The idea of getting rid of frogs seems to be a controversial subject. Some people claim that frogs are endangered and caution against killing any of them, while others consider them annoying pests that have spiraled out of control in many areas. Overall, frogs are beneficial for the environment because they eat mosquitoes and other undesirable critters. In this way, they can be part of a balanced local ecosystem that enables the possibility of organic farming and gardening.
On the other hand, given the right conditions, certain kinds of frogs can multiply to the point that their numbers can create problems for certain types of humans. For example, south Florida seems to be having problems with the Cuban tree frog, which is not native to the area but has managed to migrate there and is now reportedly overwhelming the native frog population, disrupting the local ecosystem, and annoying residents with their noisy mating calls. Meanwhile, Hawaii has been battling a severe infestation of the coqui frog for the past ten years. Originally from Puerto Rico, this imported species has proliferated so rapidly on the Big Island of Hawaii that they have passed a state law prohibiting people from releasing, transporting, or exporting coqui frogs, which are classified by the state as “injurious wildlife.”
After searching through several different Internet sources, I have identified a significant demand for getting rid of frogs arising from frustrated property owners. Many of them are struggling with large numbers of noisy frogs disrupting their normal sleep patterns and even getting into their houses in some cases. Those who keep dogs in their yard also complain because some dogs foolishly attempt to eat the frogs, which often makes them sick because frogs are capable of releasing a poisonous substance called batrachotoxin when threatened. Others seem to like the frogs and don’t want to get rid of them, and animal-loving groups don’t like to use pesticides for this purpose because they claim that these produce a relatively slow and painful death for their beloved frogs.
Personally, I tend to favor organic and environmentally friendly ways of getting rid of things whenever practicable, but also favor lots of free speech and access to information. Therefore, in the classic Karlonian style I have combed through the Internet sources and brought together many different methods for getting rid of frogs that were reported to have some success. The “organic” status of some methods is debatable because although they involve chemicals, they are food-grade substances that do little environmental damage even though they can effectively kill or repel frogs. Here are the methods that I have found so far:
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Earlier this month, article publishing site Triond released its August newsletter by email to its membership. Most newsletters of this type typically do not hold much interest for non-members because they usually focus almost exclusively on site updates or self-promotion. However, I am republishing this one because it contains some information that may be useful for article publishers and bloggers who are trying to maintain a professional quality site. In particular, the sections on successful subjects, dealing with images, and enhancing content quality may be of interest to beginners in the blogging or article writing genres.
It’s the last month of the summer vacation, so it’s your last chance to travel to exotic places, host a beach barbecue, or engage in your favorite leisure activity – and then write about it on Triond! Read on for this month’s exciting updates.
In This Issue
- Triond Toolbar for Firefox
- Profile Skins
- Beyond Jane Launched
- Successful Subjects to Write About
- Give Credit To Image Sources
- Embed Photos in Your How-To Articles
- Block Users
- How to Enhance the Quality of Your Content
- Stay Updated
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These world quotes from people ranging from philosophers to business leaders provide an overview of different perspectives on the human condition and our overall environment. Since my last collection on 100 Quotes About Power has been somewhat of a disappointment so far in terms of popularity, I have shortened the list to 50 this time in the hopes that people will be more likely to read through the list and possibly add their own relevant sayings in the comment section.
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Nearly everyone who is connected to the Internet has an e-mail address. It’s the new way to communicate and receive what is now known as “snail mail” in a much shorter amount of time. However, due to this relative convenience, we sometimes send and receive things we probably shouldn’t. This article by April Aragam provides four tips for keeping your e-mail manners up to date.
1. Do not send too many forwards
There are few people who actually enjoy receiving these. Most of the time they are repeats going around and around, year after year. We all have many e-mails to sift through each day as it is, so please don’t make it any harder for others.
If you receive forwards and wish they would just stop, don’t be afraid to ask your friend or family member to cease and desist. Politely say that they are more than welcome to e-mail you anytime, but you’d rather not receive unnecessary forwards. People forget that when they send forwards they not only contain your e-mail address, but that of possibly hundreds of other people who have received the same message before. This is a sure-fire way to get even more e-mail that does not interest you because everyone who sees that message now has access to your e-mail address.
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Working from home offers many important advantages such as being closer to family more during the day and having the freedom to set your own hours. But with the good side of working from home also comes some obstacles. This article by April Aragam describes four common roadblocks that many writers experience while working from home and how you might overcome them.
