Friday, October 31, 2008

Free Bonus Report Series: Day 4 Shanghai Report

FREE... On-the-ground reports from the Ultimate Travel Photography
Expedition in Shanghai.

Since you couldn't be with us in China for our workshop, I'm sending
back reports to fill you in on what we've learned. You'll find my
fourth report below.

If you missed the last three, you can find them here:
http://www.thephotographerslife.com/shanghai_report_3

--Lori

**********************
October 31, 2008
The Right Way to Travel
**********************

Report #4 - The Lazy Man's Guide to Photography

Dear Dear,

It's Day Eight of the Ultimate Travel Photography Expedition in China
and we've finally made our way to Beijing.

If there's one thing professional photographer Shelly Perry has
repeated at least a dozen times on this trip, it's that you should try
to get your pictures right "in-camera." That is - don't take the shot
thinking you can crop it later in Photoshop or Lightroom. Get in
close and leave out the parts you know you'll want to crop from the
outset.

Here's why...

** 1. When you crop an image, you lose picture quality. If you're
planning to sell photos to magazines, this could cost you the cover
shot.

If your camera has a large enough sensor size and enough pixels to
enlarge a photo up to an 8 x 10 without looking distorted or blurry,
and you take half of that picture away, your image will look distorted
and blurry when the art director tries to enlarge it back to its
original size.

** 2. If you want to sell your photos for stock, cropping can hurt
your royalties. Stock agencies make more money from larger pictures.
Therefore, photographers get higher royalty checks when they can
supply larger images.

Not only that, but some stock agencies admit that they actually rank
larger photos higher in their search results. They don't want their
clients searching for a specific image only to find that it isn't for
sale at a size they can use for a full-page magazine cover or for a
full page ad to sell their product. They want their client to buy the
more expensive (larger) image, so they put those first in the search
results. You'll likely sell more if you can submit higher quality
images that haven't been cropped.

** 3. The Laziness Factor. "I'm either getting old, getting tired, or
just plain lazy," Shelly told us. "Or maybe it's just that I value my
spare time more than I used to. Either way, I'm trying more than ever
to get the photograph right when I take it, rather than snap the
picture and plan to fix it in Photoshop later."

"Don't get me wrong," she explained, "I love processing my images
before I put them up for sale, because that's where a lot of my
creativity comes in. But it's so much easier to get it right from the
start and spend as little time as possible in front of the computer
later.

To illustrate the problem with cropping, here's an example from
Shelly:
http://www.thephotographerslife.com/digital_camera_tips/cropping_photos

This first picture is one you might take on top of the east gate in
Xi'an, where we were yesterday.


But maybe you just want a portion of what you actually shot, as seen
here:
http://www.thephotographerslife.com/digital_camera_tips/cropping_photos

Notice how much of the photo you lose if you crop away everything in
gray. That's over half your image.

It's much better to use your lens to zoom in or walk closer to your
subject and take it the way you want it from the start. That way,
you'll retain your image quality and size. And you'll spend less time
processing your images later.

See the final image here:
http://www.thephotographerslife.com/digital_camera_tips/cropping_photos

To take our home-study course on turning your pictures into cash,
where you'll learn all about image quality, cropping, and more, go
here: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/phc/letushelp

Happy Shooting!

Lori Allen
Director, AWAI Travel Division

P.S. Don't forget that midnight tonight ends your last chance take
advantage of the $300 teleconference discount on our upcoming How to
Make a Six-Figure Income While You Travel Workshop in Panama City,
Panama. Find out more about the teleconference and the discount here:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/tpi/panama


*******************************

The Right Way to Travel is a FREE newsletter from the American Writers
& Artists Inc., available to AWAI members and friends.

This newsletter is coming to you because you are either a member of
The Ultimate Travel Writer's Program or Turn Your Pictures into Cash,
or you have opted to receive information about getting paid to travel
from the AWAI Travel Division.

(c) 2008 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
memberservices@awaionline.com

To LEARN MORE, visit:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com
http://www.thephotographerslife.com

To ADVERTISE in The Right Way to Travel, email Jackie Flynn at
jflynn@awaionline.com

CHANGE OF ADDRESS? E-mail us at memberservices@awaionline.com with
both your old AND new information in the body of the message.


-----------------
To UNSUBSCRIBE to this free service, click here:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/unsubscribe

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Friday, October 31, 2008

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Friday, October 31, 2008

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.


Mysterious Bat Disease Decimates Colonies: Newly Identified Fungus Implicated In White-nose Syndrome (October 31, 2008) -- White-nose syndrome in bats is a disease that is decimating bat populations in the northeast U.S. A previously undescribed, cold-loving fungus has been linked to white-nose syndrome, a condition associated with the deaths of over 100,000 hibernating bats in the northeastern United States. ... > full story

One In 17 Men In Mediterranean Basin May Have A Phoenician As Direct Male-line Ancestor (October 31, 2008) -- The Phoenicians gave the world the alphabet and a love of the color purple, and a new study shows that they left some people their genes as well. The study finds that as many as one in 17 men in the Mediterranean basin may have a Phoenician as a direct male-line ancestor. ... > full story

