World War II veterans reflect on their service Wednesday, November 11, 2009  Post a comment | E-mail this story | Print  var addthis_pub="4a00a7c064d7b667"; Today is Veterans Day, which began as Armistice Day, proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson Nov. 11, 1919.In 1938, Armistice Day became a legal holiday and shortly after the name was changed to Veterans Day. Although the date was moved over the years, Nov. 11 became holiday's official date in 1978. Regardless of the date, the holiday remains a time to thank veterans for their service and contributions to America and its ideals. Bay News 9.com writer Rod Gipson recently sat down with two local veterans who spoke about everything from their war days to their feelings on Iraq and Afghanistan.   

World War II veterans reflect on their service Wednesday, November 11, 2009  Post a comment | E-mail this story | Print  var addthis_pub="4a00a7c064d7b667"; Today is Veterans Day, which began as Armistice Day, proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson Nov. 11, 1919.In 1938, Armistice Day became a legal holiday and shortly after the name was changed to Veterans Day. Although the date was moved over the years, Nov. 11 became holiday's official date in 1978. Regardless of the date, the holiday remains a time to thank veterans for their service and contributions to America and its ideals. Bay News 9.com writer Rod Gipson recently sat down with two local veterans who spoke about everything from their war days to their feelings on Iraq and Afghanistan.   

World War II veterans reflect on their service Wednesday, November 11, 2009  Post a comment | E-mail this story | Print  var addthis_pub="4a00a7c064d7b667"; Today is Veterans Day, which began as Armistice Day, proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson Nov. 11, 1919.In 1938, Armistice Day became a legal holiday and shortly after the name was changed to Veterans Day. Although the date was moved over the years, Nov. 11 became holiday's official date in 1978. Regardless of the date, the holiday remains a time to thank veterans for their service and contributions to America and its ideals. Bay News 9.com writer Rod Gipson recently sat down with two local veterans who spoke about everything from their war days to their feelings on Iraq and Afghanistan. 

The 1980 Tournament of the Americas, known now as the FIBA Americas Championship, was a basketball championship hosted by Puerto Rico from April 18 to April 25, 1980. The games were played in San Juan. This FIBA Americas Championship was to earn the berths allocated to the Americas for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. The United States did not participate in the tournament. Puerto Rico won the tournament by going 5-1 in the round robin. Because of the U.S.-led boycott of the Olympics, eventual berths went to Brazil, the fourth place finisher, and Cuba, the sixth place finisher.

•  Natural rubber (or latex): used to make many rubber products from electronic components to condoms. Rubber was responsible for the first economic cycle of development in the Amazon rainforest. Natural rubber is extracted from tall trees called "Seringueiras" and still today is a major activity for many families. •  Brazil-nut: the nut is actually a seed. The Brazil-nut is one of the biggest nuts of the world and is exported all over the planet. Local populations use this nutritious seed to make all sort of food and condiments; •  Guarana: is a small berry-like fruit that is very sweet and juicy. You can taste it in natural refreshments anywhere in Brazil , they are also used to make sodas. Brazilians are very fond of their guarana sodas and it's something they usually miss when living outside Brazil . Because of that you can find it in any city that has a Brazilian community like Miami , New York or Paris. People use Guarana to stay awake and active in parties and raves, since guarana has an effect similar to caffeine without the problems related to it. Nowadays some companies sell Guarana as a weigh loss substance, although its value for weight loss has not been proven.

