Four of us had a wonderful and unexpected trip out to Antelope Island this Saturday with Terry Tempest Williams. We did some bird-watching, marveled at the emptiness, and attempted-some better than others-to follow in Powell's footsteps and do some mapping. I think we all grew a bit more appreciative of the difficulty and intricacy of the work that he and other early topographers completed.
One of the highlights for the trip was being privileged to see the arrival of hundreds of trumpeter swans to the Great Salt Lake for a rest on their yearly migration. It was pretty incredible as they arrived, flock after flock.
I was recently forwarded an email about the Western Soundscapes project being undertaken by the library. They are recording and archiving a collection of sounds unique to the West, recognizing the "vital connection between places and their soundscapes". They currently have recordings representative of more than 70% of western bird species, plus lots of amphibians, mammals, and reptiles. They also have a special project focusing on preserving the sounds of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
I've posted the links below of the Western Soundscapes Project, as well as to several of the specific bird species we saw at Antelope Island, although I couldn't find a recording of the chucker or the whistling wind that kept us chilled, and a few others that I particularly enjoyed. The Trumpeter Swan recording has a great bit of the flapping wings that Terry described. It's a fascinating website, and I recommend poking around.
The Western Soundscapes Archive
Trumpeter Swan
Rough-legged Hawk
Northern Pintail
California Gull
Canada Goose
Arctic Fox
ANWR Ice Cracking
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Question about new legislation
I noticed that the Utah Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Standing Committee introduced bill H.B 241 which repeals a section Section 73-3-21, "Priorities between appropriators."
That section reads :
Appropriators shall have priority among themselves according to the dates of their respective appropriations, so that each appropriator shall be entitled to receive his whole supply before any subsequent appropriator shall have any right; provided, in times of scarcity, while priority of appropriation shall give the better right as between those using water for the same purpose, the use for domestic purposes, without unnecessary waste, shall have preference over use for all other purposes, and use for agricultural purposes shall have preference over use for any other purpose except domestic use.
This seems like a step in the right direction, but I am pretty clueless when it comes to these matters. Anyone have any insight? Is this a good or a bad thing?
Thanks,
-Jack
That section reads :
Appropriators shall have priority among themselves according to the dates of their respective appropriations, so that each appropriator shall be entitled to receive his whole supply before any subsequent appropriator shall have any right; provided, in times of scarcity, while priority of appropriation shall give the better right as between those using water for the same purpose, the use for domestic purposes, without unnecessary waste, shall have preference over use for all other purposes, and use for agricultural purposes shall have preference over use for any other purpose except domestic use.
This seems like a step in the right direction, but I am pretty clueless when it comes to these matters. Anyone have any insight? Is this a good or a bad thing?
Thanks,
-Jack
Monday, February 16, 2009
Life After Money
The article Jack posted brings up some interesting thoughts, and links nicely with the discussion we started in Tertulia on Thursday. In light of that discussion, here is some food for thought:
The article describes how we have commoditized everything that sustains us and everything that makes life worth living, from food to resources to arts and entertainment. When true financial crisis hits (which the article seems to find inevitable), “the reverse process [will] begin in earnest – [removing] things from the realm of goods and services, and [returning] them to the realm of gifts, reciprocity, self-sufficiency, and community sharing.” The author believes that “people will help each other and real communities will reemerge." But I wonder how realistic that belief is. Will this “gift culture” re-develop? Is it even possible for it to come back? People talk of general communal support during the Depression, but are times too different now? I think Steve’s point that widespread hardship decreases shame, produces a greater sense of communal suffering, and therefore invites more communal sharing is valid, but the situation is quite different here than in was in the 1930s. In this globalized, digitized, privatized, competitive world, have we lost too much of any sense of community for it to rebound in times of need?
At one point, the author states that “anything we do to protect some natural or social resource from conversion into money will both hasten the collapse and mitigate its severity.” Anyone who can make their own clothes, provide their own shelter, grow their own food, not only decreases economic growth by refusing to commoditize those services, but also stands a better chance of surviving when economic collapse does hit. But is it moral to hasten that collapse? Do we have any obligation to shopowners, seamstresses, carpenters, or chefs to share our wealth with them through spending money on their services? Perhaps, in the long term, the collapse of a money-based economy and return to a service-exchange economy would be beneficial for people and the earth, but I don’t think the transition would be easy, and it could disproportionately hurt certain populations. The wall-street gurus who make their money trading stocks would (in a money-less world) be left penniless, and with no skills to barter. As would the accountants, the bank clerks, and the IRS staffers. And there is always the question of how a government would run with no money… Of course, the author is not advocating for a purely barter system, but even minor changes in our established system would have drastic results, results that are incredibly difficult to predict across time and society.