EPA's Stormwater Program Needs Significant Overhaul (October 31, 2008) -- Radical changes to the US Environmental Protection Agency's stormwater program are necessary to reverse degradation of fresh water resources and ensure progress toward the Clean Water Act's goal of "fishable and swimmable" waters, says a new report. Increased water volume and pollutants from stormwater have degraded water quality and habitats in virtually every urban stream system. ... > full story

Probing Antarctic Glaciers For Clues To Past And Future Sea Level (October 30, 2008) -- Scientists believe the barely observed Aurora Subglacial Basin, which lies in East Antarctica, could represent the weak underbelly of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, the largest remaining body of ice on Earth, holding clues about how Earth's climate changed in the past and how future climate change will affect global sea level. ... > full story

Eating Red Meat Sets Up Target For Disease-causing Bacteria, Study Finds (October 30, 2008) -- Offering another reason why eating red meat could be bad for you, researchers have uncovered the first example of a bacterium that causes food poisoning in humans when it targets a non-human molecule absorbed into the body through red meats such as lamb, pork and beef. ... > full story

Do Dams Make A Difference? Similar Survival Rates For Pacific Salmon In Fraser And Columbia Rivers (October 30, 2008) -- Canadian and US researchers have made a surprising discovery that some endangered Pacific salmon stocks are surviving in rivers with hydroelectric dams as well as or better than in rivers without dams. ... > full story

Hazardous Levels Of Metal Ions Found In Many Commercial Table Wines, Study Suggests (October 30, 2008) -- Potentially hazardous levels of metal ions are present in many commercially available wines. An analysis of reported levels of metals in wines from 16 different countries found that only those from Argentina, Brazil and Italy did not pose a potential health risk owing to metals. ... > full story

Significant Fossil Discovery In Utah Shows Land Plants Of 200 Million Years Ago (October 30, 2008) -- The importance of a new archeological site in St George, Utah, U.S. was recently highlighted. The site is significant because it is the only early Jurassic land flora known in the western United States.  It provides evidence that a variety of land plants were present in the area about 200 million years ago. ... > full story

Powered By Olive Stones? Turning Waste Stones Into Fuel (October 30, 2008) -- Olive stones can be turned into bioethanol, a renewable fuel that can be produced from plant matter and used as an alternative to petrol or diesel. This gives the olive processing industry an opportunity to make valuable use of 4 million tons of waste in olive stones it generates every year and sets a precedent for the recycling of waste products as fuels. ... > full story

Common Cold Symptoms Caused By Immune System -- Not The Cold Virus (October 30, 2008) -- Scientists confirm that it is how our immune system responds, not the rhinovirus itself, that causes cold symptoms. Of more than 100 different viruses that can cause the common cold, human rhinoviruses are the major cause. ... > full story

World's Smallest Hand-held Instrument For Detecting Health And Safety Threats (October 30, 2008) -- Researchers in Indiana are describing development of the world's smallest complete mass spectrometer (MS), a miniature version of a standard lab device -- some of which would dominate a living room -- to identify tiny amounts of chemicals in the environment. ... > full story

Predicting Boom And Bust Ecologies (October 30, 2008) -- While scholars may be a long way from predicting the ins and outs of the economy, biologists have uncovered fundamental rules that may govern population cycles in many natural systems. ... > full story

Methane Gas Levels Begin To Increase Again (October 30, 2008) -- The amount of methane in Earth's atmosphere shot up in 2007, bringing to an end a period of about a decade in which atmospheric levels of the potent greenhouse gas were essentially stable, according new research. ... > full story

Programmable Genetic Clock Made Of Blinking Florescent Proteins Inside Bacteria Cells (October 30, 2008) -- Bioengineers have created the first stable, fast and programmable genetic clock that reliably keeps time by the blinking of fluorescent proteins inside E. coli cells. The clock's blink rate changes when the temperature, energy source or other environmental conditions change, a fact that could lead to new kinds of sensors that convey information about the environment through the blinking rate. ... > full story

New Chemical Key Could Unlock Hundreds Of New Antibiotics (October 30, 2008) -- Chemistry researchers have found a novel signaling molecule that could be a key that will open up hundreds of new antibiotics unlocking them from the DNA of the Streptomyces family of bacteria. ... > full story

Catching Earthquake Details With Ordinary Laptop Computers (October 30, 2008) -- Inside your laptop is a small accelerometer chip, there to protect the delicate moving parts of your hard disk from sudden jolts. It turns out that the same chip is a pretty good earthquake sensor, too -- especially if the signals from lots of them are compared, in order to filter out more mundane sources of laptop vibrations, such as typing. ... > full story

Pervasive Network Discovered Driving Protein Production And Placement In Cells (October 30, 2008) -- Researchers have uncovered what appears to be an extensive, but until now barely noticed, network of regulatory interactions that influence what proteins are made inside a cell, and when and where. ... > full story

Why Some Marine Algae Are Shaped Like Crumpled Paper (October 30, 2008) -- What is the connection between crumpled paper and marine algae? Saddle-like shapes similar to those found in an Elizabethan "ruff" collar, say physicists in a new article. ... > full story

