Explaining Dragons

Monday, March 30, 2015

Concerning Fish: Of course.

Recently, GreenPeace has released a video criticizing the purse-seining industry (for tuna). Apparently, purse-seinning companies aren't happy about it. They claim that it is highly biased. Well of course they will! What else would they do?

Sit back and, be oh, right, we have a whole bunch of bycatch, whatevs. NO! Of course not! They will obviously counter GreenPeace's claims. Is this not human nature?

Whether or not either argument has significant value, I am currently unsure. However, what I will agree with, is bycatch must at all costs, be limited. Even if the purse-seining community contributes little to this issue (which is highly unlikely) it contributes! You know what happens when dozens, hundreds, or thousands of industries do the same thing? We end up with a problem. Common sense no? It seems not. When will people understand that if you do something, it is likely thousands, or millions of others do the same thing? And just as 1+1=2, 1+1,000,000 others = 1,000,001. If that makes any sense.

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Sunday, March 29, 2015

ridiculing

Ridiculing the ridiculous: "I don't like fish, so who cares if there'regone"

Anonymous 5:28 PM

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I'm starting a new series called: ridiculing the ridiculous. Which is a series by me, rebutting, frankly absurd comments. These lines are often the ones that catch us out, they are so utterly stupid and said in complete ignorance that we fail to come up with an argument. Not because we can't prove them wrong, but because we are caught off guard with the sheer naïveté.

"I don't like fish, so I don't care if they're gone."

So I assume you don't like dolphins, sharks, seals, bears, birds, or in fact anything else that lives and breathes? Indeed why should you care? It's only the stake of the planet you're talking about. Ever seen the Lion King? Remember the opening song? It's the circle of life. Ring any bells? Recall that everything is connected please. So remove all fish what are you left with? Well I'd like you to fill in the gaps. How's that dream of going to Fiji treating you?

Sharks

Concerning Sharks: It's about time

Anonymous 3:30 AM

According to WildAid demand for shark-fin soup has fallen by as much as 70%. About time. This of course is fantastic news, if these statistics are even vaguely true, it seems that sharks are finally getting a break. If shark finning had continued at previous rates, or forbid even higher, there would have been an inevitable collapse. Finally, they have a chance.

A chance to recuperate. We've waged war on a community that never asked for it. It's about time we act like the civilized creatures we like to call ourselves. Otherwise we better start asking ourselves what exactly civilization means.

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Saturday, March 28, 2015

Racehorses

Concerning Racehorses: This isn't living

Anonymous 5:21 PM

Born in a field.
Raised in a barn.
Trained from birth.
Forced to run.
Aching limbs.
Pounding heart.
Determined to please.
Can't go on.
Running from day one till they can no longer serve.
Sold with malice.
Shot without dignity.
Broken and alone.
Slavery is still a thriving business.

Wikipedia (labeled for reuse)

Friday, March 27, 2015

Opinion

Concerning Horses: Riding on hacks

Anonymous 3:00 AM

I ride. You probably know this if you be been following me for a while.

Every other week I ride on a hack. Not my favorite experience, especially in winter. Why you ask?

Horses are runners: they see danger, they run. Not the best response for the rider on top of the spooking horse.

Most freak out sessions are thoroughly avoidable if people (the general public) knew a little bit more about horses. Thus I an here to educate you.

1. For some reason horses don't like umbrellas, so we would all appreciate it, if you closed them.
2. Apparently Christmas trees are a source of terror, please hold them in an upright position
3. Leash your dogs! Please, don't let them run in-between, under, and through the horses: a. it spooks them b. if the horse spooks and kicks your dog, it probably won't be getting up anytime soon
4. Don't walk up directly behind a horse (especially with a stroller), if that horse kicks you (or your baby), the end picture is not going to be pretty
5. Please wait for a minute, until we've passed, to go sledding down the hill
6. Don't rev your engine, nobody thinks that's cool.
7. If you're a kid please don't scream, if you're a parent please stop your child from screaming, if you're an adult, I hope you've outgrown the tendency to scream

That's if for now. Some of these, whatever you'd like to call them, are not just to make our lives easier, but to prevent accidents. People need to understand that if a child runs directly in front of a horse, there is a likelihood that it will spook. And you don't want a horse to kick your child.

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Thursday, March 26, 2015

Science

Osmorality: Freshwater vs. Saltwater Fish

Hakuna Matata 9:50 PM

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Osmolarity. For those of you unfamiliar with the word, it refers to the concentration of salts compared to water. The higher the Osmolarity the more salty the mixture is.

Now all organisms need to keep certain internal conditions constant, this is called homeostasis. For most organisms these need to be kept within a narrow margin: temperature, pH, glucose levels, and Osmolarity.

