Rambling On: Literature, Science and Environment

Would forever make a difference?

2013-03-29T06:31:00.002+00:00

Someone recently put forth the idea that given the destruction we do to the world and things around us, it may be a good thing that we're only here for a little while. But would we invest more in our surroundings if we knew this was all we got, forever?

Love Free or Die: The Movie

2013-03-29T06:31:00.001+00:00

Forgive the deviation from the title subjects of literature, science or the environment.

Tonight I attended a screening of Love Free or Die hosted by the Center for American Progress. The film tells the inspiring story of Bishop Gene Robinson's struggle to be openly gay man in a committed relationship within the Episcopalian church. It's a story about the harmful and negative role a religious institution can play in an individual's life by fostering fear and hatred.

Those were a big part of the reason I lost interest in the church. I thought if the people I was seeing who put themselves forth as good Christians were just that and that God was happy with them . . . well, that wasn't a god I wanted to believe in.

There was a Q&A following the film with the director Macky Alston and Bishop Gene. One audience member asked how it could be that a church that was started because someone didn't like the head of another church telling him who he could and couldn't marry now telling people who they can and can't marry. Another asked about the current hot topic of mandated coverage of contraception by insurance companies. This lead to Bishop Gene making a point that I thought was interesting on the separation of church and state. He said it is typically used to protect the church from interference by the state (I had thought it was the other way around), but with instances like marriage and this insurance/contraception issue. In these cases, he says the church wants to interfere in state issues. For marriage, he says one solution is for clergy to suggest that some members of the church become justices of the peace who have the power to marry and when couples come in asking to be married in a church, he says yes, we can marry you at the back of the church where the civil meets the religious in a civil ceremony and then you can come into the church with a complete service and I will bless your marriage. An interesting solution.

His point was you can't have it both ways -- you can't insist on separation and religious freedom and then insist your religion influence state matters. It is in place to protect both sides. I still can't figure out how having the option of paid contraceptive is a violation of religious beliefs. If you believe it's against god's will or whatever to take a birth control pill, don't. But, if you don't believe that, isn't it great to have that as an option?

Anyway, the purpose for the blog is to spread the word about this inspiring film. They're making it easy for folks to host screenings in their Family & Friends program

Reflections on Spring: Daffodils

2013-03-29T06:30:00.001+00:00

I love daffodils. I don't remember the first time I saw one, but I can recall the most impressive showing I've seen of them.

Easter time. Castle Hill in Edinburgh. The whole hillside was covered in daffodils. A similar thing happens in DC in the spring where Rock Creek Park lets out into Georgetown -- a hill side, covered with daffodils.

My favorite are the super petit little daffodils with cups the size of a pinky finger.

Petals or Leaves? "A ring of floral leaves surrounds the corona." Floral leaves sounds like a rather imprecise term but I like poetic definitions.

So tired & Staring

2013-03-29T06:24:00.004+00:00

Ever get to the point of exhaustion where you have a lot of things to do and needs to satisfy but you can't decide which to do first so you just don't do anything? I got there today. I needed to pee, I was very hungry, I had work to do, I was thirsty, I was tired, I wanted to sing and dance and play guitar and read and go for a run. And I just sat there. Overwhelmed by the competing needs and desires, I did nothing. I should have gone to sleep.

But I didn't and now it's many hours later and I sorted out a lot of those needs. (Pee, eat and drink, sing, play, read.) Now I'm trying to sleep and I find that I am wide awake and it's 2:17 and I feel deceptively alert and energetic. I still have competing urges (run, sing, dance, write, read, work), though, all inappropriate given the time, and only one thing I need to be doing, sleeping.

So in the absence of sleep, I am trying to be productive, trying to get to some of those things I haven't gotten to that I've been meaning to get to. And I guess that means blogging.

Why I am awake? Could be the combination of being overtired or the weird sleeping patterns I seem to be developing. I find I'm waking up around 3 AM and again at 6 but not getting up until 7:30. I'm tired at 8 but not at 10. I'm staring at a laptop instead of going outside or reading a book. I took an allergy pill. Today was a busy day. Maybe it's the busy-ness that has me buzzing still.

My eye is twitching. Earlier the upper left lip was twitching.

Right now I'm glad to have a light on and a laptop working, but I've been thinking it might be great to not use lights at night or anything that plugs in. To sleep when it gets dark and to wake when the sky gets light, to be on a natural rhythm. Maybe I'd wake with the birds around 3. Maybe I am waking with the birds around 3. Maybe I need to move to another time zone.

We're funny creatures.

