Battle Pirates is an MMORTS (massively multiplayer online real-time strategy) game on Facebook by Kixeye.
There have been a number of MMORTS games on Facebook in the past year, starting with Kingdoms of Camelot by Kabam, which was groundbreaking at the time it first came out but has since faded into the background in favor of newer games like Dragons of Atlantis and Global Warfare (also by Kabam), and Backyard Monsters by Kixeye (previously Casual Collective). In these games, the focus is mostly on building your camp. Although there is an offense component to each game, it's mostly executed by the computer with limited control to you.
Battle Pirates brings something entirely new to the table with its map that you must actually explore, and with ships that you can fully control in battle. Unlike many other Facebook games, you aren't as limited by timers that make you stop playing. If you enjoyed the previous offerings, you'll probably enjoy this one too.
Guide to Battle Pirates Defense Strategy
Guide to Battle Pirates Offense Strategy
Guide to Battle Pirates Resources
Guide to the Battle Pirates Map
21 June 2011
How to Cope with Seasickness
Seasickness happens when the balance centers of your brain have trouble making sense of the rocking motion of a boat on water, because the boat motion doesn't match up with what your eyes see. Seasickness can range from minor queasiness to nonstop vomiting.
How to Avoid Seasickness
1. First and most common way: pills. Over-the-counter anti-emetic drugs like Dramamine, Bonine, or Marezine are small, chewable tablets that are readily available in any drugstore or grocery store pharmacy. Take one every 12 to 24 hours (read the package instructions), with the first one an hour before the boat leaves the dock. If the boating activity is on a cruise ship or otherwise hosted expedition, the boat might carry a supply of meclizine (generic of Bonine).
2. Then there's scopalamine patches. These are small, round, typically skin colored (for light-colored skin), and placed behind the ear. One patch is good for three days. They are expensive, however, and available only by prescription. Don't use more than one at a time.
3. Acupressure wristbands like Sea Band. There is a pressure point on the inside of each wrist which, when pressed hard enough, will silence the nerves that cause nausea. Finding the right spot can be tricky, however, and the spots on both wrists must be firmly pressed for it to work. Acupressure wristbands come with very tight elastic and a small button to do the pressing. The elastic is good for several years before it wears out and the wristbands lose effectiveness.
4. Motion Eaze is a liquid made of "natural oils." Like the scopalamine patch, it is absorbed through the skin.
5. Ginger (in the form of ginger gum in the picture above) may be effective on very mild cases of seasickness. The very first part of seasickness is increased sleepiness, and ginger will stimulate alertness.
How to Ease Seasickness In Progress
If your prevention methods have failed and you feel sick, don't hide inside or below-deck - that will just make it worse. You need to be able to see the horizon, which means you need to be outside. Sit on as low a level of the boat as possible, and as close to the middle as you can get while still being outside. Tall boats sway more up top than at the water surface, and rock more at their sides. You're looking for the part with the least motion.
Also, try to avoid places with too much engine noise or fuel fumes. If you can't see the horizon (it's dark or foggy), focus on anything you can see that's as far away as possible - wave crests (not the swirly ones right by the boat!), the moon or stars, clouds, etc.
Preparing to Vomit
If you know you will be vomiting, there are a number of things to do in advance. First, figure out which way is downwind (probably facing to the back of the boat) and where on the deck has the least wind. Check that there are no people immediately downwind of your chosen spot. You do not want to vomit while facing the wind, as it will come right back and land on your face. It's also considered bad form for it to land on other people.
If it's a small boat on calm waters, leaning over the side is the preferred way to go. On larger ships in the open seas, be sure to wear a life jacket. However, leaning over the side isn't strictly necessary if the boat comes equipped with deck-cleaning hoses that you can access. All outside decks are waterproof, and if you have access to a hose, you can simply rinse off afterward.
Make sure you have lots of paper towels and kleenex stashed away in your pockets, so you can clean yourself up afterward as well. Kleenex is important if any of the vomit goes through your nose.
What to do After Vomiting
Afterward, eat starchy foods like rice, potatoes, bread, or crackers. Those will help settle your stomach. Eat something even if you aren't hungry. If nothing else, it gives your stomach something to empty if you need to vomit again later - which, while uncomfortable, is still better than vomiting nothing.
Landsickness
The good news is that eventually, if your boating trip lasts long enough, you will probably develop your "sea legs." The balance centers of your brain will adapt to the rocking motion and you'll stop noticing it.
The bad news is that you might go through the reverse process once you're back on land. This is called either "dock rock" or "landsickness" depending on how long it lasts. Basically it feels like perfectly still ground is moving, and your body will sway to try to counter the rocking motion that isn't happening - sometimes to the point where you lose your balance. Depending on how long your trip was, it can take up to a week to go away.
How to Avoid Seasickness
1. First and most common way: pills. Over-the-counter anti-emetic drugs like Dramamine, Bonine, or Marezine are small, chewable tablets that are readily available in any drugstore or grocery store pharmacy. Take one every 12 to 24 hours (read the package instructions), with the first one an hour before the boat leaves the dock. If the boating activity is on a cruise ship or otherwise hosted expedition, the boat might carry a supply of meclizine (generic of Bonine).
  |   |   |
2. Then there's scopalamine patches. These are small, round, typically skin colored (for light-colored skin), and placed behind the ear. One patch is good for three days. They are expensive, however, and available only by prescription. Don't use more than one at a time.
3. Acupressure wristbands like Sea Band. There is a pressure point on the inside of each wrist which, when pressed hard enough, will silence the nerves that cause nausea. Finding the right spot can be tricky, however, and the spots on both wrists must be firmly pressed for it to work. Acupressure wristbands come with very tight elastic and a small button to do the pressing. The elastic is good for several years before it wears out and the wristbands lose effectiveness.
  |   |
4. Motion Eaze is a liquid made of "natural oils." Like the scopalamine patch, it is absorbed through the skin.
  |   |
5. Ginger (in the form of ginger gum in the picture above) may be effective on very mild cases of seasickness. The very first part of seasickness is increased sleepiness, and ginger will stimulate alertness.
How to Ease Seasickness In Progress
If your prevention methods have failed and you feel sick, don't hide inside or below-deck - that will just make it worse. You need to be able to see the horizon, which means you need to be outside. Sit on as low a level of the boat as possible, and as close to the middle as you can get while still being outside. Tall boats sway more up top than at the water surface, and rock more at their sides. You're looking for the part with the least motion.
Also, try to avoid places with too much engine noise or fuel fumes. If you can't see the horizon (it's dark or foggy), focus on anything you can see that's as far away as possible - wave crests (not the swirly ones right by the boat!), the moon or stars, clouds, etc.
Preparing to Vomit
If you know you will be vomiting, there are a number of things to do in advance. First, figure out which way is downwind (probably facing to the back of the boat) and where on the deck has the least wind. Check that there are no people immediately downwind of your chosen spot. You do not want to vomit while facing the wind, as it will come right back and land on your face. It's also considered bad form for it to land on other people.
If it's a small boat on calm waters, leaning over the side is the preferred way to go. On larger ships in the open seas, be sure to wear a life jacket. However, leaning over the side isn't strictly necessary if the boat comes equipped with deck-cleaning hoses that you can access. All outside decks are waterproof, and if you have access to a hose, you can simply rinse off afterward.
Make sure you have lots of paper towels and kleenex stashed away in your pockets, so you can clean yourself up afterward as well. Kleenex is important if any of the vomit goes through your nose.
What to do After Vomiting
Afterward, eat starchy foods like rice, potatoes, bread, or crackers. Those will help settle your stomach. Eat something even if you aren't hungry. If nothing else, it gives your stomach something to empty if you need to vomit again later - which, while uncomfortable, is still better than vomiting nothing.
| If you're unfortunate enough to be seasick no matter what you try to do to prevent it, bring along Snickers candy bars. Those are one of the few food items that taste just as good coming up as going down. |   |
Landsickness
The good news is that eventually, if your boating trip lasts long enough, you will probably develop your "sea legs." The balance centers of your brain will adapt to the rocking motion and you'll stop noticing it.
The bad news is that you might go through the reverse process once you're back on land. This is called either "dock rock" or "landsickness" depending on how long it lasts. Basically it feels like perfectly still ground is moving, and your body will sway to try to counter the rocking motion that isn't happening - sometimes to the point where you lose your balance. Depending on how long your trip was, it can take up to a week to go away.
