3 Incompatible topics

...Today 3 short totally unrelated pieces which have all been on my mind...  Photos this week have nothing to do with the content...   I seem to have a fixation on weather ever since our drought began...

  

Dust in the air leads to magnificent winter sunsets in our back yard

1.  On a cloudy spring morning in the late 19^th century my Grandmother Julie said goodbye to her sisters in the town of Boratyn, a Czech enclave in modern day Ukraine.  Young Antonin and Julie left with their 3 small children for  Hamburg Germany to board the emigrant ship ‘Suevia’ to travel to America.  Over the years the sisters communicated sporadically by letters; all of which  have been judiciously kept in a bundle.  This past year, through the miracle of the internet, my ‘cousin’ in the north of the Czech Republic, at the base of the Krkonoše Mountains,  found me and we have been exchanging messages. 

The underside of a cumulonimbus cloud - so dense that little sunlight passes though

This summer Judy and I are going to reunite for the first time in over a hundred years the two branches of the family.  The grandmother of my newly discovered "cousin", Helena, and my grandmother Julie were sisters.  I will have an opportunity to visit the small villages where my grandparents and past generation lived.    My gene pool!! I am so excited!!  Stay tuned as this adventure unfolds…  Still no word of the long lost Zlatnik side.

A cumulonimbus cloud with frontal illumination

2.  The education of a new generation of Science and Math teachers continues to play a big role in my life.  Here are some of the issues that I see my young student teachers struggling with : First two definitions:

Student teacher: works with a master teacher to plan and teach one period a day. (Mills College)

Interns -first year teacher hired to teach 5 periods a day also involved in a university program and take course work as they teach. Teach for America - LMU

Oh gee! Lightning followed by a pregnant silence and then the loud boom of thunder

a. Is the classroom goal to ‘cover the material’ (go for the facts), or to seek in depth ‘concept learning’, should learning be a solitary activity or is it best to design problem solving teams that combine student knowledge and skills? We teach our STs and Interns to use a variety of learning strategies, how do you choose the best balance of learning experiences for each kind of class and experience?  Do you teach superficially to cover everything in the state framework or make choices about what concepts to emphasize. There are many voices in different schools and in society telling us different things about these issues - who do you listen to?

Aurora Borealis - more an astronomical phenomenon than a meteorological one

b. The students that come to our classrooms are not uniform.  Each of them brings his or her realities from home and the environment in which they live.  Each kid's readiness to learn varies widely and is determined by personal experiences, how and where they live – suburbia -  inner city - rural, family harmony or strife, and peer pressure.  Does their culture put a greater emphasis on athletic performance than academic performance?  It can be tough and troubling to be a teen ager in our world today!  Some kids come in a funk of black depression, anger, grief, anxiety … and we expect them all to set their emotions  aside and to be open to learning about the stages of mitosis.  How do we deal with the different learning needs of our kids - meeting the needs of the brightest and the best and still help everyone to succeed at the level to which they are able? 

Think of the fog rising from a bathtub - "water is warmer than the air above" - here too the land is warmer than the cool air

c.  Kids often feel ambivalent about their own future – “How can I possibly hope to go to college with rising costs?” “Will I even live to the age of  20 in the street scene in which I find myself?” “I just want to get by - maybe I'll 'drop out".” “I think I might be pregnant – what am I going to do?”, "Ever since my mom left I have to take care of my brothers and sisters - I dont feel like there is much time for me." "Ever since I got out to juvy hall everybody treats me different."

d.  Lack of support for education – this is a big one – California per capita spending on education is near the bottom when compared with other states.  In our current society there has a growing anti science, anti intellectual attitude – being smart is not considered cool in many circles.  In much of America we glorify uneducated macho ‘red necks’ as cool and intellectuals as bumbling incompetents…  that is not the formula for building a strong America.