Climate Change Seeps Into The Sea (October 30, 2008) -- Good news has turned out to be bad. The ocean has helped slow global warming by absorbing much of the excess heat and heat-trapping carbon dioxide that has been going into the atmosphere since the start of the Industrial Revolution. All that extra carbon dioxide, however, has been a bitter pill for the ocean to swallow. It's changing the chemistry of seawater, making it more acidic and otherwise inhospitable, threatening many important marine organisms. ... > full story

Global Warming Is Killing Frogs And Salamanders In Yellowstone Park, Researchers Say (October 29, 2008) -- Frogs and salamanders, those amphibious bellwethers of environmental danger, are being killed in Yellowstone National Park. The predator, Stanford researchers say, is global warming. One biology graduate student spent three summers in a remote area of the park searching for frogs and salamanders in ponds that had been surveyed 15 years ago. Almost everywhere she looked, she found a catastrophic decrease in the population. ... > full story

'Cheshire Cat' Escape Strategy In Response To Marine Viruses (October 29, 2008) -- A novel defense strategy displayed in response to marine viruses by some of the most abundant unicellular organisms found in our oceans has recently been demonstrated. The results enable a clearer understanding of the origin of, and reasons for, sexual reproduction in eukaryotes. ... > full story

Virtual Screening Leads To Real Progress In Drug Design (October 29, 2008) -- Around 150 thousand people per year get the parasitic disease African sleeping sickness, but the only medicines to treat it are either difficult to administer, expensive, or toxic. Now a team of scientists has put computers to work to find a solution. ... > full story

Amphibians' Ability To Predict Changes In Biodiversity Confirmed By New Study (October 29, 2008) -- Biologists have long suspected that amphibians, whose moist permeable skins make them susceptible to slight changes in the environment, might be good bellwethers for impending alterations in biodiversity during rapid climate change. ... > full story

How Toxic Environmental Chemical DBT Affects The Immune System (October 29, 2008) -- Scientists have issued a report on the mechanism of toxicity of a chemical compound called Dibutyltin (DBT). DBT is part of a class of high toxic and widely distributed chemical compounds called organotins, DBT is most commonly used as an anti-fouling agent in paint, for example in the fishing and shipbuilding industries. It is also used in the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic tubes and bottles. ... > full story

Pregnant Women Consuming Flaxseed Oil Have High Risk Of Premature Birth (October 29, 2008) -- The risks of a premature birth quadruple if flaxseed oil is consumed in the last two trimesters of pregnancy, according to a new study. ... > full story

Dinosaur Smelling Skills Open New Angle On Bird Evolution (October 29, 2008) -- Scientists are providing new insight into the sense of smell of carnivorous dinosaurs and primitive birds. Researchers found that Tyrannosaurus rex had the best nose of all meat-eating dinosaurs, and their results tone down the reputation of T. rex as a scavenger. ... > full story

Role Of Soil Microbes In Global Warming Clarified (October 29, 2008) -- Current models of global climate change predict warmer temperatures will increase the rate that bacteria and other microbes decompose soil organic matter, a scenario that pumps even more heat-trapping carbon into the atmosphere. But a new study shows that while the rate of decomposition increases for a brief period in response to warmer temperatures, elevated levels of decomposition don't persist. ... > full story

Light Shortens The Life Of Supermarket Vegetables (October 29, 2008) -- Exposure to light reduces the quality of cauliflower, broccoli, chard, leeks and asparagus, which have been processed for sale. New research shows that the useful life of chard is reduced by 11 days if it is exposed to light instead of keeping it in the dark, even though it has been covered in the best protective wrap. ... > full story

Stress During Pregnancy Has Detrimental Effect On Offspring (October 29, 2008) -- That stress during a mother's pregnancy can cause developmental and emotional problems for offspring has long been observed by behavioral and biological researchers, but the objective measuring and timing of that stress and its results are difficult to prove objectively in humans. New experimental work has demonstrated the relationship between maternal stress and impairment of offspring in rats. ... > full story

Mapping The Boreal Forest (October 29, 2008) -- How best to map 'boreal' or northern forest with space-borne radar is the focus of an ESA campaign currently underway in northern Sweden. Covering about 15% of the Earth’s land surface, boreal forest plays an important role in the global cycling of energy, carbon and water. ... > full story

New Cell Division Mechanism Discovered (October 29, 2008) -- A novel cell division mechanism has been discovered in a microorganism that thrives in hot acid. The finding may also result in insights into key processes in human cells, and in a better understanding of the main evolutionary lineages of life on Earth. ... > full story

Neighborhood Greenness Has Long Term Positive Impact On Kids' Health (October 29, 2008) -- In the first study to look at the effect of neighborhood greenness on inner city children's weight over time, researchers report that higher neighborhood greenness is associated with slower increases in children's body mass over a two year period, regardless of residential density. ... > full story

Nitrous Oxide Emissions Respond Differently To No-till Depending On The Soil Type (October 29, 2008) -- The practice of no-till has gained in popularity as it creates a soil less prone to erosion and more rich in organic matter, but a new study raises questions about its influence on net greenhouse gas emissions. While scientists have been documenting the benefits of carbon sequestration in no-till crops, researchers have found that an increased amount of nitrous oxide emissions may offset the benefits of the carbon dioxide sink created, depending on soil type. ... > full story

