Write about where you are with your thinking--for this freewrite focus on the intellectual content of your research project--not the logistics of getting the project done. How far as your thinking come from topic to question to problem to research in the library as you develop your review of the literature?
At first I was interested in doing deep sea vent colonies, but there is not much literature support to include in the literature review, so I decided to work on Chesapeake bay declining water quality. There has been a lot of research conducted on this topic and still the water quality isn’t where we want it to me. There is some improvemen tin certain areas, but other areas have not seen improvement at all. After researching and reading different papers, I have concluded that the big factor in declining water quality is the hypoxic water conditions hypoxic means that the oxygen levels are low. However, the problem is very complex there are a variety of reasons for declining water qualities and all of them are intertwined to each other. You can’t talk about one factor without running into another one. All of the papers I have read so far deal with different threats to the bay, but it is interesting to see that they are all related and connected. I think there is some kind of cascade effect where one problem worsens another problem which worsense another one. I am doing ok with the literature review but I am uncertain about the project design later. I am not sure right now what needs to be done for the experimental design. Its clear that here is a major problem with the Chesapeake bay waters, but how to fix that? I am not sure.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
#4 Open Topic (freewrite, 10 minutes)
For this freewrite, write about anything you want to write about. If you don't have something in mind, just start a new document and start typing. See where the writing takes your thinking.
Every fashion designer has two seasons: spring/summer and autumn/winter. Each season I like to look at the colors used and the themes. I like how they are always different but follow the same aesthetics. You can clearly tell who designed the piece by their style. For spring/summer this year the colors that appeal to me are beige/cream and various shades of blue and white. I think those colors are cool for this summer. I am liking that color scheme right now. I am not interested in redder tones or green tones at the moment, although those may be great for next spring/summer. I don’t know much for winter right now, but I can somewhat see black and blue as the primarly color scheme for me. I also see another earth toned theme that utilizes browns, greens, with hints of autumn colors like orange or red.i know for a fact that this up coming winter daiki suzuki’s woolrich woolen mills line is highly inspired by commes des garcons 70s style. It has been described as a hunting noir style. It has the classic hunting woolrich style, but he moves away from the usual reds seen in the collection. Its somewhat higher fashion than before and uses a lot of dark colors. I think the blue and black theme will be a major factor for this collection. Not much has been seen so far, but I saw some interesting pieces that I would like to pick up when winter comes. I am done with spring/summer purchases and am saving up for autumn/winter pieces because those are usually more expensive because they consist of heavier materials and jackets as opposed to shorter lighter fabrics used in spring/summer.
Every fashion designer has two seasons: spring/summer and autumn/winter. Each season I like to look at the colors used and the themes. I like how they are always different but follow the same aesthetics. You can clearly tell who designed the piece by their style. For spring/summer this year the colors that appeal to me are beige/cream and various shades of blue and white. I think those colors are cool for this summer. I am liking that color scheme right now. I am not interested in redder tones or green tones at the moment, although those may be great for next spring/summer. I don’t know much for winter right now, but I can somewhat see black and blue as the primarly color scheme for me. I also see another earth toned theme that utilizes browns, greens, with hints of autumn colors like orange or red.i know for a fact that this up coming winter daiki suzuki’s woolrich woolen mills line is highly inspired by commes des garcons 70s style. It has been described as a hunting noir style. It has the classic hunting woolrich style, but he moves away from the usual reds seen in the collection. Its somewhat higher fashion than before and uses a lot of dark colors. I think the blue and black theme will be a major factor for this collection. Not much has been seen so far, but I saw some interesting pieces that I would like to pick up when winter comes. I am done with spring/summer purchases and am saving up for autumn/winter pieces because those are usually more expensive because they consist of heavier materials and jackets as opposed to shorter lighter fabrics used in spring/summer.
#3 Reading the Literature Review (freewrite, 10 minutes)
Recently you were asked to find and read a published literature review. Freewrite about what you noticed about the literature review? How does its structure and focus differ from the article you used for the Anatomy of a Journal Article assignment? The information sheet on Literature Reviews noted several forms of organization that literature review can take. How was the literature review you read organized? How is a literature review different than papers you have written in the past? How might the literature review be useful as support for a project proposal?
I noticed that there are different organizational patterns for literature reviews.
The literature review I read was organized based on ideas. It had 1 sectoin on one idea, then another section on another idea. The literature review reminds me of an introduction to a research paper where it gives some background supported by previous research conducted. The differences it that I think the literature review is more of an analysis in comparison to a regular research paper which has more straight forward background of the topic. The literature review analyses many different papers and sees how they relate. I think that a literature review can be used as support for a project proposal because it can give information about previously conducted studies and how the project proposal different or improves upon those studies. Most of the papers ive written in the past were either research papers or some kind of experiment write up. The literature review is something new to me but its very similar in that it integrates sources from previous research. The literature can provide a good overview of whats new in the field and can help you decide on what needs to be done in your own project proposal
I noticed that there are different organizational patterns for literature reviews.
The literature review I read was organized based on ideas. It had 1 sectoin on one idea, then another section on another idea. The literature review reminds me of an introduction to a research paper where it gives some background supported by previous research conducted. The differences it that I think the literature review is more of an analysis in comparison to a regular research paper which has more straight forward background of the topic. The literature review analyses many different papers and sees how they relate. I think that a literature review can be used as support for a project proposal because it can give information about previously conducted studies and how the project proposal different or improves upon those studies. Most of the papers ive written in the past were either research papers or some kind of experiment write up. The literature review is something new to me but its very similar in that it integrates sources from previous research. The literature can provide a good overview of whats new in the field and can help you decide on what needs to be done in your own project proposal
#2 Open Topic (freewrite, 10 minutes)
For this freewrite, write about anything you want to write about. If you don't have something in mind, just start a new document and start typing. See where the writing takes your thinking.
I like to use different guitar picks when I play guitar. For a very lng time I used the paul gilbert Ibanez picks. They have a smaller shape than normal picks and they have cool sketches by paul gibert on both sides of the pick. One side has his signature whiel the other side has some cartoon character. I used these for a whiel but they were not very durable because of the material. I think they were cellulose picks or something similar. They wore out very fast and the tip became very dull and jagged easily. Now I use pickboy picks. They are normal shaped not as small as the paul gilbert picks, but I prefer that right now. they are probably the highest quality picks I have ever used. They have somewhat cool graphics. I prefer the glossy graphics because they remain on the pick longer. I have some picks with matte graphics and those tend to smear and smudge and get all over yoru finger. The best feature of the pick is its durability. It is made of celltex. I think its good because it doesn’t slip out your fingers and after long periods of playhing the pick still looks new. The tip is not dull or jagged at all. I used to go trhough picks fast, but I feel that these pickboy celltex picks last a lot longer. The only downside is that they are kinda hard to obtain. They have to be imported from japan. However, recently there have been some US based stores that carry the picks, but they only come in huge packages like 50 pack box of picks. This is ok for me, but I prefer if the packages were smaller so that I could have a wider variety of graphics on my picks. This is a minor detail, but its always fun to play with different graphics on picks. My favorite pickboy graphic is the abalone looking shiny heavy metal cross on a black background. My other favorite graphic is the American flag with a white background
I like to use different guitar picks when I play guitar. For a very lng time I used the paul gilbert Ibanez picks. They have a smaller shape than normal picks and they have cool sketches by paul gibert on both sides of the pick. One side has his signature whiel the other side has some cartoon character. I used these for a whiel but they were not very durable because of the material. I think they were cellulose picks or something similar. They wore out very fast and the tip became very dull and jagged easily. Now I use pickboy picks. They are normal shaped not as small as the paul gilbert picks, but I prefer that right now. they are probably the highest quality picks I have ever used. They have somewhat cool graphics. I prefer the glossy graphics because they remain on the pick longer. I have some picks with matte graphics and those tend to smear and smudge and get all over yoru finger. The best feature of the pick is its durability. It is made of celltex. I think its good because it doesn’t slip out your fingers and after long periods of playhing the pick still looks new. The tip is not dull or jagged at all. I used to go trhough picks fast, but I feel that these pickboy celltex picks last a lot longer. The only downside is that they are kinda hard to obtain. They have to be imported from japan. However, recently there have been some US based stores that carry the picks, but they only come in huge packages like 50 pack box of picks. This is ok for me, but I prefer if the packages were smaller so that I could have a wider variety of graphics on my picks. This is a minor detail, but its always fun to play with different graphics on picks. My favorite pickboy graphic is the abalone looking shiny heavy metal cross on a black background. My other favorite graphic is the American flag with a white background
Saturday, February 20, 2010
#5 Open Topic (freewrite, 10 minutes)
For this freewrite, write about anything you want to write about. If you don't have something in mind, just start a new document and start typing. See where the writing takes your thinking.
