Category Archives: Uncategorized

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Originally uploaded by Thirdlayer

The last chance to see a total lunar eclipse until 2015 — and the sky here has over 90 percent cloud-cover. Here you can see the moon’s light through a small rift in the clouds, but not much chance of seeing the show.

Reuters reports in science news that the National Academy of Sciences, which advises the government on science and technology, has defended evolution as the “bedrock principle of modern biology,” and said that evolution, not creationism, must be taught in science classes. The report from the Institute of Medicine cites both creationism and intelligent design as “not science,” and states that these perspectives should not be taught in science classes:

Creationism, based on the explanation offered in the Bible, and the related idea of “intelligent design” are not science and, as such, should not be taught in public school science classrooms, according to the report. (story: ?Academy Stresses Evolution?s Importance,? by Will Dunham, Jan. 4, 2008, reuters.com science news)

Dunham quotes Barbara Schaal, National Academy of Sciences Vice President, as stating “We need a citizenry that’s trained in real science.”
The report states that evolution:

• is one of the most important ideas of modern science
• is supported by abundant evidence from many different fields of scientific investigation
• underlies the modern biological sciences, including the biomedical sciences
• has applications in many other scientific and engineering disciplines
• is important in understanding emerging infectious diseases

Taking a look at recent stories in health, particularly those linking breast, ovarian, and colon cancers to mutations of particular genes, gives some idea of the importance of understanding genetic science and the process of mutation. The effect of genetic mutation was observed in nature by Charles Darwin, English naturalist (1809?1882), and genetic patterns were successfully manipulated and described by Austrian Augustinian priest and scientist Gregor Johann Mendel (1822 ?1884), who is called “father of genetics” for his study of the inheritance of traits in pea plants.
It is difficult to overstate the importance of teaching principles of evolution in the science classroom, but still today half of all U.S. adults are creationists, and many more are ?tolerant? of the teaching of creationism and intelligent design as equivalent “theories.” All of the studies that show we are lagging behind in education in science should consider this major and highly critical area in which we are running the wrong direction.

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Originally uploaded by Thirdlayer

Well, of course I went and got it and brought it home for the week so I could see the leaf develop! Here it is today, 2.5 inches long with the leaf shape and pattern clearly visible.

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Originally uploaded by Thirdlayer

I have plants at the office, and they always bloom or do exciting things while I am away. I have a week of next week, and this is how I left my Alocasia x Amazonica (Aftican Mask) on Friday afternoon. Probably this new leaf will be completely open on Monday, and by the time I am back on the next Monday there may be another one on the way!

The parent plant is now 27 inches tall. It has five leaves, ranging from 11 to 15 inches in length. It has proven very hardy for a plant that arrived in an arrangement of cut flowers from a florist!

An Update

Originally uploaded by Doctor_Hu

The anthology is now available! You can read the press release here or purchase the book here!
We all enjoyed the editing, and our thanks to all of the writers who contributed! Glen designed the cover and set the final copy, and we are delighted with the outcome of this little book.

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Originally uploaded by Thirdlayer

The start of the Queen’s Parade — Click on this photograph to see the set!

This is the ren faire in Rodgersville, TN.

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Originally uploaded by Thirdlayer

I wish this little critter had gone elsewhere to construct the elegant little nest, because of course I will have to remove it. It is about 6 inches from the frame of my front door and about five feet above the floor of the front porch.

Click the photograph for a larger view.

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

This past year has brought two useful suggestions for preventing the spread of colds.
One suggestion is that when you sneeze, do not cover your sneeze with your hand. Rather, sneeze into your elbow. This will prevent your getting cold germs on your hands and transferring them to objects that other people handle, like papers, door knobs, handrails, etc.
The other suggestion is that when you have a cold and you need to shake hands with someone, do as the ancient Romans did. Each person reached out his weapon hand and clasped just below the elbow of the other. The Roman arm clasp prevents germs on one person’s hands from getting onto the other person’s hands.
I don’t think we are there yet.

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Originally uploaded by Thirdlayer.

What else did we expect? Best to talk about something else, and hope the Democrats we elected to the Senate and the House will make a difference.

So, here’s someting else: In the middle of winter all of the flowers I keep at the office are doing interesting things! The Alocacia x Amazonica in the photo has a seed pod about to open, and then we can see if we can sprout the seeds! Over on Flickr there are photos of the amarylis that is blooming in the hallway by the windows and of the palm that is also doing its thing, whatever that is.