Soybeans No Longer 'A Musical Fruit?' (October 28, 2008) -- Soybeans may drop off the list of musical fruit. Scientists in Singapore are reporting victory over some consumers' No. 1 complaint about soy products -- the "flatulence factor" caused by indigestible sugars found in soy. ... > full story

Snakes, Salamanders And Other Creatures Thrive In Areas With Higher Deer Populations (October 28, 2008) -- Reducing the number of deer in forests and parks may unexpectedly reduce the number of reptiles, amphibians and insects in that area, new research suggests. A recent study found that higher deer activity is modifying forest ecosystems in unexpected ways. Out of several species of snakes, salamanders, and invertebrates studied, a greater diversity of animals were found in areas with deer populations than were in areas with no deer activity. ... > full story

Novel Genetic Screens Provide Panoramic Views Of Cellular Systems (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers often use the technique of RNA interference to identify genes involved in particular biological processes by knocking them down, one at a time, and observing the result. But this approach fails to capture some key players because many genes are redundant. Thus, cells can mask their distress when they lose a single gene by turning to fail-safes with the same function. A team has now overcome this obstacle, using RNAi to systematically knock down pairs of genes in fruit fly cells. ... > full story

Removal Of 'Super-polluters' Could Reduce Pollution From Nanoparticles By 25% (October 28, 2008) -- If the "super-polluters", the high-polluting vehicles, such as certain buses and transport trucks in a poor condition, were removed, pollution from nanoparticles could be reduced by up to 25% and 48%, depending on the parameter analyzed. These minute particles may cause serious health problems. ... > full story

Fight Obesity With New Antibody That Degrades Appetite Stimulant? (October 28, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered a catalytic antibody that degrades a known appetite stimulant. The antibody works against the gastric hormone ghrelin, which has been linked to weight gain and fat storage through its metabolic actions. ... > full story

Models Help Assess Biofuels' Sustainability (October 28, 2008) -- Many agricultural products can be converted into feedstocks for alternative fuel. Now analysis from the Agricultural Research Service suggests that they can be used this way without reducing the nation's food supply, soil production capacity or environmental quality. ... > full story

Fire Out Of Africa: A Key To The Migration Of Prehistoric Humans (October 28, 2008) -- The ability to make fire millennia ago was likely a key factor in the migration of prehistoric hominids from Africa into Eurasia, according to an archaeologist studying the findings at the Gesher Benot Ya'aqov archaeological site in Israel. ... > full story

Masks, Hand Washing, Prevent Spread Of Flu-like Symptoms By Up To 50 Percent (October 28, 2008) -- Wearing masks and using alcohol-based hand sanitizers may prevent the spread of flu symptoms by as much as 50 percent, a new study suggests. ... > full story

Honing In On New Strategy To Treat Common Infection (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have successfully tested a genetic strategy designed to improve treatment of human infections caused by the yeast Candida albicans, ranging from diaper rash, vaginitis, oral infections (or thrush which is common in HIV/AIDS patients), as well as invasive, blood-borne and life-threatening diseases. ... > full story

North Pole Exploration: Large Sliding Masses Close Beneath The Seafloor Of East-Siberian Continental Shelf Discovered (October 28, 2008) -- RV Polarstern has returned to Bremerhaven from the Arctic Sea. It has cruised both the Northeast and the Northwest Passages and thereby circled the North Pole. The third part of the research vessel's 23rd Arctic expedition started its journey on Aug. 12 in Reykjavik and ended it on Oct. 17 in Bremerhaven. The ship traveled a distance of 20,000 km. ... > full story

Bacteria Cause Old Buildings To Feel Off-color (October 28, 2008) -- The assumption that time, weather, and pollution are what cause buildings to decline is only partly true. Bacteria are also responsible for the aging of buildings and monuments -- a process known as biodeterioration. Scientists have just isolated five new strains of bacteria that degrade old buildings. ... > full story

Exposing Chicks To Maternal Stress Leads To Long-term Reproductive Success (October 28, 2008) -- Exposure to maternal stress during pre-natal development has negative impacts, so why doesn't natural selection work to block it? European starling sons exposed to the stress hormone corticosterone experienced increased mortality. But those that survived were of better quality. The mothers began later broods in better condition, had increased future reproduction, and increased survival compared to "stressed" mothers that raised "normal" offspring that were not exposed to corticosterone. ... > full story

Scientists Unwrap The Elements Of Life (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have taken a step forward in our understanding of how the fundamental building blocks of life are put together. They have revealed a mechanism that ensures the right metal goes to the right protein. Proteins are essential and involved in just about every process in living cells. ... > full story

Role Of Slave Trade In Evolution Of American Wild Rice Species (October 28, 2008) -- Rice is the world’s foremost cereal crop as a human food source. Today’s cultivated varieties derive from the species Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrina, domesticated respectively in Asia and West Africa. Besides these two domestic taxa, there are around 20 species of wild rice of the genus Oryza, all located in the tropics. Their common ancestor appears to have emerged from Eurasia about 50 million years B.P. ... > full story

Revealing Secrets Of 'African Sleeping Sickness' (October 28, 2008) -- Scientists have identified a long-sought chink in the armor of the parasite that causes African sleeping sickness, a parasitic disease that kills at least 50,000 people each year. ... > full story


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Thursday, October 30, 2008

Featured Publication: Dreamscapes

Hi Dear,

Bonnie, here. I'm filling in for Lori while she's in China getting
some great photos on our Shanghai Photography Expedition. See some of
her shots here: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/shanghai_report_3

We'll hear more from Lori on what she's discovering in China
tomorrow...