Eaten Any Wood Today? You may have! And you probably brushed your teeth with it. Chances are you even dressed with wood. Skeptical? Don’t be. We’re all familiar with forest products like lumber, furniture, and paper. But few of us realize how many different things we regularly use that are manufactured from trees. In fact, more than 5,000 wood and paper products make our lives better each day. Here are just a few: Fruits and NutsFruit from trees such as apples and peaches, as well as nuts from trees such as walnuts, are all favorite products grown on trees. Bandage StripsTree gum, sap extracted from trees, makes the adhesive on bandage strips stick to your skin. Baseball BatsThe white ash tree is a hardwood that is used to make baseball bats—including, of course, Kentucky’s own Louisville Slugger! CandlesTree gum can be used to make candles. ClothingCellulose is used to produce rayon and acetate, which can be used to make a vast array of clothing such as ties, shirts, dresses, and suits. CombsWood pulp and cellulose can be used to make plastics for items such as hair combs. Cough SyrupCellulose products, used for their even-flowing consistency, often thicken cough syrups and other liquid oral medicines. CrackersNot only is the cracker box a product of trees, but the crackers themselves can be made using a high-purity cellulose. CrayonsGum extracted from trees can help make crayons. Eyeglass FramesCellulose wood fibers are dissolved and can then be formed into molded articles like eyeglass frames. Football HelmetsEthyl cellulose is responsible for making the hard, impact-resistant plastics found in football helmets. GumGum and synthesized essential oils from trees can be used to make chewing gum. Ice CreamIce cream can be made with cellulose, which comes from trees. LipstickCellulose can help give lipstick its easy-apply texture. MakeupMakeup sometimes gets its creamy texture from the tree derivative cellulose. Maple SyrupSap from trees is used to make syrup. Milk CartonsMilk cartons can be made from pulpwood. Nail PolishNail polish contains nitrocellulose to help make the polish glossy when it dries. NewspaperPulpwood is used to make newspaper, wrapping paper, book paper, and wallpaper. PaintMethylcellulose, a product made from cellulose, gives paints their thick consistency. Parmesan CheeseCellulose powder is sometimes used to help keep grated Parmesan cheese pieces from caking together. PencilsTree logs are used to make pencils. PerfumeTree bark is used to make “tall oil,” which cosmetic companies can use to make perfumes. Photo FilmLogs are reduced to pulp, and the pulp is processed to create cellulose acetate chemicals that can be used to make photographic film. ShampooMethylcellulose can be used to thicken shampoo and conditioner. Without it, they would just be soapy water! SpongesCellulose is broken down into chemicals that can be used to make sponges. TiresTree-produced chemicals can be used for making the synthetic rubber found in tires. Toilet PaperWood pulp makes paper products such as toilet tissue, paper towels, napkins, and facial tissue. ToothpasteCellulose can be used in toothpaste to give it a paste-like consistency.

From Wood to Paper:A Diagram of the Process & Chemistry Chemical Additives and Reactions A White Liquor added to wood chips.(Na2S + Na OH + Na2CO3) B Black Liquor washed out. C Pulp treated with Chlorine to oxidize Lignin. D Pulp extracted with Caustic Sods to remove Lignin. E Pulp treated with Sodium Hypochiorite(Na OCI) F Pulp treated with Chlorine Dioxide(CI O2) to increase whiteness. G Bleached pulp slurry. Rosin, Alum, Dyes, Clay, Titanium Dioxide (TI O2), added. H Paper sheet formed here through dewatering. Rosin and Alum react to size the paper (make it more waterproof). I Black Liquor (Spent White Liquor + Lignins from Wood). J Converts Black Liquor + added saltcake to Green Liquor thru combustion1. Na2SO4 ---> Na2S2. Na Lignin ---> Na2CO3 K Contains Green Liquor(Na2CO3 + Na2S) L Converts Green Liquor to White Liquor(Na2S + NaCO3 + Ca (OH)2 ---> Na OH + Na2S + Ca CO3) M Calcium Carbonate (Ca CO3) is settled out and sent to Lime Kiln. Clarified White Liquor goes back into new cooking cycle at Piont A. Chemical Additives and Reactions A White Liquor added to wood chips.(Na2S + Na OH + Na2CO3) B Black Liquor washed out. C Pulp treated with Chlorine to oxidize Lignin.

Respecting and ExtendingOur Wood Resource Today's near-zero-waste sawmills use computers and sophisticated equipment such as laser-guided saws to get the most lumber out of each log. In fact, today's mill recover about twice as much lumber from each log as did mills at the turn of the century. The wood fiber that is not usable as lumber is recovered and processed into other valuable products. These "by-products" of lumber manufacturing can become particleboard , oriented strandboard paneling, or other engineered-wood products. Byproducts are also used to fuel cogeneration plants which produce electricity for the sawmills. And wood fiber also is used to make such products as plastic filler, shoe polish, toothpaste, varnish, foam rubber, and much more!

