I did. I met people that live near, and people that live far…younger people and older people…men and women…but most importantly, I spent the weekend in the company of happy, peaceful, loving people in a harmonious environment. I was a part of something meant to make the world a better place, and I know it has made me a better person. The music was fantastic by the way – Anoushka Shankar and Karsh Kale, BLVD, Michelle Shocked, and Links Island Festival - http://www.islandfestival.com/ Michelle Shocked - http://www.michelleshocked.com/ Anoushka Shankar - http://www.anoushkashankar.com/ Karsh Kale - http://www.karshkale.com/ BLVD - http://www.myspace.com/blvdblvd Each spring as the temperatures warm up and the flowers begin to bloom, our trusty friend the bee comes to life and begins flying from flower to flower in the annual pollination ritual. Billions of these buzzy little creatures work diligently spreading pollen as they collect the nectar and pollen to take back to the hive. What’s this you say? You don’t care much for bees, as they sting and generally make a nuisance of themselves buzzing around your head or interrupting your barbecue? Think again before cursing those little black and yellow insects (besides, you’re probably thinking of yellowjackets, not honeybees). Humans have come to rely heavily on the result of the bees’ labor. Not only do we enjoy the golden sweet honey that the bees produce, but we also obtain over a quarter of our diet from plants pollinated by the honeybee. Apples, citrus, cherries, melon, soybeans, nuts and berries are among the 100 or so food crops that rely on honeybees for the pollination that enables them to bear the fruits and vegetables we enjoy. Where do the bees come from – surely there aren’t enough bees just “out there” to handle the massive requirements of our hungry population? In This beneficial relationship between beekeepers, bees, and farmers has been going on since 1908, when Nephi Miller became the first man to move his hives via train from Recently a new problem affecting the bees has arisen that has beekeepers, farmers, and scientists worried. Beekeepers are finding empty hives – seemingly healthy just days before – in large numbers. A certain amount of die-off is normal each year, but some beekeepers have lost up to 90% of their colonies. The Apiary Inspectors of America estimate that the overall loss so far is over a quarter of the 2.4 million bee colonies in the CCD is characterized by the sudden disappearance of almost all adult bees in the colony (though occasionally the queen and a small number of survivors remain in the hive). The bees disappear without a trace, and beekeepers don’t even find the usual dead bees near the hive – suggesting the bees fly off by the thousands and meet their tragic fate in the fields or orchards. The hive condition appears relatively normal – honey and bee bread are present, and there is often evidence of recent brood rearing. I liken this to the ghost ships sometimes found floating the seas – food and drink on the table, no sailors, and mysterious circumstances. Migratory beekeepers have been especially hard hit by CCD, but non-mobile commercial operations have been affected as well. What could possibly be causing this? Scientists have ruled out a number of things in their search for a cause, based on interviews with beekeepers about their practices. Supplementary feeding methods, chemical use (such as antibiotics and miticides), whether the bees were used for honey production, pollination, or both, and the source of the queen bees do not appear to play a role in causing CCD, though they may be factors in increasing the risk of CCD. Researchers are looking into the possibility of new parasites or pathogens attacking the bees, chemical residues or contamination, nutritional fitness, stress levels, and the lack of genetic diversity among bees. There are a few other theories making the rounds, but these have been counted out – genetically modified crops, mobile phone signals, and electromagnetic radiation are not being considered as causes at this time. In all likelihood a new pathogen, fungus, or toxin is pushing already stressed colonies over the edge – and scientists hope to find out soon so they can begin to look for a solution. One thing is certain – we rely heavily on bees for a varied diet of fruits and vegetables. Without them, we would quickly find our abundance of tasty food dwindling. As news of CCD has been released recently, the interest in the fate of the bees has been brought to the forefront of our attention. Albert Einstein has been attributed with saying that if the bees disappeared off the face of the earth, then humans would be gone in four years – a very extreme prediction, and Einstein probably really never said it. This quote has not been verified, and chances are some well meaning person decided it would sound better if somebody famous had said it. It catches people’s attention, but in fact, is very unlikely. The loss of the bees would be a hardship for humans (and other animals that rely on pollinated plants) – there is not doubt about that, and it is something we should be concerned about. But for the time being, we can still enjoy those apples and cherries, or those melons and almonds. The bees aren’t down for the count yet! The next time you see one of these industrious little creatures hard at work, stop to watch and wonder at the amazing task they accomplish, and thank them for a job well done. Bees Vanish, and Scientists Race for Reasons – Alexei Barrionuevo; New York Times ( http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/042407 