“Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose.”
-Tom Krause quotes
“If you only do what you know you can do- you never do very much.”
-Tom Krause quotes
“Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation, and a pinch of creativity.”
-Bo Bennett quotes
“Music is what feelings sound like.”
“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow.”
-Mary Anne Radmacher quotes
“You are the embodiment of the information you choose to accept and act upon. To change your circumstances you need to change your thinking and subsequent actions.”
-Adlin Sinclair quotes
“There are no failures - just experiences and your reactions to them.”
-Tom Krause quotes
“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
-Steve Jobs quotes
Monday, March 29, 2010
GLOBAL WARMING
GLOBAL WARMING AWARENESS
Global Warming Skeptics - Skeptics of global warming think that global warming is not an ecological trouble.
Global Warming Facts - 8 Facts about Global Warming
Causes of Global Warming - The Green house gases are the main culprits of the global warming. The green house gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide are playing hazards in the present times.
Green House Gasses are the ingredients of the atmosphere that add to the greenhouse effect.
Al Gore Global Warming Initiative - Gore has written a book that archives his advice that Earth is dashing toward an immensely warmer future.
The average facade temperature of the globe has augmented more than 1 degree Fahrenheit since 1900 and the speed of warming has been almost three folds the century long average since 1970. This increase in earth’s average temperature is called Global warming. More or less all specialists studying the climate record of the earth have the same opinion now that human actions, mainly the discharge of green house gases from smokestacks, vehicles, and burning forests, are perhaps the leading power driving the fashion.
The gases append to the planet's normal greenhouse effect, permitting sunlight in, but stopping some of the ensuing heat from radiating back to space. Based on the study on past climate shifts, notes of current situations, and computer simulations, many climate scientists say that lacking of big curbs in greenhouse gas discharges, the 21st century might see temperatures rise of about 3 to 8 degrees, climate patterns piercingly shift, ice sheets contract and seas rise several feet. With the probable exemption of one more world war, a huge asteroid, or a fatal plague, global warming may be the only most danger to our planet earth.
Global Warming Causes
As said, the major cause of global warming is the emission of green house gases like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide etc into the atmosphere. The major source of carbon dioxide is the power plants. These power plants emit large amounts of carbon dioxide produced from burning of fossil fuels for the purpose of electricity generation. About twenty percent of carbon dioxide emitted in the atmosphere comes from burning of gasoline in the engines of the vehicles. This is true for most of the developed countries. Buildings, both commercial and residential represent a larger source of global warming pollution than cars and trucks.
Building of these structures require a lot of fuel to be burnt which emits a large amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Methane is more than 20 times as effectual as CO2 at entrapping heat in the atmosphere. Methane is obtained from resources such as rice paddies, bovine flatulence, bacteria in bogs and fossil fuel manufacture. When fields are flooded, anaerobic situation build up and the organic matter in the soil decays, releasing methane to the atmosphere. The main sources of nitrous oxide include nylon and nitric acid production, cars with catalytic converters, the use of fertilizers in agriculture and the burning of organic matter. Another cause of global warming is deforestation that is caused by cutting and burning of forests for the purpose of residence and industrialization.
Global Warming is Inspiring Scientists to Fight for Awareness
Scientists all over the world are making predictions about the ill effects of Global warming and connecting some of the events that have taken place in the pat few decades as an alarm of global warming. The effect of global warming is increasing the average temperature of the earth. A rise in earth’s temperatures can in turn root to other alterations in the ecology, including an increasing sea level and modifying the quantity and pattern of rainfall. These modifications may boost the occurrence and concentration of severe climate events, such as floods, famines, heat waves, tornados, and twisters. Other consequences may comprise of higher or lower agricultural outputs, glacier melting, lesser summer stream flows, genus extinctions and rise in the ranges of disease vectors. As an effect of global warming species like golden toad, harlequin frog of Costa Rica has already become extinct. There are number of species that have a threat of disappearing soon as an effect of global warming. As an effect of global warming various new diseases have emerged lately. These diseases are occurring frequently due to the increase in earths average temperature since the bacteria can survive better in elevated temperatures and even multiplies faster when the conditions are favorable. The global warming is extending the distribution of mosquitoes due to the increase in humidity levels and their frequent growth in warmer atmosphere. Various diseases due to ebola, hanta and machupo virus are expected due to warmer climates. The marine life is also very sensitive to the increase in temperatures. The effect of global warming will definitely be seen on some species in the water. A survey was made in which the marine life reacted significantly to the changes in water temperatures. It is expected that many species will die off or become extinct due to the increase in the temperatures of the water, whereas various other species, which prefer warmer waters, will increase tremendously. Perhaps the most disturbing changes are expected in the coral reefs that are expected to die off as an effect of global warming. The global warming is expected to cause irreversible changes in the ecosystem and the behavior of animals.
