A Foggy Day at Ferry Beach

Ferry Beach State Park in Maine, earlier this month.

Photo: Champlain Marsh Bird Conservation Area

A small section of a large conservation area in New York State, just past the Vermont border.

A "new" cause of asthma?

Asthma is one of those 1st world diseases that seems to become more, not less, prevalent with modernization, bucking the trend of most diseases. There's been several theories as to why this is so. Smoking and air pollution contribute to asthma rates, but perhaps less obviously, some studies hint that so do C-sections, antibiotic use, even chlorine in pools. The originally oddball theory, which has gained some real respect following a number of studies, is that we're too clean -- asthma may develop when our childrens' immature immune systems are never exposed to normal levels of bacteria, causing them to overreact to normal airborne pollutants.

This article from ScienceDaily summarizes a study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, which suggests another possible cause. To summarize the summary, pregnant mice who ate diets rich in methyl-donors had offspring with higher rates of asthma and asthma-related symptoms. (The thought of an asthmatic mouse probably shouldn't strike me as so funny, but it does.) Among other methyl-donors is folic acid, now commonly recommended as a supplement for pregnant women, as well as added to most flour (and found in most breads) by law in the US and several other (mostly developed) countries. This is because too little folic acid during pregnancy can cause a specific type of birth defect. Can too much cause asthma? One study in mice only hints that it does, but also provides yet another hint that we may be better off leaving our nutrients in the foods they come in, and getting them from the source. (Folic acid occurs naturally in leafy greens, beans and peas, and some other fruits and vegetables, all of which are rich in other important nutrients, as well.)

Why I Like Vermont

Because you get views like this from the shopping mall parking lot...


Even the K-mart looks good. Hell, even the Wal-Mart looks good, though I haven't stooped to taking photos of that, yet.

I'd vote for the parrot.

I knew there was a reason I liked Ralph Nader, despite the last 8 years...

The worst presidential campaign ad ever?

I'm not sure I'd dare to answer the question asked, but I do like the parrot.

New York Times Article: Approximating Math

I've always been bad at (or uninterested in) straight math, rote numbers, but reasonably adept at throwing out estimations, approximations or guesses and being surprisingly close to the mark.

This New York Times article suggests the two manners of math are more closely related than I thought. So why do struggle with middle-school math? Could be disinterest, after all. (But I'm totally interested in what contribution fish make to the ocean's temperature.)

And for the record, I scored 92% on their little test, after 25 trials. There's not a whole lot to do in this nursing home, when George isn't feeling talkative.

Hi, Hello and Hola

Charlie also says "duck, duck, duck, duck, GOOSE," but that doesn't sound so welcoming. He enjoyed the ride to Vermont (though most of was in the car, not on my "other" baby, the Rockhopper), and he seems to like it here in George's old farmhouse. My boyfriend Jeffrey and I, and the dogs, birds and mice, have been here a bit over a month now, and had our ups and downs, mostly George's. For 99 years old he could get around reasonably well, until antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus brought him to the hospital. He's now in a local nursing home for recovery, learning again to use a knee which infection made immobile.

The nursing home, it turns out, offers wifi. We haven't got internet access yet in the farmhouse, so here I sit, with George, typing away. It's funny to think... he was an old man before computers ever made their first appearance.

Besides George's "downs," Jeffrey and I have made a few of our own "ups," mostly driving around the Rutland area, and beyond. One trip took us to the Maine coast (the first time I've seen the Atlantic since Cape Cod, when I was a little kid). I have photos coming out my ears (thanks to my new "other, other" baby, the Nikon D60), but need to work them through Photoshop. One spot near the New York border had these, though, and I can't help but post them first (juvenile Northern Leopard Frogs, Rana pipiens):