A TORNADO

Tornado
A tornado is defined by the Glossary of Meteorology as "a violently rotating column of air, in contact with the ground, either pendant from a cumuliform cloud or underneath a cumuliform cloud, and often (but not always) visible as "a funnel cloud" In practice, for a vortex to be classified as a tornado, it must be in contact with both the ground and the cloud base. Scientists have not yet created a complete definition of the word; for example, there is disagreement as to whether separate touchdowns of the same funnel constitute separate tornadoes.

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A DREAM CATCHER

A spider was quietly spinning his web near the bed of grandmother. Every day she watched as the spider worked at making it's web. Several days later the grandson came in and saw that the grandmother was looking at a spider. He picked something up and went towards the spider to kill it. Grandmother stopped him and said, "No, do not kill Iktome . Do not hurt him. The boy thought his grandmother was silly but respected her wishes even though she would not tell him why he should not kill the spider.

After the boy left grandmother returned to watching Iktome. Then the spider spoke,"Thank you. For days you have watched me work hard when spinning my web and you have obviously enjoyed watching my work. In return for saving my life I wish to give you something. In the full moon light I shall spin you a web in the window. Watch how I weave the web and learn, for the web I weave will catch all bad dreams and energies, entangling them in the web. The small hole in the middle will allow good dreams and energies to pass through to you. When the full moon came grandmother sat at the open window and watched Iktome weave the magical web. Near dawn Iktome finished the web. Grandmother smiled as she looked at the weaving, she thanked the spider for giving her such a wonderful gift. As she drifted off to sleep she heard the spider say, "Learn".
The gratitude and love of grandmother and Iktome touched the hearts of the ancestors and they added something to Iktome's gift as grandmother slept. As the morning came beautiful dew drops formed on the web and the gentle breeze of sister wind blew small dove feathers to dance lightly at the bottom of the webbing. Raven placed a long feather on the sill. As grandmother opened her eyes, Father Sun shown on the web and made the dew drops sparkle in the light.

MERMAID - IS IT FOR REAL?

In 1492, when Columbus sailed the ocean blue and lookouts were aloft to search uncharted waters, creatures began to appear that could only have roots in mythology, superstition, and embellishing beliefs that stemmed from ancient mariners as they explored distant shores.

After Columbus sighted land and discovered the new world, he reported three mermaids were sighted on Jan. 4, 1493. “Mermaids rose high out of the sea,” he recorded, “But were not as beautiful as they are represented.”
On June 15, 1608, English captain and navigator Henry Hudson was searching the Arctic Circle for a new route to Asia when he wrote the following entry in his ship’s log.

“This morning, one of our companie looking overboard saw a mermaid, and calling up some of the companie to see her, one more came up, and by that time she was close to the ship’s side, looking earnestly upon the men: a little after, a Sea came and overturned her: From the Navill upward, her backe and breasts were like a woman’s... her body as big as one of us; her skin very white; and long hair hanging down behinde, of colour blacke; in her going down they saw her tayle, which was like the tayle of a Porposse, and speckled like a Macrell.”

During the 1860s Victorian biologist P.H. Grosse proclaimed that with all the experience of Henry Hudson and his veteran crews, there could be no mistaking a walrus or seal for a mermaid and therefore announced there very well might be a previously undiscovered and new zoological species.

In the new millennium, and in the present day, we of course believe that mermaids are fictitious creatures of salty and fertile imaginations... or are they?

When Juan Ponce de Leon discovered the Dry Tortugas in 1513 and later cruised northward into the Ten Thousand Islands and discovered Marco and the Calusa Indians, could he and his crew have sighted a manatee on a moonlit night and believed they saw a mermaid?

With the warm and shallow waters between Fort Myers and Key West a perfect home for manatees, can there be any wonder that the mermen and mermaids of yesteryear might have been reported in our own coastal backyard?

Even today, manatees are linked to the legend of mermaids with the official animal-order name of Sirenia. The song of the siren has been recorded throughout history and even reaches into the heartland of Germany. Near Coblenz where the Rhine river flows through vineyard-covered mountains and castles guard every bend in the watercourse, the Lorelei rock awaits where a centuries-old legend tells the tale of an enchantress who sings a song so sweet she lures river sailors into destruction at the base of the well-known cliffs.

