Annotated Bibliography - Research Project

Working Thesis:
Although most people do not know what calcifying marine organisms are or how they are being adversely affected by ocean acidification, it is a problem that will affect the global community as a whole because these organisms directly impact the commercial fishing industry, because some calcifying marine organisms help to regulate the temperature of the earth, and because they help to create one of the most bio-diverse habitats within the ocean.


Annotated Bibliography:

National Center For Atmospheric Research (2006, July 5). Report Warns About Carbon Dioxide Threats To Marine Life. Science Daily. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/07/060705083057.htm

Joan Kleypas, the lead author of the cited report as well as a scientist for the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), reports about the effects of carbon dioxide on marine organisms. The report directly relates to the stated thesis topic and will give authoritative voice to the argument being presented. One of the points Kleypas (2006) brings up within the report is that “…cold-water reefs, which are extensive structures that provide habitat for many important fish species, particularly in the coastal waters of Alaska…” (National Center For Atmospheric Research, 2006) are one of the prime candidates for degradation resulting from increased carbon dioxide levels.

United States Geologic Survey (2007, January / February). Discovering the Effects of CO2 Levels on Marine Life and Global Climate. Sound Waves. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2007/01/

In the article entitled, “Discovering the Effects of CO2 Levels on Marine Life and Global Climate,” published in the monthly newsletter Sound Waves, by the United States Geologic Survey (USGS), author Kate Bradshaw describes some of the various experiments that are currently being conducted by different organizations including the USGS to study the topic of ocean acidification and increased carbon dioxide levels. The experiments are being conducted in various marine locations and are showing some very interesting results, including current “CO2 thresholds” and predicted “CO2 thresholds.” Bradshaw states that, “These thresholds are the amount of CO2 that needs to be present before the rates at which sediments are dissolving exceed the rates at which calcifying marine organisms produce the calcium carbonate needed to make shells or skeletons” (United States Geologic Survey, 2007).

Burns, W.C.G. (2008). Ocean Acidification: A Greater Threat than Global Warming and Overfishing? Terrain.org, 21. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from http://www.terrain.org/articles/21/burns.htm

Dr. William C.G. Burns, co-chair of the American Society of International Law’s International Environmental Law Group and editor-in-chief of the Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy, writes in the article, “Ocean Acidification: A Greater Threat than Global Warming and Overfishing?” (Burns, 2008) about the overall problem of ocean acidification and puts some of the harder concepts into simpler terms that a more generalized audience can understand. The article should provide valuable information relating to the general topic of ocean acidification as well as make the more technical terms and concepts easier to relate to a general audience.

Halpern, B.S., Walbridge, S., Selkoe, K.A., Kappel, C.V., Micheli, F., D'Agrosa, C., Bruno, J.F., et. al. (2008). A Global Map of Human Impact on Marine Ecosystems [Electronic Version]. Science, 319(5865), 948-952.

On February 15, 2008 the journal Science released a collaborative report titled, “A Global Map of Human Impact on Marine Ecosystems.” The report is cited in many other sources and seems to have been highly anticipated as one of the more up to date and in-depth studies of the effects of human activity upon the marine environments of the earth. The report is quite technical and requires other less technical sources in order to clarify a lot of the technical scientific data presented, however it provides a very in-depth look at the impacts humans are having upon the oceans of the world; it provides directly related information to support the impacts of ocean acidification upon calcifying marine organisms.

Bibby, R., Cleall-Harding, P., Rundle, S., Widdicombe, S., & Spicer, J. (2007). Ocean acidification disrupts induced defences [sic] in the intertidal gastropod Littorina littorea. Biology Letters, 3(6), 699-701. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from ASFA: Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts database.

The article, “Ocean acidification disrupts induced defences [sic] in the intertidal gastropod Littorina littorea,” is a report covering some of the less direct impacts of ocean acidification on calcifying marine organisms. It goes into detail describing some of the behavioral changes that have been viewed in lab tests of organisms that have been affected by ocean acidification, including, “…increasing their avoidance behaviour [sic], which, in turn, could affect their interactions with other organisms” (Bibby, R., Cleall-Harding, P., Rundle, S., Widdicombe, S., & Spicer, J., 2007).

Riebesell, U, Schulz, K.G., Bellerby, R.G.J., Botros, M., Fritsche, P., Meyerhoefer, M., et. al. (2007). Enhanced biological carbon consumption in a high CO sub(2) ocean. Nature, 450(7169), 545-548. Retrieved February 25, 2008 from ASFA: Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts database.

The report addresses data collected from a case-study of plankton subjected to controlled acidification levels. The data obtained, combined with the data of several other reports already cited within this bibliography should help to draw a good hypothesis as to the impacts that carbon dioxide levels and ocean acidification will have upon the calcifying marine organisms of the world. This data combined with the overlying effects that a degradation in calcifying marine organism populations will have will constitute the body of the research paper that has been proposed.

Hoegh-Guldberg, O, Mumby, P.J., Hooten, A.J., Steneck, R.S., Greenfield, P., Gomez, E., et. al. (2007). Coral Reefs Under Rapid Climate Change and Ocean Acidification. Science (Washington), 318(5857), 1737-1742. Retrieved February 25, 2008 from Environmental Sciences and Pollution Mgmt database.

The report cited is a general assessment of the impacts that ocean acidification is having upon coral reef systems, as well as some projected impacts that will affect the overall population of coral reefs worldwide. The article does not seem to focus on the results of the fewer reefs, however it does address the fact that reefs are being affected and talks about how and why they are being affected. The information within this report should be combined with some information outlining the resulting effects of having less reefs within the oceans of the world in order to be used the best for the purposes of the proposed research paper.

Kroglund, F., Finstad, B., Stefanson, S.O., Nilsen, T.O., Kristensen, T., Rosseland, B.O., Teien, H.C., et. al. (2007). Exposure to moderate acid water and aluminum reduces Atlantic salmon post-smolt survival. Aquaculture, 273(2-3), 360-373. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from Environmental Sciences and Pollution Mgmt database.

This article published in Aquaculture is not directly related to calcifying marine organisms; however it is very interesting since it talks about the impact of ocean acidification upon the population of Atlantic salmon. The implications of the information given in this article could have direct results on Alaska and since that is the geographic region where this research paper will be published there is the possibility of using a bit of the information contained within this article as a side-bar to the main topic of ocean acidification and calcifying marine organisms which will be the main emphasis of the proposed research paper.

