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A Painfully Early Arrival for a Summer Nuisance
A wonder to biologists, a killer in a Sherlock Holmes story and a notorious pain to people they touch, jellyfish have always been a blobbish summer menace to swimmers, fishermen and little children’s curious fingers.
But this year they have been even more of an annoyance than usual, arriving early and perplexing fishermen and beachgoers from Toms River, N.J., to Long Island and beyond. Biologists have several theories about why the jellyfish, particularly one breed, the lion’s mane, have turned out about a month before they are usually seen here.
On Sunday, scores of jellyfish were waiting at dawn when nearly 3,000 athletes jumped into the Hudson River for the swim portion of the New York City Triathlon.
“I thought the water was radioactive or something,” said one competitor, Melanie Klesse, 24, who said she was stung on the elbow.
One triathlete, a 32-year-old man, died after being pulled unconscious from the river on Sunday, but autopsy results were inconclusive Monday.
Dave Grant, the director of the Brookdale College Sandy Hook Ocean Institute, said he knew of no documented fatal sting from a lion’s mane. (The jellyfish were discovered to have murdered the unfortunate Fitzroy McPherson in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Lion’s Mane.”)
Kenneth W. Able, director of the Rutgers University Marine Field Station in Tuckerton, N.J., said the early arrival could have something to do with recent winds from the south that blew away the sea’s warmer surface water, allowing an upwelling of cold water, which the lion’s mane loves.
Edward Enos, the superintendent of the Aquatic Resources Division for the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass., said conditions may have been perfect for an unusual number of baby jellyfish, called polyps, to survive.
“It’s nature,” Mr. Enos said. “It’s like some years you have beautiful, big blooms of dandelions in your yard, and sometimes not.” A wonder to biologists, a killer in a Sherlock Holmes story and a notorious pain to people they touch, jellyfish have always been a bl... more -
Rainbow in the sky
Post shower a lovely big rainbow was on show in the local sky, it looked very nice.
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Dangerous birds of the river Thames
It is dangerous down the river, those birds know exactly what the bag is for, it is for the bread! They love the bread.
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Bill Hearne Trio
I am making a documentary on Bill and Bonnie Hearne. This video shows Bill playing without Bonnie with his trio in Austin Texas. They are performing a Bill Staines song titled "River" at Jovita's. Bill and Bonnie have influenced many performers such as Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Butch Hancock, and countless others not only with their unique abilities but with their amazing spirits. For more information please visit Bill Hearne.com I am making a documentary on Bill and Bonnie Hearne. This video shows Bill playing without Bonnie with his trio in Austin Texas. They... more
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Earth Healing Initiative: Menominee Indian Tribe of WI in Great Lakes 2008 Earth D...
Youth and adults at the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin plan three events as part of the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge
(Keshena, Wisconsin) - As the students of all ages plan a major hands-on clean up of a tribal community and the recycling of electronics and proper disposal of unwanted medications to honor Earth Day 2008, adult members of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin in Keshena, WI have already turned in several thousand pounds of electronic waste as part of a national Earth Day Project.
The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin is collecting e-Waste all month including during the tribe's regular curbside bulk items Spring Cleaning collection on April 21-24 (Monday thru Thursday).
"We are getting lots of electronics right now," said Diana Wolf, the MITW Solid Waste/Recycling Coordinator.
The projects are part of the eight-state Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge sponsored by the USEPA. The events are being promoted by the interfaith Earth Healing Initiative that teams numerous faith communities and American Indian tribes with local challenge organizers to be volunteers and participants in the projects spread across the Great Lakes basin.
During the first week of April, the tribe’s drop-off sites collected several thousand pounds of electronics including 919 pounds of "low-grade circuit boards" removed from TV sets, stereos, high quality computers, cassette players and other electronics.
Wolf estimated that about two tons (4,000 pounds) of electronics will be turned in by the end of the month.
“We will do whatever it takes to do cradle to grave recycling,” Wolf said. "We are not making a profit off of it but it is the right thing to do."
On April 25 students at the Menominee Tribal School (k-8) will be cleaning the area around the school of litter and recyclables and other downtown areas of Neopit. The tribe's 234,000-acre reservation includes the communities of Keshena, Zoar and South Branch.