20 June 2011
In Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom, How Do You Produce Better Food?
Originally landed on: Guide to Trade in Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom
As your city develops and your population grows, your people demand better quality of food. Possible foods are wheat, millet, cabbage, rice, soybeans, fish, and game meat.
Food quality is a simple measure of how many different food types are available from the mill at the same time:
Bland Food - one food type
Plain Food - two food types
Appetizing Food - three food types
Tasty Food - four food types
Delicious Food - five food types
In addition, salt and spices will bump up the food quality by one, but they don't count if there are no "real" foods.
The mill has 32 spaces to hold food (or salt or spices). To make sure it has lots of different types, limit the total amount per food type it can have at a time. For example if you need Delicious, no more than 4 each.
Then there's the marketplace plaza. One of its settings is for food quality. If you select "appetizing food" as the minimum quality, the food buyer will only buy food from the mill if there are at least three food types available.
If you have more than one housing loop and therefore more than one plaza, bear in mind that the plaza demanding the lowest food quality can buy up all the food before the high-quality plaza ever gets any.
Four types of food at the mill
Guide to Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom
How to Plan Your City
How to Set Up Housing
Guide to Trade
About the Palace Menagerie
As your city develops and your population grows, your people demand better quality of food. Possible foods are wheat, millet, cabbage, rice, soybeans, fish, and game meat.
Food quality is a simple measure of how many different food types are available from the mill at the same time:
Bland Food - one food type
Plain Food - two food types
Appetizing Food - three food types
Tasty Food - four food types
Delicious Food - five food types
In addition, salt and spices will bump up the food quality by one, but they don't count if there are no "real" foods.
The mill has 32 spaces to hold food (or salt or spices). To make sure it has lots of different types, limit the total amount per food type it can have at a time. For example if you need Delicious, no more than 4 each.
Then there's the marketplace plaza. One of its settings is for food quality. If you select "appetizing food" as the minimum quality, the food buyer will only buy food from the mill if there are at least three food types available.
If you have more than one housing loop and therefore more than one plaza, bear in mind that the plaza demanding the lowest food quality can buy up all the food before the high-quality plaza ever gets any.
Four types of food at the mill
Guide to Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom
How to Plan Your City
How to Set Up Housing
Guide to Trade
About the Palace Menagerie
19 June 2011
How to make chicken broth the way Chinese restaurants do it
The chicken broth in wonton soup and egg drop soup is a clear, delicate yellow. Chinese restaurants make this in-house - it's not purchased condensed from a soup factory the way most other types of restaurants acquire their soups. Here's how to make soup stock the way Chinese restaurants do it.
Things you'll need:
* a large stock pot with cover
* carcass of a whole chicken
* water
* strainer or colander
* a second large pot for the finished broth
Step One
Put the chicken bones into the pot and fill it with water. Bring it to a boil. The water will become foamy with bits of fat floating at the top. Dump everything through a strainer in the sink. You're saving the chicken parts and discarding the water.
Step Two
Put the chicken bones back into the pot and fill it with water again. Bring it to a boil. Then turn the heat as low as it will go and cover the pot. Leave it alone for 5-6 hours.
Step Three
Put a clean pot under the strainer, then dump everything through it again. This time, you're saving the liquid and discarding the chicken parts.
Done
You can now use the broth to make soups, or save it for later, either in the fridge or freezer. Once cooled, sometimes the broth will thicken into a gelatinous form. Do not be alarmed - this means you did it right. The more gelatinous, the better the stock.
This same method can be used for other types of stocks, like pork broth (the basis of authentic Chinese cuisine is pork).
Things you'll need:
* a large stock pot with cover
* carcass of a whole chicken
* water
* strainer or colander
* a second large pot for the finished broth
Step One
Put the chicken bones into the pot and fill it with water. Bring it to a boil. The water will become foamy with bits of fat floating at the top. Dump everything through a strainer in the sink. You're saving the chicken parts and discarding the water.
Step Two
Put the chicken bones back into the pot and fill it with water again. Bring it to a boil. Then turn the heat as low as it will go and cover the pot. Leave it alone for 5-6 hours.
Step Three
Put a clean pot under the strainer, then dump everything through it again. This time, you're saving the liquid and discarding the chicken parts.
Done
You can now use the broth to make soups, or save it for later, either in the fridge or freezer. Once cooled, sometimes the broth will thicken into a gelatinous form. Do not be alarmed - this means you did it right. The more gelatinous, the better the stock.
This same method can be used for other types of stocks, like pork broth (the basis of authentic Chinese cuisine is pork).
18 June 2011
What is the Matching Part on tRNA Called?
Originally landed on: Degeneracy of the Genetic Code
A tRNA molecule is a small strip of RNA folded into a series of loops. One end is attached to an amino acid, and the other end pairs up with the codons on an mRNA.
A codon is a set of three nucleotides, which can be any combination of adenine, uracil, guanine, or cytosine. Adenine matches up with uracil, and guanine matches up with cytosine.
The end of tRNA that pairs with the mRNA codon is called the anti-codon end, because its nucleotides are the matching opposites of the ones in the codon.
More About the Genetic Code
More About Genetic Code Degeneracy
About Micro RNA and Its Role in Gene Expression
A tRNA molecule is a small strip of RNA folded into a series of loops. One end is attached to an amino acid, and the other end pairs up with the codons on an mRNA.
A codon is a set of three nucleotides, which can be any combination of adenine, uracil, guanine, or cytosine. Adenine matches up with uracil, and guanine matches up with cytosine.
The end of tRNA that pairs with the mRNA codon is called the anti-codon end, because its nucleotides are the matching opposites of the ones in the codon.
More About the Genetic Code
More About Genetic Code Degeneracy
About Micro RNA and Its Role in Gene Expression
17 June 2011
How to prepare for a science cruise on the open ocean (for students)
Students new to marine science are often not told what to expect on a research cruise. Here's some of the basics.
The Ship Has A Crew
The first thing to know is that the ship comes with a full-time crew that is paid to take care of everything not directly related to doing science. There will be a captain and mates to take the ship wherever the chief scientist wants to go, a cook to take care of all meals, etc. Pack as if you were going to stay in a hotel. You will have a bed with linens and blankets provided (on larger ships you might have your own room), and storage space for clothing and toiletries. Some of the larger ships may provide personal fridges and have laundromats.
Bring a sturdy pair of covered-toe shoes. You will be working around heavy equipment, possibly dangling overhead on a rocking ship. Bring sunscreen - there is no shade on the decks at sea. Bring a poncho in case you have to work in heavy rain. Life jackets and hardhats are usually provided.
The ship will also likely come with a marine tech. This person takes care of all the scientific equipment that comes with the ship - keeps them clean, calibrated, and in good working order. This person also works closely with the crew (winch operators, bridge officers) to put instruments into the water and bring them back out of the water.
The Obligatory Safety Drill(s)
There will be a safety briefing and a number of emergency drills shortly after the cruise starts. You will learn where things are, what to do, and where to go if you or someone falls overboard, if there's a fire, or if the ship sinks. In most cases you just have to show up in a specific part of the ship with life preserving gear, while the crew does all the important parts.
Cruise Purposes
There are a great many different kinds of science done on cruises. Some are research oriented, some are educational. Generally, all cruises are for the purpose of collecting either oceanographic data, or samples of something, which will be processed and analyzed later in a lab back on shore. Samples could be water samples for various chemical elements or nutrients, microbe or plankton samples, fish samples, sediment samples, etc. Sensor data will always include temperature and salinity. The third major purpose of a cruise is to deploy or retrieve monitoring instruments left in the ocean for months at a time. Most cruises have a combination of different purposes.
What you do on a cruise will be whatever the chief scientist tells you to do. There will probably be lots of manual labor. There may be lab work or computer work, or menial clerical work (such as making labels for samples). If it's a research cruise, expect to have a heavily altered sleep schedule, as everyone will be on duty shifts - science goes on around the clock. I've seen 12-on 12-off, 4-on 8-off, alternate every 4 or 6 hours, etc.