Be in the moment, I find myself thinking. If I feel energetic, take advantage, get some things done. Good advice. Here I go to take it.

Freedom in each moment

2013-03-29T06:13:00.000+00:00

A friend of mine just got back from three weeks traveling in Thailand. His favorite part about the trip wasn't the sites or the food but the feeling of waking up each morning with nothing planned and being able to fill the day with the activities that he chose.

That is one of my favorite parts about vacations and one of the reasons I think they should be taken somewhat regularly. This is an important thing to remember. It's revitalizing.

It can be easy to lose sight of that freedom with the distractions of routines and obligations, busy calendars, the trappings of modern full-time employed stationary life. The freedom to do what we choose does not get left behind in the places we visit. It is with us in each moment. It is important to me that I remember this and act like it is the truth, at least from time to time.

It's takes effort for me to think past the list of things I need to do while I'm at work and the other appointments or chores to what I want to do. I find days can disappear in this routine and it's exhausting. Wake up, go to work, come home, and if the work isn't stimulating but draining, I don't feel inspired to do anything else--especially in winter when there's so much darkness.

To remedy this, I find myself trying to think of my day in 10 or 60 minute intervals. What are the things I want to do and how long do I want to spend doing them? How many can I fit into my day? Things I'd like to do that I could easily devote ten minutes to: hula hooping, hand stands, stretching, playing a song, reading an article or responding to an e-mail or writing a letter. Things I could easily spend an hour on: walking, playing guitar, singing, reading, cooking, eating, visiting with friends, breakfast, dancing, taking a bath. Then the trick is to fit as many of these things that I feel like doing into my day. Not to be overwhelmed by what's next or what might be or wasting time staring at my inbox but hula hooping instead. I find that I also try to break up the monotony by taking detours or different methods of transportation.

No time like the present to do things you want to do. No reason to put off doing the things you want to and can do. Now is the right time to start doing the things you want to do. I'm off to hula hoop.

Are we bad children?

2012-06-29T16:19:00.002+01:00

This post by Surfrider Japan has got me thinking about our conflicting attitudes towards the environment. It asks "Why do we treat the ocean as a dump?" And focuses on the dumping of radioactive materials into the ocean.

It has me thinking beyond the ocean. Substitute "planet" for "ocean" in that question.

Do we treat our planet like bad children treat their parents? Do we expect them to provide for us endlessly, whatever we want when we want it and then expect them to put up with all of our reckless and selfish behavior, absorb our toxicity? Do we love it when we get our way, take without thinking and get angry when we don't get what we want out of it?

Well, folks, let's grow up and adopt a new attitude. I think we'd be better off borrowing attitudes from other cultures where elders are respected and children look after their parents not because we have to but because it is a privilege and a sign of our deep respect for those who come before and provide for us.

Reflections on Spring: Crocus

2012-03-30T04:03:00.000+01:00

As a southern Californian, I grew up knowing Spring to be that couple of weeks when the mountains and fields were green. It wasn't until I lived in England and experienced Winter that I experienced the stereotypical Spring.

That was also the first time I saw a crocus. Crocuses were the little bit of color in the still brown and barren winter ground. Purples, oranges, yellows and whites, they'd bud in dirt on the side of the road. Not as delicate as a snow drop or flashy as a daffodil, they humbly poked their heads out of the dirt, singly or in patches, and opened their petals, revealing a hint of orange or yellow, paying homage to the sun. Crocuses were a sign of better things to come.

Everything at Once

2012-03-30T03:22:00.003+01:00

It was a mild winter, which suited me just fine. And then suddenly it was summer with 80 degree days, then as suddenly it was blowing snow and wintery, and now it feels like spring. Cool mornings and evenings, a chill in the air even when it reaches 70, and flowers. Yep, this funny weather has done wonders for the blossoms. It seems everything is out at once.

In England, it seems typically you get the crocuses and snow drops in January, followed by daffodils, then tulips, then irises, etc. This year in DC, it seems the crocuses came after the daffodils and the daffodils and hyacinths have been out for a couple of months now. And in some yards, they're all enjoying the sunshine together. Apple, redbud, tulip and dogwood trees are in bloom. The cherry blossoms are past their prime. The magnolia blossoms have come and gone.

If this funky weather means a shortened season, then I'm a bit sad about that. Spring is the best thing to come out of winter and it helps pull me out of my winter funk. Regardless of the duration, I've been enjoying wander around taking pictures. Not quite as fun as rambling along the English countryside, but not bad for city living.