Persselin, S. (2007). Kodiak Laboratory: Shellfish Assessment Program. National Oceanic and Atomospheric Administration - Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Retrieved 25 February, 2008, from http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/Quarterly/amj2007/divrptsRACE10.htm

The article, “Kodiak Laboratory: Shellfish Assessment Program” addresses some very valuable information for the purpose of the proposed research paper; it addresses the impact of ocean acidification upon different species of marine life that are important to the commercial fishing industry. These findings include the fact that, although little research has been done on the effects of ocean acidification on King Crabs, it will affect, “commercially valuable king and snow crabs” (Persselin, 2007). This article will prove very valuable in linking several points within the research project and to show that the effects of ocean acidification will in fact impact the commercial fishing industry in a negative way.

Bettwy, M. (2005). NASA Satellite Data Capture a Big Climate Effect on Tiny Ocean Life. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved February 25, 2008 from http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2005/plankton_elnino.html

This article talks about the effects of ocean acidification on marine phytoplankton, a calcifying marine organism, which in effect creates a nasty cycle. Phytoplankton is responsible for absorbing, “…half of the carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, absorbed annually from the atmosphere by plants” (Bettwy, 2005), according to the article, and it so happens that an overabundance of carbon dioxide in the oceans waters is what is causing ocean acidification, which in effect is having negative impacts on the phytoplankton itself, therefore causing a bad cycle of events. If the phytoplankton in the oceans is reduced then there will be less carbon dioxide absorbed by the oceans safely, thus increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, in effect causing the earths temperature to rise dramatically.

Maoz, F., & Tchernov, D. (2007). Scleractinian Coral Species Survive and Recover from Decalcification. Science (Washington), 315(5820), 30. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from Oceanic Abstracts database.

This article provides information contrary to the belief that coral reefs will undergo damage that will be irrepairable; instead this article provide data that supports the claim that coral reefs will be able to function and reproduce without the calcifying shells that normally support them. Maoz and Tchernov believe that coral reefs will eventually fully recover from the effects of ocean acidification once the ocean ph levels once again return to normal. This information may prove valuable in helping to establish a counter-argument to the main topic of the research paper being proposed.

Murray, J., Wheeler, A.J., & Freiwald, A. (2006). Reefs of the deep: the biology and geology of cold-water coral ecosystems. Science (New York, N.Y.), 312(5773), 543-547. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from MEDLINE database.

This article is a look at the fact that coral reefs are widely viewed as a warm water marine organism, however deep water exploration has shown that coral reefs are much more widespread than once believed. They have been found within the deep ocean, as well as within the cold-water regions of the ocean. The article also explains some of the reasons that coral reefs are important as an incredibly diverse marine habitat which is being threatened by ocean acidification.

Dybas, C.L. (2006). On a collision course: ocean plankton and climate change. BioScience, 56(8), 642-646. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from CAB Direct database (20063146679).

This article talks about plankton and the effects that a warming climate is having on it. It also relates this to ocean acidification and the implications that it has on the climate as a whole; “…the long-term survival of many marine species” (Dybas, 2006), according to the article. This article relates directly to the northern climates and the effects of ocean acidification and a warming climate upon the oceans of the Northern latitudes.

House, K.Z., House, C.H., Schrag, D.P., & Aziz, M.J. (2007). Electrochemical acceleration of chemical weathering as an energetically feasible approach to mitigating anthropogenic climate change. Environmental Science & Technology, 41(24), 8464-8470. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from CAB Direct database (20083033479).

This article, other than being quite technical, seems to be one of only a few that addresses any form of solving the problem of ocean acidification, other than the most apparent solution that is, which would be to emit less carbon dioxide into the air. None the less, this article addresses a possible mitigation to ocean acidification using an electrochemical process. It is very interesting and can possibly be used within the proposed research paper as a sort of alternative solution to the given problem of ocean acidification.

Gattuso, J.P. (2008). Ocean Acidification. Retrieved 25 February 25, 2008, from http://oceanacidification.wordpress.com/

Senior research scientist Jean-Pierre Gattuso of the University of Paris, France discusses a multitude of points associated with ocean acidification on his weblog, “Ocean Accidification.” This seems to be a very valuable resource in finding up to date information about the ongoing issue of ocean acidification and its effects upon the oceans and marine organisms of the world.

"Logical Fallacies" - An In-Depth Look at the "Red Herring" (Week 5)

Logical fallacies come in many forms, each having its own name and certain parameters that each type fits into. According to the article, “Logical Fallacies and the Art of Debate,” one type of logical fallacy is called a red herring. A red herring occurs when the speaker or an author argues a point by, “…introducing irrelevant facts or arguments to distract from the question at hand” (Whitman, 2001). An example of this type of logical fallacy would be if an author was writing a paper arguing for the legalization of marijuana and within the argument they wrote, “Marijuana is grown naturally all over the country, therefore it should be legalized.” This fact alone is in no way providing any sort of evidence that marijuana should be legalized; it is instead just being used to distract the reader with a fact that does not support the argument.
The author of this blog was recently found guilty of using a logical fallacy in the rough draft of their Position Essay. The essay was about the effects of accelerated glacier recession upon the global community of the earth, and toward the end of the essay the author dedicated a paragraph to pointing out the opposition’s point of view. However, when the author did this they inadvertently used a red herring by talking not about the people that do not believe that the effects of accelerated glacial recession is an important issue, but instead by talking about the people that believe glacial recession is just a natural cycle of the world, and that accelerated glacial recession is not real. For this particular paper, and for the argument that was set forth by the author, whether or not glacial recession is being accelerated by man or is just a natural occurrence was not the issue being argued, it was the importance of the effects that this accelerated glacial recession will have upon the earth and its people that was being argued; therefore the author inadvertently committed the sin of logical fallacy. This fallacy was pointed out during a very good peer workshop by Xia Baker, which can be found on her blog, Xia’s English 213 Blog. After realizing the mistake that had been made, the author revised the paper during the final draft so that the opposition’s point of view was stated in reference to the argument given in the thesis of the paper.

Whitman, G. (2001). "Logical Fallacies and the Art of Debate." Debate. Retrieved February 25, 2008 from http://www.csun.edu/~dgw61315/fallacies.html.

Baker, X. (2008). "Work shop: Position Essay (Comments for Cary English)." Xia's English 213 Blog. Retrieved February 25, 2008 from http://xia-xia08.blogspot.com/.