So why do we need to keep Osmolarity pretty steady? Do you remember the concept of osmosis? The diffusion of water molecules across a semi-permeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration. Do you remember the structure of a plant cell? They have rigid cell walls allowing them to absorb water without any detrimental effects. They can also lose water and keep their structure. Do you remember the animal cell? No cell wall to be found. So what do you think happens when too much water enters it. Well to put it bluntly, it explodes. So yeah. We don't want that. On the flip side too little water will cause them to shrivel. Not sure what the negative consequences of that are... But it certainly isn't desired.

So our bodies need to be able to keep our cells in a isotonic solution. So what does that mean? An isotonic solution means that the concentration of solute (salts) is the same on the inside as the outside. This doesn't mean that there is no movement of water molecules into and out of the cell, but the net movement is 0.

What would have in the solution was hypertonic? Well if something is hypertonic there is more solute on the outside then there is on the inside. Meaning that water will move out of the cell to the higher concentration of salt on the outside, this will cause the cells to shrink.

If the solution it hypotonic meaning the concentration of salts is lower on the outside than in the cells, water molecules will move into the cells. Causing them to go *kaboomy*

So what does this mean for a water dwelling comrades? Freshwater fish live in hypotonic environments, meaning that water will want to go in to the fish. So what do they do? Well they only eat, they don't drink any water. And their urine is highly dilute. This allows them to control the amount of water in their bodies.

On the other side of extremes we have saltwater fish. They live in highly hypertonic environments. So what water wants to do is leave their bodies to go into the water with a high solute concentration. So what these fish do is drink a lot of water, and have highly concentrated urine. This allows them to maximize the amount of water in their bodies.

Hope this was vaguely interesting.

Opinion

Concerning Fish: Hehem.

Anonymous 3:00 AM

I think it's about time to refine our question. We've asked: how can we stop overfishing? And the answer: well I dearly hope it's rather obvious to you, stop (or at least decrease) fishing. Common sense, no? Alright, we know the answer to question one. And guess what? Fish stocks are going up. Finally.

Now guess what all the industries are demanding? Higher quotas. Hehem. Do you see the fatal flaw in this logic? I've even talked about it in other posts. So if you truly don't know the answer, feel free to read them. Anyway, perhaps the more essential question we should be asking is; how do we make people actually care about fish- beyond as a food source.

Now you understand the fundamental issue, people simply don't care about fish. Why? Well, I'm not entirely certain.

I guess they aren't fluffy: well neither are dolphins.

They live in a medium unavailable to humans: neither do birds or dolphins.

So in conclusion, I don't know. All I do know, we need to change this mind set. Otherwise we will remain in a perpetual cycle of unsustainable fishing and overfishing. Think of it like a yoyo diet. Not healthy, and at the end of the day thoroughly useless.

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Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Sharks

Concerning Sharks: And we call ourselves intelligent.

Anonymous 3:30 AM

And we wonder why sharks attack humans. I saw this article in the news today: "Watch dramatic moment daredevil swimmer jumps onto shark after being dared by pals". Jumped on top of a shark. Really? And we give them all this bad rap because they attack us. Of course. And we believe in justice. I truly weep for humanity.
A dare. That is all that is needed. You dare someone, and because they were dared they'll do it. Seriously? How can we do this and in the same breath say we are intelligent beings.

Why'd you jump on to a shark?
Well... I was dared.

How does this go unpunished? If someone tackled a human and their excuse was, "I was dared." They would, at the very least, be fined.

Reports like this, just emphasize the lack of respect many people have for animals. If you believe yourself to be more intelligent/evolved than another creature, alright that's you're choice, however, you also take up the responsibility for that creature.

Think of it like a monarchy. The monarchs of old believed themselves to be more powerful than their subjects (true), thus they were able to demand certain things, however, it was also their responsibility to protect their subjects. It is about time that humanity takes on the responsibilities of sovereignty.

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Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Poldark

Poldark Season 1 Episode 3

Anonymous 8:44 PM

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Well.... This took an unsuspecting turn... Nothing exceptionally weird, but I sense I won't be continuing my viewership. As I've mentioned previously I'm quite a fan of period pieces. What I'm not a fan of are dramas... Perhaps I should have listened to the end of this trailer. I'm not saying I don't enjoy the occasional drama, however, it has become quite apparent that this show is a drama, first and foremost, and pretty much nothing else.

It follows a somewhat similar structure to that of Merlin and Robin Hood, but strays from the comedy that they presented. Where Merlin and Robin Hood sought to retell these famous legends, Poldark looks more at relationships. Not saying they aren't interesting, but I don't enjoy shows where that is the main idea. If there is nothing besides romance present, I find myself losing interest. Merlin was more focused on the development of King Arthur, and his (platonic) relationship with Merlin. His (non-platonic) relationship with Guinevere does not take main stage. This is not the case with Poldark. It is a decent show, set in an interesting period of history, but I'm afraid it is not my genre. I gave it a try because it was BBC, and I've quite enjoyed their past shows, however, this is not quite my cup of tea.