Lately I have been really into fashion designer daiki Suzuki. He has two lines of clothing one is engineered garments and the other is woolrich woolen mills. Engineered garments focused on a workwear and military inspired clothing. Woolrich woolen mills is daiki’s interpretation of vintage outdoor clothing. The fabrics in engineered garments are focused on texture and heavy duty materials, while the fabrics in woolrich woolen mills have a more rugged wool texture. Every season the theme changes. Currently for spring/summer 2010, engineered garments theme seems to be workwear with hints of 70’s rock or 50’s dapper style. There are some floral print patterns in addition to classic staples that appear every season. Woolrich woolen mills theme this season based on Californian surf culture. There are a lot of relaxed lounge type clothes. It’s not actually surf clothing, but something that ‘70s surfers might wear at night after surfing. The patterns for woolrich woolen mills this season are very beach looking using Hawaiian looking prints and summer plaids. There is also a lot of color block usage. The shorts and jackets have color block patterns. I think that beige and navy are the key colors for woolrich woolen mills. For engineered garments, the look seems to be more versatile than woolrich woolen mills. Engineered garments uses a variety of colors this season. Many shades of blues, earth tones, and various pattern prints are used for all the clothing. In my opinion, spring/summer seasons aren’t always the strongest when it comes to outwear. I like to wait until the autumn/winter seasons to look at outerwear.
Lately I have been really into fashion designer daiki Suzuki. He has two lines of clothing one is engineered garments and the other is woolrich woolen mills. Engineered garments focused on a workwear and military inspired clothing. Woolrich woolen mills is daiki’s interpretation of vintage outdoor clothing. The fabrics in engineered garments are focused on texture and heavy duty materials, while the fabrics in woolrich woolen mills have a more rugged wool texture. Every season the theme changes. Currently for spring/summer 2010, engineered garments theme seems to be workwear with hints of 70’s rock or 50’s dapper style. There are some floral print patterns in addition to classic staples that appear every season. Woolrich woolen mills theme this season based on Californian surf culture. There are a lot of relaxed lounge type clothes. It’s not actually surf clothing, but something that ‘70s surfers might wear at night after surfing. The patterns for woolrich woolen mills this season are very beach looking using Hawaiian looking prints and summer plaids. There is also a lot of color block usage. The shorts and jackets have color block patterns. I think that beige and navy are the key colors for woolrich woolen mills. For engineered garments, the look seems to be more versatile than woolrich woolen mills. Engineered garments uses a variety of colors this season. Many shades of blues, earth tones, and various pattern prints are used for all the clothing. In my opinion, spring/summer seasons aren’t always the strongest when it comes to outwear. I like to wait until the autumn/winter seasons to look at outerwear.
#4 What did you see on your way to work/school/etc. (pick one commute)? (freewrite, 10 minutes)
Wherever you are now, sitting down to write this, now think back to your journey here, to the building you are in now, getting ready to type. Use descriptive language to write about what you noticed on your trip. The idea is not to read this prompt in advance but to sit down and try to recall what you noticed, even though you were not thinking that later you would write about it. If you have this prompt in mind when you make your way to work, home, or to campus, it changes the kind of thinking and writing you'll do.
Going to school was hard because of the recent snow storm. There was mountains of snow on the sides of the roads. The snow closer to the roads were porous and had black grime covering it. The snow further away from the road was untouched and white. The streets seemed to have a whitish film and the roads looked dry. Along the side of the roads were small streams of melting snow. This was my first time venturing out after the storm, so the roads looked very different than what I am used to. Going to class, I had to take detours because my original route was blocked. The parking lot was also covered with snow. Certain areas were bumpy and dangerous. I almost got stuck in the parking lot because the cars were parked strange and the snow was too high and bumpy. I managed to escape by slowly reversing out. Some spots of the parking lot are completely filled with snow there are cetain sections of the lot that are totally unusable. I did not turn on music today whiel driving to school because I needed to give more attention to driving. The roads were not comfortable to drive on.
Going to school was hard because of the recent snow storm. There was mountains of snow on the sides of the roads. The snow closer to the roads were porous and had black grime covering it. The snow further away from the road was untouched and white. The streets seemed to have a whitish film and the roads looked dry. Along the side of the roads were small streams of melting snow. This was my first time venturing out after the storm, so the roads looked very different than what I am used to. Going to class, I had to take detours because my original route was blocked. The parking lot was also covered with snow. Certain areas were bumpy and dangerous. I almost got stuck in the parking lot because the cars were parked strange and the snow was too high and bumpy. I managed to escape by slowly reversing out. Some spots of the parking lot are completely filled with snow there are cetain sections of the lot that are totally unusable. I did not turn on music today whiel driving to school because I needed to give more attention to driving. The roads were not comfortable to drive on.
#3 (this is not a freewrite) Types of Writing in your Field (150-250 words--additionally you may provide links to examples if you wish).
For this journal entry to your blog, research/think about/reflect upon the kinds of writing required by your major and your by your future career. Ask around, too!
There are several types of scientific writings.
Scientists write in lab reports. A lab report consist of headings such as Title, Abstract, Introduction, Materials and methods, Results, Discussion, and Literature cited. The title is the title of the report. The abstract is a brief overview with key pieces of information. The introduction introduces the topic with background information and references to other papers. Materials and methods describe the materials needed to conduct the experiment as well as instructions on how the experiement was conducted. The results section displays the results of the experiment. The discussion sections analyzes the results and provides further insight and research problems. The literature cited section is the bibliography.
Scientists write proposals. A proposal is a type of persuasion paper. Evidence needs to be provided to show why the problem is important and matters. The scientist addresses a problem that needs further study and research. The main purpose is to seek funding for the research.
Scientists write posters. Sometimes scientists have panels where they display information using posters. The visual component is important in poster construction, but the information written on the posters is equally important.
There are several types of scientific writings.