Recreation on a Science Vessel
You will be surrounded by nothing but water in every direction. It's lovely for the first few days and then becomes monotonous if the cruise lasts longer than that. Entertainment and recreation on board will be limited. Internet and phone are both by satellite, which is expensive, and will likely only be available for research or emergency purposes. Some ships will upload and download email once or twice per day, to be read and composed offline - assume that nothing you write or receive is at all private. If the ship goes far enough away from land, there will be no TV or radio. Cell phones will not have signal. Most ships have a small library of books and movies on video/DVD. Some of the larger ones may have exercise equipment.
About Seasickness
There are a number of ways to avoid seasickness - over-the-counter drugs like Dramamine or Bonine, Sea Band wristbands which use acupressure, prescription patches, etc. Most ships will carry an ample supply of meclizine (generic of Bonine), passed out by the ship's medic (or sometimes on smaller ships just sitting out somewhere where anyone can take as much as they want). Take a pill a few hours before the boat leaves the dock.
If you do feel sick, sit outside where you can see the horizon, on as low a level of the ship as possible. The ship sways more up top than at the water surface. If you puke, do it facing away from the wind. Remember that all the outside decks are waterproof, and the work deck has a hose somewhere for rinsing off afterward (be sure to use the saltwater hose) - you do not need to lean over the side and risk falling off the ship (not even if you think it would be a really good idea to jump overboard to stop being sick). If you do want to lean over the side, remember to wear a life jacket. Also, keep some paper towels and kleenex stashed into your pockets so you can blow your nose.
Afterward, eat starchy foods like rice, potatoes, bread. Those will help settle your stomach. Remember that seasickness isn't actually a problem with your stomach - it's your brain trying to make sense of the rocking motion. If you're unfortunate enough to be seasick no matter what you try to do to prevent it, bring along Snickers bars. Those are one of the few food items that taste just as good coming up as going down.
Deep Sea Fishing
On every science vessel I've ever been on, there is always at least one avid deep sea fisherman among the crew. Anytime no science tasks are going on, he will have a line over the side. There will probably be fresh fish for dinner at least once. If you do any fishing of your own, just remember that the science mission takes priority and to pull up your line accordingly.
Swim Calls
Depending on the organization that runs the fleet to which your ship belongs, there may be a swim call at some point during the cruise. Bring a swimsuit.
No Alcohol
All science vessels (in the U.S. at least) are dry. Do not bring alcohol.
The Ship Has A Crew
The first thing to know is that the ship comes with a full-time crew that is paid to take care of everything not directly related to doing science. There will be a captain and mates to take the ship wherever the chief scientist wants to go, a cook to take care of all meals, etc. Pack as if you were going to stay in a hotel. You will have a bed with linens and blankets provided (on larger ships you might have your own room), and storage space for clothing and toiletries. Some of the larger ships may provide personal fridges and have laundromats.
Bring a sturdy pair of covered-toe shoes. You will be working around heavy equipment, possibly dangling overhead on a rocking ship. Bring sunscreen - there is no shade on the decks at sea. Bring a poncho in case you have to work in heavy rain. Life jackets and hardhats are usually provided.
The ship will also likely come with a marine tech. This person takes care of all the scientific equipment that comes with the ship - keeps them clean, calibrated, and in good working order. This person also works closely with the crew (winch operators, bridge officers) to put instruments into the water and bring them back out of the water.
The Obligatory Safety Drill(s)
There will be a safety briefing and a number of emergency drills shortly after the cruise starts. You will learn where things are, what to do, and where to go if you or someone falls overboard, if there's a fire, or if the ship sinks. In most cases you just have to show up in a specific part of the ship with life preserving gear, while the crew does all the important parts.
Cruise Purposes
There are a great many different kinds of science done on cruises. Some are research oriented, some are educational. Generally, all cruises are for the purpose of collecting either oceanographic data, or samples of something, which will be processed and analyzed later in a lab back on shore. Samples could be water samples for various chemical elements or nutrients, microbe or plankton samples, fish samples, sediment samples, etc. Sensor data will always include temperature and salinity. The third major purpose of a cruise is to deploy or retrieve monitoring instruments left in the ocean for months at a time. Most cruises have a combination of different purposes.
What you do on a cruise will be whatever the chief scientist tells you to do. There will probably be lots of manual labor. There may be lab work or computer work, or menial clerical work (such as making labels for samples). If it's a research cruise, expect to have a heavily altered sleep schedule, as everyone will be on duty shifts - science goes on around the clock. I've seen 12-on 12-off, 4-on 8-off, alternate every 4 or 6 hours, etc.
Recreation on a Science Vessel
You will be surrounded by nothing but water in every direction. It's lovely for the first few days and then becomes monotonous if the cruise lasts longer than that. Entertainment and recreation on board will be limited. Internet and phone are both by satellite, which is expensive, and will likely only be available for research or emergency purposes. Some ships will upload and download email once or twice per day, to be read and composed offline - assume that nothing you write or receive is at all private. If the ship goes far enough away from land, there will be no TV or radio. Cell phones will not have signal. Most ships have a small library of books and movies on video/DVD. Some of the larger ones may have exercise equipment.
About Seasickness
There are a number of ways to avoid seasickness - over-the-counter drugs like Dramamine or Bonine, Sea Band wristbands which use acupressure, prescription patches, etc. Most ships will carry an ample supply of meclizine (generic of Bonine), passed out by the ship's medic (or sometimes on smaller ships just sitting out somewhere where anyone can take as much as they want). Take a pill a few hours before the boat leaves the dock.
If you do feel sick, sit outside where you can see the horizon, on as low a level of the ship as possible. The ship sways more up top than at the water surface. If you puke, do it facing away from the wind. Remember that all the outside decks are waterproof, and the work deck has a hose somewhere for rinsing off afterward (be sure to use the saltwater hose) - you do not need to lean over the side and risk falling off the ship (not even if you think it would be a really good idea to jump overboard to stop being sick). If you do want to lean over the side, remember to wear a life jacket. Also, keep some paper towels and kleenex stashed into your pockets so you can blow your nose.
Afterward, eat starchy foods like rice, potatoes, bread. Those will help settle your stomach. Remember that seasickness isn't actually a problem with your stomach - it's your brain trying to make sense of the rocking motion. If you're unfortunate enough to be seasick no matter what you try to do to prevent it, bring along Snickers bars. Those are one of the few food items that taste just as good coming up as going down.
Deep Sea Fishing
On every science vessel I've ever been on, there is always at least one avid deep sea fisherman among the crew. Anytime no science tasks are going on, he will have a line over the side. There will probably be fresh fish for dinner at least once. If you do any fishing of your own, just remember that the science mission takes priority and to pull up your line accordingly.
Swim Calls
Depending on the organization that runs the fleet to which your ship belongs, there may be a swim call at some point during the cruise. Bring a swimsuit.
No Alcohol
All science vessels (in the U.S. at least) are dry. Do not bring alcohol.
16 June 2011
An Example of Technology Used to Study Marine Biology
 a MOCNESS |  a MOCNESS frame with no nets |
The MOCNESS, or "multiple opening closing net (and) environmental sampling system," is a contraption with lots of individual nets, usually at least nine, which take turns opening and closing to collect plankton samples at different depths. It gets dragged behind a slow-moving boat, and it can take several hours to complete a set of collections.
It's an example of the type of technology used to study zooplankton ecology, a branch of marine biology.
More Examples Here
15 June 2011
How to Do Yogi Bicycle Situps
A yogi bicycle situp is like a regular situp but with a twist. They will stretch your side muscles while strengthening your abdominal muscles. It makes for a more strenuous alternative to regular situps if you're looking for variety in your workouts. All you need is an exercise mat or some non-slip floor space.
Lie flat on your back. Clasp your hands under your head. Hold your legs up, bent 90 degrees, so that your thighs are vertical and your calves are parallel to the floor.
Raise the upper half of your body to touch your right elbow to your left knee - without moving your knee. At the same time, straighten your right leg so that it's hovering just above the floor. Breathe out.
Return to the starting position. Breathe in.
Now touch your left elbow to your right knee while straightening your left leg. Breathe out.
Return to the starting position. Breathe in.
Repeat until you can't move anymore. :) As you alternate sides, your legs should move as if you were peddling a bicycle.
Some Tips
Lie flat on your back. Clasp your hands under your head. Hold your legs up, bent 90 degrees, so that your thighs are vertical and your calves are parallel to the floor.
Raise the upper half of your body to touch your right elbow to your left knee - without moving your knee. At the same time, straighten your right leg so that it's hovering just above the floor. Breathe out.