Honeybees Vanish, Leaving Keepers in Peril – Alexei Barrionuevo; New York Times ( http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/022707 Mysterious honeybee killer could make dinner bland – CNN.com ( http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/05/0 The Silence of the Bees – Hannah Nordhaus; High Country News ( http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?a Colony Collapse Disorder – FAQ http://www.ento.psu.edu/MAAREC/FAQ/FAQCC Einstein on Bees – Snopes.com http://www.snopes.com/quotes/einstein/be Letters From the Hive, an intimate history of bees, honey, and humankind – Stephan Buchmann; 2005 We’ve all experienced it – the gastrointestinal complaint commonly referred to as the 24-hour stomach flu. One moment, you’re feeling perfectly fine, happily going about your business. Then you sense the pain in your stomach, followed by cramping that grows increasingly uncomfortable. Worse yet – you know you’re going to vomit – but when? How long will you have to wait, sweating, sitting in the bathroom until the contents of your stomach and bowels erupt violently from your body as the battle to purge yourself of the illness begins? And once it begins, it seems to go on forever…until it feels like the only thing left to heave are your innards themselves. You know you need to drink water, but the thought of vomiting again is almost too much to take. At last you’re able to rest a bit, and the length of time between upheavals gets longer and longer. Eventually, the vomiting ends, and you’re able to sleep for a few hours. In a day or two you begin to feel a bit better, but still tire easily and don’t feel quite right. Nevertheless, you return to your normal daily routine – never suspecting that you may pass on your “gift” to somebody else… Chances are good what you’ve just survived is a bout with a norovirus. We call it the stomach flu, but in fact it’s not related to influenza, which is a respiratory illness caused by a different strain of viruses. The norovirus family causes a variety of gastrointestinal ailments, and may be called viral gastroenteritis, stomach flu, or even food poisoning. Noroviruses are highly contagious, and cause 23 million infections per year in the The virus is transmitted through a variety of ways, including the consumption of contaminated food or water. Because the virus is still present for several days after the initial vomiting bout, people often return to work when they are still contagious. In the case of food handlers, this then may cause a large number of people to become infected as they eat the food that person has prepared. Improperly prepared raw fruits and vegetables, or improperly prepared cooked shellfish (especially oysters) may also harbor the virus – thus the belief by some that they may be suffering from a form of food poisoning. The virus may also be passed with direct contact between people – touching an infected person and then putting your hands in your mouth, or sharing eating utensils can cause infection. And back to that contaminated water – this means swimming pools as well! If you’ve heard anything of the norovirus, it was probably in a news report of people falling ill on a cruise ship – until recently that was my only knowledge of the virus, despite the fact I have probably contracted it several times during my life. Large outbreaks are being reported on more often, and it isn’t just cruise ship travelers that run the risk of infection. Hospitals, prisons, daycares, and retirement centers are all potential places for large scale outbreaks. The common factor is a large number of people in a somewhat confined area, spreading the virus to one another and/or all eating the same contaminated food. In early April, close to 100 people were stricken at a girl’s badminton tournament in Even small outbreaks can have devastating effects on a community, with the high number of people that become ill in a relatively short time period. Businesses and schools can be practically empty of employees and students. Last month, several of our library staff attended a breakfast together on a Monday morning. One person became mildly ill Monday night, and didn’t really think much of it. However, by Tuesday night almost everyone else had become ill, and on Wednesday ten people called in sick to work. This left management (those that weren’t ill) scrambling to find enough staff to keep the three affected libraries open that day. The outbreak was traced to an employee of the restaurant that had been sick the previous week that had returned to work thinking they were no longer contagious. Unfortunately, the virus lives on in the body for several days, even after signs of the illness have subsided – potentially infecting many more people. By now you’re probably thinking you ought not to go on a cruise, swim in a public pool, eat catered food, or for that matter – ever eat in a restaurant again. That may be one way to prevent getting sick, but it might get a little old sitting around at home all the time hiding from the germs. Instead, there are some simple precautions that you can take to minimize your chances of becoming ill. First and foremost – wash your hands! Frequent cleansing with warm water and soap go a long way in preventing the spread of viruses and other germs. Before and after food preparation, after using the bathroom or changing a diaper, and after contact with someone who is ill are all times when you should wash your hands thoroughly. Food should be cleaned and cooked properly, and all work surfaces should be kept clean as well. If you or someone in your family becomes ill, immediately wash all