Scientists write in lab reports. A lab report consist of headings such as Title, Abstract, Introduction, Materials and methods, Results, Discussion, and Literature cited. The title is the title of the report. The abstract is a brief overview with key pieces of information. The introduction introduces the topic with background information and references to other papers. Materials and methods describe the materials needed to conduct the experiment as well as instructions on how the experiement was conducted. The results section displays the results of the experiment. The discussion sections analyzes the results and provides further insight and research problems. The literature cited section is the bibliography.
Scientists write proposals. A proposal is a type of persuasion paper. Evidence needs to be provided to show why the problem is important and matters. The scientist addresses a problem that needs further study and research. The main purpose is to seek funding for the research.
Scientists write posters. Sometimes scientists have panels where they display information using posters. The visual component is important in poster construction, but the information written on the posters is equally important.
#2 What are your strengths? (freewrite, 10 minutes)
For this freewrite, focus on the strengths and aptitudes you bring to your future career.
I think that my strength is that I can complete all the work I need to do. I don’t give up easily. I always try my best to do things. i think that I put in a lot of work into what needs to be done. I’m also very detail oriented. I like to pay attention to little details because I feel that they are important. I have a hard time thinking about strengths and weaknesses because I don’t like to talk about myself. I know that I have some strengths and weaknesses but I don’t really think about it much because it is something that just is to me. I don’t really focus much on those kinds of topics, however, I think that strengths and weakness are important to know because you can use that information to improve yourself. It is probably good to start thinking about these kind of things because this is a good questions for employers to ask. I can see an interviewer asking these typical types of questions. I know a good answer to weaknesses. I plan on saying that my weakness is that I do not have much experience because I am a recent graduate, but I am a fast learner and willing to learn what it takes to build more experience. I think that weakenesses is a trickier questions than strengths because answering the question can tell a lot about yourself. If you say you have no weaknesses then that is kind of bad, on the other hand if you are too honest and tell everything so bluntly then that is also bad.
I think that my strength is that I can complete all the work I need to do. I don’t give up easily. I always try my best to do things. i think that I put in a lot of work into what needs to be done. I’m also very detail oriented. I like to pay attention to little details because I feel that they are important. I have a hard time thinking about strengths and weaknesses because I don’t like to talk about myself. I know that I have some strengths and weaknesses but I don’t really think about it much because it is something that just is to me. I don’t really focus much on those kinds of topics, however, I think that strengths and weakness are important to know because you can use that information to improve yourself. It is probably good to start thinking about these kind of things because this is a good questions for employers to ask. I can see an interviewer asking these typical types of questions. I know a good answer to weaknesses. I plan on saying that my weakness is that I do not have much experience because I am a recent graduate, but I am a fast learner and willing to learn what it takes to build more experience. I think that weakenesses is a trickier questions than strengths because answering the question can tell a lot about yourself. If you say you have no weaknesses then that is kind of bad, on the other hand if you are too honest and tell everything so bluntly then that is also bad.
#1 Researching/Writing Goals and Aspirations (freewrite, 10 minutes)
What are your goals for yourself as a writer and researcher: as a student in ENGL 302 this term, in your academic career, for your future career goals, and for yourself personally.
I would like to improve my writing and researching skills this semester. I am not a very good writer and researcher. I hope that I can do well in ENGL 302. I want to apply my research and writing skills learned in this class to help me write better. I am not looking for a very writing intensive job because writing is so hard for me. It is definitely one of my weakest skills. I think that my grammar and spelling is good, but my writing is not great because I don’t know what to write or how to write clearly and creatively. I think that writing will be an important part of my academic career if I choose to pursue a higher degree, however, at this point I am not looking into that. I will obtain a higher degree if the job I am at requires me to do so. I would like to get my foot in the door first and pay off some loans before I continue with more school. I think that writing skills are important regardless of what field you study. I think that research skills will be important if I choose to obtain a higher degree in biology. This semester is a lot of work for me, so I am trying to manage my time well.
I would like to improve my writing and researching skills this semester. I am not a very good writer and researcher. I hope that I can do well in ENGL 302. I want to apply my research and writing skills learned in this class to help me write better. I am not looking for a very writing intensive job because writing is so hard for me. It is definitely one of my weakest skills. I think that my grammar and spelling is good, but my writing is not great because I don’t know what to write or how to write clearly and creatively. I think that writing will be an important part of my academic career if I choose to pursue a higher degree, however, at this point I am not looking into that. I will obtain a higher degree if the job I am at requires me to do so. I would like to get my foot in the door first and pay off some loans before I continue with more school. I think that writing skills are important regardless of what field you study. I think that research skills will be important if I choose to obtain a higher degree in biology. This semester is a lot of work for me, so I am trying to manage my time well.
Friday, February 19, 2010
15. First Ancient-Human Genome Sequence Answers Anthropological Riddle
Source:
Keim B. First Ancient-Human Genome Sequence Answers Anthropological Riddle. Wired [Internet]. Wired Science. 2010 Feb 10 [cited 2010 Feb 19]. Available from: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/02/inuk-genome/
Inuk is a 4000 year old man found in Greenland permafrost. The tuft of hair he left behind was frozen in the permafrost. Luckily, the frozen strands still contained DNA which revealed that Inuk migrated from Siberia to the New World. Inuk was found to have brown eyes, brown skin, facial hair. He was also found to have a tendency to baldness. The amount of hair they found on Inuk was large, thus scientist assume that Inuk died young. The name Inuk itself derives from an Inuit word that means human. The Saqqaq people were one of the earliest inhabitant of the North American arctic. They leave behind evidence contained in small amount of bones and hair. The saqqaq’s people origin are unclear at the moment. Some believe they come from North Americans who wandered north, while others believe that they descended from modern Inuit. However, genetic analysis revealed that Inuk was from the Siberian area.
Keim B. First Ancient-Human Genome Sequence Answers Anthropological Riddle. Wired [Internet]. Wired Science. 2010 Feb 10 [cited 2010 Feb 19]. Available from: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/02/inuk-genome/
Inuk is a 4000 year old man found in Greenland permafrost. The tuft of hair he left behind was frozen in the permafrost. Luckily, the frozen strands still contained DNA which revealed that Inuk migrated from Siberia to the New World. Inuk was found to have brown eyes, brown skin, facial hair. He was also found to have a tendency to baldness. The amount of hair they found on Inuk was large, thus scientist assume that Inuk died young. The name Inuk itself derives from an Inuit word that means human. The Saqqaq people were one of the earliest inhabitant of the North American arctic. They leave behind evidence contained in small amount of bones and hair. The saqqaq’s people origin are unclear at the moment. Some believe they come from North Americans who wandered north, while others believe that they descended from modern Inuit. However, genetic analysis revealed that Inuk was from the Siberian area.
14. New Giant Prehistoric Fish Species Found Gathering Dust in Museums
Source:
Keim B. New Giant Prehistoric Fish Species Found Gathering Dust in Museums. Wired [Internet]. Wired Science. 2010 Feb 18 [cited 2010 Feb 19]. Available from: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/02/giant-filter-fishes/#more-18228
A look at forgotten fossils helped reconstruct evidence for two large filter feeding fish. These fish occupied the filter feeding niche currently occupied by whales and whale sharks. Previous to this, it was though that filter feedings in the prehistoric era was short lived and just an evolutionary bust. It was originally though that these types of organisms only lasted for a short period because they were not efficient, however, it was found that filter feeders have lasted for a long time and have a rich evolutionary history. It was found that these two new fishes occupy the pachycormid genus and feed by filtering drifting plankton. Friedman observed fossils that were beyond recognition. He found that those fossils were parts of jaws and gills. The disappearance of this fish is linked with the mass extinction of dinosaurs caused by an asteroid. The fish’s diet of photosynthesizing algae was no longer available after the asteroid collision, thus, it went extinct. When photosynthesizing algae were later reborn, this led to the birth of whales and other filter feeders.
