 by Dennis Townsend, Contributing Writer
If there’s anybody who deserves a voice when it comes to the destruction of the environment, it is those who cannot speak, the wildlife of our planet. And if there is evidence needed to prove the instability of a petroleum pipeline it’s the recent pipeline break in Santa Barbara, California. Plains All American Pipeline, a company that has been sited numerous times for countless violations, has yet another blemish on their record of irresponsibility. Since 2006, their company subsidiaries have reported 223 accidents spilling a combined 864, 000 gallons of hazardous liquids according to U.S. records. The latest rupture leaked more than 105,000 gallons of crude oil that covered and killed fish, sea lions, and pelicans. It was the only pipeline in that part of California that wasn’t required to have an automatic shut-off valve thanks to a slick lawyer working for the previous company owner and a court decision in the late 1980’s. Sooner or later the XXL pipeline will come back into the spotlight, and there will be those politicians who will talk of jobs and untold benefits to running a pipeline from Canada to Texas. Benefits that benefit those who lobby for such a pipeline albeit. There is nothing like gambling on the environment to make a buck. If you ask me, the trade-off, jobs for polluting the environment, is a lop-sided proposition. With all the talk and evidence, there are people who say there is no pollution caused climate change which even every 5th grader knows is the wrong answer. They should ask politicians if it would be okay to run a pipeline through their backyards and see if they are receptive to the idea. The XXL pipeline isn’t about jobs, and if you think that, then you still believe in the boogie-man because it’s all about that old nemesis, the almighty dollar bill. What’s really depressing is that there is no worth-while punishment to fit the crime once the damage is done. We have seen the destruction an oil spill can cause, who can forget the BP oil spill which still has oil coming to the surface in the Gulf, and we still debate one another about if a pipeline is good for the country. The question is do we want jobs or a clean environment? We may not be able to save the whole planet, but we should do what we can to save our little piece of it. It says a lot about the condition of the environment when a dishwashing liquid is more popular for cleaning wildlife than it is for doing the dishes. The need for fossil fuels will surely be our undoing in one way or another and while we may be able to tolerate a polluted planet for a little while, in the long run, nothing will survive. DLTPONCHO33 by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff  The Clouded Leopard is a species of wildcat that is unknown to many. It is believed that there are only 230 of these creatures worldwide, with 118 of them living in the United States, one living on Easy Street at Big Cat Rescue. The clouded leopard is also known as the Tree Tiger and the Mint Leopard.
The Clouded Leopard has cloud-like rings on its coat, which are darker on the inside than they are on the out. Sometimes the insides of the clouds or rings contain dots with small black spots on them. The main color (the non-clouded area) is usually gray, golden, or tan. In the wild, there have also been reports of black or white Clouded Leopards. The largest markings are on the legs and stomach. The back of the neck will have two large black stripes. The tail has black rings, instead of the clouded pelt. These wild cats range in weight from 22 - 45 pounds and have short legs. The hind legs are longer than the front legs. The tail is just as long as the body and is very thick and smooth. The Clouded Leopard is actually a separate species of cat than the traditional leopard, but is still in the feline family, along with the lion, jaguar, tiger, and leopard. When raised in captivity, the Clouded Leopard has been known to live up to 17 years. However, when they grow up in the wild, their life span is roughly 11 years. The breeding habits of Clouded Leopards are not known very well, due to their secretive nature. It is very rare to spot one in the wild. However, when giving birth in captivity, a Clouded Leopard generally gives birth to one to five kittens per litter, with the average number being three. They are generally pregnant for about 93 days. While the litter size is fair, less than twenty percent of captive Clouded Leopards will be successful at reproduction because the males often kill the female they are paired with during the mating process. With canine teeth as large as those of a tiger (the largest teeth of all felines), you'd think these cats would be just as big as a tiger. That's where you'd be wrong. Clouded Leopards are bigger than house cats, but they are not as big as the other wild cats. They are about in the middle between a house cat and a wild cat, in size. Clouded Leopards are tree climbers. They have thick paws that are specially designed to help them keep balance in the trees. They can also use their tails to hang from the trees. They will even hang upside down to sleep in a tree, with their paws and tail grasping the branches for support. While the Clouded Leopard is small, it still hunts after big prey, bearing down on it with those large canine teeth, for a quick and swift kill. Its diet includes wild boar, small mammals, monkeys, birds, deer, and porcupine. The Clouded Leopard is classified as an endangered species. *I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network  May 15, 2007 | An artificial blood has been developed by scientists that could be a substitute for real blood in the event of an emergency.
The blood is made from plastic, so it is lightweight and easy to store and transport. It can be stored as a thick paste-like substance inside of the bags normally used for real blood. Then, by placing the bag into water and dissolving it just before giving it to patients, coupled with storing it in the bags in the pasted form, it means it's easier to transport than the liquid blood. Normal liquid blood only lasts for 35 days after it is donated. Then, it must be discarded, which means that there is blood being wasted often. Refrigeration is also required for natural blood. The plastic blood can be stored away for longer and does not require refrigeration to stay fresh. This plastic blood is made up of tiny plastic molecules that contain an iron atom at the core of each molecule, similar to hemoglobin. This allows for binding oxygen and transporting it around the body. These tiny plastic molecules are made very similar to the hemoglobin molecules and are joined together in a structure similar to that of a tree, branching off at intersections. Their size and shape also closely resembles that of a hemoglobin molecule. By forming them in this way, it makes it easy to bind the oxygen together to distribute it throughout the body. While this has not yet been approved for use, scientists are working on developing a final prototype that would possibly allow for biological testing. The hope of the scientists is that this could eventually be used in military applications, where access to blood supply is important. Since the material is made from plastic, it would also be very affordable compared to natural blood. As reported by Science Daily, Dr. Lance Twyman, from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Sheffield said, "We are very excited about the potential for this product and about the fact that this could save lives. Many people die from superficial wounds when they are trapped in an accident or are injured on the battlefield and can't get blood before they get to hospital. This product can be stored a lot more easily than blood, meaning large quantities could be carried easily by ambulances and the armed forces. ..I hope people take the opportunity to go and see the display at the Science Museum and hopefully in the future it will be more than just a prototype, but will be a real product used in life or death situations." Dr. Twyman has been developing the artificial blood for the past five years. News Source: Science Daily | Scientists Develop Artificial Blood *I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network. |
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