The article describes how we have commoditized everything that sustains us and everything that makes life worth living, from food to resources to arts and entertainment. When true financial crisis hits (which the article seems to find inevitable), “the reverse process [will] begin in earnest – [removing] things from the realm of goods and services, and [returning] them to the realm of gifts, reciprocity, self-sufficiency, and community sharing.” The author believes that “people will help each other and real communities will reemerge." But I wonder how realistic that belief is. Will this “gift culture” re-develop? Is it even possible for it to come back? People talk of general communal support during the Depression, but are times too different now? I think Steve’s point that widespread hardship decreases shame, produces a greater sense of communal suffering, and therefore invites more communal sharing is valid, but the situation is quite different here than in was in the 1930s. In this globalized, digitized, privatized, competitive world, have we lost too much of any sense of community for it to rebound in times of need?
At one point, the author states that “anything we do to protect some natural or social resource from conversion into money will both hasten the collapse and mitigate its severity.” Anyone who can make their own clothes, provide their own shelter, grow their own food, not only decreases economic growth by refusing to commoditize those services, but also stands a better chance of surviving when economic collapse does hit. But is it moral to hasten that collapse? Do we have any obligation to shopowners, seamstresses, carpenters, or chefs to share our wealth with them through spending money on their services? Perhaps, in the long term, the collapse of a money-based economy and return to a service-exchange economy would be beneficial for people and the earth, but I don’t think the transition would be easy, and it could disproportionately hurt certain populations. The wall-street gurus who make their money trading stocks would (in a money-less world) be left penniless, and with no skills to barter. As would the accountants, the bank clerks, and the IRS staffers. And there is always the question of how a government would run with no money… Of course, the author is not advocating for a purely barter system, but even minor changes in our established system would have drastic results, results that are incredibly difficult to predict across time and society.
It is an interesting thought experiment, though, to imagine how you would stand if money suddenly ceased to exist. How would you provide for yourself? What skills or gifts could you exchange? What social networks can you count on that are not “vehicles for the conversion of life into money”? Allowing your perspective to shift thinking in terms of what you can give, “what can you contribute to a more beautiful world?”
(Happily, I think our own little EH community actually has a pretty fair shot of making it if money goes poof: Diane can knit us clothes, Drew can sew us tents and sleeping bags, Ryan can cook, I’ll bake, Jack can keep people from stealing our stuff, and Desiree can prospect for oil and coal. We’re set. )
Interesting Article.
Hello everyone,
I hope I am not stepping on anyone's toes, but I happened upon an interesting article and thought I'd share it with you.
http://www.realitysandwich.com/money_and_crisis_civilization
Enjoy!
-Jack
I hope I am not stepping on anyone's toes, but I happened upon an interesting article and thought I'd share it with you.
http://www.realitysandwich.com/money_and_crisis_civilization
Enjoy!
-Jack
Saturday, February 14, 2009
My paper and a press response
Remember I publish an article on a national scale newspaper about 3 weeks ago. I wrote that paper because a group of lawmakers and developers urge to create a new national park in my country. They think building parks can promote ecotourism and increase employment opportunities. To oppose their argument, I drop my article to reject their argument and also to support local indigenous tribes.
Yesterday one of the lawmakers sent a message through the press. Clearly it is a response to my article and many other tribal voices. She demonises indigenous people as destroyers of nature who only know how to earn money from their mountain farms. On the contrary, non-native people are more ecological because they know the value of the forest and are willing to protect the environment.
To be honest, I feel bad when I know my paper causes such negative response and the lawmaker’s response indeed hurt indigenous people. I also understand it is not correct to plant fruit and vegetables in the mountain areas. But who put those natives in the farm fifty years ago? It is non-natives like me.
Perhaps I should write another paper to remind those lawmakers and developers that “national parks are not national parking lot.” If they care about the land, there are still many things they can contribute.
Yesterday one of the lawmakers sent a message through the press. Clearly it is a response to my article and many other tribal voices. She demonises indigenous people as destroyers of nature who only know how to earn money from their mountain farms. On the contrary, non-native people are more ecological because they know the value of the forest and are willing to protect the environment.