I might still yet watch a couple episodes if I'm having a particularly lazy day, but I wouldn't look for any more reviews from me.
Sorry guys. All the best Poldark.

One more comment... The show also seems very rushed. Even if (pure) dramas were something I enjoyed, I would be annoyed at the pace the story unfolds. What about some character development? Not even that, what about developing the familiarity between different characters? Anyway, that's all for today.

Racehorses

Concerning Racehorses: When will people wake up and see the cruelty

Anonymous 6:38 PM

The racehorse industry has been allowed to run rampant- for 200 years!! As far as I know, every other industry has strict protocols. Don't you think you're forgetting something? Like, the only sport that puts an un-consenting animal at deadly risk? You'd think it would have the most regulations. But no. Because, as we've established logicality is not a strong point in animal conservation.
And we call ourselves "creatures of reason." Cute. Real cute. You keep on telling yourself that.

The Melbourne cup happened. Two horses died. Japan's Admire Rakti died of an unidentified heart issue. There should have been screenings prior to the race, to see if there were any underlying heart conditions. This is a pivotal test for human athletes. If they have a heart condition they cannot compete. Is it too much to give horses the same courtesy? Do you think they want to race? Do you believe this sort of racing allows them to enjoy their freedom? If you do, I'm sorry but your imagination has been substituted for fact. Fact and perceived fact are two completely different things. Just because you believe horses are having the time of their lives, in no way makes it true.

Freedom. Is freedom being forced to run everyday, with aching limbs, burning lungs, only to be locked up into a stable? If that's you're idea of freedom, slaves are free people. And if you agree with that statement, I can't help you. Go back to primary school. Maybe someone there can knock some sense in to you.

What these animals are subjected to, is nothing less of slavery.

Granted a number of owners/trainers care for their animals. But, this sport is simply not safe, nor humane.

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Monday, March 23, 2015

Racehorses

Concerning Racehorses: You're Welcome.

Anonymous 7:12 PM

For most racehorses, training begins as soon as they are born. With their first race at 2-3 years, these perilous races are known as, Undertack races. Many participants will end their lives on that track: with developing minds and bodies, many cannot hope to control themselves. Many will shatter cannonbones and shins, ending their careers and lives.

For those who survive, training will continue. In some cases, pain-masking, and performance-enhancing drugs will be added to the mundane routine.

These horses will comply, because they don't know not to. You think dogs are loyal? Horses, entrust their lives to their riders, they need to trust their rider without doubt. When you make them ride down that street, they are trusting you, that there isn't a lion behind the corner. Although, that is perhaps an absurd example, I hope you get the idea.

These 'lucky' horses, will put their everything in to complying. They will run their hardest. Give a horse a home. And they will give you their heart. You want to know what people do with it? Shoot it. Literally.

In the frequent occurrence, that a horse sustains an injury, the common practice is to euthanize it. If not euthanize it, sell it to someone who will sell it to a butcher. This is the thanks that they get.

They give us everything. And what do they get in return? Drugs, torture, abuse, and death.

Morality. Keep pulling down the cover of imagination. But, don't complain when I call you delusional.

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Movies

Movies to Watch Part IV

Anonymous 7:10 PM

Sorry... Here comes another one. Also, I've actually gotten around to watching a number of the movies on my previous list. So I'll be trying to review those as soon as possible. And last little comment, get excited for my reviews about One Piece by Shonen Jump :)

I've been a big fan of One Piece for a number of years now, and I can't tell you how long it took it get caught up with it. Before you start, this is the only anime I watch. And no I am not open to watching any others. Let me tell you One piece has almost 700 episodes, I am in no way willing to go through that again.

Without further ado:

Self/less

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I'm not entirely certain about this one. It looks somewhat interesting, but I can't quite tell... I'm all the way for science fiction, but this isn't really "real" science-fiction. At least not when compared to the likes of Star Trek and Star Wars. So let's see...

Paper Towns

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Well I've read the book. If I'm being honest I don't remember what the book was about... It's gotten to the point where I only remember about 5% of all the books I read. So out of the recent books I've read I remember The Magicians and The Fellowship of the Ring. Although, the second one may be a little bit of a cheat, since I've read that book 3-4 times now... Anyway, during that time frame I've read at least three or four other books. Do I remember them? Nope. So yeah... I remember enjoying reading this book, and if I had a day at a beach or something, I wouldn't hesitate picking it up again. With all that said, I want to see what the movie is all about.

Turns out that's it for now...

