Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #21

I've never done this before, but this week all of the Blogosphere Roving items have a common theme: the ocean. Many readers of the Virtual Scratchpad know that I have several other blogs, one of which is The Right Blue -- all about the ocean and diving, illustrated by my own underwater photography. This week's Wednesday Blogosphere Roving entries reflect those interests.

For images this week, we first have an excellent gallery of photos depicting Oceanic Whitetip Sharks; next, a Frogfish (a favorite find of divers here in Hawaii); then, a photo essay on Remoras (AKA 'shark-suckers'), a fish species little known to those who neither dive nor fish in the ocean; and then, a collection of odd-looking marine creatures -- most of which are unknown to non-divers, but which are well-known to those of us who regularly spend time under the sea's surface; and finally, a photo of a Dwarf Moray -- a cute eel from Hawaii (yes some eels are cute!). I'd like to point out something about that final photo: we divers rarely get to see the whole length of the Dwarf Moray, because they tend to hide in their lairs, only poking their heads out from time to time -- at least during daylight hours.

Like the photos, this week's articles are related to the ocean, too. Three of the articles are about marine creatures (Penguins, Blue Whales, and Crown-of-Thorns starfish); another is about a new type of computer that could be used underwater -- maybe for blogging? (No, not really -- not yet -- but maybe for taking notes.)

And then there is deep-sea biologist Kevin Zelnio's article in Seed magazine -- part of the magazine's Why I Do Science series. Kevin's article really resonated for me. He writes of the constant novelty he finds in the ocean. Truly, this is the draw for all of us who venture underwater, and the magnet that keeps some us returning again and again and again, for a lifetime.

So then, without further ado, here are this week's offerings:

Images:

• Oceanic Whitetip Sharks - by Cor & Julie in Underwater World


• Frogfish - by Steve in A Kona Hawaii Scuba Diver


• Remoras - by David in One Diver's Perspective


• Odd-looking Marine Animals - in Dark Roasted Blend


• Dwarf Moray - by Andrew Cooper in A Darker View

Articles:

• Wiring penguins to keep watch on the food chain - by in Penguin Geek


• Do healthy reefs protect themselves? - by Kate Wing in blogfish


• Blue Whales' Songs Deepen - by Emily in Ocean Blog


• Sciday: Ocean Blogging…from Underwater?! - by Jason in Cephalopodcast


• On the allure of the ocean's novelty - by Kevin Zelnio in Seed

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And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week.

In The Right Blue:

• Marine Mammals in The Right Blue - from whales to seals
  

In B N Sullivan - Photography:

• Royal Poinciana in Profusion - Brightly colored blossoms
  

In my aviation news blogs:

• Garuda pilot goes on trial for 2007 crash at Yogyakarta - in Aircrew Buzz


• Emirates Airbus A380 Cabin Interior and Special Luxury Features - in Cabin Crew News


• Near mid-air collision at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport - in Professional Pilot News

That this week's roundup!

Converting Solar Energy to Electricity

Here is a brief and straightforward explanation of how the sun's energy can be converted into electricity using photovoltaic panels:



(If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on YouTube.)

Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #20

This week's found images all display aspects of nature, yet they are varied in subject matter: Earth, sea, plants, and animals. The images range in mood from the dramatic to the sublime.

Regular readers of this blog know that I live on the Big Island of Hawaii, home of Kilauea volcano. For an assortment of reasons, the volcano is prominent in the consciousness of all of us who live here. We are accustomed to seeing images of Kilauea in the local press, on TV, and in our friends' photo albums. Given that familiarity, trust me when I say that Donna & Steve O'Meara's recently published photo of Kilauea is one of the most dramatic and stunning photos I have ever seen of our local volcano.

Also from Hawaii, fellow Big Island blogger Andrew Cooper's image is of a sunset-burnished Wiliwili, a tree native to our area. Montucky shows us a collection of wildflowers from Montana, all of which were unfamiliar to me -- and some of which are new even to her! -- (and she knows her local wildflowers). Next is Jennifer Robin's photo essay about some personable chipmunks that visit her regularly (and of course she has named them). Finally, Patrick Morand produces a moody image -- a long exposure of the sea and the sky, with rocks in between.