To be honest, I feel bad when I know my paper causes such negative response and the lawmaker’s response indeed hurt indigenous people. I also understand it is not correct to plant fruit and vegetables in the mountain areas. But who put those natives in the farm fifty years ago? It is non-natives like me.
Perhaps I should write another paper to remind those lawmakers and developers that “national parks are not national parking lot.” If they care about the land, there are still many things they can contribute.
Painting of a Rice Cake
I ponder the relationship between the real place and its representation. Maybe Master Dogen’s discussion is helpful in making connection of the three.
An ancient Buddha said “A painted rice cake does not satisfy hunger.” Dogen comments:
“There are few who have even seen this ‘painting of a rice cake’ and none of them has thoroughly understood it.”
“The paints for painting rice cake are the same as those used for painting mountains and waters.”
“If you say the painting is not real, then the entire phenomenal universe and the empty sky are nothing but a painting.”
“Since this is so, there is no remedy for satisfying hunger other than a painted rice cake. Without painted hunger you never become a true person.”
Eihei Dogen (A.D. 1200-1253) is a Japanese Zen Buddhist. In many of his teachings and discussions, he is excelled in using non-logical ways of thinking (in other words, to break the fixed logics/theories) to reach enlightenment. In the quoted passages, he demonstrates how phenomenal world and representation are related to each other. As EH community members, are we aware of our hunger?
Too often we are possessed by binary oppositions and our ways of thinking are regulated by theories created by academic disciplines. Sometimes it is inspirational when we read some non-mainstream writings. Moon in a Dewdrop is a good translated work in which a reader can see Dogen’s practice of non-dualist thinking. Western readers might encounter some cultural barrier in the process of reading, but it is fun to try. I recommend the chapter of “Painting of a Rice cake.” This short chapter helps us to locate our positions between physical realities and their representations (for example, natural writings). Believe it or not, I use the key idea of the chapter as a theoretical framework to read Silko’s Ceremony rather than using postcolonialism, psychoanalysis, or other mainstream theories.
An ancient Buddha said “A painted rice cake does not satisfy hunger.” Dogen comments:
“There are few who have even seen this ‘painting of a rice cake’ and none of them has thoroughly understood it.”
“The paints for painting rice cake are the same as those used for painting mountains and waters.”
“If you say the painting is not real, then the entire phenomenal universe and the empty sky are nothing but a painting.”
“Since this is so, there is no remedy for satisfying hunger other than a painted rice cake. Without painted hunger you never become a true person.”
Eihei Dogen (A.D. 1200-1253) is a Japanese Zen Buddhist. In many of his teachings and discussions, he is excelled in using non-logical ways of thinking (in other words, to break the fixed logics/theories) to reach enlightenment. In the quoted passages, he demonstrates how phenomenal world and representation are related to each other. As EH community members, are we aware of our hunger?
Too often we are possessed by binary oppositions and our ways of thinking are regulated by theories created by academic disciplines. Sometimes it is inspirational when we read some non-mainstream writings. Moon in a Dewdrop is a good translated work in which a reader can see Dogen’s practice of non-dualist thinking. Western readers might encounter some cultural barrier in the process of reading, but it is fun to try. I recommend the chapter of “Painting of a Rice cake.” This short chapter helps us to locate our positions between physical realities and their representations (for example, natural writings). Believe it or not, I use the key idea of the chapter as a theoretical framework to read Silko’s Ceremony rather than using postcolonialism, psychoanalysis, or other mainstream theories.
It's quite simple, really.
Here's everything there is to know about our Tertulia discussion last Thursday.
(click on photo for full-screen view)
Friday, February 13, 2009
Fast is good?
Probably no one can deny that technology exists almost everywhere, and it is so influential in every aspect of our everyday living. Somehow technology creates a culture attempting to pull people into the fast-moving current. I wonder if the following observation can be my exercise of ethnography.
Last night I was too tired to read or work; therefore I decided to spend the night with my wife. We sat on the sofa watching television. Amazing enough! It seemed that all channels were displaying commercials and the Internet and 3G commercials appeared most frequently. I discovered that all communication commercials emphasized on FAST and SPEED. One commercial even came with the slogan, “Fast is good!” Others stressed on the comprehensiveness of network coverage. An hour later, I switch off the television because I could not stand the commercials.