"Bigfoot" - A review (Reading Assignment, Week 5)

In the article, “Bigfoot,” written by Michael Specter, the main idea of the article is easy to understand; however the actual thesis statement is a bit hard to identify within the body of the text. The overriding theme of the article is an informative piece about carbon emissions and what some of the possible solutions to the growing carbon emissions issue may be. It covers a lot of information, including some causes of carbon emissions and some of the long-term effects of these emissions upon the environment as well as some effects upon the global economic community. The thesis does not seem to be clearly stated until the beginning of the fifth paragraph; it is here that Specter (2008) states, “Possessing an excessive carbon footprint is rapidly becoming the modern equivalent of wearing a scarlet letter. Because neither the goals nor acceptable emissions limits are clear, however, morality is often mistaken for science” (Specter, 2008). This thesis seems to allow Specter to explore the large scope of topics all relating to carbon emissions that the article addresses while still staying within the focus of the thesis statement.

The question posed by Professor Sullivan, “What differentiates this essay from what a newspaper account of the honeybee situation would say?” seems to be out of context when thinking about the topic of carbon emissions, which was the main idea of the article “Bigfoot,” published in The New Yorker. According to Save the Honeybee a webpage helping to, “…elevate public awareness of the catastrophic decline of the world wide bee populations…” (Reich & Yavne, n.s.) the concept of both articles would be completely different. The newspaper article detailing “the honeybee situation” would inevitably provide many details about the “…catastrophic decline of the world wide bee populations…” (Reich & Yavne, n.d, “Save the Honeybee”) however it would seem that there would be very little talk of carbon emissions.

In the article “Bigfoot,” there are many sources quoted while addressing the topic of carbon emissions. One of the sources quoted was New Science, in which Specter addresses some research showing a link between obesity and carbon emissions; this research is shown on the New Scientist Environment Blog. Another piece of information that was borrowed in Specter’s article was the idea of a “100-Mile Diet,” this is in fact true, and information pertaining to the idea can be found on the webpage 100 Mile Diet: Local Eating for Global Change. A third piece of information that was used within Specter’s article was the idea of Issac Berzin, who is reportedly planning to “…put an algae farm next to a power plant….throw some algae in and it becomes a super photosynthesis machine and sucks the carbon dioxide out of the air like a sponge” (Specter, 2008); this was confirmed with a USA Today article that details Berzin’s aspirations to, “…turn the nation's greenhouse-gas-belching power plants into clean-green generators with an attached algae farm next door” (Clayton, 2006).

Overall Michael Specter’s article, “Bigfoot,” was very informative and well written; it offered technical data without overwhelming the reader with too much information. The article addressed a topic that is very much in the forefront of the world’s current state and it addressed the topic in a way that gave information to the reader in many aspects of the issue and created a very well-rounded base for the previously uninformed reader about the topic of carbon emissions.


Specter, M. (2008). Big Foot. The New Yorker, February 28, 2008. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/02/25/080225fa_fact_specter?printable=true


Reich, B., & Yavne, E. (n.d.). Save the Honeybee. Retrieved February 25, 2008 from http://save-the-honeybee.org/index.html



Cited Sources from the article, “Bigfoot,” by Michael Specter:

Carrington, D. (2006). Carbon sequestration in obese humans. New Scientist Environment Blog. Retrieved February 25, 2008 from http://www.newscientist.com/blog/environment/2006/12/carbon-sequestration-in-obese-humans.html


100 Mile Diet: Local Eating for Global Change. Retrieved February 25, 2008 from http://100milediet.org/


Clayton, M. (2006). Algae – Like a breath mint for smokestacks. USA Today, January 10, 2006. Retrieved February 25, 2008 from http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2006-01-10-algae-powerplants_x.htm

"Where Does My Food Travel" - Week 4

Quaker oatmeal
Tomato Soup
Saltine Crackers
California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza

Today started out with a bowl of Quaker Oatmeal, which to the best of my knowledge is made in Chicago, Illinois. From there I imagine that it is either trucked or ferried to Alaska, however I could not find out which line of transportation the company uses. It seems that most freight comes to Alaska by boat into ports in Valdez and Whittier though as it makes it’s way from the Lower Forty-Eight to Alaska. It is then trucked up to Anchorage and on to Fairbanks. The Campbell’s Tomato Soup I could not find out where it is manufactured and canned, however I imagine that it once again travels the long transportation line from truck, to ship, to truck, to the store, and finally to the lunch bowl. The Saltine Crackers were very hard to track down. Wikipedia states that Saltine was originally trademarked by Nabisco Corporation but lost the trademark when the word saltine started being used as a generic term to refer to crackers. This makes it hard for me to know which type of saltine cracker was actually eaten today with the tomato soup I had for lunch.

On the other hand, the California Pizza Kitchen Barbecue Chicken Pizza that I had for dinner was very interesting to research. According to Wikipedia it seems that California Pizza Kitchen is actually an offshoot of, “…Wolfgang Pucks Spago restaurant in Beverly Hills…” Due to the fact that it seems to be made and packaged in California it seems the strongest possibility that California Pizza Kitchen pizzas that are store-bought probably arrive in Alaska by boat, and are then trucked up to Fairbanks via Anchorage.

This was a rather interesting investigation just in the fact that most of the time one stays mostly oblivious to the actual background information about the food that is eaten on a day to day basis. However, if one chooses to research the food there is quite a bit of information available on the internet about the various foods that are commonly bought and eaten.

“Saltine Cracker.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 5 Feb. 2008. 19 Feb. 2008.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltine

“California Pizza Kitchen.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 22 Sep. 2007. 19 Feb. 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Pizza_Kitchen

"100 Proof" - Week 4 Proofreading

The podcast titled "100 Proof," from the Grammar Girl website seems quite informal, yet at the same time was a quite informative. While listening and reading the podcast it was nice to hear that everyone seems to have the same troubles trying to proofread papers that they have written themselves. The anecdote given in the podcast about the Band of Kazakh was a fairly extreme example of the fact that as a whole, people do not do very good proofreading of things that they have written themselves.

The fact is that just as Grammar Girl spoke about in the podcast, humans are not perfect, and there will always be human error. However, after taking into consideration the fact that there will be some amount of human error within everything someone does, it also falls upon one's shoulders to try and eliminate as much of that error as possible. The tips given toward the end of the podcast actually seem to be quite good. After reading the tip about reading something that one has written from back to front, one sentence at a time, I did just that with fairly good results. After reading a blog entry from back to front I noticed a grammar error that I had not detected before then, as well as a few sentences that needed a little restructuring.

All in all I would say that the tips given were very helpful and I would recommend the podcast to anyone. This was the first time that I have heard or read any of the Grammar Girl tips and it seems like a very good resource for those that are either learning to write, or for anyone that is interested in learning to write better.