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Opinion

Concerning Kingdom Animalia: Rabies

Anonymous 3:00 AM

A human contracts rabies; what happens? They go to the doctor, they receive two shots. One that inhibits the progression of the disease, and another that will eventually eradicate it (in that person).

An animal contracts rabies; what happens? It's shot.

Well, I can evidently see what our society values. It's not that I believe dogs should be held above humans, however, as rabies is a disease that commonly affects animals, with detrimental consequences, would it not be smart to come up with a cure? For animals. And not just humans.

It's fantastic that we've come up with a human cure. Great, wonderful, I truly am pleased. However, shouldn't the next step be to find a cure for dogs, foxes, bats, and all the other mammals that are affected?

Who decided that we are worth more? Who decided committing mass genocide against foxes (to eradicate rabies), is just?

Currently, we have an epidemic infiltrating our ranks: Ebola. Anyone who suggested eradicating everyone who is infected, would be met with fierce (and deserved) backlash. It simply isn't a viable nor moral option.

Although, animals cannot be held on the same level as us, don't we owe it to them, to try? We know this disease exists, we've found a cure for humans, doesn't it seem possible to do the same for dogs? Shouldn't we try and find a way to solve this issue without shooting any animal with symptoms?

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Saturday, March 21, 2015

Opinion

Concerning Kingdom Animalia: "We hold these truths to be self-evident."

Anonymous 3:00 AM

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

I hope you know where this quote is from. If not, Google it. If we can't even apply this to all humans, what hope do we have for animals? Sometimes, I just sit there, and question how we got here. We may think we've evolved, advanced, become better than before. But at what cost? Have you taken a look around you?
Where have the trees gone?
Where are the open prairies?
The blue skies?
The flocks of passenger pigeons?
The schools of hammerheads?
The open blue sea?
The pristine ice caps?

Do animals not deserve rights? They are alive, are they not? They follow the seven functions that a living thing most follow. So? Why don't they have rights? Although, I'm not going so far as to say, they should hold the same rights as humans, however, they need to be shown some respect. It simply isn't humane to kill animals for their extremities, whilst they're still alive; force them to perform for their entire lives; or committing mass genocide.

For those who don't believe killing animals qualifies as genocide, here is the definition; "acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national ethnic, racial or religious group". It seems that these truths are not self-evident to quite as many people as we've hoped [and I'm not even talking about non-humans].

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Friday, March 20, 2015

Shark Tank

5 Shows You Should Consider Watching

Anonymous 7:31 PM

Although I follow a number of the more well-known tv shows, I also follow my fair share of other shows, without as much of a cult following. Some of you may have heard of of these series before, and if you're watching them, great! If not you might want to check them out.

Merlin

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First and foremost, this brilliant piece of cinematography.

It's a period piece, which I generally enjoy
It's a medieval history piece, which is even better
It's BBC, they have a pretty good track record in my opinion
Brilliant, brilliant chemistry between the two leads, the comedic timing for both of them is spot on
It's literally about Merlin. You know the wizard whose destiny it is to protect King Arthur. What more could you want?
"In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy- his name Merlin." - I accidently memorized this...

Unfortunately, this show was cancelled a few years ago, so don't be looking for any new episodes. Nonetheless, this three season epic is certainly worth watching.

Robin Hood

flickr labeled for Another BBC production, and just as good as all the others

Another medieval piece, and again a well-known legend (Robin Hood, I hope that's obvious to you)
I can't actually remember if I ever finished watching this show, but from what I remember it was fantastic
Again the two main characters have great chemistry, and play off each other very well.
Like with Merlin comedic timing is gold. Well maybe silver...
Again, there seems to be a trend starting here, the show was cancelled. So that's definitely annoying.

Poldark

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I've already briefly written about this show a couple days ago. Since there are only 2 episodes thus far, all I can say is so far so good.
And you guessed it, it's another BBC show. And yes. It is another period piece.Just look at it like this, if you like one of the above three, you'll probably like all of them. Incidentally, I tried watching BBC's musketeers, which came out to replace the cancelled Merlin ;(, but that one I did not enjoy. I don't even think I made it through the first episode. If you'd like you could give it a try, but personally, I didn't find it particularly riveting.

Gotham

Deviantart Hugh Jazz

This show I'd be surprised if some of you hadn't heard of it before. It's one of the many DC shows, that have been coming out recently. I, of course, also watch the Flash and Arrow, and I only left them off this list, because I figured the majority of people already know about them. And those that don't, probably don't want to watch them... Anyway, I feel like this show might not have quite as many followers, but I've got to say it's a fantastic show. Utterly captivating, and twistingly dark, it is certainly an attention grabber. It has a similar dark theme to the one Nolan introduced, although decidedly different. Following the rise of James Gordon and the beginnings of Batman, it takes an interesting new route. The only issue I've had with it thus far is their missed opportunities. For once it wasn't necessary to kill Bruce's parents off from the beginning, but lo and behold, they are shot in episode one. (Sorry, spoiler alert).
Highly recommend it. Although, if you are more of a fan of the Flash, this show is very different. There are no meta-humans, and the tone is much darker. If you are more familiar with Arrow, it is slightly more among those lines, although, I'd argue more twisted. Only because of the state of Gotham. You'll get what I mean if you watch it.