After I cut off the power, I pondered for a while and could not help questioning, “Why is wrong if I refuse to be slow?” and “Why do communication providers in both Taiwan and the U.S. all compete each other with speed and coverage on television commercials?” I think communication technology creates a culture forcing/attracting people to chase speed rather than success itself. If someone chooses to be fast, then I have to be fast too; otherwise going slower than other people means failure.
But if I want to win and therefore push the fast-forward bottom button in order to be fast, what kind of life will I have? To save time for cooking, I eat fast food. I eat it fast because I do not have time for dinning. To save time for researching, I use google rather than the library. To save time for everything; therefore I have to skim everything. When FAST becomes a universal value, it becomes a monoculture too. When wireless network gives us freedom to connect to the net, it also becomes a net that traps us with e-mails, messages and information. Worst of all, what if everyone celebrates such value and attempts to colonialize the world with it (singing “Joy to the world as virus spreads like peanut butter on the bread. Every moment is schizophrenic!”).
If you have seen the commercials, do you agree with “fast is good?” As Diane discussed fast boom economy in Tertulia last night, I was thinking about another passage in Wilkinson’s The Eagle Bird, “We are losing the West, both the slowmoving, uncluttedered way of life and the spirituality that lies thick and sweet over every river, every high divide, every big expanse of open sagebrush range” (186). Personally the slowmoving way of life reminds me of my childhood. It was a time when alarm clock is rare in my country so we woke up when roosters’ crying broke the dawn. Telephone was not popular so we communicate with letters. We wrote calligraphy slowly and patiently because we believe it is an essential comportment of a sincere letter.
Wilkinson’s words also inspire me to rethink the definition of both modernity and developed country. If we grade how modern a country is through the standard of its Internet services, speed and coverage, should we also look into its medical care and health insurance system to see how long dose it take to save a dying patient or how many people are covered by insurance? If we define a developed, developing or underdeveloped country through its GNP, should we also measure the country’s index of happiness before we label it?
After watching those commercials and reading Wilkinson’s passage, we can choose to follow the current, resist it, or remain open. But it is a possibility for me, choosing a slower pace rather then living in the schizophrenic moments. C'est la vie!
Last night I was too tired to read or work; therefore I decided to spend the night with my wife. We sat on the sofa watching television. Amazing enough! It seemed that all channels were displaying commercials and the Internet and 3G commercials appeared most frequently. I discovered that all communication commercials emphasized on FAST and SPEED. One commercial even came with the slogan, “Fast is good!” Others stressed on the comprehensiveness of network coverage. An hour later, I switch off the television because I could not stand the commercials.
After I cut off the power, I pondered for a while and could not help questioning, “Why is wrong if I refuse to be slow?” and “Why do communication providers in both Taiwan and the U.S. all compete each other with speed and coverage on television commercials?” I think communication technology creates a culture forcing/attracting people to chase speed rather than success itself. If someone chooses to be fast, then I have to be fast too; otherwise going slower than other people means failure.
But if I want to win and therefore push the fast-forward bottom button in order to be fast, what kind of life will I have? To save time for cooking, I eat fast food. I eat it fast because I do not have time for dinning. To save time for researching, I use google rather than the library. To save time for everything; therefore I have to skim everything. When FAST becomes a universal value, it becomes a monoculture too. When wireless network gives us freedom to connect to the net, it also becomes a net that traps us with e-mails, messages and information. Worst of all, what if everyone celebrates such value and attempts to colonialize the world with it (singing “Joy to the world as virus spreads like peanut butter on the bread. Every moment is schizophrenic!”).
If you have seen the commercials, do you agree with “fast is good?” As Diane discussed fast boom economy in Tertulia last night, I was thinking about another passage in Wilkinson’s The Eagle Bird, “We are losing the West, both the slowmoving, uncluttedered way of life and the spirituality that lies thick and sweet over every river, every high divide, every big expanse of open sagebrush range” (186). Personally the slowmoving way of life reminds me of my childhood. It was a time when alarm clock is rare in my country so we woke up when roosters’ crying broke the dawn. Telephone was not popular so we communicate with letters. We wrote calligraphy slowly and patiently because we believe it is an essential comportment of a sincere letter.
Wilkinson’s words also inspire me to rethink the definition of both modernity and developed country. If we grade how modern a country is through the standard of its Internet services, speed and coverage, should we also look into its medical care and health insurance system to see how long dose it take to save a dying patient or how many people are covered by insurance? If we define a developed, developing or underdeveloped country through its GNP, should we also measure the country’s index of happiness before we label it?