1. Feeling Isolated
Even though writing can be a lonely career, it’s important to know where you can turn when you need some human contact. Since most of us write from home, the Internet is a great place to talk to others. You can choose from forums, blogs, chat rooms, e-mail, social media sites, and even instant messaging services. You might prefer one over the rest or you might like to do a little of each. Sometimes chatting to people in “real time” makes you feel less alone. If you’re someone who needs to get out of the house more you might schedule a weekly afternoon with a friend where you go out for lunch and a walk. And while you’re working at home, make it a habit to open up the curtains.
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Organizing paper clutter is an issue that practically everyone who has a home or business has to deal with at some point. Even here in the home office of Karlonia, various papers such as keyword lists, receipts for web hosting bills, and printed articles have gradually increased their presence and found their way into semi-organized piles to the left of my keyboard. Fortunately, I have been able to control the “paper tiger” reasonably well by periodically discarding papers that contain old, outdated information that I no longer need to keep.
Other people, however, often end up dealing with a greater volume of paper than I do and may become overwhelmed if they let it go for very long. This article by April Aragam provides some tips for how to control clutter within a typical household environment.
Maybe you walk into someone else’s home and see something very unlike your home. They don’t have paper clutter all over the place. You may think that they must not have as much to handle as you do. Unfortunately, there are probably few people who don’t have paper constantly coming into their home. The difference is a matter of organization — you can learn this skill too. Here’s how:
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This collection of quotes about power is the next sequel to last week’s compilation of 101 Funny Quotes About Money. After noticing that these kinds of posts were more popular than most of my others not only in terms of comments received but also in terms of traffic from the search engines, I did some keyword research with the newly improved Google AdWords tool last night and found several interesting possibilities for future posts of this type. There are enough quote-related keyword phrases remaining for me to make this a weekly feature, probably with Friday as the designated day.
Although these lists take a fair amount of time to put together, they are usually fun to read through, and since I always run across many different sayings that I have not seen before, the experience can be an educational one as well. Some of these power quotes are actually rather inspiring, ranging from motivational “power of one” themes to timely reminders about political power and its potential for corruption and abuse.
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This article by Angela Baca explores some of the reasons that people resist change and suggests ways to overcome this resistance and become more adaptable when necessary. I have noticed the ability to adapt to change is one of the most important attributes for a webmaster to have, especially if he or she is not simply blogging for pleasure or rambling purposes but is actually trying to make a living at it. Fortunately, technophobia has not been much of a problem here at Karlonia, although adapting to the constantly changing Internet trends and search engine algorithms is becoming tiresome.
Here is a good axiom to live by — if a situation doesn’t change, then change your situation. This axiom sounds great. Can you put it to good use?
The tendency to resist change is evident in the human experience. Call it animal instinct if you like. It is just like the puppy who returns home for his owner to feed him. Some personalities resist change more than others. How has your capacity for adapting to change affected your opportunities and your happiness?
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Although not my favorite genre, this movie review of the Black Book by Nicholas Cockayne paints an interesting portrayal of a WWII spy thriller that takes us back to what is probably the darkest period of the 20th century. Carice van Houten and Thom Hoffman play the starring roles while Paul Verhoeven directs.
While period spy thrillers usually have a limited appeal to the mainstream audience, Black Book proved such a refreshing change from all the tired clichés of the genre that this film totally blew all audience expectations out of the water.
Director Paul Verhoeven does a terrific and often unrelenting job keeping the audience immersed in the film, whether it be in the pomp and splendour of the Nazi party or in the brutal murder of Jews fleeing for the border, Verhoeven pulls no punches and offers the audience no opportunity to distance themselves comfortably from all that goes happens on screen. From the horrific injuries of someone being shot in the head to the heroine giving herself sexually to the head of the Gestapo in the name of the Resistance, the audience is right there with the characters, totally involved in it all. This is probably the film’s main achievement as although it offers a stylish portrayal of the World War Two resistance spy thriller, it is hardly ground breaking within this tradition. Where it diverges from similar films of the past is in its willingness to show the more shocking aspects of the story, such as the heroine being showered in feces, dying her pubic hair, and much full frontal nudity, that films in the past have been content to imply rather than explicitly depict.