Mentally armed with the folklore and fables of old Europe, the storm-seasoned sailors arriving in the new world were instantly ready to explain away any phenomenon that might have made an appearance. Manatees sighted in daylight hours were repeatedly regarded as mermen; they were muddy, heavy creatures with bristles and whiskers, and a face that only a mother could love. With a moonlit night however, and a lonely sailor on anchor watch, the Florida manatee might have come calling, and left an impression, a story, and a legend of a beautiful mermaid that came out only after nightfall and only during a full moon.

Webster’s dictionary defines the siren as one of three sea nymphs, said to frequent an island near the coast of Italy and to sing with such a sweetness that lured mariners to destruction.

One of the most compelling and unforgettable accounts of mermaid legacy comes from an old story originating in the Outer Hebrides on the island of Benbecula. In 1870, after a severe ocean storm, seaweed cutters on the shore were attracted to a splashing in the nearby waters and found a small mermaid playing in the surf. Several townsfolk tried to capture her but she swam too fast to be ensnared in a net. Just before she submerged for the final time, the town bully threw a rock and hit her on the back of the head. The following day her body washed up and upon close inspection, everyone agreed this was a true mermaid. She had the body of a child with well-developed breasts but below the waist she had scales and a tail like a fish. By order of the town officials she was given a Christian burial as she was considered too human not to.

As sailors have forever been attracted to anomalies in the water, and as any unusual and exotic creatures are always alluring, there can be little doubt that the shallow water habits of our own Florida manatees could tempt mariners onto treacherous sandbars and coral reefs. Whenever the old mariners ran aground and found destruction in a storm, can the mermaids of old have been held to blame?

*A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature that is half human, half aquatic creature (e.g. a fish or dolphin). Various cultures throughout the world have similar figures. The word is a compound of mere, the Old English word for "sea," and maid, which has retained its original sense.

Much like sirens, mermaids would sometimes sing to sailors and enchant them, distracting them from their work and causing them to walk off the deck or cause shipwrecks. Other stories would have them squeeze the life out of drowning men while trying to rescue them. They are also said to take them down to their underwater kingdoms. In Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid it is said that they forget that humans cannot breathe underwater, while others say they drown men out of spite.

The sirens of Greek mythology are sometimes portrayed in later folklore as mermaid-like; in fact, some languages (such as the Maltese word 'sirena') use the same word for both bird and fish creatures.

WHAT IS SILK?

Silk is a filament fiber formed from proteins secreted by Bombyx mori, or silkworms. Silkworms are not actually worms, but caterpillars, despite their common name. Humans have practiced silk production, which originated in China, for thousands of years. Highly prized for its softness, insulating properties, and strength, silk is a natural animal product and therefore quite expensive. Making silk requires monitoring and feeding the silkworms constantly, and a great deal of effort results in a surprisingly small amount of thread.

China managed to keep the secret of silk for thousands of years, exporting the rare textile to Europe over trade routes. Eventually, silkworm eggs were smuggled out, and in the 13th century, Western production of silk began in Italy. This by no means brought the cost down, as the extensive amount of work required to make silk remained the same. Thirty thousand eggs can end up eating one ton of mulberry leaves and producing 12 pounds (5.5 kilograms) of silk.

Silk manufacture begins when female silkworms lay their eggs. A single silkworm may produce hundreds of tiny eggs, which are incubated until they hatch into larva. The larva must be kept warm and fed on mulberry leaves frequently throughout their brief lives. In four to six weeks, the larva have reached their maximum size and have mustered enough energy to pupate.

It is the pupation stage that produces silk, as the larva attach to branches and spin a shell around themselves. The shell is unique to insect pupation, formed by two spinnerets on the larva. The fluid they secrete is high in protein and forms a continuous thread, which is repeatedly wound to form a pod to mature in.

Unfortunately for the silkworm pupa, it is maturity that silk producers want to avoid. A small number of the larva are allowed to gestate into adults to carry on the lineage, while the rest are subjected to heat to kill the larva before they can begin to eat through the valuable silk thread. The pods are dipped into hot water to loosen the thread, which is then wound onto wheels. The dead larva are discarded.

Once raw silk has been wound onto wheels, it can be spun into a variety of different types of thread, depending upon the intended use. Crepe is made by twisting multiple strands of silk together in different directions, while tram is made by twisting one to two threads in the same direction. Organzine is formed by twisting multiple threads together, switching direction, and repeating the process until the end of the thread.

