I missed seeing them this year. It is not that I did not go looking for them. I typically see them near Gorman as I travel south to Los Angeles along I-5. But this year, they were not really there to be enjoyed, except in small isolated blooms deep in the fields. I even checked the state natural reserve in Lancaster. Not many there this year either.
I am talking about California Poppies. This delightful little flower is the state flower, and it usually is evident along the highways in the spring of each year. Each bloom is not very big, maybe 1-2 inches in diameter with several sprouting together out of one plant. They are a vibrant yellow gold color that screams for attention in the hills. They typically share the hillsides with cream puffs, lupine, and other wildflowers.
This year, however, the January temperatures were too low and the annual rainfall was too minimal to produce a great batch of California Poppies. Typically, the highways are littered with them. And hills and hills of them are evident at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve SNR in Lancaster, off Highway 138. I have been there many times to view these natural wonders. The Reserve offers 8 miles of trails through the hills amongst the flowers. My dad and I visited there several times, just to enjoy the flowers and take some pictures.
When they are in bloom, they are magnificent:
“Simply to see a distant horizon through a clear air—the fine outline of a distant hill or a blue mountain top through some new vista—this is wealth enough for one afternoon.” Thoreau
I am always amazed and delighted when the flowers come back every February to May even as I am puzzled about how their appearance can be so varied each year. I have always known it is tied to the rains—or lack there of. One year, the rains came, but the grasses sprung up earlier and thicker than usual and choked out the flowers. Lots of things can happen to impact the blooms. Recently I read “Called Out” an essay by Barbara Kingsolver and her husband Stephen Hopp in her book Small Wonder—and it addressed this exact phenomenon. In that essay, they were talking about the wondrous displays of wildflowers in the Arizona desert and explaining how they keep blooming year after year, but the same explanation applies to California Poppies as well.
Simply put, Kingsolver said, “God planted them.” She then offered a more scientific explanation. Apparently the plants ensure their own survival through the variety inherent in their seeds. Some seeds bloom faster or longer than others, or need more water than others, or are content to wait for years before blooming than others; the seeds are not all the same! Some years might be impressive, others not so much, but the next year is always a possibility. More officially, “Desert ephemerals. . . [stash] away seasons of success by varying, among and within species, their genetic schedules for germination, flowering, and seed-set.” Each year, more blooms are likely because each species has a “blueprint for perseverance” that guarantees that wildlflowers—like the California Poppy—“will go on mystifying us, answering to a clock that ticks so slowly we won’t live long enough to hear it.”
I appreciate knowing there is a scientific explanation to support my hope that the poppies will keep blooming year after year. And I applaud the wonder of nature every year when they do bloom. I can only imagine how magnificent the sight was for John Muir over 100 years ago, when it was not hills and hills of gold, but miles and miles of gold.
Here is how Muir described it:
“One shining morning a landscape was revealed that after all my wanderings still appears the most beautiful I have ever beheld. At my feet lay the Great Valley of California, level and flowery, like a lake of pure sunshine forty or fifty miles wide, five hundred miles long, one rich furred garden of yellow Compositae. And from the eastern boundary of this vast golden flowerbed rose the mighty Sierra, miles in height, and so gloriously colored and so radiant it seemed not clothed in light, but wholly composed of it, like the wall of some celestial city.”
Wouldn’t that be wondrous to view? Still, I will be content to see whatever flower show blooms each year. I am hopeful 2014 will be a good year once again. What are your favorite wildflowers?
Today would have been Mom and Dad’s 72nd Wedding Anniversary.
Mom died in November 2012. This is the first anniversary since her death. Dad is doing okay: alert, fairly active, and joking with the staff at the Center where he lives. I tend to see him on Saturdays. Memories of Mom always come up, but as time passes, the tears are not always there anymore. Good memories.
One of Dad’s favorite memories of Mom is the day he first saw her. It was in the Steinmetz High School cafeteria. Dad was some sort of hall monitor, but his focus was not on his job. He saw her across the room during lunch and just knew she would be his. That was in 1939.
Ray & Dorothy Before Getting Married
They were married on June 7, 1941, in Chicago, Illinois. Mom carried yellow tea roses. They went to Wisconsin Dells for a short honeymoon.
Heading to the Church
Mr. & Mrs. Ray Ross
Presumed Postcard Honeymoon Souvenir
Dad is very proud that since the wedding, he has not taken off his wedding band, ever, not even once. Not slogging through the muck at Iwo Jima, not in messy everyday clean-ups like while painting or working in the garden, and not in the hospital during surgeries. He refuses to take it off to this day—it is his last tangible connection to Mom.
One of Their Last Visits 2012
When I see him tomorrow over dinner, I am sure we will share some good memories, and probably cry a bit. Mom and Dad—Raymond Francis and Dorothy Birkemoe—were a great couple.
Dad will enjoy these photos of Mom and Dad over the years:
1966: 25 Years Together
1975: 34 Years Together
1984: 43 Years Together
1989: 48 Years Together
1991: Cutting 50th Anniversary Cake
1992: 51 Years Together
2011: 70 Years Together
I know their love lives on. Happy Anniversary!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
THINGS WERE A BIT DIFFERENT BACK IN 1941
Average 3 bedroom house cost $4000
Average house rental was $32 a month
Average annual income was $2,437
A new Ford cost $680
Gas was $0.19 a gallon
Bread was $0.08 a pound/loaf
Milk was $0.54 a gallon
Bacon was $0.34 a pound
First Class Stamp was $0.03
Some popular songs were “Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered,” “Deep in the heart of Texas,” “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire,” and “Chattanooga Choo-Choo.”
Some movies that came out that year: Citizen Kane, Dumbo, How Green Was My Valley, Sergeant York, and The Maltese Falcon.
Japan Bombed Pearl Harbor
Superman was rated 4-7 because of his X-ray Vision
Greta Garbo Retired
Red Skelton started on the radio, with his closing “God Bless”
4th Thursday in November officially named as Thanksgiving
HAPPY STAR WARS DAY! (May 4th pun intended, sorry!)
“May the Force Be With You!”
I cannot say that I grew up watching the original Star Wars Trilogy. After all, I was 22 when Star Wars IV: The New Hope first hit the theatres in 1977. At that age, I like to think I was fairly grown up already. However, I can say that maybe I at least matured a bit while watching the Star Wars movies. My favorite was The Empire Strikes Back, but the original three were all fun. They offered terrific characters, underdogs fighting against incredible odds, a moral lesson or two, and eventually the good guys winning over the bad. Plus great special effects out in a galaxy far, far away. What’s not to like?
I saw the films from the “earlier” trilogy (that were produced later chronologically) when they were shown on television. I did not rush to theatres to see them. Oh, I was interested in seeing a young Skywalker and Obi Wan, but not urgently. My Star Wars favorites feature the three main heroes: Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo. That is the main reason I was interested in hearing that a Star Wars VII is being planned and that those three original stars have all signed to play their roles once again. Yeah.
Until the new movie is released, we can celebrate the spirit of Star Wars, especially today! Today is Star Wars Day, so “May the Fourth Be With You!” This pun has been around for some time, but the day was first celebrated in Canada a couple years ago. So today, feel one with the force!
Of course, one of my favorite lessons from the original trilogy offers more cautionary advice: “Let the Wookie Win!”
