tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59059187020373553542024-02-07T14:41:37.686-08:00Born to ExploreUnplugging one kid at a timeRichard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-58821066914893184662009-07-27T13:01:00.000-07:002009-07-28T17:03:45.060-07:00The Soul of Seoul: A River Restoration Project with a Big ImpactBy guest blogger Nora Lewis Allen<br /><br />Recently in Seoul, South Korea, the government undertook a 384 million dollar project to uncover the Cheonggyecheon stream. The stream was the centerpiece of the Choson Dynasty 600 years ago and remained at the heart of Seoul city and culture until it was covered by an elevated highway.<br /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/NORAAL%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-5.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/NORAAL%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-6.jpg" alt="" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZZm4jVIpiqavKO_DZyO6hSmzSVjmhRrbwpNfYpviC7D6_S2Q8kJWV_q44lLh9G7lCvzkh9WU3LCIkGFw1GrDZX2Jz4znI8spVddrlcmQmeAUCpnQpmiOy-mzjlhztlJA1IbGWH-edQnE/s1600-h/cheonggyecheon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZZm4jVIpiqavKO_DZyO6hSmzSVjmhRrbwpNfYpviC7D6_S2Q8kJWV_q44lLh9G7lCvzkh9WU3LCIkGFw1GrDZX2Jz4znI8spVddrlcmQmeAUCpnQpmiOy-mzjlhztlJA1IbGWH-edQnE/s320/cheonggyecheon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363664935502715138" border="0" /></a>The newly uncovered Cheonggyecheon River<br /><br />The restoration project had numerous affects that were beneficial to not only the aesthetics of the city but the health of its residents as well. After removing three miles of elevated highway, the amount of air pollution in that section of the city went from 74 to 48 micrograms/m³. Moreover, the air temperature is now five degrees cooler in the area that surrounds the river.<br /><br />Though the environmental impact has been incredible, the human element of the project has been unprecedented. About 90,000 pedestrians visit and walk along-side the river per day and Lee In-keun, who headed the project, commented that by uncovering the Cheonggyecheon, Seoul “changed from a car-oriented city to a human-oriented city.”<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyC6Een5mJmbYcq68ryszPjvW2QkPKyjYg4qztT5BXPZl9zdFGgCmk_SuT2Mj5Ttfv9_MSjbYcvKLaWC7TYI43kTV73fYdpPq89AoAK40PX6WbqrgFCgMbKhpWjiUdazODxmlyuRx7tej/s1600-h/seoul+stream.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 177px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyC6Een5mJmbYcq68ryszPjvW2QkPKyjYg4qztT5BXPZl9zdFGgCmk_SuT2Mj5Ttfv9_MSjbYcvKLaWC7TYI43kTV73fYdpPq89AoAK40PX6WbqrgFCgMbKhpWjiUdazODxmlyuRx7tej/s320/seoul+stream.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363665322594578066" border="0" /></a>River patrons enjoy the stream<br /><br />Restoration projects like that of the Cheonggyecheon River are popping up all over the world. In Yonkers, New York they are currently raising funds to uncover the Saw Mill River. Also, the recent restoration of the Manhattan High Line has turned the old railroad into a beautiful and extremely popular park.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDyqoXvAS4Tb3C9jeC-UHqnvMo1VORQarDq4jzwdKF5-iJT7VXMq49Ti0gybPmFyrDH__JZGBbJNq_iCrUCwxTKF_s_7gKnnjp3QQK6JL_NVbwlulsyMTEY8sb89BxbtIop_7LM64fWE3/s1600-h/high-line.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDyqoXvAS4Tb3C9jeC-UHqnvMo1VORQarDq4jzwdKF5-iJT7VXMq49Ti0gybPmFyrDH__JZGBbJNq_iCrUCwxTKF_s_7gKnnjp3QQK6JL_NVbwlulsyMTEY8sb89BxbtIop_7LM64fWE3/s320/high-line.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363665547049326466" border="0" /></a>The newly restored Manhattan High Line<br /><br />These projects show a new drive to bring more beauty and natural elements to cities, and prove that you don’t have to sacrifice the pleasure of being outdoors while living in the city. Not only is there a proliferation of new parks, but people are visiting them in the thousands, substantiating the idea that no matter where you are there is always a new place to explore.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGhnG0ZjjC_6ZYALztRALJDvJXoeeZIgRG3j2l42V0tjokSSaKSgvhSFZdoN1aCrGCIAvPuYtnu45rVrXx5-TsCooFVFqOe1CxWp0Thv8Ks4YxUDNfiVd0-D1MQ_aP_1jntbU0QhvnSdt/s1600-h/central-park-new-york-wallpaper.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGhnG0ZjjC_6ZYALztRALJDvJXoeeZIgRG3j2l42V0tjokSSaKSgvhSFZdoN1aCrGCIAvPuYtnu45rVrXx5-TsCooFVFqOe1CxWp0Thv8Ks4YxUDNfiVd0-D1MQ_aP_1jntbU0QhvnSdt/s320/central-park-new-york-wallpaper.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363665751194520466" border="0" /></a>Manhattan's Central Park, a mecca for urban outdoor enthusiastsRichard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-54848003955937498392009-07-25T13:01:00.000-07:002009-07-25T13:19:20.850-07:00Don’t let the sun burn and the bugs bite!
<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link style="font-family: arial;" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><span style="text-decoration: underline;">By guest blogger - Cassandra Lobo
<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yRipSvPI56hrt7Pk2fQe3VI84muFQ73Kqq4WWOtqCpp_IKVCN3JG82FetrJxbmpP3iYpomOlSTMC2edwybN57qlPAqVpv97Fm0JQojbjiV8oJOxNHjRVark-6aa_7DbAdahUeOdFWgL5/s1600-h/summer_sun.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 125px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yRipSvPI56hrt7Pk2fQe3VI84muFQ73Kqq4WWOtqCpp_IKVCN3JG82FetrJxbmpP3iYpomOlSTMC2edwybN57qlPAqVpv97Fm0JQojbjiV8oJOxNHjRVark-6aa_7DbAdahUeOdFWgL5/s320/summer_sun.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362490873249515234" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >The summer season is arguably the most relaxing and enjoyed seasons of them all. The summer season brings with it a handful of outdoor picnics, sun bathing at the beach, and family camping trips. Although summer time is when the living is easy, there are some precautions one should take before stepping outdoors.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> <a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2k3VDWTLh3P9pqe0hWfDTOo3JI8liKreKEDtTls3meZGzmJyflXYS1HwZmDt6XQ0avTOvQHa7Uk4Qvfhq8EK9KZjof6BFKa7McKTRhn01CNQfkQNiUoC9pioyw4Hu8hzTVqmiizUnCQTg/s1600-h/summer_outdoors.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2k3VDWTLh3P9pqe0hWfDTOo3JI8liKreKEDtTls3meZGzmJyflXYS1HwZmDt6XQ0avTOvQHa7Uk4Qvfhq8EK9KZjof6BFKa7McKTRhn01CNQfkQNiUoC9pioyw4Hu8hzTVqmiizUnCQTg/s320/summer_outdoors.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362490822322627890" border="0" /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--></a></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link style="font-family: arial;" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >Anyone who knows me or even simply just read my Ninja Sun Hat blog, know that I am an avid sun worshiper. Extremely bad and dangerous addiction … I know, I know! No need to preach to this choir! Although a golden tan may look appealing, the actuality of what a sun tan is is far from attractive. When skin is exposed to the sun, it protects it’s self from the harmful ultraviolet rays by creating a brown-colored pigment called melanin. This process is extremely dangerous and harmful to your skin</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">.</span></span>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazVjcIXD_oT0gRhGErNUWu3De3klFmMyvOY4Rqg1fQFz7tHG2nOxPIJUi6YFreJaTOnRA5ZJiT-LJ_vMK6NskKReHuCT84GoKNrYRIfC23lH1GxS0zdN1ZxCpHOFaKhjWMbIv9EsJFaPc/s1600-h/uv_ray_graphic_560w.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 294px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazVjcIXD_oT0gRhGErNUWu3De3klFmMyvOY4Rqg1fQFz7tHG2nOxPIJUi6YFreJaTOnRA5ZJiT-LJ_vMK6NskKReHuCT84GoKNrYRIfC23lH1GxS0zdN1ZxCpHOFaKhjWMbIv9EsJFaPc/s320/uv_ray_graphic_560w.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362491430612533138" border="0" /></a>
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<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Sun burn is also commonly taken for a common, unimportant issue. Truth be told, it is extremely serious and should not be taken lightly. Sun burn is simply a burn from the powerful UV rays. The outer layer of skin on your body, called the epidermis, contains dead cells. But just below the dead cells is a layer of living cells. By sitting in the sun, you expose yourself to ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light has the ability to kill cells. When Ultraviolet light hits the layer of living cells in the epidermis it damages and kills. The body’s reaction to repair the dead cells is to increase the blood flow in the affected area. It opens up capillary walls allowing white blood cells to enter and remove the damaged cells. The increased blood flow makes your skin warm and red, also known as “sunburn”.</span></p>
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEs2jTGdoL5L4srMYGwL_gkw_cPrPsatMVvbk_LO__cB7owXlZhnXPAp6cq6IlmU3ieplEjOcMGDj6DpGvPNZqc_jUTOfHh1ApE9_ehwHict2QbAiqK2jcvQi-gTrOI5TTHFS7z3ZEYhEC/s1600-h/sunburn-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEs2jTGdoL5L4srMYGwL_gkw_cPrPsatMVvbk_LO__cB7owXlZhnXPAp6cq6IlmU3ieplEjOcMGDj6DpGvPNZqc_jUTOfHh1ApE9_ehwHict2QbAiqK2jcvQi-gTrOI5TTHFS7z3ZEYhEC/s320/sunburn-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362490932601019394" border="0" /></a>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Before heading outdoors, don’t forget to apply a sunscreen with an SPF of atleast 20! If sunburn does get the best of you, here are some very useful tips that can help soothe any burn:</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">-Hydrate, Hydrate,HYDRATE! .. A great, refreshing drink to enjoy while the sunburn is not so pleasant is: equal parts of pineapple and black cherry juice. The pineapple juice contains an ingredient, called bromelain, which is a substance helpful for reducing inflammation. The black cherry juice contains an antioxidant, called anthocyanins, which helps the body relieve inflammation. Drink two or three cups daily to allow the burn to cool</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <span style=";font-family:";font-size:12;" ><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >-Apply a thin layer of plain yogurt on to the burn. The yogurt must contain live cultures. This will help cool the
<br />burn.
<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mFJoy1tkh0D48ZeCgazgXy6wcLuM4UWL3X9DpeHalkTKRiUMUCssFnxAkQ0-FebvN6g4P1j0Gjx2DgGn-4uaI5_RBjhjEotnvA4V1ygXni_r78eEym9ERcSLbbFu3h7b3fdBrytqfdho/s1600-h/060605_sunscreen_vmed_1p.widec.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mFJoy1tkh0D48ZeCgazgXy6wcLuM4UWL3X9DpeHalkTKRiUMUCssFnxAkQ0-FebvN6g4P1j0Gjx2DgGn-4uaI5_RBjhjEotnvA4V1ygXni_r78eEym9ERcSLbbFu3h7b3fdBrytqfdho/s320/060605_sunscreen_vmed_1p.widec.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362493720859110322" border="0" /></a>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:2; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 268435456 0 0 -2147483648 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:1136067903; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:-814695394 599544406 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-start-at:0; mso-level-number-format:bullet; mso-level-text:-; mso-level-tab-stop:.5in; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Summer’s unwelcomed guests can also be another picnic ruiner. During the summer months, bug spray is a necessity and should always be applied when outdoors. Fleas, ticks, and bees are be quite pesky during these months. It is humans versus bugs and, unfortunately, most of the time we are not the winners. Here are some quick anti-itch remedies for when the bug wins the battle:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">-<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span><!--[endif]-->Apply honey to a bug bite to bring relief and prevent infections. Honey has long been known for its antibiotic purposes. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">-<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span><!--[endif]-->Be as cool as a cucumber. Place cucumber skins on top of the bites to soothe the itching irritation. You <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">can also cut round slices from a fresh eggplant and place on top of the bite to draw out toxins and appease irritation.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in; font-family: arial;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-size:100%;" >-<span style=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:100%;">Apply tea tree oil to bites every 2 to 3 hours to relieve itching and aid healing. Tea tree oil possesses antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial actions and has been recognized by recent studies as playing a supportive role in skin care.</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" ><span style="">
<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in; font-family: arial;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" ><span style=""> - </span>For flea bites, soaking in a warm bath of Epsom salts and baking soda can ease itching.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AdUkA6oFdfpL6dKVaPVEEOWAic57oYoeHhw1EloQqBRBQHQI4X_E9Q7DNQ-A3nRnTyY2ReC1CD9TRkOoDttNUCiogGkgfRgJ1B5Qm2zntkA-RAnbfRqWhKUlUmD744LwqTdCNY6TDD1q/s1600-h/mosquito_malaria.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AdUkA6oFdfpL6dKVaPVEEOWAic57oYoeHhw1EloQqBRBQHQI4X_E9Q7DNQ-A3nRnTyY2ReC1CD9TRkOoDttNUCiogGkgfRgJ1B5Qm2zntkA-RAnbfRqWhKUlUmD744LwqTdCNY6TDD1q/s320/mosquito_malaria.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362494676145677746" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /><span style=";font-family:";font-size:12;" ></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal">If your summer includes relaxing on the beach, canoeing down the river, or just playing in your local park, make sure to pack some summer necessities. A well–planned survival kit, such as the Altoid Survival Tin mentioned in “Born to Explore, can ensure that you have a fun and healthy outdoor experience! </p> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:12;" ></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mFJoy1tkh0D48ZeCgazgXy6wcLuM4UWL3X9DpeHalkTKRiUMUCssFnxAkQ0-FebvN6g4P1j0Gjx2DgGn-4uaI5_RBjhjEotnvA4V1ygXni_r78eEym9ERcSLbbFu3h7b3fdBrytqfdho/s1600-h/060605_sunscreen_vmed_1p.widec.jpg"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; 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mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; 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panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:2; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 268435456 0 0 -2147483648 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:1136067903; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:-814695394 599544406 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-start-at:0; mso-level-number-format:bullet; mso-level-text:-; mso-level-tab-stop:.5in; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style=";font-family:";font-size:12;" ></span></a></p>Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-24452629139240494122009-07-17T09:12:00.000-07:002009-07-17T09:26:20.131-07:00Young People, Big Adventures<em>by Guest Blogger Lucy Mele</em> <div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgex7u8YXzdkgNU-Pk9eMCa5-hu3wSyb5EM8zTqils2glNUdgujARL3I0AcLDc3fok90w_y1lJACzdE8ey46D5Rl-DbAUnxJ2JFOCA9NkBTxMMBTLPSJ4acOwf8HDF-kiuY2UzA5ry1_puY/s1600-h/USA+045.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359465177837275954" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgex7u8YXzdkgNU-Pk9eMCa5-hu3wSyb5EM8zTqils2glNUdgujARL3I0AcLDc3fok90w_y1lJACzdE8ey46D5Rl-DbAUnxJ2JFOCA9NkBTxMMBTLPSJ4acOwf8HDF-kiuY2UzA5ry1_puY/s320/USA+045.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Author on an adventure at Age 22</div><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday, 17-year-old Zac Sunderland finished a 13-month solo sailing trip around the world, making him the youngest person in history to independently circumnavigate the globe.