Among this week's blog articles, the first two are about nature. In fact, I considered including them in the image section, since both include wonderful photos. They ended up in the article section because in addition to having eye appeal, they are information rich as well. Bob Johnson's piece is about viewing and photographing the aurora borealis, while Jennifer Schlick presents a primer on telling the boys from the girls -- boy birds and girl birds, that is.

Next, Will Taft gives us food for thought about the relative value of fresh water. Then JD offers some horror tales about what can happen (and not happen) when the technologies most of us take for granted are not well understood -- or are even misunderstood -- by police and other law enforcement officials. Finally, historian Mark Stoneman's most recent article comments on the recent capture of Radovan Karadzic, one of the great villains of our time. Mark's article includes an excellent list of supplementary readings regarding this singularly evil man, his misdeeds, and his ultimate downfall.

So then, without further ado, here are this week's offerings:

Images:

• Pssst! Want to see an amazing new Kilauea volcano photo? - by Donna & Steve O’Meara in Hawai'i Today


• Wiliwili Red - by Andrew Cooper in A Darker View


• July: they keep on blooming - by Montucky in Montana Outdoors


• Meet the Chipmunks - by Jennifer Robin in Robin's Woods


• When the gray sky makes the sea gray - by Patrick Morand in French Landscapes

Articles:

• Auroras Gone Wild - by Bob Johnson in Black holes and astrostuff


• Telling Boys From Girls - by Jennifer Schlick in A Passion for Nature


• Water Will Be the Next Oil - by Will Taft in Healthy Living


• Justice Should be Blind, but not Computer Illiterate - by JD in Techfun


• Radovan Karadzic is History - by Mark Stoneman in Clio and Me

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And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week.

In The Right Blue:

• Scenes from The Right Blue's First Year - six of our favorite photos of underwater scenery from the past year

In B N Sullivan - Photography:

• Buster In Profile - a portrait of my kitty!
  

In my aviation news blogs:

• New FAA rule aims to prevent catastrophic fuel tank explosions in planes - in Aircrew Buzz


• Flight attendant to ride Rocketplane into space - in Cabin Crew News


• NTSB investigating two runway incursions at Teterboro Airport - in Professional Pilot News

That this week's roundup!

Blogging the Vog: Two positive developments

Regular readers of this blog know that I closely follow developments concerning a local problem here on the Big Island of Hawaii, called "vog." Vog is volcanic smog -- a product of emissions from Kilauea volcano, which is located on our island.

Vog is a kind of air pollution that we Big Islanders have had to deal with from time to time over the past 25 years. Kilauea has been erupting continuously since 1983, but this past spring it entered a more vigorous eruptive phase. As a result, in recent months we have had contend with more vog, more frequently.

The vog creates problems for human and animal health, and has had negative effects on local agriculture. Since scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory have concluded that Kilauea likely will continue erupting indefinitely, local residents are wondering what can be done to mitigate the effects of vog on their health and their livelihoods.

In the past several days, two new developments have been announced. First, we learned that farmers in Hawaii will be eligible for disaster relief under new Federal legislation called the 2008 Farm Bill. An article in West Hawaii Today about provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill quoted Congresswoman Maizie Hirono, who voted for the bill:

"This program is designed to help farmers across the island chain," she said. "The most recent example can be found on the Big Island, where crops have been destroyed by the ongoing spread of vog. I hope the affected farmers will take advantage of this federal opportunity."

State Rep. Robert Herkes, who heads a Special Committee on Vog Effects in the Hawaii House of Representatives hailed the enactment of the 2008 Farm Bill, noting, "The protea and cut flower growers in Ocean View and Wood Valley in particular have been hard hit and this financial relief is especially welcome and timely."

The second newsworthy development is that a team from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will come to the Big Island next month to assess the health risks from vog. According to West Hawaii Today, the visiting CDC team, which will include investigators from the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, will meet with officials from the state Department of Health, and others, "to do an environmental health risk analysis and assessment of the volcano's emissions, and develop strategies to mitigate their effects."

