Deforestation of Brazil

According to May figures, deforestation in the Amazon of Brazil has seen a slight decrease over the month of April.  The government places the slow down on the boom of other agribusiness such as soybeans, beef and sugar.  Brazil desires to position itself as an agriculture powerhouse capable of solving not only the food crisis but the energy crisis as well through the production of different crops.  So much so that he has made no qualms about the crops being more important to the government then the deforestation of the Amazon.

However, the point here is that the deforestation did decrease in May.  So what are the figures, you may ask?  In May, roughly 420 miles of the forest disappeared due to logging…for perspective, that is slightly smaller then the city of Los Angeles.  That is only slightly less then  in April which saw roughly 433 miles deforested.

I find this rate of deforestation extremely alarming.  The Amazon happens to be the world’s most diverse biospere with 1 in 10 known species can be found in this tract.  That is 1 in 10 known species of plants, animals and reptiles.

Wikipedia reports that: The region is home to about 2.5 million insect species, tens of thousands of plants, and some 2000 birds and mammals. To date, at least 40,000 plant species, 3,000 fish, 1,294 birds, 427 mammals, 428 amphibians, and 378 reptiles have been scientifically classified in the region. Scientists have described between 96,660 and 128,843 invertebrate species in Brazil alone.

Between 1991 and 2000, the total area of forest lost in the Amazon rose from 415,000 to 587,000 km², an area more than six times the size of Portugal, with most of the lost forest becoming pasture for cattle. In February, 2008, the Brazilian government announced that the rate at which the Amazon rainforest is being cut down has increased significantly over the past few months. During the last five months of 2007, more than 3,200 sq. kilometers (an area equivalent to the size of the state of Rhode Island) was deforested during a time when deforestation would normally drop.

People, I could go on for quite awhile about how important the rainforest’s around the world are and how, once again, we are hell bent on destroying our environment but if you are reading my blog it means you have access to the information for yourself.  It is just so disheartening to me how we abuse our environment and our Mother Earth.

Assisted Colonization

Well, we knew it would all come down to this eventually. Afterall, we humans are the smartest of all God’s creatures and thus, colonizing the animal world in our own way should be how it was meant to be right?

Not only should we colonize the creatures how we see fit, we should also decide in an animal kingdom triage sort of way, what species we should let become extinct in favor of keeping other species around in this world of shortening animal habitats. Doesn’t that seem normal to everyone?

Scientists have advised that the species of Sky Island in Arizona is basically “toast” because they don’t know where they would move them so might as well let them go extinct. Who needs them anyway?

“When deciding which species to save and which to watch die, Root said one key is uniqueness. That’s why she said she’d save the odd-looking Tuatara of New Zealand, a lizard-like creature with almost no living relatives, over the common sparrow.”

“The risk of extinction has to be balanced by the potential hazard to the community where a species is relocated as well as the time and cost of making the move, Parmesan says.”

“Ultimately, the decision about whether to actively assist the movement of a species into new territories will rest on ethical and aesthetic grounds as much as on hard science,” she said in a statement.

“Passively assisting coral reef migration may be acceptable, but transplanting polar bears to Antarctica, where they would likely drive native penguins to extinction, would not be acceptable,” she said.

“Conservation has never been an exact science, but preserving biodiversity in the face of climate change is likely to require a fundamental rethinking of what it means to preserve biodiversity,” Parmesan said.

Wow, doesn’t it just make you proud to be a human? And, by the way, whose to say penguins are more unique then the polar bears? I think that is subjective and totally unfair. Let’s relocate the penguins to Alaska or Canada - let the bears have the Antarctica.

Somewhere I’m sure someone has a nice little chart with nice little diagrams of how every thing would benefit if we took over nature. Let’s make the world one big zoo. Does it irk anyone else as much as it does me??

I understand that some species are endanger of becoming extinct but is moving species around a good idea? Shouldn’t we let Mother Nature handle, well, Mother Nature? Have we done much good when we have “accidentally” relocated things in the past? Fire ants spring to mind - they came over from Africa or some such place - now look at how they’ve become an epidemic in the south.

Pretty soon I won’t have to watch the Sci-Fi channel to get my “b” movie horror fix - the reality of what we’ve done to our world will far out due what they can come up with on TV.

Bonkers

This is the set

I must admit I think I’ve gone over the edge mentally. That deep, dark abyss is waiting to lay claim to my mind - it’s only a matter of time before the men in white come with that straight jacket to escort me to a padded cell. I really can’t explain what happened - I think my brain just snapped.

Why do I think so? Because I just spent almost four hours looking at dishes…again. This must be the fifth or sixth time I have spent an extensive amount of time looking at them and I really have no idea why.

Dishes have never been a big deal with me. If I can eat off them then that is a big plus. However, since renting an apartment, suddenly picking out the “perfect” dishes has become an obsession. Seriously, I can’t seem to stop myself from pouring over the dishes offered by Walmart, Target, Kohls, and Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Each time I come back to the same set of dishes - confident that they are the ones I want. So why can’t I just let it go??? I don’t know.

It seems to be very important to me that I have a matching set of creamer, sugar bowl, salt/pepper shaker, serving bowls, serving platters, baking dishes, and glasses. WHY??? What is this obsession and WHY do I have it? I’ve never had this before in my life! It certainly perturbs me.

Even now, I feel this need to start looking at them again. The set I have picked out numerous times does not come with a matching anything. I don’t know why as it is a newly released set from Corelle - you’d think it would come with that stuff. So I have had to surf the net trying to find something that would work with the set - look good and be functional. {sigh}

My wrists hurt from all the typing I’ve done on the keyboard just searching for those perfect matches. I don’t even want to venture a guess at what is wrong with my brain. I know it has something to do with the move and not being settled into my own place yet - but why dishes???

Why not shower curtains, bookcases, bed sheets, towels, pictures for the wall…or a countless other things I have to think about buying?? Like the bedroom I’ve decided to do in butterflies - why aren’t I obsessing about that? The living room I thought I would do in woodland animals so you’d think I’d be looking at things to decorate that way.

But no, I’m stuck on dishes for the kitchen. I have looked at so many different salt/pepper shakers, tea sets, platters, and oh, don’t forget the butter dish!!! It makes me want to just buy the one I want so I can stop thinking about it but I don’t because I don’t want to spend any money until I find out what moving in is going to cost me.

At Work

I have been at work for 2 1/2 hours now.  I have 1 1/2 hours to go before I can go back to my sister’s house.  They did not need me to be here from 3am-7am so I don’t know what the scheduler was thinking.  I know she thought I needed to get an additional 4 hours in somewhere but really…3- 7 am? How crazy is that???

I spent the first hour reading other people’s blogs - something I don’t seem to have time for these days.  I always read my family’s blogs but often don’t get to check out the blogs of those people I have links to on my blogroll.  So tonight I checked out everyone’s and made a few comments.

Then, having read those, I decided to write a note to my friends down in Florida.  Took me pretty much of the next hour to write them a two page letter.  This last half hour I spent reading my junk mail.  Such an exciting time.

I am going to have to be more inventive to come up with something for the remainder of the time.  I did get my uniforms when I came in to work today - they are too long in the legs.  I told her a 32″ length but they must be 34″ as I keep falling over them.  The rest of the stuff fits fine.  It was good to get the jacket because I had forgotten to bring one and it is chilly in here tonight.

It is starting to get light outside - it is my favorite time at work, watching the city awaken.  Hope to be in bed here shortly. 

I did check out fares to Florida earlier.  It would cost $560 or so to fly two people there.  I don’t have the money to buy tickets now so am hoping the price doesn’t skyrocket between now and when I do.  I might just have to go down by myself.

Night

My sister tells me I don’t write enough posts so I’m writing several this weekend.  Also, I have the writing bug but don’t have access to my stories to write on so guess I have to satisfy the urge to write by doing posts.

The races are going on at the race track tonight as they do every Saturday night this time of year.  Sound really carries so it sounds like they are in the backyard even though they are probably a mile away.  I’ve never cared for the races or even the demolition derby that they have during the fair.  Speaking of the fair, it starts in a couple of weeks.  I won’t be going - have never cared for fairs either.  My sister’s family buys season tickets so they can go every day and to any event the fair has such as concerts.

I read on the internet that Jeff Goldblum is taking Chris Noth’s part in Criminal Intent.  I am happy about that as I really didn’t like Chris that well anyway.  Hopefully Jeff will bring some levity to the show - hope his character goes well with whatever female they have on the show then.  Eams and Goran work quite well together so we need that seamless quality with whoever does the other shows as well.  I don’t know why they split Criminal Intent into two different teams - I’ve always thought Goran and Eams carried the show very well but I guess the new team gives the others more of a break.

I know, how did I jump from the fair to Criminal Intent? LOL  Well, I’m watching Criminal Intent right now and saw Chris Noth so it triggered my memory about Jeff Goldblum. 

Hate to admit it but I’m tired.  It is only 9:20 pm and makes me wonder how I’m going to switch back over to working nights this week.  Damn, I’m so sick of them screwing with my schedule.  Course, in August I work five day shifts and the rest are nights.  I only did that because I need the money to work on the condo - it is going to be hell getting through it though.

Can’t decide if I want to go to bed now or try to make it later.  Usually my brother-in-law is anxious to go to bed by now but tonight he is out working in the garage.  Once he gets done out there he will want to shower and stuff so I could potentially stay up till about 11pm.  The question is, can I keep my eyes open that long? I took two Tylenol PM’s about twenty minutes ago so those should be kicking in soon on top of already being tired.

Well, anyway, guess I’ll at least close down the computer for the night since it is getting warm on my lap and I hear the garage door shutting which signals that he is about done out there.  Guess he is going to work in the bathroom now - he is putting up a new curtain rod or something.

End of the Day

Well, this day went very fast - I just can’t believe it. How could it go like the wind? I swear it is just amazing.

I visited my puppy again today - he is so adorable! I’ve been trying to think up a good name for him but have been struggling with it.  I was thinking “Jonesy” after the cat in Alein but damn, what kind of a complex would that give him if he knew he was named after a cat?

I’m also thinking of calling him “Norman”…don’t ask me why but it came to me and I kind of like it.  Course, I also thought of “yuri”, “chester”, “charlie” and “brenner”.  So hard to come up with a name when he doesn’t fit any of the other names I had previously picked out for a dog - like “jules”.  I don’t know - guess the answer will come to me eventually.

I am in the mood to write but don’t have my stuff available to me to write on.  My stories are in my computer which sits in my car - sure hope it works alright when I do go to set it up.  Of course, I won’t have anything to set it on once I move to my own place anyway.  I’m going to go around curbside shopping after I get moved because people are always throwing stuff out to their curbs. I’ll also check the second hand shops.

Well, everyone came in from outside so I guess I will work at visiting some now.  The movie I was waiting to watch is coming on now but it is too gorry for the kids so I’ll have to catch it some other time.  Oh well, no big deal - I wouldn’t get to see it all anyway.  Probably give me nightmares since it is about werewolves.

Snakes

I am watching the History channel’s “monsterquest” episode of huge pythons that have become a nuisance in Florida by the Everglades.  They believe the snakes were pets that someone released into the wild.  Snakes can have a lot of babies each year so the population is growing too quickly.  Some of the snakes are moving into residential areas that back up to the Everglades which is a hazard to domestic pets and small children.

A 15 foot snake can open it’s mouth 2 feet wide which is about the width of an adult male.  They are concerned, therefore, that the snakes in the Everglades could easily swallow an average person whole.  Some of the snakes are growing in excess of 25 feet - they fear some may grow as large as 40 feet which means they could be more then a formidable force to mere humans.

A firefighter in Florida who found a nine foot snake tried to catch it by coming up behind it to grab it around its head.  Well, he misjudged the distance and got the snake too far back behind it’s head.  The snake came around and bit him in the wrist.  Helpers managed, eventually, to pull the snake’s head back enough to release the man but not before it punctured his wrist in several places.  Snakes have teeth that slant back so that the more their prey struggles, the more it gets stuck in the teeth - sounds gruesome to me.

Pythons, according to the show, have a very nasty disposition.  They catch a 6 footer crossing the street going into someones yard so it is obviously a possibility that even larger snakes could be coming out of the Everglades.  My question is why would they come out when the Everglades is so ripe with food sources? According to the show, and this makes me shiver, neighborhoods offer more docile prey - they don’t have to work as hard to catch our dogs, cats and kids as they do an alligator. 

It did show a snake that swallowed an alligator whole but then burst open.  They believe it burst open not because the alligator was too big but more that the gator probably clawed the snake’s insides as it went down.  Gross, huh? 

Even though I find this all very interesting, you could not pay me to be a snake expert.  Working with them would be terrifying and not a way I’d want to spend my life.  I admire people who can take on this kind of stuff to study and catch.  They just found another one - 12 ft long - in a neighborhood by the Everglades.  I don’t think I’m going to go to the Glades anytime soon.  Actually, they said that so many people are letting loose their pet snakes when they get too big for their aquariums that pythons and other poisonous snakes are being found in all the lower, hotter states.  Sounds like a good reason to move to the mountains. 

End of the Holiday

Today has been a fun day here at my sisters - watching her four kids, now all grown up, interact and joke around really made me smile - they turned out to be amazing adults. It seems like they were little not so long ago but here they are, getting married and all. I hadn’t been around all of them together since being back in Iowa so it was fun. They played volleyball and really made us laugh a lot. It seems I’ve laughed a lot yesterday and today - it is good for the soul.

 

I think I got too much sun today as I’m getting a headache and my head feels hot. Probably sunburnt. It was, of course, worth it but decided to come in for awhile to cool down - plus the bugs were bad.

People are breaking out the food again for supper. I ate a ton of potato salad and baked beans. My sister went all out, as she usually does, and had several different kinds of pie as well. I was looking for the hotdogs but couldn’t find them so will have to try again. My sister’s husband grilled them just the way I like them - extra crispy. I drank one beer and a lot of lemonade…not together of course. LOL

The kids talk about going off to do things this evening - watch fireworks and what not. I told my sister she should go to a movie with her husband but they are babysitting so will probably have to wait until Sunday to go. My son said him and his girlfriend would try to come down to Wall-e on Sunday too so that would be nice.

LeMars

Got back tonight from visiting my eldest sister at her home in LeMars.  That part of the state is so beautiful with it’s cliffs and rolling hills.  I hadn’t been to the northwest corner before.

The trip was uneventful with the exception of the constant road construction.  You’d get free of it, finally, and see a sign that in two more miles you’d be down to one lane again.  Everyone would speed up and try to volley for the “best” spot before the construction began again.  A semi was in the lane trying to get around another one and wasn’t going to make it so I slowed down to let him in front of me.  I couldn’t help wondering what that driver was thinking, trying to speed up so much to get around a vehicle as big and cumbersome as he, himself, was.  Did he really think he’d make it?

At one point we were stopped, bumper to bumper, which I hate because it is usually about that time that I suddenly have to go to the bathroom.  The next rest stop was one with “parking only”…no toilet facilities.  I’m sorry but who wants to rest somewhere that is just for parking? I know, your thinking of the semi’s but really, don’t you think they’d like to stop to rest and go to the bathroom so they don’t have to stop later? I would think so but guess the state of Iowa disagrees.  There was, in all the parking only rest stops I saw, one RV parked there which I thought made sense since it has it’s own toilet facilities.

For me, I would alternate.  I’d stop at a regular rest stop to go the bathroom and then not stop again until I needed gas.  Even getting 30.8 miles to the gallon, I used a lot of gas.  I don’t see how anyone can afford to travel for leisure anymore.

I didn’t get lost at all, the way was well signed so it was very simple.  I did get pulled over by a State Trooper though.  He said he pulled me over because I didn’t have a front license plate and because my tinting was too dark on my windows.  Well, the tinting is blown into the glass at the factory so the only way to change that is to get different windows which, of course, I’m not about to do.  The front license plate is just my own little protest over having to drill holes into my bumper just because Iowa is one of the few states left who insists on front license plates.  Irritates me.  I didn’t get any tickets - I wasn’t speeding when he stopped me so I just got warnings for the other things.

I had a good visit with my sister and enjoyed myself but was anxious to get back to Iowa City too.  I tried to spend the driving time reviewing my life and what changes I would like to make but then got trapped in construction so much that I had to focus on staying between the pylons.  When I was finally free of construction for a fifty mile stretch, my brain was too tired to consider anything other then being able to close my eyes soon.  Even considered pulling over to rest for a half hour or so because my eyes hurt but I didn’t.  I didn’t really sleep well and then was up at 6:30am so think part of the problem with my eyes was simply that I was tired.

More Bee’s Please

I’ve been reading about this phenomenon about the honey bees disappearing. It sounds like a little thing, why bees are pests and who cares if they are declining in extremely large numbers? It was even brought up in the movie “The Happening” as something that scientists can’t explain…and they can’t.  In the past few years, 36% of the honey bee population has died.

Who knows why the bees are dying in record numbers? No one does - “possible explanations include pesticides; a new parasite or pathogen; and the combination of immune-suppressing stresses such as poor nutrition, limited or contaminated water supplies and the need to move bees long distances for pollination” says the article I read. The loss of bees is becoming a major crisis for the United States.

How does that effect your life, you may ask. You might not know that bee pollination is responsible for $15 billion in crop revenue annually. That means food prices will begin to soar because there aren’t enough bees to pollinate entire crops of things such as almonds, berries of most every kind, cucumbers, pears, etc. One out of every three bites of food a person puts in their mouth can be traced back to honey bee pollination of crops. Think about bread, ice cream, salads, cereal, fruit juices, just to name a few items off the top of my head.

It is amazes me how one little upset in nature can have such a wide ripple effect. It doesn’t surprise me - I know nature is delicately balanced and that human interference has always done more harm then good - but it always amazes me. When are we humans going to wake up and see how much we impact our planet?

So what things can you do to help the bees? You can plant bee friendly plants in your yard such as: lavender, glory bushes, jasmine, rosemary, thyme, blue bells and sunflowers to name a few. You can also use more honey which helps support bee keepers and honey bee research.

Let’s work together on saving our planet because, ultimately, we are saving ourselves as well.