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An Interview with Dr. Ivory-Billed Woodpecker
Beyond the Field Guide
An interview with Dr. Jerome Jackson, author of In Search of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker.A NatureSkills.com exclusive. "Have you ever wondered what would happen if you encountered something truly odd, unbelievably amazing, or possibly impossible while out in nature? On top of that, what if you could not verify what you observed with information from any field guide? What if, for example, you sight an animal that everyone believes to be extinct?"
Read more at NatureSkills Journal:http://www.natureskills.com/ivory-billed_woodpecker.html
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
Last night, a friend and I went to listen to Barbara Kingsolver read from her new non-fiction book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. Kingsolver, her husband, and two daughters moved from the Arizona home to an Appalachian farm and began with an experiment: to eat natural, organic foods grown locally. They committed to a year of purposeful eating, of ensuring that each morsel of food was harvested from their own garden or from their heirloom chickens and turkeys, or purchased at their local farmer's market.
Kingsolver gave a relaxed reading. She read passages from her book interspersed with a slide show of farm, food, and family photographs taken by her husband. She even read a curious and funny passage about turkey sex, and surprised the audience with video footage of the act in question! (Did you know that commercial turkeys no longer are capable of sex? Their instinct for sexual reproduction has been bred out of them so that breeding turkeys must be artificially inseminated).
And this book is a family affair, with recipes and essays from her older daughter Camille and notes and stories by her husband Stephen. I haven't been able to dig into the pages yet, but I am looking forward to immersing myself in the soil, work, and harvest of another Kingsolver book.
By the way, Kingsolver donated all of the ticket proceeds to PCC's Farmland Trust. Here's more info on the organization: http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/farmtrust/.
Two in Five Babies Regularly Watch TV
I came across a startling news article today that states "two in five babies watch TV." Babies watching TV? Infants regularly staring blankly at a TV screen? What do you think of this article? What do you think of so-called educational videos for babies and toddlers?Two in five babies watch TV, UW study says
5/7/07 Seattle PI
Babies are glued to television sets these days, with 40 percent of 3-month-old infants regularly watching the boob tube, according to a new University of Washington study published Monday. The baby-TV business is booming with a new 24-hour baby network and an explosion of baby DVDs, such as "Brainy Baby" and "Baby Einstein." By the time babies reach age 2, 90 percent are watching TV, DVDs or videos, UW researchers found. The problem is, the best available research indicates that all this television offers no benefits to babies and toddlers, the study's authors maintain. Instead, screen time may harm infants, with excessive viewing linked to attention problems, aggression and cognitive issues, the researchers added.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/314676_babytube08.html
2007 Oceans to Stars Lecture Series
2007 Ocean to Stars Lecture Series: Staying Healthy in a Chemical WorldHIDDEN HEALTH HAZARDS: EVERYDAY EXPOSURES TO TOXIC CHEMICALSJoin us in May for four exciting lectures about groundbreaking research on threats to human and environmental health - with findings that just might change your life. Whether in the home, office, school, factory, or field, toxic hazards have found their way into our daily lives. Many previously unknown environmental pollutants are emerging and being detected with improved analyses and tools. And many previously tried solutions have fallen short on protecting our health and that of our children. Our speakers, top researchers on the forefront of exposure science, arededicated to detecting environmental pollutants, protecting the publicfrom risks, and proposing actions to improve our health and sustain ourenvironment.When: Thursdays, May 10, 17, 24 & 31, 7 - 8 p.m.Where: Kane Hall 120, UW Seattle campusCost: Free, but advance registration is requested.You can register by calling the UWAA at 206-543-0540 or1-800-AUW-ALUM. Read more about the lectures and register on the Ocean to Stars LectureSeries site: https://go.washington.edu/uwaa/events/2007earthinit_otos/details.tcl Series Schedule:May 10 Hidden Health Hazards: Everyday Exposures to Toxic ChemicalsSpeaker: Anne C. Steinemann, PhD - Professor, UW Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Evans School of Public Affairs; Director, The Water Center, UWMay 17 Secondhand Smoke: Low Exposures and High StakesSpeaker: James L. Repace, MSc - Biophysicist, Repace Associates, Inc., Secondhand Smoke Consultants. *There will be an open reception following this lecture in the Walker-Ames room in Kane Hall.*May 24 Exxon Valdez: Lingering Effects of Oil on HealthSpeaker: Riki Ott, PhD, '85 - Marine Toxicologist, Cordova, AlaskaMay 31 A Precautionary Approach to Protect HealthSpeaker: Steven G. Gilbert, PhD, DABT - Director and Founder of the Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders, and Affiliate Associate Professor, UW Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Wild Kids Explore Australia and Antarctica
Check out the Wild Kids website and learn about all the wild creatures from down under. It is from the Australian Museum in Sydney. Explore six different Australian habitats and learn about the wonderful creatures that prowl the forest, freshwater, coast, arid zone, woodlands, and urban areas of Australia. You can also explore Antarctica!http://www.amonline.net.au/wild_kids/index.cfm
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