clothing and bedding that may be contaminated, and try to minimize direct contact with others. Most importantly – if you suspect you may have become ill due to contaminated food or water, report this to your local health department so they can undertake an investigation. Due to the highly contagious nature of noroviruses, quick identification and isolation of the source helps minimize impact. Everyone is susceptible to the norovirus, and chances are you may get it at some point in your life. That’s a risk we all take – but it’s also a risk we can minimize through proper food handling and hygiene. Here’s wishing good health to you! Resources Foodborne Norovirus Infection – http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/noro Norovirus – http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/f Norovirus Blog (current news and information on localized outbreaks) - http://www.noroblog.com/ It’s not often one makes a musical discovery because of an owl. But it is precisely because of an owl, or a picture of an owl, that I discovered Amy Honey. Our friendship began because she wondered what type of owl she had seen, and my librarian nature had to find out for her. I got it wrong – understandably – but for a time we believed it was a spotted owl. It was a wonderful delusion. The mere thought that she had seen a spotted owl in the woods brought a sense of joy to the world – a joy that is much needed in these troubled times. And the serendipity of it all led me to one of my most recent favorite musical finds – Amy Honey, a woman of style, class, and talent not often seen these days. One thing I am sure of, and have no delusions about, is Amy Honey’s music. Her latest CD, Pioneer Woman, is aptly named. Amy has the true spirit of a pioneer in both her music and approach to life. No frills, yet full of the beauty, joy and heartache that are so easily hidden by all the glitzy trappings of modern day life. She sings of the things close to her heart, and after listening to Pioneer Woman I feel like I know her in a way I know very few people. She opens up her soul to those of us that take the time to sit a spell and listen to what she has to say. Pioneer Woman is Amy’s second CD, the first being her self titled disc of 2004. I find it difficult to categorize her music – some songs have a country sound, others have a good pop sensibility about them, and a few really rock and roll. I prefer not trying to pinhole her music though, and give each song a fresh ear whenever I listen. We could call her alternative, but that doesn’t really mean much anymore. The songs on Pioneer Woman are an eclectic collection of tunes, yet somehow they fit together nicely to complete the whole. Amy originally hails from Two songs on the disc, Woods Hag (Modern Life is Such a Drag) and the title track, Pioneer Woman, touch especially close to my heart. I sometimes think that I had a previous life as a pioneer crossing the continent in a covered wagon, or that maybe I was just born during the wrong time period. I am confident Amy feels the same way. In Woods Hag she sings of moving to the woods, where she can live free from the crowds of the city: I don’t mind you but I hate people They’re all so worried about gettin’ old They can’t seem to live for the day at hand I wonder how they’d do livin’ off of the land I believe the desire to live a simpler life is growing stronger among certain groups of people, and it is so refreshing to hear her sing of that wish. The simple life is not an easy life though, as Amy makes clear in Pioneer Woman. It’s the story of a woman living off the land in a sod house with her family, making her way in a “mean, mean world.” Even though it’s a tale of a difficult time in the past, the strength of that woman can be just as relevant today, as the heavy metal break towards the end of the otherwise banjo infused hillbilly-esque song conveys. In Amy’s world, the simple life is desired, but is not necessarily the easy path to take. Amy Honey is certainly not without humor, as the song Larry the Homicidal Maniac shows. She claims it is the true account of a boy she went to school with in The rest of the disc ambles through a lovely collection of songs that showcase Amy’s beautiful, earthy voice. There are the bluesy tunes Red Wine and Hopeless, and the celebration of a life well lived, Do or Be Damned (despite the roadblocks life herself throws in our way). Amy also sings a tribute to her favorite author and biologist, Farley Mowat. Amy had originally planned to become a biologist herself, but the issue of grades and the draw of a musical life sent her down a different path. Whether she’s singing of sadness or joy, life or death, Amy finds a way to reach the depths of our hearts with her music. Amy and her husband recently sold their Not too long ago I had the opportunity to meet Amy in person and see her play live. It is easy to see where her down to earth songs come from. She is nothing if not a true gem of a woman, as friendly and unpretentious as one could possibly be. If you ever have the chance to meet Amy, you will know her by her polka dot dress, the glass of red wine in her hand, and her welcoming smile. And you will be very lucky indeed. How to Find Amy Honey: Self Righteous Records – Amy’s record label CD Baby – Buy Amy’s first CD here When Ice is More Than That Cube in Your Drink – a Primer on the Planetary Ice Supply At the end of December, amid all the exciting year-end news, the New York Times, National Geographic News, and other media agencies published a report by Canadian scientists that the Ayles Ice Shelf had broken free from Ellesmere Island in