If you were an Odorrana tormota frog you could just tune that sound out by closing the canals in your ears.
The discovery that the Odorrana tormota species of frogs can close down their Eustachian tubes is being described as “Bizarre” by UofI at Urbana-Champaign researcher Albert Feng.
These little frogs live near a noisy hot springs in central China. They can tune out low frequency background noise of rushing waters to pick up the calls of mates or rivals.
The Odorrana tormota is also known as the concave-eared torrent frog.
Meanwhile…
The oh so much smarter humans go to great lengths to annoy surrounding motorists with their bass beat. They can even let the fathers of their dates know they nearing the house from 8 blocks away, thereby eliminating the need to sit in front of the house and honk!
While the Odorrana tormota would like to be able to hear the chirps of its potential mates, the reportedly more advanced species of humanoid would like to blast his girlfriends hair from her head.
I’ll assume he does this in an effort to make her less attractive to other potential mates. She will also be less attractive to other mates if she is constantly saying, “what?”
Take if from an old rock’n roller kids…turn down the bass. It will be much nicer to hear your sweetheart whisper in your ear, “I love you”, and equally as nice to hear your grandchildren’s first words.
The discovery of how these little creatures control what they hear may help researchers design better hearing aids in the future. There will be a big market for all those destroying their hearing today.
Early reports say the Coast Guard is investigating a report that crew on the tugboat Mel Oliver was unlicensed.
Safety at Sea international is reporting DRD towing tug the Mel Oliver representatives have told the Coast Guard that one crewman aboard had an apprentice mate’s license and that none of the others aboard were licensed at all.
I’ve found some information on tugboat crews.
A typical crew may consist of Deckhands, the number of which depends on the horsepower of the boat and the size of the tow. Deckhand is an entry level position. More experienced deckhands may pickup a tankerman certification.
Engineer. Each boat has a single, assigned engineer who is always certificated as a tnakerman. Engineer is an unlicensed position.
Tankerman. By regulation, the loading and offloading of a tankbarge with a flammable, liquid cargo must be supervised by an individual certificated by the Coast Guard as a tankerman. Some tankermen are contract employees (not a member of the crew) to load and offload a barge.
Pilot. Each boat has one pilot which IS a licensed position. The Pilot shares navigation responsibilities with the Master.
Master. Each boat has one master which IS a licensed position. The Master shares navigation responsibilities with the Pilot and has overall managerial responsibility for the boat.
On the Mississippi River there is the navigable portion of the Upper Mississippi (UMR) the Lower Mississippi (LMR) and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GICW) which is approximately New Orleans to Galveston.
The maximum size of a tow is determined by the dimensions of lock chambers it must pass through. Locks limit tows, typically, to 6 barges on the Upper Mississippi.
There are no locks on the Lower Mississippi. Tows on the Lower Mississippi could be as many as 40 barges lashed together.
The GICW, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway between New Orleans and Galveston is constricted in many locations and the typical tow does not exceed 3 barges.
Some good news about the nation’s coastal waters was published this week; even if it was old news. A 20-year study, which began in 1986 and ended in 2005, found ‘overall’ levels of 140 chemicals had decreased.
Not so much specifically, but generally. Overall.
The lead scientist of the NOAA project, Gunner Laurenstein says, “Different regions have different stories“. Overall the news is good; DDT is down, PCB’s are also down during the 20 years between 1986 and 2005. Areas near large urban centers are still suffering, but we’ll take any good news we get. But, we’re headed toward 2009 in a few scant months, so isn’t the good news nearly 4 years old already?
This report come out of the Mussel Watch program which is the longest continuous contaminant monitoring program in U.S. coastal waters. Mussels and oysters accumulate all kinds of contaminants in their fatty tissue making them a treasure trove of information.
But, what about “Nanoparticles”?
Nanoparticles, now becoming ubiquitous, are being used in everything from socks and teddy bears to shower tiles.
Nanoparticles are 10,000 times thinner than a human hair, one-millionth of a millimeter, and there’s plenty of scientists concerned nanotechnology’s affects on humans and marine life have not been adequately studied.
Fish swimming in water containing only modest amounts of one type of nanoparticle, showed a large increase in brain damage. I know what you’re thinking and before you even ask; how do they measure fish IQ, watch this video! Goldfish training kit
Please hand me my tinfoil hat; it’s over there the corner with my antimicrobial socks.
