MAKING NO BONES ABOUT TURKEY LEFTOVERS

Although the holidays now have passed by, there still may be turkey leftovers lurking in refrigerators and freezers. Is a partially gnawed drumstick still considered to be "turkey"? Naturally, the law may suggest an answer to this digestive question. In a Michigan case, the court addressed the legal nature of a turkey. Justice Bird stated "the question is a new one in this court." He went on to hold that "an examination of the question has brought with it the conviction that turkeys are animals under the generally accepted definition of that term as used in the law."* However, a Wisconsin court later concluded that turkeys are not "fur-bearing animals" but in fact are "poultry, unless in a wild state, in which they may be "birds or land fowl."**

Is a cooked turkey still a turkey? In an 1823 English case, the court ruled that a reference to "two turkies" means live turkeys, not dead ones.*** One legal reference has stated "it would seem to be implicit in the definition of the word 'animal' that after a creature has died it ceases to be an animal and becomes a mere mass or carcass."**** However, in a leading United States case, a court disagreed, concluding "In common speech, the word 'turkey' is applied to a dead fowl sold in the market, as well as to a living animal."*****

So, are turkey leftovers still turkey, or has one had enough of turkey already to even care? The decisions are clear but not really helpful. Perhaps the best course of action for the leftovers is to make soup out of them--now that would be a real turkey!

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* Holcomb v. Van Zylen, 140 N.W. 521 (1913)

**Town of Albion v. Trask, 41 N.W.2d 627 (1950)

***Rex v. Halloway, 171 Eng. Rep. 1131,1132

****3 C.J.S. Animal sec.1

*****Commonwealth v. Coleman, 68 N.E. 220 (1903)


© Daniel J. Kucera 2020

WATER AND CLIMATE CHANGE

According to media, alleged climate change has invaded almost every aspect of life on earth. For example, a recent issue of one magazine included articles on these topics: climate change causes wildfires which create smoke that damages the ozone layer; climate change causes ecosystems to fall apart; climate change causes ice sheets to melt raising sea levels which by 2100 will put coastal cities at risk; climate change makes it harder to predict ocean severity of El Nino and La Nina events; between 2030 and 2050 climate change will cause 250,000 more people to die than otherwise.*

According to a recent report, only 71% of world population use safe drinking water. Some 785 million people do not have access even to basic drinking water.** According to another article, in 17 countries, where a quarter of world population lives, there is a high risk of water stress--running out of available water.***

Apparently, some have suggested that world water shortages and lack of safe drinking water are caused by climate change. However, according to an article, economic growth and population growth appear to be the primary causes, not climate change. From 1961 to 2014, world water use increased 150%.***

Instead of speculation and handwringing over climate change alleged effects on world water requirements, perhaps the focus should be on enhanced development of availability of safe water supplies for the 29% that lack access.

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* See Science News, September 14, 2019

** Opflow, AWWA, October 2019, p.4

***Wilke, Science News,September 14,2019, p.5


© Daniel J. Kucera 2019

CAMBRIAN CREATURES EXPLODED ACR0SS THE WORLD

For much of known life on Earth, that life was simple--organisms such as bacteria, algae and fungi occupied the pre-Cambrian time. However, beginning about 541 million years ago, at the start of the Cambrian period, things dramatically changed. Life suddenly diversified and multiplied into complex forms, with such new features as brain, eyes, mouth, digestive system, outer skin and body segments. This 25 million year period commonly is called the Cambrian explosion, for obvious reasons.

Fossil evidence of the Cambrian explosion was discovered in 1909 in the Burgess shale of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Now, a recent article reports that another site of Cambrian explosion fossils has been discovered in China, called Qingjiang.* This new location is said to show many taxa not seen before as well some in common with the first site.

The article may be of interest for what it did not address. For example, it now appears that the Cambrian explosion took place at about the same time in places thousands of miles distant from each other--Canada and China. While the two sites do not share fully identical fossil creatures, differences in ancient marine environments may explain differences in creatures found. The point is they share the explosion of complex life-forms.

The article also did not offer why the Cambrian explosion occurred; that is, why pre-Cambrian simple celled organisms suddenly became complex with all sorts of sizes and shapes. Was that the work of "intelligent design?" This question, of course, always seems to be the elephant in the room that no one admits to seeing. Further, if it is the hand of intelligent design, the unspoken, ultimate question is who is the intelligent designer?

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*Gramling,"Fossils Expand Variety of Early
Life," Science News, April 27, 2019, p.14

© 2019 Daniel J. Kucera

DO RAVENS HAVE SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT?

Over time, Science has acquired great knowledge, which in turn, has produced achievements in medicine, space exploration, consumer goods and, of course communication-the internet of all things life. Indeed, it would be difficult to imagine a frontier that has not been studied and conquered by scientists in pursuit of Science.

But wait, there's more. A recent article reports that a new frontier has been challenged.* Scientists have discovered that ravens--you know, the bird that quoth "Nevermore"--acknowledge and share negative emotions between fellow ravens, all without social media.

This scientific advancement was reached by testing pairs of ravens. One was offered unappealing raw carrots and more tasty dog food. When the dog food was taken away, the bird left with only carrots became cranky and unhappy. Meanwhile, the other raven was watching all this, sort of like streaming live TV. Later, a cognitive bias test was performed. The observer bird appeared to be influenced by its partner's disappointment with the raw carrots. Of course, I probably would be disappointed with carrots, as well, but I am not sure happiness comes with dog food either unless one is a dog. As expected, the article suggests more research is needed on the emotions of non-human animals.