“100 Proof.” Grammar Girl. 20 Oct. 2006. 19 Feb. 2008.
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/proofreading.aspx

Catchy Lead Sentence From Grist.org - Week 4 Reading Assignment #4

"Human activity has tainted all but 3.7 percent of the world's oceans, and 41 percent of the world's waters have been heavily impacted, says a new study in Science."

This is the lead sentence in the article, "Assail the Seven Seas," posted on grist.org. The lead sentence technique that is being used would best be defined by the quotation. It works well because of the shocking information that it presents, and the quote causes the reader to want to read on and find out more about the topic.


"Assail the Seven Seas." Grist. 15 Feb. 2008. 19 Feb. 2008.
http://www.grist.org/news/2008/02/15/ocean/index.html

A Melting World: Effects of Accelerated Glacial Recession (Essay #1: Position - Final Draft)

Torrents of water rushing down from once benign mountain lakes are killing thousands of people, coastal villages are being destroyed, and water supplies are being severely threatened by one of the newest natural killers in the world. What is this killer and is this reality or fiction? Glacial melting is the killer in question and currently this statement is fictional, however there is good reason to believe that this fictional statement is about to become a reality. Although many people believe that accelerated glacial recession is not a concern, it is a major problem because it has the potential to create catastrophic flooding, it is a cause of dramatic climate change, and because much of the world’s fresh water supply is held within the glaciers of the earth.

In order for one to understand the concept of accelerated glacial recession those interested should have a basic understanding of glaciers and what the term means when being used within the context of this paper. According to McGeary, Plummer, and Carlson the definition of the word glacier is, “A large, long-lasting mass of ice, formed on land by the compaction and recrystallization of snow, which moves because of its own weight” (556). At the same time McGeary, Plummer, and Carlson define the word ice cap as, “A glacier covering a relatively small area of land but not restricted to a valley” (558), and once again they define an ice sheet as, “…a mass of ice that is not restricted to a valley but covers a large area of land (over 50,000 square kilometers)” (472). For the purposes of this paper the term glacier will be used to represent any mass of ice which was formed through the process of recrystallization; therefore the term glacier will be used to represent valley glaciers, ice sheets, and ice caps, unless otherwise noted. The process of recrystallization as stated is a fairly simple concept. In its most basic form recrystallization in the context of glaciers can be described as snow falling in an area where due to one climate variable or another, the snow does not completely melt away before more snow falls on top of the older snow. This process continues over a period of many years and eventually the snow layers that have been buried beneath the newer layers start to bond together, eventually creating what is called glacier ice.

The basic geography of a glacier consists of three parts; there is the accumulation zone, which in relative terms usually occupies the higher elevations of a glacier. It is in this zone that more snow falls annually then actually melts away, in turn causing a glacier to grow, or to recede if that snowfall starts to lessen and not enough snow is leftover to grow new ice. The second geographic area of a glacier is the ablation zone, this area is generally lower in elevation than the accumulation zone, and it is here that the snow melts off usually resulting in bare ice during warmer months. The third part of a glacier is called the terminus; this is the end of the glacier. For the purposes of this paper it is important to also understand one of the geologic aspects of a glacier called a moraine. Moraines are basically piles of ground up rock and debris that are left along the sides of glaciers. Sometimes moraines run down the center of a glacier because as different glaciers merge together, the moraines that were once on the side now run down the middle; when this occurs the moraines running down the center of the glacier are called lateral moraines. Another type of moraine that forms is called a terminal moraine and this type is formed at the end, or terminus, of the glacier. A terminal moraine formed at the end of a glacier is once again a large pile of rock and debris, and as the glacier continues to recede the debris pile is left in place, leaving a pile of rock set away from the ice of the glacier itself.

Sometimes when these debris piles are leftover they act as dams causing melting waters coming from the glacier to form into lakes. As one can imagine the faster a glacier melts the more water is melted away and left to fill these glacial lakes, if the water entering the lakes fills up faster than the lakes can empty it through small run-off streams, then “wham!” the natural dam formed by the old terminal moraine fails, causing thousands of gallons of water to rush forth in a torrential flood, annihilating anything in the path of these killers. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), they have “… reported the finding of at least 44 glacial lakes in the Himalayas that are filling so rapidly they could burst their banks in as little as five years’ time, sending millions of gallons of deadly floodwaters swirling down valleys and putting tens of thousands of lives at risk. The lakes are rapidly filling with icy water as rising temperatures in the region accelerate the melting of glaciers and snowfields that feed them” (“Global Warming Triggers Glacial Lakes Flood Threat”). This is just one of the few problems associated with accelerated glacial recession and one of the problems that is facing the people of the world as glaciers quickly melt away.

Another problem facing the planet is that not only is the rate at which glaciers are melting increasing due to climate changes, but the accelerated rate also has the potential to cause some very significant climate changes in itself, thus causing a very violent and horrific cycle. Science Daily recently published an article reflecting the findings of Dr. Rainer Zahn, a research professor at the UAB Institute of Environmental Science and Technology. According to his findings, “… when the great ice sheets covering North America and Scandanavia [sic] melted at the end of the last ice age, the subsequent flow of fresh water into the North Atlantic caused the greatest natural disturbance in ocean circulation in the last 20,000 years” (qtd. in “Melting Of The Greenland Ice Cap May Have Consequences For Climatic Change”). The ocean helps to regulate the different climates of the earth by a mechanism of heating and cooling. According to Dr. Rainer Zahn’s studies, “Any variation in ocean circulation may lead to substantial and abrupt climate changes (that is to say over less than 30 years) on a global scale” (qtd. in “Melting Of The Greenland Ice Cap May Have Consequences For Climatic Change”). In essence the accelerated melting of the polar ice caps will affect the oceans’ temperature and the way that the oceans’ waters are circulated around the earth. This change will create even more glacial melting, in effect causing the glaciers to melt faster and faster, changing weather patterns and climates all over the earth due to the change in the circulation of ocean currents. These facts lead one to believe that the acceleration of glacial recession is in fact a very large problem facing the earth.

There is yet another very large problem associated with accelerated glacial recession, and that is the fact that according to information presented by the United States Geologic Survey (USGS) webpage, pertaining to where the earth’s freshwater is stored, “…about 69 [sic] percent, is locked up in glaciers and icecaps…” (Where is the Earth’s water Located?”) Using the table presented on the same page of the USGS website, it states that only, “…0.26 percent of fresh water is stored in lakes…” (“Where is the Earth’s water Located?”) What does this mean to the people of the world? In some regions there are whole populations that are dependent on glacial runoff as the primary source of freshwater, and with the accelerated rate of glacial recession there is a great risk of a large-scale freshwater shortage in the near future.