But today, let's talk about getting started from right where you are.
You don't have to go all the way to China to get saleable stories and
photos. In fact, with a relatively weak dollar attracting more and
more foreign tourists to the U.S., foreign publications are covering
more American destinations. And they aren't necessarily looking for
the "tourist" spots. They're looking for insider coverage. Exactly the
sort of thing you can provide. And quite possibly about your own
hometown.

That's why this week's featured publication is Canadian travel
magazine, Dreamscapes.

Scroll down to find out more...

Bonnie Caton
Editorial Manager, AWAI Travel Division

P.S. If you're ready to travel when and where you want, meet new
people, and enjoy the freedom and independence of an income -- no
matter where you choose to live -- then don't miss our final workshop
of the year: How to Make a Six-Figure Income As a Traveler. This
once-a-year-only event takes place in Panama City, Panama in early
December.

We still have a few seats available. Go here to learn more now:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/tpi/panama

October 30, 2008

*************************
Featured Publication: Dreamscapes
Website: http://dreamscapes.ca
*************************

USE YOUR LOCAL KNOWLEDGE TO GET PUBLISHED ABROAD
By Bonnie Caton in Arlington, Virginia

"I often find a local's in-depth knowledge and perspective of an
American or international destination interesting." -- Donna Vieira,
Editor, Dreamscapes

Dreamscapes is a Canadian print and on-line magazine. Publishing
priority goes to Canadian writers but the magazine does cover the U.S.
almost every month. And, as you see in the above quote, a local
perspective on the destination is appreciated here.

However, when you write for Dreamscapes, keep in mind that your story
should be tailored for the interests of a Canadian audience.

Once you see the writer's guidelines, you'll notice there are a lot of
things you'll need to keep in mind to write for Dreamscapes. But
don't let that turn you off of submitting your stories here.

Instead, think of it this way: if you follow the writer's guidelines
to the letter, you're putting yourself ahead of the majority of
freelancers out there, and presenting yourself as a competent,
professional writer. Use them as a guide, and your chances of getting
published will be much greater.

Another way to increase your chances of getting published in
Dreamscapes is to take a look at the editorial calendar.

You'll find it on the second page of the site's media kit, here:
http://dreamscapes.intuidoc.com/MediaKit2009

Canada and the United States will be covered in every issue in 2009.
Europe is also featured often, as well as luxury travel, golf,
cruises, road trips, and other activities.

Pay is 35 Canadian cents per word (about US$130 for 450 words, or
about US$390 for 1,350 words).

Once you've thought up a story idea and decided which issue it'll fit
into best, send your query to the editor at least two months before
publication, as that's when she and her team start pulling the issue
together.

You'll want to carefully read through your story for spelling and
grammar errors, even after you run a spell-check program. Vieira is a
stickler for good grammar. If you can't properly distinguish between
"its" and "it's," then she's not interested in your article.

To receive the (quite detailed) writer's guidelines, contact Donna
Vieira at editor@dreamscapes.ca. Politely let her know you're a
freelance travel writer, and request a copy of the writer's
guidelines. I did this, and she got back to me within the hour.

[Ed. Note: Keep your eyes on the e-letter this Saturday for more about
how to write for foreign markets from freelance writer Steenie Harvey.


In the meantime, read on here for Steenie's shortcut to writing less
and making more: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/for/letushelp .]

*************************
Travel, Writing & Photography Resources
*************************

*** Travel Section Editor Reveals How to Get Published in Newspapers:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/2007/08/august_24th_2007_if_it_bleeds.php


*** Bask in the sun this December while you learn how to turn your
travels into a six-figure income:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/tpi/panama

*** Know a friend or two who'd enjoy the freedom and independence of a
writer's or photographer's life? They, too, can sign up to receive
this free e-letter here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/eletter

*************************

The Right Way to Travel is a FREE newsletter from the American Writers
& Artists Inc., available to AWAI members and friends.

It is coming to you because you are either a member of The Ultimate
Travel Writer's Program or Turn Your Pictures into Cash, or you have
opted to receive information about getting paid to travel from the
AWAI Travel Division.

(c) 2008 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
memberservices@awaionline.com

To LEARN MORE, visit:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com
http://www.thephotographerslife.com

To unsubscribe click here:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/unsubscribe

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Thursday, October 30, 2008

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Thursday, October 30, 2008

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.