Tonight, I think I will watch one of the original Star Wars movies to celebrate. It has been a long week. I could use a bit of the force helping me out! How about you? Any plans? Are you even a Star Wars fan? Do you have a favorite character or a favorite line?
A few years ago I knew some basics about brain research and the possible impact on education, but I had not yet heard the word “Lumosity.” Now I know that Lumosity.com is a company that claims its games will help users expand their brain power. Its commercials are frequently aired on television, on the Internet and even on some WordPress blogs. The specific Lumosity.com commercial shown above offers an effective, persuasive presentation about the company and its services.
First, the speakers in this Lumosity commercial are attractive adults, not stuffy looking scientists and experts; they are common everyday folks that the viewers can relate to and trust, even if they are predominately young adults. Second, even if the viewers are older, they can still identify with the speakers and their hopes for change: they want to be “quicker,” “stay sharp,” “remember people’s names,” “concentrate a little better,” “learn faster,” and “just not miss stuff.” Doesn’t everyone want those things? Of course they do, either for themselves or their loved ones (children, parents). That common bond is what the makers of the commercial are hoping for in order to hook the viewers into wanting what their service claims to provide.
Third, the informational portion of the commercial is presented by a friendly upbeat masculine voice-over that assures viewers they can accomplish improved mental tasks through neuroplasticity disguised as games. My bet is that most viewers—if they have heard that term—cannot give a definition, but it sounds good, maybe even cutting edge. The makers of the commercial are looking for a fine balance: the unknown of scientific research countered with the ease of incorporating the scientific into the viewers’ lives. Accomplishing this task is easy—just join Lumosity and “discover what your brain can do.” The suggestion that one can easily harness scientific advances makes the service sound that much more appealing.
Finally, the commercial’s quick pacing gives it a modern, hip feel and the hand-drawn images that augment the pictures and show technology in action suggest the power and use of technology without being overwhelming or intimidating. Using Lumosity.com is almost like child’s play. The emphasis stays on the speakers or users of Lumosity—and they always look so content and happy. Overall, the commercial gives its viewers the impression that modern brain research can be a tool to help them improve mentally in a variety of areas.
The promise of Lumosity.com was intriguing. I was hooked enough to want to explore its service more fully. I wondered about its scientific claims, about its website and what it could offer, and what others thought about the experience. I started my exploration by visiting the Lumosity website to take advantage of the advertised free membership that would allow me to experiment directly with its learning games.
EXPLORING THE LUMOSITY WEBSITE & ITS EXTENDED MARKETING
The Lumosity.com website is very user friendly and offers the same tone and presentation approach already seen in the commercials. The people pictured on the website are everyday folks, friendly-looking, pretty. Eventually, testimonials are provided, representative of a range of ages and needs: student working to improve at school, elderly patient worried about dementia, and worker wanting to advance on the job. Everyone can identify.
The website also makes its viewers an opening promise: “Harness your brain’s neuroplasticity and train your way to a brighter life. Lumosity turns neuroscience breakthroughs into fun, effective games. Stimulate your brain today.” Even if viewers are not quite sure what neuroplasticity is, Lumosity is betting they will at least want to explore the possibility of maximizing their brain potential. It is a friendly easy hook that leads to the next step: signing up for a free trial offer.
If the viewer accepts the invitation as I did and opens a free account, then additional choices and immediate feedback are provided to personalize the service. The technology used to offer the feedback in response to choices is not new. Most of us see it at work every day: emails from Amazon.com suggesting purchases based on past buying history, CVS tracking sales to amass savings coupons, and computer games tracking high scores and time on task, to name just a few examples. But even though common, the personal touch is noticed and makes the viewer feel special.
The content being offered—like in the commercials—is something no one would say no to. Viewers are offered a menu that will help them improve in four general areas: attention, speed, flexibility, and problem solving. In each category, the viewer can select up to four sub-headings within the general topic to explore further. Under “attention” the sub-headings are focus, concentration, avoiding distractions, and improving productivity and precision. Now, what viewer is going to say, “I’m great in all those areas and do not need any improvement”? Lumosity is counting on that realization or concern by the viewers because its goal is to provide the personalized gaming routine to help each viewer improve in selected areas.
The selection process is immediate and viewers can start playing games to improve their brain functions as soon as they have made their choices. The games are fun and use the standard technology found in online gaming and computerized learning programs to keep score, note improvements, and track progress. If you play the same game twice, I bet your score will improve as mine did; such results confirm the site’s claim that their games will help you improve. References are also made to the science that supports the games, but in general terms with no complicated or technical explanations; viewers can explore the science further if they wish. This persuasive strategy lends legitimacy to the science because sources are cited and follow-up can be explored even if few viewers actually stop to scrutinize the details.
Lumosity boasts 35 million users, and I expect my free user account is part of that number. It does not surprise me that people sign up once they get to the website. The promise of new science harnessed to address each person’s individualized learning needs is strong. It is easy to sign up for a free account, and it takes only a few minutes a day of playing games, according to the advertising, to achieve positive results. The free account, however, does not give the customer access to everything. The main hook is that to really unlock your potential you need to join and get access to the full range of puzzles and games designed just for you.
On that first visit, the customer is in luck: anyone who signs up on that first visit saves 10% on the annual fee. It’s a bargain! Of course, my bet is that the discount is built into the system for every day and every viewer, so it is really just a semblance of a discount. But it makes the viewer feel lucky! Of course, since I did not sign up that first day, I was eventually offered a 35% discount after about 2 weeks. Maybe 10% off is not such a good deal for the first-time visitor.
The actual costs do not seem too bad, but of course that is relative to each person’s financial situation. The monthly cost is $14.95—so equivalent roughly to a lunch out somewhere, if you do not order dessert or a drink. The viewer can also enroll with an annual fee ($6 a month, paid at one time), a two-year fee ($4.50 a month paid at one time), or a lifetime fee ($269.96). The discount only applies to the annual fee. I did not officially sign up and pay any fees for a couple of reasons. First, I wanted to see how long the free-trial would go on, and second, I wondered how Lumosity would extend its marketing activities.
The main follow-up marketing tool came through a series of emails, 11 in all as of 1 April 2013. The first was a welcome statement, and then an offer of a 20% discount if I’d return and sign up. Once I did not sign up within the three-day time frame, then I was told via other emails that “research suggests you shouldn’t procrastinate” and later “possible links between lifetime engagement and Alzheimer’s [exist]” and “everyone experiences cognitive decline as they age.” Of course, these messages assume I have been slovenly in my thinking or at least forgetful, not that I have decided against signing up. These secondary messages play on most people’s fear of declining abilities as they age.
Another softer persuasive approach provides positive reminders that tie back to the initial promises of improved learning that everyone would appreciate: “Get a more efficient brain,” Learn “the secrets of Lumosity Superusers,” and “Train for a brighter Tomorrow.” Testimonials are given as well, referencing a range of people who have benefitted from the service in terms of age and needs. Another inducement was an increased discount from 20% to 30% and then eventually 35% off.
The emails also present snippets of the research, no detailed analyses but an increased use of scientific terms such as fluid intelligence, crystallized intelligence, and n-back tests. These terms, of course, are not really new, having been in use for decades. But the science summaries are interesting and give some proof that work on memory games can improve one’s learning potential.