Normally with a film 145 minutes in length, by the end of the second hour the audience would be hoping for the ending, but Black Book holds the attention riveted throughout, and leaves the audience still wanting more as they leave the cinema.
This is never a comfortable or easy watch, but the cast throw themselves wholeheartedly into their roles, with Carice van Houten as Rachel and Thom Hoffman as Hans Akkermans in particular shining in a more than able cast. Carice deserves a special mention as the captivating Rachel/Ellis, her performance surely launching her into more big mainstream films in the future.
This film is highly recommended for fans of the genre, and an engaging watch for those that aren’t.
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This article by Shannon Christman provides a good overview of the concept of fair trade products and organizations. The idea is an intriguing one for libertarians like me because it allows us to maintain an environment of voluntary exchange (that is, actual free trade) while also ensuring a degree of fairness and helping to alleviate some of the social problems that may arise from excesses of unrestrained capitalism.
I was reminded of this topic when I ran across a product from our local HEB store that seems to fall under this category. It is a bag of fair trade organic coffee that is sold by a company called Ruta Maya. The company is based in Austin, Texas but the product itself (coffee beans) is grown and harvested locally in the Chiapas region of Mexico. Here is the description from the label:
Shade-grown and handpicked by farmers on small, family-owned farms in Chiapas, Mexico, Ruta Maya organic coffee has exceptional richness that combines ancient growing techniques with gentle roasting to extract the ultimate in coffee depth and flavor. Founded in 1990 in Austin, Texas on the simple premise of creating a marketplace of superior products produced in Latin American countries and to return to the producers of those products a fair portion of profits generated, the Ruta Maya guiding principle is Oportunidades para las Americas (Opportunities for the Americas). The complete Ruta Maya line of products embodies Mayan, Mexican, and other Latin cultures working together with Texans to foster a universal message of respect and friendship through economic coooperation.
While I have not yet tasted the coffee or compared prices (my mother can probably give me a good review of these in the near future), the overall idea seems like a pretty good deal. Meanwhile, here is the text of Shannon’s article:
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Online article publisher Triond.com released its July newsletter last week, focusing most of its content on providing tips to authors in an attempt to help them maximize the site’s advertising revenue. Triond is a site much like Helium; aspiring freelance writers or other authors can submit articles to the site in exchange for a portion (in this case 50%) of the advertising revenues earned from the page on which the author’s article is published.
In theory, this seems like a pretty good deal because it allows authors to earn a passive, residual income on all published articles for the life of the site. In practice, however, most authors who work for Helium, Triond, or other similar sites have reported that the earnings derived from publishing their articles are so small that it is hardly worth the time of setting up an account with the site and going through the required motions. In most cases, a better alternative is to publish the articles your own site and keep all of the advertising revenue for yourself or sell your articles directly through a site like Constant Content and earn more of a residual income through recurring sales of usage licenses.
However, for those of you who may be interested in Triond, here is the text of their latest newsletter:
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In this companion to his other article on the advantages of algae-based fuels, Aaron Turpen discusses some of the possibilities for using algae to create different types of biofuels. Interestingly, the author claims that these types of biofuels can be used in most existing engines without modification, something that would make them more practical than some of the other suggestions for alternative fuel sources. Below the article, I have included a series of videos that explain the process and methods for growing algae and using it to produce biofuels on a potentially large scale.
Many people are under the impression that only diesel fuel, also known as biodiesel, can be made from vegetable oil sources. This is normally the case when you’re talking about most vegetable oil sources. A notable and well-known exception is corn oil, which is used to make ethanol, a supplement (not replacement) for unleaded gasoline.
These restrictions are not true of algae, however. Because algae are fairly simple organisms with many thousands of species in nature, there is much diversity available from which different types of oils can be made. Also because of its simplicity, algae are relatively easy to manipulate into anthropogenic species.
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With salmonella-related stories making their way into the news recently, I figured that it was time for me to put together an article on the subject. This essay will summarize and describe the recent news, causes, symptoms, prevention, and treatment of infections related to this species of bacteria. The picture to the left is a magnified electron microscope image of what a single salmonella bacterium looks like. The scaling used is one micrometer, which is one millionth of a meter or one thousandth of a millimeter.