Why Some Marine Algae Are Shaped Like Crumpled Paper (October 30, 2008) -- What is the connection between crumpled paper and marine algae? Saddle-like shapes similar to those found in an Elizabethan "ruff" collar, say physicists in a new article. ... > full story

Climate Change Seeps Into The Sea (October 30, 2008) -- Good news has turned out to be bad. The ocean has helped slow global warming by absorbing much of the excess heat and heat-trapping carbon dioxide that has been going into the atmosphere since the start of the Industrial Revolution. All that extra carbon dioxide, however, has been a bitter pill for the ocean to swallow. It's changing the chemistry of seawater, making it more acidic and otherwise inhospitable, threatening many important marine organisms. ... > full story

Global Warming Is Killing Frogs And Salamanders In Yellowstone Park, Researchers Say (October 29, 2008) -- Frogs and salamanders, those amphibious bellwethers of environmental danger, are being killed in Yellowstone National Park. The predator, Stanford researchers say, is global warming. One biology graduate student spent three summers in a remote area of the park searching for frogs and salamanders in ponds that had been surveyed 15 years ago. Almost everywhere she looked, she found a catastrophic decrease in the population. ... > full story

'Cheshire Cat' Escape Strategy In Response To Marine Viruses (October 29, 2008) -- A novel defense strategy displayed in response to marine viruses by some of the most abundant unicellular organisms found in our oceans has recently been demonstrated. The results enable a clearer understanding of the origin of, and reasons for, sexual reproduction in eukaryotes. ... > full story

Virtual Screening Leads To Real Progress In Drug Design (October 29, 2008) -- Around 150 thousand people per year get the parasitic disease African sleeping sickness, but the only medicines to treat it are either difficult to administer, expensive, or toxic. Now a team of scientists has put computers to work to find a solution. ... > full story

Amphibians' Ability To Predict Changes In Biodiversity Confirmed By New Study (October 29, 2008) -- Biologists have long suspected that amphibians, whose moist permeable skins make them susceptible to slight changes in the environment, might be good bellwethers for impending alterations in biodiversity during rapid climate change. ... > full story

How Toxic Environmental Chemical DBT Affects The Immune System (October 29, 2008) -- Scientists have issued a report on the mechanism of toxicity of a chemical compound called Dibutyltin (DBT). DBT is part of a class of high toxic and widely distributed chemical compounds called organotins, DBT is most commonly used as an anti-fouling agent in paint, for example in the fishing and shipbuilding industries. It is also used in the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic tubes and bottles. ... > full story

Pregnant Women Consuming Flaxseed Oil Have High Risk Of Premature Birth (October 29, 2008) -- The risks of a premature birth quadruple if flaxseed oil is consumed in the last two trimesters of pregnancy, according to a new study. ... > full story

Dinosaur Smelling Skills Open New Angle On Bird Evolution (October 29, 2008) -- Scientists are providing new insight into the sense of smell of carnivorous dinosaurs and primitive birds. Researchers found that Tyrannosaurus rex had the best nose of all meat-eating dinosaurs, and their results tone down the reputation of T. rex as a scavenger. ... > full story

Role Of Soil Microbes In Global Warming Clarified (October 29, 2008) -- Current models of global climate change predict warmer temperatures will increase the rate that bacteria and other microbes decompose soil organic matter, a scenario that pumps even more heat-trapping carbon into the atmosphere. But a new study shows that while the rate of decomposition increases for a brief period in response to warmer temperatures, elevated levels of decomposition don't persist. ... > full story

Light Shortens The Life Of Supermarket Vegetables (October 29, 2008) -- Exposure to light reduces the quality of cauliflower, broccoli, chard, leeks and asparagus, which have been processed for sale. New research shows that the useful life of chard is reduced by 11 days if it is exposed to light instead of keeping it in the dark, even though it has been covered in the best protective wrap. ... > full story

Stress During Pregnancy Has Detrimental Effect On Offspring (October 29, 2008) -- That stress during a mother's pregnancy can cause developmental and emotional problems for offspring has long been observed by behavioral and biological researchers, but the objective measuring and timing of that stress and its results are difficult to prove objectively in humans. New experimental work has demonstrated the relationship between maternal stress and impairment of offspring in rats. ... > full story

Mapping The Boreal Forest (October 29, 2008) -- How best to map 'boreal' or northern forest with space-borne radar is the focus of an ESA campaign currently underway in northern Sweden. Covering about 15% of the Earth’s land surface, boreal forest plays an important role in the global cycling of energy, carbon and water. ... > full story

New Cell Division Mechanism Discovered (October 29, 2008) -- A novel cell division mechanism has been discovered in a microorganism that thrives in hot acid. The finding may also result in insights into key processes in human cells, and in a better understanding of the main evolutionary lineages of life on Earth. ... > full story

Neighborhood Greenness Has Long Term Positive Impact On Kids' Health (October 29, 2008) -- In the first study to look at the effect of neighborhood greenness on inner city children's weight over time, researchers report that higher neighborhood greenness is associated with slower increases in children's body mass over a two year period, regardless of residential density. ... > full story

Nitrous Oxide Emissions Respond Differently To No-till Depending On The Soil Type (October 29, 2008) -- The practice of no-till has gained in popularity as it creates a soil less prone to erosion and more rich in organic matter, but a new study raises questions about its influence on net greenhouse gas emissions. While scientists have been documenting the benefits of carbon sequestration in no-till crops, researchers have found that an increased amount of nitrous oxide emissions may offset the benefits of the carbon dioxide sink created, depending on soil type. ... > full story

Soybeans No Longer 'A Musical Fruit?' (October 28, 2008) -- Soybeans may drop off the list of musical fruit. Scientists in Singapore are reporting victory over some consumers' No. 1 complaint about soy products -- the "flatulence factor" caused by indigestible sugars found in soy. ... > full story