Return to the starting position. Breathe in.
Now touch your left elbow to your right knee while straightening your left leg. Breathe out.
Return to the starting position. Breathe in.
Repeat until you can't move anymore. :) As you alternate sides, your legs should move as if you were peddling a bicycle.
Some Tips
- Don't hold your breath.
- Be sure to consult with a doctor before embarking on any fitness program, especially if you have any heart conditions, neck injuries, pregnancy, etc.
14 June 2011
Where does the sea horse fit on the animal kingdom chart?
Originally landed on: Life Cycle of a Seahorse
Believe it or not, a seahorse is a type of finfish. It's just heavily modified from what you might think of as a "normal" fish shape. According to the Tree of Life as of 2007, its current taxonomic (scientific) classification is:
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Osteichthyes
Class Actinopterygii
Order Gasterosteiformes
Syngnathoidei
Family Syngnathidae
Genus Hippocampus
There are about 40 species worldwide today.
Believe it or not, a seahorse is a type of finfish. It's just heavily modified from what you might think of as a "normal" fish shape. According to the Tree of Life as of 2007, its current taxonomic (scientific) classification is:
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Osteichthyes
Class Actinopterygii
Order Gasterosteiformes
Syngnathoidei
Family Syngnathidae
Genus Hippocampus
There are about 40 species worldwide today.
13 June 2011
How to Do a Dolphin Pushup
A dolphin pushup combines the dolphin pose from yoga with some muscle-pumping action to build strength in the upper body. It makes for an interesting alternative to regular pushups if you're looking for variety in your workouts. All you need is an exercise mat or some non-slip floor space.
dolphin pose
The yoga dolphin pose is an upside-down V with your feet on the ground, legs straight, butt in the air, back straight, elbows on the ground, and hands clasped together on the ground.
To get into the pose, start on your hands and knees. Get down on your elbows and clasp your hands together. Make sure your elbows are shoulder width apart. Put your feet at hip distance apart and facing forward. Lift your butt and straighten your legs. Be careful not to hyper-extend your knees if you're double-jointed.
Your feet don't have to be completely flat on the ground, though your heels should stretch for it. Try to keep your lower back from rounding. Press your butt upward and backward. Your shoulder blades should be pulled in toward your spine and "down" toward your waist. Your head should be pointing in the small triangular space between your elbows and clasped hands - keep your neck relaxed and your head hanging freely.
pushing "up" (forward) in dolphin pose
While in dolphin pose, swing your upper body forward so that your head passes the front of your clasped hands. Maintain all other aspects of the pose - your legs and back remain straight, shoulder blades back and down, neck remains loose. Breathe in as you move.
Depending on how far your feet are from your elbows, you might be able to swing far enough forward to be essentially straightened like a plank.
Swing your upper body backward until you're back to the starting position, or just past it. Breathe out as you move.
Repeat this back and forth motion until you're too tired to move. :)
This won't feel as intense of a workout as a regular plank pushup, and you'll probably be able to do more of them. It's a good way to build some upper body strength if you're starting out with none, and can't do regular pushups yet. If you hold the rest of dolphin pose correctly, it will also stretch out your back and hamstrings.
Some Tips
dolphin pose
The yoga dolphin pose is an upside-down V with your feet on the ground, legs straight, butt in the air, back straight, elbows on the ground, and hands clasped together on the ground.
To get into the pose, start on your hands and knees. Get down on your elbows and clasp your hands together. Make sure your elbows are shoulder width apart. Put your feet at hip distance apart and facing forward. Lift your butt and straighten your legs. Be careful not to hyper-extend your knees if you're double-jointed.
Your feet don't have to be completely flat on the ground, though your heels should stretch for it. Try to keep your lower back from rounding. Press your butt upward and backward. Your shoulder blades should be pulled in toward your spine and "down" toward your waist. Your head should be pointing in the small triangular space between your elbows and clasped hands - keep your neck relaxed and your head hanging freely.
pushing "up" (forward) in dolphin pose
While in dolphin pose, swing your upper body forward so that your head passes the front of your clasped hands. Maintain all other aspects of the pose - your legs and back remain straight, shoulder blades back and down, neck remains loose. Breathe in as you move.
Depending on how far your feet are from your elbows, you might be able to swing far enough forward to be essentially straightened like a plank.
Swing your upper body backward until you're back to the starting position, or just past it. Breathe out as you move.
Repeat this back and forth motion until you're too tired to move. :)
This won't feel as intense of a workout as a regular plank pushup, and you'll probably be able to do more of them. It's a good way to build some upper body strength if you're starting out with none, and can't do regular pushups yet. If you hold the rest of dolphin pose correctly, it will also stretch out your back and hamstrings.
Some Tips
- Don't hold your breath.
- Move slowly, and hold for a few seconds at each end of the pushup.
- Be sure to consult with a doctor before embarking on any fitness program, especially if you have any heart conditions, joint problems, pregnancy, etc.
12 June 2011
What happens if you level up food in Restaurant City?
Originally landed on: How to Get Ingredients in Restaurant City (Facebook Game)
Out of all the multitudes of flash simulation games on Facebook these days, Restaurant City is unique for its recipe collection activity. That is, you gather together 1-4 ingredients for a dish, then learn it at Level 1 to be able to serve it in your restaurant. If you gather nine more sets of ingredients for the same dish, you can level it up to 10. As you do so, the dish title changes (from "simple" to "royal") and the dish pattern underneath the food changes in your restaurant.
So what's the point of leveling it to 10?
Well, aside from the enjoyment of collecting things (ingredients) in order to make new things (servable dishes) while working together with your friends, higher level dishes also give you more XP. This allows you to level faster. Early on, faster leveling is important because it unlocks more restaurant space, staff, and gardening plots. For more advanced players, each new level rewards you with money, items, or ingredients.
Out of all the multitudes of flash simulation games on Facebook these days, Restaurant City is unique for its recipe collection activity. That is, you gather together 1-4 ingredients for a dish, then learn it at Level 1 to be able to serve it in your restaurant. If you gather nine more sets of ingredients for the same dish, you can level it up to 10. As you do so, the dish title changes (from "simple" to "royal") and the dish pattern underneath the food changes in your restaurant.
So what's the point of leveling it to 10?
Well, aside from the enjoyment of collecting things (ingredients) in order to make new things (servable dishes) while working together with your friends, higher level dishes also give you more XP. This allows you to level faster. Early on, faster leveling is important because it unlocks more restaurant space, staff, and gardening plots. For more advanced players, each new level rewards you with money, items, or ingredients.
11 June 2011
How to run combat by-the-book in (original) World of Darkness, 3rd edition
 | The combat system of White Wolf's "old" World of Darkness can be tricky to understand at first. Many oWoD games shortcut the initiative part of the process for reasons of expedience. However, it's fairly straightforward once you've done it a few times, and when everyone understands what they're doing, it's just as fast and takes advantage of the game balance built into the system. |
I: Roll Initiative
| First, everyone rolls initiative (init). This is wits+dex+1d10. You roll 1d10 (one ten-sided die), add the result to your wits score + your dex score, and announce the total number. For example, if you have wits 3 and dex 2, and you roll a 5, then your init is 3+2+5 = 10. |  |
Each player should make this roll, and the Storyteller/GM should roll for each NPC (GM-controlled character) involved in the situation.
II: Declare Actions
Everyone then declares actions in order of init from lowest to highest.
The person with the lowest init number goes first to describe what they want to do. Players and NPCs then take turns until everyone involved has declared their actions.
This allows the person with highest init to know what everyone else is going to do beforehand, and adjust their action accordingly.
III: Execute Actions
Actions then resolve in order of init from highest to lowest.
The person with the highest init goes first with the dice rolling to carry out their declared action. This starts with a "to see if you hit" roll, which might be followed by a roll from the target to see if they dodge. If the hit succeeds, there is a damage roll, which might be followed by a roll from the target to see if they soak.
In large, complex combat situations, this does indeed mean that the person with the lowest init might find their actions moot by the time it's their turn. Such is the way of things sometimes, when someone just doesn't act as fast as someone else. Fortunately, init is rerolled at the beginning of each turn, so a person with low init in one round might have high init in the next.