Shark Tank

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Surprise! Not BBC or superhero tv shows. A reality tv-show. Although, I'm not really sure if this constitutes as reality TV... I feel like some of you may be familiar with shark tank, and others not so much... The main reason why I watch this show is because I have a general interest in economics, I feel a basic understanding of the subject is vital when dealing with animal conservation. So yeah. This particular show has a lot more to do with an area of economics called "Theory of the Firm", the people going on the show are seeking investments from the "sharks", as they are all stuck in the short term plant period. So in order to expand, or meet demand they are looking for investors to increase their capital thus reaping the benefits of economies of scale. So that's why I find it interesting, in itself it can be quite enjoyable to watch, some of the product ideas people have can be quite innovative, and other times completely ridiculous.

So if you're looking for a new show, there you have it. Happy watching.

Solar Eclipse

The Aliens are Upon Us!

Anonymous 10:41 AM

I'm kidding. Seriously. I'm just melodramatic. What I meant to say is, today the solar eclipse! Just thought I'd mention it.

If I could actually watch it I wouldn't be sitting here writing this, however, since I value my vision I will have to be content here. Unfortunately, I have not obtained any smoke glass, in order to stare directly into the sun. Oh well, happy solar eclipse!

Wikimedia commons

Sorry for this rather pointless post....

Opinion

Concerning Fish: It's their livelihood. What's your excuse?

Anonymous 9:15 AM

One billion people rely on fish: whether that be as a food source, income, or both. Let me repeat that, one billion. This rant doesn't apply to anyone part of that one billion. Now calculate in probably another 1-2 billion people who also eat fish.
Personally, I eat fish. However, for the most part I try to eat fresh-water fish, and purchase fish from sustainable species, and packages that have been approved by Marine Stewardship Council. However, I could still reduce my consumption, currently I eat fish probably less than once a week. Anyone who eats fish as anything other than a necessity (whether that be for a living or a food source), is a contributor to overfishing.
The majority of people who rely on fish, continue with traditional fishing: methods that have been thriving for thousands of years. These methods, ranging from spearfishing to hand-fishing, are for all extensive purposes sustainable. People who utilize these methods are limited in their catch, and their methods are highly selective: meaning that everything that is caught is used. Unlike the highly unsustainable fishing practiced by developed countries.
It has reached a point where these fish reliant communities are struggling to survive.
We don't only disrespect fish. We disrespect people less fortunate. People who've lived off the sea for thousands of years, are now struggling to feed themselves and their families.

"We will never have true civilization until we have learned to recognize the rights of others." ~Will Rogers

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Reviews

The Magicians or Narnia or Harry Potter?

Anonymous 8:22 AM

I just finished reading the Magicians, or rather Harry Potter/Narnia, don't get me wrong, this has got to be one of the best books I've read. Immersed in fantasy with a modern twist, what more can I ask for? I'm sure some of you can understand the pain I go through to find a book even vaguely comparable to LOTR or even Ender's Game. It's been quite some time since I've found a book that's even in same field as them, until the Magicians.

It starts off rather similar to Harry Potter, although decidedly different.

a) the school is a university

b) our main character is quite loaded in terms of emotional baggage: on the edge, if not toppling over the cliff of depression, and in love with his best friend's girlfriend

c) the dark tone of this book becomes apparent rather quickly, although not explicitly. What am I saying? Finding a dead man is what starts off this entire story! So yes, quite dark.

The beginning of the book is actually quite different than other books, and this darker tone, certainly starts to seep in. In terms of the writing itself, it flows nicely and is more reminiscent of the writings of epic fantasy novelists, as opposed to the modern onslaught of simplistic science fiction. The interesting aspect of this book is this sort of removed feeling, I'm not sure if this was intentional, but I couldn't help feeling I didn't have a grip on everything. Which was actually very interesting and had me addictively reading. It's one of those books that doesn't hand you the story, you need to think a little for yourself. Which is a breath of fresh air, let me tell you.

Once we arrive at Brakebills, some similarities start to appear. Although at this point they are barely noticeable. It is a magical school for magicians so it does sound a little like Harry Potter, but believe me when I tell you it is nothing close to Potter. And sorry Potterheads, I've got to say I like this book a little more. Although I guess this is an unfair comparison, as HP is a kids' book whereas the Magicians is adult fiction (could be young-adult I'm not sure...). I'm currently on a train, so google is not really something I have access to. If you want to look it up, feel free.