The vog task force includes Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim, and representatives of the county Fire Department; state Departments of Health, Civil Defense, Public Safety, and Agriculture; the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources; the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency; Hawaiian Volcano Observatory; and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

We all will look forward to learning the task force's findings.

To read more of what I have written about Kilauea volcano and the vog, click here.

[Photo Source]

Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #19

Since I do underwater photography myself, I'm always on the lookout for top quality images from beneath the surface of the sea. This week, two of my found images are in that category, although they are completely different from each other. First is a superb underwater photo by Roger Horrocks that is nothing short of dreamy. Next, Cor & Julie show us an entirely new subject for underwater photography: pigs!! (Yes, real piggies, as in oink, oink.) That collection gets maximum points for originality!

The next three images have a common thread: Amazing color. Artist Carol Cooper presents her newest collection, called Hyperborea. Make sure you click on the link in her post to view the entire stunning Hyperborea collection. Craig, a photographer from South Africa, shows us a Dragon Boat, in rich primary colors. Finally, Sean Unruh's image of a vast field of sunflowers is dazzling. I saw such a sight once myself, in Spain, and I will never forget it.

(Can you believe it? No bird photos again this week!)

Among this week's blog articles, Tammy Erickson explores the notion of abandoning the traditional work week concept -- a concept that has become rather meaningless, especially to those of us who work online from home. Kathryn's 30 creative date ideas that don't cost a lot of money don't apply only to 'dates' in the traditional sense. Think about some of these ideas for yourself, or your entire family. Erik Johnels offers a step-by-step method for producing a press release. If you've ever thought of using a press release to publicize your business, website, or blog, but you didn't want to bother with an agency, this is the article to read. Next, we've all heard of (and probably used) Google maps, with driving directions -- but did you know that you can get walking directions, too? Makes sense, of course, but until it was pointed out, it had not occurred to me. Finally, Trisna sets forth an easy-to-follow set of instructions for how to turn a photo into a sketch -- with software, of course.

So then, without further ado, here are this week's offerings:

Images:

• BBC Sardine Run Shoot 2008 Kicks Off - by Roger Horrocks in Digital Imagery Blog


• Pigs On the Beach - by Cor & Julie in Underwater World


• Announcing a New Series: Hyperborea - by Carol Cooper in Compass WebWorks


• Dragon Boat - by Craig in Cape Town Photoblog


• Italian Sunflowers- by Sean Unruh in Dust and Rust

Articles:

• Do We Need Weekends? - by Tammy Erickson in Tammy Erickson - Across the Ages


• 30 Creative Date Ideas That Don’t Cost A Lot Of Money - by Kathryn in Money Saving Blog


• How to Write a Killer Press Release - by Erik Johnels in The Weakest Link


• Google's Handy Walking Directions To Pick Up Where Ask.com Left Off - by Dan Frommer in Silicon Alley Insider


• Turn Your Photo into a Sketch - by Trisna in Chronicles of Trisna

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And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week.

In The Right Blue:

• The Right Blue's 1st Birthday Review - six of our favorite underwater photos from the past year

In B N Sullivan - Photography:

• Princess Michiko Hibiscus - one of the less common hibiscus varieties in our garden
  

In my aviation news blogs:

• NTSB photos and update on the incident involving Sen. Obama's plane - in Aircrew Buzz


• American Airlines cutting 900 flight attendant jobs - in Cabin Crew News


• FAA will install new Runway Status Lights at major airports across the U.S. - in Professional Pilot News

That this week's roundup!

Hawaii Sunshine: Not just for tanning

See that solar water heater in the photo at right? We have one just like it on the roof of our present house, which was built in 1997. In all that time, we have never run out of hot water. There have been times -- such as after a spell of three rainy days in a row -- when we had to turn the hot water on all the way when we showered instead of diluting it with cold as we usually do, but those instances have been few.

Hawaii, where I happen to live, is a sunny place. Everyone knows that. So I have wondered forever why more of my neighbors don't install solar water heaters in their homes. Now that energy costs are greater than ever before, it is even more of a head scratcher that so many people in Hawaii still rely on electricity to heat water for their homes, especially since Hawaii currently has the highest electricity costs in the United States.