<br />Throughout his trip, the teenager endured more trials than most people do in a lifetime: bad storms, long periods without sleep, and even a brief encounter with pirates in the Indian Ocean (luckily, he was able to put a call into Australian authorities using a satellite phone and had a loaded pistol at the ready in case he was approached).<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGapu-Z3dax09QDrGuwFBpbQCuwsjP9FWOPM5rtshJG-St2TIvZFlButNUZeHUDh1mUIXmCvDCQdz-Q9JYAVVDAZyw1O2Jf4OBSiS8RtqvgEgYMjg2rC9q4TiGCOK6_aGmQAHy9RZTGGkF/s1600-h/art_sunderland_ypwr.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359463439915986354" style="WIDTH: 292px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 219px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGapu-Z3dax09QDrGuwFBpbQCuwsjP9FWOPM5rtshJG-St2TIvZFlButNUZeHUDh1mUIXmCvDCQdz-Q9JYAVVDAZyw1O2Jf4OBSiS8RtqvgEgYMjg2rC9q4TiGCOK6_aGmQAHy9RZTGGkF/s320/art_sunderland_ypwr.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div>17-year-old Zac Sunderland on his boat<br /><br />Zac’s journey is an incredible story, but the coolest thing about it is that it’s not the only one of its kind. Since the beginning of time, amazing things have been accomplished by young people with big goals and the confidence and determination to see them through.<br /><br />Take Richard, for example, whose lifelong passion for science and exploration all began when he climbed to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro – at age 11. Since then, he’s discovered hundreds of new forms of life, in areas as diverse as Ethiopia and New York City’s Central Park, and, in 2002, became the youngest-ever president of the Explorer’s Club.<br /><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbd2GbfrwH8UQqe8xYFS_FJKxpMLSYlj_bjenpMnFW5r7ACYWqLVIqrtHfcmN9M8LokIFsKBi13yXaJqb0Xk6PRdX8tu5CO9VB6OIypyVqQt1E8GMW79Uos3yY1vUS550jOIbb92RigamN/s1600-h/DSC01487.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359463902169772882" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbd2GbfrwH8UQqe8xYFS_FJKxpMLSYlj_bjenpMnFW5r7ACYWqLVIqrtHfcmN9M8LokIFsKBi13yXaJqb0Xk6PRdX8tu5CO9VB6OIypyVqQt1E8GMW79Uos3yY1vUS550jOIbb92RigamN/s320/DSC01487.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>Richard teaching some Boy Scouts all he's learned about science<br /></div><div><br />There’s also Maggie Doyne, who took a gap year after high school to backpack the Himalayas and never left. She was touched by the number of orphans she saw, and decided to take her life savings to build an orphanage and a school. I saw her at this year’s Do Something awards, where she took the top prize – a $100,000 grant to continue the work she began when she was just 17 years old.<br /><br />I remember growing up, when adults would ask what you wanted to be someday, everyone had these great, big dreams of becoming an astronaut or a professional sports player or President of the United States. Somewhere along the way, for most people, these dreams faded to make room for more practical goals and the lofty ideas of “changing the world” became intangible and unrealistic. </div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-q5Il_-XYj-MctaBKa3ume6Wqw3HmDwMAxOCgyC4B-EkmrnTIGXddugqnRJWuWfuor5NiMgc53UfupZK6-f8Nrl1UNW3FCk8ZA8lgPG9On9H5qszCxXrzsGdOsttepXIDBgbFixE4nHP/s1600-h/DSC_0055%5B2%5D.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359464512249053330" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 210px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-q5Il_-XYj-MctaBKa3ume6Wqw3HmDwMAxOCgyC4B-EkmrnTIGXddugqnRJWuWfuor5NiMgc53UfupZK6-f8Nrl1UNW3FCk8ZA8lgPG9On9H5qszCxXrzsGdOsttepXIDBgbFixE4nHP/s320/DSC_0055%5B2%5D.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>Budding Scientists and Explorers in Central Park</div><div><br />So, when Zac arrived to cheering crowds in California yesterday, he had some great advice for other people his age who might be struggling with whether or not to pursue their goals:<br />"I think society puts young people in a box…and does not expect them to do much but go to high school and play football and stuff like that. This just shows they can do a lot more with some strong ambition and desire. My [advice] is to get out there and do your thing with all you got."</div></div>Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-4266571289127980082009-07-16T19:19:00.000-07:002009-07-16T19:45:01.499-07:00Squid Invasion<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">by guest blogger Cassandra Lobo</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl3vH0h4FCNs77o54kG8tgBwr61ntapttBAHKb9NpippLT98D7XUQgEjxdp5F9m86ya0qALsgAynpwtJtSk92OEl1DBTknBbp5jHqDFQ6v5XsW9pqTN674lwGUnL92XB0qvjIxTR59Z6U/s1600-h/la-jolla-shores-north.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl3vH0h4FCNs77o54kG8tgBwr61ntapttBAHKb9NpippLT98D7XUQgEjxdp5F9m86ya0qALsgAynpwtJtSk92OEl1DBTknBbp5jHqDFQ6v5XsW9pqTN674lwGUnL92XB0qvjIxTR59Z6U/s320/la-jolla-shores-north.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359251846234271650" border="0" /></a>Things seemed a little fishy last Saturday in San Diego, California. This previous Saturday, a 4.0 earthquake struck the coast of San Diego. Earthquakes are very common in this area, however what happened afterwards was quite bizarre. Minutes after the earthquake had struck, dozens of dazed Humboldt squid were found lining the La Jolla Shore beach. These particular squids were about 4 feet long and weighed nearly 40 pounds.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsNL5MZZrldCJsRkjJX5UoOJqni5ywKIvTcreNUWwW6TDvAMcpJP3352CtTHVfFqhKgpBBvTeSjCvriE603naM1wNFV1UYQB7tlDIbsniK14ROarmIRQiIMLvAVDrgtS2UqpsJIE7e_mB/s1600-h/B21FD787-C685-1136-E9257CF1AA371EF8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsNL5MZZrldCJsRkjJX5UoOJqni5ywKIvTcreNUWwW6TDvAMcpJP3352CtTHVfFqhKgpBBvTeSjCvriE603naM1wNFV1UYQB7tlDIbsniK14ROarmIRQiIMLvAVDrgtS2UqpsJIE7e_mB/s320/B21FD787-C685-1136-E9257CF1AA371EF8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359252546179941506" border="0" /></a>Many questions were arising after this peculiar squid incident that occurred. Why were these squids washed up on the shore? Did the earthquake cause the squids to become disoriented? Was the pH level after the quake too high for these water bound creatures? Or was simply just a coincidence? The level 4 earthquake that struck may have played a factor with the squids washing up on shore. The earthquake had hit approximately 20 miles from the La Jolla shore. When an earthquake strikes, there is a shift of continental crust which causes a shock wave. These shock waves are what we feel. The shock waves that were produced in this particular earthquake traveled through the ocean and caused harm to some of our sea life. Many fish and sea life have sensors that are able to feel pressure and direction. These sensors are very similar to those contained in the human ear. The Humboldt squid may have experienced damage to their sensors during the earthquake. Humboldt squid generally stay in waters that are 660–2,300 ft, but with the damage caused to their sensors, the squid became extremely disorientated and were unable to navigate correctly, causing them to wash up on shore.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxgDMU-ISsLCfJg6b7H1xj8X-MrucuNs4nFXIS8_AN_KLgIeTc2FJ-ZD-FumgS5sHy3rGIzQdT6w0suBIALXuy3uw17e4BhnftKUd1GKxENXJiLwA6421rznyY9YWDLAxW5vLXCNz1Vvx/s1600-h/ew090717i.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 287px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxgDMU-ISsLCfJg6b7H1xj8X-MrucuNs4nFXIS8_AN_KLgIeTc2FJ-ZD-FumgS5sHy3rGIzQdT6w0suBIALXuy3uw17e4BhnftKUd1GKxENXJiLwA6421rznyY9YWDLAxW5vLXCNz1Vvx/s320/ew090717i.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359252005060829874" border="0" /></a>Another possibility for these sea creatures squirming around the La Jolla shore may have been due to the pH level. The gases released from the earthquake could have caused the pH level to increase. Humboldt Squid are very sensitive to pH. They need more oxygen during daylight than any other animal in the sea, according to scientists at University of Rhode Island. Squid now appear to be joining the list of marine creatures that are at risk from rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As the oceans absorb some of this CO2 load, pH levels drop, and the water becomes more acidic. A test done by Brad Seibel, of the University of Rhode Island, was done to see if pH really did play a factor to squid. He netted 86 jumbo squid in the Gulf of California and placed each squid in different a water-filled container, that varied in temperature, oxygen and CO2 levels. The results showed that when facing high CO2 levels, the creatures became 45% less active.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlhmddeAfcLnUpIkVifQP6JzMCwe_BAJdU4fHv-2RMuZwCISoyHQPD1Kil2cYsQYMI0589n9Z49FKOQZEN-9B__yQalIHTGg7GvS6_6RCXnuobndmzWYvEw4WjbvKsWYjGV08XK8iRaFb/s1600-h/squid.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 175px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlhmddeAfcLnUpIkVifQP6JzMCwe_BAJdU4fHv-2RMuZwCISoyHQPD1Kil2cYsQYMI0589n9Z49FKOQZEN-9B__yQalIHTGg7GvS6_6RCXnuobndmzWYvEw4WjbvKsWYjGV08XK8iRaFb/s320/squid.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359251899548173298" border="0" /></a>Another theory is the change in water temperature. The San Diego area has experienced a lot of cold water coming up to the shore. Cold water has been known to bring a lot of nutrients and life, causing the squid to follow the food supply.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdXWsqZZAoL19Vy4FL1lAMf4eB-FZCFd9mtBWhv2imvDo41-rHAKgNhlP-uW5_sRvWIqS9i2zrqut2W0WVdFVB-DB2RhFpdg8rLg3A736O9kr5vnPux4o-dBnco7imE15VkWj9V3_7V2g/s1600-h/2364949740_f23057e8b3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdXWsqZZAoL19Vy4FL1lAMf4eB-FZCFd9mtBWhv2imvDo41-rHAKgNhlP-uW5_sRvWIqS9i2zrqut2W0WVdFVB-DB2RhFpdg8rLg3A736O9kr5vnPux4o-dBnco7imE15VkWj9V3_7V2g/s320/2364949740_f23057e8b3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359252666356828626" border="0" /></a><br />In the end there are only theories as to what exactly happened, and exactly how the earthquake affected the squid. What is quite obvious, however, is that we still have quite a bit to learn, and in the end we are equivalent to a nine year old wondering why the tides go in and out. Really, it's quite humbling to realize that we can't even comprehend thoroughly the hardships that a squid endures.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl3vH0h4FCNs77o54kG8tgBwr61ntapttBAHKb9NpippLT98D7XUQgEjxdp5F9m86ya0qALsgAynpwtJtSk92OEl1DBTknBbp5jHqDFQ6v5XsW9pqTN674lwGUnL92XB0qvjIxTR59Z6U/s1600-h/la-jolla-shores-north.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl3vH0h4FCNs77o54kG8tgBwr61ntapttBAHKb9NpippLT98D7XUQgEjxdp5F9m86ya0qALsgAynpwtJtSk92OEl1DBTknBbp5jHqDFQ6v5XsW9pqTN674lwGUnL92XB0qvjIxTR59Z6U/s320/la-jolla-shores-north.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359251846234271650" border="0" /></a></span>Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-84625432087801144422009-07-16T11:06:00.000-07:002009-07-16T12:10:21.053-07:00Too cool to burn? Wrong.<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> by guest blogger: Cassandra Lobo</span></p>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3l5gCCAm14OCGVTIDmCEMjk3UCN5uXbVyBgZsp7qyEBFKeiLPJFiN8eN1NY1hPRIOa73qr6pgPIkphG7A6A7IwXFJGWMrbGC0iiQrKGe2JGssQhA4R-gKYmA52YG_Ktc-HmogINoJm_I/s1600-h/PicForNewsletterCTBAILEYBEACH.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3l5gCCAm14OCGVTIDmCEMjk3UCN5uXbVyBgZsp7qyEBFKeiLPJFiN8eN1NY1hPRIOa73qr6pgPIkphG7A6A7IwXFJGWMrbGC0iiQrKGe2JGssQhA4R-gKYmA52YG_Ktc-HmogINoJm_I/s320/PicForNewsletterCTBAILEYBEACH.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359136606739105778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype>Summer is finally here! … Well at least on some days it is!</span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style=";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">The weather here in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Connecticut</st1:place></st1:state> has been extremely random the last few months. It is constantly jumping from 85 degrees one day and, without warning, 65 degrees the next. Saturday’s weather was warm enough for the beach (or so we thought!) therefore my mom, aunt, four year old cousin, and I headed down the street to the beach. The constant wind at the beach made it a bit chilly and not desirable beach weather. After debating if we should go back home where it was much warmer or stay at the not so pleasant beach, the stubbornness of three women struck and leaving the beach was not an option. Occupying my time and trying to take my mind off my goose bumps, I adventured to the shore of the water to build sand castles with my cousin.</span>
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<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqSbtwPE5PIW0prWVSW9Eh0BmG88pax154kB9OlADJpJWdf8KrA9M0T7T4mWjuRq32N2BK5xp6gu2iphnc-t98OpYZBV-MP5_MHMSipYXzlHqQqFS_tifs1u1YJYMStW4tRsXhWIzDG7x/s1600-h/sandcastle_web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqSbtwPE5PIW0prWVSW9Eh0BmG88pax154kB9OlADJpJWdf8KrA9M0T7T4mWjuRq32N2BK5xp6gu2iphnc-t98OpYZBV-MP5_MHMSipYXzlHqQqFS_tifs1u1YJYMStW4tRsXhWIzDG7x/s320/sandcastle_web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359135278376350050" border="0" /></a></p> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">The majority of the shore was lined with breeding horseshoe crabs. The pesky kids next to us were throwing rocks at the ancient creatures (did you know horse shoe crabs predate the dinosaurs!?) which really troubled me. These harmless creatures were helpless for they could not defend themselves against the problematic children. Not long after, the lifeguard on duty came to the horseshoe crab’s rescue and put an end to the children’s uncaring behavior. I sat and chatted with the lifeguard and learned that horseshoe crabs are endangered species and the beach is doing all they can to prevent any harm to the creatures.</p>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFVDjPyNbAt4vnEuQ3kmDowEYT9WN72qM2bGKXtmM0I5EmozWBVuVqs1GehcmjckflDgLxC8Efw1e_huWCCuPIyM7RjH5eM6_nzenrcqfHb8iGtDB-_dwDawlv6zgS_bn6y9oxghdAivR/s1600-h/Horse_shoe_crabs_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFVDjPyNbAt4vnEuQ3kmDowEYT9WN72qM2bGKXtmM0I5EmozWBVuVqs1GehcmjckflDgLxC8Efw1e_huWCCuPIyM7RjH5eM6_nzenrcqfHb8iGtDB-_dwDawlv6zgS_bn6y9oxghdAivR/s320/Horse_shoe_crabs_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359131897827214802" border="0" /></a><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">I learned some other very interesting facts about horseshoe crabs. A horseshoe crab actually can see UV light with its ten eyes. The horseshoe crabs you see resting on the shore of the beach are all adults. Younger horseshoe crabs live on the intertidal flats and spend most of their day buried underneath the sand. The horse crab education session and sand building fiasco turned into a two hour ordeal and by that time it was time to head back home. While walking home, I noticed that my face and shoulders felt a tad taut, but I did not think much of it. </p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUJvwIk0bimbZuywhLejOWH9vc7AaQvIdvNb0Lj-89D00fd8hs1lGQlbOAa_LHP-mrJlEw4__bcA11Mf55H1gJYJPciY3yvdz35ZoZtfMusZSppr5AAasP4HRin53sg_623zXwUztakVt/s1600-h/33-28-HorseshoeCrabs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUJvwIk0bimbZuywhLejOWH9vc7AaQvIdvNb0Lj-89D00fd8hs1lGQlbOAa_LHP-mrJlEw4__bcA11Mf55H1gJYJPciY3yvdz35ZoZtfMusZSppr5AAasP4HRin53sg_623zXwUztakVt/s320/33-28-HorseshoeCrabs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359137170458656722" border="0" /></a>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">I arrived home only to look in the mirror to see my upper body a dazzling shade of fire engine red…except it was definitely not dazzling. In fact, it was quite unpleasant, painful, and extremely sore.<span style=""> </span>I spent the next couple of hours applying foul smelling aloe hoping the shade of red would tone down. Unfortunately I still resembled a lobster and wished I would have applied sun block. Who thinks of sunscreen when the temperature barely broke 70 degrees? I guess I under estimated the power of the sun!
