Cristina Deptula on Dr. Debra Trock’s talk at the Chabot Space and Science Center

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 Yellow flowers with orange centers

Not all flowers are what we would consider beautiful. Some are simple and delicate, some are strikingly colorful and included in bouquets, but still others are rather plain, open only at night when we usually can’t see them, or even smell like rotting meat. We have to remember we are not the plants’ primary audience.

Dr. Debra Trock, Senior Collections Manager in Botany at the California Academy of Sciences, discussed the co-evolution of flowering plants and their various animal pollinators during her monthly enrichment talk. Held the third Tuesday evening of each month in one of Chabot’s second-floor classrooms, these free talks from local researchers are open to Chabot staff, volunteers and guests.

Dr. Trock began her talk by clarifying the concept of co-evolution. Evolution happens within populations over time, as natural selection favors the individuals best able to reproduce in any given environment. And co-evolution occurs when two or more species evolve together, each adapting to changes in the other. She also illustrated the basic internal biology of a flower, labeling the various regions of the pistil, the female reproductive structure, and the stamen, the male structure.

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Essay by William Jefferson

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“Evil” Itself—Our Greatest Foe

The horrific beheading of American journalist James Foley by radical militants of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) forces civilization to face its greatest foe—evil itself.

On August 19, a four-minute, forty-second video titled A Message to America was streamed online via social media networks and was swiftly routed around the globe. The malicious intent of the ISIS video was undeniable, and the careful crafting that produced it added a sense of stealthy eeriness to its message.

A Message to America stunned the international community. British Prime Mister David Cameron denounced the video as “brutal and barbaric,” while US Secretary of State John Kerry described Foley’s murder as “ugly, savage, inexplicable, nihilistic, and valueless evil.”

World leaders and media outlets grapple with words to describe A Message to America. Adjectives and nouns are strung together in carefully prepared texts. Yet, despite the horrific nature of the act, some media sources are loathe to interject the language of good and evil in describing terrorist activity.

A case in point is an op-ed published in The New York Times on August 22 titled “The Problem With ‘Evil.’” The article was written by Michael Boyle, an associate professor of political science at La Salle University.

Boyle argues against the use of moralistic language in denouncing foes. “Condemning the black-clad masked militants as purely ‘evil’ is seductive,” he contends. He fears what he calls “a disturbing return of the moralistic language once used to describe Al Qaeda in the panicked days after the 9/11 attacks.”

The argument is not without substance or merit. Boyle has a point, but the point Boyle presses would be far more sensible if evil did not exist. Evil does exist. Evil itself is our greatest foe.

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Essay from Ann Tinkham

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Ode to the Archipelago

It’s becoming a tradition, I suppose. Last year, we exchanged vows wearing nectar-scented plumeria leis. We stood barefoot between onyx lava rocks, water pooling around our ankles; our intimate ceremony officiated by a conch-shell-blowing minister who had survived a shark attack. The ginger glow of the Maui sunset erased our wrinkles long enough to trick the camera lens. Curious onlookers wondered if we were newlyweds or oldyweds renewing our vows. We kissed like it was the first time.

This year, I’ve come to heal: to remember who I was before I squeezed life through a computer screen.

I’m more myself here than anywhere. How inconvenient. An archipelago, 2,500 miles from the continent I call home; exposed peaks of a great undersea mountain range. Life is fragile here and will, one day, return to the sea.

The first thing I do is inhale the moist, oxygen-pumped air, my body craving deep, enriching breaths after 365 days of arid high-altitude breathing. I perch at the edge of land and sea. The rhythmic lull of the Pacific draws me into the primordial ooze, reminding me where I’ve come from and where I’ll return.

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Essay by Ayokunle Adeleye

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“I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly,

To pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully.

I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous,

And will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug.

I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession,

And will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping,

And all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling.

*With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work,*

And devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.”

– The Nightingale Pledge, 1893. (Asterisks added.)