Keim B. New Giant Prehistoric Fish Species Found Gathering Dust in Museums. Wired [Internet]. Wired Science. 2010 Feb 18 [cited 2010 Feb 19]. Available from: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/02/giant-filter-fishes/#more-18228
A look at forgotten fossils helped reconstruct evidence for two large filter feeding fish. These fish occupied the filter feeding niche currently occupied by whales and whale sharks. Previous to this, it was though that filter feedings in the prehistoric era was short lived and just an evolutionary bust. It was originally though that these types of organisms only lasted for a short period because they were not efficient, however, it was found that filter feeders have lasted for a long time and have a rich evolutionary history. It was found that these two new fishes occupy the pachycormid genus and feed by filtering drifting plankton. Friedman observed fossils that were beyond recognition. He found that those fossils were parts of jaws and gills. The disappearance of this fish is linked with the mass extinction of dinosaurs caused by an asteroid. The fish’s diet of photosynthesizing algae was no longer available after the asteroid collision, thus, it went extinct. When photosynthesizing algae were later reborn, this led to the birth of whales and other filter feeders.
13. This King-Size Frog Hopped With Dinosaurs
Source:
Bhanoo S. This King-Size Frog Hopped With Dinosaurs. The New York Times [Internet]. 2010 Feb 15 [cited 2010 Feb 19]. Available from: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/16/science/16frog.html?ref=science
The Stony Brook Medical Center now has a large prehistoric frog being displayed to the public. The frog is estimated to be the size of a beachball. This permanent exhibition also features other reconstructions of a vegetarian pug-nosed crocodile and a small meat-eating dinosaur. Due to its large size, scientist predict that it ate any prey that was available. The frog’s name is Beelzebufo ampinga. The frog reconstruction took over 15 years to create. This frog is predicted to have live 65 million years ago in a semi-arid environment. It was reconstructed to have sand colored skin and a pink because it lived in a desert environment. Scientist think that this frog is related to the modern day pac man frog. They assume that their ambush hunting tactics were similar. The exhibit also seeks to raise public awareness of Dr. Krause’s Madagascar Ankizy Fund which finances healthy clinics and schools in Madagascar.
Bhanoo S. This King-Size Frog Hopped With Dinosaurs. The New York Times [Internet]. 2010 Feb 15 [cited 2010 Feb 19]. Available from: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/16/science/16frog.html?ref=science
The Stony Brook Medical Center now has a large prehistoric frog being displayed to the public. The frog is estimated to be the size of a beachball. This permanent exhibition also features other reconstructions of a vegetarian pug-nosed crocodile and a small meat-eating dinosaur. Due to its large size, scientist predict that it ate any prey that was available. The frog’s name is Beelzebufo ampinga. The frog reconstruction took over 15 years to create. This frog is predicted to have live 65 million years ago in a semi-arid environment. It was reconstructed to have sand colored skin and a pink because it lived in a desert environment. Scientist think that this frog is related to the modern day pac man frog. They assume that their ambush hunting tactics were similar. The exhibit also seeks to raise public awareness of Dr. Krause’s Madagascar Ankizy Fund which finances healthy clinics and schools in Madagascar.
12. The Spotless Garden
Source:
Tortorello M. The Spotless Garden
. The New York Times [Internet]. 2010 Feb 17 [cited 2010 Feb 19]. Available from: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/garden/18aqua.html?ref=science
Michael Torcellini has a garden that uses no dirt. His garden consist of large tanks of water, heaters, pumps, pipes, and gravel bed. The garden is like a fish aquarium. He has 20 jumbo fish that produce waste which nourishes the crops in his garden. One tomato plant grew 347 tomatoes and a trio of cucumber plants grew 175 cukes. The system used is called aquaponics. It requies no dirt, but instead utilizes fish waste. There are other people who uses the aquaponic system with success. They don’t all utilize the same fish in their aquaponic systems though. Many use common fish such as tilapia or trout, but some use exotic fish such as pacu. There are even aquaponic kits you can buy on amazon.com to start your own aquaponic garden. The tilapia is the fish of choice because they can tolerate crowded conditions and eat anything. However, a downside is that they are tropical fish and will die when exposed to cold temperatures.
Tortorello M. The Spotless Garden
. The New York Times [Internet]. 2010 Feb 17 [cited 2010 Feb 19]. Available from: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/garden/18aqua.html?ref=science
Michael Torcellini has a garden that uses no dirt. His garden consist of large tanks of water, heaters, pumps, pipes, and gravel bed. The garden is like a fish aquarium. He has 20 jumbo fish that produce waste which nourishes the crops in his garden. One tomato plant grew 347 tomatoes and a trio of cucumber plants grew 175 cukes. The system used is called aquaponics. It requies no dirt, but instead utilizes fish waste. There are other people who uses the aquaponic system with success. They don’t all utilize the same fish in their aquaponic systems though. Many use common fish such as tilapia or trout, but some use exotic fish such as pacu. There are even aquaponic kits you can buy on amazon.com to start your own aquaponic garden. The tilapia is the fish of choice because they can tolerate crowded conditions and eat anything. However, a downside is that they are tropical fish and will die when exposed to cold temperatures.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Set #3 Freewrite: Observation and Description Exercise: One Hour of Uninterrupted Listening (250-500 words)
PART 1: Gathering Your Materials
The first part of this assignment involves your "research" for the essay--gathering the content for writing your brief descriptive piece. Select a place of your choice and try to make yourself invisible and listen, as the fly on the wall, for one hour total. The object is to NOT mutli-task. Just listen.
You may note down some of your impressions on paper so that you can recall them when you write this short essay--besides that, you should not be doing anything else, playing to music, studying for a quiz, sitting at your desk at work, driving, etc.
It is important that you go somewhere to observer where you are 1) not in control of the sound environment and 2) are very unlikely to be interrupted. You should go somewhere to listen and observe without being noticed and without doing any other tasks. Various public spaces work: the mall, a busy restaurant (or even a not-busy one), a park, a grocery story with a cafe, a corner of the library, the waiting room at a car repair shop, etc. Your imagination is the only limitation on what you choose. It's usually not a good idea to sit in your own room or office to do this--the temptation to control your own sound environment and to be distracted by other tasks is too great.
When you first begin, certain sounds (or the lack of sounds) will be the most obvious. As you sink into your task, observing and becoming aware of your surroundings, new sounds will reveal themselves to you. Jot down notes about the sounds and the source of the sounds to help you when you write your essay.
Many of us seldom stop to focus on just a single thing for an entire hour, to focus and observer in this manner--so this assignment can be very challenging. Commit yourself to it. Then, if you wish, jot down what you observe about your mind and body adjusting to the task as you also observe your external sound environment.
PART 2: Write Your Story
Now that you've completed Part 1, write the story of your experience. Note where you went, what time of day it was, and so on. Put together your notes and tell, with vivid and lively expression, about your experience. What did you hear, and what did you learn about yourself and how you interact with the world? Provide evidence from your experiences during the observation to support your points.