IV: What Just Happened
Once all the dice rolls are done, the GM comes up with a summary of what just happened in the turn, so that everyone has a clear picture and is on the same page. Then the next turn begins with new init rolls.
Why The System Works
In general, characters with better combat abilities (in the form of higher dexterity and wits) will have higher init rolls. This will not ALWAYS happen, however - perhaps the best fighter was momentarily distracted or caught by surprise, for example.
Likewise, better fighters generally have more dice to roll when it comes to attacking, defending, dodging, doing damage, etc., while more resilient characters might be able to take punches better than less resilient ones, and thus have more dice for soak rolls. However, they can still do poorly in individual moves (as reflected by poor dice results). No one is going to be truly infallible at all times.
It's why we have dice rolls in the first place. There is an element of chance involved, so that poorer fighters might still take an active role in the combat and be able to affect the outcome. But it isn't PURE chance, it's weighted by the stats on the character sheets (which is why we have character sheets). On the whole, when used properly, the system reflects the probabilities of what would happen fairly well.
A Final Tip
Sometimes a GM wants to make every single dice roll, thinking it will be faster. This isn't very effective. The GM ends up having to do a lot of work - first to roll all the dice, and then summarizing what happened - while players sit around waiting and doing nothing. Players end up feeling unengaged, that they have no control over what happens to their characters, and might lose interest.
10 June 2011
Intro Topics to Population Genetics
Population genetics is the study of genetic variation in populations, and how the variation changes from generation to generation. The most fundamental unit of genetic change is the allele. Alleles are different versions of the same gene.
One of the key questions in population genetics is: if you know how many of each allele is in a population in one generation, how will their percentages change in the next generation? An answer of "no change" is called the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. This theorem is an important comparison tool for finding out which genes in a genome are doing something more interesting than "neutral."
Learn more in the articles below:
What is an Allele?
The Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium Theorem
And feel free to suggest more topics here, if you have other basic questions about population genetics. :)
One of the key questions in population genetics is: if you know how many of each allele is in a population in one generation, how will their percentages change in the next generation? An answer of "no change" is called the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. This theorem is an important comparison tool for finding out which genes in a genome are doing something more interesting than "neutral."
Learn more in the articles below:
What is an Allele?
The Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium Theorem
And feel free to suggest more topics here, if you have other basic questions about population genetics. :)
09 June 2011
How to make a tasty pasta sauce out of a can of clam chowder
Canned clam chowder makes an excellent base for a seafood-style pasta sauce. Just add pasta, veggies, and various herbs and spices. Here's one of my favorite versions. It takes 15-20 minutes to put together - basically the length of time to fully cook the pasta.
* two cups pasta - penne, rotini, macaroni, or other short pieces (I prefer penne)
* one can clam chowder (I prefer Campbell's Chunky)
* 2-3 cups frozen vegetables, such as peas, corn, broccoli, etc.
* minced dried onion bits
* garlic powder
* paprika
* dash cayenne
* black pepper
* lots of basil
Set the pasta to boil in a large pot with plenty of water. Add salt to the water if you like. Remember to stir occasionally as you work on the sauce.
Begin the sauce by heating the clam chowder in a saucepan. If the can's instructions say to stir in a can of water, do so. Sprinkle in the onions, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. I add enough of each to lightly cover the surface of the chowder (less for cayenne if you don't want too much spicy heat). The chowder should become a pale orange color once the spices are all stirred in together.
When the chowder begins to boil, add the frozen vegetables. Stir everything together. Cover and turn the heat to low.
When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander. Uncover the chowder sauce, sprinkle in the basil, then add the pasta. (The basil is what really makes this dish.) Turn off the heat and stir everything together. Enjoy!
I've found that frozen peas require very little cooking. Instead of adding it to the clam chowder while it's heating, try putting it in the bottom of the colander before pouring the pasta water over it. This will thaw them out nicely while letting them retain their freshlike crispness.
 |   |
* two cups pasta - penne, rotini, macaroni, or other short pieces (I prefer penne)
* one can clam chowder (I prefer Campbell's Chunky)
* 2-3 cups frozen vegetables, such as peas, corn, broccoli, etc.
* minced dried onion bits
* garlic powder
* paprika
* dash cayenne
* black pepper
* lots of basil
Set the pasta to boil in a large pot with plenty of water. Add salt to the water if you like. Remember to stir occasionally as you work on the sauce.
Begin the sauce by heating the clam chowder in a saucepan. If the can's instructions say to stir in a can of water, do so. Sprinkle in the onions, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. I add enough of each to lightly cover the surface of the chowder (less for cayenne if you don't want too much spicy heat). The chowder should become a pale orange color once the spices are all stirred in together.
 |  |
When the chowder begins to boil, add the frozen vegetables. Stir everything together. Cover and turn the heat to low.
When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander. Uncover the chowder sauce, sprinkle in the basil, then add the pasta. (The basil is what really makes this dish.) Turn off the heat and stir everything together. Enjoy!
I've found that frozen peas require very little cooking. Instead of adding it to the clam chowder while it's heating, try putting it in the bottom of the colander before pouring the pasta water over it. This will thaw them out nicely while letting them retain their freshlike crispness.
08 June 2011
Is a seashell an abiotic feature?
Originally landed on: Abiotic Factors of an Open Ocean Ecosystem
The definition of "abiotic" is "non-biological." A seashell is made by a living organism, therefore it is biotic. In the sea, shells come from creatures like clams, oysters, mussels, scallops, whelks, conchs, periwinkles, and other sea snails.
While seashells are biotic, they can significantly influence the abiotic factors of their surroundings, especially the pH of water. Seashells are made of calcium carbonate, which acts as a buffer by dissolving in acidic conditions and causing pH to go up, becoming more basic.
In general, all precipitated calcium carbonate in the sea has a biotic origin. Corals use it to build massive reefs. Many types of creatures of all sizes use it to make protective shells, including microplankton. Old shells become white calcium-carbonate sand, and eventually over geologic timeframes, limestone.
In modern times, an increase in global carbon dioxide has begun to make the oceans more acidic, which makes it much harder for marine organisms to precipitate calcium carbonate for their shells.
The definition of "abiotic" is "non-biological." A seashell is made by a living organism, therefore it is biotic. In the sea, shells come from creatures like clams, oysters, mussels, scallops, whelks, conchs, periwinkles, and other sea snails.
While seashells are biotic, they can significantly influence the abiotic factors of their surroundings, especially the pH of water. Seashells are made of calcium carbonate, which acts as a buffer by dissolving in acidic conditions and causing pH to go up, becoming more basic.
In general, all precipitated calcium carbonate in the sea has a biotic origin. Corals use it to build massive reefs. Many types of creatures of all sizes use it to make protective shells, including microplankton. Old shells become white calcium-carbonate sand, and eventually over geologic timeframes, limestone.
In modern times, an increase in global carbon dioxide has begun to make the oceans more acidic, which makes it much harder for marine organisms to precipitate calcium carbonate for their shells.
07 June 2011
How to make tomato soup more interesting than just heating it up straight from the can
 |   |
I've found that plain canned tomato soup has a surprising amount of sugar. Campbell's for example contains high fructose corn syrup (!). If you're prone to anaphylactic shock, eating nothing but this soup can cause it. It's why I first started adding so many vegetables, especially starchy vegetables - to compensate that effect.
Rather than a formal recipe, below are some ideas for vegetables and meats that add well to plain tomato soup - and go well with each other. The measurements work for a gallon of soup.
Things You'll Need
* two family-sized cans of condensed tomato soup, such as Campbell's
* three cans water
The rest of the ingredients are optional. Mix and match whichever you have on hand, or whichever you feel like eating.
* half a head of cabbage, finely shredded
* three carrots, chopped
* two-three red potatoes, coarsely diced
* two cups corn. I use frozen.
* two cups cooked rice. Carolina long-grain works best but any will do. This is a great way to use up leftover rice from other meals.
* three hot dogs, sliced into small disc-shaped pieces
* one cup small-medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
* black pepper
In the soup pot, mix the tomato soup with water. Bring it to a slow boil. Be careful not to let it boil over - tomato soup expands a lot when heated, moreso than broths.
Add the rice. When the soup comes back to a boil, add the carrots. Then the potatoes. Note the time after putting in the potatoes. Stir after each vegetable.