GENERAL CUSTOMER FEEDBACK
I like puzzles, so the games on the Lumosity.com website are fun. For that reason alone, I could see people signing up for the service, in addition to the promise of increased mental acuity. The costs are not astronomical, and the increased discounts make the viewer feel special and wanted. However, before making a decision, it is always wise to see what complaints or praise may have surfaced about the service. I did some Internet searching matching “lumosity” with “praise,” “complaints,” and “feedback.” My search discovered several sites sharing customer feedback, good and bad.
First, I reviewed the Better Business Bureau report on Lumosity. The company (Lumos Labs, Inc.) resides in San Francisco and registered with the Better Business Bureau in February 2008; the company was started in October 2006. The report I viewed tallied the complaints for the last three years. A total of 71 complaints were registered as of 1 April 2013; all were resolved to the customer’s satisfaction except seven. The complaints fell into three categories: advertising/sales, 9; billing/collection, 35; and product/service, 27. The numbers are not huge, especially when Lumosity reports serving 35 million users. The Better Business Bureau gives Lumosity an A rating.
The other sites mimic the general information shared on the Better Business Bureau site. For the most part, these other sites shared anecdotal examples of problems and complaints. Some of the complaints went back to 2008, and some comments were positive noting the small number of complaints being raised. One example site shared 18 reviews, giving an average score of 3 out of 5 as its rating, saying overall that Lumosity was not recommended. Another site shared 14 reviews. Amina Elahi on the Viewpoints website offers a great balanced overview of what to consider when exploring signing up with Lumosity.
From the range of sites I reviewed, the main praise is the ease of use and the fun of the games. Several of the positive comments emphasize that the users can feel their mental acuity being challenged and expanded. One lawyer posted his delight with the dramatic improvements and the carry-over to the rest of his life. He concluded, “Because the only thing I’ve really been doing differently is playing Lumosity, I believe Lumosity really has made me smarter, quicker, more aware of my surroundings and sequences of events, and it has improved my memory.”
The complaints fall into several categories. A few people think signing up for Lumosity has increased the amount of spam they receive. However, the company adamantly asserts it does not sell member information. I have been signed up for several weeks on an account I rarely use and have not seen an increase in spam to that email account. One reviewer carefully parses the language on the privacy statement and notes that Lumosity reserves the right to use its customer data at its discretion. In addition, when the customer asked that his information be taken out of the system, he was told that was not possible. While Lumosity’s stated norm seems to be not selling customer information, the company reserves the right to use the data as it sees fit. A handful of others complain of technical glitches that hamper their use of the games. On my visits, I have had no technical problems.
Some users also complain that customer service is hard to reach and feedback is slow in coming. There is no phone-in customer service or online chat option to get immediate help and feedback. One problem is that if customers track down a phone number (not provided on the website) in their attempt to talk to someone, they either leave a message that is never returned or reach a voice mailbox that is constantly full. The website explains that the way to reach customer service is via an email sent from a link on the website that is tied to each customer’s account. There is no mention of how quickly someone will respond to an inquiry, but it is suggested the customer check back to see the answer. The problem seems to me not that there is no customer service but that how to access that service is not intuitive to all users and does not provide immediate feedback. In addition, the users will not even find the email link option unless they click on the right box on the website.
The primary complaints, however, focus on automatic renewals that the customers feel were unexpected; a different version is that when someone tries to cancel, the request does not go through easily. When I checked the website with this complaint in mind, it was evident that the automatic renewal aspect of every membership is not clearly stated. The customer needs to click the “get more information” boxes to get any sense of what “recurring billing” means. On other sites I frequent, the customer has a chance to check a box agreeing to automatic renewal or to the saving of payment information. Not so on Lumosity. The main assumption by the customers seems to be that a one-month trial membership would not have to be canceled; rather, an extended membership would have to be initiated. That is not the case. The customers must cancel by going into the account information area of the website—and they need to do that in a timely manner.
Again, the numbers are not huge in terms of the complaints that were reported on the various sites I stumbled upon. Still, they suggest areas of concern that a discerning customer would explore before making a decision to purchase the service. A few people complain the service is expensive, but that is relative to each person’s circumstances. An annual membership of $72 before any discounts are taken does not sound too bad. But each customer needs to decide if the service quality makes this amount a wise investment. Before finalizing that decision, customers should decide what they are hoping to get out of the membership: playing fun games or extensive improvement in their brain function. If the latter, then the science behind Lumosity needs some exploration.
WHAT ABOUT THE SCIENCE?
Lumosity readily uses the scientific terms neuroplasticity, fluid intelligence, crystallized intelligence, and n-back tests across its website and in some of its commercials. The parent company Lumos Labs, Inc. conducts some of its own research and shares that and other research through links on its website. A printable brochure is also available giving an overview of the science behind the service. The executive summary of that document explains, “We now understand that, with the right kind of stimulation and activity, the brain can dramatically change and remodel itself to become more efficient and effective in processing information, paying attention, remembering, thinking creatively, and solving novel problems.” The rest of the document summarizes a variety of research studies.
The research cited by Lumosity looks good, but I tend to be skeptical, especially when a company offers its own researched proof. Not surprisingly, I was able to find an article by one of Lumosity’s competitors—BrainHQ—that claims it utilizes the research better than Lumosity does. The article’s opening line claims that BrainHQ is “the only program to have been scientifically tested on a large-scale.”
The crux of the research looks at the difference between fluid and crystallized intelligences. Fluid intelligence—the ability to think and reason such as is used in generating problem solving strategies—has typically been said to peak in its development in late adolescence. However, crystallized intelligence—the ability to use specific knowledge and past experience in new situations—can continue developing over time. About.com offers this general review: “Both types of intelligence are equally important in everyday life. For example, when taking a psychology exam, you might need to rely of fluid intelligence to come up with a strategy to solve a statistics problem, while you must also employ crystallized intelligence to recall the exact formulas you need to use.”
For over 40 years, the general consensus that fluid intelligence could not be improved through training was the accepted norm. In April 2008, Stephanie Jaeggi and others published research that suggested the opposite: test subjects who worked on various mental activities did show an improvement in their fluid intelligence levels. In essence, training could make you smarter. However, most neuroscientists do not yet agree, and others have not yet been able to duplicate Jaeggi’s conclusions. The research is promising but does not yet offer conclusive proof; much more work is needed.
In 2012, The New York Times offered a great article explaining the concepts and the research. This article shows the promise of the current research being undertaken but concludes that more research is needed. Also, the article suggests it is likely that even if the new studies are accurate the improvement in fluid intelligence would probably not be permanent unless the training was maintained. Basically, mental training to get smarter is like working out at the gym to get stronger—you have to keep doing the exercises to retain the benefits. According to Jaeggi, “Do we think [the test subjects are] now smarter for the rest of their lives by just four weeks of training? We probably don’t think so. We think of it like physical training: if you go running for a month, you increase your fitness. But does it stay like that for the rest of your life? Probably not.”
The following BBC report gives an overview of additional research that seems to suggest that the brain games—although they look at those you purchase as independent units rather than website services—will not really make you smarter. They conclude what seems confirmed by my experience on the Lumosity website: with practice you will get better at the games. Just don’t expect that those improvements will necessarily help in any other area.
MY RECOMMENDATION: KNOW WHAT YOU ARE BUYING
I appreciate well-constructed advertising campaigns. When I taught critical thinking to college students, I would often assign students to analyze commercials or political campaigns, so the students could better see what all was being “sold” through the commercials and materials associated with the campaigns. When Lumosity.com is assessed, it becomes clear that it is selling several things through its website:
Customers’ desire to improve their mental acuity balanced with fear or trepidation that mental acuity will decline as people age.