During a two hour gap between classes, I went to an area on the second floor of the SUB II building. The place I chose was far down the end of the hall. There is a circular burgundy colored couch that has a wooly feeling and texture. In the center of the circular couch is a circular structure encasing plants. To the left I see an elevator. To the right, I see a door leading to another room. Directly behind me, I see a large window. It was a little past noon, so the sun was shining strongly. Even though it was cold outside, the sunlight coming through the window heated up my head and upper back. In the beginning I was sitting properly on the couch, but after an hour I was leaning back as far as I could with my legs outstretched. Although there was not much activity in the area, some people would occasionally pass by and use the elevator. I think they were mostly employees from the restaurant located directly beneath the floor I was staying on. They would come through with carts of food or cleaning materials. The elevator ascending and descending sounded like the subway. I came to realize that they both have similar jobs. They take people from one destination to another at a faster rate than walking. Both make a noise when opening and closing. Both make repetitive trips from point A to point B.
The first part of this assignment involves your "research" for the essay--gathering the content for writing your brief descriptive piece. Select a place of your choice and try to make yourself invisible and listen, as the fly on the wall, for one hour total. The object is to NOT mutli-task. Just listen.
You may note down some of your impressions on paper so that you can recall them when you write this short essay--besides that, you should not be doing anything else, playing to music, studying for a quiz, sitting at your desk at work, driving, etc.
It is important that you go somewhere to observer where you are 1) not in control of the sound environment and 2) are very unlikely to be interrupted. You should go somewhere to listen and observe without being noticed and without doing any other tasks. Various public spaces work: the mall, a busy restaurant (or even a not-busy one), a park, a grocery story with a cafe, a corner of the library, the waiting room at a car repair shop, etc. Your imagination is the only limitation on what you choose. It's usually not a good idea to sit in your own room or office to do this--the temptation to control your own sound environment and to be distracted by other tasks is too great.
When you first begin, certain sounds (or the lack of sounds) will be the most obvious. As you sink into your task, observing and becoming aware of your surroundings, new sounds will reveal themselves to you. Jot down notes about the sounds and the source of the sounds to help you when you write your essay.
Many of us seldom stop to focus on just a single thing for an entire hour, to focus and observer in this manner--so this assignment can be very challenging. Commit yourself to it. Then, if you wish, jot down what you observe about your mind and body adjusting to the task as you also observe your external sound environment.
PART 2: Write Your Story
Now that you've completed Part 1, write the story of your experience. Note where you went, what time of day it was, and so on. Put together your notes and tell, with vivid and lively expression, about your experience. What did you hear, and what did you learn about yourself and how you interact with the world? Provide evidence from your experiences during the observation to support your points.
During a two hour gap between classes, I went to an area on the second floor of the SUB II building. The place I chose was far down the end of the hall. There is a circular burgundy colored couch that has a wooly feeling and texture. In the center of the circular couch is a circular structure encasing plants. To the left I see an elevator. To the right, I see a door leading to another room. Directly behind me, I see a large window. It was a little past noon, so the sun was shining strongly. Even though it was cold outside, the sunlight coming through the window heated up my head and upper back. In the beginning I was sitting properly on the couch, but after an hour I was leaning back as far as I could with my legs outstretched. Although there was not much activity in the area, some people would occasionally pass by and use the elevator. I think they were mostly employees from the restaurant located directly beneath the floor I was staying on. They would come through with carts of food or cleaning materials. The elevator ascending and descending sounded like the subway. I came to realize that they both have similar jobs. They take people from one destination to another at a faster rate than walking. Both make a noise when opening and closing. Both make repetitive trips from point A to point B.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
11. Why Asexual Organisms Are on Their Last Legs
Source:
Fountain H. Why Asexual Organisms Are on Their Last Legs . The New York Times [Internet]. 2010 Feb 1 [cited 2010 Feb 10]. Available from: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/science/02obroti.html
It is known that asexual reproduction is more efficient than sexual because it occurs twice as fast. However, this leads to a lock up in the genome. There is no room for variation. The viruses that are harmful to the asexual organism are constantly evolving and changing, while the asexual organism remains the same. Paul W. Sherman and Christopher G. Wilson of Cornell University have found evidence supporting this hypothesis by studying rotifers. These organism have lasted for 30 million years and the scientist want to know how they survived so long. They found that the rotifers are capable of drying up and blowing away. The rotifers can dry up and remain in this state of anhydrobiosis for a lgon time. Using this mechanism, they can kill off lethal fungi because the fungi cannot survive in those conditions for a long period of time. The dried rotifers are also carried in the wind. When carried to others places the rotifers still managed to survive even though the fungi did not die off yet because the fungi are not good as dispersing in different environments. Rotifers use these mechanism to survive since they are not able to reproduce sexually.
Fountain H. Why Asexual Organisms Are on Their Last Legs . The New York Times [Internet]. 2010 Feb 1 [cited 2010 Feb 10]. Available from: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/science/02obroti.html
It is known that asexual reproduction is more efficient than sexual because it occurs twice as fast. However, this leads to a lock up in the genome. There is no room for variation. The viruses that are harmful to the asexual organism are constantly evolving and changing, while the asexual organism remains the same. Paul W. Sherman and Christopher G. Wilson of Cornell University have found evidence supporting this hypothesis by studying rotifers. These organism have lasted for 30 million years and the scientist want to know how they survived so long. They found that the rotifers are capable of drying up and blowing away. The rotifers can dry up and remain in this state of anhydrobiosis for a lgon time. Using this mechanism, they can kill off lethal fungi because the fungi cannot survive in those conditions for a long period of time. The dried rotifers are also carried in the wind. When carried to others places the rotifers still managed to survive even though the fungi did not die off yet because the fungi are not good as dispersing in different environments. Rotifers use these mechanism to survive since they are not able to reproduce sexually.
10. Figuring Out How Toads Endure All That Hopping
Source:
Fountain H. Figuring Out How Toads Endure All That Hopping
. The New York Times [Internet]. 2010 Feb 8 [cited 2010 Feb 10]. Available from: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/09/science/09obtoads.html?ref=science
When humans jump, they activate their ankle muscles before landing. This helps prepare the organism for impact. The magnitude of the jump dictates how much preparation is needed. A larger jump actives more ankle muscles, while a smaller jump activates less. Using this logic, the model was applied to frogs. Scientist wanted to see if frogs active muscles when landing. The cane toad, Bufo marinus, was chosen as the research subject. Scientist observed that this species uses their forelimbs to absorb most of the impact, thus, the students set out to measure muscular activity in those limbs. They found that the patterns of muscle activation were found in the frogs as well. Larger jumps required more muscle activation and smaller jumps required less muscle activation. This is thought to occur through a type of sensory feedback. The animal can predict when it will land
Fountain H. Figuring Out How Toads Endure All That Hopping
. The New York Times [Internet]. 2010 Feb 8 [cited 2010 Feb 10]. Available from: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/09/science/09obtoads.html?ref=science
When humans jump, they activate their ankle muscles before landing. This helps prepare the organism for impact. The magnitude of the jump dictates how much preparation is needed. A larger jump actives more ankle muscles, while a smaller jump activates less. Using this logic, the model was applied to frogs. Scientist wanted to see if frogs active muscles when landing. The cane toad, Bufo marinus, was chosen as the research subject. Scientist observed that this species uses their forelimbs to absorb most of the impact, thus, the students set out to measure muscular activity in those limbs. They found that the patterns of muscle activation were found in the frogs as well. Larger jumps required more muscle activation and smaller jumps required less muscle activation. This is thought to occur through a type of sensory feedback. The animal can predict when it will land
9. Stunningly Preserved 165-Million-Year-Old Spider Fossil Found
Source:
Ghose T. Stunningly Preserved 165-Million-Year-Old Spider Fossil Found. Wired [Internet]. Wired Science. 2010 Feb 9 [cited 2010 Feb 10]. Available from: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/02/spider-fossil/
A fossilized spider was found by scientist recently in china. The fossil dates back to the Jurassic era which is 165 million years ago. The preservation of the spider is very detailed. Many structures are in tact. The fossil was found in an area in china that also contains many fossilized salamanders, small primitive mammals, crustaceans, and insects. Spider fossils are rare because their soft bodies are nto ideal candidates for preservation. However, this spider fossil was probably trapped in volcanic ash, which helped the whole organism become preserved with a large amount of detail. The volcanic ash is composed of a fine clay which covered the spider without smashing it to pieces like other sediements. The spider has evolved so little. Modern equivalents look very similar. It is speculated that the spider was widespread in prehistoric times, but became wiped out in the ice age. They managed to survive in dry arid areas of the southwest.
