Sunday, October 10, 2010

A More Ancient World (Biodiversity Diary): Coevolution

by matching mole

We tend to think of evolution as a march through time, a climb out of the primeval ooze.  In reality evolution is more like an 87 dimensional game of Snakes and Ladders (also called, as I am told by those who spent their childhood in the US of A, Chutes and Ladders). There are many directions in which you can go up and many that will take you down.  One important reason for this is that the evolutionary landscape is really a stormy sea.  It isn't static and it isn't wholly blind to the fate of the organism.  In fact major components of the environment are evolving in concert.

We think of the environment as exerting a continuous influence resulting in evolutionary peaks, analogous to this volcano in the Andes (on the left).  But the biological environment is changeable, like the clouds around the mountain.



continued at Daily Kos....

Sunday Train: Northeastern HSR Alignments & The Move to Tuesdays

by BruceMcF

Burning the Midnight Oil for Living Energy Independence

This is a fairly short Sunday Train, but I thought I better get something posted, so I had somewhere to put this scheduling announcement:

  • Due to a new prep on Monday Morning this coming Fall term, the Sunday Train is temporarily moving to Tuesday Evenings until the end of year Holidays, starting next week (19 October)

The actual Sunday Train portion is about one element of the Amtrak proposal for a High Speed Rail corridor for the Northeast: the alignment. At the preliminary proposal stage, an alignment must be selected for study so that preliminary cost and patronage estimates can be performed. However, if the decision is made to go ahead, a range of alignments will be (and, indeed, must be) studied.

So tonight I take a brief look at the alignment options from the report.



continued at Daily Kos....

10/10/10: Massive worldwide action to cut CO2 emissions

by eKos

photo
Bill McKibben: "... this may turn out to be one of the iconic #1010101 photos" a tweet @ circa 8AM PST

Welcome to the 10/10/10 Earthship, Daily Kos’ roundup of events around the world on what Bill McKibben is calling "the most widespread day of civic engagement on any issue ever in the planet's history."  Share your stories and don't forget to upload your pictures to 350.org

Tonight's editors: the people of the world.



continued at Daily Kos....

10-10-10: Regrowing The Climate Movement

by The Cunctator

Across the nation and around the world, hundreds of thousands of activists are mobilizing today in the 10/10/10 Global Work Party to fight global warming and build a sustainable future. In contrast to the surge of pro-pollution, anti-science ideology that is overtaking the Republican Party, most Americans are committed to building a clean energy economy that will preserve our way of live and defend our freedoms. Here are just a few of the thousands of events, in Congressional districts identified by the Wonk Room as key to the climate fight:



continued at Daily Kos....

10/10/10 All over the world

by boatsie

"The biggest movement in history is only just blooming." So said 350.org's Joe Solomon as the first pictures began filtering in at sunrise on Wellington, New Zealand's  Solar Panel Boogie. DailyKos' Earthship launches at 4:30 PST today to report out on events around the world and capture information about how members of our community "Got busy" on the largest day of climate action in world history!



continued at Daily Kos....

Guess the progressive: 10/10/10 edition

by gloriasb

Number 5 in my series of the "Who Am I" progressive guessing game. I give you some clues, you guess the name of the progressive hero. It's a one-click diversion from the political rat race. What's your PIQ? Clues follow...



continued at Daily Kos....

Dawn Chorus Birdblog: Talkin' 'Tails

by lineatus

You might know the expression "When you hear hoofbeats - think horses, not zebras".  One of the most important steps in becoming a better birder (and a better observer of the wild world in general) is getting to know your local, everyday wildlife better.

By spending time watching your "neighbors", you learn more about bird behavior in general - who eats what (robins will ignore your seed feeder, chickadees eat everything), who's on the ground, in the foliage, on the flowers, clinging to the treetrunks or soaring above, and what the body language means.  You learn that goldfinches aren't always gold, bluebirds aren't always blue, and redtails don't always have red tails.


full size version (opens in new window)
Watercolor study from last weekend, practice on doing plumage and eyes



continued at Daily Kos....

Gulf Watchers Morning Edition - BP Catastrophe AUV #406 - Sunday Wrap

by Lorinda Pike

You are in the current BP Catastrophe Morning Edition - AUV #406. AUV #405 is here.

The digest of diaries is here.

Please RECOMMEND THIS DIARY, the motherships have been discontinued.

Bookmark this link to find the latest Gulf Watchers diaries.

Please be kind to kossacks with bandwidth issues. Please do not post images or videos. Again, many thanks for this.

PLEASE visit Pam LaPier's diary to find out how you can help the Gulf now and in the future. We don't have to be idle! And thanks to Crashing Vor and Pam LaPier for working on this!



continued at Daily Kos....