After watching those commercials and reading Wilkinson’s passage, we can choose to follow the current, resist it, or remain open. But it is a possibility for me, choosing a slower pace rather then living in the schizophrenic moments. C'est la vie!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
participating? yes, no, or both?
I’m not crazy (ok, maybe I am). Remember we discussed “Qualitative Research Methods” in Filed Methods on Tuesday? I found an interesting passage, “Stated a little differently, observing without participating may inhibit researchers’ ability to adequately understand the complex, lived experience of human beings” (4). By “participating” the author seems to indicate that one cannot avoid essentialism in research. But in the filed of literary research, “participating” is usually regarded too personal and not objective. I remember there was a very intensive debate between professors and students in my former department. Should an ecocritic keep a close distance with physical nature (for instance, going to the woods very often or becoming an experienced hiker), or stay away from it? One professor popped up a question to support his argument, “Do you have to be a woman in order to study feminism?”
What is your opinion of actually participating a fieldwork or personally involved in an issue in your own research? Is it necessary for academic researches, or it depends on disciplines? Maybe EH professors and other senior students can join this discussion too! (Now I have a picture of the geographer in The Little Prince in my head.)
What is your opinion of actually participating a fieldwork or personally involved in an issue in your own research? Is it necessary for academic researches, or it depends on disciplines? Maybe EH professors and other senior students can join this discussion too! (Now I have a picture of the geographer in The Little Prince in my head.)
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Small Steps
In addition to choosing energy efficient appliances, or turning off the lights or other electronic products, do you know there is one more thing you can do to save electricity?
Removing plug from the socket is a good way to save energy. According to International Energy Agency’s research, although appliances have been turned off, they still consume electricity. In the developed countries, the unplugged appliances occupy 3% to 11% of the entire energy consumption. Therefore unplugging appliances when they are not in use saves both your bill and the earth. A small step, even you can do it!
Removing plug from the socket is a good way to save energy. According to International Energy Agency’s research, although appliances have been turned off, they still consume electricity. In the developed countries, the unplugged appliances occupy 3% to 11% of the entire energy consumption. Therefore unplugging appliances when they are not in use saves both your bill and the earth. A small step, even you can do it!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Lantern Festival and a riddle game
Lantern Festival is an important cultural event for Chinese people. When it arrives, it also indicates the last day of Chinese New Year Vacation. On the fifteenth of the first month of our lunar calendar, the entire family members always have rice ball soup together. Later, everyone carries a lantern and walks to the town center where riddle contest is held.
Today is Lantern Festival. I don’t have rice ball soup for you but I would like to share a riddle with you. What is this poem about? Can you identify the poet? Ah! Do you see any “I” in the poem?
Wide enough to keep you looking
Open enough to keep you moving
Dry enough to keep you honest
Prickly enough to make you tough
Green enough to go on living
Old enough to give you dreams
Today is Lantern Festival. I don’t have rice ball soup for you but I would like to share a riddle with you. What is this poem about? Can you identify the poet? Ah! Do you see any “I” in the poem?
Wide enough to keep you looking
Open enough to keep you moving
Dry enough to keep you honest
Prickly enough to make you tough
Green enough to go on living
Old enough to give you dreams
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Fellow-up deer topic
Comparing with bears or wolves, it is easier to protect deer maybe they are not carnivores. Today I would like to discuss Formosan sambar, the largest native herbivore in my country. Before immigrants arrived, there were a lot of Formosan sambars, Formosan sika deer, and Formosan barking deer. This is why many places have deer-related names, such as Lugang (Deer Port) or Luye (Uncultivated wilderness for deer). With destruction of habits and commercial hunting, Formosan sambars retreated from plains to deep mountains. Today the only way to see them is to hike for several days to the alpine areas. Many research projects also target on this species. One of my friends is a wild life photographer, and his and his team even camped in the mountain for one year in order to research those endangered species. I never hear Muir deer’s sound (maybe they are too shy and quiet), but you can go to the site and listen to their sound. Male and female basically have the same sound. http://archive.zo.ntu.edu.tw/english/mamm_sound.asp?mamm_id=M0061
Due to the lack of predators, Formosan sambars’ population is slowly and stably increasing. It is a great achievement for conservation; however it is an alarm for some protected plants. Two years ago, I saw the leaves of Rhododendron pseudochrysanthum (RP) were disappeared when I went a big hike; therefore I asked my indigenous guide for explanation. “Formosan sambars eat all the leaves,” said the guide. He further explained that it was a sign of overgrazing. Formosan sambars will usually avoid eating the leaves of RP for the plant contains some toxins (but the sambars can suffer it). The sambars will not eat RP unless they have no other choices. The overgrazing problem has become a hot potato for the authority.