Most wearers are familiar with all forms of silk thread, with single threads being used for fine and sheer garments and crepe being used to create textured and wrinkly silks. Organzine is used for warp threads in weaving, and tram creates the weft, or filling. Silk can also be used in knit fabrics.

Silk can be treated to remove roughness or left raw, depending on the demand. Silk takes dye well and is available in a dazzling array of colors from subtle to bright. The textile appears in scarves, sweaters, underwear, shirts, and everything in between. Despite its low yield, production of the sought after textile is rising globally. Many consumers prefer silk for its comfort, insulating qualities, look, and feel.

THE ART OF SILK REELING

This is most of the basic setup. There are two crockpots, one for pre-heating and one for the cocoons that are being reeled; there are forks and slotted spoons, there is a reel (from the 1850's, we're guessing) and a ball winder, and lots of cocoons. The work surface is covered first with plastic bags, because the cocoons drip, and then with towels. Silk will get *everywhere*, and if you don't have something like a towel handy to wipe your fingers on, it's almost impossible to get free of it.


I begin by simmering the cocoons in the hot water. They need to get pretty drenched, but they don't need to boil at all. We call this "Pupa Soup." It smells like dead bugs, because, well, dead bugs. Once the cocoons have loosened up a little, and maybe you've held them under the water with the spoon until they stop fizzing, then you can start the Quest for the One True Thread. Each cocoon is made from one thread. The trick is finding it. You start with the toothbrush, which is like taking apart a ball of yarn with a serving fork. You separate out a lot of dead ends, and then you hopefully find the Right One.


In the process of finding the right end, you waste a lot of silk. It's OK, because it isn't stuff you can reel anyway; it's short bits from where the cocoon was just getting started. Keep this, though - you can deglue it and use it to spin with. This is where silk noil comes from. You can see the waste from two cocoons; some produce more than others. I take it off by wrapping it in a figure-eight shape around my index and ring fingers, while holding the cocoon in the other hand.


When you are about to the One True Thread, it will look much like this. I still have one or two extras here - but once you get the One True Thread, the cocoon tends to unravel, and won't pose for the picture.


Here, if you look *really* close, you can see the individual threads coming off all the cocoons. I'm holding them up.


You can check to see which cocoons are connected to the reel, by pulling the bundle of threads to one side... I call this "herding" the cocoons. The ones that are detached will just float, the ones that are attached will follow the threads.


These are the cocoons, just about to start reeling. I ended up switching pots later on, though, so don't be confused if you notice it changing. The threads showed up nicer against the dark green, so I used this one for the pictures. Notice the stand, and the little bone button hanging over the pot - this will help to condense the multiple cocoon threads into a single filament - reeled silk!


Closeup of the button. You can see where it's tied onto the Bunsen-burner stand with a twist-tie, and the other hole has the threads going through it.Then, I attach the thread to the reel, and begin reeling the cocoons.


The blur in the middle is the reel turning quickly. The left hand rocks back and forth, guiding the thread onto the reel. It's important to move that hand so that the wet thread doesn't get deposited on top of more wet thread.


Here you can see the reel with some of the silk on it.


If your cocoons do this a lot, they probably haven't soaked in the hot water quite long enough. Hold them under with a fork until they get a little water-logged, and that should do the trick. They won't sink, but they'll half-float, and the water makes them a little heavier. It also helps them unwind.


As the reeling progresses, the cocoons become thinner and thinner. You can see the bug inside many of them. When you've reeled all the usable silk from the cocoon, they will either drop off in the water, or fly up the thread, sometimes with a surprising wet splat.


This is one that went up the thread. The unusable silk at the center of the cocoon is called the "cradle" - when the cocoon runs out of good thread and the cradle is all that's left, I call that "cradled out."


When the silk is all reeled on, it's time to re-reel. Sometimes this goes directly to the ball winder, but I decided to try putting it onto another clock reel first. It seems to help reduce breakage, because of the angles and the winding mechanism.Here is the silk being wound onto a toilet paper tube. After enough tubes are made up, they will be reeled together into one thicker thread, then dyed and used for stitchery or weaving. If desired, they can also be twisted using a spinning wheel, a process called "throwing."


And voila', there's the silk.


This is the pile of noils; it's silk waste and cocoon cradles. You can use this in spinning, or add it to your handmade soap (in the lye water).