Metro Mice

2011-10-13T04:17:00.000+01:00

Late night coming home on the metro and 9 minutes to wait for a train, the platform full of people, something on the tracks caught my eye: A little mouse crawling around the rails. And another. Three little mice crawling around. I watched with amusement and found myself thinking mice are so much cuter than rats.

This sighting was well timed as I'd read a story just that morning about the rats and mice taking over the Supreme Court building due to recent construction in the area. One woman, who didn't want to be identified for fear of losing her job, claimed to put glue traps around her desk and put her feet on a box under her desk. She was afraid a mouse or rat would come close and she would stand up and scream in fear only to be shot by the armed guards. Doesn't sound like a very inviting place to work. Plus, with that detail, certainly her superiors would be able to determine who she was--just look for the nervous one with her feet in a box. But more interestingly, how did this fear of rat and mice develop?

I'm not sure I ever had the fear. I grew up having mice and rats as pets. I preferred the mice--they were cuter. I haven't enjoyed them as much since developing a severe allergy to them. Before that, though, I had many mice (litters, even) and rats. They were sweet companion animals. Some met tragic and unintended deaths (I once stepped on a mouse I was taking outside for a walk), one lost its tail (tug of war with my older brother--the mouse lost, my brother got its tail), one rat named Julius Cheeser had a huge tumor on its leg, but all were beloved members of the family.

Now the only rats I see are running around the streets at night, scampering in bushes and ground cover. I read an article yesterday about a 9-pound rat. Something imported from somewhere and living in . . . was it Florida? A friend tells me anything will survive there. I'm not sure having a cat in the house would do the trick for keeping 9 pound rats away.

When I worked for Modern Marvels I did research for a show on rats. Mostly it pertained to tests being carried out on them, such as a male birth control pill and transplants. Rats have an interesting place in the western world. We buy them as pets, hate them as pests, feed them to other pets, and ask them test drive the latest medical whatever. Considering all they do for us, how can you not love the cute, fuzzy, little creatures? Or at least respect them. No doubt they're better at city living than most humans.

Thunder Storm in the City

2011-09-07T16:01:00.000+01:00

I love thunder storms. Right now I'm at work and the rain is pouring down. Every now and again, there's a bright flash in the sky followed by a window rattling rumble.

Thunder storms in D.C. are great. It's not a very tall city, so there's still plenty of sky to be seen, plenty of lighting strikes to be spotted.

The storm is coming from the south. (The rain is slanting to the east.) The windows in my office face north and I'm guessing all the flashes are coming from behind the building I'm in right now. A few minutes and hopefully I'll get sight of them.

I've been out in thunderstorms in the city. Wandering around, rushing from overhang to overhang, enjoying the sound of the thunder bouncing off the brick and concrete structures.

With rain like this, the gutters fill up quickly. Sometimes the water stays for hours. I've been soaked standing on a street corner, splashed by a passing vehicle. Buses are the worst.

The building I am in is more than 100 years old. The big 30 foot windows provide an excellent view of the sky, the street and the water rushing down the gutters, carrying bits of debris.

Usually at this time of day, there are people walking about the street. I've seen one in the last fifteen minutes.

Thunderstorms in the city are a different experience than thunderstorms in the country, just as thunderstorms in hilly areas are different from flat areas. In flat areas, you can see them coming. I spent a good portion of Sunday driving through hill parts of West Virginia in a thunderstorm. Once I got to a section of the road that flattened out, I could see the lightning strikes from top to bottom. In a city, it's mostly flashes, like a flash light passing over your eyes and the thunder offers it's own kind of satisfaction. Counting the seconds between the flash and the rumble. Trying to predict where the next flash will come. Keeping eyes upwards, to the clouds and crossing my fingers it's coming this way.

The day after

2011-08-28T04:27:00.000+01:00

Irene packed a punch. Those gusty winds blew the tree in directions I didn't know trees could blow without snapping. The sky lit up green. Trees blew down. Branches broke off. Leaves everywhere. The little creek by my place is now a river. It runs over the concrete pathways.

There were warnings and I was prepared. I'd filled a few pots with water. I had enough food for days. It was my first hurricane.

There was power all night until bed. I watched movies and read.

During the night, I was woken by strange noises and the sky flashing green and white. It was a bit spooky. Was this some weird terrorism act that had turned the sky green (this close to DC, you never know) or just the transformers? The wind blew and blew. The trees bowed down and stayed there before springing half way back only to be bent over again.

The power went out before sunrise and only for a few hours. I wouldn't have known but for the flashing time on the oven.