northern Canada during the summer of 2005 (map). Scientists determined that the approximately 3,000 year old ice shelf broke free during a particularly warm period that summer, when lack of sea ice at the edge of the shelf allowed waves to batter the ice shelf. Long term warming had weakened the shelf, and over the course of just a few hours it broke free, and eventually floated 30 miles offshore. The news seemed to drop into obscurity very quickly, with little or no further discussion in the media. Of what importance is a broken ice sheet, after all, when historical figures are dying and we’re busy ringing in a new year? Global warming, or climate change if you prefer, is an ongoing issue that we are facing in the news more and more. To most people, this story might not have seemed to have undue significance among all the other climate related stories. However, I believe the state of the world’s ice “supply” is of great significance, though easily overlooked. We all know that as global temperatures rise ice will melt, but we may only have a vague understanding of what exactly that means. I would like to share some information with you about ice, in the hopes that when you read future news reports you might have a better understanding of what is really going on in the world of ice. Ice is ice, right? Technically, yes – all ice is frozen water. We make nice orderly cubes of it in our freezers all the time. However, the ice we find in nature varies widely in form. We experience snow and ice in our daily lives during the winter, and depending on where we live it may happen every year or only occasionally. There are also large ice forms around the world that persist through the entire year, and hold much of the world’s fresh water in store. These are the forms that climate change scientists are keeping an eye on. Here are some simple descriptions that will help you keep all the types of cold stuff straight: Glaciers – glaciers are formed in mountains (alpine glaciers) and over continents (continental glaciers) when snowfall does not melt over the summer. Each winter as more snow falls, the weight of it compresses the snow below until it becomes ice. Over many thousands of years, an alpine glacier grows and begins to slowly move down the mountain. If temperatures warm to the point that there is more annual melting than snowfall, the glacier will begin to “retreat” back up the mountain. Ice Sheets – ice sheets are essentially very large continental glaciers. They form, as above, when annual snowfall is greater than annual melting. In order for a continental glacier to be considered an ice sheet, it must be at least 50,000 square kilometers in size. There are currently only two ice sheets on earth; the Greenland Ice Sheet and the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Ice Shelves – ice shelves form when continental ice sheets reach the ocean, and the ice forms a floating shelf over the water. Due to the density of the ice, the majority actually sits below the surface of the water, even though it is held in place by the continental ice sheet. Ice shelves are only found in Sea Ice – sea ice is the thin layer that forms when ocean water freezes, and may also be referred to as pack ice. It breaks easily, and may move about on ocean currents or be attached to land (fast ice). Sea ice is found in the polar regions. Iceberg – icebergs are large chunks of freshwater ice that have broken off of the end of a glacier or ice shelf. They float in the water, though may get caught in the midst of sea ice. Now that we have a feel for the different types of ice that exist in the colder regions of our planet, let’s consider what happens when temperatures increase and they begin to melt. There are several different things that occur when large amounts of ice melt and water is introduced into the ocean environment. Rising sea levels are the most common effect we hear of in discussions of climate change. This is a very real occurrence, and some island nations are already finding it necessary to evacuate their citizens as sea levels rise. The first inhabited island to be completely washed away was reported on December 24th, by The Guardian – the Indian The ocean’s salinity levels change as large quantities of fresh water are added when glaciers and ice sheets melt. Not only does this have an adverse effect on habitats for the ocean’s living creatures, it also has the potential to disrupt very important currents that help moderate the earth’s climate. Scientists are closely watching what is called the Atlantic heat conveyor – the warm surface waters that flow far into the It quickly becomes clear that the health of the planet’s ice supply is a good indicator of the planet’s overall health, with regard to global warming. The debates will continue, though it does appear that the trend of discussions will soon move towards finding ways to perhaps slow the changes, and finding solutions for the world’s inhabitants as they are faced with what now look like inevitable changes. The day my article is published, February 2nd, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will release the first section of their new assessment of the state of the planet’s climate. While they do not expect everyone to read the thousands of pages of scientific reports and policy recommendations, there will be many news reports and summaries available for anyone that is interested. Perhaps my ice primer will help you understand better what the reports say. I certainly hope so. References: Apocalypse Now: How Mankind is Sleepwalking to the End of the Earth – Maria Gilardin; Left Curve. Arctic Ice Shelf