Snakes, Salamanders And Other Creatures Thrive In Areas With Higher Deer Populations (October 28, 2008) -- Reducing the number of deer in forests and parks may unexpectedly reduce the number of reptiles, amphibians and insects in that area, new research suggests. A recent study found that higher deer activity is modifying forest ecosystems in unexpected ways. Out of several species of snakes, salamanders, and invertebrates studied, a greater diversity of animals were found in areas with deer populations than were in areas with no deer activity. ... > full story

Novel Genetic Screens Provide Panoramic Views Of Cellular Systems (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers often use the technique of RNA interference to identify genes involved in particular biological processes by knocking them down, one at a time, and observing the result. But this approach fails to capture some key players because many genes are redundant. Thus, cells can mask their distress when they lose a single gene by turning to fail-safes with the same function. A team has now overcome this obstacle, using RNAi to systematically knock down pairs of genes in fruit fly cells. ... > full story

Removal Of 'Super-polluters' Could Reduce Pollution From Nanoparticles By 25% (October 28, 2008) -- If the "super-polluters", the high-polluting vehicles, such as certain buses and transport trucks in a poor condition, were removed, pollution from nanoparticles could be reduced by up to 25% and 48%, depending on the parameter analyzed. These minute particles may cause serious health problems. ... > full story

Fight Obesity With New Antibody That Degrades Appetite Stimulant? (October 28, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered a catalytic antibody that degrades a known appetite stimulant. The antibody works against the gastric hormone ghrelin, which has been linked to weight gain and fat storage through its metabolic actions. ... > full story

Models Help Assess Biofuels' Sustainability (October 28, 2008) -- Many agricultural products can be converted into feedstocks for alternative fuel. Now analysis from the Agricultural Research Service suggests that they can be used this way without reducing the nation's food supply, soil production capacity or environmental quality. ... > full story

Fire Out Of Africa: A Key To The Migration Of Prehistoric Humans (October 28, 2008) -- The ability to make fire millennia ago was likely a key factor in the migration of prehistoric hominids from Africa into Eurasia, according to an archaeologist studying the findings at the Gesher Benot Ya'aqov archaeological site in Israel. ... > full story

Masks, Hand Washing, Prevent Spread Of Flu-like Symptoms By Up To 50 Percent (October 28, 2008) -- Wearing masks and using alcohol-based hand sanitizers may prevent the spread of flu symptoms by as much as 50 percent, a new study suggests. ... > full story

Honing In On New Strategy To Treat Common Infection (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have successfully tested a genetic strategy designed to improve treatment of human infections caused by the yeast Candida albicans, ranging from diaper rash, vaginitis, oral infections (or thrush which is common in HIV/AIDS patients), as well as invasive, blood-borne and life-threatening diseases. ... > full story

North Pole Exploration: Large Sliding Masses Close Beneath The Seafloor Of East-Siberian Continental Shelf Discovered (October 28, 2008) -- RV Polarstern has returned to Bremerhaven from the Arctic Sea. It has cruised both the Northeast and the Northwest Passages and thereby circled the North Pole. The third part of the research vessel's 23rd Arctic expedition started its journey on Aug. 12 in Reykjavik and ended it on Oct. 17 in Bremerhaven. The ship traveled a distance of 20,000 km. ... > full story

Bacteria Cause Old Buildings To Feel Off-color (October 28, 2008) -- The assumption that time, weather, and pollution are what cause buildings to decline is only partly true. Bacteria are also responsible for the aging of buildings and monuments -- a process known as biodeterioration. Scientists have just isolated five new strains of bacteria that degrade old buildings. ... > full story

Exposing Chicks To Maternal Stress Leads To Long-term Reproductive Success (October 28, 2008) -- Exposure to maternal stress during pre-natal development has negative impacts, so why doesn't natural selection work to block it? European starling sons exposed to the stress hormone corticosterone experienced increased mortality. But those that survived were of better quality. The mothers began later broods in better condition, had increased future reproduction, and increased survival compared to "stressed" mothers that raised "normal" offspring that were not exposed to corticosterone. ... > full story

Scientists Unwrap The Elements Of Life (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have taken a step forward in our understanding of how the fundamental building blocks of life are put together. They have revealed a mechanism that ensures the right metal goes to the right protein. Proteins are essential and involved in just about every process in living cells. ... > full story

Role Of Slave Trade In Evolution Of American Wild Rice Species (October 28, 2008) -- Rice is the world’s foremost cereal crop as a human food source. Today’s cultivated varieties derive from the species Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrina, domesticated respectively in Asia and West Africa. Besides these two domestic taxa, there are around 20 species of wild rice of the genus Oryza, all located in the tropics. Their common ancestor appears to have emerged from Eurasia about 50 million years B.P. ... > full story

Revealing Secrets Of 'African Sleeping Sickness' (October 28, 2008) -- Scientists have identified a long-sought chink in the armor of the parasite that causes African sleeping sickness, a parasitic disease that kills at least 50,000 people each year. ... > full story

How Plants Know to Send Roots Down and Leaves Up (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered how the transport of an important plant hormone is organized in a way that the plant knows in which direction its roots and leaves have to grow. They discovered how the needed transport protein turns up at the underside of plant cells. The discovery helps explain how plants grow, and how they organize themselves in order to grow. ... > full story