I wonder if there were any similar cases in the U.S. What would you do if you were the authority of conservation?
Due to the lack of predators, Formosan sambars’ population is slowly and stably increasing. It is a great achievement for conservation; however it is an alarm for some protected plants. Two years ago, I saw the leaves of Rhododendron pseudochrysanthum (RP) were disappeared when I went a big hike; therefore I asked my indigenous guide for explanation. “Formosan sambars eat all the leaves,” said the guide. He further explained that it was a sign of overgrazing. Formosan sambars will usually avoid eating the leaves of RP for the plant contains some toxins (but the sambars can suffer it). The sambars will not eat RP unless they have no other choices. The overgrazing problem has become a hot potato for the authority.
I wonder if there were any similar cases in the U.S. What would you do if you were the authority of conservation?
Friday, February 6, 2009
Muir deer in West Village
Seeing wild mammals is not a usual experience in my country. If you want to see Formosan Macaque (Macaca cyclopis), you have to take Taipei metro rapid transit to the trailhead and then hike for an hour. You can usually see the monkeys jumping on the trees at dawn or at dusk. Seeing large mammals is even more difficult. You have to drive for more than 6-9 hours to trailheads and hike for one or two days. Then you can see large mammals such as Formosan Sambar (Cervus unicolor swinhoei).
Seeing wild mammals in residential areas is a very unique experience for a foreign student. One day on my way to school, I saw some droppings on the sidewalk. With chocolate-ball like shape, I knew who the producers were. Unfortunately I never had any opportunity to see those four-legged people. Two weeks later, I wanted to have some fresh air so I took a walk around my apartment. When I almost reached Foodhill Drive, I saw something, no, many things moving under the tree shades. I immediately ran back to my apartment to grab my camera. Finally I saw those “chocolate ball producers!”
They walked with grace and ease on the snow. They looked so lazy but they were very agile when they had to escape from the predators. I guessed they were here probably because they couldn’t find enough grass in the mountain. I sat on the grass for hours observing how they ate and walked, and how they listened to and watched strangers like me. It was worthy to spend an afternoon with those four-legged people for they wouldn’t stay here for the entire season.
I took some footages and photos and showed them to my wild life photographer friend. He has been working on Formosan Sambar documentary project for 3 years. He could not believe that deer actually strolled in the residential areas!
I would like to share the footages and photos with you. Look at their tails! Aren’t they adorable?
Footages:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1rQA7L7eDw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evcnnpn8yU4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUGeXYNlKpY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlIjGn6kCHA
Album:
http://album.blog.yam.com/kokopelle&folder=5542608
For tomorrow, I want to tell you some stories about Formosan Sambar.
Seeing wild mammals in residential areas is a very unique experience for a foreign student. One day on my way to school, I saw some droppings on the sidewalk. With chocolate-ball like shape, I knew who the producers were. Unfortunately I never had any opportunity to see those four-legged people. Two weeks later, I wanted to have some fresh air so I took a walk around my apartment. When I almost reached Foodhill Drive, I saw something, no, many things moving under the tree shades. I immediately ran back to my apartment to grab my camera. Finally I saw those “chocolate ball producers!”
They walked with grace and ease on the snow. They looked so lazy but they were very agile when they had to escape from the predators. I guessed they were here probably because they couldn’t find enough grass in the mountain. I sat on the grass for hours observing how they ate and walked, and how they listened to and watched strangers like me. It was worthy to spend an afternoon with those four-legged people for they wouldn’t stay here for the entire season.
I took some footages and photos and showed them to my wild life photographer friend. He has been working on Formosan Sambar documentary project for 3 years. He could not believe that deer actually strolled in the residential areas!
I would like to share the footages and photos with you. Look at their tails! Aren’t they adorable?
Footages:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1rQA7L7eDw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evcnnpn8yU4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUGeXYNlKpY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlIjGn6kCHA
Album:
http://album.blog.yam.com/kokopelle&folder=5542608
For tomorrow, I want to tell you some stories about Formosan Sambar.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Recommend a book
There are two kinds of ecocritics. Some critics only live in the textual world, and avoiding essentialism is their doctrine. Others concern about texts too, but they also look for connections with the secular world. We touched this issue in Field Methods class when we talked about the relationship between ecocriticism and environment on Tuesday.