Recently, the emotions of blackbirds made the national media.** You know, "Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie, when the pie was opened, the birds began to sing>". Well, the blackbirds at issue were not singing. They are attacking humans across the country with a singular emotion of anger.

I am sure that more research on the emotions of ravens and blackbirds will advance human society in some fashion, but I cannot quite put my finger on the "how." Meanwhile, I can offer my own experience with the emotions of the bee. Bees also appear to have only one emotion--anger. When angry, they sting. Otherwise, they work all the time, thus, the busy bee. I never have seen a happy bee, or even a friendly one.

So, why do some birds and bees have anger as their primary or even only emotion? Blame it on climate change, but it's probably politics.

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*Wilke, "Bad Moods Spread Among Ravens",
Science News, June 22, 2019, p.17

**Smith, "Hitchcock Was Right About Angry
Birds", Wall Street Journal, July 16, 2019,
p.1


© 2019 Daniel J. Kucera

DOES AN OCEAN SWALLOW OR BELCH CARBON DIOXIDE?

For some time, scientists have understood that the Southern Ocean-the waters surrounding Antarctica-has been absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In effect, such swallowing of greenhouse gas has been seen to be in mitigation of assumed "global warming". However, a recent article reports that some portions of the Southern Ocean actually are releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, particularly in the winter.*

The "ups and downs" of carbon in this ocean appear to be a consequence of the pattern of currents. Some currents are said to suck down surface water bearing CO2. Other currents appear to be bringing deep water bearing decayed organic material to the surface.

According to the article, the carbon rollercoaster is not uniform. Some areas of the Southern Ocean absorb carbon dioxide, while others release it. The task at hand for scientists, therefore, is to determine whether one way or the other is more prevalent. Recent studies now suggest it may be 50-50, with the ocean releasing as much carbon dioxide as it absorbs. More research is needed not only of "current" impacts but also of the likely future, particularly if Antarctic ice melting persists.

Interestingly, this question appears to involve all aspects of the Earth. Carbon dioxide originates from activities on land; it escapes to the atmosphere; and it is absorbed in ocean waters. Searching for answers in Science can be daunting.

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*Witze,"Southern Ocean-Climate Friend or Foe",
Science News, June 8, 2019, p.24

© 2019 Daniel J. Kucera

WHERE HAVE ALL THE BLUES GONE?

In my youthful days, I always thought that one of the benefits of a Spring rainstorm was the resulting creation of puddles. Some puddles were dramatic--like the large pond that arose in the nearby prairie, nourishing ancient cottonwoods and tiny tadpoles.

But wait, there's more! I was also fascinated with the small puddles inhabiting barren spots of clay where grass and weeds dared not to tread. These puddles became oases for countless butterflies, bees and wasps who stopped to sip the water and its nutrients from the soil. Surely, all creatures need water.

Typically, the most predominant visitor at a puddle was a very small butterfly about the size of an adult thumb nail and generally known as the common blue. Sometimes they were bright blue, other times grayish blue, depending on the season. The blues would line up like soldiers at the edge of a puddle, perhaps a dozen or more. They made a muddy broom puddle into a blue jewel and sparkled the air when they flew away.

Fast forward, it has been many decades since I have seen a common blue at a puddle or anywhere else. I have seen and continue to see puddles, but all are blueless. The blues no longer are common, they have disappeared.

Where have all the blues gone? Why? One folk saying states that no one misses the water until the well goes dry. Like many things in our culture and environment that have disappeared, we should miss the blues. The blues are gone today, what about the water tomorrow?


© 2019 Daniel J. Kucera

THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE

I am a pack rat. I tend to save anything I have received, purchased or touched. Recently, with great trauma, I have begun a purge of overflowing boxes and piles--a sort of Spring cleaning, if you will. To no surprise, the process is slow, as papers must are examined with great care.

In an obscure box, I uncovered an undated, mimeographed program for a monthly meeting of my then hometown Cub Scout pack. I am guessing it was from the early 1950s. One page of the program contains an essay written by the Cubmaster providing the theme for the next month's meeting, which would be in November. The essay was titled "Faith Of His Fathers". An excerpt is as follows:

"The main idea behind the theme is to make the Cubs realize how fortunate they are in being Americans. They should be thankful that they are living in a free country where the human rights of man are honored and respected.

"They should appreciate that our present way of life was brought about by that heroic band of people, the Pilgrims, who had the courage and fortitude to leave Europe and start their lives over again in a new land. One in which they could live and worship as they pleased. A land built upon Faith in God, man and human nature. This was the start of the 'American Way of Life'.

"... If the Pilgrims were willing to give up their homes, fight and even die for the privilege of living and worshiping as they pleased, the least we can do is to give thanks that we are Americans and have the American way of life."

In 2019, is the American Way of Life still the same as it was seventy years ago? Are the "human rights of man still honored and respected"? Do we still have "Faith in God, man and human nature"? When one reads and listens to media, drives on roads or walks in cities, what should we make of the anger, disrespect, self-interest and self-aggrandizement that we often experience?

Maybe there is a good reason why I saved this piece of paper, and why I will continue to save it. It is reminder. It may be beneficial to discard surplus paper, but it would be disastrous to discard the real American Way of Life.


© Daniel J. Kucera 2019