Lenticular clouds indicative of strong sheering winds - typical in the high mountains

e. In the name of making the teaching job livable, I have seen some young teachers put aside  the  grading of homework, I see some teachers giving the same grade to everyone in a work-group despite their contributions, I see some teachers basing grades not on knowledge and skill attainment, but on participation, I see teachers who confuse "turning in the paper" with "understanding the concept". When teachers try to 'get by' with minimum work we short change the students.  For me the bottom line is that each student must be held accountable for their understanding of concepts and their ability to use the big ideas in new and creative ways. Kids need assessment both as a motivation to do the learning and as feedback on their progress.  I think of the grades I give as a kind of guarantee for  future teachers and employers to verify the level of knowledge and attainment of my students.  An A is Biology should mean something.

"On a winters evening -"

f.  My prophetic word for today – Education should become the #1 national security concern in America today… Look closely; and China, India, Europe are challenging or have already surpassed the US levels of educational attainment.  Our economy and jobs of the future will be determined by our knowledge, and critical thinking skills.  Much of the knowledge that people will have and use in 20 years has not even been developed today – so we have to teach students how to become life long learners.  Research will happen in other lands if we don't have well trained students and policies to encourage it here.  If we Americans choose to be anti-intellectual, anti-science, anti-evolution and anti-global warming – the rest of the world will most certainly pass us up.

Loose soil+Strong wind= Dust storm... they didn't disappear in the 1930s

g.  I see everyone blaming everyone else for inadequacy in the education system - it's a contentious subject! - Everyone is pointing fingers: parents are to blame - teachers are to blame - the school policies are to blame - lack of funding is to blame - the changing nature of society is to blame - technology is to blame - the government interference is to blame... I suspect all of these play a role.  I  think of Chinese kids required to be in academic classes for 8-9 hours a day in school and  then go home and work on homework, I think of Indian parents who sit with their young children to see that they stay focused on the homework until it is done and sign them up for remedial classes if necessary,  I think of German kids with specially designed critical thinking problem solving situations...  and I want us in America to remain competitive.

Rao - blessed rain!  Come again another day...

3. And as a final segment -  I will turn to something closer to home... I love my garden this time of year – each day when I go out in the morning I see changes wrought by the season.  The fig tree is forming big fat buds, the kale plants are responding to the long day length by forming flower stalks, potato plants are emerging in the garden, strawberry plants are blooming big time, and apricots are starting to think about blossoms.  The plants that I coppiced down close to the ground are sending up rich new growth without any of the dry ugly stems that were there before.  The soil is already starting to dry – we have received 15.67 inches of rain since last July – in itself that isn’t too bad, so local reservoirs will have some water. – But there is very little snow pack – which means almost no water from the mountains for the cities and farms of California; which will affect food prices and force farmers to plant fewer fields and to sell livestock for lack of food.

The land of Kahunas and Menehunes

Life comes in chapters.  Sometimes you don't see what’s coming and something different comes along. And sometimes things just drop in your lap.

When I was a young pup - only teaching three years, - I was looking at the study opportunities posted  with the National Science Foundation  – and I thought “What the heck” – so -  I applied for an academic year study at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu.  It was a small group, and much to my surprise, I was selected to be part of the program.  The grant paid all expenses including a living stipend. It  wasn't a lot but adequate. 

University of Hawaii - Manoa campus

My science wing looked like thing

 When I arrived I went to the university housing office to inquire about available accommodations – my living stipend was barely enough to live on – but that was OK.   After viewing several cramped single rooms for rent, I went out to check an old servents quarters behind a fine big house up in the Nuʻuanu highlands of Honolulu – it had a tiny kitchen, narrow bedroom, and bathroom… I loved it and immediately rented it.  

My fine little Dwelling

There were holes in the screens that let Gecko lizards in at night – but they are gentle and no problems – If I went into the kitchen at night there was a great scuttling of giant cockroaches running for cover –

Common house Geckos

The setting was magnificent – out behind the “apartment” flowed the Nuannu creek, the owner had an orchid garden adjacent to the rooms, and there was a giant Avocado tree overhead. It was tranquil.

This dog 'Moki" came with the place - each night when we went for walks - Moki came with us carrying a coconut in his mouth

My classes were high quality – My favorite was Plant Physiology with really challenging lab activities.  Summary of Plant Physiology here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_physiology
I also had a class in Invertebrate Paleontology that I loved – but the labs involved ‘field quality’ samples that we had to work with...to give us something like real world experience.  
Invertebrate Paleontology: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_invertebrate_paleozoology
I had professors from New Zealand, Hawaii, and the “Mainland US”.  Those of us in the program carried a full load of classes and with lab work it was a busy time of learning.  These were the best classes I have had in my education – probably because I came from 3 years of teaching experience.   I travelled from my home on the HRT – (Honolulu Rapid Transit) … which were decrepit old busses – definitely not very rapid.

Judy at the Iao needle

The only problem was that not long before accepting the position I had met this really interesting woman named Judy – but you know how it is – I didn't feel like I was ready to make any serious commitment at that point… so here I was in my making long “expensive” phone calls to my sweetie in California…  We decided that it would be a good thing for her to come visit over Christmas vacation – and seeing her I was sure – I flew home semester break and we were married and she flew back to start our married life in “our little grass shack” on Nuʻuanu …she didn't even mind the geckos chirping in the night or the giant cockroaches. 

One of our favorite places to snorkel - magnicent fish!

I was still full time busy – so Judy did some substitute teaching in the Honolulu schools – and with the extra money we could afford to see and explore much more of Hawaii… we had such fun in the different parts of Oahu and different regions of Honolulu… She came home each day from her teacher and taught me the latest pidgin English that she had learned that day.  

Street sign written in Pidgin English

We loved the beaches but also the trails leading deep into the mountains.  It's the only place I have hiked where I could pick guavas, papayas, and mangos along the way… 

One of our camp sites with a rented cat

Note the plastic rain jacket - just in case

I successfully completed the academic year with good grades, and then we stayed on into the summer to more seriously explore.  We bought an army surplus tent and put together basic camping gear.  Also we had had Judy’s small Renault shipped over to us – so we were set to explore.  

People think of "ocean" when they think Hawaii - but there are vast interior mountains  with marvelous sights and hiking trails

We camped in the vast system of county parks in Hawaii – the local Kanakas, the surfers, and us… We loved snorkeling in the warm gentle waters of the Pacific – I will never forget the great array of small brightly colored fish and the beautiful corals.  

One day we stumbled onto this Luau put on by a Buddhist church - those are pigs in the background - of course they invited us to join them

And when we returned to our campsite we frequently found a Hawaiian party going on next to us and it was the custom of the local people to bring up two plates filled with food and two open bottles of Primo beer… we couldn't refuse… Good people – I will never forget their kindness.  We visited Kauai, Molokai, Maui, and the ‘big Island’ of Hawaii … each one is unique and we loved the different sights, sounds, and smells of each.  

We fell in love with the ancient petrogliphs and searched high and low for them

This is me making a rubbing of a group of petrogliphs

We were still on a rock bottom budget so we ate a lot of Japanese/Hawaiian rice plates with a big scoop of white rice, Kālua pork, marinated vegetables… so “Ono” (delicious).  We ate the local sushi, the malasadas, and the fruits in the markets.

Another time we stumbled onto a 'hukilau" where a bunch of people put out a net and then pull it in together and cook the fish in a big picnic - of course we were invited and we joined in

We loved Hawaii dearly – but we have never gone back –we hear reports that it has become much more commercial … and there are so many other great places to visit… We loved the lay back easy going generous Hawaiians that we remember – so sometimes it good to close a chapter. However the chapter with Judy and me together is still filled with a lot of love, good times and good adventures together.  

Black sand beach of S. ":Big Island" - sand is made of basalt

"Like snow upon the desert's dusty face..."

Tis the season of frogs and mockingbirds – we have music by day and music by night! To get the full effect, imagine adding in a chorus  of finches, jays, crows, mourning doves,  and humming birds.  On a sunny morning they are awesome!

Fukien Province,  China

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As a child in Kansas, on gray snowy days, when it was too cold to go out and play, I would at times pull out the box of family photos.  This is where I learned the near and distant history of my family.  My long ago distant relatives when they still  lived in Bohemia, the youth of my parents, my Mothers years living in China, the people of the Delia Kansas community – extended family and friends – near and far - they were all here.  

Crew out picking corn

As we lived our lives, additional photos were added to remind me of major events in our lives .  There were also old post cards and letters, some written in Czech in a fine careful style, others written in the rough hand of my uncles when they were away working, also letters from distant relatives who wrote only at Christmas time…… they were all saved in bundles with ribbons around each  stack.  Here I learned about who I was and where my ancestry came from.

My mothers photo from Fukien province China

My concern is that today I take good digital photos stored in my computer – I have an extensive communication with family and friends around the world – also stored as ephemeral records “out in the cloud” or in my computer.  Of course I have my computer backed up – but it all is stored only as electronic ‘images’.  And it's not just me – the records of our entire historical era are recorded in a similar manner.  Will this all still be there for  future historians? Both for historians and for for later generations in our families to go back and connect with us through our records…?   We could well lose a lot of our history.  How many of you have had a computer crash?  Even with back up it’s hard to restore everything.

Great grandparents

Part of the problem is changing technology – not long ago we stored information on ‘floppy discs’.  Who still  has a computer that reads floppy discs? Ever the 4” x 4” discs have largely disappeared.  Now wee use CD discs or thumb drives… but for how long… I store many things in the mysterious “cloud” – whatever that is – and who knows what its life span will be.  Companies close up every day – “whoops there goes that cloud!!!”  These very words you are reading here come to you electronically and are so very temporary.

First family house after emigrating to America

Letter writing is a lost art – It has been months or years since I last wrote a pen-on-paper letter that I sealed in an envelope and sent with a stamp – (which we scurrilously call “snail mail”.)   I write and receive wonderful meaningful messages and ideas in emails, Facebook messages, even twitter… but it all reminds me of the line in the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

“Like Snow upon the Desert's dusty Face, Lighting a little hour or two — is gone.”

Sometimes I have trouble finding a message that was written even last month.

Czech family children

Most parents want to keep a careful record of the development of their family. Photos of the major events in the lives of the kids  are precious….but in most families these too are stored digitally.  Fragile as snowflakes!

So what are our options –?

Be warned:  Even under ideal circumstances (e.g., away from extreme heat, cold, or moisture), CDs are only reliable for about 5 years or so.  Not recommended!

This is the best advice I can find for right now... 

1.  Keep photos and files on your hard drive and back them up. Hard drives have their flaws but they are more durable than CDs.   Sites like https://www.idrive.com will back up your hard drive files into their cloud.

2.  Buy an external hard drive is a device onto which you can store a large quantity of files. It also is way more dependable than CD storage.  Just look on line or go to your neighborhood “Fry’s”

3.  Sites like FLICKR  https://www.flickr.com, SHUTTERFLY http://www.shutterfly.com, or IPHOTO https://www.apple.com/mac/iphoto/ let you upload your pictures to a secure server… you can access them from any computer in the world with good Internet connection. You can control who can view your files, or you can make them totally private.  As long as the company is there you are probabily secure.

Early car in Delia

4.  Of course you can make hard copies of your most precious papers and photos - but even modern color prints are not as durable as only Silver Nitrate black and white photos... 

All of these have some uncertainty – will they be there in 20 years? 100 years?  Who knows?

In the words of the great Tony Soprano, "What ya goin to do?"   Good luck!

Advice from the Library of Congress

"I'ts not easy being green..."

Wherever have they been during all the hot dry days of summer and the cold of winter?!!  But here they are; back again, singing in the night. Night falls and first tentatively, then in earnest the frog chorus begins.  These are tiny Pacific Tree frogs – but they produce the sound of a brass band!  We do have other species in our locale – in deep cold ponds we have bullfrogs, and in ponds and streams there are spotted frogs and red legged frogs.  

Pacific Tree Frog

Most of us have a positive good feeling about frogs– whether we learned of them from Kermit on Sesame Street or what we remember from high school biology.  Maybe you were lucky enough to grow up with frogs living nearby in a pond. I associate frogs with the warm days of spring and summer – I think of them as fascinating but secretive little fellows.

Kermit the frog!  Hear his sing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpiIWMWWVco

First lets get a couple of things straight:

1.  Frogs and Toads are entirely different species.  Frogs are adapted to spend their life in and close to water. Toads are adapted to live on land…but they need moist settings.  They both must lay eggs in a similar manner in water.

Pacific Toad

2.  Handling frogs or toads will not give you warts.  When you pick one up they are not coated with mucous like a fish; their skin is leathery and wet…They feel cold because they are ectothermic– meaning that they take on the temperature of their surroundings– heat is not generated within their body by metaboolism.  Being an endotherm like us takes a lot of work to eat enough more to generate all the heat that we need to stay warm.

3.  Kissing a frog does not produce a prince – (or princess) – interesting thought though.

"Yes he did turn into a prince - but there were complications"

When I taught Biology, it was traditional every year to receive big sealed buckets of dead frogs stored in formaldehyde, The smell was so strong that it burned the nostrils!  I stored my frogs in fresh water for a day to remove some of the smell.  The organ systems of the frog are similar to those in the human and after studying human biology; it was fascinating for students to dissect the frog and see the same organs arranged in a complete organism.

Frog organs

There are significant differences –mostly in scale and size.  The frog heart has only 3 chambers – not four like ours, which results in a less efficient transfer of oxygen throughout the body. (In addition the frog  gains most of his or her oxygen directly from the water through their skin). They have a big long stomach, 3 lobes to their liver, 2 lungs, underneath the small intestines a small long ribbon-like pancreas, gall balder, urinary bladder, and reproductive organs.  The unlucky students who received a female find them loaded with eggs (unlucky because it was a lot of work to remove them).

Frog eggs - after they are released in water -

  The mouth of the frog had an opening to the glottis that leads to the lungs; there are also openings to the vocal sacs, which permit air to vibrate the vocal apparatus to produce the famous “ ribbit” sound… Since frogs have no diaphragm to breath they have to inflate the mouth sac (bottom of jaw) and force air into the lungs through the glottis.  Its even possible to study  the regions of the brain if you are a good surgeon and can cut  carefully through the bone… (I know some of you are my ex-students – does this bring back memories?)  http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/frog_alternative.html

Spotted Frog

So now when I hear my little Pacific tree frog friends I can visualize all of these systems doing just what they are supposed to do to lead to a happy healthy frog singing through the night

Frogs are also the “Canary in the coal mine” so to speak – Large numbers of highly abnormal frogs are being recently found – especially in polluted water – particularly in water polluted with vast amounts of plastic pollution.  A scientist in his laboratory was studying the effects of sex hormones on organisms… He had the apparatus set up and returned to do the experiment. 

Mutant frog

He checked his pure solutions one more time before the test and discovered that one was polluted with a female sex hormone – Impossible he said – this was pure when I set it us… through tests he established that water in contact with his plastic tubing had gained a chemical that mimics the hormone effect.  Think of a swamp with plastic bags and bottles contaminating the water. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/plastic-not-fantastic-with-bisphenol-a/ Other chemicals also have mutagen (mutation causing) effects. These effects are most noted in frogs that live in the water with constant exposure – but what about us exposed to plastics and other contaminants – there is more research to be done.

Bull frog

It is also somewhat a mystery why whole population of frogs are dying due to a bacterial or fungal disease – worldwide.  http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/2013/05/23/amphibians-declining-alarming/ Is this due to a ‘new’ transplanted disease organism?  Is it due to something weakening the frogs and making them more susceptible?  Can we learn from populations that remain healthy?  Troubling mystery!

Spring P{eeper

Last summer I spoke to a frog researcher in Tuolumne meadows from UC Berkeley.  She had studies several species living in high mountain lakes that are frozen solid for several months each year.  Those high mountain frogs, she said, appeared healthy.  Possibly due to their isolation and to their long breeding cycle that could require more than one year.