When the soup comes back to a boil after the potatoes, add the corn. Then the cabbage. When 15 minutes have passed since putting in the potatoes, add the shrimp. Stir.
When the shrimp are pink, add the hot dogs and black pepper. Let it come to a boil one more time, then turn off the heat. Stir and serve with crackers or bread.
06 June 2011
Bush Whacker - A Flash RPG Game on Facebook
Bush Whacker, by DJArts, is one of very few games on Facebook where the developers care about the game and respect their players more than just for the money in their wallets. Everything they do reflects how much they love what they do. Check out my full review here, then if you're on Facebook go check out the game. :)
05 June 2011
The Cul-de-sac Formation On a Four-lane Highway (Two Lanes Going Each Way)
 | In the cul-de-sac formation, you have two cars in two lanes. The one on the left is going only slightly faster than the one on the right. There's a huge line of cars behind the one on the left. There are no cars behind the one on the right. |
 | It's tempting to move into the empty right lane. Approaching the cul-de-sac formation from behind, it looks like you can drive faster that way and pass the big line of cars on the left. Maybe you think you can go up to the front, then cut back into the left lane and bypass everyone else. Suppose you succumb to the temptation and move into the right lane. For a short while you are indeed moving faster than everyone else. |
 | But then you end up behind the slow car at the front of the cul-de-sac. The cars on the left are going slower than you were, but faster than the car you are now behind - and (very slowly) they are passing you. Worse, few people want to let you back into the left lane. They're just as annoyed about the slow left passing as you are, and nobody likes a line-cutter. You're stuck there until the back of the line has passed - which might be farther back than if you'd stayed where you were. |
Don't go into the right lane. Yes, it's slow going until the car at the front left has finished passing - at which point it will either move to the right lane and allow everyone else to pass, or it will eventually pull far enough ahead that everyone else can pass on the right. Until then, just be patient and stay where you are.
Cul-de-sacs also form on highways with more than two lanes each way. It's possible for surrounding lanes to be so full of traffic that all lane-changing in and out is blocked. But the principle is the same - look far enough ahead at the cars in front of you and check how fast they're going before moving into what looks like an empty stretch of lane.
04 June 2011
What is an Ecosystem?
An ecological community consists of all the species at a particular place in a particular timeframe, and all their interactions with each other. An ecosystem is an ecology community, plus all the physical and chemical (abiotic) factors of the surrounding environment.
Learn what each part of the ecosystem definition means in this overview.
Learn what each part of the ecosystem definition means in this overview.
03 June 2011
How to Keep Cantaloupe for One
Love cantaloupe, but can't eat such a large fruit all at once by yourself? Here's a handy way to make it last longer in the fridge.
1. Cut the cantaloupe in half, then each half also in half, so that you have quarters.
2. Scrape out the seeds and pulpy bits at the center of each quarter, using a metal spoon. It's the pulpy bits that go bad first in a cantaloupe, so once you remove them, the rest will keep a lot longer.
3. Cut up only the part you plan to eat or use. You want to minimize the amount of surface area exposed to air in the rest of it. If you can only eat a quarter or an eighth (half a quarter), only cut up that much at a time.
4. Put the quarters you plan to store into a large resealable plastic bag. Heavy duty freezer bags work well. Squeeze out as much air from the bag as you can before sealing and placing into the refrigerator. It should keep for at least a week.
1. Cut the cantaloupe in half, then each half also in half, so that you have quarters.
2. Scrape out the seeds and pulpy bits at the center of each quarter, using a metal spoon. It's the pulpy bits that go bad first in a cantaloupe, so once you remove them, the rest will keep a lot longer.
3. Cut up only the part you plan to eat or use. You want to minimize the amount of surface area exposed to air in the rest of it. If you can only eat a quarter or an eighth (half a quarter), only cut up that much at a time.
4. Put the quarters you plan to store into a large resealable plastic bag. Heavy duty freezer bags work well. Squeeze out as much air from the bag as you can before sealing and placing into the refrigerator. It should keep for at least a week.
02 June 2011
Strategy Guides to Popular Facebook MMORTS Games
Massively multiplayer online real-time strategy (MMORTS) games have begun following in the footsteps of MMORPGs, and are faring quite well on Facebook so far. Popular examples include Kingdoms of Camelot and Dragons of Atlantis from Kabam games, and Backyard Monsters and the new Battle Pirates from Casual Collective.
Some strategy guides to get you started in the first three of these:
Guide to Kingdoms of Camelot for Beginner Players (screenshots are a bit out of date, but most of the info is still good)
Guide to Dragons of Atlantis for Beginner Players
Beginners Guide to Backyard Monsters
Backyard Monsters: Outposts Starter Guide
Kingdoms of Camelot was the earliest put out by Kabam, while Dragons of Atlantis is the latest. In between there was one called Glory of Rome, which has game elements intermediate to the other two that didn't really mix all that well, and thus Glory of Rome didn't become as popular. As a clone, it improved on a few things where KoC was lacking, and introduced new things that weren't quite there yet - that the next clone (Dragons of Atlantis) fixed.
Meanwhile, Backyard Monsters by Casual Collective (now Kixeye) has many similarities to the Kabam games, but has many anti-bullying aspects built into the game design. For example, there are level limits on whom you can attack, limits to how many attacks in a row you can carry out, how much damage you can inflict, etc.
The newest Kixeye game, Battle Pirates, has a base-building design closer to the Kabam games than BYM in many ways, but retaining the anti-bullying elements. It also introduces something that none of the others have: real-time battles with actual ships that you can actually control in micro.
In fact, with fleets functioning much like avatars in other Facebook games, combined with the sector chat, a whole new level of setting immersion and interaction is possible that I haven't seen since Farm Town.
I haven't written a strategy guide for it yet because my rule of thumb is that I don't know what I'm talking about unless I've played the game for at least a month. But stay tuned, one is coming soon. :)
And in any case, it'll be interesting to watch how things develop for Facebook mmorts games from here.
Some strategy guides to get you started in the first three of these:
Guide to Kingdoms of Camelot for Beginner Players (screenshots are a bit out of date, but most of the info is still good)
Guide to Dragons of Atlantis for Beginner Players
Beginners Guide to Backyard Monsters
Backyard Monsters: Outposts Starter Guide
Kingdoms of Camelot was the earliest put out by Kabam, while Dragons of Atlantis is the latest. In between there was one called Glory of Rome, which has game elements intermediate to the other two that didn't really mix all that well, and thus Glory of Rome didn't become as popular. As a clone, it improved on a few things where KoC was lacking, and introduced new things that weren't quite there yet - that the next clone (Dragons of Atlantis) fixed.
Meanwhile, Backyard Monsters by Casual Collective (now Kixeye) has many similarities to the Kabam games, but has many anti-bullying aspects built into the game design. For example, there are level limits on whom you can attack, limits to how many attacks in a row you can carry out, how much damage you can inflict, etc.
The newest Kixeye game, Battle Pirates, has a base-building design closer to the Kabam games than BYM in many ways, but retaining the anti-bullying elements. It also introduces something that none of the others have: real-time battles with actual ships that you can actually control in micro.
In fact, with fleets functioning much like avatars in other Facebook games, combined with the sector chat, a whole new level of setting immersion and interaction is possible that I haven't seen since Farm Town.
I haven't written a strategy guide for it yet because my rule of thumb is that I don't know what I'm talking about unless I've played the game for at least a month. But stay tuned, one is coming soon. :)
And in any case, it'll be interesting to watch how things develop for Facebook mmorts games from here.
01 June 2011
How to Get Into a Hot Car in The Summertime
Ever open your car door on a hot summer day and get blasted by a wave of oven-like heat? And then you have to stand there waiting for it to cool down so you can get in? Here's a way to get going a little faster.
Open All Doors
When you get to your car, don't go to the driver's side first. Start by opening the front passenger door. If it's an especially hot, sunny day, you can use the door as a shield between you and any blasts of heat that roll out when you open it.
If you have a rear passenger door, open that one too. If the back of your car is a hatch or gate or otherwise opens into the main compartment of the car, open that too. Keep going around opening all the doors until you get to the driver's door, which you open last.
Roll Down All Windows
Now roll down all the windows, starting with the driver's side door. Go back around opening windows until you're at the front passenger door again.
If your car has automatic windows, you might have to reach in and put your key into the ignition first.