A group of scientists have recently reported on the surprisingly speedy rise in the discharge of carbon and methane release from frozen tundra in Siberia, now starting to melt because of human cause increases in earth’s temperature. The scientists tell us that the tundra is in danger of melting holds an amount of extra global warming pollution that is equivalent to the net amount that is previously in the earth's atmosphere. Likewise, earlier one more team of scientists reported that the in a single year Greenland witnessed 32 glacial earthquakes between 4.6 and 5.1 on the Richter scale. This is a disturbing sign and points that a huge destabilization that may now be in progress deep within the second biggest accretion of ice on the planet. This ice would be enough to raise sea level 20 feet worldwide if it broke up and slipped into the sea. Each day passing brings yet new proof that we are now in front of a global emergency, a climate emergency that needs instant action to piercingly decrease carbon dioxide emissions worldwide in order to turn down the earth's rising temperatures and avoid any catastrophe.
It is not easy to attach any particular events to global warming, but studies prove the fact that human activities are increasing the earth’s temperature. Even though most predictions focus on the epoch up to 2100, even if no further greenhouse gases were discharged after this date, global warming and sea level would be likely to go on to rise for more than a millennium, since carbon dioxide has a long average atmospheric life span.
You Can Help Fight Global Warming
Many efforts are being made by various nations to cut down the rate of global warming. One such effort is the Kyoto agreement that has been made between various nations to reduce the emissions of various green house gases. Also many non profit organizations are working for the cause. Al Gore was one of the foremost U.S. politicians to heave an alarm about the hazards of global warming. He has produced a significantly acclaimed documentary movie called "An Inconvenient Truth," and written a book that archives his advice that Earth is dashing toward an immensely warmer future. Al Gore, the former vice president of United States has given various speeches to raise an awareness of global warming. He has warned people about the ill effects of Global warming and its remedies.
But an interesting side of the global warming episode is that there are people who do not consider global warming as something that is creating a problem. Skeptics of global warming think that global warming is not an ecological trouble. According to the global warming skeptics, the recent enhancement in the earth's average temperature is no reason for alarm. According to them earth's coastlines and polar ice caps are not at a risk of vanishing. Global warming skeptics consider that the weather models used to establish global warming and to forecast its impacts are distorted. According to the models, if calculations are made the last few decades must have been much worse as compared to actually happened to be. Most of the global warming skeptics believe that the global warming is not actually occurring. They stress on the fact the climatic conditions vary because of volcanism, the obliquity cycle, changes in solar output, and internal variability. Also the warming can be due to the variation in cloud cover, which in turn is responsible for the temperatures on the earth. The variations are also a result of cosmic ray flux that is modulated by the solar magnetic cycles.
Global Warming Skeptics
The global warming skeptics are of the view that the global warming is a good phenomenon and should not be stopped. There are various benefits of global warming according to them. According to the skeptics, the global warming will increase humidity in tropical deserts. Also the higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere trigger plant growth. As predicted, due to the global warming the sea levels will rise. But this can be readily adapted. Another argument of global warming skeptics is that earth has been warmer than today as seen in its history. The thought is that global warming is nothing to get afraid of because it just takes us back to a more natural set of environment of the past. Animals and plants appeared to do just fine in those eras of warm climate on the earth. According to few skeptics, the present chilly climate on the earth is an abnormality when judged over the geographical scale. Over geologic time, the earth’s mean temperature is 22 degrees C, as compared to today's 15.5 degrees C.
Bible Quotes
“Give, and it shall be given to you. For whatever measure you deal out to others, it will be dealt to you in return.”
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. (Ephesians 6:18)”
“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”
“Great men are not always wise”
“A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult”
“Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none.”
“Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and never succeed. (Proverbs 12:24)”
“Love is patient; love is kind
and envies no one.
Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude;
never selfish, not quick to take offense.
There is nothing love cannot face;
there is no limit to its faith,
its hope, and endurance.
In a word, there are three things
that last forever: faith, hope, and love;
but the greatest of them all is love.”
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid...for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (Psalms 30:5)”
“For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
“I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)”
Erosion and Weathering
Photograph by David Alan HarveyWeathering and erosion slowly chisel, polish, and buff Earth's rock into ever evolving works of art—and then wash the remains into the sea.