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YiVdDo6KcBaDY2eHrxesWnZXEbGNo4NBlmnHVx3o2amt5Iwqu0t2OcDnZrF_gTP0gWMD8Ksg5ZYS4z3qhPEIN0pOON_ZMq65mRGKYC2Vwy8B2UvFWopONXghkoAYB81ssXbBwNRSUoNm/s1600-h/connecticut-beaches.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YiVdDo6KcBaDY2eHrxesWnZXEbGNo4NBlmnHVx3o2amt5Iwqu0t2OcDnZrF_gTP0gWMD8Ksg5ZYS4z3qhPEIN0pOON_ZMq65mRGKYC2Vwy8B2UvFWopONXghkoAYB81ssXbBwNRSUoNm/s320/connecticut-beaches.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359131743735569970" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal">The ninja sun hat mentioned in “Born to Explore” would have been the perfect solution to this awful sunburn. The ninja sun hat is extremely easy to create but makes all the difference when out in the sun. It is created by strategically placing a basic t-shirt on your head to protect your face and neck from the blistering sun. The way the t-shirt is placed on your head resembles a ninja hat which is not only a great way to protect yourself from the sun but also a great costume idea. Oh what an adventurous day at the beach! After experiencing this horrible sunburn, I will never again forget my sunscreen or ninja sunhat!</p> <p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9z8aC0S7OMYXuWBlU2x9MaJ-ItsAivLFoZzyWYbYPmtGojihp63B2QQ5l4qCJZ25pqz9bZ5A9V9dUXYctpIl9yw-cf1MkNaAEn2F_asTrPRkznqN1uB9IKLzkD5ESJWgaUbxuDuU_8vD/s1600-h/4912_1073538639098_1245132820_30180020_287940_n.jpg">
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<br />Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-54562956913630289402009-07-07T19:34:00.000-07:002009-07-07T20:24:38.091-07:00Fireflies - A Summer's Delight!<span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --></style><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><span style="text-decoration: underline;">By Guest Blogger- Cassandra Lobo
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<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94LCQIu5WV4JUwu-1E9UE4P4cDaWzjOEpdH2tmBBGoD8dUkZLICVk6Wxn5plS3pJjQOiVb_XFpGI8m5ukTmRza88QwhFgDaHiYIBE02IXcM13VFxEgqYmV_D7yZYP07-lTO6OysTQx1YD/s1600-h/firefly-light-under.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94LCQIu5WV4JUwu-1E9UE4P4cDaWzjOEpdH2tmBBGoD8dUkZLICVk6Wxn5plS3pJjQOiVb_XFpGI8m5ukTmRza88QwhFgDaHiYIBE02IXcM13VFxEgqYmV_D7yZYP07-lTO6OysTQx1YD/s320/firefly-light-under.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355923615940598770" border="0" /></a></span>
<br /><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" >Did you know that fireflies are actually a beetle? I’ve always been amazed by those remarkable insects and until recently did not know much about them. I forgot how amazing fireflies were until the other night when I let my dogs outside to play in the yard. My dog, Hope, was carefully inspecting around her and would erratically jump into the air. I smirked at her curiousness, but had no idea what she was doing. After watching for a few seconds (and after thinking she was just plain crazy!) I saw what was keeping her occupied. She had found a firefly, but was confused when its light had gone out and could no longer find it! Intrigued by these creatures I quickly jumped onto the computer to learn more about them.</span><span style="font-size:85%;">
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkbvI8q6-oIP-JZqOnsRoesYTAQ1VJYDatI7PBs-EJyV5wyroYnuL6aNMG9LzcrsKYWhY3OOMMahj9eRnO99L19mz6FjXE_5zLjsH9XbnXuDWfGbZckIqoPo7YgE3PXYAwqiX9adYXEem/s1600-h/firefly1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkbvI8q6-oIP-JZqOnsRoesYTAQ1VJYDatI7PBs-EJyV5wyroYnuL6aNMG9LzcrsKYWhY3OOMMahj9eRnO99L19mz6FjXE_5zLjsH9XbnXuDWfGbZckIqoPo7YgE3PXYAwqiX9adYXEem/s320/firefly1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355919770930280114" border="0" /></a>
<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" >The life of a firefly is relatively romantic. The male firefly flickers its best flash through the dark summer sky in hopes to find a soul mate. Female fireflies stay closer to the ground and will flash in response if interested. This courtship usually occurs from May through August. There are various different species of these twinkling insects, and like a potato chip, each specie produces the different patterns of flashes. Female fireflies are able to mimic up to 11 different species flash patterns in order to lure males in. Fireflies are able to produce light because they have a light- emitting organ in their lower abdomen. The light is produced by a chemical reaction involving a special protein, a pigment called luciferin, and oxygen. The protein, called luciferase, acts as an enzyme, starting the chemical reaction that generates light.</span><span style="font-size:85%;">
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQQr9wOXwNqVbYRvxQdwMFGBocSQ234AttXJWA58Ne2s_u2RwXwKTq4vnCFbr0WqyJmmK41GxVCxg74FBfkmVsycuRdQSe2V5_tFMLJgHfGpBONVs0EOai8Xfv77vP3foVySQ76v40WxV/s1600-h/firefly.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQQr9wOXwNqVbYRvxQdwMFGBocSQ234AttXJWA58Ne2s_u2RwXwKTq4vnCFbr0WqyJmmK41GxVCxg74FBfkmVsycuRdQSe2V5_tFMLJgHfGpBONVs0EOai8Xfv77vP3foVySQ76v40WxV/s320/firefly.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355914862869607522" border="0" /></a>
<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" >The hopeless romantic male firefly thinks he is going to find a mate, but instead becomes a scrumptious treat to the tricky female firefly. Talk about an awful date!! When the male is eaten, the female acquires an unpleasant taste to their predators. The male firefly constantly puts his life on the line, but when a female of the right species is finally spotted, they produce eggs and the cycle occurs once again!</span><span style="font-size:85%;">
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CZItuYM-QDdoCv5wpRe4MMoT0kijfqBIch-KZ25dSQ8G8Zk-ga484URGKje6JG00UCL9iVS2f717AL4oMkkAui8uBj2z1o9oiEzsVq4iK2SWwdQ46UHO3dpZOQrHlECq2T3nclqDDYXe/s1600-h/6a00d83451dba369e200e5529670c78833-800wi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CZItuYM-QDdoCv5wpRe4MMoT0kijfqBIch-KZ25dSQ8G8Zk-ga484URGKje6JG00UCL9iVS2f717AL4oMkkAui8uBj2z1o9oiEzsVq4iK2SWwdQ46UHO3dpZOQrHlECq2T3nclqDDYXe/s320/6a00d83451dba369e200e5529670c78833-800wi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355913893350916066" border="0" /></a></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Fireflies are one of my favorite (or should I say least feared?) insects and hope you all take the time to admire these fascinating creatures. Watching fireflies is an enchanting experience and has always been a favorite past time of mine! Get your children (and yourselves!) outdoors and catch fireflies for a great summer evening activity! </span></p>
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<br />Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-12311499041368806272009-07-06T11:20:00.000-07:002009-08-18T17:58:57.634-07:00The day I almost died<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcit9-RHE81bpeA4udMxSK6_Xwd71CzBsy3VZiJ4UhbfVSj6rTmt6WpZle6bb2dLShQRo-hP5oS7uoZ7pvoOqrBTZyR10qjU7jAFMGFamY2Odyxk_YeX8zhf5i99EISfzpQVWCXMAObN9/s1600-h/P2270943.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371473036502153954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcit9-RHE81bpeA4udMxSK6_Xwd71CzBsy3VZiJ4UhbfVSj6rTmt6WpZle6bb2dLShQRo-hP5oS7uoZ7pvoOqrBTZyR10qjU7jAFMGFamY2Odyxk_YeX8zhf5i99EISfzpQVWCXMAObN9/s400/P2270943.JPG" /></a><br />Member of the Belize rescue team<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />There I was, caught underneath a tree in a white-water river in Belize, thinking,<br />“This is a really stupid way to die.” However, because of the training my father, a 747 captain, had instilled in me growing up I instinctively surrounded myself with a “bubble of calm.” I had learned over the years that whenever emergencies or tough situations arise to slow things down in my head and try to assess the situation. Nevertheless, I knew I had about a minute-and-a-half of available oxygen before I’d black out and drown. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIuEme2JoT6XJ8hC1MmAsNGBI5vkkVyltUVukB7C9nGc41zjqT52m4mIWoOKAksLA9Ibsh3ZHapVWfReuBTXMbD0P1AjDWEy1bNYbHSTZYk1HNxhlFK-un1dJif3A9Mxt1u9V6myvj7flA/s1600-h/ruta+hi+res+2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355414466715723378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIuEme2JoT6XJ8hC1MmAsNGBI5vkkVyltUVukB7C9nGc41zjqT52m4mIWoOKAksLA9Ibsh3ZHapVWfReuBTXMbD0P1AjDWEy1bNYbHSTZYk1HNxhlFK-un1dJif3A9Mxt1u9V6myvj7flA/s320/ruta+hi+res+2.jpg" /></a><br /><br />A crowded field heads into dangerous rapids<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Luckily for me, that never happened. I was able to shift the boat that was on top of me, free myself from the maze of tree limbs that were holding me captive, and swim toward the light. When I surfaced the first image that greeted me was my friend and teammate Bo Parfet hanging onto a branch against the surging river. He had come up about a minute earlier.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTWzK2irDovtaVg8SK4a5ud-ramgZDhvIHgQ91txGRMq4IpfxdSCb7vokAvfRg5jBZTFfrNvddIy0v25I7PbEIju4xmPWbBjZW0iOPLjjgnZ5QfqI6w6GSxlnJ9ZJNxQYk7TgH573CtuW/s1600-h/Belize+076.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355414158471223042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTWzK2irDovtaVg8SK4a5ud-ramgZDhvIHgQ91txGRMq4IpfxdSCb7vokAvfRg5jBZTFfrNvddIy0v25I7PbEIju4xmPWbBjZW0iOPLjjgnZ5QfqI6w6GSxlnJ9ZJNxQYk7TgH573CtuW/s320/Belize+076.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Perhaps too much testosterone and not enough brains<br /><br /><br />It was day two of the La Ruta Maya, a grueling, multi-day canoe race, and we were now last among a field of just under a hundred vessels. Though we didn’t win, this was only the first of many adventures that Bo and I would share together. Often, the kind of life-threatening incident that we’d just experienced deeply affects a person’s sense of fearlessness, and I wondered how it was going to affect Bo. You see, in my mind he was still untested. I did not know then that, during the next few years, he would witness a death on Mount Everest and have several brushes with it himself in some of the world’s most exotic locations.<br />As for me, I have thought about that day often and consider myself lucky. The scenario could have been drastically different, and I don’t know if I would have survived. I have always prided myself on being risk adverse and safe in the field, but good explorers or adventurers are able to sense dangerous situations, unlike I had done on that day on the river in Belize.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPWbCxfJKh5CbSyYrpqwMUJ1Alw2PcMK-NWxLC8HcQMu9ohi6pMnwTt7YErG40hJpe1jiq2IX5kwSwTLwpJ1VWrlxntYPJ_BRc9MCv2i5rZ_9VhUt634ZQz33ZOn28misu3ynr8lX0Cyt/s1600-h/ruta+4.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355414352723935234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPWbCxfJKh5CbSyYrpqwMUJ1Alw2PcMK-NWxLC8HcQMu9ohi6pMnwTt7YErG40hJpe1jiq2IX5kwSwTLwpJ1VWrlxntYPJ_BRc9MCv2i5rZ_9VhUt634ZQz33ZOn28misu3ynr8lX0Cyt/s320/ruta+4.jpg" /></a><br />A widely used phrase, though somewhat cliché, is that the mark of real character in a climber is not how he stands on the summit while holding a flag, but how he pulls himself out of an icy crevasse. Expeditions have a way of revealing a person's true personality, mostly because teammates spend so much time together in close quarters and often in trying conditions, that all pretenses quickly vanish. No one should ever underestimate the value of being a good teammate. A group that works cohesively together will triumph over individual effort every time.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2dkGM_nnA9jTzpLhOTyvYh98Kimk2DdU9RsUUpdInxmKEODB2v28MEO_TtFtO4X1Pld9UbjMOZs19DphsGcZhExN9nAwh3p6QSxpd9fj0p2aAlGz8N5DSOSSLIf1omcCxgim-MKDXHca/s1600-h/P5043590.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355414001658145362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2dkGM_nnA9jTzpLhOTyvYh98Kimk2DdU9RsUUpdInxmKEODB2v28MEO_TtFtO4X1Pld9UbjMOZs19DphsGcZhExN9nAwh3p6QSxpd9fj0p2aAlGz8N5DSOSSLIf1omcCxgim-MKDXHca/s320/P5043590.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Author with Bo Parfet at Everest base camp<br /><br /><br />The easy road is safe and predictable, however sticking your neck out on an expedition or trying to extend yourself in any field of endeavor is difficult, especially when you run the risk of looking foolish if you fail. Still, you might as well face the fact that if you’re going to be a leader, you will undoubtedly fail at some point. The important thing is to learn from experience, and also to understand that on those occasions when you put every ounce of energy and passion into achieving something, the exhilaration of realizing your ambition will be well worth the fight. If I had died under a tree in a river in Belize I would have been pretty embarrassed, but I was able to stay calm and as a result learned an invaluable lesson. It is important to remind yourself that though every person lives, it takes a person with true courage to experience failure and continue to live outside their comfort zone.Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-29330012989315746102009-06-30T14:54:00.000-07:002009-06-30T17:53:22.723-07:00Living La Vida Sawyerby guest blogger Nora Lewis Allen<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Anyone who lives in the Northeast has undoubtedly realized that it has been raining—a lot. It hasn’t really felt like summer until recently, and I’ve been taking as much time as I possibly can to be outside. Today was absolutely beautiful, so when a friend called me this afternoon and demanded that we MUST go to Steep Rock, a local preserve, to swim in the river and enjoy the last day of June, I couldn’t turn her down. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLp-crbfviMMA3A_L2gf_aOy-jWEPKLhjl7UuozpjmjrZ7IexqUTwszRLZcocMB1ivqf3Ve5UcVSMrO3FjFA32Bfo-gnRIvmLIL5hiHsdgVd6WtnkzRDeGtPHgedhYHaKF7wVDcwunpaz/s1600-h/Summer+2009+015.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLp-crbfviMMA3A_L2gf_aOy-jWEPKLhjl7UuozpjmjrZ7IexqUTwszRLZcocMB1ivqf3Ve5UcVSMrO3FjFA32Bfo-gnRIvmLIL5hiHsdgVd6WtnkzRDeGtPHgedhYHaKF7wVDcwunpaz/s320/Summer+2009+015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353264558168088530" border="0" /></a> The Shepaug River at Steep Rock<br /><br />I shut my computer and turned away from my to-do list of publicity tasks, at the top of which ironically was writing this blog, and decided that river traipsing was far more important (sorry Richard!).<br /><br />When we got to our favorite grassy knoll it was over-run by small campers from the local Indian Institute. We decided to hike to our favorite childhood spot instead—the elusive old railroad trestle and rope swing. There was a chance that we would be trespassing on private property, and because of the recent rain a teenage boy had actually gone missing in the surging river. We decided to take the risk. Stupid? Yes. Worth it? Definitely.<br /><br />The trek to the rope swing took longer than we remembered. We had to climb over a giant felled pine tree, walk through an old, wet, dark railroad tunnel, and swim across a river where we grossly underestimated the speed and strength of the current. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aE7y7Kt8hHmjHaedX7nC8B-eUnOJh7ULQUGdtwYkhd1lime4V65SWKBaygDaIgMry3FE_QBwbs6teca2dRbCzMm4O1Ce6coliSTfrklsWKrJIWSPyozIX9Z6akmbowQJcmNR2V8Ne0WY/s1600-h/trestle+walking.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 269px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aE7y7Kt8hHmjHaedX7nC8B-eUnOJh7ULQUGdtwYkhd1lime4V65SWKBaygDaIgMry3FE_QBwbs6teca2dRbCzMm4O1Ce6coliSTfrklsWKrJIWSPyozIX9Z6akmbowQJcmNR2V8Ne0WY/s320/trestle+walking.