I went out during the day. I had some apartments to see. Leaves were strewn about like ticker tape after a parade. Branches were down. It was quiet. There were few cars on the road and fewer people on the street. There was no flooding like I'd expected. The roads were in good condition. The sky was beautiful and clear.

I went for a walk in the afternoon, paying a visit to the bike path I frequented. The stream that had been less than an inch deep in some areas now covered the rocks and raged. A cement path that went over the river was covered with surging water.

Millions were without power. There was terrible flooding up north. Roads had been washed out and people were stranded. The big storm I'd wished for had come in the night and quickly moved on to wreak havoc elsewhere.

My thoughts go out to those who lost their lives to Irene.

Come on, Irene

2011-08-27T23:47:00.000+01:00

Her name is Irene. She was born in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean seven days ago. She's the 9th of her kind this season, but the only one to accumulate enough power to become a hurricane. She's currently a category 1 with winds up to 85 miles per hour. She's creeping up the eastern coast of the United States at a slow pace of 13 miles per hour, drowning the seaboard on her way.

The first of the rain bands hit the DC area around noon today. It's been raining steadily since. The intensity is increasing as is the wind.

A few years ago, I was working as a researcher on a Discovery Channel show about climate and energy. The show was a mix of fact and fiction, projecting into the future what the world would be like if we did nothing to change our current carbon emitting behaviors. This future saw a hurricane travel up the east coast of the United States and into the Chesapeake Bay. The storm caused massive rain, flooding, wind damage to the nation's capital. We worked with storm surge modellers and looked at historic records for hurricanes and assumed warmer ocean waters to create a massive and terrible hurricane season that caused loss of lives and millions of dollars of damage around the country not dissimilar to the record breaking hurricane season of 2005 that featured storms with such names as Rita, Katrina and Wilma, as well as Irene.

In the hurricane of the future, DC had been having very wet summer. After a few weeks of heavy rain and flash floods, the big Ricardo came through. It was a massive, slow moving, powerful hurricane. It brought inches of rain and fast winds. Tornadoes spun out of it as it made it's way north. Several feet of storm surge flooded areas of the mall. The heavy rain washed pollutants into reservoirs. The tornadoes took out windows, roofs and buildings. So much damage was done that there was discussion of rebuilding. In this scenario, a innovative and environmentally literate president opted to rebuild the city green. The tidal basin and other areas of the Potomac waterfront were returned to wet lands and marshes which would have served as a flood barrier had they not been taken out. Green buildings were erected and for the ones still standing and structurally sound, they were retrofitted to be more energy efficient and healthy. This response to the weather event set the ball in motion on the United States' big green makeover and paving a path towards an energy independent, carbon neutral (headed towards negative) state. An optimistic and still very possible future.

So here I am, about 4 years later, living just outside of D.C. in Arlington, Virginia, prepared to weather out hurricane Irene. I've filled up some trash cans (the 5 gallon size) with water in case the supply gets cut off or contaminated and the toilet needs to be flushed. I am charging up my phone while the power is still on. I have purchased some foods that don't need preparing such as fruits, crackers, cereal and salad stuffs (though I expect the gas stove would still work). I have a shake flashlight, though I can't really imagine what I'd need it for at this point (the apartment gets great natural light). I have filled pots and pitchers of filtered water for drinking and some juice. I've run all of my errands and I have no foreseeable need to go out. So I'm home, on the 5th floor of an apartment building, on top of a hill a few miles from the Potomac and a 1/4 mile from 4 Mile Run creek watching the rain poor down and the trees bending in the wind. I'm ready for some excitement.

This is my first hurricane and, while I'm so far inland it may not count, I'm excited. I'm ready for a good storm. In 2005, I had a little over a week off between two jobs and was considering a last minute vacation. I was thinking about New Orleans. I'd never been and it seemed worth exploring. About a week later, watching images of a flooded city, people stranded on roof tops, I was glad I'd opted to save money and stay home.

Today, I get a milder (and safer) experience of a hurricane. 4-8 inches of rain are expected along with 40-50 mile per hour winds. Officials are predicting downed power lines and trees, power outages, flash floods, flooding, and possible water outages. Already 71,000 are without power in the state. Six storm deaths have been reported including one child who was killed by a tree fell onto his house. An area governor called for those on the coast to go and stay with the ones who love you. Cities are being evacuated. Train service has been suspended. Sand bags are being given out to D.C. residents.