"The students will be picking up litter and recyclables - and anything that's on the roads or sidewalks or the yards," Wolf said, adding the students will be planting 50 saplings.
"We are inviting the parents to bring a potluck and there will likely be wild rice and other Native American dishes," Wolf said.
The lunch will include a drama performance and include Native Music involving the "Wind Eagle Drum" or the "high school drum" consisting of students who are learning the music of the Menominee tribe's history.
"Our school is very much a cultural-motivated school," Wolf said. "The school teaches about the Menominee culture and language. The students learn about our Menominee history and our language amongst the non-native teaching."
"My children speak fluent Menominee because they have been in the school for three years," Wolf said.
Menominee tribal college students are doing their part to protect the planet with e-Waste and pharmaceutical collections.
The College of Menominee Nation (State Hwy. 47/55) in Keshena, is accepting e-waste and unwanted medicines on April 22 from 9 a.m. to noon and accepting e-Waste from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the commons building.
The college’s Implementing Sustainable Development class is hosting the collection with help from the tribe's solid waste coordinator.
The e-Waste collection will accept electronics including old/broken computers, cell phones and batteries.
The pharmaceutical collection is accepting old and unwanted medications that must be in their original bottle or container.
http://www.earthhealinginitiative.org/keshena.html
http://www.earthhealinginitiative.org
http://www.menominee-nsn.gov
http://www.menominee.edu
http://www.menominee-nsn.gov/earthWeekFlyer.pdf Youth and adults at the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin plan three events as part of the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge ... more -
Patagonia: Wild Rivers at Risk of Destruction
The Pascua River, in Chilean Patagonia, is one of the most pristine and unknown regions on the planet. International Rivers wants the world to know the Pascua—and to keep it wild—unlike the huge companies that want to dam it. Chile’s Matte Group and Italian company Enel want to construct three dams on the Pascua and ship the power 1500 miles north to Santiago. What’s at stake if this ferociously wild river is dammed: Losing the planet’s purest water, never knowing wildlife that already hangs by a thread, and irreversibly trading natural treasures which took eons to produce for maybe 50 years of unsustainable energy. The Pascua River, in Chilean Patagonia, is one of the most pristine and unknown regions on the planet. International Rivers wants the ... more
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Kayaking the Grand Canyon in Nine Days
A video that takes you on a self support kayak trip, with 11 buddies from Durango Colorado. The whitewater, the delicious food, the pooping in homemade toilets, the camaraderie, and the beauty. This is the allure that is a river trip. A video that takes you on a self support kayak trip, with 11 buddies from Durango Colorado. The whitewater, the delicious food, the p... more
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Earth Keepers protect environment with passion in 2007
The Michigan Earth Keepers are protecting the environment with hands-on projects that prove one person can make a difference.
During 2007, the Earth Keepers:
Continued annual Earth Day clean sweeps that have removed 370 tons of hazardous waste from the environment aross a 400-mile area.
Held the the fourth planting of a wild rice restoration project that teams at-risk teens with American Indian guides teaching respect for nature and battling racism.
Sponsored an energy summit that convinced 500 businesses, churches/temples and homeowners to reduce power consumption.
Helped midwest musicians form the Boreal Chamber Symphony for a classical music concert that raised money for the Lake Superior Defense Fund.
The Earth Keepers include members and bishops/leaders of nine faith traditions with 140 participating churches/temples, American Indian tribes, several environment non-profits, university students, teenagers, a 20-member core team plus a 400 person volunteer army.
The Earth Keepers have been funded by grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans plus donations from the public.
The Earth Keepers have broken federal hazardous waste collection records for three years in a row and the EPA says the group is an example for others on how to form an effective coalition that accomplishes its goals.
Earth Keeper volunteer media advisor Greg Peterson looks back at 2007 and four years of environment protection.
The Michigan Earth Keepers are protecting the environment with hands-on projects that prove one person can make a difference. ... more -
Fly Fishing strikes
Fly fishing isn't really about the beer or the bass. It's about standing in a river waving a stick.
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