Some people argue that accelerated glacial recession is not a large concern for the global community of the earth because they have no concept of the impact it will have upon the earth as a whole. The information that has been presented sets forth several examples of large-scale impacts that will be felt by all inhabitants of this planet as glaciers continue to melt at an alarming rate. These problems are not just localized, when they happen it will impact each and every person living on this planet.

There is a time to stand still and do nothing, and there is a time to act; the time to do nothing has passed, and the time to act is upon us. As a person, as a nation, and as a global community we need to provide more in the way of research and try to understand what is happening to the glaciers of this world. It is imperative to the survival of our population that we find out why glaciers are melting at such an alarming rate and if there is anything we can do to help once again slow down the rate of recession.


McGeary, David, Charles C. Plummer, and Diane H. Carlson. Physical Geology: Earth Revealed. Ed. Thomas C. Lyon. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004.


“Global Warming Triggers Glacial Lakes Flood Threat.” UN Chronicle: Online Edition. 2002. 18 Feb. 2008. http://www.un.org/Pubs/chronicle/2002/issue3/0302p48_glacial_lakes_flood_threat.html


Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. "Melting Of The Greenland Ice Cap May Have Consequences For Climatic Change." Science Daily. 8 May 2007. 18 Feb. 2008.
http://www.sciencedaily.com­/releases/2007/05/070507113401.htm


United States Geologic Survey. “Where is Earth’s water located? Water Science for Schools. 1 Feb. 2008. 18 Feb. 2008. http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthwherewater.html

"The Kayak Roll" - Useful YouTube Video

“The Kayak Roll,” a short one minute and thirty second video posted on YouTube about rolling a kayak is a useful piece of information for those that are first learning to roll, or for someone trying to review a kayak roll that the person may have not done for quite some time. For me the video was useful because I just learned to roll my kayak last summer, and it has been quite some time since my last roll. I figure that as spring comes I should look into getting into the indoor pool sessions at the local high-school so that I can once again master this skill before heading to the mighty whitewater of the Nenana River.

Another interesting point in the video that I was never made aware of is that the same roll is used in rolling a sea kayak that is used in a whitewater kayak. I went sea-kayaking outside of Whittier last summer but figured that if I rolled it I would be swimming in the icy water. This fact leads me to want to practice the same roll that I use in my whitewater kayak in learning to roll a sea kayak.

The roll is more or less the first thing you learn when learning to kayak, it is a necessary and lifesaving skill, especially in the icy whitewater of Alaska where if you end up swimming in the river it is not a nice warm swim like in a lot of other places. Instead the icy rivers of Alaska can turn a nice day on the water into a hypothermic epic in a matter of seconds. When you couple this with the large volume of most Alaskan Rivers in comparison to the lower forty-eight or the rest of the world for that matter, it means that the roll becomes an even more important skill that needs to be practiced and mastered, well before the time comes that you need to use it.

“The Kayak Roll.” Total Vid Inc. YouTube. 13 Feb. 2007. 14 Feb 2008.

Workshop for "Patriotim [sic] and Global Citizenship"

This is a workshop post referring to the essay, “Patrotim [sic] and Global Citizenship.” First off, the idea and context of the essay are great and unique. It is very enjoyable to think about the ideas presented within the paper, however in the spirit of becoming better writers and working through the writing process there are a few suggestions here in hopes that the author can at least think about them, perhaps the suggestions will open up the authors mind to the possibility of other ways to go about things and to phrase ideas.

1. (a)
The thesis statement the author has written, “In this essay I would like to argue why being patriotic is so important, especially in today’s world when moral values have become increasingly rare and people are facing grave identity crisis,” does not seem to follow the criteria for the thesis statement given by Professor Sullivan. In addition to not following the criteria, there is only two points listed in the thesis as supporting ideas. Perhaps one could think about something like this for their thesis statement, “Although being patriotic is not important to some people, patriotism is the fabric of human interrelations, because many people are lacking moral values, an identity crisis seems to be facing the people of many nations, and because it helps to preserve the character and basis of the culture of a country.” It is just a thought, and the author can make their supporting points any that they would like, then in the following paragraphs, the body of the paper, they can support those points using a lot of the information already presented within the paper.

1. (b)
The thesis statement as the author has written it does pose a position on a controversial topic, and it is located as the last sentence of the first paragraph. However, as stated in the previous paragraph, the thesis should be reworked a little to meet the criteria of the paper.

2.
There are two reasons supporting the claim listed in the thesis statement that the author has presented, “…moral values have become increasingly rare…” and, “…people are facing grave identity crisis.” However, “...moral values have become increasingly rare,” does not seem to have any supporting evidence within the body of the essay. There are also several points given in the last sentence of the essay that could be added to the thesis as supporting reasons, and further expounded upon within the body of the text.

3.
The author is speaking to the global community as a whole and has done a good job in showing this by stating, “It’s a complex ideology with many commendable thoughts that if practiced by everybody would put a permanent period to wars and hostility between fellow human beings.”

4.
The author of this essay definitely gives part of the counterargument in the essay, as a specific example of how the author has presented this, the author states, “…opposition to the concept of patriotism is, to me, rather unrealistic and irrational. The global citizens believe that since everybody on this planet are equal; one must not have any pride in one’s heritage and must not be patriotic.” However it is worth mentioning that when the author states this, it would be beneficial to find wording that did not use the word, “me.”

5.
The title of the essay, “Patriotim [sic] and Global Citizenship,” which is believed to be meant as “Patriotism and Global Citizenship” is a catchy title, however “Global Citizenship” alludes to a concept of being global citizens, or all citizens of one planet, and really does not address the central issue of the essay, which seems to be “Patriotism.” Perhaps a better title would come with something like, “Patriots Unite,” or “Patriots for a Global Citizenship.”

6.
The lead sentence of the essay “Patriotism and Global Citizenship,” is currently, “Coming from India, a country that spent a good part of the past couple centuries as an English colony, I have learnt [sic] over the years to have deep respect for the martyrs that gave their lives to grant us freedom.” The sentence is catchy in some aspects, but perhaps it should be switched to more of an active voice, such as, “Martyrs give their lives to grant us freedom.” And then continue to explain more about the reference, and definitely define who “us” is in the lead sentence.

7.
The essay lacks a conclusion paragraph, however the author does give a few points at the end of the essay that kind of lead to a conclusion. However, it would be more to the point for the author to close the essay with a call to action, or a suggestion as to how the people of the world, the audience of the paper, could become better patriots and help to contribute to the idea of “Global Citizenship.”