We'll be sheltered from the worst of it by miles of land separating this area from the Atlantic, but storm surge is predicted and flooding will still be present. With a few days of warning, all should be prepared. This will be the second natural event this week -- the first being an earthquake on Tuesday. The 5.9 trembler was centered 80 miles south of D.C. but felt all the way up to Toronto. My brother and his wife in Boston felt it. I was in a restaurant at the time. Being from California, I'm fairly familiar with earthquakes but don't expect to feel them here. In California, you get under a door way. In D.C., apparently, you flee the building. After the quake, everyone was out on the streets. (Including me -- we'd just paid the bill at the restaurant and I had started to think about being trapped in the parking garage that went a few stories below the building. I've never had that issue in California.)

With an earthquake, there's no warning. Growing up, we always had earthquake kits. They contained flow sticks, foil blankets, food, first aid kits and water. We always had water around. When the big Northridge quake hit in 1994, we had our kits. The house didn't fall down (but the dead-bolted door swung open and walls, ceilings and floors cracked), so we had shelter and the food that was in the house. We lost power and water. We had to turn off the gas until we were sure there were no breaks in the line. We used water from the pool to drink (after boiling) and to flush the toilets. For the first few hours, we sat in the dark of the early morning as a family on the couch and rode out the aftershocks. Outside, dogs barked in a chorus. From the front yard, we could see thousands of stars in the sky. They no longer had to fight to be seen through the light pollution. On a nearby hill, a church was on fire.

Hurricanes give you time to prepare. With the weather service in place and emergency planning, no one should be surprised. Except maybe the birds -- who are battling the winds on their way to what I hope will be safe shelter. Ships go out to sea. Barrier islands are evacuated. People are moved to higher ground and away from coastlines. There's time to buy supplies and time to move. While flash floods and tornadoes can occur and take one by surprise, and while houses, memories and materials can be lost, a hurricane isn't such a scary disaster. I suppose that's why I'm so excited about it. I'm hoping for an awesome storm that maybe gives me a day or two off work. And some thunderstorms would be appreciated, too. I'll happily sit and stare out my window for the next few days as leaves fly off trees and the rain pours down.

I find myself comparing this storm to Ricardo, the fictitious hurricane of the future, and wondering if we'll ever see the kind of leadership that can turn the environmental, climate and energy situation around. The kind of leadership that sees the potential, that wants America to be at the forefront of technology and responsible action, wants to create jobs and new technology and not be a slave to fossil fuels or special interests or the climate disruption that come with it.

While an example of innovative leadership on energy and environmental issues still remains to be seen at the top levels, individual citizens are trying to fill the void. The same day that Irene came into being, protesters began engaging in civil disobedience outside of the White House to try to stop the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. 381 people who have used their bodies to stand up for the Earth (and the rest of us) have been arrested so far. Given a lack of top down leadership, we're going to need more people to stand up (or sit in) for what we believe in and work to make a better, healthier, greener and more equitable future possible.

Kayaking on the Potomac

2011-08-27T04:49:00.000+01:00

Hot and humid days are not unusual during a summer in the District of Columbia. They are to be expected and even dreaded. I enjoy them and the thunderstorms that come with them. One of my favorite ways to spend hot and humid days is on the water. I rent a kayak from Jack's in Georgetown and go paddling. A few weeks ago, in the midst of a heatwave, I went kayaking with a friend. 115 degree heat that's killer in the city with all the black top is manageable on the water. We paddled around Roosevelt Island for about an hour, enjoying the breeze, the scenery and the company. One of the things I like about D.C. is that there's so much nature and greenery integrated into it. Sometimes is strikes me how nature is all around. I was reminded of this when out of the corner of my eye, I spotted an osprey with a large fish in its beak looking for a branch to land on. I watched the bird for a while, carefully selecting the right tree before putting his beak to the fish and starting to eat. I don't know that I'd ever seen an osprey before that moment. I'd heard of them and had heard that one was nesting on a crane in the southeast of the city. What a treat to get a bit of wildlife in the city. That bird sighting was followed up with many turtle sightings on the way back to the dock.

Lightning Start

2011-03-22T02:34:00.000+00:00

Since the time change, mornings have been a bit bleaker and waking up a bit slower. Lights are needed to navigate through the dark closet. This morning, the sky turned on the lights for me. Passing thunderstorms are worth getting out of bed for.

Worms

2010-12-12T20:42:00.001+00:00

I took a trip down to North Carolina in September with some friends. They were headed down for a wedding and I took my dissertation along with me, hoping to write in the quiet of the North Carolina hills.We stayed at a beautiful house in the hills, a creek running down the hill beside it. It was a great place to spend the day outside, in the sunshine, and was a stark contrast from the place I was trying to write about: the Maldives.