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353265284924492706" border="0" /></a> Author climbing over a felled pine tree<br /><br />The rope swing however, was better than I could have imagined. When we arrived at the river bed across from the swing I felt like I had been transported directly into a Mark Twain novel.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3cH4hJzF9NiLTZYkNIahq_OaCS5OYcHqPRwQaonBIHyFxMYjhTx9089veDRXPGU1QvbXR6lS1XUW4yZT_vDzPv9gzxhhKPNpCK8HlGIwFnY6qZkgoo0oCp2yzrtXnMltRNJFBwpCFM_V/s1600-h/Summer+2009+012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3cH4hJzF9NiLTZYkNIahq_OaCS5OYcHqPRwQaonBIHyFxMYjhTx9089veDRXPGU1QvbXR6lS1XUW4yZT_vDzPv9gzxhhKPNpCK8HlGIwFnY6qZkgoo0oCp2yzrtXnMltRNJFBwpCFM_V/s320/Summer+2009+012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353286707447813090" border="0" /></a> View of the rope swing<br /><br />I don’t know if it was the place, the day or the idea of it all, but I cannot remember having better afternoon. Because I was older I could appreciate the rarity of it—a perfectly preserved, isolated section of the river where I was able to spend four hours and the entire time thought of nothing other than what I was doing at that moment. It was quintessential nature; at one point a red-tailed hawk even swooped down and perched in a nearby tree. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8katWZqxHMa0AhBYNQ1NvBRjGgfzt52GHRh8R5YGdhTlVMd79bCnoUb4LELmMb_TkgFhErnPX7ARIu9P039g_sTZ9vZPSNZhM4ekIegyDNF0SjAsXxm0fpg44QW0F4XUDCiZsgHVKLzMu/s1600-h/Summer+2009+009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8katWZqxHMa0AhBYNQ1NvBRjGgfzt52GHRh8R5YGdhTlVMd79bCnoUb4LELmMb_TkgFhErnPX7ARIu9P039g_sTZ9vZPSNZhM4ekIegyDNF0SjAsXxm0fpg44QW0F4XUDCiZsgHVKLzMu/s320/Summer+2009+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353282322148445810" border="0" /></a> Preparing to climb through yet another felled tree<br /><br />During the trek I thought a lot about <span style="font-style: italic;">Born to Explore</span>. When walking we came across a bear track, and I thought of the chapter on tracking, and as I was gradually swept downstream when I crossed the river I thought about Richard’s adamant dedication to safety. I think that every human has an innate desire to explore, but it is the “don’ts” that hold us back—I don’t have time, I don’t know how, I don’t have the resources. But as <span style="font-style: italic;">Born to Explore</span> teaches us, backyard exploring is so much easier than you could ever imagine. Anyone can do it, and the result is unbelievably rewarding.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wb_jTjgdtz7u3CDhy9jxMb17qFNeKG7_X5a4mqPwsn5esdeww5Ll8AhbmKDTsGCzDkiuJjZX-PDuOUkS7D2GvJt14nZSprgsJPm9MacmJbvZPUdzCrDb95yZCrs-O79G52bnB59rCEJK/s1600-h/Summer+2009+040.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wb_jTjgdtz7u3CDhy9jxMb17qFNeKG7_X5a4mqPwsn5esdeww5Ll8AhbmKDTsGCzDkiuJjZX-PDuOUkS7D2GvJt14nZSprgsJPm9MacmJbvZPUdzCrDb95yZCrs-O79G52bnB59rCEJK/s320/Summer+2009+040.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353266369706905618" border="0" /></a> The light at the end of the railroad tunnel<br /><br />As we left I commented that I felt like we were doing something Tom Sawyer would have done—carousing through the woods and trespassing without a care in the world. And though I am not advocating trespassing, whether you are twelve or twenty or two-hundred there is a little part of Tom Sawyer in all of us, waiting to be discovered by a small and fun adventure.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFuwV0298FXlNT21kPQ5iMfK83eM6tm3dmthDmZfQlzX5kTdRx5B-bTai2RKeDOeVme5Ztsod4cUVtcWyxK4jH7awbZH2VHbrkuJqeobo2f8bbJ85nYHYuJzTDzbfIo1wccZ3GG07A1sH/s1600-h/rope+swing+me.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 269px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFuwV0298FXlNT21kPQ5iMfK83eM6tm3dmthDmZfQlzX5kTdRx5B-bTai2RKeDOeVme5Ztsod4cUVtcWyxK4jH7awbZH2VHbrkuJqeobo2f8bbJ85nYHYuJzTDzbfIo1wccZ3GG07A1sH/s320/rope+swing+me.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353265717426786674" border="0" /></a> Author preparing to swing<br /><br />While I write this, I realize that I have a significant amount of cuts on my legs that are starting to sting and I am 90% sure that I walked through a bed of poison ivy. My only regret? I wish I had worn footwear that was more advantageous to exploring.<br /></div>Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-75028641457712388982009-06-29T07:29:00.000-07:002009-06-29T08:03:31.667-07:00Birds Everywhere!<span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpMR5f-Am-2MsBhT5J-I2JpMDTMPCAf4gkNz6u0X9xfzO0YBh5NPiNV7lfudyXEnB6vUiG14UW-1SlnIBptv4ZadB24GV7KGZBbNEwGmx-p0aieg-yB2z2zu3AiNW3KcCjzKhiHBYLOVs/s1600-h/flying-birds_T5301.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpMR5f-Am-2MsBhT5J-I2JpMDTMPCAf4gkNz6u0X9xfzO0YBh5NPiNV7lfudyXEnB6vUiG14UW-1SlnIBptv4ZadB24GV7KGZBbNEwGmx-p0aieg-yB2z2zu3AiNW3KcCjzKhiHBYLOVs/s320/flying-birds_T5301.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352764671217707490" border="0" /></a>
<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">By guest blogger: Cassandra Lobo
<br />
<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" >I’ve never cared much for birds. Actually, I’ve always been quite terrified of them ever since I was about 6 years old. I’m not really sure what instilled this fear in me, but I do know that birds and I were never the best of friends. One time while I was at the park with my family, I was innocently feeding the ducks that were swimming in the pond. The ducks were somewhat tame and did not seem bothered that we were throwing chunks at bread towards them to eat. </span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;">I spoke to soon. I threw my last piece of bread and without warning a mad duck came charging towards me. Not knowing what possessed this particular duck, I ran screaming. I was much more concerned with watching the duck chasing me then watching where I was going and all of a sudden …BOOM! I smacked right into a one of the swing set poles and flew backwards. Besides being humiliated in front of all of the other kids that were at the park that particular day, I ended up with a massive bump right in the center of my forehead! See why I don’t like birds?
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9e8Kno3HizM-Z0zgPFnIS09EpoNfW6-9sy-c27goiW8HkOuQlPbfEjV9ioxG4T-bmN1YzrObImXG5YsbFgLdUobNFYqJZX5FUdfpbCbny8u7YE9pW9RCx9xhC2-_d_FeZPtnddpimw-x/s1600-h/mallard_ducks.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9e8Kno3HizM-Z0zgPFnIS09EpoNfW6-9sy-c27goiW8HkOuQlPbfEjV9ioxG4T-bmN1YzrObImXG5YsbFgLdUobNFYqJZX5FUdfpbCbny8u7YE9pW9RCx9xhC2-_d_FeZPtnddpimw-x/s320/mallard_ducks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352758548267444738" border="0" /></a></span> <span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" >My hate for birds recently lightened when I came home from college this summer. My mom had hung a beautiful Geranium plant on our deck right in front of our kitchen window. Within a few days, a Mourning Dove had claimed this particular Geranium as its new residence and assembled a nest. The Mourning Dove (whom I later on named House) had laid 2 small, bright white eggs. I found myself constantly catching a glimpse of House and her soon to be hatched babies. I researched Mourning Doves and learned quite a bit on them.</span><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Sangh/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Sangh/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpg" alt="" />
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMZLLZNb3-Kj932yVBUCZ87hOF-8QOr7-zBDmkx4iSYmRcm04zZHLCZKN5tW4oYQHqbR-JnMzm4Kc3tVzhJH1HMqs8CzYbPvaQy6j159vrNzJs1V61lsg3RvlLEka9K78TX07OHuJLzOg/s1600-h/Dove.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMZLLZNb3-Kj932yVBUCZ87hOF-8QOr7-zBDmkx4iSYmRcm04zZHLCZKN5tW4oYQHqbR-JnMzm4Kc3tVzhJH1HMqs8CzYbPvaQy6j159vrNzJs1V61lsg3RvlLEka9K78TX07OHuJLzOg/s320/Dove.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352759041396420210" border="0" /></a>
<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" >I gave the marvelous nest building credit to House, but in fact it is actually the male bird that creates the nest. I was also fascinated when I learned that both the male & female produce something called “dove milk” to feed their offspring. Adult Mourning Doves feed almost entirely on small seeds scattered on the ground. Also, Doves eat small pieces of stone or gravel, commonly known as "grit", which is stored in the gizzard and used to grind up the seeds they eat (How interesting!). </span><span style="font-size:85%;">I also learned that the male doves sit in the nest from the late afternoon and through the night, while the female dove sits in the nest throughout the morning and early afternoon.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqv8o-99YPRU0-S69KZPU5-Q-VJcg5G4PN9es8bX3mG3lCj8RL4F_vNZ3Pk_WOM29mXYeD4hcs08WP-g1pzVuGrcsjZXtbChBFgVrdUQjMKZQTXDP5hQGSnH0CVy03N5MB3dOjzS_mTqW/s1600-h/mourning_dove_nest_1-450x337.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqv8o-99YPRU0-S69KZPU5-Q-VJcg5G4PN9es8bX3mG3lCj8RL4F_vNZ3Pk_WOM29mXYeD4hcs08WP-g1pzVuGrcsjZXtbChBFgVrdUQjMKZQTXDP5hQGSnH0CVy03N5MB3dOjzS_mTqW/s320/mourning_dove_nest_1-450x337.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352760106777383938" border="0" /></a>
<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" >Most serious birders create a list of all the bird species they've identified with absolute certainty during their whole lifetime of serious birding. This is list is called a “Life List”. I was not familiar with a “Life List” until I fell upon it on the “Born to Explore” facebook fan page. Although I myself have not yet created a “Life List”, my latest curiosity in birds has caused me to research birds more frequently and compile a list of interesting bird facts.</span><span style="font-size:85%;">
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1L8c22gxVxp5FgF08GUokAytrhkO3yQS-qU-HVEwlkHjvdc9Ym_J8SZwmvcgKxtYDbgrtBizviYXT3xAvoSWX8x32w222u3B_UsQZ46Mo1bO0oasHoQuvfMcm54kmkjxvSMv-ymCLDNM/s1600-h/large_chicken2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1L8c22gxVxp5FgF08GUokAytrhkO3yQS-qU-HVEwlkHjvdc9Ym_J8SZwmvcgKxtYDbgrtBizviYXT3xAvoSWX8x32w222u3B_UsQZ46Mo1bO0oasHoQuvfMcm54kmkjxvSMv-ymCLDNM/s320/large_chicken2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352760970519878834" border="0" /></a>
<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:2; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 268435456 0 0 -2147483648 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:638069526; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:1197521464 67698691 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-number-format:bullet; mso-level-text:o; mso-level-tab-stop:.5in; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in; font-family:"Courier New";} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Here are some of the interesting facts I have found:</span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="circle"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">The most yolks ever found in a single chicken's egg is nine.</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Pigeons can reach speeds up to 100 mph.</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">The Royal Albatross' eggs take 79 days to hatch.</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">A bird's heart beats 400 times per minute while resting and up to 1000 beats per minute while flying.</span></li></ul><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTeH7r6OScUkeFzEMr1g0_UbmmMpFnzOEa9180-1mzLuzPt7_-jpwwScAV1ttgVLiyLXJKKmFXHdcWfR9cMB_dIQY6qo_AaM4pi98NZrz0CoU5OMXb7UobrT-rkEAl46xgyBo1wWgjnsl/s1600-h/pigeon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTeH7r6OScUkeFzEMr1g0_UbmmMpFnzOEa9180-1mzLuzPt7_-jpwwScAV1ttgVLiyLXJKKmFXHdcWfR9cMB_dIQY6qo_AaM4pi98NZrz0CoU5OMXb7UobrT-rkEAl46xgyBo1wWgjnsl/s320/pigeon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352763615601805410" border="0" /></a></span><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="circle"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Hummingbirds eat about every ten minutes, slurping down twice their body weight in nectar every day.</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">Penguins, ostriches, and dodo birds are all birds that do not fly.</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">The strike of the eagle talon is so powerful that its force is twice that of a rifle bullet.</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:85%;">The only backwards and sideways flyer is the hummingbird</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:2; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 268435456 0 0 -2147483648 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:638069526; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:1197521464 67698691 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-number-format:bullet; mso-level-text:o; mso-level-tab-stop:.5in; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in; font-family:"Courier New";} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;">A hawk's vision is so good that it can see a mouse from a height of one mile. </span></li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2l_ZgWf_4S4PXWlds6Q3fYZcKzWXcGxPBfATWqJGHqZzpwMnDrVu5JPAgfsCsJ3iOaDzh9BmZV4t709Qsz2q9nh9mqUctaNEseNatMgJ17FJN8-SyEkHiB8JAGc2rIUu1ZytT1AKmXTV1/s1600-h/mallard_ducks.jpg"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--></a>Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-43205679004342260152009-06-24T10:41:00.000-07:002009-06-24T11:01:05.673-07:00The Urban Explorer<em>by Guest Blogger Lucy Mele</em><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDc3BjaCWudKquZpkvug07oRYCO1uHGJUMdyolidq29e2vQuOiJ2TrN-1QHhGmxdEz6XVaGvtK8Vm3cQ6ZW-MsoT8_8FXZy6hALRnR0zt4ZwdChQZrhjnmS_gw5mZbsSEoDyHDWKdgCkK-/s1600-h/Summer2+110.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350954081224900418" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDc3BjaCWudKquZpkvug07oRYCO1uHGJUMdyolidq29e2vQuOiJ2TrN-1QHhGmxdEz6XVaGvtK8Vm3cQ6ZW-MsoT8_8FXZy6hALRnR0zt4ZwdChQZrhjnmS_gw5mZbsSEoDyHDWKdgCkK-/s320/Summer2+110.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div>A few months ago, I decided to accept a short-term job at a non-profit in New York City. The job itself was so exciting; I would be working with a Nobel Prize-winning author (who happened to be one of my personal heroes), doing work for his humanitarian foundation. I was ecstatic.<br /><br />But as cool as the actual work would be, the idea of spending almost every day of my summer commuting back and forth from my house in Connecticut to New York City was less than thrilling.<br /><br />As someone who loves being outside and loves exploring, I never thought I would be able to give four hours of my day to Metro North. That commuting time, combined with the number of hours I’d be spending in the office, meant that I’d be losing, on average, 48 hours of valuable summer daylight each week. That’s almost 200 hours a month without hiking, swimming, or hanging out with my dog at the lake. This was a far cry from working with Richard on “Born to Explore” -- the whole idea behind the book is to get people off their computers and outside! </div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmdF2xpcHC3vZEGLgRNxOT0cja-FFqEDsCq_F62hZAj2mNjIo9s83G79AXtWp1SuurzTsCugv6AV06QuusN67-4iRUJQAa12Jb4_fauCg_lS_5ALLAWEdC1wOP30o8S1mvJUzSDQ8-rVX/s1600-h/Summer09+026.