All in all a good essay with a lot of potential for a very interesting and persuasive argument. Watch the spelling and grammatical errors as well. I do understand that it's just a rough draft, that's what rough drafts are for, just get your ideas down before you lose them. None the less, in order to make this an "A" paper there need to be some revisions made to it. Good luck, and thank you for the opportunity to read such a fresh concept.

Polar Ice Caps: A Fleeting Look at the World (Research Project: Exploratory Essay)

Polar ice caps are melting, and the world is a stage set for a drama unlike we have seen in the days of our memory as a global community. The polar ice caps are in a sense an early warning device of things to come as a whole for our planet, and it is in this early warning device that we are being given the signs that things must change in our day to day routines or the earth is going to suffer a very major climate change, possibly resulting in widespread death and destruction. Although most people believe there is no direct link between the melting polar ice caps and global climate change, there is, because the melting polar ice caps contribute to the overall change in ocean temperature which has the potential to alter the marine ecosystem as a whole, as the ice caps shrink it is accelerating global warming in effect changing weather patterns and affecting food production worldwide, and because it has the potential to change ocean currents which help to regulate the different climates of every region on earth.
The polar ice caps intrigue me, as do glaciers, and their interrelation to the world and the global community that is unknowingly dependent on the way our world has its own system of checks and balances. The polar ice caps act as a very sensitive region where the slightest global climate changes can be felt first, giving us a look at things to come. This subject has always intrigued me, in fact leading me to start researching a large magazine article about a year ago that someday I would like to have published in a climbing magazine, giving an eye-opening look to climbers (who happen to have other reasons than just climate change) to perhaps start being more responsible caretakers of such a fragile world.
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), “…the contraction of the Arctic ice cap is accelerating global warming. Snow and ice usually form a protective, cooling layer over the Arctic. When that covering melts, the earth absorbs more sunlight and gets hotter. And the latest scientific data confirm the far-reaching effects of climbing global temperatures.” This information supports the fact that melting polar ice caps mean more than just rising ocean levels, which is another problem in itself, it means that the global climate of the earth is possibly about to make an abrupt change. This change will have far-reaching effects on not only the environment, but also on the global economy. Industries from around the world will feel the effects of global warming, from commercial fisherman off the coast of Russia to farmers in the heartland of America.
Another interesting point of view on the controversy of global warming is the idea that humans are not to blame, but instead it is some sort of natural phenomena associated to either a natural cycle of the earth or the result of something else as of yet undetermined. In an article published on National Geographic News’ website, one scientist, Habibullo Abdussamatov, says that “Simultaneous warming on Earth and Mars suggests that our planet's recent climate changes have a natural—and not a human-induced—cause…” This side of the argument on global warming also intrigues me. I would like to research more about the idea of this natural cycle and the possibility that perhaps global warming is just a natural process of the earth, perhaps one of it’s checks and balances. Robert Essenhigh, a professor of Energy Conservation in Ohio State's Department of Mechanical Engineering was quoted in an article on Science Daily’s website as saying, “Many people blame global warming on carbon dioxide sent into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels in man-made devices such as automobiles and power plants. [However] Essenhigh believes these people fail to account for the much greater amount of carbon dioxide that enters -- and leaves -- the atmosphere as part of the natural cycle of water exchange from, and back into, the sea and vegetation.”
The varying viewpoints in this controversial subject excite me. I seem to be an environmentalist at heart, yet there is a large analytical side of me that wonders how much truth there is to the idea of global warming as just a natural process of the earth. I would like the opportunity to expound upon my research into this fascinating subject, and be allowed to link the idea of global warming and polar ice caps into the problems facing the oceans in several different ways. I know this subject closely relates to my Position Essay, however I will be sure to incorporate much more data and research into this project compared to the position essay, I will also link the research to oceans as requested by the criteria for the Research Project.

“Global Warming Puts the Arctic on Thin Ice.” Natural Resources Defense Council.
22 Nov. 2005. 11 Feb. 2008. http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/qthinice.asp.

Kate Ravilious. “Mars Melt Hints at Solar, Not Human, Cause for Warming, Scientist Says.” National Geographic. 28 Feb. 2007. 11 Feb. 2008.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/02/070228-mars-warming.html


“Global Warming Natural.” Science Daily. 15 June 2001. 11 Feb. 2008. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/06/010615071248.htm.

A Melting World: The Effects of Accelerated Glacial Recession (Essay #1: Position - Rough Draft)

Torrents of water rushing down from once benign mountain lakes are killing thousands of people, coastal villages are being destroyed, and water supplies are being severely threatened by one of the newest natural killers in the world. What is this killer and is this reality or fiction? Glacial melting is the killer in question, and currently this statement is fictional, however there is good reason to believe that this fictional statement is about to become a reality. Although many people believe that accelerated glacial recession is not a concern, it is a major problem because it has the potential to create catastrophic flooding, it is a cause of dramatic climate change, and because much of the world’s fresh water supply is held within the glaciers of the earth.

First one should have a basic understanding of glaciers and what the term means when being used within the context of this paper. According to (Earth Revealed) the definition of the word glacier is, “a large, long-lasting mass of ice, formed on land by the compaction and recrystallization of snow, which moves because of its own weight.” At the same time (Earth Revealed) defines the word ice cap as, “a glacier covering a relatively small area of land but not restricted to a valley,” and once again (Earth Revealed) defines an ice sheet as, “a glacier covering a large area (more than 50,000 square kilometers) of land.” For the purposes of this paper the term glacier will be used to represent any mass of ice which was formed through the process of recrystallization; therefore the term glacier will be used to represent valley glaciers, ice sheets, and ice caps, unless otherwise noted. The process of recrystallization as stated is a fairly simple concept. In its most basic form recrystallization can be described as snow falling in an area where due to one climate variable or another, the snow does not completely melt away before more snow falls on top of the older snow. This process continues over a period of many years and eventually the snow layers that have been buried start to bond together, eventually creating what we call glacier ice.