This is what's left of the cocoons.

HEAVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT - Oasis(Oases)

In geography, an oasis (oases) or cienega (southwestern United States) is an isolated area of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar water source. Oases also provide habitat for animals and even humans if the area is big enough.

Oases are formed from underground rivers or aquifers such as an artesian aquifer, where water can reach the surface naturally by pressure or by man made wells. Occasional brief thunderstorms provide subterranean water to sustain natural oases, such as the Tuat. Substrata of impermeable rock and stone can trap water and retain it in pockets; or on long faulting subsurface ridges or volcanic dikes water can collect and percolate to the surface. Any incidence of water is then used by migrating birds who also pass seeds with their droppings which will grow at the waters edge forming an oasis.People who live in an oasis use every bit of land. Water has to be used carefully; the fields must be irrigated to grow plants like dates, figs, olives, and apricots. The most important plant in an oasis is the date palm which forms the upper layer. These palm trees provide shade for smaller trees like peach trees, which form the middle layer. The date palms do more than protect other plants from the burning sun - all parts of an oasis are very important for the people. And also growing plants in different layers, the farmers make best use of the soil and water.

THE HISTORICAL TITANIC

The history of the Titanic began at a dinner party in a London mansion in 1907. Then, J. Bruce Ismay, managing officer of the White Star Line, a prominent ship operating company, and Lord James Pirrie devised plans to build three magnificent ships that would set a new standard for luxury and elegance. The first two would be named Olympic and Titanic while the third, to be built later, would be the Britannic.

The White Star Line started production on the Olympic in December of 1908, while work on the Titanic started the following March. The Titanic included amenities that many of its passengers had never enjoyed in their own homes, such as electric light and heat in every room. The size and splendor of the Titanic quickly established the ship as a legend, even before the first voyage.

The Titanic was officially launched from Southampton, England, on April 10, 1912. While the ship carried more than 2,200 passengers and crew, Titanic was equipped with only 16 lifeboats, with a capacity of 1,708. The White Star Line had decided to use only half the number of boats the Titanic could carry in order to alleviate what was referred to as a "cluttered" feeling on the main deck of the ship.

The Titanic sailed first to Cherbourg, France, to pick up additional passengers, and then to Queenstown, Ireland, before setting out to sea for the transatlantic voyage to New York. The first three days of the voyage passed without incident, while the fourth did not. Although the Titanic had received five ice warnings throughout the day on April 14, Captain Edward Smith decided not to slow down and continued on at 21 knots (25 mph). At 11:40 PM, lookout Fred Fleet spotted an iceberg and notified the bridge. First Officer William Murdoch then ordered the ship turned hard to port and the engine room was signaled to reverse direction. The ship did move slightly, but could not avoid the iceberg, which tore a 300 feet-long hole in the ship, causing compartments to begin filling with water.

Twenty-five minutes after the crash, the ships officers ordered the lifeboats uncovered and began preparing the passengers and crew for evacuation. The first lifeboat was launched twenty minutes after the orders were given. Despite having a carrying capacity of 68, the first lifeboat launched with only 28 passengers. When the last boat launched, there were more than 1,500 passengers left on board. The lifeboats contained mostly women and children. However, J. Bruce Ismay managed to escape by sneaking onto one of the last lifeboats.

At approximately 2:10 AM, the stern, or rear of the ship, rose out of the water and shortly thereafter the weight of the raised stern caused the ship to split in two. The bow, or front of the ship, slowly sunk as the stern settled back into the water. Then, the stern filled with water until it disappeared into the ocean. More than 1,500 souls were lost in the "greatest maritime disaster in history".

Many attempts have been made to find the wreck of the Titanic, yet it wasn't until 1985, when an expedition combining teams from IFREMER and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute discovered the famous ship. The team, led by Robert Ballard and Jean-Luis Martin, took the first photographs of the Titanic in 73 years.

More than 90 years later, people continue to be fascinated with the Titanic. The disaster and its survivors have been the subject of four movies, a Broadway musical and countless books. The movie Titanic, written and directed by James Cameron, is the most expensive film ever made and in 1998 it won 11 Academy Awards. The Titanic recently made headlines again in 2001, when a New York couple announced they would be wed in a deep-sea submersible at the Titanic gravesite.



THE LUXURY, ELEGANCE & GRACE