What's Made From Trees? It's no wonder people have used wood products for centuries. Wood is durable, renewable, recyclable, biodegradable, energy efficient and environmentally friendly. What would your life be like without wood? Things made from trees touch our lives every day. More than 5,000 products come from trees. And there are many uses for wood that may surprise you. Trees not only provide wood and paper, but other less obvious forest products such as chemicals and other materials that are impor- tant ingredients in plastic filler, varnishes, tooth- paste, shoe polish, foam rubber and much, much more. Tree bark is used for mulches, soil conditioners, medicines and cosmetics. Once a log reaches a mill, there is virtually no waste. The entire log is used to produce either lumber, paper, particleboard products or energy. Nationally, forest product companies are one of the most efficient of all manufacturing industries because they use sawdust and other wood waste to furnish up to 75% of their energy needs.   Idaho Forest Products Commission©2005 All rights reserved.

What We Can Do To Save Them Learn and Share Information The first step toward saving the rainforests is to learn about them. Through reading we can explore the wonders of the rainforests without ever visiting them. Once we learn about them we need to share our knowledge with others. Letters to our congressional representatives can influence those in power and encourage discussion on the rainforest. And by talking to friends about the rainforests another person can become active in saving the them. Join Groups We can join a conservation group. The group can tell us what needs to be done to save the rainforests and how we can help. Or we can volunteer with the local zoo, nature center, botanical garden, or museum. We can learn a lot from the professionals that work there. Begin at Home Our own homes provide many chances to help save the rainforests. We can recycle all reusable materials. We can learn to use products made from rainforests in a thoughtful way. And we can protect living things in our own backyard. The plants and animals there also need protection. Ask Questions We can protect illegal trade of animals and plants from the wild by asking questions. We need to ask store owners if the plants and animals they sell were taken from the wild. Unless we ask questions, illegal trade will continue. Illegal trade leads to endangered species and extinction. Think Globally And we can encourage our local or national conservation organizations to help save the rainforests. It is necessary for all of us to be aware of and help with saving the rainforests. Although the rainforests cover on ly a small area of the world, far away from many of our homes, they have an effect on all of us.

AMAZON QUICK FACTS obtained from a variety of sources, simply organized, none verified and not meant to be the definitive guide to Amazon facts. The Amazon is the largest and densest rainforest on earth The Amazon covers 2.5 million miles, about the size of the USA west of the Mississippi If Amazonas were a country, it would be the 9th largest on earth Each minute the Amazon River discharges 3.4 million gallons of water into the Atlantic, 14 times the discharge of the Mississippi The Amazon runs 4007 miles from its origin in the Andes to the Atlantic, making it the second longest river on earth During its journey it touches and-or travels through 8 countries There are 200 major tributaries of which 17 are more than 1000 miles long and 10 of which discharge more water than the Mississippi Its vegetation represents about 1/3 of the remaining forest on earth and provides about 15% of the world's new oxygen Scientists have catalogued: 2500 species of fish 1500 species of birds 1800 species of butterflys 4 types of big cats 200 species of mosquitos 50,000 species of higher plants

Mojave National PreserveWorld Deserts World Deserts North American Deserts Protecting Deserts Home Desert lands cover incredible distances. Many who have driven through deserts in the United States may think they are enormous, but they are only the fifth largest in the world covering about 500,000 square miles. By contrast the great Sahara Desert covers almost 3.5 million square miles, the Australian deserts 1.3 million square miles, the Arabian deserts 1 million square miles, while the deserts of Turkestan have 750,000 square miles. Numerous smaller deserts are also scattered across the globe. All are unique, and have adapted to their own particular environments. Global Weather PatternsDeserts tend to occur in two belts that circle the globe. Both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere have this belt located between 15 and 35 degrees latitude, roughly centered over the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. This is no accident. The sun is more directly overhead the equatorial region so it receives the most intense sunlight, and this solar energy heats the air. Hot air has two important qualities: it can hold enormous quantities of moisture, and it rises up into the atmosphere. So hot tropical air tends to be moist and rise into the atmosphere. As this air rises it cools, condensing the moisture and converting it to water where it falls as rain. This is why rain forests tend to occur near the equator. What goes up must come down, and gravity pulls this mass of rising air back to the ground. Tropical air typically falls at about 30 degrees latitude on either side of the equator and along the desert belt, but robbed of its moisture it is now hot and dry. The result are often persistent high pressure systems that tend to block incoming storms, or push them into other regions. These patterns make deserts possible, but typically other factor must also intrude to make deserts a reality.