Confidence in the research claims expressed by the company, but Lumos Labs, Inc. does not acknowledge any research that counters its claims or questions the long-term benefit of playing the games. Also, Jaeggi’s most promising research was published in 2008, but Lumos Labs, Inc. was established in 2006.
A user-friendly website that provides extensive games for the customer and all the follow-through of keeping score and tracking progress.
Round-the-clock access to over 35 fun games!
Customer Service, but it is not obvious that access is only online via email with no assurances as to how quickly feedback will be provided.
Easy membership pathways, but with a range of discounts depending on how long you wait to enroll. It seems clear that the quicker you sign up, the more you pay.
Recurring billing is practiced on all membership options, but that detail is not as clear and obvious to the customers as some customers would like. It is important to explore all links for extra information and to read the fine print.
Obviously, there is a lot being sold. If you are determined to improve your mental abilities via the games and puzzles offered by Lumosity.com, check the research and remember that it is unlikely that permanent improvement is possible. To maintain what improvements you develop, you will probably need to keep playing the games via a paid annual membership. [A fact Lumosity would undoubtedly appreciate!] If you have fun playing the games and they help you relax while providing some mental challenges and improvements on isolated activities, buy a membership—just play hard-to-get for a couple weeks to get the best deal. Lumosity.com offers a great advertising campaign and fun games based on the promise of recent brain research. Before you decide, just be certain you know what all you are buying and the reality of the claims being made. Then have fun!
ME? I will probably go back to play a few games over and over on Lumosity.com via my free trial membership. There does not seem to be a limit on how long such a membership will last. I am not concerned with getting access to more than the couple of games available without a paid membership. My budget has been tight for the last several years, so $47 (the annual fee reduced by 35%) could be better used in other ways: couple lunches out with friends, gas for a trip down to LA to see my dad, and buying four or more books on Amazon.com are the first three examples that come to mind.
I do like games and recognize that practice playing mental games can improve my memory and concentration, at least for the short term, so I will play solitaire a bit more often as well as complete crossword puzzles and sodokus. There are no bells and whistles or even tracking of my progress, but they are fun and relaxing. Apparently, other computer games—even the ones the kids play for hours on end that involve developing strategies and hand-eye coordination—would help too. Crossword puzzle image
So, how about you? Have you joined or explored Lumosity? What advice would you give? What activities do you practice to stay mentally sharp?
I like animals of all kinds. I like learning new things. When someone says they have information that could be categorized as weird, strange or odd, I tend to think fun, fascinating or incredible. Not surprisingly, I loved stumbling onto a website that presents lists of amazing and strange facts about birds and animals. What was more surprising was that I knew many, many facts already. Since the facts I collected into my own list amazed and amused me, I thought I would share.
A MOLE can dig a tunnel 300 feet long in just one night! That’s roughly the length of a football field. BTW: A mole is about 6 inches long.
PORCUPINES float in water.
I am most used to seeing SQUIRRELS running on the ground or along a tree branch. In reality, squirrels can jump a distance up to 20 feet because of their long muscular hind legs and shorter front legs. If they somehow miss on the jump, they can fall 100 feet without getting hurt because their bushy tails offer balance and act like a parachute.
A HEDGEHOG’S heart beats 300 times a minute on average!
A CROCODILE always grows new teeth to replace the old teeth. But it still cannot stick its tongue out.
ELEPHANTS are the only animals that can’t jump. Of course, I cannot imagine why they would want to, especially since they can have so much fun just running and frolicking in the waves.
AMERICAN BUFFALO weigh about 50 pounds when they are born but grow to weigh between 1,000 pounds (females) and 2,000 pounds (males). Both males and females have horns and stand roughly six feet tall. Although in common usage, the terms buffalo and bison are interchangeable, in exact biological terms American Buffalo are really Bison. Ooops. Let’s hope the Senate does not hear about this as they may waste time renaming the “Buffalo Nickle.”
FLAMINGOS are large beautiful pink birds. The deep rich color comes from their diet. When first born, the chicks are fluffy and dark gray for many months. They keep the dark gray color longer than they keep the small straight bills they are born with. Within a few months, the bills develop the curve that is characteristic of adult flamingos. These gorgeous birds flock together in huge numbers. When they fly as a group, they can reach speeds up to 35 miles per hour. But they most often stay on the ground in large flocks called a flamboyance. How appropriate! BTW: Pink plastic lawn flamingos were developed by Don Featherstone of Massachusetts and have been gracing lawns since 1957.
The POISON-ARROW FROG has enough poison to kill about 2,200 people.
A SNAIL can sleep for three years.
The world’s TERMITES outweigh the world’s humans 10 to 1.
Koko is the name of the gorilla that learned sign language and helped teach some signs to a few other gorillas. Most GORILLAS communicate through grunts, coughs, hoots, facial expressions, body gestures, and posturing. Makes sense that they are seen as close relatives to humans. Each gorilla also has unique fingerprints just like humans. But humans do not have unique nose prints as gorillas do.
CAMELS have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowing sand! They also are known to spit quite far—and with decent accuracy.
BEARS are remarkable creatures. They often appear cuddly but in reality can be quite fierce. Some have huge front claws that can be almost five inches long. They have been known to eat almost anything from nuts and berries to snowmobile seats, engine oil, and rubber boots. A bear’s normal heartbeat is about 40 beats per minute. A hibernating bear’s heart rate drops to only 8 beats per minute. There is no record how many beats a minute are produced when a bear is just napping.
A group of GEESE on the ground is a gaggle; a group of geese in the air is a skein. But a goose by itself is still just a goose or maybe a lone duck.
BARN OWLS share many traits with all the other owls in the world. Unlike other owls, however, barn owls do not hoot; instead their sound can be best described as a hiss or a snort. Barn owls also have the ability to locate their prey by sound alone. Their ears are positioned in such a way—one higher than the other—that the sounds can actually pinpoint an exact ground level location. Their heart-shaped facial disc works like a radar disc and helps reflect sounds to the ears. They are also very pretty!
I love seeing BROWN PELICANS as they fly overhead or sit on a post by the seashore. Their most daring feat, however, is when they dive 20 to 30 feet into the water to scoop fish into their pouch. The air sacs placed under the front of their bodies offer Brown Pelicans protection against the force of hitting the water’s surface from such a height. Their webbed pouch expands to hold the captured fish and up to three gallons of water. Once the water is drained out, they eat the fish in one gulp.
OSTRICHES are large powerful birds than can run really fast (30 mph extended and 45 mph sprint) and have a powerful kick (2,000 pounds per square inch, more than twice an elite boxer’s kick, enough to kill a man or a lion). An ostrich egg can weigh up to 3 pounds—that’s equivalent to about 24 chicken eggs. It is reported that sometimes when an ostrich with young meets another ostrich with young, the parents fight. The winner takes all the offspring. That’s quite a play date!
Once, when visiting a drive-thru wildlife park that lets visitors feed the animals from the car, I ended up with an ostrich beak in my face, peeking around looking for the bucket of food. They are fast—this one bolted its head into the car before I could get the window rolled up. My nephews laughed a lot, but I did not think it was very funny. That ostrich kept watching us skeptically from that moment on—even though it had all our food. (I threw the bucket out the window!)