Ghose T. Stunningly Preserved 165-Million-Year-Old Spider Fossil Found. Wired [Internet]. Wired Science. 2010 Feb 9 [cited 2010 Feb 10]. Available from: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/02/spider-fossil/
A fossilized spider was found by scientist recently in china. The fossil dates back to the Jurassic era which is 165 million years ago. The preservation of the spider is very detailed. Many structures are in tact. The fossil was found in an area in china that also contains many fossilized salamanders, small primitive mammals, crustaceans, and insects. Spider fossils are rare because their soft bodies are nto ideal candidates for preservation. However, this spider fossil was probably trapped in volcanic ash, which helped the whole organism become preserved with a large amount of detail. The volcanic ash is composed of a fine clay which covered the spider without smashing it to pieces like other sediements. The spider has evolved so little. Modern equivalents look very similar. It is speculated that the spider was widespread in prehistoric times, but became wiped out in the ice age. They managed to survive in dry arid areas of the southwest.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
#6 Open Topic (freewrite, 10 minutes)
For this freewrite, write about anything you want to write about. If you don't have something in mind, just start a new document and start typing. See where the writing takes your thinking.
This is my favorite freewrite because I have total freedom over what I want to write about. I want to write about steve vai. He’s a very influential guitar player to me. When I first heard his album passion & warfare, it made me want to take guitar playing seriously. I think he is truly a master of the guitar. There are three kinds of guitar palyers. One plays casually, they just use the guitar as a medium to write some music and there are active musicians who are well established and are pretty good at what they do and there are true artists and masters, they are very obsessive and have total control over the guitar. They can express themselves fully through their playing. I think that there are several musicians who fall into this category. It takes a lot of practice to be good. It is important to fully master any techniques to be able to express yourself to the fullest extent. If you have great ideas but you lack the technique, then you can not produce the music that you want to. Although it is important to practice technique, it doesn’t mean that you are good at playing guitar if you know all the techniques. Song writing is something that people are born with or work very very hard to do. Not everyone is good at writing music. With that being said, you can be a great song writer eventhough you don’t have all the technicals skills. Just because a piece of music is very technical does not mean it is good. Sometimes something simple can be more melodic and pleasing to the ear. Song writing is truly something people are born with. If they aren’t born with this skill then they hav eto work very hard to improve their song writing abilities. People who are very good at guitar spend all day playing. You cant expect to be good if you practice only a few hours a day.
This is my favorite freewrite because I have total freedom over what I want to write about. I want to write about steve vai. He’s a very influential guitar player to me. When I first heard his album passion & warfare, it made me want to take guitar playing seriously. I think he is truly a master of the guitar. There are three kinds of guitar palyers. One plays casually, they just use the guitar as a medium to write some music and there are active musicians who are well established and are pretty good at what they do and there are true artists and masters, they are very obsessive and have total control over the guitar. They can express themselves fully through their playing. I think that there are several musicians who fall into this category. It takes a lot of practice to be good. It is important to fully master any techniques to be able to express yourself to the fullest extent. If you have great ideas but you lack the technique, then you can not produce the music that you want to. Although it is important to practice technique, it doesn’t mean that you are good at playing guitar if you know all the techniques. Song writing is something that people are born with or work very very hard to do. Not everyone is good at writing music. With that being said, you can be a great song writer eventhough you don’t have all the technicals skills. Just because a piece of music is very technical does not mean it is good. Sometimes something simple can be more melodic and pleasing to the ear. Song writing is truly something people are born with. If they aren’t born with this skill then they hav eto work very hard to improve their song writing abilities. People who are very good at guitar spend all day playing. You cant expect to be good if you practice only a few hours a day.
#5 Learning Styles (freewrite, 10 minutes)
For this freewrite, reflect on your reading about learning styles and the related survey.
In the survery I scored very high in the musical and naturalistic categories. This makes a lot of sense to me because I am very musical. I like to listen to music all the time all day. i listen to different things depending on my mood. Sometimes I feel like I have attention deficit disorder when it comes to music because I like to skip around to my favorite parts often. Sometimes I can listen to whole songs, but sometimes I can’t listen to the whole song I keep skipping to another song or replaying the song again even when it hasn’t finished yet. Sometimes its best to listen to the whole song to get the total effect, but a lot of times I listen to my favorite parts. I also like to listen toa full album from start to finish in order. The order of the songs in the album is important because the types of songs follow a pattern. There is a beginning, middle, and end. Sometimes there are albums that are continuous. The ending of 1 song has the elements front the beginning of the next song. I also scored high in naturalistic. I think this makes sense since I like nature a lot. I scored very low in the visual-spatial category. I don’t think this is correct because I am very visual. I think that my answer to a certain questions led to this low score. I am interested in fashion and i like to look and colors balances and themes. I scored very low in the verbal-linguistic category. I think this makes sense. I read a lot of things on topics that interest me, but I do not write much.
In the survery I scored very high in the musical and naturalistic categories. This makes a lot of sense to me because I am very musical. I like to listen to music all the time all day. i listen to different things depending on my mood. Sometimes I feel like I have attention deficit disorder when it comes to music because I like to skip around to my favorite parts often. Sometimes I can listen to whole songs, but sometimes I can’t listen to the whole song I keep skipping to another song or replaying the song again even when it hasn’t finished yet. Sometimes its best to listen to the whole song to get the total effect, but a lot of times I listen to my favorite parts. I also like to listen toa full album from start to finish in order. The order of the songs in the album is important because the types of songs follow a pattern. There is a beginning, middle, and end. Sometimes there are albums that are continuous. The ending of 1 song has the elements front the beginning of the next song. I also scored high in naturalistic. I think this makes sense since I like nature a lot. I scored very low in the visual-spatial category. I don’t think this is correct because I am very visual. I think that my answer to a certain questions led to this low score. I am interested in fashion and i like to look and colors balances and themes. I scored very low in the verbal-linguistic category. I think this makes sense. I read a lot of things on topics that interest me, but I do not write much.
#4 Refine Your Research Topic/Question/Problem (freewrite, 10 minutes)
For this freewrite, select one of the research problems you have considered for your major research project. Respond to the problem with possible answers/hypotheses. You may want to do a little preliminary research before you begin this freewrite. Repeat as necessary.
Deep sea vent colonies survive without solar power
Why is it important to know about ecosystems that are independent of solar energy?
It is important because we can know more about other life in other places that do not require the sun’s energy
How does life survive in such extreme conditions?