EPA started a voluntary reporting program called the Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program. This program was started in January and so far a whooping 2 companies have submitted data. There are 135 companies that supply 1,955 different nanoparticles worldwide. Those numbers suggest to me there are probably zillions of items being produced using nanoparticles. And, the public has no idea what they are and what the outcome will be as a result of their use.
Take for example; silver nanoparticles. These are now used in antimicrobial socks! Socks…socks that keep feet from stinking. In April, scientists at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in New Orleans tested 6 different kinds of socks all containing silver nanoparticles. When washed in room-temperature water, some socks released all of the silver nanoparticles they contained; others released none. These silver nanoparticles are so miniscule, one-millionth of a milimeter, no water treatment facilities can filter them out. These particles are ending up in our rivers, lakes and seas. We still know little about the consequences of nanoparticles leching into our environment.
There is no technology for monitoring potential nano-pollutants in the environment.
A few not so novel ideas!
If you find you simply cannot live with a white sofa that won’t show red wine spills, because it coated with nanoparticles, try cutting yourself off after one glass or switch to white wine.
If limescale on your shower tiles makes you crazy, instead of buying tiles coated with nanoparticles, use a squeegee after you shower…it takes about 30 seconds.
If your feet stink…try using a little soap on them, in your nanoparticle free shower. While you’re at it; wash behind those ears. We don’t want any genetically modified potatoes sprouting up back there!
And,never underestimate the capacity of the mind. Even when it’s in a fish.
From the studio to the beach this scuplture arrives at it’s destination the way most of us do. Via Fossil Fueled machines. Still, watching thses beasts, one has to believe there is a lesson to be learned…
In this video we may gain a small amount of insight into the lesson…
The illustrated migration route shown in this video really drives home just how amazing the trek from breeding grounds to feeding grounds really is for the Gray Whales. Just knowing there is a creature on this earth with that much stamina and drive makes me feel privileged to share the earth with the Gray Whale.
The mother Gray whales stay behind with their young in the protected bays in Baja until they are both ready to make the trip north to feed on the fatty amphipods in the Bering Sea.
These days, upon arrival at the Bering Sea these poor mothers are finding there is a dwindling food supply for both themselves and their young. Any mother would feel the heartbreak and the alarm finding a situation like this. The Gray Whales cannot be too different from us.
Now why in the world is there no way to repopulate the Gray Whales feeding grounds with more amphipods? This earth is spotted with huge manmade lakes that have been ’stocked’ with fish of all varieties for the sport fishermen. But, apparently there is no way to toss some food the Gray Whales way. Is there no way to help?
When will the world start coming up with immediate stopgap solutions? There are those that will say, “Temporary help is like putting a bandage on a gaping wound”. Well okay then, shall we do nothing at all but debate ad nauseam the cause of Global Warming?
If you see me by the side of the road with a gaping wound, please put a bandage on me until I can be fixed properly. It’s the humane way to act.
Quite honestly if ice-cold deep seawater is being pumped into pipes under soil, for heaven sakes, so that people in the tropics can ‘enjoy the wonders of spinach’, then why can’t some of this water be used to cultivate amphipods? Oh the reason is as plain as the nose on my face! There would be no profit in doing that.
Here’s a short little video put together using Fox News clips.by the people at ‘bravenewfilms’. This one will leave you wondering exactly who is in charge at Fox News and what exactly their Agenda may be!
Enjoy!
What is it at Fox News that actually makes them a News Network?
Get inspired! Do something! Something big! Something small!
Something as small as bringing your own coffee cup to the coffee shop in the morning makes a difference. Setting your own cup on the counter will inspire others. Spread the music. Hold the hope.
Video shot from helicopter as Kirki burned. Be sure to stay for the entire clip.
Millions of gallons of oil have been spilled into our oceans in accidents just like these. Tankers simply falling apart at the seams, rusting away in their bowels, and running each other over in collisions.
Many oil spills are never owned-up to like this mystery spill in the Firth of Forth Estuary in Scotland. Scotland has had a tough week overall.
Monday’s entry was going to be more on the Poison products pouring out of China, but something else has caught my attention. How eco-friendly is your 401K or other retirement investments? Is your stock portfolio packed with companies that are polluting our oceans? Isn’t it time you took an honest look?
International laws without teeth are useless. Unless and until we can find a way to enforce laws protecting our oceans, our seas and their habitat the rapid decline or our planet will continue.
Our representivites and our governments work for us. Think about that for a moment. We are in charge, we need to demand that when a law is passed there also is passed a way to enforce that law, and to fund the enforcement of that law. Passing any law without funding or a plan for enforcement should be illegal.