I spent the day outside with the dogs, the trees, and the worms (pictured below). I learned what a buckeye is and enjoyed lounging on a giant trampoline. Excellent way to relax. Hope to be invited back.There's nothing like hanging out in the woods, surrounded by trees, bathing in sunshine, with the sound of birds and running water.

I think this one is a Canadian Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar. (reference: http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Caterpillars)


Inchworm

Treehouse


Hickory Tussock? (compare: http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Caterpillars)

Last Entry

2010-09-15T04:45:00.000+01:00

This is post number 200. Tomorrow is the 15th of September. I have met my goals. This evening, I mailed off my dissertation (2 copies, printed bound and offset) to the department administrator, and with that, I am no longer a student. Back to the real world and then off to work on Friday.

The past year has been challenging, mostly in unanticipated ways. The course was not what I wanted or expected. Still, good has come from it. The big paper I just submitted is one of those goods. Even if it's not particularly good as a piece of writing, it has been an educational experience, an exercise in discipline and focus, and an opportunity to try something new. This blog is another good thing. I began this blog as an exercise to make myself write about the ideas, themes, and theories I have encountered. It has been a lot of fun inventing topics and writing about the joys I experience as a result of the world around me. There are a few unwritten posts still lurking around and I aim to complete. I am sure this blog will continue, even if only sporadically, for a while. And maybe I'll get brave and post my paper.

Stay tuned. More rambling after a brief brain break.

Interview: IPCC Coordinating Lead Author

2010-09-10T20:07:00.000+01:00

Today I interviewed Dr. Pete Smith, Coordinating Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Fifth Assessment Review and professor at the University of Aberdeen. I wanted to better understand the Assessment Review process. I've been curious about how it all happens, from selection of scientists to published report. Dr. Smith was kind enough to walk me through the whole thing.

I think there's some suspicion about how these things are done. There seems to be a suggestion of a sinister nature or some less than scientific agenda that drives the reports. After hearing about it all, I am quite impressed with the process that these reports go through and I think if people knew about it, they'd probably be less suspicious of them.

About the IPCC

This body was established by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization with the purpose of being the leader in assessing climate change. In its efforts to do this, it releases assessment reports every five years which review the available literature on climate issues. Over two thousand volunteer scientists who officially and thousands more who unofficially, upon request, along with government agencies participate in the production of each report. All countries who are members of the United Nations and World Meterological Organization are welcome to partake. Scientists are nominated by their countries to participate in the writing of the report. The world’s leading scientists on the subject areas covered participate in areas of their expertise. The selection process is carefully designed to ensure balanced representation from developed and developing countries and to ensure that the report is as balanced and inclusive as possible. All peer-reviewed scientific studies are considered and included within the reports, even when two or more present conflicting findings. A scale of low to high confidence is used to help clarify the level of certainty in the statements made. There are two drafts which are circulated widely before a final draft is presented to the government bodies. The comments made on each draft must be addressed by the chapter’s lead authors before it can go to a second draft. Once the report is compiled by the scientists, it goes to the governments for acceptance, debate over language, the opportunities for countries to pick out specifics they disagree with, and then it is released to the general public. With all of the hands and eyes that work on the reports, it is nearly impossible to have them overly representative of one perspective.

Some climate skeptics and deniers call these reports alarmists, but in fact, being alarmist in the scientific community is looked down upon. The scientists who work on these reports are often conservative, not wanting to stick their necks out for fear of them being discredited potentially leading to an inability to continue working. Also, if extreme and unfounded views were being expressed, it would be picked up on by other authors, scientists and governments and would be addressed.

Recent events such as “Climate Gate” the leaking of e-mails from a leading climate research institute and a mistake about Himalayan glaciers melting have fueled skepticism, but neither invalidates the rest of the report as a whole, which consists of three volumes and few thousand pages. To date, it is the most comprehensive and authoritative document on climate change and will continue to be until the IPCC publishes the Fifth Assessment Report in 2012.