This is also important in knowing more about life in other places that possibly have extreme conditions. It also lets us know about early life on earth when the conditions were very extreme.
What adaptations are necessary to live in extreme conditions?
Some species have adaptations that allow chemosynthesis of certain elements to obtain energy.
Deep sea vent colonies survive without solar power
Why is it important to know about ecosystems that are independent of solar energy?
It is important because we can know more about other life in other places that do not require the sun’s energy
How does life survive in such extreme conditions?
This is also important in knowing more about life in other places that possibly have extreme conditions. It also lets us know about early life on earth when the conditions were very extreme.
What adaptations are necessary to live in extreme conditions?
Some species have adaptations that allow chemosynthesis of certain elements to obtain energy.
#3 (this is not a freewrite)
Survey of Current Topics in Your Field (research and brainstorm)
In your blog you will be working towards this assignment for the Career Exploration Portfolio--the blog post should be notes and brainstorms related to this. Create a short overview (250-500 words) describing some current topics in your field. This can also be submitted as a list with a description of each entry. You can browse Google Scholar for current issues related to your field, and you may also be aware of current topics by way of the advanced courses you've taken in your major, things you've noticed as you've prepared your weekly article summaries, and so on.
Chesapeake bay anoxia – the Chesapeake bays water are low in oxygen. Hypoxic waters lead to death of infauna species and also blue crabs. Submerged vegetation is also decreasing in numbers
Chesapeake bay oyster decline – the amount of oysters has exponentially declined from 1900 values. This may be related to overharvesting
Chesapeake bay pollution – rapid industrialization from surrounding areas cause nitrogen pollution emitted from industrialized areas. Nutrient pollution also occurs in farming areas due to pesticides and fertilizers. The diets of farm animals contribute to nitrogen pollution because of manure.
Biofilms research – plaque attaches to teeth using biofilms. Understanding biofilm formation can help decreae plaque colonization. Biofilms also form on ships. Methods to prevent biofilm currently are dangerous to all marine species. Research on alternative treatments should be conducted
Highly resistant virus and bacteria – virus and bacteria are at risk at becoming resistant to treatment. Misuse of antibiotics can kill off weak strains leaving behind highly resilient strains. Likewise, Antibacterial soap can kill off weak strains leaving behind highly resilient strains.
Hydrothermal vent colonies- can survive in extreme conditions with no dependence on solar power. Important at understanding early life and possible life in other places. Biomass in hydrothermal vents is very large and thriving even though the conditions are so extreme.
In your blog you will be working towards this assignment for the Career Exploration Portfolio--the blog post should be notes and brainstorms related to this. Create a short overview (250-500 words) describing some current topics in your field. This can also be submitted as a list with a description of each entry. You can browse Google Scholar for current issues related to your field, and you may also be aware of current topics by way of the advanced courses you've taken in your major, things you've noticed as you've prepared your weekly article summaries, and so on.
Chesapeake bay anoxia – the Chesapeake bays water are low in oxygen. Hypoxic waters lead to death of infauna species and also blue crabs. Submerged vegetation is also decreasing in numbers
Chesapeake bay oyster decline – the amount of oysters has exponentially declined from 1900 values. This may be related to overharvesting
Chesapeake bay pollution – rapid industrialization from surrounding areas cause nitrogen pollution emitted from industrialized areas. Nutrient pollution also occurs in farming areas due to pesticides and fertilizers. The diets of farm animals contribute to nitrogen pollution because of manure.
Biofilms research – plaque attaches to teeth using biofilms. Understanding biofilm formation can help decreae plaque colonization. Biofilms also form on ships. Methods to prevent biofilm currently are dangerous to all marine species. Research on alternative treatments should be conducted
Highly resistant virus and bacteria – virus and bacteria are at risk at becoming resistant to treatment. Misuse of antibiotics can kill off weak strains leaving behind highly resilient strains. Likewise, Antibacterial soap can kill off weak strains leaving behind highly resilient strains.
Hydrothermal vent colonies- can survive in extreme conditions with no dependence on solar power. Important at understanding early life and possible life in other places. Biomass in hydrothermal vents is very large and thriving even though the conditions are so extreme.
#2 What Are You Passionate About? (freewrite, 10 minutes)
As it relates to your major and your career choice, what do you love about what you do or what you will be doing? Why? And does this also connect to things that bring you joy in your non-work life?
I am mostly passionate about things that do not relate to my major and career choice. However, when it comes to career choice and major I just picked biology because it is the most interesting to me. I cannot see myself in another major. I love nature I like to learn more about natural things. I enjoy mountain landscapes. They look very cool. I like the structure. I believe that nature is art. The way animals and plants look is very beautiful and artistic. I also like the color schemes in nature. For example, the forest has lots of green and browns with hints of bright colors from flowers or animals. The color balance is a very pretty. i used to enjoy painting, but now I do not paint as often. I am interested in making music. I hope that I can work with in a field that allows me to experience nature. Ultimately, I think that it is important to make money because you need it to survive and support yourself and yoru family, so I would like to achieve a balance between my job and money. I do not mind having a job that’s not exactly what I expected as long as the pay makes up for it. If the job is low paying, then I better be having a lot of fun and enjoying what I do.likewise, If the job is high paying, then I will accept a job that is not as fun. A job that is not fun, bad and low paying at the same time is unacceptable.
I am mostly passionate about things that do not relate to my major and career choice. However, when it comes to career choice and major I just picked biology because it is the most interesting to me. I cannot see myself in another major. I love nature I like to learn more about natural things. I enjoy mountain landscapes. They look very cool. I like the structure. I believe that nature is art. The way animals and plants look is very beautiful and artistic. I also like the color schemes in nature. For example, the forest has lots of green and browns with hints of bright colors from flowers or animals. The color balance is a very pretty. i used to enjoy painting, but now I do not paint as often. I am interested in making music. I hope that I can work with in a field that allows me to experience nature. Ultimately, I think that it is important to make money because you need it to survive and support yourself and yoru family, so I would like to achieve a balance between my job and money. I do not mind having a job that’s not exactly what I expected as long as the pay makes up for it. If the job is low paying, then I better be having a lot of fun and enjoying what I do.likewise, If the job is high paying, then I will accept a job that is not as fun. A job that is not fun, bad and low paying at the same time is unacceptable.
#1 Recent Dream (freewrite, 10 minutes)
What is the most recent dream that you had. Write about it descriptively. If you have not had a recent dream, write about a significant dream that you remember.
Right now I cant remember any recent dreams. Usually I don’t dream at all. Its always pitch black then I wake up. I notice that when you wake up in the morning, then fall asleep again, its easier to dream. I think this has something to do with sleep stages. I know that everyone dreams, but you cant always sremember it. Im trying to remember a dream but I rarely dream. I only have about two or three dreams every year that’s why its so hard to remember a significant dream. I don’t know what to write right now. I don’t know what to write. I think one dream I had was…nothing is coming to me right now. I don’t remember nay dreams. I can remember hints of dreams but they’re so vague I can not even remember the details. I remember one dream now. once I was walking through a dark room and there was a lot of rotary gears. It looked like the inside of a watch or something. All the gears were rotating. And I zoomed deep into the gears and there was a gyroscope type device rotating. Everything started mechanical but deep inside the rotations turnedorganic. It looked lik the solar system spinning in space. Then I suddenly felt like I gained a ton of knowledge and insight. I felt like I understood life and everything became so clear to me. But when I woke up I don’t even know what I learned, nothing made sense, but at that time I felt like I had so much knowledge of the universe and the way life works.