The processes are definitively independent, but not exclusive. Weathering is the mechanical and chemical hammer that breaks down and sculpts the rocks. Erosion transports the fragments away.
Working together they create and reveal marvels of nature from tumbling boulders high in the mountains to sandstone arches in the parched desert to polished cliffs braced against violent seas.
Water is nature's most versatile tool. For example, take rain on a frigid day. The water pools in cracks and crevices. Then, at night, the temperature drops and the water expands as it turns to ice, splitting the rock like a sledgehammer to a wedge. The next day, under the beating sun, the ice melts and trickles the cracked fragments away.
Repeated swings in temperature can also weaken and eventually fragment rock, which expands when hot and shrinks when cold. Such pulsing slowly turns stones in the arid desert to sand. Likewise, constant cycles from wet to dry will crumble clay.
Bits of sand are picked up and carried off by the wind, which can then blast the sides of nearby rocks, buffing and polishing them smooth. On the seashore, the action of waves chips away at cliffs and rakes the fragments back and forth into fine sand.
Plants and animals also take a heavy toll on Earth's hardened minerals. Lichens and mosses can squeeze into cracks and crevices, where they take root. As they grow, so do the cracks, eventually splitting into bits and pieces. Critters big and small trample, crush, and plow rocks as they scurry across the surface and burrow underground. Plants and animals also produce acids that mix with rainwater, a combination that eats away at rocks.
Rainwater also mixes with chemicals as it falls from the sky, forming an acidic concoction that dissolves rock. For example, acid rain dissolves limestone to form karst, a type of terrain filled with fissures, underground streams, and caves like the cenotes of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula.
Back up on the mountains, snow and ice build up into glaciers that weigh on the rocks beneath and slowly push them downhill under the force of gravity. Together with advancing ice, the rocks carve out a path as the glacier slumps down the mountain. When the glacier begins to melt, it deposits its cargo of soil and rock, transporting the rocky debris toward the sea. Every year, rivers deposit millions of tons of sediment into the oceans.
Without the erosive forces of water, wind, and ice, rock debris would simply pile up where it forms and obscure from view nature's weathered sculptures. Although erosion is a natural process, abusive land-use practices such as deforestation and overgrazing can expedite erosion and strip the land of soils needed for food to grow.
Climate
Climate isn't the same thing as weather. Weather is the condition of the atmosphere over a short period of time; climate is the average course of weather conditions for a particular location over a period of many years.
One of the factors that influences climate is the angle of the sun's rays. In the tropics, between 23.5° N and 23.5° S, there is at least one time of year when the noontime sun is directly overhead and its rays hit at a direct angle. This produces a hot climate with relatively small temperature differences between summer and winter.
In the Arctic and Antarctic (north or south of 66.5° latitude), there are times of year when the sun is above the horizon 24 hours a day (a phenomenon known as midnight sun) and times when it never rises. Even in the summer, the sun is low enough for temperatures to be lower than in the tropics, but the seasonal changes are much greater than in equatorial regions. Interior Alaska has seen temperatures as high as 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).
Farther from the Equator lie the temperate regions. These include the United States, Europe, China, and parts of Australia, South America, and southern Africa. They have the typical four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall.
Outside Influences
Climate is also controlled by wind, oceans, and mountains.
Winds bring moisture to land. North and south of the Equator the trade winds blow from the northeast and southeast, respectively. These winds converge in the tropics, forcing air to rise. This produces thunderstorms, humidity, and monsoons.
North and south of the trade winds, about 30° from the Equator, there is relatively little wind, and therefore little moisture blowing inland from the oceans. Also, dry air is sinking back to the surface, warming in the process. This is why many of the world's great desert regions—the Sahara, Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and chunks of Mexico—lie at the same latitude. A similar band of deserts lies to the south in Australia, South America, and southern Africa.
Mountains force wind to rise as it crosses over them. This cools the air, causing moisture to condense in clouds and rain. This produces a wet climate on the upwind side of the mountains and an arid "rain shadow" on the downwind side.
Oceans provide moisture that fuels rainstorms. They also buffer the temperature of coastal regions, regardless of latitude.
Climate Groups
In the early 1900s, climatologist Wladimir Köppen divided the world into five major climate groups.
Moist, tropical climates are hot and humid. Steppes and deserts are dry, with large temperature variations. Plentiful lakes, rivers, or nearby oceans give humid, midlatitude climates cool, damp winters, but they have hot, dry summers. Some of these climates are also called Mediterranean. Continental climates occur in the centers of large continents. Mountain ranges (or sheer distance) block off sources of moisture, creating dry regions with large seasonal variations in temperature. Much of southern Canada, Russia, and parts of central Asia would fall into this category. Cold, or polar, climates round out Köppen's list. A sixth region, high elevations, was later added to the classification system.
One of the factors that influences climate is the angle of the sun's rays. In the tropics, between 23.5° N and 23.5° S, there is at least one time of year when the noontime sun is directly overhead and its rays hit at a direct angle. This produces a hot climate with relatively small temperature differences between summer and winter.
In the Arctic and Antarctic (north or south of 66.5° latitude), there are times of year when the sun is above the horizon 24 hours a day (a phenomenon known as midnight sun) and times when it never rises. Even in the summer, the sun is low enough for temperatures to be lower than in the tropics, but the seasonal changes are much greater than in equatorial regions. Interior Alaska has seen temperatures as high as 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).
Farther from the Equator lie the temperate regions. These include the United States, Europe, China, and parts of Australia, South America, and southern Africa. They have the typical four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall.
Outside Influences
Climate is also controlled by wind, oceans, and mountains.
Winds bring moisture to land. North and south of the Equator the trade winds blow from the northeast and southeast, respectively. These winds converge in the tropics, forcing air to rise. This produces thunderstorms, humidity, and monsoons.
North and south of the trade winds, about 30° from the Equator, there is relatively little wind, and therefore little moisture blowing inland from the oceans. Also, dry air is sinking back to the surface, warming in the process. This is why many of the world's great desert regions—the Sahara, Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and chunks of Mexico—lie at the same latitude. A similar band of deserts lies to the south in Australia, South America, and southern Africa.
Mountains force wind to rise as it crosses over them. This cools the air, causing moisture to condense in clouds and rain. This produces a wet climate on the upwind side of the mountains and an arid "rain shadow" on the downwind side.
Oceans provide moisture that fuels rainstorms. They also buffer the temperature of coastal regions, regardless of latitude.
Climate Groups
In the early 1900s, climatologist Wladimir Köppen divided the world into five major climate groups.
Moist, tropical climates are hot and humid. Steppes and deserts are dry, with large temperature variations. Plentiful lakes, rivers, or nearby oceans give humid, midlatitude climates cool, damp winters, but they have hot, dry summers. Some of these climates are also called Mediterranean. Continental climates occur in the centers of large continents. Mountain ranges (or sheer distance) block off sources of moisture, creating dry regions with large seasonal variations in temperature. Much of southern Canada, Russia, and parts of central Asia would fall into this category. Cold, or polar, climates round out Köppen's list. A sixth region, high elevations, was later added to the classification system.
The Human Body
The Human Body module consists of four activities that engage students in thoughtful activities about the form and function of a most remarkable machine, their own body. Students discover how bones, joints, and muscles work together. They build model skeleton parts, study their stimulus/response systems, and see what it's like to perform routine tasks with certain joints immobilized. Integrated multimedia materials explain how we use food, air, and our senses.
In activity 1, Bones, students observe how the body moves while jumping rope and discuss the body systems that come into action, including the skeleton. Students focus on the skeleton and try to determine how many bones are in their bodies. Their initial counts are compared and refined as they study life-size photograps and posters of the human skeleton. Finally, the students work in pairs to assemble a 19-piece articulated model skeleton.
In activity 2, Joints, students investigate where bones meet and study the advantages of an articulated skeleton. They systematically perform everyday tasks while certain joints in their hands are immobilized. Through this fun and frustrating experience, students become aware of the versatility of movement afforded by joints. They organize the major joints by type and compare the movement of mechanical devices to the types of joints in the body.
In activity 3, Muscles, students investigate the power source for human movement, muscles. Students are provided with basic information about muscles: that they contract when they work, that muscles attach to bones with tissues called tendons, that muscles attach across joints to move bones, and that ligaments attach from bone to bone. Students work in pairs to build a model leg and foot that simulates the actions of jumping rope. They build a thumb that models the actions of the human thumb.
In activity 4, Stimulus/Response, students investigate coordinated movement in hand and foot response to visual stimuli. The students work in pairs with a falling cup device; one student holds the cup poised to fall, and the other student places his hand under the cup. When the responding student sees the cup start to fall, he pulls his hand out of the way. Hits and misses are recorded in a bar graph for the right hand, left hand, right foot, and left foot. Students compare the coordinated responses and investigate the effect of practice on response time.