The basic geography of a glacier consists of three parts, there is the accumulation zone, which in relative terms usually occupies the higher elevations of glacier. It is in this zone that more snow falls annually then actually melts, and in turn causes a glacier to grow, or to recede if that snowfall starts to lessen. The second geographic area of a glacier is the ablation zone, this area is generally lower in elevation than the accumulation zone, and it is here that the snow melts off usually resulting in bare ice during warmer months. The third region of a glacier is called the terminus; this is the end of the glacier. A moraine on a glacier is basically a pile of ground up rock and debris that is left in piles along the glaciers sides. Sometimes moraines come together as glaciers from different valleys merge together causing these moraines to run down the center of a glacier, running lengthwise with the glacier, these are called lateral moraines. Another type of moraine that forms is called a terminal moraine, and this type is formed at the end, or terminus of the glacier. A terminal moraine formed at the end of a glacier is basically a large pile of rock and debris, and as the glacier recedes farther beyond this moraine, the debris pile is left in place. Sometimes when these debris piles are leftover they form dams, causing the melting waters coming from the glacier to develop lakes behind these debris piles. As one can imagine, the faster a glacier melts, the more water is melted away and left to fill these glacial lakes, and if the water enters the lakes faster than the lakes can empty the water through small run-off streams, then “wham!!,” the natural dam formed by the old terminal moraine fails, causing thousands of gallons of water to rush forth in a torrential flood, annihilating anything in the path of these killers. According to the United Nations Environment Programme [sic] (UNEP) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), they have “… reported the finding of at least 44 glacial lakes in the Himalayas that are filling so rapidly they could burst their banks in as little as five years’ time, sending millions of gallons of deadly floodwaters swirling down valleys and putting tens of thousands of lives at risk. The lakes are rapidly filling with icy water as rising temperatures in the region accelerate the melting of glaciers and snowfields that feed them.” http://www.un.org/Pubs/chronicle/2002/issue3/0302p48_glacial_lakes_flood_threat.htmlThis is just one of the few problems associated with accelerated glacial recession.

Another problem facing the planet is that not only is the rate at which glaciers are melting increasing due to climate changes, but the accelerated rate also has the potential to cause some very significant climate changes in itself, thus causing a very violent and horrific cycle. Science Daily recently published an article, “According to two international-research studies on the last ice age, studies with the participation of Dr. Rainer Zahn, research professor in the ICREA at the UAB Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA) … when the great ice sheets covering North America and Scandanavia [sic] melted at the end of the last ice age, the subsequent flow of fresh water into the North Atlantic caused the greatest natural disturbance in ocean circulation in the last 20,000 years.” http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070507113401.htm Of course the ocean helps to regulate the different climates of the earth by a mechanism of heating and cooling. According to Dr. Zahn and the international-research studies, “Any variation in ocean circulation may lead to substantial and abrupt climate changes (that is to say over less than 30 years) on a global scale.” These facts lead one to believe that the acceleration of glacial recession is in fact a very large problem facing the earth.

Still there is yet another very large problem associated with accelerated glacial recession, and that is the fact that according to information presented by the United States Geologic Survey (USGS) webpage, “Water Science for Schools,” pertaining to where the earth’s freshwater is stored, “…about 69 [sic] percent, is locked up in glaciers and icecaps…” Whereas if you use the table presented on the same page, it states that only 0.26 percent of fresh water is stored in lakes. What does this mean to the people of the world? In some regions there are whole populations that are dependent on glacial runoff as the primary source of water, and with the accelerated rate of glacial recession there is a great risk of a large-scale freshwater shortage in the near future.

Some would argue that accelerated glacial recession is just a natural phenomena and that it is the natural cycle of the earth to have the glaciers of the world melt at such an alarming rate. However, there is a large amount of evidence against this point of view, and due to the reasons that were just stated it is well worth looking at the issue of accelerated glacial recession. These problems are not just localized problems, when they happen it will impact each and every person living on this planet.

There is a time to stand still and do nothing, and there is a time to act. The time to do nothing has passed, and the time to act is upon us. As a person, as a nation, and as a global community we need to provide more in the way of research and try to understand what is happening to the glaciers of this world. It is imperative to the survival of our population as a whole that we find out why the glaciers are melting at such a fast rate and if there is anything we can do to help once again slow down the rate of recession.

Banff Mountain Film Festival Review (XC Cultural Review)

On Sunday, the Tenth of February, the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour held it’s annual showing at the Davis Concert Hall on the campus of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Despite the cold weather the auditorium was full of adventure-minded Fairbanksians eager to get a look at this years films.

It all starts in Banff, Canada, at the Banff Centre. It is there at the Banff Centre, which according to the Banff Centre website is a, “… globally respected arts, cultural, and educational institution and conference facility,” where the Banff Mountain Film Festival takes place. This year marked the thirty-second year running for the festival, and of over three-hundred films entered into the competition, fifty films were screened throughout the week in Banff. The films vary from independent films shot on camcorders to professionally done films with camera crews and professional lighting. The genres of the films vary as well, however they all hold to one overlying theme, and that is Mountain Adventure. Every year there is a book competition and photography competition that coincides with the film festival, and when all of it gets put together, it is referred to as the Mountain Festivals.

Every year, from the winners of the different film categories at the festival in Banff, a number of the films go on tour, and this is what was showing in Fairbanks on the Tenth of February. According to the announcer at the show, the World Tour reached all seven continents this year, and amazingly included two separate showings in Antarctica.

As far as the show in Fairbanks, it was well done and included a multitude of films, all in all lasting about two and a half hours, including the intermission. The films that were viewed ran the gamut from mountain biking to snowkiting, skiing to deep-water soloing, personal looks at climbing and loss to environmental satires. It was a great variety this year and was orchestrated well so that the pace of the films all complemented one another.

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is a highly recommended annual event in Fairbanks, and for those who have never been, it would serve you well to brave the cold next year and attend. The films promise to inspire the young and old alike, and to shed some light on some of the most amazing and beautiful places in the world.


The Banff Centre: Inspiring Creativity. 2007. 11 Feb. 2008.
http://www.banffcentre.ca/mountainculture/festivals/2007/.

Messiah Seen in a Potato Chip (Week 3 Reading Assignment #3)

In the cartoon titled “Potato Chip that Looks Like the Messiah,” Eric Allie, the artist that drew the cartoon, has portrayed an oddity of popular political culture, and is playing off that oddity, making a parody of it. The cartoon shows an apparent news anchorman reading a piece of paper, in a little bubble box the news anchorman says, “Reports of a potato chip that resembled the messiah sparked a media frenzy today.” Then in another bubble just below the first it says, “But upon further inspection the chip looked nothing like Mr. Obama.”

This cartoon is alluding to the strange phenomena that seems to be following Mr. Obama, one of the Presidential Candidates vying for the American Presidency, around as he travels the country attending political rallies and debates. Washington correspondent Geoff Elliott was quoted in The Australian, saying that, “… Obama is part politician, part cult,” according to obamamessiah.blogspot.com.

In the cartoon drawn by artist Eric Allie, this phenomena is being portrayed in the same light as people that sometimes claim to see revelations in the clouds or messages from god in their breakfast cereal. More or less, the artist is attempting to make fun of the “messiah-like” persona that Mr. Obama seems to have taken on within the minds of many of his biggest supporters. The message of the cartoon does not seem to be slanted toward one side of an argument or another, it seems instead to be poking fun at the phenomena as a whole.