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350953567405350402" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmdF2xpcHC3vZEGLgRNxOT0cja-FFqEDsCq_F62hZAj2mNjIo9s83G79AXtWp1SuurzTsCugv6AV06QuusN67-4iRUJQAa12Jb4_fauCg_lS_5ALLAWEdC1wOP30o8S1mvJUzSDQ8-rVX/s320/Summer09+026.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>Author and her dog at a local lake<br /><br />However, one big misconception that I bought into prior to meeting Richard is that “being outdoors” means that you have to be in an area with woods, lakes, and parks. Truth is, cities like New York have tons of cool outdoor exploration possibilities. If you comb through the pages of the book, you’ll find, just as I did, all the different ways to make outdoor exploration work for you, wherever you are and whatever your situation might be.<br /><br />For example, thousands of commuters (including myself) pass through Grand Central Terminal every single day. In our hustle to and from the office, it’s easy to miss that its limestone walls are home to tons of different marine fossils from the Jurassic era.<br /></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DCK1bOKV2yEWk-T-gsbZvHe2metx4ZUTm7GsamWGbXNeg8B5bHPy6Acxg6tTV0TcuoL5asspLxBfMAZVnCSRRKp2_V9dudPBmnfBp0n22xpoFp6UYLEi3Vp8VxZteDqtUWSfcP6MUd4M/s1600-h/1210_01_55---Grand-Central-Terminal-New-York-City_web.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350954380223405298" style="WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DCK1bOKV2yEWk-T-gsbZvHe2metx4ZUTm7GsamWGbXNeg8B5bHPy6Acxg6tTV0TcuoL5asspLxBfMAZVnCSRRKp2_V9dudPBmnfBp0n22xpoFp6UYLEi3Vp8VxZteDqtUWSfcP6MUd4M/s320/1210_01_55---Grand-Central-Terminal-New-York-City_web.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div>Inside Grand Central Terminal</div><div><br />In addition to fossils, you can find some pretty cool living, breathing organisms and species all over the “urban jungle.” In 2003, Richard and a friend ran a 24-hour Bio-Blitz in Central Park, and not only discovered over 800 existing species, but also found 202 new species of life that had never before been identified. </div><div><br />There are also several different and unusual forms of life in the many different nature preserves within the city, such as the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Here, in addition to the typical plants native to New York, you can also see several non-native plant species that can unexpectedly grow and flourish in this type of climate, like palm trees. </div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTbkG-dnC6b5iNzPC1HalD1aJRa8my-AU-d4C49IngGT_NmANYSnWopymai21xIk22t8moNcWuAHkjIRpWjRKpFvBxNX51M8VQYEp_N0iPPxHWRv35oAYZJw63yHm5-Lr16aKZkSV7Z5P/s1600-h/DSC_0426%5B1%5D.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350954781619640066" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTbkG-dnC6b5iNzPC1HalD1aJRa8my-AU-d4C49IngGT_NmANYSnWopymai21xIk22t8moNcWuAHkjIRpWjRKpFvBxNX51M8VQYEp_N0iPPxHWRv35oAYZJw63yHm5-Lr16aKZkSV7Z5P/s320/DSC_0426%5B1%5D.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>Richard and friends during the 2003 Bio-Blitz </div><div><br /> </div><div>If animals are more your thing, there’s a cool World Wildlife Fund web site listed in the book where you can search by your town or city to see just how many different species are documented in your area (<a href="http://www.worldwildlifefund.org/wildfinder/searchByPlace.cfm">http://www.worldwildlifefund.org/wildfinder/searchByPlace.cfm</a>). I ran a quick search using my hometown zip code in Fairfield, CT, and discovered that I share my neighborhood with 376 different kinds of animals. I then checked out my office zipcode (right next to Central Park) and was surprised and excited to see that I got the same result.<br /><br />Wildlife exists all over this planet, even in the most unexpected places. So even if your backyard is primarily concrete, it’s worth heading outside to see what you can find.<br /></div>Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-17702247950098439862009-06-21T10:32:00.000-07:002009-06-21T11:06:37.765-07:00Sick of the same old Druid rituals on the summer soltice?<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4BkZyPH4Bz6ONGsQvigm2S8krjYOlf3glAL6ojJ4IauOKPZtfg5uEEg6Z_MTpFP-03gQbLKJftZjwdF2XwWICkPQutcqezYo6ePMUfk27vAXb8igkcIL-tbMEXBrNTQY0b7XXSkyq-Ql/s1600-h/druids_stonehenge.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349839436381121666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 198px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4BkZyPH4Bz6ONGsQvigm2S8krjYOlf3glAL6ojJ4IauOKPZtfg5uEEg6Z_MTpFP-03gQbLKJftZjwdF2XwWICkPQutcqezYo6ePMUfk27vAXb8igkcIL-tbMEXBrNTQY0b7XXSkyq-Ql/s320/druids_stonehenge.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Find the Earth’s Circumference Using Shadows</strong><br />If you are sick of the same old tired Druid rituals on the summer solstice and have a healthy dose of skepticism about mundane things like the earths circumference you can duplicate an experiment Eratosthenes, a Greek geographer (about 276 to<br />194 b.c.) used to determine the earth’s circumference over two thousand years ago.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349839521164552642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 247px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYo1NTvNAXGkM6_b9QtrdLydVQLDbWXewLQV8NXONGHy2PEIeOQB7ED5ZVw5s310mA379Fqk_Xmp5_-MIUilUEfb5HQIcVoqA5HjTYEGek5wwdUeey9SkpVxRhX7Cu59qoQjebMb4svDET/s320/Eratosthenes2.jpg" border="0" /> Eratosthenes:Father of geography or a guy with a lot of time on his hands?<br /><br />Note: Although this experiment works best on the summer solstice when the sun is in its highest position in the sky for the year but can be tried throughout most of the year.<br />Estimated Time 20 Minutes<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349841034938339154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvYFME0kjt9oIxT2TJ1NUfZXwcIbh2cwABCZIbhQmgnlrbIuaIAKk5MUb8Hrwg_B3vEBzD2nyDo8kxNSIrrSeFk8OmrTdIbIieaAaLH-9Y1Saxu-wPZuUNh-u2rEombUEEHOECBmiX0x0/s320/London+BCAD+018.jpg" border="0" /> </div><div align="left">The ultimate measuring stick in NY's central Park</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><br /><em>GEAR LIST</em><br />• Meter or yard stick, or a rod 3 to 5 feet long<br />• Carpenter’s t-square to help mea sure a vertical position for your<br />meter stick<br />• Tape<br />• String (at least twice as long as the stick)<br />• Protractor<br />• Large piece of paper or cardboard if you cannot adequately mark<br />the ground<br />• Globe or world atlas<br />• A sunny day<br /><br /></div><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349839229748282626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3WdrtLfCAdKh9jyZWYZeopj-Pm4jiS7sCSjDpRP_0vx-CRnWUbzg6T1LKA6BlaBBe2jHyirkM4OKwXgbY-diCEftdNMLe73KVnU5ZLPk_WqXPXyjOKQ4OsEdaTH5g3-o_wE190K_UrWG/s320/PA117044.JPG" border="0" /> Author on the pyramid of the sun in Mexico</p><p><br /></p><br /><em>How to just do it!<br /></em>1. Attach the string to the top of a stick approximately 3 to 5 feet<br />long.<br />2. Push the stick into a level area of ground or use a stand to achieve<br />a true vertical position.<br />3. Use the carpenters t-square to help achieve this vertical position.<br />4. Find solar noon in your area by consulting your local newspaper or<br />through going to http://solarnoon.com/ on the Internet.<br />5. At solar noon, pull the string taut to the end of the shadow of the<br />stick, and then carefully secure the string to that point on the<br />ground without tilting the stick.<br />Mea sure the length of your shadow. I put a ruler right on the<br />ground and mea sured the shadow directly.<br />FYI You can calculate solar noon for your location and time zone by<br />Knowing the exact midpoint between sunrise and sunset times.<br />Determine the angle between your string and stick by using a protractor.<br />If math is your thing, you can use the trigonometry formula of<br />cos x –1 of the length of shadow divided by height of stick.<br />In my case, in Central Park the angle was 40.5 degrees.<br />TIP: If you don’t know your latitude and longitude, check http:// ter<br />raserver -usa .com/<br />Determine the distance of your location from the equator by consulting<br />a globe, an atlas, the Web, or use the math formula that I used<br />for New York’s Central Park.<br />By my calculations, New York’s Central Park is 2794.3227 miles<br />from the equator.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349839606311264338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhZNGxFbLkTuH1PQZi9MNT0FjuQGhRLNh6FH3AAVnVxtc0AKMvdj6uz9SnHXfXYQOWux7osNkdvPZwtbkxwREWYPYblUFJYCJq-dNI3rjWAXI71rVbkmMrmR7mU1H0CUQxwLd9LCAXwWu/s320/jsc2006e10869-edu.jpg" border="0" /><br />Here is the math formula that I used. My mind gets foggy when I<br />hear the words math formula, but see if you can plug in your locations<br />to this step- by- step formula.<br />We know that Central Park’s Latitude is 40 degrees 74 minutes<br />north<br />Each degree = 60 minutes of arc<br />1 minute of arc = 1 nautical mile<br />40.74 (latitude of Central Park) × 60 (minutes of arc) = 2428.2 nautical<br />miles from the equator to Central Park.<br />1 nautical mile = 1.15077945 statue miles<br />2428.2 nautical miles × 1.15077945 = 2794.3227 statue miles.<br />• Apply your information to the formula below and you will know<br />the earth’s circumference!<br />024-39972_ch01_2P.indd 142 2/5/09 5:48:01 PM<br />Multiply your distance to the equator by 360 degrees, and then divide<br />by the mea sured angle at solar noon during the equinox. Your answer<br />should be that the circumference around the poles is 24,860 miles.<br />In my case I multiplied 2794.3 (my distance to the equator) by 360,<br />which yielded 1,005,948. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349839664423129970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPhVndBc35NrkLXOfgu38KOzmU05uqNbMkyr0tmYBpnMCjgMr82LD7RL9E9DLIKFbIWlVas8Tuv7ntakEFegU-8HFRPPTiEpXBt0afq7kNtESiaVBRM14D48XNezTkCnoYdfTKfroEQzO2/s320/jsc2006e10881-edu.jpg" border="0" /><br />I divided by my solar noon angle of 40.5 degrees (1,005,948 ÷ 40.5)<br />which yielded my result of 24,838 miles. Not bad, but obviously not as<br />good as the Greek geographer Eratosthenes who did this many many<br />years before me—without a calculator.<br />For full dtails check out chapter 16 in Born to Explore<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349840942122864658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrLC-JaRHBaPmyaHWvUSquvL2_bDNdouUGlUXjRwX1xEEZCxakw-aiVngHIDucmQouXyinDZYVOWvbnVoxvqKZYl-j3Id_bik1myoAI_LUW2hcfrWqpxErHobs8HiZrpn8VMRKjyNTKqx/s320/earth.jpg" border="0" /><br />FYI The true circumference of the earth at the equator is actually<br />24,902.4 miles (40,076.5 km), due to the earth’s rotational speed<br />and Earth’s liquid outer core and solid inner. Did you know that<br />Earth is the densest known planet in the solar system?Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-12600637892638795402009-06-20T08:03:00.001-07:002009-06-20T08:03:18.343-07:00Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-15237597292051558732009-06-20T07:36:00.000-07:002009-06-20T08:16:02.482-07:00What can the outdoors do for you?!...<span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Guest Blogger: Cassandra Lobo
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<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" > </span><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} -</style><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Playing outdoors is almost everyone’s favorite past times. Whether you are searching for beautiful butterflies, digging for gold, or going on a safari adventure the outdoors is always a great experience. </span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:";font-size:100%;" >Playing outdoors is extremely necessary for healthy physical development. </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAsddZ6Uh2WwG81E5OW-pMexCLZxukVEGK6jPHqyLcHcE42jbXY1InuyWGvC4CC1m3vceWyLMko00SY1yop5GEDofBT0TekEA7QCwouZTdiXh7tRejB4lc_EOB6AiZYYOXD1jrQoQ50I1/s1600-h/clip_image001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAsddZ6Uh2WwG81E5OW-pMexCLZxukVEGK6jPHqyLcHcE42jbXY1InuyWGvC4CC1m3vceWyLMko00SY1yop5GEDofBT0TekEA7QCwouZTdiXh7tRejB4lc_EOB6AiZYYOXD1jrQoQ50I1/s320/clip_image001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349421230066045170" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:";font-size:100%;" >Not only is it important for physical development, it also plays a role in building self confidence. Self confidence is gained while adventuring out in the outdoors and successfully completing a task. I was recently in the backyard trying to teach my four year old cousin how to swing on his brand new swing set. He would carefully inspect how I would pump my legs before trying it on his own. I coached him on when to pump his legs in and out. He tentatively tried to swing on his own, but continuing to watching me for guidance. After observing my technique for a period of time and trying on his own, he mastered the technique himself.</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-size:100%;" >
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<br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRJ11hXpV59kQQ2oXtSyV634aGOTSFO-T7D18Spzcnzhxbg8SGwtCMl_RpXrftBW5XKXV88wwuXqFZrflysiLlqySmaZgAYn7905RTLAYH4XpRs8DYG8EdZW16GiWbas9wjcCwNAaGsdq/s1600-h/Grand+Canyon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRJ11hXpV59kQQ2oXtSyV634aGOTSFO-T7D18Spzcnzhxbg8SGwtCMl_RpXrftBW5XKXV88wwuXqFZrflysiLlqySmaZgAYn7905RTLAYH4XpRs8DYG8EdZW16GiWbas9wjcCwNAaGsdq/s320/Grand+Canyon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349421315043489618" border="0" /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; 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margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--></a></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Confidence is gained through moving from first attempts, then to failures, and then having the tenacity to continue with the task until it is mastered. Confidence gained from tasks performed outdoors is not only seen in children, but also in adults. Playing outdoors allows one to conquer their fears and build confidence.</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-size:100%;" >
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<br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcUloqJk56v5SNoOXtY8tt5wszUbmIn8diXAoo-X0nNMRZrwiB_Gh54BlWzhV88q3C9ZEJWXRFeTtUP-pZLfFOVz49KF2iXgeDATnHWqI4lbJgXSupzYiulrshwed3u2tvrPdUbWASjm4/s1600-h/yosemite5+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcUloqJk56v5SNoOXtY8tt5wszUbmIn8diXAoo-X0nNMRZrwiB_Gh54BlWzhV88q3C9ZEJWXRFeTtUP-pZLfFOVz49KF2iXgeDATnHWqI4lbJgXSupzYiulrshwed3u2tvrPdUbWASjm4/s320/yosemite5+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349421972738200690" border="0" /></a></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link style="font-family: trebuchet ms; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Outdoors play is also great for many other reasons. Outdoor play allows one to use creativity and develops their imagination, dexterity, and other strengths. Most of all, playing outside encourages individuals to interact with the world around them. Individuals that do not take a chance to experience the outdoors <span style="">never truly appreciate the beauty of the world around them or never challenge themselves. There are so many wonderful things we can experience just in our own backyards!</span></span> <span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-size:100%;" >