Now I would like to recommend this book:
Slovic, Scott. Going Away to Think: Engagement, Retreat, and Ecocritical Responsibility. Reno: U of Nevada P, 2008.
This book is an “ecological” edition of Edward Said’s “Secular Criticism” in which Prof. Slovic argues that ecocritics, instead of limiting themselves in the textual boundary, they “need contact not just with literature and not just with each other, but with the physical world” (30). The author uses an understandable language to explain what ecocriticism is to the ordinary readers. I think this book gives ecocriticism a dynamic new look.
I write this blog for a reason. Since we are taking different courses, and we will be required to read various books/essays. (Or you can recommend your favorite extracurricular works.) Maybe we can select some environmental related readings, write very short introductions, and then put the publication entries and the introductions on our EH blog. Guess what? We will have our own annotated bibliography for EH students! I’m not sure if this suggestion will work or not, but we can try it.
Now I would like to recommend this book:
Slovic, Scott. Going Away to Think: Engagement, Retreat, and Ecocritical Responsibility. Reno: U of Nevada P, 2008.
This book is an “ecological” edition of Edward Said’s “Secular Criticism” in which Prof. Slovic argues that ecocritics, instead of limiting themselves in the textual boundary, they “need contact not just with literature and not just with each other, but with the physical world” (30). The author uses an understandable language to explain what ecocriticism is to the ordinary readers. I think this book gives ecocriticism a dynamic new look.
I write this blog for a reason. Since we are taking different courses, and we will be required to read various books/essays. (Or you can recommend your favorite extracurricular works.) Maybe we can select some environmental related readings, write very short introductions, and then put the publication entries and the introductions on our EH blog. Guess what? We will have our own annotated bibliography for EH students! I’m not sure if this suggestion will work or not, but we can try it.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
You can blog!
Today I would like to share my experience of blogging. Unlike like making a personal webpage, creating a blog is easy because you don’t have to learn HTML before you start your own blog. I don’t know anything about web editing but I can create my own blog. Most blog service providers have various templets for the user. All you have to do is to select your favorite templet and then make some minor changes, for instance adding a picture to make your blog more personalized.
As for what kind of content you would like to put on your blog? The sky is the limit. It is like keeping diary. The only difference is you write your stories with keyboard. You can write about how you feel when you just finish a good book. You can write about a family trip. Creative writing is excellent too! The content of your blog can be casual; it can be serious too. Some people even put their academic papers on their blogs.
With the advance of technology, it seems to me that almost everyone is electronically connected. Blog today becomes a medium to connect people or to form a community. You can meet people who share the same interest with you. For instence, I am interested in national park and native people issues; therefore I spend some time searching for some related information during the winter break. Believe it or not, I found a blog containing a lot of information about this issue. Later, to my surprise, I realized the blog owner is an indigenous with a MS degree in ecology. Most importantly, he is a higher official in one of our national park in Taiwan. Since then our conversation never ends. I believe building interpersonal connection is very important for EH students, and blog can help you do it!
In this digital, blog is your business card telling people your identity and your personality. Blog is also a good tool for education too. Many teachers create blogs for asynchronous learning of their courses. Blog is also a space to archive your memory with words, and you can laugh at your awkward sentences 5 years later. You don’t have to keep the blog everyday. But when you feel you have to write, blog is your choice.
Here is my blog: http://blog.yam.com/kokopelle
I hope you can have your own blog in the near future so that we can form an EH blog community.
As for what kind of content you would like to put on your blog? The sky is the limit. It is like keeping diary. The only difference is you write your stories with keyboard. You can write about how you feel when you just finish a good book. You can write about a family trip. Creative writing is excellent too! The content of your blog can be casual; it can be serious too. Some people even put their academic papers on their blogs.
With the advance of technology, it seems to me that almost everyone is electronically connected. Blog today becomes a medium to connect people or to form a community. You can meet people who share the same interest with you. For instence, I am interested in national park and native people issues; therefore I spend some time searching for some related information during the winter break. Believe it or not, I found a blog containing a lot of information about this issue. Later, to my surprise, I realized the blog owner is an indigenous with a MS degree in ecology. Most importantly, he is a higher official in one of our national park in Taiwan. Since then our conversation never ends. I believe building interpersonal connection is very important for EH students, and blog can help you do it!