So the first part of this book is absolutely fantastic, and you are never quite sure where you'll end up. Let's just say it involves geese.

It's the second part that has me asking questions. Namely when our friends graduate from Brakebills. Where do they go? The fantastical land of Fillory. I still found this second part very well written and an exemplar of story my issue is why did it have to be so similar to Narnia? As an aspiring author myself I understand the tendency to make a patchwork of other writings, however, that doesn't mean you can't mix it up a little.

Narnia: the "king/God" of nation is Aslan, a talking Lion

Fillory: king/God is Ember and Umber, talking sheep or rams or something

Narnia: 2 high kings and 2 high queens of Narnia, who are daughters of Eve and sons of Adam (from the human world)

Fillory: 2 kings and 2 queens of Fillory, who have to be from the human world

These are just some examples of how similar some aspects are. Now, the story itself is still rather different, yet there are some aspects that are so similar, and so unnecessarily similar. The book as a whole was absolutely brilliant and one of my favorites, I'm just wondering why he couldn't have changes up some of these more minor details so it doesn't sound so similar to Narnia that I feel the need to stop reading and ponder his choices

I'd recommend this book to almost anyone. Although keep in mind it is 500isch pages, not too long bit from experience some people find this difficult to manage. Let me tell you though, this book is 100% worth reading. I'm currently reading the second book of the series the Magician King.

Keep reading!

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Thursday, March 19, 2015

Opinion

Concerning Oceans: Do we have no dignity?

Anonymous 8:15 PM

This post is brought to you by, "Australian idiot" who surfed on a dead whale. Let's go through the steps, shall we?

1. On a boat with his friends
2. Sees a dead whale
3. Decides, the next intelligent thing is to get on top of the whale
4. Is too 'preoccupied' to realize that there are Great Whites eating the whale.

Seriously? Do you know why shark attacks exist? Because, of idiots like this. Of course, if you provoke an animal, it has a good chance of warranting an attack. Thank goodness, the sharks didn't attack this daredevil, otherwise the article title would've been something more like, "Man attacked by shark." This is what usually happens. The shark gets all the blame.

Even neglecting the school of sharks circling the whale, I have another bone to pick. Two bones actually.

1. Do you not have a sense of dignity?
2. Do you hold so little respect for other species?

If you want to argue that riding on the corpse of a dead whale is dignified, be my guest. I for one, believe this to be utterly barbaric. Not only is does this show no respect for the environment, it implies a total lack of sophistication.

"What did you do today?"
"Oh, nothing much. Just went surfing on the back of a decomposing animal."

Sounds great. You should put it on your CV. Sometimes, I truly question, if people think about what they are doing. If at any point this man, even allowed a lick of critical thinking to occur, he would've (hopefully) realized the idiocy of his actions.

At some point you have to grow up. And for goodness sake, gain some self-respect.

We don't live alone on this planet- think about that sometimes.

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Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Other

An Announcement

Anonymous 6:09 PM

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Dearest Readers, Followers, People in general, I guess if there is a very intelligent monkey who happens to be reading my blog posts this would be addressed to him/her as well,

Anyway, this is an announcement. As I hope you have already guessed. I am in the process of merging this blog (Serendipity in a Tea Cup) with my other blog (Concerning Kingdom Animalia), so if you are seeing an influx of posts this is the reason. I'm trying to schedule the imported blog posts more marginally towards this blog, nonetheless, be warned.

Also, this means some of the posts that are going up are outdated, this is because they were written before. Bare with me.

What this means for you:

Well, considering that my content is so divergent anyway, it shouldn't mean all too much to you, however, you must know that much of what I did on the other blog had to do with marine biology (see the new section I have built in to this blog for this purpose). If it didn't have to do with marine biology it had to do with animals. Also I will be introducing you to some friends of mine from that blog. The first two you will meet are named Nemo and Wake. No these are not people. These are two beluga whales I spend a large time watching over a webcam. Among them you will also get very familiar with Solomon (shark) and Bruce (Bull shark).

I hope this news is not upsetting to you, but rather fascinating. I must say the world of marine life is one to be in awe of, and I hope you will agree with me.

I would encourage you to look at some of the blog posts that will be going into the marine biology section, so that you know how to spot my friends Nemo and Wake, and how to tell them apart. If you aren't a fan of animals, well in case you haven't realized there was already an entire section dedicated to them on my original blog, and rest assured I will continued posting my more regular content as well. Which is mostly to do with tv shows, movies, and books.

Cheers,

Serendipity in A Tea Cup

SeaWorld

Concerning SeaWorld: Sigh.