Recent News
The Center for Disease Control says the current outbreak, as of June 27, 2008, is linked to a rare form of bacteria called Salmonella Saintpaul. Thus far, it has spread to include 810 cases in 36 states and the District of Columbia. The specific source of the outbreak has not been found. Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, homegrown tomatoes, and those sold with the vine still attached are considered safe, but health authorities are advising people to avoid eating raw Roma or red round tomatoes. However, tomatoes cooked to 145 degrees for 15 seconds will kill the bacteria, which generally causes fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramping. The outbreak, which has affected several types of tomatoes, has hit hardest in New Mexico and Texas.
What is Salmonella?
Salmonella is a bacterial infection that lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and other animals. Bacteria are transmitted to humans when they eat foods contaminated with animal feces. Salmonella bacteria are subdivided into serotypes based upon their biochemical properties. Although salmonellosis can occur throughout the year, most cases occur during the summer months.
Several people have asked about the color of the salmonella bacterium itself. This can be somewhat difficult to track down because most images show the specimens only after they have been treated with some type of colored dye or other agent. It turns out that natural salmonella are nearly colorless but are opaque and can be seen on a nutrient plate after sufficiently large colonies have been nurtured. For an image of what plain salmonella looks like, see this picture from MicrobeLibrary.org.
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In the last article about saving gas through safe driving techniques, we looked at ways in which people could save money by reducing their personal consumption of gasoline. However, another possibility for getting around the high gas prices is to develop some type of alternative fuel source. This article by Aaron Turpen suggests that algae-based biofuels may become practical enough come onto the market in the near future. Below the article I have included some relevant videos that discuss the current developments and possibilities for growing algae and using it to produce biofuels on a commercially viable scale.
With all the hype about biofuels and their great potential for replacing our current fossil fuels as alternatives, there is usually very little talk about when exactly this replacement might take place. Or the talk is in vague terms like “the next thirty to fifty years” or “the next few decades.”
The reality is that most biofuels on the market are not very well positioned to replace anything more than a fraction of our current fossil fuel use. Current numbers from the Department of Energy, for instance, show that ethanol only accounts for about 3.5% of our total gasoline usage in the USA. Biodiesel holds a larger market share worldwide, accounting for almost half of Europe’s total diesel fuel usage (according to the European Union).
Given these numbers, the future might look bright. The problem is that both standard biodiesel and ethanol require the use of crops that would otherwise be eaten by humans or animals or of croplands that would otherwise be used to grow them. This takes food off our tables or at least raises the price of it, which limits our economic freedom in other areas.
Alternatives such as hydrogen are becoming more and more viable, but it will still be decades before the fuel cells can be made at a cost low enough to make the vehicles they power marketable. Similarly, electric-only vehicles are plagued by their relatively short range because of limitations in battery storage.
This summer, however, marks a huge stepping stone for algae as a production-level biofuel. Despite setbacks due to funding cuts by the Clinton administration of the 1990s, new funding and a renewed interest by large corporations in the energy industry have rekindled algae’s possibilities.
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This article by Shery Russ addresses the issue of excess clutter in the bathroom. The author’s main suggestion is that the use of a bathroom or shower caddy like the one displayed in the image to the left can improve the overall appearance of your bathroom while also optimizing your available space.
The bathroom is the one room in the house that is often overlooked when it comes to both tidying and organizing. This is because the bathroom isn’t specifically any one person’s room. However, it is easy to organize the bathroom in such a way that will make items easy to locate, identify, and assign to each member of the house.
The bathroom is the one area of the house that has items belonging specifically to each family member and also a room that can generate a lot of arguments if items are misplaced or used by the wrong person.
A bathroom caddy is the single most useful item when it comes to organizing the bathroom. More specifically, one bathroom caddy per person is ideal. This useful item can provide you with the room to house all personal items including toothbrushes and other hygienic items that are considered to be personal to each family member.
Bathroom or shower caddies also allow each family member to put in his or her own shampoo and other bathroom essentials. The unauthorized use of these items is probably one of the biggest reasons for family fights, so organizing the bathroom may help to prevent accidental misuse.
Of course, another reason for organizing the bathroom in this way is that it looks neater. The bathroom then becomes a lot easier to manage. When there is mess, items get lost, damaged or broken and the bathroom is no different in this respect.
Clutter in the bathroom can be dangerous, causing people to have accidents or at the very least to injure themselves. By ensuring that everything in your bathroom has its place, and is in its place, you can easily prevent accidents, injuries and arguments from happening.
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