Camouflaged or Not?

Just recently during science class, we were instructed to color a paper butterfly and camouflage it within the room. Butterflies are like most insects with the six jointed legs and the three main body parts of the head, thorax, and the abdomen. Camouflage is a very important factor of the environment for both its preys and predators. Several animals depend on camouflage of their skin for a quick escape or to be left in hiding from their predators. For example, iguanas have the capability to change colors so they blend into the environment without notice. Prey on the other hand, can use camouflage in a completely different way. Once these consumers have spotted their meal they blend in and then go for a quick attack. Shaded a dark jet-black, my butterfly was hidden in the corner of the room. The predator was to come and find as many butterflies as possible in a given amount of time. Hidden in the corner, my butterfly was not found in the first two trials. This is because the predator did not bother to look at specific areas such as the corner. However, in the third trail it was necessary to place the critter where it would not be camouflaged at the same time in plain sight. Again, the predator was not able to spot the butterfly although it did not blend in at all. For the last testing, the flying insect was finally found. An observation noticed was the predator always followed the route he went previously, before looking in new areas. Camouflage is a way of life, animals use everyday.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/butterflies/allabout/

Smothering Fires

Thursday, November 13th, blazing fires broke out in Southern California. On the fourth day, firefighters are still trying to calm down the fires, but can’t do much for the destruction done. Almost 1,000 homes were burned and demolished from the raging fires including mobile houses and multi-million dollar mansions. Although winds did decrease, around FIFTY-THOUSAND people were forced to evacuate. Dozens of homes were burnt to ashes especially in L.A. and Orange County. The storm had a perfect time to strike; the high winds blew hard with the rising temperature and with the air very dry. Unknown cause of the fire did bring confusion, but nearly 20,000 acres of the foothills above Los Angeles was burned to the ground. Several families who had to flee from their homes are still in utter shock and hope all will soon get better. These yearly fires that wipe California can really be a pain, but a part of nature that we can’t prevent.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_wildfire_california;_ylt=AjOsglKpXG6FvXXy6BU_gays0NUE

TRASH INTO ENERGY!!

Could it be? Our daily household trash being turned into energy! Our landfills could be the nation's future use of energy. The twenty-one landfills in NJ are almost equal to the amount in Texas. Although it is not very good to have so many landfills in one state, they are about to make the trash useful. The decomposing garbage in NJ is letting out methane gas, which is used to produce fuel that generates electricity. Later through the years, environmentalists wish to make more out of landfills with solar and wind power. Tom Marturano, A director of solid waste and natural resources for the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission said "It's like you're buying back your own garbage, but in a different form." Corozine, governor of New Jersey keeps high hopes that by 2020, thirty percent of "New Jersey's electricity is supplied by the renewable energy source of methane gas. This gas created by micro-organisms that feed on organic substances; however, the bacteria do not feed on any specifics. It has modified to trash such as cardboard and plastic. In order to collect the methane gas, perforated bases with tubes that extend far are drilled into the landfill.
I think this is a very useful way to light the homes of New Jersey in a renewable way. This can be the future's energy. We should continue collecting methane gas and try to produce energy naturally. There should be some use of the garbage we produce, and now there is.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081026/ap_on_re_us/green_garbage

Living and Nonliving Things: Their Enviroments

The environment is everything for the living thing and nonliving things i the world. A environment is all the living and nonliving things where organisms interact. Food, shelter, as well as other resources allow the species to live. Different animals need different environments to live in unlike us humans, who adapt our environments to us. For example, a penguin would be unable to survive in a rain forest due to all the different aspects and resources it has. A penguin can only live in environment such as Antarctica. The ecosystem is all the living and nonliving things that interact with one another in a given area. Ecosystems can vary in size from a pond to an ocean. If one ecosystems is damaged, many others ecosystems are affected because they all connect with one another. Within an ecosystem are communities, the living part of ecosystems. A group of lions living in a plain describes a population. To put into other words, a group of organisms that are the same species and type living together in the same area. Populations all have different habitats. Habitats is where the organisms lives. Our habitat would be our homes such as a squirrel's habitat would be a tree. Wherever you go, ten thousand feet under the water, or high in the sky, there will always be ecosystems where organisms live.

http://www.abheritage.ca/abnature/Ecosystems/intro.htm

CULTURAL FAIR EXTRA CREDIT!!(South Asia)

Food Prices on An All-Time High

The increase on prices for food has now become a large economic issue. With population of Asia soaring, it is becoming more difficult to feed such a great amount of mouths and still have a well-run economy. Asia faces many risks to their population growth. For example, the financial instability is rising, increasing food and energy cost, and the US slowdown. It is important that we focus on energy and food cost right now as it has impacted Asian economies and will continue to unless something is done.

Although there are many risks involved. If Asian countries increase their interest rates so that there is such a broad gap between the US and themselves, inflation may occur. However, if gas prices continue to drastically rise, many worry inflation will be greater. It shall impact the consumption in Asia for quite some time.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/Economy/Indicators/Food_prices_threaten_Asian_economic_stability_ADB_head_/articleshow/3133453.cms

YEAH!!

SCHOOL'S ALMOST OUT!! SUMMER TIME=)WOOHOO

Weather Extra Credit!!

Desert Places by: Robert Frost

Snow falling and night falling fast, oh, fast In a field I looked into going past, And the ground almost covered smooth in snow, But a few weeds and stubble showing last. The woods around it have it--it is theirs. All animals are smothered in their lairs. I am too absent-spirited to count; The loneliness includes me unawares. And lonely as it is that loneliness Will be more lonely ere it will be less-- A blanker whiteness of benighted snow With no expression, nothing to express. They cannot scare me with their empty spaces Between stars--on stars where no human race is. I have it in me so much nearer home To scare myself with my own desert places. In the poem above, "Desert Places" written by Robert Frost has weather used by describing snow. Robert Frost mentions how snow feels so still on the ground and what happens when snow falls. The poem is greatly enhanced by the poet's knowledge of weather because it is describing many of the aspects of snow. It gives a clear message of what is trying to be indicated. Without weather being mentioned, the poem would be exceedingly different. The reader would have no clue of what the author is trying to say in his poem. Most of the poem is about snow, and removing the mention of snow would take all the meaning out. Many literary devices are used throughout the poem. Descriptive details such as "a blanker whiteness of benighted snow" are applied. Some of the verses have rhymes within them, for example, theirs and lairs in the second verse. Not only that, imagery is used in the entire poem like," And the ground almost covered smooth in snow." This poem does not further my knowledge about weather. I already know much about snow and how it looks and how it is formed.