Broke Off Canadian Island – New York Times, Disappearing World: Global warming claims tropical island – The Independent, Giant Ice Shelf Breaks Off in Canadian Arctic – National Geographic News, The Atlantic heat conveyor slows – Detlef Quadfasel; Nature: December 1, 2005., Volume 438; pg. 565 Wikipedia Articles (accessed January 24/25, 2007): Shutdown of Thermohaline Circulation Have you ever had an inkling that a particular book would be really good, but put off reading it for a while? When you finally got around to reading it, did you kick yourself for waiting? I recently had that experience, but thankfully read those books I’d been putting off. For a long time, I noticed the Cirque du Freak series by Irish writer Darren Shan (real name Darren O’Shaughnessy) coming and going at the library. I also noticed it was popular with middle school age boys. So popular, in fact, that I witnessed more than one of them drop his façade of cool in favor of genuine glee when the next installment of the series came in on hold for him. That really caught my attention. It’s well known that many boys don’t spend a lot of time reading. Comics and graphic novels are popular, but it really takes something special to draw in the boys that might be a little bit reluctant to pick up a book. I knew I ought to give the series a try, but just kept putting it off – horror isn’t usually my genre of choice. However, last summer I brought the first book home and handed it to my son with a “here, you might like this…” He then proceeded to read half of the series of twelve books in the week before school started! Needless to say, I dove in too at his insistence – that way we could discuss the books together as we made our way through the series. I read many books written for young children and teens, not only because it is useful in my job at the library, but because I genuinely like them. However, I usually don’t read an entire series of books by an author. Harry Potter is of course an exception; because once you get started on those you must read each new book. And we also read all three books of Phillip Pullman’s Golden Compass Trilogy together – much to our chagrin, as we found the last book to be longwinded and disappointing. The Cirque du Freak books are neither longwinded nor disappointing. Darren Shan has created a world in his books that draws you in from the very beginning, and keeps you enthralled until the last word of the last book. What is it, you ask, that Mr. Shan could possibly write about that might be so good? Vampires. He takes a fresh view of the vampire myth, and the result is the captivating Cirque du Freak series. The tale begins when young Darren Shan and his friend Steve sneak out late one night to visit a mysterious traveling circus, the Cirque du Freak. What they see astounds Darren, especially a man, Larten Crepsley, who performs with a large spider called Madam Octa. Even more astonishing is the fact that Steve recognizes the performer to be an old vampire he had read about. He tries to hide this from Darren, but Darren spies on Steve as he confronts the old vampire and begs him to help him become a vampire himself. Mr. Crepsley declines, and Darren runs home in fright at what he has witnessed. However, in the next few days, he becomes obsessed with owning Madam Octa, and returns to the circus to steal her. This sets into motion a chain of events that changes the course of Darren’s life forever, with the only possible solution being that Darren become Mr. Crepsley’s apprentice – and a half-vampire. From beginning to end, these books are full of unusual characters, from the various members of the Cirque du Freak to Desmond Tiny, the mysterious and very sinister man that appears from time to time to remind everyone that he ultimately controls the fate of the world – yet is giving them a chance to have a small bit of control over the outcome. Darren befriends Harkat Mulds, one of the strange hooded creatures known as the Little People that accompany the circus, and the loyalty they share with one another is a strong theme throughout the books. Darren soon learns the way of the vampires, which is very different from what the myths portray. They do not kill when they feed, and though they are fierce fighters, they avoid disrupting humans as much as possible. There is another race of vampires – the Vampaneze, who do harm humans when they feed. As the tale unfolds, Darren finds that an epic battle between the two races is coming, called the War of Scars. He also discovers that he plays a surprisingly important part in the outcome of the war, and reluctantly takes on the role of hero he seems destined for. That is as brief a summary I can give without giving anything away – and this is one series of books that deserve not to be spoiled for future readers. The twists and turns of plot literally kept me glued to the books, eager to find out what would happen next. An author who can successfully maintain that sense through twelve volumes, in my mind, is truly a master at his craft. I would think it would be difficult to end a long series such as this satisfactorily, but Mr. Shan pulled that off as well. I truly felt completion to the tale, and though I was a bit choked up, I was also left feeling hopeful. I would recommend this series to anyone with an interest in the myth of vampires, or as a gift for a reluctant teen reader. One visit to Mr. Shan’s blog on his MySpace account (how better to reach your young readers?) shows that he receives a steady stream of letters from appreciative teens and parents for the work he’s done. Even better, he accepts the compliments