That situation soon will change, at least for newly constructed homes. On June 26, 2008, Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle signed into law a bill that requires all new homes built after January 1, 2010, to be equipped with solar or other energy efficient hot water systems. Hawaii is the first state in the nation to pass such a law.

“This solar power legislation is another important step in our long-term plan for energy independence in Hawai‘i,” said Governor Lingle. “In addition to solar, it is critical that we continue to develop innovative energy solutions that capitalize on our natural renewable resource advantages in order to achieve our goal of having 70 percent clean energy in Hawai‘i by 2030.”

Here on the Big Island, another step was taken recently toward that clean energy goal at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA) facility in Kailua-Kona, where ground was broken for a "solar power farm." The facility, near the Kona International Airport at Keahole, will be run by Hawaii-based solar power and technology company Sopogy. The solar farm will not use traditional photovoltaic panels but will instead use new concentrated solar power technology, according to an article about the project in West Hawaii Today.

"If it performs like it's performed in tests, we will be able to cut the cost of energy for people in Kona by half," said Sopogy President and CEO Darren Kimura. "As planned, it's the largest solar project in Hawaii. If we're successful, we could cover from here (NELHA) to the airport with solar panels and power Kona."

The new facility will use a technology, called MicroCSP, which was developed in Hawaii for local conditions. The technology already has been tested successfully at some Hawaii hotels.

Mr. Kimura explained that, while Hawaii gets lots of sunlight, its proximity to the ocean -- and the resulting humidity -- increases cloud cover, which limits the effectiveness of the traditional photovoltaic panels that need direct sunlight. Unlike photovoltaic panels, the MicroCSP collectors concentrate thermal energy, which is present even when there is no direct sunlight.

Traditional photovoltaic panels, which are made mostly of glass, are fragile and can break when storms or strong winds pass over them. Sopogy's MicroCSP collectors are less fragile, and are designed to flip over at night to prevent damage from wind and rain. Another feature of the MicroCSP collectors is their energy storage capability, which will enable them to provide consistent energy that will not fluctuate.

Sopogy hopes to have the new solar farm operational by the end of this year. Dare I say -- this is a bright development for Kona.

[Photo Source]

UPDATE Aug. 4, 2008: This article has been included in the 12th Carnival of Aloha, a blog carnival hosted at Homespun Honolulu. Please click on over there to see more articles about life in Hawaii.

Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #18

First among this Wednesday's found images, Mark Thorpe, known for his underwater camera work, tries out his new super macro lens on land on some tiny insects. Looks to me like that new lens works just fine! Next, a fascinating two-part presentation from Cathy, who shows us a 4th of July parade in a small Alaskan town 33 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Then, Jinghui gives us a look at a very lovely Russian tall ship, and Dawn documents the life stages of a magnolia blossom.

(Can you believe it? No bird photos this week!)

Among this week's blog articles, Gary Arndt takes time out from his travels and picture taking to describe his impressions of Papua New Guinea; G.G. tells the best chicken story I've come across in a long time (and I'm a connoisseur of chicken stories!); Michael Arrington expresses some thoughts about voicemail that I happen to share; and Dr. Nicole Sundene offers some good suggestions for what to eat or drink if you just can't get to sleep. And to wind things up this week, Michelle Bennett writes about developing geothermal energy from volcanoes as an alternative source of power, a subject that interests me greatly since I happen to live on an island with a (very) active volcano.

So then, without further ado, here are this week's offerings:

Images:

• Macro Bug Bites, hard!!! - by Mark Thorpe in CamDiver Chronicles


• I Love a Parade... - by Cathy in Keeping it Real at 66 Degrees North Latitude


• I Love a Parade, Part 2 - by Cathy in Keeping it Real at 66 Degrees North Latitude


• Visit by Pallada from Russia - by Jinghui in Photojournalism, Travel, and Nature Photography


• Life Cycle of a Magnolia- by Dawn in Photoblog

Articles:

• Reflections on Papua New Guinea - by Gary Arndt in Everything Everywhere


• About Bob ... - by G.G. in Guilty Gardener


• Think Before You Voicemail - by Michael Arrington in TechCrunch


• The Best Bedtime Snacks for Insomniacs - by Dr. Nicole Sundene in Kitchen Table Medicine


• Harness a Volcano to Power Your Town - by Michelle Bennett in CleanTechnica

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And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week.