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<br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3xsjE-Q5sxoSOHjuSrm7Zj29AwCf4oYR-FXL9suFfLbzjQT1hidhmmKqkfoo-4nExfPGMxWSmwuFtwwIzHrdNkZW7WgHPQVntHB59UdGaaJO628XgIolA8DE-CoTO7VundgtXafYsPe_/s1600-h/wyoming-grand-teton-national-park.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3xsjE-Q5sxoSOHjuSrm7Zj29AwCf4oYR-FXL9suFfLbzjQT1hidhmmKqkfoo-4nExfPGMxWSmwuFtwwIzHrdNkZW7WgHPQVntHB59UdGaaJO628XgIolA8DE-CoTO7VundgtXafYsPe_/s320/wyoming-grand-teton-national-park.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349423389485990194" border="0" /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3xsjE-Q5sxoSOHjuSrm7Zj29AwCf4oYR-FXL9suFfLbzjQT1hidhmmKqkfoo-4nExfPGMxWSmwuFtwwIzHrdNkZW7WgHPQVntHB59UdGaaJO628XgIolA8DE-CoTO7VundgtXafYsPe_/s1600-h/wyoming-grand-teton-national-park.jpg"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSangh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style></a></span><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >June 21 is only two days away and it will officially be Summer ... so get outside!! Take a weekend trip to the Grand Canyon or other National Parks, visit a local park or outdoor attraction, or simply grab a copy of "Born to Explore" by Richard Wiese and be a backyard explorer!</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);font-size:100%;" >
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<br />Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-41781021232649243632009-06-18T11:26:00.000-07:002009-06-24T14:58:31.495-07:00Do drink the water...and then refill it from the tap!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWhOkmzl9AauFx-rUSaG6fI5sMNMLkvyekqe0tx7sQK9D4qvnL7F8UukUfBXage6ZBCkPlLBEjrboXdniX9gI8MlLuQU_ugc3C831IZohCLMKWB7vmzH5V2sprJ1cdpOV1umllztP35_fY/s1600-h/PB298961.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351015779123466930" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWhOkmzl9AauFx-rUSaG6fI5sMNMLkvyekqe0tx7sQK9D4qvnL7F8UukUfBXage6ZBCkPlLBEjrboXdniX9gI8MlLuQU_ugc3C831IZohCLMKWB7vmzH5V2sprJ1cdpOV1umllztP35_fY/s320/PB298961.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKo0n2-birxdIecZPgmZoNqn0bYWyKYk3pALNn4vFRpEaY4Ocp5-Vr1XvkSExt4nOmeU9_NkSdbu7ZYfTxhEzEe8kXS26NaXjlvPooCH-VlzyMc7Nf7BRDDJLsa3PEtIJIIDnphgYtCi53/s1600-h/PB248168.JPG"></a>Some animals are better than others when it comes to storing water<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xZ2OqY8XivJ2wALarcNqjQtr7_7PKXO7snTtpcrNuams820es4yqbyQ0LGLmS6__5MDuG488eaMXuC5EbsVuBUqqWpA2fQe1hSEQNeXO0CnSIPqGpPWeNq2JYRnFWyztecT74Zkbb-AT/s1600-h/PB258325.JPG"></a><br /><div>Guest blogger: Lucy Mele<br /><br />I came across these interesting facts while doing research for this week's blog and thought that they were important enough to share:<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348736324208806482" style="WIDTH: 294px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 218px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWcA3RihVskTVzAczA9bh-_drUMNN_I6_nwNkiz9Lt4OR9kq1UOThyk9lH2w2jqeYZJt4aYhkKaGoFBupHngyRRc0zFPMIW73oWFTchEzd3TG14tdv0ePQaddD59_dGLNtfx8lWCKPKOd4/s320/DSCN2513.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />* According to the Container Recycling Institute, 66% of the 215 billion aluminum, glass, and plastic bottles sold in the US in 2006 ended up in landfills? That's almost 142 billion bottles. And because incineration releases toxins, and plastic doesn't biodegrade, all those bottles are staying put for around 1,000 years.<br /><br />* The Earth Policy Institute says that producing the plastic for all of the bottles we use annually uses enough oil to fill 100,000 cars with gasoline. This doesn't include the oil and gasoline that's used to transport the water we drink (prime example: think about that long, expensive flight your Fiji water has to take to end up at a NYC deli).<br /><br />* The US EPA actually has stricter regulations on tap water than it does on bottled water. Additionally, The amount of energy it takes to process, bottle, label and transport single-serve water is 2,000 times more than the amount of energy necessary to make tap water(LiveScience.com).<br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /><div align="justify"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRVT1YrxMhyphenhyphenlDTv4tDmu-kCTPxZz173e9eLf2sPm9XIvFLnullg-_3oOokyyLWwZJmJZB7EVq9j9m-4hoIoR09gBSJ2JMzqPOaZm7TCQ4_88Nd1i3KrYdxhfxnTiDpC60noApHdX675de/s1600-h/PB248168.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348744873658794274" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRVT1YrxMhyphenhyphenlDTv4tDmu-kCTPxZz173e9eLf2sPm9XIvFLnullg-_3oOokyyLWwZJmJZB7EVq9j9m-4hoIoR09gBSJ2JMzqPOaZm7TCQ4_88Nd1i3KrYdxhfxnTiDpC60noApHdX675de/s320/PB248168.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div align="justify">Destined for a landfill or the ocean<br /><br />I realize the irony in that last week, I wrote about the importance of drinking safe, bottled water and this week, I'm telling you how bad it is, so let me be clear: while I definitely advocate opting for the safest choice when you're traveling, I think it's important to heed these statistics when you're in a place where you know the tap water is safe and drinkable.<br /><br />Because let's face it; these statistics are pretty startling. But the good thing is, they're not impossible to combat. Take statistic #3, for example, which tells us that the water coming out of our tap is not only safer than the bottled stuff, it's also greener and more cost-efficient. Just think about how much money and energy we would all save if we purchased refillable bottles (one time) and continuously used our tap to fill them.<br /></div><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf53A5X3Co_3ia2BqphLe5tjFkTbdwBVOPlmf8EINRJAPW-y0cEF4uCKFs8dSiqrXyx_o7rR02b_q6d6sXoX_aUOl2N_2sJlpNYNTTQTUONmK9V6wJVQyjhru7tjEti9sba0XhAV0ETG1Z/s1600-h/DSCN2516.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348736492978146786" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf53A5X3Co_3ia2BqphLe5tjFkTbdwBVOPlmf8EINRJAPW-y0cEF4uCKFs8dSiqrXyx_o7rR02b_q6d6sXoX_aUOl2N_2sJlpNYNTTQTUONmK9V6wJVQyjhru7tjEti9sba0XhAV0ETG1Z/s320/DSCN2516.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div align="justify"><br />Reusable bottles like Nalgene and Sigg run between 15-30 bucks and can literally last a lifetime, depending on the brand. My personal preference is Nalgene, not only because they're an environmentally friendly company, but they also make a damn good bottle (just ask Richard, who talks about them in Born to Explore, and has actually used them to save lives!).</div><br /><div align="justify"><br />In fact, Nalgene just launched the Nalgene Community Sustainability Program, which partners the company with communities to help them reduce their carbon footprint by ditching the single-serve bottles and replacing them with the reusable kind. They've also teamed up with Brita to promote the Filter for Good campaign in an effort to encourage people to go green. </div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLF7OFvGJZJij8W6LvnGEB7fmrDifvK0dxb_Nb7bOnkYQW41qyoehKP2VqCGpzWzbelqxn6BSF8x2d-FrL0c8huxlVYuy69NYREDd8CrBplJUjQknUY0slckMQCyh9rRtCunTxQza3cVpg/s1600-h/P3182502.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348745029514698338" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLF7OFvGJZJij8W6LvnGEB7fmrDifvK0dxb_Nb7bOnkYQW41qyoehKP2VqCGpzWzbelqxn6BSF8x2d-FrL0c8huxlVYuy69NYREDd8CrBplJUjQknUY0slckMQCyh9rRtCunTxQza3cVpg/s320/P3182502.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Purifying water on Kilimanjaro</div><div align="justify"><br />One of the cool things about all of these pro-tap movements and statistics is that it's giving other major companies that aren't necessarily so environmentally aware the much-needed kick in the rear to do something about the waste they create. Just last week, Coca Cola Japan announced plans to introduce lighter-weight, easily crushable bottles for their LOHAS mineral water. This simple change has the potential for big impact; if the bottle becomes widely used, then delivery loads shrink, which enables the company to pack more in each load, run loads less frequently, and reduce their fuel intake, ultimately cutting costs.<br /></div><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfW0_ErKRIfPe22tA04PlgWtRJBA6Shat9qmfeMcTK8p5xt1mnd2MXr9IeKKVcUOMGcdW_XyyWmlf1kqaDkU9QUe2kjHdVrgWaHp6ZEAhX05o6mR9f2BSUwsm9Djm3uPq5dERWaRjFaLh/s1600-h/P3213034.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348745229156334898" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfW0_ErKRIfPe22tA04PlgWtRJBA6Shat9qmfeMcTK8p5xt1mnd2MXr9IeKKVcUOMGcdW_XyyWmlf1kqaDkU9QUe2kjHdVrgWaHp6ZEAhX05o6mR9f2BSUwsm9Djm3uPq5dERWaRjFaLh/s320/P3213034.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div align="justify">Catching a rainbow:one of the many uses of a Nalgene bottle</div><div align="justify"><br />Cities are also realizing the economic and environmental benefits of weaning themselves off of bottled water. Richmond, VA, has award-winning tap-water, but up until May, the workers at City Hall were drinking from water coolers. By ending the contract with their water provider, they'll now save over $200,000 a year. San Mateo County in California made a similar move this year, and expects to save around a quarter of a million dollars annually.<br /></div><div align="justify">Even though companies and municipalities are working to do their part, sales of bottled water are continuing to rise. This year, we're expected to exceed 50 billion bottles worldwide. So take a tip from our friends over at Nalgene and go out and buy yourself a reusable bottle. Not only will your wallet thank you, but Mother Nature (& the rest of us) will be eternally grateful.<br /></div><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pawoGBYgolCXsT_jKzZqIhzIjV3sGJBmPYgSutJVsbug44b82gsS_I0bl2auI-kA-5wke0oc8qxq5X5zPHjDK-c3a_s6bEcIEchY2wwNXhszRc8-4IkinmD9nyMc8Y9WPy-2ITj7iQ0J/s1600-h/Aus2+133.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348736164796961922" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pawoGBYgolCXsT_jKzZqIhzIjV3sGJBmPYgSutJVsbug44b82gsS_I0bl2auI-kA-5wke0oc8qxq5X5zPHjDK-c3a_s6bEcIEchY2wwNXhszRc8-4IkinmD9nyMc8Y9WPy-2ITj7iQ0J/s320/Aus2+133.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div align="justify">Author enjoying the water</div><div align="justify"> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-26745419606890710432009-06-11T09:38:00.001-07:002009-06-11T11:19:49.763-07:00What would McGuyver use Mylar for ?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzKBl_rq2dAoeahYOiYwXHOJKsGuAhvvwr-6zDaprccLWwzimmuuRtN09DDbXrmm2btNyJYbGuvHeeCPcLqdhmdoxJoXfv8WSJkcKFakvp3GUPx6ARRki-wrZCwszjT9qSiP4Qbveq6Xo/s1600-h/Space+suit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346115286925429394" style="WIDTH: 248px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzKBl_rq2dAoeahYOiYwXHOJKsGuAhvvwr-6zDaprccLWwzimmuuRtN09DDbXrmm2btNyJYbGuvHeeCPcLqdhmdoxJoXfv8WSJkcKFakvp3GUPx6ARRki-wrZCwszjT9qSiP4Qbveq6Xo/s320/Space+suit.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Mylar is more than a fashion statement<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kdIdn9iLU1CuaKSiNOX_PpubwNOySMtPvLWavf1d4kEL2yqdumTY9gh1KOgc5IOh01Z6Bo6vD6XNcrgToXUhL-DFCHPtfK8yh8v9L6-uszKH6FdPsnDjA2qLg-KhISDUSbKezIYbRbub/s1600-h/nasa_moon_pix.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346115179238045458" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 164px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kdIdn9iLU1CuaKSiNOX_PpubwNOySMtPvLWavf1d4kEL2yqdumTY9gh1KOgc5IOh01Z6Bo6vD6XNcrgToXUhL-DFCHPtfK8yh8v9L6-uszKH6FdPsnDjA2qLg-KhISDUSbKezIYbRbub/s320/nasa_moon_pix.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div>Recently while packing for an expedition I was going through my <em>Adventure Medical Kit</em> and started thinking about multiple uses for some of the items in the kit .</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgFYaS1X9TBIZeG5hZAkB5NJDb0fi4K8ABziKWXkVRfHYjK8KI5NsnX7OCOydxD1sIe20ovnjz4J1mHEGKjZpGdPIZwnOrfVLyHaXMFXSTCorBXKboOQAGS0ANXhg9HRG0SrzpLZ1kDtv/s1600-h/P6114761.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346127399944348578" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgFYaS1X9TBIZeG5hZAkB5NJDb0fi4K8ABziKWXkVRfHYjK8KI5NsnX7OCOydxD1sIe20ovnjz4J1mHEGKjZpGdPIZwnOrfVLyHaXMFXSTCorBXKboOQAGS0ANXhg9HRG0SrzpLZ1kDtv/s320/P6114761.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>I have always thought the mark of a good explorer is being able to take an item or peice of equipment and use it for a host of varying situations. I guess the example most people think about is duct tape. It is the material that is the holy grail of wilderness versatility however I started looking at my shiny space blanket (Mylar sheet) and I thought what would what might MacGyver use Mylar for?</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEL5NLa3uYFLuHpJ1Y4ANPpDtnj1TVw386f-pGUVPj1TisaOfwfl5iXWpkyQlxQSkf8IMMN5kJc2XAMRPRSbCVLBcvRqdju9bhrS81C70kc3UzEUj-JmZyCP8mhDEbYil8gP-pluATIzz/s1600-h/macgyver_movie-copia.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346128067168141602" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEL5NLa3uYFLuHpJ1Y4ANPpDtnj1TVw386f-pGUVPj1TisaOfwfl5iXWpkyQlxQSkf8IMMN5kJc2XAMRPRSbCVLBcvRqdju9bhrS81C70kc3UzEUj-JmZyCP8mhDEbYil8gP-pluATIzz/s320/macgyver_movie-copia.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>McGuyver the patron saint of ingenuity<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>First of all Mylar sounds like an ominous, extraterrestrial substance, but it is actually present at most birthday parties you go to. Mylar is the trademark name by Dupont, and it is basically the silver stuff that party balloons are made of or computer parts are stored in or even food is stored. Most people will recognize Mylar as the thin, silver blanket that they hand out at the end of marathons or the “space blankets” that you find in your <em>Adventure medical kit</em>.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8sgWqIC6MN4FMnhUQexQzmYT24IX21LNPw1UPaYGBLZgSsC054nVZ0b1uROiuYQ_PJ3Uizwjhjmi_gZ3k9gkNXH4OCN3vDYVYwUmZUYaFzxBxfIyrbcx_na-FN2LH5ZeA4QYTEW3Ro1X/s1600-h/Boston+Globe.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346127966995896898" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 119px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8sgWqIC6MN4FMnhUQexQzmYT24IX21LNPw1UPaYGBLZgSsC054nVZ0b1uROiuYQ_PJ3Uizwjhjmi_gZ3k9gkNXH4OCN3vDYVYwUmZUYaFzxBxfIyrbcx_na-FN2LH5ZeA4QYTEW3Ro1X/s320/Boston+Globe.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Marathoners with Mylar blankets:Boston Globe<br /><br />Mylar has been around a lot longer than most people think, and even Wikipedia falsely says that it was invented by the space industry in 1964. On the contrary, it was actually developed by Dupont Mylar in 1952 when it grew out of the development of Dacron, and was first used by NASA for their Echo Satellites in 1960.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsm3yciqAOqVY1mfdCspUUC2FpKzfe4m4lzSchdgjeJULya2ykXrvHtDmrpZY9WiTxBDQ7q4eDUymdt-7yRCKCvBxa5xPnbiq7v0rLVyFuptV29LJ2wSs4UDCdPTI88-sMz9qI66SZbva/s1600-h/Echo+Sat.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346114835146531250" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsm3yciqAOqVY1mfdCspUUC2FpKzfe4m4lzSchdgjeJULya2ykXrvHtDmrpZY9WiTxBDQ7q4eDUymdt-7yRCKCvBxa5xPnbiq7v0rLVyFuptV29LJ2wSs4UDCdPTI88-sMz9qI66SZbva/s320/Echo+Sat.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />So what might MacGyver use Mylar for?<br />First, he would use it for an emergency blanket; he would know that it works the same way a thermos does to keep heat and reduce heat losses in a person's body due to thermal radiation and convection. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAloD-vSIWR-1Gls8FMujnUAvUvpQ_h-J-m9vQt5U5zNrtqhU9J8CsGuXa0axWZqBzbznKDooIrJaCVFCkDAvDwlT80r-ng8Zhjaq135n82PLizF9SjLM1ssiTWACa7UlCjciwXXbBExdb/s1600-h/P6114747.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346127324771694034" style="WIDTH: 242px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAloD-vSIWR-1Gls8FMujnUAvUvpQ_h-J-m9vQt5U5zNrtqhU9J8CsGuXa0axWZqBzbznKDooIrJaCVFCkDAvDwlT80r-ng8Zhjaq135n82PLizF9SjLM1ssiTWACa7UlCjciwXXbBExdb/s320/P6114747.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div>Better sad than dead.</div><div><br />In the same manner that it keeps a person warm, sheets of Mylar covering a tent’s inner walls with the shiny surface facing inward, keeps a tent warm. It reflects body heat back into the tent, warming the interior more efficiently.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzIKHu5ki_ECeAftYwytUEpp6zJuyUW4O-AuDvESMbiOlCLD75BdDFps_nafOi5xwXpHEw-KqoVSdxsSjVF4pXhXoGM28Rea3eNiaOwbMDmrGpIt2IvHHJW1fJWwP_7KIwlYldHU8tjaK8/s1600-h/P4252122.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346127624125375570" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzIKHu5ki_ECeAftYwytUEpp6zJuyUW4O-AuDvESMbiOlCLD75BdDFps_nafOi5xwXpHEw-KqoVSdxsSjVF4pXhXoGM28Rea3eNiaOwbMDmrGpIt2IvHHJW1fJWwP_7KIwlYldHU8tjaK8/s320/P4252122.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-cCszIyOewZKetDfVz_B665B7r5iWV9CSRTqpQBYXYJ8NWDQS9TqFJ_ZGIsaqDloKQh-A_Myoukt547FEDX5FjU1u3pxVw79jN_V5B6NDb0aAPsn0jfY77RStK-AqD69V2XjVzr0Oy8B/s1600-h/P6114763.jpg"></a>Mylar can keep a tent warmer even on the North Pole</div><div><br />On the other hand, in an extreme heat situation, covering the outer walls with the shiny surface facing outward will reflect the sun's heat away from the tent, cooling the interior more efficiently. Using a sheet of Mylar will protect the body from heat as it will reflect the suns heat.<br />However, it might not be a good idea to wrap ones self tightly in Mylar in hot weather because body heat would get trapped by the airtight foil, and you would be the equivalent of a baked potato in an oven. Seems counterproductive no?<br />MacGyver would also use Mylar to fashion a tent or tarp for protection when the elements got the better of him.<br />In addition, he would also probably make a hot air balloon or create a kite to aid in rescuers with visual ques.<br />Since Mylar can be made into balloons it can also be used to make water or food storage bags. Mylar is incredibly heat resistant but you probably cook food or boil water in it for water purification.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZtkoKSYRc9Qb8wnfHSO-0UYnD2t6L33S5sdSPeLvjVYIjpOx1bgkJf54I39vRzF5YYyhyphenhyphenyNkD7rtnPvyIVFyKaByqTVasjId8C1rVlpINmX4Vb612nLiCSNVPOA-oetNQvxnMq51ZdJa/s1600-h/mylar+cooker+.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346114996755020626" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 288px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZtkoKSYRc9Qb8wnfHSO-0UYnD2t6L33S5sdSPeLvjVYIjpOx1bgkJf54I39vRzF5YYyhyphenhyphenyNkD7rtnPvyIVFyKaByqTVasjId8C1rVlpINmX4Vb612nLiCSNVPOA-oetNQvxnMq51ZdJa/s320/mylar+cooker+.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Solar oven: Project Surya<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>With good sunlight Mylar can be woven in to parabolic baskets and made into solar cookers that can be used to cook food or pasteurize water during emergencies when other fuels and power sources may not be available.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4aIY2jUg7REtrczTY6eitTUL8jXJl0mTVjGJ9GUPbuMQdrw0BC9ib2A_Xz7ZTXmIRORWl5Bpd4yUzJGXS5Q-tIHM7Qtbuc-iK5d7eEGKv2yD76ge4YwhhFFkpm2N8LmyC08ErpSrsUvg/s1600-h/P1016638.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346127726286869938" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 235px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4aIY2jUg7REtrczTY6eitTUL8jXJl0mTVjGJ9GUPbuMQdrw0BC9ib2A_Xz7ZTXmIRORWl5Bpd4yUzJGXS5Q-tIHM7Qtbuc-iK5d7eEGKv2yD76ge4YwhhFFkpm2N8LmyC08ErpSrsUvg/s320/P1016638.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Although it is used for solar sails in outer space, in a pinch it could also be used to make a makeshift sail for a canoe or a small boat. A word of caution: Though Mylar is a very strong material, it rips quite easily, and should be avoided when trying to catch gale force winds.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkuQZT_d_gzJMKsC1pKjJKAyelrAs0ZANGoJ3bgr0BqXKHZz5bosHRpIE2GHKelt0nnwnXhdVd_42dlKm37ff6aThdyutalgST3_fkSGT65i8NvffeHm3lGpNvg_kx_s3kg8HqxSsbpAR/s1600-h/Kilimanjaro+2005+214.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346130766573877810" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkuQZT_d_gzJMKsC1pKjJKAyelrAs0ZANGoJ3bgr0BqXKHZz5bosHRpIE2GHKelt0nnwnXhdVd_42dlKm37ff6aThdyutalgST3_fkSGT65i8NvffeHm3lGpNvg_kx_s3kg8HqxSsbpAR/s320/Kilimanjaro+2005+214.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Mylar can be easily made into glacier glasses because you can see through the material in very bright light. Naturally, MacGyver would probably be traveling to a destination with a solar eclipse and would also use it as an inexpensive solar eclipse viewer. Care must be taken however because invisible fissures can form in the metal film, reducing its effectiveness.<br />Obviously, in an emergency situation, it is a big help if you are found right away. Not only can a sheet of Mylar be used to signal rescuers, but in true MacGyver fashion, he would know that radar waves can be reflected by certain substances such as aluminized Mylar, a lot like the way that light is reflected by a mirror. You want the surface to be hard so it doesn't distort and affect the reflectivity for the radar waves. Think about looking at yourself in a nice, clean, smooth mirror. You get a good representation of what you look like because the light waves aren't redirected by surface irregularities. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gbwzHgFG16Il5KuzbfUlFiJbG8sdcn8fre8FcxiI9j8jdZ4bHqfePdWhqmPco3PA8VXz4lnUNjC3QzcYKaGugIUYV4NXwYLXZs6sNlV2HA7ZfnSau8-w5UAs1fAoGG8D0kVWhOwVU58p/s1600-h/balloon-8-27-07-browse.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346127837580454866" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gbwzHgFG16Il5KuzbfUlFiJbG8sdcn8fre8FcxiI9j8jdZ4bHqfePdWhqmPco3PA8VXz4lnUNjC3QzcYKaGugIUYV4NXwYLXZs6sNlV2HA7ZfnSau8-w5UAs1fAoGG8D0kVWhOwVU58p/s320/balloon-8-27-07-browse.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>The ultimate party baloon</div><div><br />Though metalized party balloons aren't great radar reflectors, they'd be much better than nothing in an emergency. But then again, McGuyver might just keep them as welcome balloons—if he couldn’t be in control of the situation, at least he could enjoy the spectacle! </div></div></div></div>Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-67983389778828894182009-06-11T09:04:00.000-07:002009-06-24T09:01:16.894-07:00The Whale that Changed the World<div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGWsul3B8cefqAgudaIWcDO5723qPnQ09XjT6IqJJzNBKeB5w2vGcRpICZ-7q_YNNddX9XyLs2NzzKa6KcfN3R5gptkMyVcx4i1oFrE2HHSh8EpR4Qi6bf24wrN6n6H7gaTWAOYKYYdHD/s1600-h/blue-whale-credit-noaa-fisheries.jpg"></a><br />Guest Blooger: Nora Lewis Allen<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRf2HtAJyGAolmKmX6fM29r4WjJYCuEGH9Tgqjw1mKa99sttfJidTZAf56A8uj85kGHTkIXtKIoyf-tZPa4TGrsQ28Z95mnOpJ6wjksBIYK5FV6cYWOGpO6cY5MJfeMhB9CUBuHCpbNj8h/s1600-h/bluewhale.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346102215822758930" style="width: 320px; height: 213px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRf2HtAJyGAolmKmX6fM29r4WjJYCuEGH9Tgqjw1mKa99sttfJidTZAf56A8uj85kGHTkIXtKIoyf-tZPa4TGrsQ28Z95mnOpJ6wjksBIYK5FV6cYWOGpO6cY5MJfeMhB9CUBuHCpbNj8h/s320/bluewhale.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div><div>Recently on May 28th, Christopher Clark the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Bioacoustics Research Program, heard the sounds of a blue whale only 70 miles off the coast of Long Island. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5u9kZtu3cyXdDcpWX38SKiLrJ294Mt1Qelg3fxWRrNFz9Il-qJyshgZUoi73JoN2PLQwUzKPMb5fDQRVhqFRDnbxcoJSCZpU9XeZFLWnlSexXonWzNqucWNkYIL46pHBvHqVyhbglt52/s1600-h/bioacoustic+research+program+that+disovered+whale--+of+monitering+stations.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346101843482108402" style="width: 320px; height: 284px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5u9kZtu3cyXdDcpWX38SKiLrJ294Mt1Qelg3fxWRrNFz9Il-qJyshgZUoi73JoN2PLQwUzKPMb5fDQRVhqFRDnbxcoJSCZpU9XeZFLWnlSexXonWzNqucWNkYIL46pHBvHqVyhbglt52/s320/bioacoustic+research+program+that+disovered+whale--+of+monitering+stations.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>He was astounded, and so was I. The blue whale, the largest animal to exist in the history of the world, is rarely spotted off the coast of the eastern United States and rarely even heard this close to land.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubbqOU4BB_kvBRZvJ8G6v79PMAhNU0RG2GykiCRgIfVOlzuq3YQwJku9tcapjl-Z-5_LV0yYfpasfN5hN1_Nchk6hTDneAhhfqnlg4XkV6JZ6IdxuO5eqS7WkhVYZnm0hyphenhypheny-OVxLCGZS7/s1600-h/blue+whale+at+museum+of+nat.+history.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346101916170019682" style="width: 320px; height: 209px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubbqOU4BB_kvBRZvJ8G6v79PMAhNU0RG2GykiCRgIfVOlzuq3YQwJku9tcapjl-Z-5_LV0yYfpasfN5hN1_Nchk6hTDneAhhfqnlg4XkV6JZ6IdxuO5eqS7WkhVYZnm0hyphenhypheny-OVxLCGZS7/s320/blue+whale+at+museum+of+nat.+history.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I was particularly excited about this discovery. While at Cornell, I had the opportunity to tour the Bioacoustics Research Program and see what an amazing facility they had set up to monitor the migration of blue whales on the east coast. Also, as a fan of large aquatic life, I have admired the blue whale since I was young and saw a life-size version hanging in the Museum of Natural History in New York City. To this day it is still one of my favorite places in the museum—yes I still go to, and love, the Museum of Natural History. Sadly, the only further exposure I have had to the blue whale has been from Planet Earth. When I heard that a blue whale had been spotted off Long Island I was ecstatic. I was no longer a film degree, job at BBC and boat ride away from one of the most magnificent animals of all time, but a mere two hour drive.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQt4RpaP1IN0rKxY-3tcn1pytpYQDAVw5TfHHmXKPz2y9Ah64Cqcl10GtVo90I5MxiL9opp1IQYzouwHtYqxfGO0fsII3eK6pkIwgRKWvCwUMR_dctksX2u4ne8r3uPi3JFtFXDXZOxeL/s1600-h/Sizecomparisons_GIF.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346102439520442354" style="width: 320px; height: 256px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQt4RpaP1IN0rKxY-3tcn1pytpYQDAVw5TfHHmXKPz2y9Ah64Cqcl10GtVo90I5MxiL9opp1IQYzouwHtYqxfGO0fsII3eK6pkIwgRKWvCwUMR_dctksX2u4ne8r3uPi3JFtFXDXZOxeL/s320/Sizecomparisons_GIF.gif" border="0" /></a><br />I am not the only person to have loved whales. Captain Ahab chased Moby Dick across 500 pages of 19th century literature and the curator at the Museum of Natural History decided it would be beneficial to hang a life-sized version of a blue whale in the museum—all one-hundred feet of it. But the older you get the easier it is to forget that there is an infinite world beyond your own personal agenda. Each ocean, lake, pond and puddle is teeming with life—a complete ecosystem full of the largest beings on Earth to the smallest microbes.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihelulZ3YXPEm0cG2RMT-TA4oWPSi6GGr1mFQW75kmA_mQE62qWy3RoTiY9SJNvmEk7GlerdTo6lowYS2novZy1Gnqny_lj4IIFeME_SgITFm9guuedeqf-EQY5zW4DSN9B7Ki0kHDEwbi/s1600-h/Noaa+blue+whale.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346102378411469186" style="width: 320px; height: 214px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihelulZ3YXPEm0cG2RMT-TA4oWPSi6GGr1mFQW75kmA_mQE62qWy3RoTiY9SJNvmEk7GlerdTo6lowYS2novZy1Gnqny_lj4IIFeME_SgITFm9guuedeqf-EQY5zW4DSN9B7Ki0kHDEwbi/s320/Noaa+blue+whale.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />It is a fact that if humanity were to suddenly become extinct, nature would eventually reclaim the entire world in a surprisingly short time. It is essential that we recognize that the world contains a force that lives beyond ourselves and our agendas. I’m not saying that we should all stop our lives and chase blue whales, but like Born to Explore teaches us, there is an entire world of adventure in our backyards, and for certain whale lovers, right off the coast. The next time you have a chance stop and look into a pond or at a tree and just admire—admire the beauty of a life form that has existed for thousands and thousands of years before our time, and will to continue to exist long after we are gone. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-49306612158892389872009-05-30T09:07:00.000-07:002009-05-30T09:29:14.682-07:00Don't drink the water<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbRIzduKWHlERCqXJt8tU3C64QSG661wCXtlIJWrPMWWt9tIjBd8xxw74JGN7yQxPFdlAHej3I-8ffM_1uwFtCeskr6DcjEDFbNAyqj5jHl9VmKW87FnjLkNLysm8mRDkVD7iO9IFB0ll/s1600-h/DrinkingWater.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341651520086690354" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbRIzduKWHlERCqXJt8tU3C64QSG661wCXtlIJWrPMWWt9tIjBd8xxw74JGN7yQxPFdlAHej3I-8ffM_1uwFtCeskr6DcjEDFbNAyqj5jHl9VmKW87FnjLkNLysm8mRDkVD7iO9IFB0ll/s320/DrinkingWater.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Guest Blogger:Lucy Mele</div><br /><div>When I’m home, I’m not much of a risk taker. I don’t do roller coasters or ski black diamonds. I always wear my seatbelt and I stop at yellow lights. I don’t even put those little red pepper flakes on my pizza (spicy food kind of hurts my mouth a little).<br /><br />But for some reason, I always gain a renewed sense of invincibility after I leave the boundaries of our half acre plot in the ’burbs to set out on a new adventure. My “travel alter-ego” will often find herself hitchhiking across countries and eating weird things like duck feet and shark blubber. It’s as though I feel compelled – almost obligated – to make new and different decisions when I’m in a new and different place.<br /><br />There is one risk, however, I’ve always been careful not to take, especially when I’m in a developing country (and by careful, I mean borderline paranoid) and that’s water consumption. No raw veggies, no unpeeled fruit, nothing made or paired with ice. I had the whole routine down to a science. Or so I thought.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi610t0AvPUoe6VY26cD8N2LVw9m0T_BdHVQ4XTP6i3_-Hbsdp_XCgRtOskLbaEZQJkOSB5n7iN92RXo9jhzJ3bp5wSDyVthGWte2x3pcod63lxpAYIOGIMY1Kd73Pt_xh1QfSp598mSvWA/s1600-h/Flashlights.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341652497675189554" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 222px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi610t0AvPUoe6VY26cD8N2LVw9m0T_BdHVQ4XTP6i3_-Hbsdp_XCgRtOskLbaEZQJkOSB5n7iN92RXo9jhzJ3bp5wSDyVthGWte2x3pcod63lxpAYIOGIMY1Kd73Pt_xh1QfSp598mSvWA/s320/Flashlights.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I spent a few days in Haiti earlier this month delivering solar-powered flashlights to school kids on the rural island of La Gonave. The island has no electricity, and the students can’t study at night (unless they use a kerosene lamp, which eats up costly fuel and can fill the small, cinderblock huts with greasy black smoke). The trip was through an organization called Haiti Lumiere de Demain (Haiti Light of Tomorrow), which works to create educational opportunities for students in Haiti’s rural areas, as well as build an environmentally sustainable community on La Gonave, where there is currently no waste removal system.