Close All Doors
By now, most of the heat will have wafted out of the car - especially if there's any breeze. Close all the doors, starting with the front passenger and working your way back around to the driver's side. If your windows are manual crank, you'll probably want to close any that you can't reach from the driver's seat if there's any chance of rain.
Once you're back to the driver's side, get in before you close it. The inside of the car should be about the same temperature as the outside - much better than before you started. Now your AC (if you use AC) won't have to work as hard. :)
Other Heat Protection
A good, inexpensive way to keep the interior temperature down is car sunglasses, put in front of the windshield. These reflect sunlight away from the car at the place where most of the heat is generated (that is, through the windshield). Car dealerships often sell them specially fitted to their brands, while generic ones are available in department stores for less.
Fuzzy steering wheel covers are a good way to protect your hands from high heat (and also extreme cold in the winter). They make it much less painful to touch the steering wheel when you first get in.
Open All Doors
When you get to your car, don't go to the driver's side first. Start by opening the front passenger door. If it's an especially hot, sunny day, you can use the door as a shield between you and any blasts of heat that roll out when you open it.
If you have a rear passenger door, open that one too. If the back of your car is a hatch or gate or otherwise opens into the main compartment of the car, open that too. Keep going around opening all the doors until you get to the driver's door, which you open last.
Roll Down All Windows
Now roll down all the windows, starting with the driver's side door. Go back around opening windows until you're at the front passenger door again.
If your car has automatic windows, you might have to reach in and put your key into the ignition first.
Close All Doors
By now, most of the heat will have wafted out of the car - especially if there's any breeze. Close all the doors, starting with the front passenger and working your way back around to the driver's side. If your windows are manual crank, you'll probably want to close any that you can't reach from the driver's seat if there's any chance of rain.
Once you're back to the driver's side, get in before you close it. The inside of the car should be about the same temperature as the outside - much better than before you started. Now your AC (if you use AC) won't have to work as hard. :)
Other Heat Protection
A good, inexpensive way to keep the interior temperature down is car sunglasses, put in front of the windshield. These reflect sunlight away from the car at the place where most of the heat is generated (that is, through the windshield). Car dealerships often sell them specially fitted to their brands, while generic ones are available in department stores for less.
Fuzzy steering wheel covers are a good way to protect your hands from high heat (and also extreme cold in the winter). They make it much less painful to touch the steering wheel when you first get in.
31 May 2011
What caused the collapse of the Peruvian anchovy industry?
Originally landed on: A Brief Introduction of El Niño
Fisheries management is about calculating exactly how much fish can be harvested in a given fishery without killing all of the fish. If all fish are caught, none are left to reproduce and make more fish to catch later. Fisheries ecology is about making models that take into account everything about the life cycle of the fish, from early life history to diet to habitat use to reproductive patterns - then figuring out fishing seasons, fishing gear, size and catch limits, etc. that will allow everyone to do some fishing while harming the overall population the least.
The fisheries model for the Peruvian anchovy fishery was originally devised in the 1950s, before the nature of El Niño was well-known. It did not take into account the effects El Niño had on the fish, which was that the population was smaller. Fishermen therefore fished for them at the same harvest limits as normal years - which, during an El Niño year, is not a sustainable rate.
There was a strong El Niño in 1972. The fishery collapsed shortly after that.
Learn more about the basics of El Niño, La Niña, and the Southern Oscillation (ENSO for short), from both a historical and a modern scientific perspective in this introductory article.
Fisheries management is about calculating exactly how much fish can be harvested in a given fishery without killing all of the fish. If all fish are caught, none are left to reproduce and make more fish to catch later. Fisheries ecology is about making models that take into account everything about the life cycle of the fish, from early life history to diet to habitat use to reproductive patterns - then figuring out fishing seasons, fishing gear, size and catch limits, etc. that will allow everyone to do some fishing while harming the overall population the least.
The fisheries model for the Peruvian anchovy fishery was originally devised in the 1950s, before the nature of El Niño was well-known. It did not take into account the effects El Niño had on the fish, which was that the population was smaller. Fishermen therefore fished for them at the same harvest limits as normal years - which, during an El Niño year, is not a sustainable rate.
There was a strong El Niño in 1972. The fishery collapsed shortly after that.
Learn more about the basics of El Niño, La Niña, and the Southern Oscillation (ENSO for short), from both a historical and a modern scientific perspective in this introductory article.
30 May 2011
How to host a U.S. southern-style oyster roast
wild oysters
An oyster roast is a traditional outdoors party event on the southeastern U.S. coast. It's sticky and sandy and messy and hours of fun. Here's what you'll need to have one:
* freshly harvested oysters - quarter bushel per person. Keep them cool and damp before the roast.
* the burlap sacks they came in (or some large bath towels if there aren't any)
* a place to build an open fire
* a low metal table to put over the fire, to hold the oysters while they roast
* a shovel
* a hose connected to a ready supply of water
* tall wooden tables (standing height), preferably with large round holes cut into the middle, preferably laminated but covered in newspaper if not
* large plastic wastebuckets to put under the holes in the tables
* large, sturdy plastic baskets if interested in recycling the shells
* one roll of paper towels per four people
* oyster knives - one per person
* wide, shallow bowls of shrimp cocktail sauce - one or two per table
* a choice of sodas, beers, iced tea, water, or other beverages
* side dishes for people who want to attend but don't like oysters. Try a potluck.
Roasting the Oysters
Put the low metal table over the fire. Start the fire. When it's burning well, dump 2-3 bushels of oysters onto the table. Put the sacks over them and hose them down real good. Let them roast until their shells just start to open (check after the first ten minutes). Less time over the fire means gooey, juicy oysters. More time makes the flesh more firm. Hose them again as needed to keep them damp.
oysters roasting on an open fire
Set up the eating table(s) near the fire. If the table has a hole, put a wastebucket under it. If not, put two wastebuckets on opposite sides of the table - the key is to have wastebuckets within easy reach of any eater no matter where they're standing. In addition, if you plan to recycle the shells (to seed new oyster beds), have some separate baskets or buckets available to collect them. Place bowls of shrimp cocktail sauce and rolls of paper towels on each table. Spread the oyster knives around.
an oyster knife
Eating the Oysters
When oysters are done roasting, use the shovel to transfer them from the fire to the eating tables. Oysters will be steaming hot, so use caution when eating the first few. To open an oyster, insert the knife between the shells near the hinge, then twist. Be careful of sharp shell edges while doing this. Some people prefer to wear gloves while opening oysters.
pile of roasted oysters freshly shoveled onto an eating table
Oysters can be eaten plain by sucking them straight off the shell, or pulled off with the fingers and dipped in sauce first. Expect to get covered with oyster juices, bits of sand and mud. The paper towels will help. Keep the hose handy to rinse off hands when done eating.
opening and eating the oysters
After the Roast
After the party is over, if your eating tables are laminated you can simply hose them down to clean.
If you're interested in recycling the shells but don't know where to take them, check around with local environmental conservation groups, or schools with marine science programs.
basket of shells to be recycled
29 May 2011
How to pour Coke into a glass of ice without fusing all the ice cubes together
Do you hate it when you pour a can of Coke into a glass of ice, and all the ice cubes fuse together into one big lump? Here's how to stop them from doing that, and have independently floating ice cubes instead.
1. Fill your glass with ice cubes.
2. Fill the ice-cube-filled glass with cold tap water from the sink.
3. Place a clean hand over the top of the glass, then turn it upside down over the sink to let the water drain out while holding the ice in.
Note: you may wish to wash your hands before you do this step. Alternately, use a clean fork or spoon or other kitchen utensil to block the ice into the glass while draining it.
4. Turn it right side up and firmly shake the glass a couple times to check that the ice cubes are loose. Fill it with your Coke (or other soft drink). Voila - individually free-floating ice cubes!
This should also work well with other fizzy drinks you want on the rocks.
1. Fill your glass with ice cubes.
2. Fill the ice-cube-filled glass with cold tap water from the sink.
3. Place a clean hand over the top of the glass, then turn it upside down over the sink to let the water drain out while holding the ice in.
Note: you may wish to wash your hands before you do this step. Alternately, use a clean fork or spoon or other kitchen utensil to block the ice into the glass while draining it.
4. Turn it right side up and firmly shake the glass a couple times to check that the ice cubes are loose. Fill it with your Coke (or other soft drink). Voila - individually free-floating ice cubes!