 

Those are the words of the original version of the Nightingale Pledge. Back then, the health team was one, had a doctor as the captain and the nurse as his sidekick, and worked. Back then, daughters of Nightingale were not averse to swearing loyalty to Doctors, the men of honor were yet men of honor, and no one thought he had to displace the sons of Hippocrates to “reach the peak of their careers”. Back then… before the envy and strife and hypocrisy that we see now.

 

For now we have a health team wherein everyone wants to do everything that is a doctor’s job even when they can barely master theirs, where everyone wants to take everything that is a doctor’s pay even when theirs is relatively more, where everyone wants to be the doctor’s public foe yet private friend so that they may keep those free, secret, consultations aboard. Now they want to be doctors (and consultants), do not want to go through medical school to be such, and definitely do not want to endure the rigors of residency.

 

And what is worse? Rather unlike when they threatened strike actions, cut ICU power supply, and locked everything up, even bedpans, whenever they go on their political strikes; now they form a coalition against the disciples of Hippocrates so that they can challenge our rights to freedom of association and of decision, malign us, and sue us to court– and actually do.

 

So that now government hospitals are paralyzed, people are dying, and privatization is looming. And all these because of insincerity, for JOHESU wants to have its cake and eat it too, yet he who comes to equity must come with clean hands… They feed the common man with lies to turn him against his doctor, Boko-Haram style, and hope, foolishly enough, that their propaganda will survive. Of course they won’t; falsehood may endure for a night but truth comes in the morning…:

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Elizabeth Hughes’ Book Periscope

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Climate Peril

Climate Peril is a very interesting book on climate change. It is written so it is easy to understand. It really opens the eyes of the reader to what is, what can and what will happen to our environment if something is  not done about the heat trapping gases in the future. The climate change is being caused by humans. Mr. Berger in the first chapter tells of what can happen to the environment by the year 2100 if something is not done. There are government regulations on emissions now that help, although so much more has to be done by humans so we don’t bring extinction to ecosystems, animals and marine life. This book will open the eyes and minds of readers and will educate people on global warming.

You may purchase Climate Peril here: http://www.amazon.com/Climate-Peril-Intelligent-Readers-Understanding/dp/0985909234/

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Revenge Best Served Bloody

If you like suspense/thrillers that are filled with murder, mystery and excitement on every page then you will love this book. This book is about EJ Stanley and her husband Bret Manley. EJ works for a casino and her husband and her are about to go to Paris for a vacation. As she is finishing up, a strange icon shows up on her computer. She gets her computer expert friends to help her open the files and finds out they are plans to bring the US economy to its knees with a nuclear bomb. EJ and Bret are chased through Paris and even when they come back by the terrorists. If you want to read a book that is filled with suspense and excitement and will keep you on the edge of your seat page after page, then read Revenge Best Served Bloody. It is the most exciting suspense/thriller that I have read and rate it two thumbs up and five stars! Happy Reading!!

You may purchase Revenge Best Served Bloody here: http://www.amazon.com/Revenge-Served-Donald-R-Grippo/dp/1938501136/

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Black’s Beach Parallax

Black’s Beach Parallax is a very interesting action packed thriller that is both fiction and also contains many historical events. It is the story of Jack O’Malley who works for a defense contractor in the 60’s and starts playing poker. He finds that he is extremely good at the game and can make a living from it. His friend, Gene, who works for IPS approaches him to work for him and pays Jack extremely well. The work is so secret that they can’t even discuss it on the phone or in either’s home. When they discuss business they go on long runs where they know no one will be listening. Conspiracies abound and people start suddenly dying. To find out more from this action packed thriller, read Black’s Beach Parallax!