Right now I cant remember any recent dreams. Usually I don’t dream at all. Its always pitch black then I wake up. I notice that when you wake up in the morning, then fall asleep again, its easier to dream. I think this has something to do with sleep stages. I know that everyone dreams, but you cant always sremember it. Im trying to remember a dream but I rarely dream. I only have about two or three dreams every year that’s why its so hard to remember a significant dream. I don’t know what to write right now. I don’t know what to write. I think one dream I had was…nothing is coming to me right now. I don’t remember nay dreams. I can remember hints of dreams but they’re so vague I can not even remember the details. I remember one dream now. once I was walking through a dark room and there was a lot of rotary gears. It looked like the inside of a watch or something. All the gears were rotating. And I zoomed deep into the gears and there was a gyroscope type device rotating. Everything started mechanical but deep inside the rotations turnedorganic. It looked lik the solar system spinning in space. Then I suddenly felt like I gained a ton of knowledge and insight. I felt like I understood life and everything became so clear to me. But when I woke up I don’t even know what I learned, nothing made sense, but at that time I felt like I had so much knowledge of the universe and the way life works.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
8. Plant-Virus Tricks Teach Evolutionary Pest Management
Source:
Keim B. Plant-Virus Tricks Teach Evolutionary Pest Management. Wired [Internet]. Wired Science. 2010 Feb 2 [cited 2010 Feb 06]. Available from: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/02/plant-virus-tricks/#more-17572
The cucumber mosaic virus changes how the host plant smells to attract aphids. The virus makes the plant smell large and healthy, thus, it attracts a large amounts of aphids. However, when the aphids arrive the plant is found to be sickly and of poor quality. The short stay is all that is needed for the aphid to pick up the virus and spread it to other plants. The mode of transmission is the important factor in this discovery, so Penn State University’s Mark Mescher suggest that we should think about managing the evolution instead of directly managing the pest or pathogen. The attraction of aphids to sickly plants is also seen in infected squash plants. The aphids prefer the infected plant, however, they do not stay because the plant is sickly. There are more odor changing relationships found in nature. For example, dutch elm disease infected trees attract insects, Rust fungi infected wheat also attract insects, Hamsters with Leishmaniasis attract sandflies and Malaria infected people attract mosquitoes. This knowledge is important because studies can be done on altering evolution to prevent odor changing.
Keim B. Plant-Virus Tricks Teach Evolutionary Pest Management. Wired [Internet]. Wired Science. 2010 Feb 2 [cited 2010 Feb 06]. Available from: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/02/plant-virus-tricks/#more-17572
The cucumber mosaic virus changes how the host plant smells to attract aphids. The virus makes the plant smell large and healthy, thus, it attracts a large amounts of aphids. However, when the aphids arrive the plant is found to be sickly and of poor quality. The short stay is all that is needed for the aphid to pick up the virus and spread it to other plants. The mode of transmission is the important factor in this discovery, so Penn State University’s Mark Mescher suggest that we should think about managing the evolution instead of directly managing the pest or pathogen. The attraction of aphids to sickly plants is also seen in infected squash plants. The aphids prefer the infected plant, however, they do not stay because the plant is sickly. There are more odor changing relationships found in nature. For example, dutch elm disease infected trees attract insects, Rust fungi infected wheat also attract insects, Hamsters with Leishmaniasis attract sandflies and Malaria infected people attract mosquitoes. This knowledge is important because studies can be done on altering evolution to prevent odor changing.
7. If You Swat, Watch Out: Bees Remember Faces
Source:
Bhanoo S. If You Swat, Watch Out: Bees Remember Faces
. The New York Times [Internet]. 2010 Feb 1 [cited 2010 Feb 06]. Available from: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/science/02bees.html?ref=science
Bees can distinguish faces similar to how humans can. Although they have only a million neurons, they can use configural processing similar to humans. They can recognize facial patterns like placement of nose, mouth, eyes, and ears. Dr. Giurfa conducted an experiment that tested bees’ facial recognition abilities. He placed pictures of faces with bowls filled with sugar and plain water. The bees were able to distinguish the faces associated with sugar and the faces associated with plain water. This research is important to computer science because it shows how simple facial recognition can be. The knowledge can be applied to computers systems. Although it can recognize basic structures it cannot distinguish other factors like human cans. If someone grows out their hair, a computer or a bee cannot recognize the face, however, a human can still recognize the face. Although, the research cannot be applied directly, it gives more insight on how face recognition works.
Bhanoo S. If You Swat, Watch Out: Bees Remember Faces
. The New York Times [Internet]. 2010 Feb 1 [cited 2010 Feb 06]. Available from: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/science/02bees.html?ref=science
Bees can distinguish faces similar to how humans can. Although they have only a million neurons, they can use configural processing similar to humans. They can recognize facial patterns like placement of nose, mouth, eyes, and ears. Dr. Giurfa conducted an experiment that tested bees’ facial recognition abilities. He placed pictures of faces with bowls filled with sugar and plain water. The bees were able to distinguish the faces associated with sugar and the faces associated with plain water. This research is important to computer science because it shows how simple facial recognition can be. The knowledge can be applied to computers systems. Although it can recognize basic structures it cannot distinguish other factors like human cans. If someone grows out their hair, a computer or a bee cannot recognize the face, however, a human can still recognize the face. Although, the research cannot be applied directly, it gives more insight on how face recognition works.
6. Birds unveil 'silver wings'
Source:
Walker M. Birds unveil 'silver wings'. BBC – Earth News [Internet]. 2009 Sep 21 [cited 2010 Feb 06]. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8263000/8263115.stm
Structural arrangements of barbules are found in dark bird feathers that give it a silver sheen. Researchers in Canada and Spain studying the bearded vulture discovered the silver sheen present in certain species of bird feathers. They found that many large open habitat birds possessed silver wings and that smaller birds did not. The cause behind the silver sheen is not due to iridescence, but due to a feather construction. Viewing the structure of the feathers, they found that a silver feather is composed of a rachis, barbs, and barbules. The key structure that creates the silver sheen is the barbules. The barbules are transparent and twist, thus, they create a silver sheen without coherent scattering like other feathers. The barbules are extremely fragile. They can be scraped off easily. Once scraped off, the feathers do not shine silver. It is thought that silver feathers can indicate health. It also allows birds with darker feathers to show off, therefore, it helps the bird become more colorful and bright.
Walker M. Birds unveil 'silver wings'. BBC – Earth News [Internet]. 2009 Sep 21 [cited 2010 Feb 06]. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8263000/8263115.stm
Structural arrangements of barbules are found in dark bird feathers that give it a silver sheen. Researchers in Canada and Spain studying the bearded vulture discovered the silver sheen present in certain species of bird feathers. They found that many large open habitat birds possessed silver wings and that smaller birds did not. The cause behind the silver sheen is not due to iridescence, but due to a feather construction. Viewing the structure of the feathers, they found that a silver feather is composed of a rachis, barbs, and barbules. The key structure that creates the silver sheen is the barbules. The barbules are transparent and twist, thus, they create a silver sheen without coherent scattering like other feathers. The barbules are extremely fragile. They can be scraped off easily. Once scraped off, the feathers do not shine silver. It is thought that silver feathers can indicate health. It also allows birds with darker feathers to show off, therefore, it helps the bird become more colorful and bright.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)