In activity 1, Bones, students observe how the body moves while jumping rope and discuss the body systems that come into action, including the skeleton. Students focus on the skeleton and try to determine how many bones are in their bodies. Their initial counts are compared and refined as they study life-size photograps and posters of the human skeleton. Finally, the students work in pairs to assemble a 19-piece articulated model skeleton.
In activity 2, Joints, students investigate where bones meet and study the advantages of an articulated skeleton. They systematically perform everyday tasks while certain joints in their hands are immobilized. Through this fun and frustrating experience, students become aware of the versatility of movement afforded by joints. They organize the major joints by type and compare the movement of mechanical devices to the types of joints in the body.
In activity 3, Muscles, students investigate the power source for human movement, muscles. Students are provided with basic information about muscles: that they contract when they work, that muscles attach to bones with tissues called tendons, that muscles attach across joints to move bones, and that ligaments attach from bone to bone. Students work in pairs to build a model leg and foot that simulates the actions of jumping rope. They build a thumb that models the actions of the human thumb.
In activity 4, Stimulus/Response, students investigate coordinated movement in hand and foot response to visual stimuli. The students work in pairs with a falling cup device; one student holds the cup poised to fall, and the other student places his hand under the cup. When the responding student sees the cup start to fall, he pulls his hand out of the way. Hits and misses are recorded in a bar graph for the right hand, left hand, right foot, and left foot. Students compare the coordinated responses and investigate the effect of practice on response time.
The Human Body
The Human Body module consists of four activities that engage students in thoughtful activities about the form and function of a most remarkable machine, their own body. Students discover how bones, joints, and muscles work together. They build model skeleton parts, study their stimulus/response systems, and see what it's like to perform routine tasks with certain joints immobilized. Integrated multimedia materials explain how we use food, air, and our senses.
In activity 1, Bones, students observe how the body moves while jumping rope and discuss the body systems that come into action, including the skeleton. Students focus on the skeleton and try to determine how many bones are in their bodies. Their initial counts are compared and refined as they study life-size photograps and posters of the human skeleton. Finally, the students work in pairs to assemble a 19-piece articulated model skeleton.
In activity 2, Joints, students investigate where bones meet and study the advantages of an articulated skeleton. They systematically perform everyday tasks while certain joints in their hands are immobilized. Through this fun and frustrating experience, students become aware of the versatility of movement afforded by joints. They organize the major joints by type and compare the movement of mechanical devices to the types of joints in the body.
In activity 3, Muscles, students investigate the power source for human movement, muscles. Students are provided with basic information about muscles: that they contract when they work, that muscles attach to bones with tissues called tendons, that muscles attach across joints to move bones, and that ligaments attach from bone to bone. Students work in pairs to build a model leg and foot that simulates the actions of jumping rope. They build a thumb that models the actions of the human thumb.
In activity 4, Stimulus/Response, students investigate coordinated movement in hand and foot response to visual stimuli. The students work in pairs with a falling cup device; one student holds the cup poised to fall, and the other student places his hand under the cup. When the responding student sees the cup start to fall, he pulls his hand out of the way. Hits and misses are recorded in a bar graph for the right hand, left hand, right foot, and left foot. Students compare the coordinated responses and investigate the effect of practice on response time.
In activity 1, Bones, students observe how the body moves while jumping rope and discuss the body systems that come into action, including the skeleton. Students focus on the skeleton and try to determine how many bones are in their bodies. Their initial counts are compared and refined as they study life-size photograps and posters of the human skeleton. Finally, the students work in pairs to assemble a 19-piece articulated model skeleton.
In activity 2, Joints, students investigate where bones meet and study the advantages of an articulated skeleton. They systematically perform everyday tasks while certain joints in their hands are immobilized. Through this fun and frustrating experience, students become aware of the versatility of movement afforded by joints. They organize the major joints by type and compare the movement of mechanical devices to the types of joints in the body.
In activity 3, Muscles, students investigate the power source for human movement, muscles. Students are provided with basic information about muscles: that they contract when they work, that muscles attach to bones with tissues called tendons, that muscles attach across joints to move bones, and that ligaments attach from bone to bone. Students work in pairs to build a model leg and foot that simulates the actions of jumping rope. They build a thumb that models the actions of the human thumb.
In activity 4, Stimulus/Response, students investigate coordinated movement in hand and foot response to visual stimuli. The students work in pairs with a falling cup device; one student holds the cup poised to fall, and the other student places his hand under the cup. When the responding student sees the cup start to fall, he pulls his hand out of the way. Hits and misses are recorded in a bar graph for the right hand, left hand, right foot, and left foot. Students compare the coordinated responses and investigate the effect of practice on response time.
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