Attack of the Shield Bugs

2010-09-10T20:03:00.000+01:00

There are a few unwelcome visitors in my new apartment. 4 freaky shield bugs, aka stink bugs. Turns out, they're not only invaders in my house, they are also invaders in this country (hitched a ride from Asia). They creep me out. They're loud, clumsy, and like to fly back in the direction they've been pushed away from. So if you're trying to flick one off of something, careful, it'll come right back at you. I think the screens on this place must not be fit right because these freaky creatures are coming in. I caught two yesterday and two more today. They're being kept under glasses. The one I just caught is super aggressive and is making a ton of noise in his new cage. You can't smash them because they stink, so what do you do? Well, my plan is to keep them under the glass until they die and then I'll flush them down the toilet. Good thing glasses are the one thing we have extra of. In the old house, I'd take them outside, but that's a less attractive option in an apartment, when outside is down a long corridor and five flights of stairs. I do okay with most bugs, but these things are so totally gross they make me squeal (thank goodness no one is here to witness it). A friend of mine seemed to have a car infested with them. They'd crawl out of no where, especially in the warmth. No bugs in the morning, and 4 dead ones on the dash and two crawling up the windows in the afternoon. They'd crawl out of who knows where and tend to be exactly where you needed to put your hand--ie the steering wheel or the gear shifter. If you touch them, they fly at you. So you just have to avoid them and hope they don't fly at you while you're driving. And once one did. I was in the passenger's seat and either a window was rolled down or the air turned on and one flew right in my face and then into my hair and down my shirt. I was picking stink bug legs out of my hair for the rest of the ride. I hate these things and one day, when I grow up, I want to move to a place where they don't exist.

Creep yourself out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_marmorated_stink_bug

Explaining the Science bits

2010-09-02T05:38:00.001+01:00

I'm not a scientist. I'm not a scientific person. My last science class was about 10 years ago and it was in geography. I've never taken a biological, chemistry, or physics class in my life. I'm not bragging. I do feel that I'm missing out. My point is that this doesn't give me an advantage when it comes to translating scientific things into lay terms. It doesn't mean I can't do it or can't understand it, but it often takes a bit of extra effort and reading about the topic. I'm happy to put in the work, but it also delights me when I find explanations of things (terms, events, theories) that are comprehensible. Today, I found it very challenging to come up with a thorough definition of thermal expansion. It seems pretty straight forward, right? Things (not necessarily gasses since they can be compressed, or so one website told me) expand as they warm. It has something to do with the particles that make up the things moving at more rapid rates and needing more space to do so. My brain imagines this as particles bouncing off one another at an increasing speed meaning that the bounce back sends them further apart, and thus you have expansion. Whether or not this is the case, I cannot tell you. I am still searching for a thorough definition. If you have one, please share. Your help is appreciated. Bet one of these books would do it . . . .

The Suburbs

2010-08-31T20:39:00.000+01:00

I'm a bit uneasy living in the suburbs of Virginia. I'd much prefer to live in DC. I feel disconnected from everyone and everything. I looked up a trip on wmata.com and it said it'd take an hour to get from where I live to Alexandria. That's crazy. Of course, the feeling of being disconnected will improve once I get the bus system down and finish my dissertation so I can go out and interact with the world. There are some things that are making me feel more comfortable with my new location, namely the lighting bugs, the trees, and the cardinals. They're like little presents. This morning, there was a bright red cardinal on the branch outside my window this morning, chirping away. What a lovely sight for 7am. One of these days, I'm going to go park hunting. Until then, enjoying the view from my window.

Crossing Guard

2010-08-27T14:34:00.000+01:00

Today I assisted two Banded Woolly Bear Caterpillars across the road. I was out for one of my two daily walks--designed to make sure I'm getting outside and fresh air while being cooped up finishing my dissertation--when I saw the first. Woolly Bear Caterpillars are pretty big. They're fuzzy and black with a brown stripe across their midsections. Old wives' tales say that the length of their brown middle is related to the harshness of the upcoming winter. I'm quite happy to report that their brown middles were quite small in comparison to their black ends. If the caterpillars can predict it, this winter won't be as nasty and full of snow as last. (Sorry, government employees, no paid week of work due to snow.)

I laid down a stick to get the first caterpillar up and into a flower bed. He curled up when I laid him down and I stood around for a minute making sure he uncurled and continued on his way. No sticks in sight when I happened upon the second caterpillar, so I used a semi-dried and two-days cut piece of weed. It still had leaves on it. That made it hard to pick the caterpillar up since it was more interested in eating the leaves. But that was interesting, too. I watched it devour about 5 of the leaves before rolling it on to the stem and moving it to the grass where there were tons of leaves for it to munch. Watching it eat was interesting because you can't see it eat, but rather quickly the leave just sort of stops being there.

If my identification is right, then these little guys, providing they make it, will turn into Isabella Tiger moths. They'll overwinter in their caterpillar stages and sometime next spring start their transformation. Hope you make it, guys!

Some info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctiidae
http://www.asktheexterminator.com/Caterpillar/Woolly_Bear_Caterpillar.shtml

Do you hear what I hear?