In The Right Blue:

• Sipadan Island - Being there, Part 3 - dining in (relative) style on a remote island off the coast of Borneo

In B N Sullivan - Photography:

• Sonoran Desert, Arizona - the unique landscape of southern Arizona
  

In my aviation news blogs:

• Emergency diversion for Sen. Obama's chartered plane - in Aircrew Buzz


• 79 year old Continental Airlines flight attendant retires - in Cabin Crew News


• Near midair collision at JFK airport - in Professional Pilot News

That this week's roundup!

Dramatic Video of Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano

Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii put on quite a show on the Fourth of July, some of which is recorded on this Associated Press video. The video depicts lava from the east rift zone of Kilauea entering the Pacific Ocean. As soon as the lava hits the water, it creates a huge steam plume.

Next, the video shows bursts of lava shooting skyward and then splashing back down to the surface. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website explains that these are lava bubble bursts, caused by water seeping into the lava tube system through cracks. The water quickly flashes into steam, which expels lava into the air.

Near the end of the video there is a brief sequence that shows lava flowing through and igniting an area of vegetation.



(If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on YouTube.)

Wednesday Blogosphere Roving #17

This Wednesday's found images include a two-part presentation of jellyfish photos; an evocative representation of a beautiful summer day in Minnesota; an image that shows some of the detail on a famous building in Barcelona designed by Gaudi; and a wonderful series on the care and feeding of young starlings in Norway.

Among this week's blog articles, Mark Stoneman opines on the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the right to gun ownership (and be sure to read the comments at the end of the post for some thoughtful elaboration); Jenn Thorsen shows us some postcards from the Victorian era that commemorate American Independence Day; Evelyn presents a sampler of Hawaii blogging; and Ritu theorizes about how trying to 'game the system' at social media sites such as Digg might end up to be self-defeating.

Finally, after hearing the rumors about a purported link between certain vaccines and childhood autism, Chris decides to find out for himself whether or not those rumors are credible before he proceeds to have his baby son immunized. A scientist himself, Chris knows how to find, evaluate, and interpret pertinent research literature, and he shares his conclusions with his readers.

So then, without further ado, here are this week's offerings:

Images:

• Jellyfish - by T. Bruce in Eyes Mind Heart


• Jellyfish - Part 2 - by T. Bruce in Eyes Mind Heart


• Minnesota Clouds Late June - by Danny in Waking Up to Another Beautiful Day


• Ironwork on Balcony at La Pedrera or Casa Mila in Paseo de Gracia, Barcelona, Spain - by Carlos in Barcelona Photoblog


• Pictures of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) feeding their young- by Thomas Laupstad in Photos from Northern Norway

Articles:

• Accepting the Court’s Decision on the Second Amendment - by Mark Stoneman in Stoneman's Corner


• Having a Blast with Victorian Fourth of July Postcards - by Jenn Thorsen in Thrift Shop Romantic


• Summer Speeds Up at the Carnival of Aloha! - by Evelyn in Homespun Honolulu


• The Autobury & System Gaming Connection: A Theory - by Ritu Pant in NetHackz


• The MMR vaccine and autism - truth, lies and the media - by Chris in chrisdellavedova.com

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And here is an assortment of things I posted on my other blogs during the past week. (NB: Usually I post one example from each blog, but this week there's another two-part tale in The Right Blue.)

In The Right Blue:

• Sipadan Island - Being there, Part 1 and Part 2 - a 'two-fer' about this tiny, remote island off the coast of Borneo

In B N Sullivan - Photography:

• Aspen's Dancing Fountain - another in a series of photos from my recent visit to Aspen, Colorado
  

In my aviation news blogs:

• Frontier Airlines joins the capacity reduction juggernaut - in Aircrew Buzz


• NetJets flight attendant sues Jennifer Lopez over dog bite, injuries - in Cabin Crew News


• New safety recommendations for operators of turbojet aircraft - in Professional Pilot News

That this week's roundup!