Anonymous 5:57 PM

That SeaWorld has been getting some bad rap, is a gross understatement. The many issues surrounding their captive orcas have been grabbing headlines for months now. However, what many seem to be forgetting, is their other activities. Just now I saw another article about SeaWorld rehabilitating a rare Risso Dolphin. We would do well, not to ignore their good deeds. That isn't to say that something needs to be done about the current state of affairs.

Wikipedia "labeled for reuse"

Sharks

Concerning Sharks: Great.

Anonymous 5:54 PM

The article I've just read, has informed me that Western Australia has changed their shark culling regulations. The word "imminent" threat has been changed to "serious" threat. Essentially, changing the laws to allow shark culling if a shark is seen near an occupied shoreline. If the shark exceeds three meters, and is presumed to be a white, bull, or nurse shark, "preventive" measures are allowed to be taken, in the form of killing. With shark populations already declining world-wide, invoking a policy allowing sharks to be killed, merely from being spotted, is outrageous.

This adjustment, was made, obviously, to allow continued use of popular beaches. The reason, makes the means all the worse. So people can enjoy their vacation a little more, we are going to kill some of the most endangered species on the planet.

"Enjoy the beach. We've killed off the wild animals, for your continued enjoyment."

Wikipedia Tiger Shark "Labeled for reuse"

Sharks

Concerning Sharks: Sort of.

Anonymous 5:54 PM

Footage was caught of a ghost shark. Little is known about these oddities, however, they are probably a completely different species: although, related to sharks.

Also known as deep sea chimaeras, they are definitely not "lookers". The ghost shark researchers were able to film, was covered in parasites, and they claim it didn't look healthy. It makes me wonder, and dread, what other species may be facing. Is this shark's condition an anomaly, or are other sharks facing similar conditions? More importantly, is this a consequence of our callous actions, or is the cause natural? Regardless, I believe, more research should be done, to determine why this animal looks the way it does, and what is the cause for its parasitism.

Wikipedia "labeled for reuse"

Sharks

Concerning Sharks: My Condolences

Anonymous 5:53 PM

Another shark attack... This one claimed the life of an 18 year old boy on a fishing trip. He was reportedly bitten on the upper thigh, and subsequently succumbed to blood loss soon after. I don't wish to seem callous, with my reports, my heart goes out to all those who are lost and who've lost at the jaws of sharks. However, it must still be kept in mind, that these animals are not man-eating machines. The don't set out maliciously to attack humans. When compared to other death-traps sharks are relatively unlikely to harm you, you are more likely to die at the hand of a vending machine.

Nonetheless, shark attacks do seem to be happening more frequently. Although, I could be mistaken, unfortunately I don't have access to any exact values. If the media is anything to go on, they seem to be reporting ever more on shark attacks, which begs the question, why? What is the cause for these increased attacks? I doubt they've suddenly developed a grudge; could it be a lack of food? Although, this issue is, most sharks don't eat their human victims, so this is somewhat unlikely. If sharks are indeed, attacking more, I pray we find the reason as soon as possible.

Wikipedia "labeled for reuse"

SeaWorld

Concerning Seaworld: Another response. hehem. excuse.

Anonymous 5:15 PM

As I've been absent from the inter webs, for a couple months now, I have to get caught up on all the incoming news. Needless to say, it may take a while...

Let's begin here. I've just finished reading an article about another SeaWorld response, concerning, what else? Their orcas. Their reasoning has now evolved to include, "we need them for research into Killer Whales." Opposers, note a number of fallacies with this argument, mostly including their lack of research, however, all this aside, this is still nowhere near a sound argument. The excuse of so many, "research". This word has begun to take on a different meaning: namely, an excuse for almost anything.

Research, simply isn't a good enough reason to keep highly intelligent animals in confinement. If we tortured random civilians, but kept a record of their response, would that make it any less immoral? Why should "research" be any more of an excuse for SeaWorld? On another note, shouldn't we be learning about the wild orcas anyway? It is rather indisputable, that captive orcas are profoundly changed, in comparison to their free cousins, so how could their data be any help?

It is time for SeaWorld to own up to their mistake, and take measures to atone themselves.

flickr "labeled for reuse"

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Poldark

Poldark: A ramble

Anonymous 8:40 AM

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I've got to say BBC has been on a roll. At the time I wasn't paying attention to exactly which broadcasters I was watching, but in hindsight (great series btw) many of my favorite shows have come from the likes of BBC.

First and foremost: Sherlock. But even before then I was an avid follower of Merlin and Robin Hood.

"In a land of myth, and a time of magic. The destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy (man). Merlin."

Disclaimer: the above is what I remember it being from memory, so if it's wrong, well, look it up.

