Bat Flu

Next to Bird Flu and Pig Flu, we now have Bat Flu.

So far scientist have found this new never-before-seen virus in bats, but it is still uncertain as to it being harmful to humans. This news is recent (2/28/12) and even though their is not any information on this flu and how it effects us. But just like any other flu, go and protect your body and get a flu shot right away. It never hurts to be extra save, than be sick and sorry.

It is almost common now a days to find animal caring a flu virus. There have been reports of a flu in not only birds and pigs (the more common animals we cook and eat). But are sometimes seen in dogs, seals, whales and horses as well as other animals. A flu virus is know for spreading around everywhere so it would not surprise me to see that an animal like a bat, which most people would not think about as much. Would end up caring some virus in them. Scientists hypothesis that some bats might have caught the flu centuries ago and then the virus mutated within the bat. As the bat population grew, so did the virus.

There are some guesses as to how this new virus could end up effecting us. Bats are known to eat only fruit and insects not people. So we would not have to sorry about going into a cave and getting bite by a bat and getting the virus. But if the bat takes a bite of a fruit, and a human has contact (takes the fruit or eat the fruit without noticing the bite marks) with the fruit. Then there is the possibility of the bat flu spreading to humans.

In Guatemala, the CDC has an international outpost where they do reasearch and collect information. It is there that they have collected 300 bats from 2009 to 2010. The main focus was on rabies, but also looked into other germs and that is how they came across this new virus found in a little yellow-shoulder bats (found by Donis, a veterinarian by training). The next step in learning about this new virus is the scientist are going to draw the blood from the bat and examine it more. And I think they are going to inject it into other animals and document the results. And from their research, then they will see if it will harm us next.

My only question about this article is are there any more bats that they have collected that are caring this new virus. There are many bats in the world and my question is are all bats affected by this virus, has it spread so much that it is seen in other species of bats. Again this story is new, so it is too early to say anything more. But I do hope that this news will be address more on the nightly news and answer these questions.





http://health.newsplurk.com/2012/02/bird-flu-pig-flu-now-bat-flu-human-risk.html
http://www.ajc.com/news/scientists-discover-flu-in-1365748.html
http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/science/news/bat-flu-human-risk-unclear-1.1244563

New College's Seawall restoration project

The New College is in the works of restoring the Seawall that was commissioned by John Ringling back in the 1920's. Over the years, time has made an effect on the wall, it is rundown and in disrepair. This project of restoring the wall is a $2 million project, and this serve as focal point for learning and to bring the look of the area back. Morris a New College official says "We're reconstructing the seawall, we will have an esplanade along the Bayfront, we going to reconstruct the historic balustrade that was at the top of the seawall." Basically the goal of this project is to recreate the aesthetic feel of the Ringling era. The seawall is not the only project that is going on, there is also going to be in that section, they are going to degrade and breach the seawall and create a new inter-tidal lagoon. This lagoon will help improve the health of the bay. Morris says that "to remove a vertical seawall and create a soft, sandy sloping, inter-tidal habitat, it's really a positive benefit for the bay."

I think that this is a very good thing that Florida (Sarasota) is doing. Unlike some places that would not think hard of restoring an area and end up leaving it alone for years. Florida is really taking it part in helping it's environment and trying to save it. If this seawall was not getting its restoring, then it will continue to rundown till there is nothing left, and some of it might end up in the water affecting the fish and their habitat. I hope that we hear more of these kinds of projects on the news, help rebuild and save buildings and areas and not spend more money on rebuilding and damaging the area. When this project is finished, it will give a new place for New College biology students and anyone else who wants to study the Suncoast waters.

I also like it how this is a project from a college, showing that students are concerned with the area they live in (living in Florida) and want to help in what ever way they can. I am sure Ringling has done projects like this in the past. But I think this is a great example to share is other schools and not just colleges. Like by raise money for these projects and or volunteering to save money.







http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/local/story/Seawall-restoration-the-centerpiece-of-New/kzWLnXLuYUqvUHRFxzuGiQ.cspx

Turning Salvage into Furniture

This news article (and video) is a great example of showing recycling. This type of recycling is not with bottles and cans but with old objects like wood, glass and old paint and other stuff that can be reused. Sarasota Architectural Salvage has made it is mission to go out and find things that can be used to create new furniture and have some rich history to go with it. Jesse White the founder of Sarasota Architectural Salvage has found stuff like a southern yellow pine that was from paneling that was buried beneath layers of wall material inside an old restaurant right on Main Street. And with that pine he has made it into a new dinning table. I really like it when people do this type of recycling, it is like the saying goes, 'killing two birds with one stone', in this case White is helping his environment by keeping materials out of our landfills and giving it new uses, that is the goal he is pursing. His business will not only keep the landfills clean, but giving his customers a new type of furniture.

I think this should be the way of the future when it comes to things people need most. I am not the type of person that knows labels of famous designers when it comes to clothes of furniture, but if I see any symbol that represent going green/ environmentally made then I would purchase it. Cause I would not only support what they are doing but I want to help the fight of going green and saving our environment grow.









http://www.mysuncoast.com/content/living-green/story/Living-Green-Turning-salvage-into-furniture/y4XwCZMd30ew3cAx5FOh-A.cspx

Threatened Butterfly Vanishes from Florida Refuge

The Miami blues have not been seen on Bahia Honda Key, Fla. since July 2010. The parks biologist Jim Duquesnel wanted to see more Miami blue butterflies and to get rid of the growing number of iguanas. The reason for this is because of The Central American invader maybe the cause for making the Miami blue go extinct. The iguanas (as well as some other animals) eat the green leaves that the Miami blue lay their egg, there by the quickest way of killing them and making. These butterflies are now on the list of the endangered species along with these other butterflies- cassius blue, ceranus blue and the nickerbean blue.

The only surviving Miami blue that is living in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge, they are about 50 miles west of Bahia Honda. Right now, Duquesnel is trying to keep hope alive and save these butterfies by eradicating the iguana's from his 600-acre park that is located in the Middle Keys. Though the cause of the lowering numbers of the Miami blue may not all be blamed by the iquana's (even though that is the main suspect), another cause is from the weather. In the past Florida's weather has been from lots of rain to a drought. When it is the right weather for them, they will emerge and start to breed. And if that is the case, then their is still some hope for these butterflies to survive.

Another way of saving the Miami blue is collecting them and putting them in a captive breeding program for study and to have some of these butterflies remaining and out of harm of the iguanas. At the University of Florida's Maguire Center for Lepidoptera and Environmental Research, they have bred roughly 30,000 in their labs from 2003 to 2010. The Florida scientist transplanted the butterflies in the Upper Keys to help expand the Miami blue's geographic range. But those colonies did not survived.

 In 2006 a new population of Miami blues was discovered on a remote island in Key West refuge. But then in 2008 came the drought and then in 2009 to 2010 the cold came in, making the population in Bahia Honda do down and the rising number of Green iguanas were being seen more.

Since trying to collect and save some of the butterflies has not turned out so well, the next plan that Duquesnel has is to try and catch the lizards. Unlike butterflies where they are trick to lure and capture, iguanas can be caught. And after capturing the iguanas, the best thing for them is to relocate them somewhere else that is better suited for them, and away from any endangered insects. Also with the iguanas gone from the butterflies habitat then maybe more of the Miami blue will return and breed again.  


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46396091/ns/us_news-environment/#.TzvshnNuHrU

Where Does Your Egg McMuffin Come From?

This story from ABC News (abcnews.go.com) has to deal with Mcdonald's Food and what is going on behind the resister. Or what really goes on at the place were they keep all the food and then ship it to Mcdonald buildings.

An investigator named "Scott" had a hidden camera and caught on tap of the dirty and nasty conditions he found where they hold the eggs. At the Sparboe Farms an egg farm in Vincent, Iowa, Scott found dirty conditions. The most major ones was the egg producers. The chickens are kept in these "battery cages," six to a cage and stacked high in rows that is twice the length of a football field. Scott also found lots of flies and rodents running around the place, from the walls to underneath the cages. As most people know, rodents and flies are one of the main ways salmonella can be spread on chicken population. Then there was some dead birds in the cages, that looked like it was left there for days or even weeks. Just sitting there rotting in the cage and having it near the other hens and their eggs.

All this and more can be seen on the link below with the visuals. Each image has the description of what Scott caught on tape. Knowing that fast food is bad for you to have all the time. But from what we see in ads and commercials, Mcdonalds makes their products look fresh and they claim that it is better and healthy than other fast food places like Burger King. And I can say that the Burger King across from Ringling College of Arts and Design needs to have the health inspector come and have a visit ASAP. I could probably be the next undercover report for the number of issues and health hazards I have spotted in that fast food restaurant (I hate saying that it is resturant. It is a disgrace from the real restaurants), if only I had a hidden camera.  But Mcdonalds is suppose to bring smiles on our faces, not make us sick and throw up from the reality of their food keeping of live stock.  This bring to issue of false advertising, lying to your buyers, animal cruelty, unhealthy work conditions and being the cause of sick people that purchase your meals.  



  


 




 







http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/slideshow/egg-mcmuffin-14977698 

Two Headed Cat

I know that this news is not really any dealing with the environment, but this news caught my attention, and I am not just talking about the image of the cat, but the story too. This news was from Feb, 2, 2012.

The scientific term for this is called diprosopus, it is also nicknames the Janus Cat based after the mythical Roman god with two faces. The couple has named the kitten Harvey Dent after the Batman character (only the Batman character has two personality and a one half of his face is burned). What was ironic was that the couple that owned the kitten Nash Hand and his wife Amanda Forsythe, saw on TV that there was a cat full grown with two faces. Nash said that "wouldn't it be funny if that happen to us" with their cat expecting to give birth. Soon enough when their cat gave birth, it must have heard Nash and their it was a little black kitten with two faces.

This kind of thing rarely happens. Others have told the owners of the kitten Nash Hand and his wife Amanda Forsythe that they should kill it and that it is wrong of them to keep it, and that it is evil. It is from hearing those hurtful comments that made me want to write about this in my journal. People are wrong to judge so quickly and say hurtful things. It is because of those comments, that it has a powerful and a terrible affect on people. I was glad that this couple did not listen to those hateful people, this is not a monster, it is a KITTEN not the devil. If you keep saying hurtful things like that and treat it terrible, then yes, it will get aggressive and hate others (this is also towards people).


despite the two face appearance, everything else with the kittens body was working fine. When watching the video of the kitten drinking it's milk from the baby bottle. Dent is drinking on said of his face, and the other side looks like its drinking too when there is no bottle. Like it is mimicking what the other face is doing, or it is all the same movement going at once. Sadly though in a recent news update on the Harvey Dent, Nash Hand reported to ABC 7 news to tell them that on Wednesday Feb, 8 2012 Dent died at only two days old (so it was born on Feb 6, 2012). It is sad news to hear that this kitten died so soon, when the animal doctor, Dr, Greg Fluharty with the Animal Clinic in Port Charlotte told the couple that everything was working in the kittens body. A perfect healthy cat died so young, it is very sad, but it is not uncommon. When there are Janus cats, the odds of survival are slim. Only one was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records last year, that a Janus cat turned 12 years old. But maybe it is for the best, not saying I am agreeing with the people, but if the cat continued to grow up health and loved by it owners. Maybe those same hateful people will try and kill it themselves. At least now Harvey Dent is in a better place.