This should also work well with other fizzy drinks you want on the rocks.
28 May 2011
Insects of the World: Scientific Classification
By far the largest group of living things in Kingdom Animalia, insects are wildly successful creatures in large part because they evolved flight. There are more species of flying insects now than there are anything else that flies or has every flown, combined, including birds, bats, pterosaurs, and so on.
The briefest version of their taxonomic tree looks like:
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Arthropoda
Class Insecta
The briefest version of their taxonomic tree looks like:
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Arthropoda
Class Insecta
- Subclass Apterygota - primitive wingless insects
- Subclass Pterygota - evolution of wings
- Infraclass Neoptera - evolution of wings that can fold flat against their backs
- Superorder Dictyoptera
- Superorder Paraneoptera
- Superorder Endopterygota - a life cycle that includes complete metamorphosis with distinct larval, pupal, and adult stages
27 May 2011
How to Make an Easy, Basic Spinach Tofu Soup
Spinach tofu soup is a standard home-cooked dish among Chinese people, not often found in restaurants. It's simple and quick to make.
Things You'll Need:
* 3 quarts pork broth.
* If you can't find/make pork broth and plan to substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth, you'll also need a quarter-handful of good-quality ground pork.
* spinach: one bundle (wash well) or one grocery store salad bag. Remember that raw spinach has five times the volume of cooked.
* one package extra-firm white tofu, cut into small cubes
* one bundle mei fun (optional). This is sometimes called "bean thread" and is a long, thin, translucent white noodle.
* sliced mushrooms (optional)
* Chinese-style pickled radishes (optional). Comes in jars or cans, sold in Asian grocery stores.
* eggs: one per bowl (optional)
* 1 teaspoon corn oil
* sesame oil to taste
* black pepper to taste
spinach, tofu, and a bundle of mei fun
Step One
At the bottom of the soup pot, sauté the tofu and any mushrooms in a small amount of corn oil, until the mushrooms are soft and the tofu is slightly browned and crisped. Also brown any ground pork.
Step Two
Pour the broth into the pot and bring it to a boil. Add mei fun and radishes (if using any).
Step Three
When it comes to a boil again, stir in the spinach. Cook for a minute more, until all of the spinach has wilted into the liquid.
If you're including eggs, drop them whole into the soup just before the spinach is done. Stir carefully until the whites are cooked, then turn off the heat. Don't let the spinach cook too long.
Ready to Serve
When serving, add some black pepper and sesame oil to each bowl. If the soup doesn't seem salty enough, also add soy sauce.
Things You'll Need:
* 3 quarts pork broth.
* If you can't find/make pork broth and plan to substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth, you'll also need a quarter-handful of good-quality ground pork.
* spinach: one bundle (wash well) or one grocery store salad bag. Remember that raw spinach has five times the volume of cooked.
* one package extra-firm white tofu, cut into small cubes
* one bundle mei fun (optional). This is sometimes called "bean thread" and is a long, thin, translucent white noodle.
* sliced mushrooms (optional)
* Chinese-style pickled radishes (optional). Comes in jars or cans, sold in Asian grocery stores.
* eggs: one per bowl (optional)
* 1 teaspoon corn oil
* sesame oil to taste
* black pepper to taste
spinach, tofu, and a bundle of mei fun
Step One
At the bottom of the soup pot, sauté the tofu and any mushrooms in a small amount of corn oil, until the mushrooms are soft and the tofu is slightly browned and crisped. Also brown any ground pork.
Step Two
Pour the broth into the pot and bring it to a boil. Add mei fun and radishes (if using any).
Step Three
When it comes to a boil again, stir in the spinach. Cook for a minute more, until all of the spinach has wilted into the liquid.
If you're including eggs, drop them whole into the soup just before the spinach is done. Stir carefully until the whites are cooked, then turn off the heat. Don't let the spinach cook too long.
Ready to Serve
When serving, add some black pepper and sesame oil to each bowl. If the soup doesn't seem salty enough, also add soy sauce.
26 May 2011
The Basics of Classical Genetics
Learn about Gregor Mendel's laws of inheritance in classical genetics from both a historical and a modern perspective.
Mendel's First Law of Inheritance: Segregation
Mendel's Second Law of Inheritance: Independent Assortment
More About Autosomal Dominant Inheritance
More About Autosomal Recessive Inheritance
Mendel's First Law of Inheritance: Segregation
Mendel's Second Law of Inheritance: Independent Assortment
More About Autosomal Dominant Inheritance
More About Autosomal Recessive Inheritance
25 May 2011
How to Make an Easy, Basic Chicken Noodle Soup
This chicken noodle soup recipe is quick and easy with a taste of marjoram and thyme. It can be made all in one pot and is ready to eat in about 20 minutes.
* 5 carrots, washed and chopped
* 5 stalks celery, washed and chopped
* 1 small onion, or half a large one, coarsely diced
* 5 pieces chicken tenders, or 2 pieces chicken breasts, chopped. These particular chicken parts have mostly meat and little gristle, and they come individually flash-frozen in big plastic bags.
* 2-3 cups egg noodles
* 1 gallon chicken broth. If canned, use a ratio of one can water to every two cans broth. I get the big, 50oz cans and use two of those (plus one can water).
* half tablespoon vegetable oil (I prefer corn oil)
* half tablespoon dried thyme
* half tablespoon dried marjoram. Marjoram is similar to oregano, except with more of a tealike taste. It goes well with thyme.
* salt and black pepper to taste
Start by browning the chicken in vegetable oil at the bottom of the soup pot. Add salt and black pepper. Stir often. When most of the chicken pieces are at least white, add the onions. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
Celery, carrots, and noodles in individual bowls, waiting for the pot to boil
Add chicken broth to the pot. Stir and let it come to a boil, then add the carrots and celery. When it comes to a boil again, add the noodles.
thyme (left) and marjoram (right)
Let it cook at a slow boil for 10-15 minutes, or until the noodles are done. Add the marjoram and thyme, stir it into the soup, then turn off the heat. The soup is ready to eat, but will taste better if covered and left to cool overnight and then eaten the next day.
Alternately, to get more taste into the chicken, you can also brown the chicken and onions in a separate pan. Add the marjoram and thyme when adding the salt and pepper. Add the contents of the pan to the soup pot after the noodles are done.
Final Notes
None of the measurements have to be exact. I don't often measure anything when making this soup.
Whether you add the herbs to the chicken in a separate pan, or into the soup at the end, the important thing is to not have them boiling in the soup the whole time or they'll lose taste.
* 5 carrots, washed and chopped
* 5 stalks celery, washed and chopped
* 1 small onion, or half a large one, coarsely diced
* 5 pieces chicken tenders, or 2 pieces chicken breasts, chopped. These particular chicken parts have mostly meat and little gristle, and they come individually flash-frozen in big plastic bags.
* 2-3 cups egg noodles
* 1 gallon chicken broth. If canned, use a ratio of one can water to every two cans broth. I get the big, 50oz cans and use two of those (plus one can water).
* half tablespoon vegetable oil (I prefer corn oil)
* half tablespoon dried thyme
* half tablespoon dried marjoram. Marjoram is similar to oregano, except with more of a tealike taste. It goes well with thyme.
* salt and black pepper to taste
Start by browning the chicken in vegetable oil at the bottom of the soup pot. Add salt and black pepper. Stir often. When most of the chicken pieces are at least white, add the onions. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
Celery, carrots, and noodles in individual bowls, waiting for the pot to boil
Add chicken broth to the pot. Stir and let it come to a boil, then add the carrots and celery. When it comes to a boil again, add the noodles.
thyme (left) and marjoram (right)
Let it cook at a slow boil for 10-15 minutes, or until the noodles are done. Add the marjoram and thyme, stir it into the soup, then turn off the heat. The soup is ready to eat, but will taste better if covered and left to cool overnight and then eaten the next day.
Alternately, to get more taste into the chicken, you can also brown the chicken and onions in a separate pan. Add the marjoram and thyme when adding the salt and pepper. Add the contents of the pan to the soup pot after the noodles are done.
Final Notes
None of the measurements have to be exact. I don't often measure anything when making this soup.
Whether you add the herbs to the chicken in a separate pan, or into the soup at the end, the important thing is to not have them boiling in the soup the whole time or they'll lose taste.
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