On average, people fear SPIDERS more than they do death. But spiders actually serve a great service by eating other insects. Since there are close to 50,000 species of spiders, just think how many creepy crawling things would be in our fields and streets and homes if spiders were not there to eat them. Also, you are more likely to be killed by a champagne cork than by a POISONOUS SPIDER. Thank goodness champagne is more likely to be found at a party than a poisonous spider.
DOLPHINS see through their ears using echo-location. This sonar function is far superior to the bat’s sonar or human-made sonar devices. With its sonar, dolphins can distinguish between types of fish and size differences as little as a quarter inch. They are also social animals that frequently interact with humans in the wild, often with the dolphin helping the humans. Dolphins are some of the most intelligent animals on the planet. Scientists measure intelligence by the number of folds evident on a brain. Dolphin brains are even more folded and convoluted than humans.
Dolphins have also learned to understand as many as 60 words, which can be used in up to 2000 sentences. As Carl Sagan says, “It is of interest to note that while some dolphins are reported to have learned English – up to fifty words used in correct context – no human being has been reported to have learned dolphinese.”
A HIPPO can open its mouth wide enough to fit a 4 foot tall child inside! But I am not going to ask it to demonstrate.
A HUMMINGBIRD weighs less than a penny!
I was first introduced to LAUGHING GULLS when I lived in South Texas. Their calls do indeed sound like hysterical laughter. No one could ever quite figure out what they were laughing at. Personally, I think it has something to do with them observing humans all day at the beach and around town.
Nose prints are used to identify DOGS, just like humans use fingerprints! But most times you do not have to check for nose prints to know whose smudges are on the window.
That’s my list. What trivia tidbits about animals can you share?
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QUOTES ABOUT ANIMALS
We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.Immanuel Kant
Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened. Anatole France
In order to keep a true perspective of one’s importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him. Dereke Bruce
I care not for a man’s religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it.Abraham Lincoln
Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace.Albert Schweitzer
If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans. James Herriot
The animals of the planet are in desperate peril. Without free animal life I believe we will lose the spiritual equivalent of oxygen.Alice Walker
Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much the larger and better in every way. John Muir
What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected. Chief Seattle
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. Mahatma Ghandi
Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty. Albert Einstein
I don’t believe in the concept of hell, but if I did I would think of it as filled with people who were cruel to animals. Gary Larson
Man is the only Animal that blushes. Or needs to. Mark Twain
Today is National Pi Day, March 14, written as 3/14. Even though the House of Representatives passed a resolution recognizing National Pi Day back in 2009, I had never heard of it. I was first aware of this celebrated day when a fellow blogger—Go Jules Go—announced that she would be submitting a pie in the Pi Day Pie Challenge being held by another blogger, Accidental Step Mom. What a fun idea! I, of course, would not enter the contest, since I am even less of a baker than I am a cook—and I am not a cook.
Still, the idea of a National Pi Day intrigued me. Even though I am more a word-person than a numbers-person, the world of numbers and its beauty and symmetry generally fascinates me. In an earlier post “The Music of Math: Just Listen” I had already explored the concept (and the sound) of Tau. Apparently, there is a controversy over the best representation of the circle constant, the traditional Pi or the proposed Tau. Since it is National Pi Day, I thought I better find out a bit more about Pi than that it is written in decimal format as 3.14.
Pi is an irrational and transcendental number that has captivated mathematicians for thousands of years. By definition, it is the mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, and is approximately equal to 3.14159. This decimal representation just keeps going and going and never repeats a pattern. These qualities make Pi an intriguing puzzle of sorts to mathematicians the world over. It has been represented by the Greek letter “π” since the mid-18th century.
The San Francisco Exploratorium has been celebrating Pi Day since 1988. Typically, celebrants walk around circular areas at the facility and eat pie at the end of the march. For many years, Massachusetts Institute of Technology has postmarked its acceptance letters to new students on Pi Day. Starting in 2012, MIT has announced it will post those decisions (privately) online on Pi Day at exactly 6:28 pm, which they have called “Tau Time,” to acknowledge the controversy between Pi and Tau as the best circle constant. Princeton combines its Pi Day Activities with its annual Einstein Celebration, since March 14 is also Einstein’s birthday. There are lots of ways to celebrate Pi Day.
The Official Pi Day Website shares a wealth of information about Pi, including ideas for the classroom, a rap video about reciting Pi, news reports involving Pi, and ideas and archives about celebrations. This site also notes that it is fun to memorize and recite Pi for as many digits past the decimal point as you can. In case you want to try memorizing this number, here is a listing offered by the website providing hundreds of digits beyond the decimal point.
The Teaching Pi Website shares classroom ideas for teaching Pi and provides quotes from teachers and students about the fascination surrounding Pi. One 8th grader captures this general fascination quite well: “If you think about it, pi never ends. There’s an infinite space between 3 and 4. It never ends, and that’s weird.” For me, weird is good! The website also suggests what a fun challenge it is to memorize and recite Pi, so it also gives lists of winners by grade level, noting how many digits were recited by each winner.
One student who was going to try to memorize a string of 140 digits, said it was easier to think of the challenge as memorizing 20 phone numbers than just a random string of numbers. That’s a helpful memorization tip, but no matter what the websites say, memorizing Pi does not sound like a fun challenge to me. But to give a sense of what such a recitation might sound like, here’s a video that has someone singing the number quite a few spaces beyond the decimal point:
I am still not certain how I will be celebrating National Pi Day. Maybe I’ll swing by Marie Callender’s after lunch to buy a piece of pie. I know I will listen to the video embedded below called “The Music of Pi” by Michael Blake. The fact that music is hidden in the numbers is mesmerizing to me, much more fun than someone—not me!—memorizing and reciting the numbers in order. The following video is similar to “The Music of Tau” video I presented in an earlier post. Although A Frank Angle presented this exact Pi video in his post “On a Piece of Pi” last year, it is worth sharing here as well. But don’t forget to visit his site—it offers a lot more fun information about Pi.
HAPPY NATIONAL PI DAY!
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO CELEBRATE?
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A FINAL CAUTION: The American Pie Council would be very disappointed if anyone were to confuse Pi Day (3/14) with Pie Day (January 23). They are really quite different, although it seems they both involve eating lots of pie.
P.S. To keep your focus on the fun of mathematics, here are two more videos. They are not about Pi, but they are fun! Enjoy!
I know many people really love having that extra hour of sunlight available in the evening rather than in the morning. But I am not one of them. I am a night person, always have been. My internal clock or rhythms really hate making the adjustment to Daylight Saving Time. If I have trouble being awake and alert for an 8 am meeting as it is in Standard Time, then “springing forward” so that 8 am meeting is really starting at 7 am is next to impossible. And for weeks, actually for the months until we “fall back” to regular, normal Standard Time, I feel that difference. I groan, “But it is really only X o’clock.”
Knowing how I hate this upcoming time change, my sister forwarded an article that explains how Daylight Saving Time contributes to an increased risk of heart attack and other severe problems. The author Joseph Mercola offers this summary: “There is very little good to be said about switching to Daylight Saving Time. Research is pointing to a long list of adverse effects, including increased heart attack risk, increased automobile accidents, lost productivity at work, increased chances of getting sick, and even higher suicide rates. There is also little evidence to suggest that DST reduces energy usage, which was its original intent.”