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNcMp09Zhx16AqbXrUvtldLKjp8LFcYTy_DJr16MphKEQWQHckg0fo3O2CMrhgUrhIkPOXkz0f2lIspTJz3_fMT9yfNOSBOdX3l2R4AmNftPkXQ4KHUWUwuuhmCVMstTnZ3djbraEW1Zn/s1600-h/gardia.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341653706678300802" style="WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNcMp09Zhx16AqbXrUvtldLKjp8LFcYTy_DJr16MphKEQWQHckg0fo3O2CMrhgUrhIkPOXkz0f2lIspTJz3_fMT9yfNOSBOdX3l2R4AmNftPkXQ4KHUWUwuuhmCVMstTnZ3djbraEW1Zn/s320/gardia.bmp" border="0" /></a></div><div>Sci Fi looking giardia</div><div><br />It was a pretty incredible trip – we spent our time talking to people, playing soccer with kids, and getting to know each other over long, plantain-heavy meals at the fabulously decorated home of the equally fabulous Madame Fifi. I got home about a week and a half ago with interesting stories, new friends, and great pictures.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I also brought home a case of giardia. </div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJSWDQDIqYwt9zpicfwH-8ll55s5nOycEb6wtOpPNVb2wlo6hIquWV1eTb2HjnTrDUDJkBiY5Wk8YTv22mh6ysdUurv4m0O7yusM6Ek2phAWmKn88AEEyujKDdV7clvVVM8LxXvMVSR-Y/s1600-h/Fifis+House.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341652783992469842" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJSWDQDIqYwt9zpicfwH-8ll55s5nOycEb6wtOpPNVb2wlo6hIquWV1eTb2HjnTrDUDJkBiY5Wk8YTv22mh6ysdUurv4m0O7yusM6Ek2phAWmKn88AEEyujKDdV7clvVVM8LxXvMVSR-Y/s320/Fifis+House.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div>Even local tap water can be dangerous</div><br /><div><br />Giardia can be a traveler’s worst nightmare. It’s a microscopic, hard-shelled parasite that lives in the intestine of the person who is infected. Symptoms show up about a week or two after infection, and can be pretty miserable -- cramping, diarrhea, nausea, dehydration, the whole bit.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6K9MNJhrD07C_HpOp0rySP9SVo-mHiihVnv4wiMo4eliAdlKsmkFEf5vMIXiBPC9GMs_yYZ3_77zwAskIl0UonAMFFqM7ZjmgGjq-lgXSToKXLdMMHjcfv3YgrXWs8hbtVUXekxE9U0nv/s1600-h/P2260771.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341651887931234738" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6K9MNJhrD07C_HpOp0rySP9SVo-mHiihVnv4wiMo4eliAdlKsmkFEf5vMIXiBPC9GMs_yYZ3_77zwAskIl0UonAMFFqM7ZjmgGjq-lgXSToKXLdMMHjcfv3YgrXWs8hbtVUXekxE9U0nv/s320/P2260771.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Aboriginal guts have built a tolerance for local water</div><div><br />Which leads me to where I am now: writing this blog from my couch while sipping Gatorade, watching Saved by the Bell reruns, and wondering how the hell I, queen of Purell, could have possibly picked up the parasite.<br /><br />I cracked open my copy of “Born to Explore” for answers. According to Richard, giardia can be caused by a number of things, including consuming, swimming in, or accidentally ingesting contaminated water from tainted lakes or ponds, eating infected food, or touching your mouth with contaminated hands.<br /><br />I still have no idea how I got sick, and, in retrospect, I could have contracted this thing any one of those ways. No matter how crazy I was about keeping clean and avoiding bacteria, there are certain things you have to do, like bathe and eat, to avoid getting sick in other ways.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUI4srObF6fiLNi9amTLfTbqZ3ApmFSpel-c91epD6bNkzu-1gxT6aO_jVSqjLFlzcVfB9GJT2rgXhe8ucfvhfi3CE6cOLrZ6cF4wJ9WaJKgNMzvypFhssBJVAuiDP6b0HMWHfSZaY49Pw/s1600-h/Author+Pic.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341651751750216498" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUI4srObF6fiLNi9amTLfTbqZ3ApmFSpel-c91epD6bNkzu-1gxT6aO_jVSqjLFlzcVfB9GJT2rgXhe8ucfvhfi3CE6cOLrZ6cF4wJ9WaJKgNMzvypFhssBJVAuiDP6b0HMWHfSZaY49Pw/s320/Author+Pic.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div>Author</div><div><br />I guess the lesson here is that parasites can be sneaky, and you can never be too careful about what you consume. Take the advice in “Born to Explore” – “boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it.”<br />Trust me, you don’t want to learn the hard way. </div></div>Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-74196057240632260662009-05-29T05:22:00.000-07:002009-05-29T06:28:20.180-07:00Cavorting with a canoe<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhInfi7i5yGAYpEN8C5jndOzu3yYpJ4S1L5SjpDEUtTImZRQj2RG8zKcRA29Suazzp6hE5dC0eKAJVOzSb_2Ruhbs-zDp1Xl91j6u3zGisYHITvPNhZ9bYPMkYu5PwClqcHadie6zg4zZ6Y/s1600-h/P8145628-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341231272390975634" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 222px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhInfi7i5yGAYpEN8C5jndOzu3yYpJ4S1L5SjpDEUtTImZRQj2RG8zKcRA29Suazzp6hE5dC0eKAJVOzSb_2Ruhbs-zDp1Xl91j6u3zGisYHITvPNhZ9bYPMkYu5PwClqcHadie6zg4zZ6Y/s320/P8145628-1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Guest blog by Nora Lewis Allen<br /><br />I first heard about the elusive Six-Hour Canoe while reading Richard Wiese’s book “Born to Explore”during a break from writing a particularly mundane paper.</div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGVIHBsKlNkH8J00EnecGcRvs7w9IZRJKeqRrInjVSdTu-CQXR-K7rgFWizmX7YwLxukTNLskisIfR_w0NB12lk_6fyN_w7mtyaaPfHfQdgLlgUTlhGpEzYUwFjfxC_Mi-hUdJKJ4sfaI/s1600-h/P9306364.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341230682350735394" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 258px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGVIHBsKlNkH8J00EnecGcRvs7w9IZRJKeqRrInjVSdTu-CQXR-K7rgFWizmX7YwLxukTNLskisIfR_w0NB12lk_6fyN_w7mtyaaPfHfQdgLlgUTlhGpEzYUwFjfxC_Mi-hUdJKJ4sfaI/s320/P9306364.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>Wooden guide boats nestled in a rack in the Adirondacks of NY.</div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>I was immediately drawn to the idea; it seemed fun and somewhat easy, but for the most part I couldn’t believe that I could actually build a floatable vessel, albeit a small one, in six hours.</div><br /><div>.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChR53i3gSiBxvETPMu1kHbs2S5askmcKK4h9jS9ezceFtgfQTbhfVVpONv6FKUBZAkEycOjOypvKmt2Hsu0bto9mTNgZU96JTElopjy8VMaN7u2iCR8Wr_77FFXZ0lnVX2He0qiuX9hbC/s1600-h/P1054936.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341231398332743218" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChR53i3gSiBxvETPMu1kHbs2S5askmcKK4h9jS9ezceFtgfQTbhfVVpONv6FKUBZAkEycOjOypvKmt2Hsu0bto9mTNgZU96JTElopjy8VMaN7u2iCR8Wr_77FFXZ0lnVX2He0qiuX9hbC/s320/P1054936.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div>Building a 6 hour canoe.</div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLQTo-Pqe-Nhq4Zbi5zzcK0O6HnBAXVJ5lLVx4qeLSlzLmla3VmIwjjgu8WDiFhyphenhyphenXA7nF0d-HsDz1W8I9eZDk3alAnHssBR_DzVFGOmlT48Zegv8sf2F_Q5914iAVvQjQW-ELfx51Irk-/s1600-h/P8145624.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341231182433775762" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 177px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLQTo-Pqe-Nhq4Zbi5zzcK0O6HnBAXVJ5lLVx4qeLSlzLmla3VmIwjjgu8WDiFhyphenhyphenXA7nF0d-HsDz1W8I9eZDk3alAnHssBR_DzVFGOmlT48Zegv8sf2F_Q5914iAVvQjQW-ELfx51Irk-/s320/P8145624.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>Launching a 6 hour canoe 12 hours later.</div><br /><div>I immediately called an adventurous friend and that night visions of canoes danced in my head. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Hps3qJdUxCciQriiHx5OlWE0El6POI2fslHgUrwU7-VV3WOCv4NRAX5GolNo6Mww2fT4RxrpuXXmeordBS16dKxYqeaxlwT8uzAqq99qCwCD83AzKKMnkPslrWbYQMg3NuCX43xpUYt0/s1600-h/lake+placid+078.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341231081216204194" style="WIDTH: 272px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Hps3qJdUxCciQriiHx5OlWE0El6POI2fslHgUrwU7-VV3WOCv4NRAX5GolNo6Mww2fT4RxrpuXXmeordBS16dKxYqeaxlwT8uzAqq99qCwCD83AzKKMnkPslrWbYQMg3NuCX43xpUYt0/s320/lake+placid+078.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div>Wooden boats are floating art.<br /><br />That week I had a short story due in my narrative writing class. Naturally, I chose to center my story on two friends who decided to build their own canoe. During my critique all my fellow writers could talk about was the canoe; they absolutely loved it.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Allusions, metaphors, poetic language—all were forgotten. All they wanted was more of the canoe. Was it a real thing? Where did I learn about it? They loved how the characters weren’t doing something that was expected, but rather something adventurous and proactive. I believe one adjective used was “kick-ass.” I was surprised by these reactions. The canoe didn’t seem like such a radical idea to me, but in a time when college students use books as a last resort for research and all free-time is spent cruising Facebook, daily life starts to become mundane. My classmates craved the ingenuity and spontaneity of a character who just wanted to build a canoe for the hell of it.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXoOHQvdcdgQZ6mRFeTre8hruqnnultFFr8bsb0dNBAgoac4Y5KAck7fisQyS8HLOMD_P7bYSPpMU8JSuApkMnBevZ0Z4TS9p9NqUHmJwS81caRxiZyt2a8OkcUyGaK-isVhkGuACNAwY/s1600-h/BELL+Hawaii+planting+tress.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341220983945735394" style="WIDTH: 244px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXoOHQvdcdgQZ6mRFeTre8hruqnnultFFr8bsb0dNBAgoac4Y5KAck7fisQyS8HLOMD_P7bYSPpMU8JSuApkMnBevZ0Z4TS9p9NqUHmJwS81caRxiZyt2a8OkcUyGaK-isVhkGuACNAwY/s320/BELL+Hawaii+planting+tress.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div>Author</div><div><br />As for my canoe? I am wholly committed to building it this summer with a friend. Will it take us only six hours?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUHrB6L-kLEYi_YM0PqVECVNrusVooHqATizTl9kx0lhAGUYEZmCclWwVqzbjO2BIHolGIGJsWqB5uCa6xWnLI3A8hyphenhyphenNfgV1HlT16aLTK51Zuep90qs3MNU8PYGZzLaqpvIvThrLChDIa/s1600-h/P1014719.JPG"></a> I doubt it, but for us it is not necessarily the completion time that matters most. Working on a project for the pure enjoyment of breaking up our usual routine? That does. And how about the actual building? I’ll get back to you on that one…</div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEeLWrcpe4xcjJsike6C-aCWjL8Luo_VJiC3oqL3UB9kKn1SAory8B3VH-utbFjqYVQShvqp5RAj-99IoQiJ_fyOXO3q8Ge75VJ1he-VVSjRjICmh2mq8BQN9EuGiYVcVPoi7W61OY5qc/s1600-h/PC064007.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341230782671956210" style="WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEeLWrcpe4xcjJsike6C-aCWjL8Luo_VJiC3oqL3UB9kKn1SAory8B3VH-utbFjqYVQShvqp5RAj-99IoQiJ_fyOXO3q8Ge75VJ1he-VVSjRjICmh2mq8BQN9EuGiYVcVPoi7W61OY5qc/s320/PC064007.JPG" border="0" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5905918702037355354.post-70880021187726584582009-05-28T11:40:00.000-07:002009-05-30T09:35:01.624-07:00Missing Link Hype<div>By guest blogger Cassandra Lobo<br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictwazNXLuDB09yHHgcmD_voMcfyx0ky5vxxGuUeXOJcgWHJey6cwrAbnrQ4tyFyqC3FgYJiGsHpxYjOLnuaRKZgRvkH5or-YKb-F599CYzApW8sKtU8OBGX7iDtbX20liwFQBACV8bTSl/s1600-h/evolution-of-man-8x6.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340951634119558194" style="WIDTH: 314px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictwazNXLuDB09yHHgcmD_voMcfyx0ky5vxxGuUeXOJcgWHJey6cwrAbnrQ4tyFyqC3FgYJiGsHpxYjOLnuaRKZgRvkH5or-YKb-F599CYzApW8sKtU8OBGX7iDtbX20liwFQBACV8bTSl/s320/evolution-of-man-8x6.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><br /><div>While flipping through the channels one day, I saw a story on what was possibly the missing link. All of the hype and excitement people are expressing over anthropology is great. What exactly is the missing link? The missing link is the crucial information that has been missing for centuries about our evolution as humans and the rest of the animal kingdom. Many anthropologists strongly believe that Ida is the missing link, for it is the most complete and best preserved primate fossil ever discovered. These unique fossils are going to help us find the connection with other mammals, because most other fossils found are broken and imcomplete and are difficult to examine. </div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAGhRlBizNqQfdWm0BGnzNDsbiCbRfpYrQjR9-WgEEt7xP90QSoFHbcFK4IXzUKg5x8O_07OrPGsRZKqQqBpqetIBi87AvVLagoBtJBLzPnpdtWGUzPLzIkY1XSsAWpI9S9J9g4uJAhL5/s1600-h/Ida-2_563925a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340949547906458658" style="WIDTH: 185px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 360px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAGhRlBizNqQfdWm0BGnzNDsbiCbRfpYrQjR9-WgEEt7xP90QSoFHbcFK4IXzUKg5x8O_07OrPGsRZKqQqBpqetIBi87AvVLagoBtJBLzPnpdtWGUzPLzIkY1XSsAWpI9S9J9g4uJAhL5/s400/Ida-2_563925a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br />What truly defines a human being? In order to identify our past and history, we need to first identify what makes us human. Human beings and primates are extremely similar. We share many traits and characteristics, but human beings are much more developed. Human beings have the ability to communicate at a much higher level. We are able to have intellectual conversations, share and converse about similar situations, and have compassion for others. Yes, primates and other animals have emotions, but I believe being a human being means having a broad range of emotions and the ability to sense others feelings. We are able to express our feelings more deeply. Also, human beings are more accepting of others different them themselves. Animals tend to stick to their kind and usually do not interact with other species. Overall, human beings and primates are very comparable, but humans are more advanced in various aspects. </div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1kOqla38NOYxq3y1f4nLOmWTxy4PFm0G1l1jZFZy2yJ5C10PACT8YhztOyXZb230imto_uHpiHJGrEPz6gdtP8qZROanNK9ps-tAjH8GX3w1GbCtwMV17ZxFL1Ik9sOID2aDsOeEe9_4/s1600-h/Charles-Darwin385_463902s.jpg"></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgfr1uKLFOBRM8B76FJF6aMwAuYx5WHmG5gsgvGEltXHypWhNUD7widHQ8t8nkz9O_SrLJrxxEadtYC4bPfVGcrdwvS4JJYd461tf0cHXq3F1QyAI9ps4uPbdXEF7-Wva2rLFMy5m_UqM/s1600-h/CIMG2590-edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341656067102421762" style="WIDTH: 231px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgfr1uKLFOBRM8B76FJF6aMwAuYx5WHmG5gsgvGEltXHypWhNUD7widHQ8t8nkz9O_SrLJrxxEadtYC4bPfVGcrdwvS4JJYd461tf0cHXq3F1QyAI9ps4uPbdXEF7-Wva2rLFMy5m_UqM/s320/CIMG2590-edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div>Highly evolved author</div><div><br />The hype over Ida and the evolution of humans is getting more and more people involved in science which is wonderful. It has now given those who were born to explore (as well as the non-explorer types!) one more thing to research and study! I hope the hype gets us more engrossed in other aspects of science!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>For more information on how to be an anthropologist or an explorer read "Born to Explore" </div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSI6G8LQA9vTr1izTXGswK1eSkTFmg-zJbqeoIyrhHQ4Y8gJSnvYQNfrmj2kT2Y_ELBZK3tupLnJtIxSncFWT_ID2osWSmanjxQSnVNh1HPh0SGMpMN4cSWEOAFKqnE8IQkyWuveKyvWWj/s1600-h/Human+Evolution+conference.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340951969860372594" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSI6G8LQA9vTr1izTXGswK1eSkTFmg-zJbqeoIyrhHQ4Y8gJSnvYQNfrmj2kT2Y_ELBZK3tupLnJtIxSncFWT_ID2osWSmanjxQSnVNh1HPh0SGMpMN4cSWEOAFKqnE8IQkyWuveKyvWWj/s320/Human+Evolution+conference.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Richard Wiesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14773197091040626904noreply@blogger.com0