Eric Allie. “Potato chip that looks like the messiah-color.” CagleCartoons. 5 Feb. 2008. 11 Feb. 2008
http://caglecartoons.com/viewimage.asp?ID={80317C5D-1A3A-427C-B817-2B8F43C6CDB4}


“Is Barack Obama the Messiah.” Blogspot. 11 Feb 2008. http://obamamessiah.blogspot.com/

"Buy America" - An American Satire (Week 3 Reading Assignment #2)

According to SFGate, “Mark Fiore is a San Francisco cartoonist and animator whose work also appears in the Washington Post, L.A. Times and other publications. In his animated satire entitled, “Buy America,” Fiore attempts to present the United States of America as a once-fortunate country that is now in the thralls of financial and social unrest. Due to the recent developments in America’s economy, as well as some of the political and military situations that are also linked to the current undertone of unrest that seems to be plaguing the United States the satire is attempting to show, in a light-hearted sort of way, some of the problems that America is facing in modern times. The Satire begins with a reference to, “Buy American,” having been replaced with, “Buy America.” This in itself is a play on words that would possibly enrage some patriots of the United States, and if they were to respond they would probably do so with a very patriotic and down to earth analysis of the finances and statistics of the United States. However, given the ideals that were a piece of the foundation of American thought, such as Freedom of Speech, this satire is completely within the rights of an American to publish and make their voice known. That is in essence the very foundation of what makes the United States a wonderful place to live.

Before someone can answer a question as to whether or not this satire was successful, one would have to first asses what message exactly was meant to be conveyed. If one goes with the broad generalization that Fiore was trying to present the United States as a once-fortunate country that is now in the thralls of financial and social unrest, then yes, Fiore coveyed this message in a very unique way and was successful in doing so. At the same time, the message was very one-sided and anyone seeing this message would have to assume that there is always another side to every story, so was Fiore successful if his attempt was to actually change one’s opinion of the current financial and social state of America, probably not.

None the less, the satire, “Buy America,” was entertaining and well put together. The specific areas that Fiore used to mock the united states include unemployment, recession, credit cards, and the economy as a whole. His opinions are entertaining but not informative enough to completely sway someone’s opinion toward his own.

Mark Fiore. “Buy America.” SFGate. 23 Jan. 2008. 11 Feb. 2008.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2008/01/23/fiorebuyamer.DTL

"Shitty First Drafts" - A Review (Week 3 Reading Assignment #1)

In Anne Lamott’s essay, “Shitty First Drafts,” taken from her book Bird by Bird, Lamott talks about the idea of writing the first draft of a paper and not worrying about what structure or coherent ideas come forth, instead she talks about just letting the words flow. This process is strongly associated to the idea of Stream of Consciousness as it is referred to in the realm of Psychology, where Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia, defines the term as, “… [Stream of Consciousness] refers to the flow of thoughts in the conscious mind.” According to Wikipedia William James, a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher was given credit for developing this concept.

Lamott approaches the subject of writing the first draft of a paper with a very informal point of view; this informal style helps to reinforce the very idea of writing an informal first draft. This form of drafting is a very useful tool when the idea of writing a large paper seems overwhelming as one begins the process. The suggestions that she gives are useful and will be integrated into the writing process of many of the students in this class. As stated earlier, it can be difficult to begin writing a paper when the task at hand seems so large and daunting, this technique of letting one’s thoughts just flow is a great way to get over the first hurdle and begin on the path to writing a beautiful and well thought-out paper. There is nothing more satisfying than to read something that you have written and be taken into the flow and the natural harmony of the words as they seem to move the reader through the paper like a poem.

Stream of Consciousness (psychology). Wikipedia. 28 Nov. 2007. 11 Feb. 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stream_of_consciousness_(psychology).

Lamott, Anne. "Shitty First Drafts.” Language Awareness: Readings for College
Writers. Ed. by Paul Eschholz, Alfred Rosa, and Virginia Clark. 9th ed.
Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. 2005. 93-96. http://wserver.crc.losrios.edu/~morales/Readings/Lamott,%20Anne%20-%20Shitty%20First%20Drafts.pdf.

"The International Year of the Reef" - "Reefer Sadness" Rewritten for XC

2008 is the International Year of the Reef; coral reefs that is, and there will be a large amount of discussion and research given to these beautiful and diverse underwater environments this year because they are being directly affected by the effects of global warming. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) says that, “…warming seas and increased hurricanes affected more than half of Caribbean coral reefs in 2005.” Although this is an alarming fact, even more disturbing is the National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) claim that, “In one year alone, sixteen percent of the world’s coral reefs were wiped out.” The NWF goes on to say that, “A sea temperature change of a mere one degree Celsius would yield similar losses. Increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the water cause damage to corals, leaving them defenseless against storm damage and erosion.”
It is imperative that during this International Year of the Reef we as a technologically advanced and earth-sensitive society learn more about the coral reefs and how to prevent their annihilation.

“Coral Reefs and Global Warming.” National Wildlife Federation. 11 Feb. 2008. http://www.nwf.org/coralandglobalwarming/.

“Reefer Sadness.” Grist: Environmental News and Commentary. 25 Jan. 2008. 11 Feb. 2008 http://www.grist.org/news/2008/01/25/reef/index.html.

"Reefer Sadness" - A Review

In a recent article titled "Reefer Sadness," published on grist.org, the author has quoted scientists from the World Conservation Union (IUCN) as saying, "...warming seas and increased hurricanes affected more than half of Caribbean coral reefs in 2005..." This thesis statement written near the beginning of the article goes on to say that this is "... a devastation likely to become a regular event." Unfortunately nowhere in the article does the author present any evidence as to a pattern for this type of destruction taking place within the oceans of the earth, nor does the author clearly state what percentage of the world's total reefs were affected.

It is apparent that the author was gearing the article toward an uneducated audience by using a shock and awe strategy to engage readers that would be interested not in the scientific facts or validity of the argument, but instead in the misnomer of "Reefer Sadness" alluding to the subject of drugs instead of the underwater phenomenon that is being discussed within the article. All in all the opening of the article does draw the readers attention, however it has to be questioned whether the strategy used to draw in the reader is appropriate for the context of the argument being presented. Furthermore, there is not enough evidence or factual information being presented for this article to fully inform the reader of the subject being discussed. The author needs to go back into the article and expound upon the evidence that supports the claims being made.