Anyway, I was watching something else on BBC (I can't remember what), and I saw the ad for Poldark. If I'm being honest, it mainly grabbed my attention because there was a horse in it... Also I quite like period dramas (I think that's what you call them..). I mean I certainly prefer series such as Merlin and Robin Hood, which are at least partially based off history. Nonetheless, Poldark has thus far been captivating enough to keep me watching.

I keep on visualizing Kili though... Who incidentally was the most memorable dwarf in the book (along with Fili, oh and excluding Thorin...). In the movies though, although memorable I did not like his story arc, as it deviated so thoroughly from the books. My I digress, this topic is for a different post.

Poldark is not at all similar to any series I am currently following, so let's see how it turns out. I have faith in you BBC.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Science

Superhero (Power Pose)

Hakuna Matata 9:51 PM

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Grey's Anatomy. Yes I watch it. I binge watched it a couple years ago.... Anyway, recent episode Season 11 episode 14 was certainly a grabber. This was a Amelia Shepherd centric episode, as has been expected. SPOILER WARNING, for future reference I will probably neglect these warnings. If you are looking at episode articles, you should probably expect spoilers. If you don't, you are kidding yourself. Please refrain from this.

I'm not actually going to sit here and write about the episode itself (there are plenty other bloggers who do this quite sufficiently). I want to write about something that I found quite interesting, and perhaps helpful. As Dr. Shepherd prepared to slice into the brain of Dr. Herman she talked about a "Superwoman pose". I'm not sure if those were her exact words... She told Stephanie that she'd read somewhere just doing this pose has the potential to improve your performance, to make you feel more confident. If I've hooked you this is the pose:

Stand up straight
Roll your shoulders back
Place both hands on your waist (making right-ish angles with your elbows)
Stand proud

In other words, the superhero pose. I tell you, if I could've have found a decent creative commons image that displayed this pose I would've have put it in. I couldn't, so you're stuck with my pathetic attempt at a description. If it really isn't sufficient you know which episode to watch.

I am someone deeply fascinating with any new scientific research, so I jumped on this idea. Apparently this idea of body language is quite an important one, "Certain 'power poses' don't just change how other perceive you, Professor Cuddy says. They immediately change your body chemistry." Now you may be asking who is this Prof. Cuddy? Well. She is a social psychologist at Harvard Business School. I hope that helps. She describes this body language as, "This pose, in which the animal or person is 'opened up' is one of the most common high-power poses." We can see this posture quite a bit in the animal kingdom, anything from swans to the flaring of a cobra. The nature of the position is that you enlarge yourself, you stand straighter, taller, and more confidently. When you are feeling threatened, or uncomfortable you natural response is to clam up, like, well, a clam...You hunch in your shoulders, you may wrap your arms around the front of you, you try to make yourself as small as possible.

In other words, if you want to be more confident use the Wonder Woman pose. Good luck to you.

Whiplash

Movies to watch Part III

Anonymous 7:23 PM

And here is Part III. I do think this is the last one. Well I hope anyway. I still have my series to keep up with :)

How to Train Your Dragon II

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I better watch this one as soon as possible, as evidently, I've been incorrectly schooled in training my dragon. Why else would there have to be a number 2? In all seriousness, I adored that last edition, so let's hope this doesn't disappoint.

Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens

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And here comes the next episode the the epic Star Wars series. Are you really surprised that I'm a fan? I know many of us have been disappointed with the last three that we were presented with, my motto? They can't make it any worse, so why not give it a try? If they do it right, it could be the restart of something grand.

Although, I've got to say some of the scenes, especially the one in the forest, seem a little too fantasy-like to me. A little more something out of our high fantasy series, so they've got me a little worried there...

Inside Out: by Pixar

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Who doesn't like a good pixar flick? Maybe this will be another shining star of redemption: or maybe not. But, it looks interesting, and I'm a sucker for Disney films.

Into the Woods

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Interesting concept. Meryl Streep was nominated for an Oscar. Surprise, surprise. Worth a glance.

Whiplash

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Looks fascinating. Yup that's about it. I played guitar once upon a time. Actually Clarinet too, I hated it. Through no fault of my teacher...

Media

Words of Wisdom from our Oscar Nominees

Anonymous 7:16 PM

a. Apologies for going awol. Again. Well I'm back. Hopefully...
b. I realize the Oscars were a month ago
c. I did not see all the nominated movies. Apologies, I have only listed the ones I have actually seen.

Without further ado here are the nominees, who have already been chosen... Hehem.

Terence Fletcher: "There are no two words in the English language more harmful than 'good job.'"

Benedict Cumberbatch: "When people talk to each other, they never say what they mean. They say something else and you're expected to just know what they mean."

Eddie Redmayne: "There should be no boundaries to human endeavour. We are all different. However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there's life, there is hope."

Julianne Moore: "I think I'll try to forget that just happened."

Felicity Jones: "Excuse me, did you say something?"

Keira Knightley: "Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine"