Posts
Even Plants May Not Like a Warmer World
Wandering About Nature Today-
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Amazing Discoveries and News from the OTHER Animals on OUR Planet.
Wandering About Nature Today-Animals
Treat Dolphins Like Persons, Scientists Say
Submitted by LiveScience Staff
posted: 04 January 2010 12:05 pm ET
Adult male Amazon river dolphins, or botos, carry natural objects such as sticks and rocks, sometimes throwing them or thrashing them against the surface, likely to impress females. Credit: Tony Martin.
Full Size 1 of 1.Adult male Amazon river dolphins, or botos, carry natural objects such as sticks and rocks, sometimes throwing them or thrashing them against the surface, likely to impress females. Credit: Tony Martin.
Dolphins are turning out to be smarter than once thought and should be considered as "non-human persons" making them eligible for more humane treatment, the Times of London reports.
Dolphins are among several animals that use tools. But studies have shown they can do much more. Dolphins name themselves and they can recognize themselves in mirrors. They think about the future, can learn a basic symbol-based language, and behave more socially than was known. One dolphin taught to tail-walk in captivity later spread the trick to wild dolphins. Dolphins may even think about thinking.
"The scientific research . . . suggests that dolphins are 'non-human persons' who qualify for moral standing as individuals," says Thomas White, professor of ethics at Loyola Marymount University.
Treat Dolphins Like Persons, Scientists Say
Submitted by LiveScience Staff
posted: 04 January 2010 12:05 pm ET
Adult male Amazon river dolphins, or botos, carry natural objects such as sticks and rocks, sometimes throwing them or thrashing them against the surface, likely to impress females. Credit: Tony Martin.
Full Size 1 of 1.Adult male Amazon river dolphins, or botos, carry natural objects such as sticks and rocks, sometimes throwing them or thrashing them against the surface, likely to impress females. Credit: Tony Martin.
Dolphins are turning out to be smarter than once thought and should be considered as "non-human persons" making them eligible for more humane treatment, the Times of London reports.
Dolphins are among several animals that use tools. But studies have shown they can do much more. Dolphins name themselves and they can recognize themselves in mirrors. They think about the future, can learn a basic symbol-based language, and behave more socially than was known. One dolphin taught to tail-walk in captivity later spread the trick to wild dolphins. Dolphins may even think about thinking.
"The scientific research . . . suggests that dolphins are 'non-human persons' who qualify for moral standing as individuals," says Thomas White, professor of ethics at Loyola Marymount University.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Grim News For Earths Biodiversity-The BBC reports
Wandering About Nature Today-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8449506.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8449506.stm
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Forum Show 01-06-10 BBC - Earth News - Clever Nature: Class of 2009,Winter Suet is for the Birds!
Wandering About Nature Today-
BBC-Global warming Icemelts causing Methane leaks from Ice & Permafrost:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8437703.stm
BBC - Earth News - Clever Nature: Class of 2009
Opinion Featured On CNN-Outcome of COP15 Conference:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/science/01/04/climate.mark.lynas/index.html
http://www.sialis.org/suet.htm
lard vs. vegetable shortening:
"(Beef or Sheep) Suet vs. (Pig) Lard vs. Vegetable Shortening (Crisco, etc.): All work in suet recipes, as long as you adjust the dry ingredients (e.g., flour) to keep the texture crumbly. Vegetable shortening has a longer shelf life. Suet in its raw form should be avoided. Beef suet may turn rancid when temperatures exceed 70 degrees. When melted and clarified, beef suet is called "tallow." Tallow is less likely to go rancid over time; however it is not easily digested by birds because it is high in saturated fats. Some birders are concerned about the health impact of using vegetable shortening.
* A nutritionist at the San Diego Zoo indicated that there is no health risk associated specifically with vegetable oil.
* Dr. Sean Pampreen, an avian vet in Marlborough, CT, indicated he did not think that vegetable shortening used as a binder in suet (which is only a supplemental food for wild birds) would cause digestive problems, especially since sunflower, millet and peanut are about 45-56% oil.
* Bill Whittaker of Four Nature's Keepers says saturated fats (such as in suet) are more difficult/require more energy for birds to digest than unsaturated fats (such as in vegetable shortening). They also found in field tests that after a familiarization period, birds prefer vegetable shortening.
* Dr. Kirk Klasing, Professor of Avian Nutrition at UC Davis, said that very high amounts of fatty acids are difficult to emulsify by the bile, lowering digestibility. Adding a source of unsaturated fats, such as vegetable oil or lard, improves digestibility (e.g., 80% tallow, 20% vegetable oil or lard is a good combination - you can adjust the proportions to give the melting point desired). Peanut butter also works to increase digestibility of tallow because it is high in unsaturated fats. He was not aware of any evidence for a laxative effect of vegetable oil. Like tallow, vegetable shortening is solid at room temperatures. However, the hydrogenation used to make shortening results in lots of trans fatty acids. Though we don't know for sure, it is likely that the trans fatty acids are less healthy than "natural" cis fatty acids (unhydrogenated oils).
In chickens, high levels of trans fatty acids deplete antioxidants in the tissues. It would be best to avoid high levels of vegetable shortening.
* Crisco does make a zero-trans-fat shortening (in a green container.)
* Another alternative is soybean shortening without additives, at as low a melting temperature (less saturation) as you can use to make an acceptable food.
In terms of protein content, suet has about 0.4 grams of protein/oz. in it; lard and vegetable shortening have none. Both suet and vegetable shortening have about the same amount of calories and fat content. Beef suet has more saturated fat which may be harder to digest.
JL Peterson found bluebirds preferred recipes made with suet. A friend reported bluebirds in her area preferred Crisco-based suets. Crisco does offer a zero-trans fat product. If you're concerned about using either of these ingredients, you can replace them with extra peanut butter until the mixture reaches the desired consistency."
So, I will definitely be using vegetable shortening, I'm going to see if they have an organic version at the health food store. It just doesn't feel right to me to help out some animals by feeding them other animals. I'm also going to use raw peanuts and seeds instead of commercial peanut butter, like the birds would naturally eat. Cooking food kills all the enzymes which are so necessary for cells to be able to use the nutrients in the food.
BBC-Global warming Icemelts causing Methane leaks from Ice & Permafrost:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8437703.stm
BBC - Earth News - Clever Nature: Class of 2009
Opinion Featured On CNN-Outcome of COP15 Conference:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/science/01/04/climate.mark.lynas/index.html
http://www.sialis.org/suet.htm
lard vs. vegetable shortening:
"(Beef or Sheep) Suet vs. (Pig) Lard vs. Vegetable Shortening (Crisco, etc.): All work in suet recipes, as long as you adjust the dry ingredients (e.g., flour) to keep the texture crumbly. Vegetable shortening has a longer shelf life. Suet in its raw form should be avoided. Beef suet may turn rancid when temperatures exceed 70 degrees. When melted and clarified, beef suet is called "tallow." Tallow is less likely to go rancid over time; however it is not easily digested by birds because it is high in saturated fats. Some birders are concerned about the health impact of using vegetable shortening.
* A nutritionist at the San Diego Zoo indicated that there is no health risk associated specifically with vegetable oil.
* Dr. Sean Pampreen, an avian vet in Marlborough, CT, indicated he did not think that vegetable shortening used as a binder in suet (which is only a supplemental food for wild birds) would cause digestive problems, especially since sunflower, millet and peanut are about 45-56% oil.
* Bill Whittaker of Four Nature's Keepers says saturated fats (such as in suet) are more difficult/require more energy for birds to digest than unsaturated fats (such as in vegetable shortening). They also found in field tests that after a familiarization period, birds prefer vegetable shortening.
* Dr. Kirk Klasing, Professor of Avian Nutrition at UC Davis, said that very high amounts of fatty acids are difficult to emulsify by the bile, lowering digestibility. Adding a source of unsaturated fats, such as vegetable oil or lard, improves digestibility (e.g., 80% tallow, 20% vegetable oil or lard is a good combination - you can adjust the proportions to give the melting point desired). Peanut butter also works to increase digestibility of tallow because it is high in unsaturated fats. He was not aware of any evidence for a laxative effect of vegetable oil. Like tallow, vegetable shortening is solid at room temperatures. However, the hydrogenation used to make shortening results in lots of trans fatty acids. Though we don't know for sure, it is likely that the trans fatty acids are less healthy than "natural" cis fatty acids (unhydrogenated oils).
In chickens, high levels of trans fatty acids deplete antioxidants in the tissues. It would be best to avoid high levels of vegetable shortening.
* Crisco does make a zero-trans-fat shortening (in a green container.)
* Another alternative is soybean shortening without additives, at as low a melting temperature (less saturation) as you can use to make an acceptable food.
In terms of protein content, suet has about 0.4 grams of protein/oz. in it; lard and vegetable shortening have none. Both suet and vegetable shortening have about the same amount of calories and fat content. Beef suet has more saturated fat which may be harder to digest.
JL Peterson found bluebirds preferred recipes made with suet. A friend reported bluebirds in her area preferred Crisco-based suets. Crisco does offer a zero-trans fat product. If you're concerned about using either of these ingredients, you can replace them with extra peanut butter until the mixture reaches the desired consistency."
So, I will definitely be using vegetable shortening, I'm going to see if they have an organic version at the health food store. It just doesn't feel right to me to help out some animals by feeding them other animals. I'm also going to use raw peanuts and seeds instead of commercial peanut butter, like the birds would naturally eat. Cooking food kills all the enzymes which are so necessary for cells to be able to use the nutrients in the food.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
I've been saying this for years! But I didn't have a pHD behind my name! Believe me NOW?
Wandering About Nature Today-If your are an Antibacterial Queen, or a Disinfectant Freak, Your not only making YOUR family sicker than they should be with average germs, you may be helping to KILL others with weak or compromised immune systems-or worse yet, anybody who catches one of these superbugs! READ THIS!!!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8427399.stm
Finally-Evolutionary Science has made progress in tracking down the LOGICAL path of diseases, and possibly why & how they changed and evolved to survive inside and alongside us!
http://www.livescience.com/health/evolution-causes-sickness-100111.html
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/01/15/fda.chemical.bpa/index.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8427399.stm
Finally-Evolutionary Science has made progress in tracking down the LOGICAL path of diseases, and possibly why & how they changed and evolved to survive inside and alongside us!
http://www.livescience.com/health/evolution-causes-sickness-100111.html
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/01/15/fda.chemical.bpa/index.html
Useful Websites
Wandering About Nature Today-
USEFUL WEBSITES:
THE LACEY ACT
http://www.eia-global.org/forests_for_the_world/lacey.html
ICUN-International Union for The Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources Red List
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
USDA
USDA.org
FEDERAL MIGRATORY TREATY ACT OF 1918 AND AMENDMENTS
http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/migtrea.html
Official COP15 web address: http://en.cop15.dk/
http://unfccc.int/2860.php
Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change:
http://www.ipcc.ch/
Hopenhagen-Grassroots Movement On Climate Change:
http://www.hopenhagen.org/home/map
Wandering About Nature Today-
USEFUL WEBSITES:
THE LACEY ACT
http://www.eia-global.org/forests_for_the_world/lacey.html
ICUN-International Union for The Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources Red List
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
USDA
USDA.org
FEDERAL MIGRATORY TREATY ACT OF 1918 AND AMENDMENTS
http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/migtrea.html
Official COP15 web address: http://en.cop15.dk/
http://unfccc.int/2860.php
Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change:
http://www.ipcc.ch/
Hopenhagen-Grassroots Movement On Climate Change:
http://www.hopenhagen.org/home/map
Wandering About Nature Today-
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