Photo from ClipArt
So why did we start this crazy time change practice anyway? In 1895 George Vernon Hudson first proposed a 2-hour daylight saving shift. He lived in New Zealand and was an entomologist. When he got off work from his day-job, he wanted more hours of sunlight available to him in those early evening hours, so he could collect bugs. Germany was the first country to officially use Daylight Saving Time during World War I. The main reason back then was to save money by not needing to burn light bulbs so much.
Photo from ClipArt
Today, some countries do follow a Daylight Saving Time practice, but there is no consistency in when the clocks are changed, for how long, and by how many hours. When I went to school in Indiana, where my part of the state did not change their clocks, my roommate’s boyfriend had a heck of time getting home on time in Chicago—sometimes he was 2 hours away from home, sometimes 3 hours. I once missed a flight at an airport an hour away because I forgot that that area had changed their clocks months earlier. Expand this to arranging schedules and meetings on an international level and you can imagine the nuisance factor of this time change practice.
In addition, current research offers contradictory and inconclusive data about whether energy costs are decreased because of the change to Daylight Saving Time. There are studies that productivity at work goes down dramatically in the weeks following the time changes. And now, studies show there are health risks. The following video offers a nice little history of Daylight Saving Time and recounts some of the problems and benefits of this time change practice.
Knowing all this, I firmly stand by my original caution: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid! On Monday morning, there are bound to be more heart attacks, more suicides, and more car accidents. At work, you and others will probably be less productive. Your energy costs are probably not going to go down, and they might even increase. Plus I am apt to be cranky—and I bet I am not alone. All this because a guy wanted more sunlight after work to collect bugs. Boggles the mind.
FINALLY, MY PERSONAL SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Regardless of how silly I think it is to have to change the clocks this weekend, don’t forget to do it if you live in an area that follows this tradition. Most Fire Departments suggest that you also change the batteries in your smoke detectors and other such early warning devices. Have a good weekend!
I first visited the Grand Canyon over 25 years ago. I hoped it would be as marvelous as I expected. I was not disappointed. No wonder Theodore Roosevelt said, “It is the one great wonder. . . every American should see.” It is a phenomenal awe-inspiring place. Since then, I have been back many times—sometimes by myself, other times with friends. I already talked about a couple of my favorite visits in an earlier post. But the Grand Canyon deserves a fuller review.
Some Details:
If you have not yet seen the Grand Canyon, you might wonder what the big deal is. After all, it is basically just a big hole in the ground. In fact, in the early 1800s, Lt. Joseph Ives led an army survey party into the canyon and concluded it was “altogether valueless.” I would argue with him! The details of its size, variety and geography are impressive, even if you never see the place:
Located in Arizona, the Grand Canyon is a mile deep and close to 18 miles wide.
In total, this national park covers over 1,900 square miles—that is roughly 1.2 million acres.
The canyon is 277 miles long, so long that no vantage point offers a view of the entire expanse.
Still, on a good day in terms of air quality—most days!—visibility averages 90 to 110 miles.
The Colorado River runs through the canyon as the primary agent that cut this gorgeous gorge into existence.
The rocks at the bottom of the canyon are roughly 1.8 billion years old, but most geologists agree the gorge was created by erosion over the last 5 million years.
Visitors can access the canyon from both the South Rim and the North Rim, but each side varies in its vegetation, animals, weather and elevation.
Over 1,500 plant, 355 bird, 89 mammalian, 47 reptile, 9 amphibian, and 17 fish species are found in the park.
This gorge offers spectacular colors and formations, awe-inspiring vistas, and wondrous evidence of geological actions at work. Is it any wonder that John Muir offered the following conclusion when he visited the Grand Canyon? “No matter how far you have wandered hitherto, or how many famous gorges and valleys you have seen, this one, the Grand Canyon of the Colorados, will seem as novel to you, as unearthly in the color and grandeur and quantity of its architecture, as if you had found it after death, on some other star…”
Some History:
The massive area today called the Grand Canyon has been and still is home to native cultures. Archaeological studies confirm that the oldest human artifacts in the area date back 12,000 years. The area has been in continuous use since then, inhabited by a range of tribes including Paleo-Indian, Ancestral Puebloan, Cohonina, Southern Paiute, Zuni, Hopi, and Navajo. Some lived in the area while others visited annually for what seems to be religious reasons. The Cohonina were ancestors of the Yuman, Havasupai, and Haulapai peoples who inhabit the area today.
To get an overview of the archaeological findings throughout the canyon, visit this link and scroll down a bit to find the national park service video titled “Archaeology Along the Colorado River.” Fortunately, some archaeological finds are available for public viewing. Ruins are visible on both the North and South Rims, showing sites where some native peoples once lived. On the North Rim, the Walhalla Glades Pueblo Ruins show remnants of buildings left from over 900 years ago. This site was a summer home for families for over 100 years. On the South Rim, the ruins are an old Pueblo Indian site that was occupied for about 20 years around 1185. The area is called the Tusayan Ruins and includes a small museum open to the public.
The Walhalla Glades Pueblo Ruins (North Rim):
The Tusayan Ruins (South Rim):
The Tusayan Museum exhibits a full range of artifacts found throughout the area. For me, the split-twig figurines typically crafted from single willow twigs that are folded into animal shapes are the most intriguing. They were found in remote caves, dating from 2,000 to 4,000 year ago. Extensive pottery holdings are on exhibit as well, showing full vessels as well as broken remnants. These exhibits make a tangible link between visitors of today and the inhabitants from so many years ago. For me, the puzzle is engaging, whether pieces of the past or pieces of a broken pot are being put together.
The Two Pieces Fit Together! (about 2 inches total length)
Early Visitors:
Sent by Coronado in 1540 to search for the fabled seven cities of gold, Captain Garcia Lopez de Cardenas led a group into the canyon with the aid of Hopi guides and became the first non-Native visitor to see the canyon. More than 200 years passed before two Spanish priests led another non-Native expedition into the canyon. Most of the activity even then focused on access via the South Rim. In 1776 Father Escalante became the first European to visit the North Rim. Over the next hundred years, other groups—often hunters, trappers, and miners—made short targeted trips into the canyon.
John Wesley Powell led his first expedition along the Green and Colorado Rivers through the canyon in 1869. Although others had visited the area before, Powell’s expedition was the first to traverse the entire canyon. After this trip, he began publishing the term “Grand Canyon” to refer to the area, and the name has stuck. In his journals, he was rather literal when he explained that “wherever we looked was a wilderness of rocks,” but he also added that this impressive chasm was “the most sublime spectacle on earth.”
In the early 1900s, President Theodore Roosevelt was enamored of the area, frequently hunting along both the north and south sides of the canyon. Given his concern for conservation, he initially named the Grand Canyon a Game Preserve and then upgraded it to National Monument status in 1908. Those wishing to use the land especially for its mining and marketing potential opposed any further conservation efforts for many years. Finally, in 1919, President Woodrow Wilson signed the papers making The Grand Canyon part of the recently formed national park service. During that first year as a national park, roughly 44,000 visitors enjoyed its beauty and grandeur.
Visitors Today:
Today, nearly 5 million visitors enjoy the Grand Canyon each year. I suppose some are like the Griswolds in National Lampoon’s Vacation: Looking out over the rim for maybe a minute and then running to the car to move on to the next attraction. But most visitors appreciate the wonder and sheer magnitude of the place. I know whenever I visit, I make a point to find somewhere to sit in solitude and contemplate its majesty. At those times, I agree with John Muir when he said, “It seems a gigantic statement even for nature to make.” I am not sure if he is referencing the Grand Canyon with those words, but he should be.