humbly and continues to encourage and inspire others. For more information on the series, visit Darren Shan’s websites. http://www.myspace.com/therealdarrenshan Titles in the Series Cirque du Freak The Vampire’s Assistant Tunnels of Blood Trials of Death The Vampire Prince Hunters of the Dusk Allies of the Night Killers of the Dawn The Lord of the Shadows By the fifth of each month, I'm faced with the challenge of thinking of something new to write about. Then, after deciding on my topic, I let it mull around in my head for a couple of weeks, until suddenly my deadline is nearly upon me and I find I must spit out something of interest. So far, I think I've been pretty successful. Even if I do tend to procrastinate, I enjoy the process and the outcome a great deal. I love the feeling that my mind is working away to craft an interesting combination of letters and words, and when the time is right my fingers fly and everything comes together. So what happens when I find myself busier than normal with work and life concerns, and the specter of "creativity from scratch" looms over me? Easy. I fall back on what I'm familiar with, to a place I know well – book reviews. Only problem is, that requires that I actually read some books. Fortunately, I have been rather successful at that endeavor lately, and have several to share with you. It may seem odd that I have trouble finishing books, but working in a library sometimes creates an overload problem that leads to nothing being read at all. I've been making an effort to change that, with decent success. It seems that the more I read, the more I want to read, and before you know it I've finished (or at least read more than half of) several books. At first, I thought the books I've read recently were just a hodge-podge of fiction and non-fiction, with no real thread tying them together. Much to my surprise, as I thought about what I might have to say about these books, I realized that there is actually a strong connection between them. They all have to do with being an outsider of some sort; characters or authors that just don't fit into society's idea of "normal." That's not to say that we really know what "normal" is, or that there even is such a thing. But somehow, we sense when something or somebody doesn't quite fit with the behavior of the masses, and as it turns out the experiences these folks have makes for some very interesting reading. Deadwood, by Peter Dexter (1986) There are certain times, places, and people in history that take on a larger than life mythical quality. Deadwood, I was prompted to read Dexter's Deadwood after watching the first season of the HBO series of the same name. Although Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane were by far the most famous people that lived in Deadwood, their time there was either short (Hickock was murdered just a few months after his arrival), or sporadic (Jane came and went several times over the years). Dexter chooses to focus his story primarily on Charley Utter, and what we find is a very loyal, sympathetic man who continually strives to follow his conscious in a town that seems not to have one of its own. By following Utter so closely through the book, we get a glimpse into one man's life during a wild time in a wild place. Most of the characters in Dexter's book actually existed, and there are records indicating what type of people they might have been. However, so many fictitious accounts have intermingled with the truth that now it is difficult to tell just what the real truth might have actually been – even Wild Bill and Calamity Jane were both known to expound on the truth a bit, or at least not deny possible falsehoods about their adventures. Nevertheless, since Deadwood and its characters have taken on mythic proportions, does it really matter any more? Nature Noir, by Jordan Fisher Smith (2005) Usually when we think of forest rangers, it brings to mind a romantic vision of youthful, uniformed men and women leading groups of eager tourists through beautiful parklands. Smith shatters that vision with his account of 14 years as a law enforcement ranger along the Over the years, the 48-mile stretch of the American that Smith was responsible for had become home to many people living on the fringe of society. Miners, drug dealers, and other transients found their place in the woods, and the rangers spent their time keeping the peace between the people and the forest. In each chapter of the book, Smith recounts a particular incident in his career, including the tossing of a baby into the open window of a moving vehicle, an unsolved murder case, and the first human death by cougar in the state in decades. As he tells his tales, he artfully weaves in the history of the ill-fated dam, information about the flora, fauna, and geology of the area, and musings on the clash of humans and nature as our lives encroach on what is left of the wild. Despite the focus on the darker side of both nature and humanity, I found that Smith still has a sense of hope and wonder at the world around him. The Lost Soul Companion – a book of comfort and advice for black sheep, square pegs, struggling artists, and other free spirits, by Susan M. Brackney (2001) I nearly missed this little gem of a book as it passed by me at the library recently. Fortunately, I snagged it and brought it home. It's small and short – just 150 pages – and one could easily read it in one or two sittings. The book starts with a serious discussion of depression and suicide, as Brackney is no stranger to dark days. Her advice – get help and don't give up, is simple, yet she shares it with such sincerity you can't but help take it to heart. Even if you've never suffered from serious depression, her discussion of it is so candid you feel hopeful for her and others that do suffer. Once past the most serious part of the book, Brackney presents a collection of stories and ideas that have helped her cope in a world that doesn't always seem very accepting of those of us that live on the outside edges of society. Her advice can be summed up in a few simple ideas:
Even if you don't consider yourself to be a lost soul, there's no doubt a few pieces of wisdom here that you can apply to your own life. If you're curious, visit the Lost Soul Companion website. But if you are a lost soul, or even just wandering down a side road for a while on your way back to the mainstream of life, hopefully you'll find a bit of peace in one of these books. I know I have. Lose yourself in the stories for a while, or maybe find yourself – you never know what you may gain along the way! Flickr! The Greatest Thing Since…Before Flickr! Oh how I swoon for thee Flickr! I post my photos – faster – quickr I am obsessed…all the people snickr I'll take photos of everything From a basket of wickr to a clock (called a tickr) You cannot stop me! And that is the kickr Just try it yourself, there's no need to bickr Be a camera clickr! Whether you're a nose pickr, city slickr, or even boot lickr Sharing photos is slickr with Flickr! Remember the days when your neighbors would come home from their big vacation to Yellowstone, then invite you over for a slide show consisting of 500 out of focus shots of Old Faithful and the three bison they saw? Or maybe you've known someone that pulled out the latest 15 photos of their three-month-old grandchild every time you ran into them at the grocery store. You patiently looked at the photos, and told them how delightfully they captured the rising steam of the geyser or that their grandchild looks just like them. You were being polite, and did your best not to offend them with your indifference. People love to share their photos, and more than anything like the acknowledgement they receive when others look at them. After all, it's an acknowledgement of their life; a validation of their existence. Today people love to share their photos more than ever. As digital photography overtakes film as the most popular means of capturing the views of the world around us, the methods of sharing have changed dramatically. People still print photos to send to friends and family, or to fill up photo albums and scrapbooks. They might make a disc of their favorites and send that out. However, online sharing of photos is probably the most satisfactory method of sharing large quantities – and Flickr has risen above all others as the best place to store and share photos. I like to think of Flickr as an online scrapbook of sorts. Flickr has become so much more than your average site to store photos. In just two short years since it was launched it has become a major player in what is called Web 2.0, or the Living Web. Very simply put, Web 2.0 is the new generation of websites that allow extensive input and collaboration between users – like Subter does! Blogging, online link storage sites (del.icio.us), RSS feeds, and podcasts are all contributors to this new era of the internet. What makes Flickr so great? Why do people enjoy it so much? You'd think it would be a simple matter of posting your photos, sharing a link to them with a few friends and family, and that's it. That's not it at all. Flickr has become an entire community of people that share an interest – photography. Skills range from rank amateur to highly acclaimed professional and you'll find photos of just about everything you can imagine on Flickr. And I do mean everything. You'll want to be a little careful if you have fragile sensibilities or small children in the room while you surf around Flickr. Mostly though you'll just find a wide variety of beautiful, funny, and touching photos from people around the world. Not sure where to begin? Start with the Explore page, where each day 200 photos are highlighted. Once you start looking, you'll no doubt be sucked in by the beauty and creativity that abounds. People are starting to notice the endless pool of talent on Flickr, as can be witnessed by the recent solicitation of photos for the new Washington State Tourism website by design firm LEVYsheckler. Rather than hire professional photographers to go out and take photos, LEVYsheckler started a group on Flickr called SayWA and as the photos poured in, they selected many for use on the new site. True collaboration here - real photos by real people showing the features of the state, and real money for those whose photos were chosen. Indeed, I chose one of the photos for my March column by searching Flickr, contacting the photographer, and kindly asking his permission for use. I anticipate that more of this type of collaboration will occur as people see what Flickr users have to offer. It may or may not break any new world famous photographers, but it will give many amateurs the opportunity to share their work with a wider audience, and maybe even make a little bit of extra money along the way. One reason that I find Flickr so appealing is the ease with which I can post photos to my blogs or other websites. Flickr provides an instant blogging interface in which you can choose a photo, write your text, then voila! One click and your post is live. Several different blog services work with Flickr, including Wordpress, TypePad, Moveable Type, and Bolger. If your blogging service doesn't interface directly with Flickr, no need