Wetlands Expert: China Should Think Outside The Flooding Box With Three Gorges Dam (October 28, 2008) -- China's farmers and merchants should take advantage of new opportunities that could help mitigate some effects of the annual flooding behind the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River. The reservoir's water level behind the dam will peak at 575 feet above sea level during the winter. The reservoir pool will extend over 400 square miles -- equivalent to the land area of Hong Kong. By summer the water level will drop 100 feet. The flooding and receding water will repeat every year. ... > full story

King Solomon's Copper Mines? (October 28, 2008) -- Did the Bible's King David and his son Solomon control the copper industry in present-day southern Jordan? Though that remains an open question, the possibility is raised once again by research reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ... > full story

Effects Of Anesthesia On The Heart (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have created the first animal model that can reveal the side effects of anesthetic agents (the substances used to block pain during surgery) in individuals genetically predisposed to sudden cardiac death. The researchers also found that some anesthetic agents may trigger arrhythmias. ... > full story

Diversity Of Trees In Ecuador's Amazon Rainforest Defies Simple Explanation (October 28, 2008) -- Trees in a hyper-diverse tropical rainforest interact with each other and their environment to create and maintain diversity, researchers report in the journal Science. This study was conducted in the Yasuni forest dynamics plot of the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, a diverse tropical forest site. ... > full story

Orange Peel Can Help Clean Up Dirty Water (October 27, 2008) -- Highly colored industrial waste water is a serious environmental problem as it seriously discolors waterways as well as blocking sunlight for photosynthesizing plant species in the water. Now, researchers in Algeria have discovered that nothing more sophisticated than orange peel could be used to remove acidic dyes from industrial effluent. ... > full story

Bumblebees Learn The Sweet Smell Of Foraging Success (October 27, 2008) -- Bumblebees use flower scent to guide their nest-mates to good food sources, according to new research. ... > full story

Inmates Conduct Ecological Research On Slow-growing Mosses (October 27, 2008) -- Nalini Nadkarni of Evergreen State College currently advises a team of researchers who sport shaved heads, tattooed biceps and prison-issued garb rather than the lab coats and khakis typically worn by researchers. Why is Nadkarni's team composed of such apparently iconoclastic researchers? Because all of her researchers are inmates at Cedar Creek Corrections Center, a medium security prison in Littlerock, Wash. ... > full story

Cold Virus Found To Manipulate Genes (October 27, 2008) -- Sneezing, runny nose and chills? You might blame the human rhinovirus, which causes 30 to 50 percent of common colds. But in reality, it's not the virus itself but HRV's ability to manipulate your genes that is the true cause of some of the most annoying cold symptoms. ... > full story

Exposure To Low Doses Of Mercury Changes The Way The Arteries Work (October 27, 2008) -- An international team of researchers has shown that mercury is another important factor in cardiovascular disease as it changes the way arteries work. One of the possible sources of exposure of humans to mercury is by eating contaminated fish. ... > full story

Secret Lives Of Catalysts Revealed (October 27, 2008) -- The first-ever glimpse of nanoscale catalysts in action could lead to improved pollution control and fuel cell technologies. Scientists have observed catalysts restructuring themselves in response to various gases swirling around them, like a chameleon changing its color to match its surroundings. ... > full story

Purple Tomatoes, Rich In Health-Protecting Anthocyanins, Developed With Help Of Snapdragons (October 27, 2008) -- Scientists have expressed genes from snapdragon in tomatoes to grow purple tomatoes high in health-protecting anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are naturally occurring pigments found at particularly high levels in berries such as blackberry, cranberry and chokeberry. Scientists are investigating ways to increase the levels of health-promoting compounds in more commonly eaten fruits and vegetables. ... > full story

Increase in Leptospirosis Disease in Sea Lions (October 27, 2008) -- The Marine Mammal Center has seen an increase in leptospirosis cases in sea lions this year. Researchers there are launching a new study to determine causes of cyclical outbreaks and how the disease is spread among sea lions. ... > full story

Nearly Half Of US States Fail On Emergency Plan Communication, New Study Shows (October 27, 2008) -- Seven years after Sept. 11, and in the wake of many major natural disasters such as forest fires, hurricanes and flooding, nearly half of US states either have no state-level emergency plan or do not provide it readily to the public, reveals a new study by George Mason University communication professor Carl Botan. ... > full story

21st Century Detective Work Reveals How Ancient Rock Got Off To A Hot Start (October 27, 2008) -- A new technique using X-rays has enabled scientists to play "detective" and solve the debate about the origins of a three billion-year-old rock fragment. ... > full story

Wireless Soil Sensors Designed To Improve Farming (October 27, 2008) -- Researchers are developing wireless soil sensors that could one day help farmers maximize their production while minimizing environmental impacts. The prototype sensors are designed to collect and send data about soil moisture -- and eventually soil temperature and nutrient content -- while working completely underground. Farmers and their equipment could work right over the top of them. ... > full story

Acupuncture Used For Animal Ailments (October 27, 2008) -- Needles are often equated with pain and discomfort; however, for a horse named Gypsy the tiny sharp objects brought about much needed relief as a professor administered acupuncture therapy. ... > full story


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