Similarly, the words of Gladys Taber seem appropriate as well, giving voice to one of the reasons I seek solitude there: “We need time to dream, time to remember, and time to reach the infinite. Time to be.” For me, my favorite spot for just sitting and enjoying the canyon is at Desert View on the South Rim near the Desert View Watchtower. Desert View is the easternmost end of the South Rim, 27 miles from the Grand Canyon Village.
The view from this area offers one of the few views of the Colorado River from the canyon edge; the river often looks brown or muddy because its swift current stirs up the sediment at the bottom of the riverbed. No matter its color, the river is a marvelous sculptor of this canyon. It was Thoreau who noted, “The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touch of air and water working at their leisure with the liberal allowance of time.”
The Desert View Watchtower was built in 1932 by Mary Colter, the architect who built several other structures in the park. That a woman was responsible for such an important undertaking was a feat in itself at that time. In building the 70 foot tower, Colter mimiced the design of Anasazi watchtowers from the past. She used materials that would help the tower blend in with its surroundings while still offering a heightened view of the canyon below. The top of the tower is the highest point on the South Rim, sitting 7,522 feet above sea level. The bottom level of the tower houses a museum and gift shop, while the top level offers a spectacular view of the Colorado winding through the canyon.
The Desert View Watchtower is a popular site for visitors to the national park. Amazingly, it is at this busy location that I can usually find some solitude along the rim of the canyon. Most people who have made it to this end of the South Rim, visit the museum and gift shop and make use of the facilities, including a chance to buy a snack. Instead of joining those lines, I slip through the bushes at the far end of the parking lot and find myself on the Rim Trail that runs the length of the South Rim. If I go just a little ways down the trail, I can find some large boulders to sit on and watch the canyon; the noise and commotion of the parking lot and tourists fade away. The birds and chipmunks get used to my presence and come out of hiding. Maybe a hiker or two wanders by within the hour. Sometimes flowers are in bloom. Otherwise, I am alone watching the clouds wander by or maybe a storm blow in. It’s glorious!
Some Desert View Vistas:
Panoramic View from Desert View (3 photos together by hand)
VISITING THE CANYON:
Ninety percent of the visitors to the Grand Canyon each year visit the South Rim. Depending on the route taken, the Grand Canyon South Rim lies roughly 80-95 miles from Flagstaff, AZ. It is an easy 2-hour drive to the main entrance and the Grand Canyon Village. Since 1901, visitors can also enter the park on Grand Canyon Railroad out of Williams, AZ.
Once in the park, visitors can hike the trail along the rim as well as hike or ride mules down into the canyon. Each day offers different views, colors and nuances for the observant visitor. As John Wesley Powell explained: “You cannot see the Grand Canyon in one view, as if it were a changeless spectacle from which a curtain might be lifted, but to see it you have to toil. . .through its labyrinths.” I have never sojourned down into the canyon, but I have enjoyed many views of this magnificent place.
South Rim Views:
Although most of my visits have been to the South Rim, on one trip I did trek to the North Rim for a glorious afternoon. It was at the end of my two-week vacation, most of which was spent in the Flagstaff area. I had spent several days on the South Rim. On my last day, I decided instead of sleeping in and driving leisurely to Las Vegas (about 250 miles) where I had hotel reservations, I would take a longer route and make a quick stop at the North Rim. From the North Rim to Vegas, the drive would be about 270 miles. And I could get to the North Rim entrance in 200 miles. It seemed like a good plan!
And actually, it was a good plan, except I really needed more time at the North Rim. About halfway to the day’s destination, I stopped at Lee’s Ferry at Marble Canyon to see the Colorado River close-up. This site is Mile 0 for the Colorado River’s path through the canyon. I waded in the river and collected a few rocks for souvenirs.
Marble Canyon Views:
I arrived at the North Rim about noon on a day in late May, thankful that the roads were open at all. The roads (and thus also the services) are typically closed for weather conditions from November to May. On that afternoon, after lunch, a storm started moving in blocking more and more of the remaining sunlight. The temperatures were dropping and the wind gusts were increasing as well. I saw few other visitors, but opted to stay outside and enjoy the weather—even the spattering of rain—for as long as the light held. It was exhilarating to watch several storms blow across from the South Rim.
North Rim Views:
I have not been back to this glorious hole in the ground for several years, but I know I will visit again. . . and again. The Grand Canyon renews my spirit. My goal is to spend several days on the North Rim as well as getting back to the South Rim. I also want to visit The Skywalk, built in 2007 amid some controversy and now operated by the Hualapai Tribe. The Skywalk can be reached from the tribe’s private Grand Canyon West entrance. The view from the Skywalk has got to be terrific!
GO FOR A VISIT!
To put it simply: If you have not yet visited the Grand Canyon, do so. It is well worth being added to your Bucket List. If you have visited before, think about going back. I know for me, it renews my spirit just being there. As August Fruge once noted, “When your spirit cries for peace, come to a world of canyons deep in an old land; feel the exultation of high plateaus, the strength of moving water, the simplicity of sand and grass, and the silence of growth.”
If you need a final enticement about the wonder and history of the Grand Canyon, consider taking the “Grand Canyon Quiz” presented by National Geographic. It presents an array of information about the canyon. Here are two trivia facts not on the quiz: Today—February 26, 2013—is the 94th anniversary of the naming of the Grand Canyon as a National Park. In 1997, CNN rightly called the Grand Canyon one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
I have heard the admonition most of my life. I bet you have too. Since it is a regular feature in Reader’s Digest, the statement must be true: Laughter is the best medicine. I have always accepted the truth of this statement on faith and personal experience. Besides, laughing is free and can be self-induced. But apparently there are actual studies that prove the validity of this claim.
Norman Cousins is probably the best known proponent of laughing yourself to good health. He recorded his bout with illness and healing in Anatomy of an Illness by the Patient: Reflections on Healing (1979). His story is pretty dramatic. In 1964 he was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a rare disease of the connective tissues. He was told his chances for survival were minimal and to get his affairs in order.
However, instead of accepting that bleak outcome, Cousins took action. First, he checked out of the hospital and sought out a doctor who would work with him as a team member in a friendlier setting. Next, since the disease was known to deplete the body of Vitamin C, he started taking mega-doses of the vitamin. But his third and best action was that he arranged to watch hour after hour after hour of comedies to help him laugh as much as possible. He documents that the laughter helped him sleep better, relieved pain, and made him healthy. He lived for another 26 years!
Now, there are various studies that document the health and social benefits of laughing. Of course, some reviewers caution that not all the studies praising the benefits of laughing were conducted with appropriate scientific rigor. Still, places like HelpGuide.org, ABC News, and the Mayo Clinic praise and encourage laughing. The main benefits from the simple act of laughing on a regular basis are impressive:
Relaxes the body,
Alleviates pain,
Releases endorphins,
Boosts immunity,
Protects the heart and other organs, and
Reduces stress.
The Mayo Clinic even suggests that a forced smile can help anyone feel better:
“Go ahead and give it a try. Turn the corners of your mouth up into a smile and then give a laugh, even if it feels a little forced. Once you’ve had your chuckle, take stock of how you’re feeling. Are your muscles a little less tense? Do you feel more relaxed or buoyant? That’s the natural wonder of laughing at work.”