to worry. Each photo is resized automatically for you! Depending on the size of your original photo file, you may have up to six sizes to choose from, beginning with a 75x75 square (perfect for most avatar requirements) and on up to the original. For each size of photo you then have two link types to choose from – a static link, or a hotlink that leads back to your Flickr account. I've found it especially useful again and again, as in the past I would resize my own photos, upload them to Photobucket, and then post them. This is much easier. Not only does Flickr provide built in applications for its users, more and more developers are creating practical and fun things for people to do with their photos. On the practical side, the new internet browser Flock has a built in uploading interface for sending your photos to Flickr. Just drag and drop your photos from your computer into the uploader, click send, and away they go. I found the Flock uploader to be a bit quicker than Flickr's (and it didn't bog down my computer), though you can't pre-tag photos or put them into sets. Certainly useful for small numbers of photos, and perhaps in the future they will expand capabilities. As for fun fd's Flickr Toys can keep one busy for hours, creating everything from motivation posters to magazine covers to mosaics with your photos (and the photos of others). You may have caught the implication from my poetic wonder above that I am somewhat obsessed with Flickr. Yes, I will admit it is true. While some folks spend their hours crafting a MySpace account, I on the other hand, obsessively check for comments on my photos, or to see if the order of my top 200 photos has changed. Flickr is manna for statistics whores. There. I've said it. If you concern yourself with how many people read or comment on your blog, for instance, you'll looooove Flickr. They kindly keep track of your photostream visitors (I'm at 15,852 as of this writing), and the top 200 photos in four categories: views, comments, favorites (other people marking your photo as a favorite), and interestingness. As activity occurs on your photos, you can check in and see how they are doing. But how, you ask, do you create activity on your photos? Heh, heh, heh. This can occur several ways. Of course, if you are very fortunate, your photo will turn up on the Explore page and automatically have hundreds if not thousands of views. Since this is fairly unlikely most days, the next best method is to collect lots of contacts (other Flickr users) and post your photos to as many different groups as possible. As you travel around the site, you will undoubtedly come across other users whose photos you particularly like. You can choose these people as contacts, and as they post new photos you will be able to view them in a constantly updated stream. Likewise, as people mark you as a contact, they will see your photos. The second way in which to increase traffic to your photos is by joining groups. As you can imagine, there are groups for nearly every topic in the world, and if by some chance you can't find a group you can start one! One of the biggest questions is do you find groups for the photos you have, or join groups that sound interesting and then take photos to fit. I tend to do a little bit of both. Standard topics like flowers and cats and dogs have groups, but you can also find slightly more esoteric things like moss or hinges represented. Not strange enough for you? How about Remains of the Meal or Dirty Water? Other groups are based on themes, such as Beauty is Simple, and require definite creative effort on the photographer's part. Still other groups have strict posting requirements – number of views/posts/comments – and don't you dare break those rules or the moderators will kick you out! The funniest group I've found is Stick Figures in Peril – full of the craziest warning signs you'll ever see. My favorite group, however, has to be the Monthly Scavenger Hunt. Each month the moderators post a list of 20 items or themes for the participants to collect in images. Group members can rate entries throughout the month (with a very slick voting program) and at the end of the month the top three photos in each category are posted. Searching for the photos is fun, but the best part about this group is definitely the people involved. They have been the friendliest, funniest, and all around most eccentric crew I've had fortune to run across on Flickr. I fit in nicely. I suppose more than anything Flickr appeals to both the voyeur and exhibitionist in each of us. We can catch a glimpse into the lives of people around the world, provided freely for all to see. At the same time, we can choose to share a glimpse into our own lives. Perhaps it will help bring us just a little bit closer together as human beings. Funny, isn't it? People in all parts of the world love the same things. They love their families, their pets, and the beauty of the world around them. They take photos, and they want to share them with anyone that will take the time to look. In the end, everybody just wants a little acknowledgement and validation. Resources Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/ All users may have a free account with Flickr, which allows them to upload 20MB of photos per month. Only the top 200 photos will be displayed to viewers. For a small fee of $24.95 per year, users may upgrade to a Pro account which allows unlimited uploads per month and unlimited ad-free storage and viewing. Wikipedia Web 2.0 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0 Flickr - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flickr |