You may purchase Black’s Beach Parallax here: http://www.amazon.com/Blacks-Beach-Parallax-government-realities/dp/0692224319/

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Review of Alterien Book 2: Shadows of the Past

Alterien Book 2: Shadows of the Past takes Oberon Navarro and his half sister Sharon to the home where his family lives. He meets his mother, father, sister and the firefighters that work with his father. However, this has not turned out to be a completely happy reunion. Rivers, who was a soldier in SABER with Navarro is after him. Rivers wants to kill Navarro’s family first. Oberon is made to meet with a woman named Ara and triplet girls with women’s voices. They remove the “probe” Dr. Grey used to track and control Oberon. They train him to use his enhanced special abilities to his fullest extent. He can now fly at supersonic speed without the use of his aircraft. Find out more in Alterien Book 2: Shadows of the Past. This book is an exciting page turner which will keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Find out what happens next with Oberon, Sharon and Abigail. I highly recommend this book. I absolutely loved it!!!

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Nicole Quinn’s It’s a Nightmare

It’s a Night Mare is a fantasy that is a page turner and will keep the reader on the edge of their seat. This book would make a great movie. The Night Mare is a demon that rules over all. She does not allow dreams or baby girls. When a baby girl is born, she must be thrown into the river to die. If they live they are destined to live a horrible life. Females are considered Breeders/Quasi-human. The Night Mare gets her power from people who dream. A baby girl is found by an old couple who live in the Off Grid, which is away from the city of Winkin. The baby girl is found in a willow tree. The old couple raise her and prepare her for the dehumanizing that she must go through as she grows. Mina’s parents discover that she has special abilities and visions. She has these visions through dreams. The Night Mare is constantly on a quest to find the girl who will draw the Gold Stone from the bag when they are registered. The Gold Stone girl is actually the Night
Mare’s mortal enemy and she must find this girl and destroy her before she is destroyed. I highly recommend It’s A Night Mare. Buy it today and find out about the city of Winkin with all of the monsters and off gridders. Read it today and see how Mina overcomes the Night Mare!!

Poetry from Matt Pasca

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THE FERRY

 

Inflated fare and snack

bar, dock a glorified

bus station of paler

 

crowds in ritzy shades and designer

addictions off to bake the day

away in umbrella lounges and easy, unwarranted

 

laughter. Everything is funny

to the privileged. Especially

privilege. One jokes,

 

You sure this ain’t the boat to Aruba?

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Essay by Ayokunle Adeleye

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Getting Off the High Horse

 

In the past week I have been slandered, insulted, even threatened. I have been called arrogant, egocentric, delusional and maniacal… In fact, they have said they may not allow me to pass my “part 6 (sic) MBBS exams”. Interestingly, majority of such statements came from a particular profession more than others; yes, the very ones I said must have been taught sauciness in school. Well, I am a doctor, to be, and I hereby, here and now, pledge allegiance to, and pitch my tent with, Doctors– the ones with powers to pass me, or not.

 

Perhaps I have been biased in my stance. Perhaps.

 

In this sequel to CONSULTANT, My FOOT, and The Eyes of JANUS, I shall therefore endeavor to set aside passion and emotion, affiliation and allegiance, set the issues raised on the table, and discuss them openly. For the truth is, everyone has been toying with the truth– as the Yoruba say, Kò s’ẹ́ni tí kìí kọ ebè s’ọ́dọ̀ ara ẹ̀; no one hoes the soil away from himself. But the Yoruba also say, ẹjọ́ ò ní jẹ́ ẹjọ́ ẹni k’á má mọ̀ọ́ dá; one cannot have a matter and not know how to judge it.

 

When I said…

When I said the politician like everyone else wants (his credentials) to be doctored, not nursed, I was referring to the modern trend of everyone being doctors, PhD holders, even when such certificates are bought or forged.

 

When I said other health workers did la cram, la pour in school, I didn’t mean there were no brilliant students in those courses. I meant most of them cram structures, equations, doctrines,… I meant in Medicine, more than anywhere else, cramming is a tricky art for one needs in-depth understanding and demonstrable applicability to survive– particularly the clinical exams, and ward rounds.

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