FOLLOWING DOCTOR’S ORDERS
Some medical professionals have started prescribing laughter for their patients. These professionals use “humor carts” to bring laughter-inducing materials to the bedside and coordinate “laughter clubs” to get people together for the express purpose of generating laughter. Reader’s Digest offers a fun little article called “19 Ways to Enhance Your Sense of Humor.” Just imagining a group of adults practicing the following suggestion made me giggle!
“Spend 15 minutes a day having a giggling session. Here’s how you do it: You and another person (partner, kid, friend, etc.) lie on the floor with your head on her stomach, and her head on another person’s stomach and so on (the more people the better). The first person says, “Ha.” The next person says, “Ha-ha.” The third person says, “Ha-ha-ha.” And so on. We guarantee you’ll be laughing in no time.”
I certainly hope you take this medical advice to heart. I know I do. Most week nights, I unwind at the end of a long tiring day by watching The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson. His guests are fairly typical, except he does occasionally invite authors, philosophers, and politicians along with the more usual celebrities. But mainly I can count on him to be downright silly. During most episodes, I laugh out loud, even if some of the laughs are more like stifled groans because the jokes are so bad. You see, it does not matter how you laugh: a loud belly laugh, a stifled snicker, or a bellowing guffaw. The main thing is to laugh, hopefully every day!
In case you need some help finding things to laugh about, I’m embedding some videos below with excerpts from some of my favorite funny people, mostly from the past. I’d love to hear what makes you chuckle: TV shows, books, movies, comics/comediennes, kids, pets, maybe life’s irritations. Maybe you even have a favorite joke.
SOME VIDEOS TO SHARE
The Carol Burnett Show was always funny—and one of my favorites as a kid. There are many classic skits from that show like “Went with the Wind” or Harvey Korman and Tim Conway in the “Dentist’s Office.” But I selected this “Star Trek Parody,” in part because I did not remember it. Carol does a pretty good James T. Kirk.
Another show I loved as a kid was Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, especially the bits with Lily Tomlin. Here are some fun excerpts from that show: Cocktail Party, Edith Ann, and Ernestine.
Bob Newhart has always been a favorite. Both his shows were great as was his earlier stand-up routines. I had not seen this bit from a MadTV episode until I stumbled on it the other day, but it did make me laugh.
There are a lot of great stand-up comics that consistently make me laugh: Ellen DeGeneres, Paula Poundstone, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, and Bill Cosby to name a few. Below is the classic bit “My Stuff” from George Carlin.
One last video: A friend shared this commercial titled “Herding Cats.” It’s a hoot!
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FINALLY, SOME QUOTES ABOUT LAUGHTER
If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane. Robert Frost
I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t laugh. Maya Angelou
My body needs laughter as much as it needs tears. Both are cleansers of stress. Mahagony Silverrain
Laughter is wine for the soul – laughter soft, or loud and deep, tinged through with seriousness – the hilarious declaration made by man that life is worth living. Sean O’Casey
Laughter translates into any language. Anonymous
The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. e .e. cummings
At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities. Jean Houston
Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine. Lord Byron
I have always felt that laughter in the face of reality is probably the finest sound there is and will last until the day when the game is called on account of darkness. In this world, a good time to laugh is any time you can. Linda Ellerbee
If you become silent after your laughter, one day you will hear God also laughing, you will hear the whole existence laughing — trees and stones and stars with you. Osho
If you would not be laughed at, be the first to laugh at yourself. Benjamin Franklin
Laughter connects you with people. It’s almost impossible to maintain any kind of distance or any sense of social hierarchy when you’re just howling with laughter. Laughter is a force for democracy. John Cleese
Laughter is God’s hand on the shoulder of a troubled world. Bettenell Huntznicker
You don’t stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing. Michael Pritchard
Laughter is the language of the soul. Pablo Neruda
I am a birder. That means I am a bird watcher. Not just noticing birds everywhere I go—even though I do that—but consciously looking for them, admiring them. I have binoculars and bird guides in the car, I keep a life list, and I stop along the roadside after spotting a good bird-viewing opportunity. It has been awhile, but I even go on vacations specifically to see birds I have not seen before. I started this hobby in Texas, where I had the luxury of many, many birds living and migrating through the area. Although I have not been birding a lot lately, several of my goals for this year would be well served by scheduling a birding trip (treks to nature, photographing nature).
Another of my goals for 2013 is to “express gratitude and appreciation more.” This one I can address right now—without scheduling a trip—by sharing the video posted below. I do not have to take the photos/videos myself to be amazed at the wonder of Nature being shared. This video was shot in November 2012 by Wildlife in Cornwall and captures the phenomenon of a large flock of birds dancing across the skies. Such a video is not new. Many have captured this vision over the years in many locales, and those videos can be found on YouTube as well.
But this video—“The Ultimate Starling Murmuration”—is one of the best I have seen, and it was taken fairly recently. This sighting was captured in Cornwall, England, where Starlings are natives. There are many types of Starlings, so I am not certain what type is captured in the video. If the video had been shot in the United States, it would be a fair guess that the birds are European Starlings, also called Common Starlings.
Here is a little background information on the bird itself in America: Today, Common or European Starlings are fairly common across the United States. They are considered an “invasive species” because they are not native to our habitats. In 1890, several hundred were released in New York’s Central Park by the American Acclimatization Society—and the many, many flocks have grown since then. The Society explained that birds mentioned in Shakespeare (specifically Henry IV, Part I) should be evident in the United States, so they took action!
If you live in the United States, I am sure you have seen Starlings in your area. These birds are roughly 8 inches long with a glossy black plumage. At times during the year, white spots can be seen on the plumage as well. Beak color varies from black to yellow as well. They mainly eat insects and fruit. They group together in a large flock called a murmuration. Although they prefer open fields, I have seen them in front yards and gardens as well as at places like zoos, where they can pester visitors for food with all the other birds. I have seen small flocks of birds in the fields performing their own ballet—they could be Starlings. Probably are. But nothing I have personally seen is as wondrous and detailed as shown in the video: “The Ultimate Starling Murmuration.” ENJOY!
BTW: Wildlife in Cornwall is a great website. When you visit there, you will discover many wildlife videos as well as tips on where to go to see the images yourself. As the website explains, “’Wildlife in Cornwall’” has been created to help people discover the best locations in Cornwall to see birds and wildlife. It has been created so locals and visitors can explore the wonderful wildlife of this beautiful part of the world.” Do yourself a favor and go visit this site—and then get to Cornwall eventually too
I am talking about California Poppies. This delightful little flower is the state flower, and it usually is evident along the highways in the spring of each year. Each bloom is not very big, maybe 1-2 inches in diameter with several sprouting together out of one plant. They are a vibrant yellow gold color that screams for attention in the hills. They typically share the hillsides with cream puffs, lupine, and other wildflowers.
This year, however, the January temperatures were too low and the annual rainfall was too minimal to produce a great batch of California Poppies. Typically, the highways are littered with them. And hills and hills of them are evident at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve SNR in Lancaster, off Highway 138. I have been there many times to view these natural wonders. The Reserve offers 8 miles of trails through the hills amongst the flowers. My dad and I visited there several times, just to enjoy the flowers and take some pictures.