2010-08-23T21:11:00.001+01:00

Spotted: the creature making the cawing sound in the tree tops around the neighborhood. I've been looking out for a few days now for birds, big birds, like birds of prey, strange birds--anything bird, really that's the source of the noise. Turns out all that noise comes from a black squirrel. I stared in disbelief as a black squirrel was coming down a tree, and the noise seemed to be moving with it. Is it a mating call? A cry? Heat stroke? How strange and new and exciting. City wildlife!

The black squirrel is my favorite type of squirrel. Its fur looks so much silkier than that of the grey squirrel. Turns out they're one and the same, just a darker pigmented version. I also learned two greys can produce a black. A grey and a black and produce a half and half--looks kind of like one of the milk/dark chocolate pastilles that Droste makes.Yum.

Sing away, squirrels. I'll be listening.

Fairy rings . . . and mushroom randomness

2010-08-21T13:12:00.000+01:00

Learning is exciting. The other day, I learned a new term: fairy ring. It's a circle of mushrooms. Mushrooms are the fruit of a fungus that grows beneath the surface of the ground.

The first one I saw was on the groups of the Apricot Centre. There was a near-complete circle of mushrooms at the edge of the orchard. The second one I saw was out my window in the Quays. It was less impressive: a few mushrooms and a dead spot. It was also a funky shape, much more amoeba like than circular.

It's mushroom time in DC, too. There are some really large ones around, thanks to the wet warm conditions. Last night, I saw what looked like the start of a fairy ring, but it was interrupted by cement.

I'd like to have the knowledge to go about picking wild mushrooms and not risk my health. I've been told that it used to be, at least in Europe, that you could take your pickings to the pharmacist who could sort out which was which and tell you the ones that were safe to eat.

Then, the other day, I heard about a guy who's growing mushrooms in his fridge. Not the throw-in-your-pasta sauce kind, but the magical variety. The lengths people go . . . . When I was at UEA, I used to hear stories about people who'd gone magic mushroom picking in the woods. Apparently, they grow naturally wild there. I suppose there are worse things one could do and at least it gets the kids outside.
http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4735253393075093930&postID=7357773752020649866
I have mixed feelings about mushrooms. I suppose it all comes down to how they are prepared and how much mushroom there is. Portobello is too much mushroom. Diced and in a sauce? Sounds nice. Smothered in garlic and butter? I could do with a few. Button mushrooms raw? If it were served to me. Stuffed mushrooms? I want to like them, but I'm just not that into them. I prefer to see them growing, in the ground, in random places, all different varieties. Mushrooms are fascinating, especially when they clean up toxic waste and cure smallpox.

Paul Stamets' Ted Talk

Organic confession

2010-08-20T15:56:00.000+01:00

There are some foods I find myself more comfortable eating if they were conventionally grown. Conventionally grown means pesticides have been used on them. Why? I don't like to have bugs in my food.

This seems like a horrible thing to admit, but I admit it. After picking a season's worth of raspberries infested with larvae, I find myself reaching for the non-organic berries in the store. While some might find the presence of a wormy thing a comforting sight as it indicates the presence of organic growth or at low pesticide use, it turns my stomach. And that's one of my flaws; it doesn't take much to turn my stomach.

There were many berries I picked that didn't seem to have a hint of bug presence and many of them were gorgeous, great smelling, bright red berries. Still, one worm and I lost interested. No way were any of those going to make their way into my mouth. I tried. Several times. I'd get an awesome looking berry, near perfect, with no signs of worm or pest. The berry would look clean inside and out, no holes, no spots, just perfect. I still had a hard time eating it. I'd pop one in my mouth and my tongue would be searching for the presence of a worm. I'd rather not eat something delicious than possibly eat a worm.

Anyway, I'm working on over-coming this fear. I hope to go out and buy more locally grown, farmers-market sold, organic things and support the local agriculture. I think all I need is a big of encouragement and a little distraction.

DC Delights

2010-08-19T22:09:00.000+01:00

Today's walk around the neighborhood featured funky houses, a black squirrel, butterflies, lavender, and a not-so-healthy looking tree full of sparrows, blending in as leaves. Also, the background noise of airplanes. The one downside to the Palisades neighborhood is that, as it borders the Potomac, it's right in the line of flight for planes landing at Reagan Airport (aka DCA). In addition to thinking about the noise pollution, how despite the beauty of the neighborhood, I probably wouldn't really like living there, and about the air pollution. Silly, I know. On the upside, I saw huge hibiscus flowers that were deep red and walked down streets I'd never visited before. So much to explore.