In this digital, blog is your business card telling people your identity and your personality. Blog is also a good tool for education too. Many teachers create blogs for asynchronous learning of their courses. Blog is also a space to archive your memory with words, and you can laugh at your awkward sentences 5 years later. You don’t have to keep the blog everyday. But when you feel you have to write, blog is your choice.
Here is my blog: http://blog.yam.com/kokopelle
I hope you can have your own blog in the near future so that we can form an EH blog community.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Small Steps
When I am reading some books and essays about the water issues of the West, those readings trigger my worry of the drought (because we had a very serious drought in the northern part of Taiwan many years ago). Taipei Water Department always reminds people 有水當思無水之苦. It is a Chinese saying meaning “One has to consider the sufferings without the water when his or she still has plenty of water.” In our everyday life, there are many small steps that can help us live in a green way.
Well, toilet consumes a lot of water. My apartment’s toilet is an old system; therefore it is not a water-saving toilet. To make my toilet waste less water, I learn a useful skill from the department’s commercial.
1. Find an empty plastic bottle larger than 1 liter.
2. Fill the bottle with water, and make sure there is no air in the bottle (so that it will not float up in the tank). The bottle will still float even it is "almost" full.
3. Remove the tank cover, and put the bottle in the tank.
4. Cover the tank and you are done.
My juice bottle is 1.75L. It means I can save 1.75L of water when I flush. Think about it: how much water you can save whenever you use your improved toilet! At the same time, you can also recycle the used bottle. Isn't it a win-win situation?
Small steps, great contributions to the earth.
Well, toilet consumes a lot of water. My apartment’s toilet is an old system; therefore it is not a water-saving toilet. To make my toilet waste less water, I learn a useful skill from the department’s commercial.
1. Find an empty plastic bottle larger than 1 liter.
2. Fill the bottle with water, and make sure there is no air in the bottle (so that it will not float up in the tank). The bottle will still float even it is "almost" full.
3. Remove the tank cover, and put the bottle in the tank.
4. Cover the tank and you are done.
My juice bottle is 1.75L. It means I can save 1.75L of water when I flush. Think about it: how much water you can save whenever you use your improved toilet! At the same time, you can also recycle the used bottle. Isn't it a win-win situation?
Small steps, great contributions to the earth.
Ecocriticsim
We are going to discuss ecocriticism in Field Methods class this week. This recent-emergent literary discourse is new to most of us. The assigned readings provide us an outline that helps us understand this new discipline. Here I would like offer you some extra information about ecocriticism to give you a concrete picture about the discipline.
1. The Association for the Study of Literature and Environment (ASLE): An academic association of ecocriticism. If you want to know what scholars are doing in this discipline, you can check their conference program archive (http://www.asle.org/site/conferences/biennial/archives/). I think it is a good way to understand a discipline.
2. Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment (ISLE): an academic journal published by ASLE. With an emphasis of literary and cultural studies, it explores the human-nature relation. It is a very useful resource if you aim to take environmental literature as your professional goal. Here is their website: http://www.oxfordjournals.com/our_journals/isle/about.html
3. International scope: Well, one of my former department’s research focuses is ecocriticsim. We have biennial international conferences on ecological discourse. You can download our conference proceedings at http://www2.tku.edu.tw/~tfex/e/index.htm to understand what people are interested in outside the U.S. We had a conference last year and the greatest contribution of the conference was the birth of ASLE Taiwan, Republic of China!
If you have any comments of ecocriticism or if you have any additional information about the discipline, you are welcome to add your fellow-up discussions.
1. The Association for the Study of Literature and Environment (ASLE): An academic association of ecocriticism. If you want to know what scholars are doing in this discipline, you can check their conference program archive (http://www.asle.org/site/conferences/biennial/archives/). I think it is a good way to understand a discipline.
2. Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment (ISLE): an academic journal published by ASLE. With an emphasis of literary and cultural studies, it explores the human-nature relation. It is a very useful resource if you aim to take environmental literature as your professional goal. Here is their website: http://www.oxfordjournals.com/our_journals/isle/about.html
3. International scope: Well, one of my former department’s research focuses is ecocriticsim. We have biennial international conferences on ecological discourse. You can download our conference proceedings at http://www2.tku.edu.tw/~tfex/e/index.htm to understand what people are interested in outside the U.S. We had a conference last year and the greatest contribution of the conference was the birth of ASLE Taiwan, Republic of China!
If you have any comments of ecocriticism or if you have any additional information about the discipline, you are welcome to add your fellow-up discussions.
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