 


 





http://www.mysuncoast.com/mostpopular/story/Port-Charlotte-cat-born-with-two-faces/rjKM-8q5ckaQbOGpbY5k6Q.cspx

Lionfish still a problem in Florida, being found off the Suncoast

Just yesterday I was emailing my Ecology of Sarasota teacher Emily Hall, who works at the Mote Marine Aquarium, asking her if the Mote has be getting more Lionfish. She told me no but people are bringing in dead ones for study. The reason I bring up the topic of Lionfish is because just tonight at 11:00 pm on the Suncoast news, the Lionfish are still swimming around the suncoast.

These fish may look beautiful, but don't let their beauty and graceful movement fool you, these are very troublesome fish, and they have grown big in numbers. The major problem with these fish is that they are upsetting the natural balance of the coral reefs and eating lots of other fish. Sometimes these fish can even eat fish that might be a bit larger in size. Much like the Python in the everglades, these animals have a big appetite for other animals. These fish can go on and eat happily because they have no natural predators, and if a fish try's to come at it. The Lionfish has within their fins (around their body) are needles that if touched it will poison it's victim. If a scuba divers comes in contact with the fish and gets attacked, to a human it will not kill you. But reports of past people that have gotten stung by these fish say that the experience is like a bee sting on steroids. There are treatments for this, as to back in the 90's when these fish were first being spotted off the Florida east coast, no one really know how to go about treating people who got stung.

The more they eat, the more they grow and populate. Pretty soon these fish could extend as far as south of Brazil. This would then have an affect on not only the United States, but the entire hemisphere. These fish will end up killing the reefs and harming the balance of the ocean and the fish. The major task that is still going on today to any fisherman and diver, is to hunt, catch or kill as many Lionfish as possible. The sooner we can get rid of these fish from the Suncoast the better. And to help save the rest of the hemisphere. It does sound like we are trying to make these Lionfish go instinct for good. and there may be some people that don't believe in hunting and killing these fish, and want to protect them. But I think in this situation we can make due with getting rid of Lionfish off the map. What good do they do for the ocean in return. Nothing, they just swim around and eat their fill and they are ruining the ocean reefs.






http://www.mysuncoast.com/content/topstories/story/Invasive-lionfish-being-found-off-the-Suncoast/bhBsTtJhwk6bsufH9dotXw.cspx

Freezing in Europe

This weeks news I found on NBC Nightly News.com, it is a video but it is very informative. As you can read from the title places in Europe are experiencing freezing weather that is not normal. Places like Athans Greece, and Rome, Italy is getting hit with snow storms, when it is a place that is not known for a winter wonderland. Because of the snowy conditions, the workers in Italy that are busy with the cruise ship is making their job more difficult than it already was. The temperature of this freezing weather have gone to  -22 degrees, and the colder it gets more people are getting sick and even dying from the cold. This weather is also bad for homeless people that are suffering from the cold and getting really bad frost bite. Ucrane is getting the most death from the freezing cold.

The more snow falls, the harder it will be to get to people that are trapped in their houses. There have helicopters sent to come and rescue people from their snowed in homes. Most likely the houses were already cold with the lost of power.Lots of the places in Europe that are getting hit with the cold and snow aren't happy and wish for spring to come early. But the forecasters say that this snow isn't going anywhere, and that the people in Europe should expect the snow to be there for weeks. If this keeps up, not only will more people get sick, but hospitals, pharmacy, markets will ruin out of supplies, and the lost of power and the struggle to find something to make heat. Some Hospitals and other places are letting in people on the streets come in from the cold, saving them from a frozen death. As of right know, the most that the locals can try to do, is dress as warm as possible.

I think this is bizaare to see snow in Europe. I haven't traveled to all the places in Europe, but when I went to Italy (back in 2008 of spring break) I would never have imagine the Rome being covered in snow. In times like these, they should make this more know to people on the news and online, and try to get people to volunteer to help or send over some supplies. It's times like these when I see people that really need help, and I wish there was more that I can do.




This is the link
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/46266555/#46257418
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/46266555/#46244213