Hot and dry desertThe four major North American deserts of this type are the Chihuahuan, Sonoran, Mojave and Great Basin. Others outside the U.S. include the Southern Asian realm, Neotropical (South and Central America), Ethiopian (Africa) and Australian. The seasons are generally warm throughout the year and very hot in the summer. The winters usually bring little rainfall.

Sahara Desert Plants The Sahara Desert is often described as a bleak and barren plain. In truth, it is very beautiful and full of different Sahara Desert plants. Sahara Desert Plants Among desert areas throughout the Earth, there are two types. The cold type of desert, which is often found in Arctic regions, is an area that gets very little precipitation. The cold desert can be covered in snow, however, and the temperatures here are chilly and unsuitable for sustaining many life forms. The other type of desert is known as the hot desert, and this is what people usually think of when they picture a desert area. This type of desert is extremely warm and dry, with temperatures reaching unbearable levels, and little to no rain to sustain those who live here. The biggest of the hot deserts is the Sahara Desert, located in Africa. Although this desert is not the most hospitable place for organisms to take up residence, the Sahara Desert plants defy the odds and thrive here.

Animals Armadillo Lizard Banded Gila Monster Bobcat Cactus Wren Coyote Desert Bighorn Sheep Desert Kangaroo Rat Desert Tortoise Javelina Cactus Ferruginoug Pygmy Owl Sonoran Desert Toad Sonoran Pronghorn Antelope Thorny Devil Climate Return to Desert

A Food Pyramid in the Hot Desert Biome      Here we see a food pyramid that shows how the Kilocalories pass up the food chain.      The first trophic level is occupied by the primary producers, which are the plants.  Plants make food through photosynthesis. The limiting factor for these plants is the shortage of water, so they produce fewer than 200 Kilocalories of food for the animals for each square meter each year.     The primary consumers, who eat the plants, occupy the second trophic level. These animals have very little to eat, and are small. Many are insects, or reptiles, who are cold blooded and who use less energy to maintain their bodies than mammals and birds do. As food for predators, they provide about 20 Kilocalories per square meter per year for predators.      The predators are the secondary consumers. They occupy the third trophic level. Again we see cold-blooded animals, such as snakes, insect-eating lizards, and tarantualas. Only about 2 Kilocalories per square meter per year are stored in their bodies. In the harsher desert environments, they are the top predators.     In areas where deserts get more rain, more plant material is produced and a few tertiary consumers may be able to survive. They form a fourth trophic level.      This diagram shows the energy available at each trophic level in the hot desert biome. These numbers tell about the numbers of Kilocalories per square meter per year.  Cold Desert Energy Pyramid  Introduction to Desert Biomes  Return to Introduction to Biomes © Elizabeth Anne Viau, 1999. This material may be used freely for instructional purposes but not sold for a price beyond the cost of reproduction. Please inform the author if you use it at eviau@earthlink.net

What is a Biome?     A biome is a large area with similar flora, fauna, and microorganisms.  Most of us are familiar with the tropical rainforests, tundra in the arctic regions, and the evergreen trees in the coniferous forests. Each of these large communities contain species that are adapted to its varying conditions of water, heat, and soil.  For instance, polar bears thrive in the arctic while cactus plants have a thick skin to help preserve water in the hot desert.  To learn more about each of the major biomes, click on the appropriate heading to the right.  What is an Ecosystem?     Most of us are confused when it comes to the words ecosystem and biome.  What's the difference?  There is a slight difference between the two words.  An ecosystem is much smaller than a biome.  Conversely, a biome can be thought of many similar ecosystems throughout the world grouped together.  An ecosystem can be as large as the Sahara Desert, or as small as a puddle or vernal pool.     Ecosystems are dynamic interactions between plants, animals, and microorganisms and their environment working together as a functional unit.  Ecosystems will fail if they do not remain in balance.  No community can carry more organisms than its food, water, and shelter can accomodate.  Food and territory are often balanced by natural phenomena such as fire, disease, and the number of predators.  Each organism has its own niche, or role, to play.