Dog Tip of The Day, March 29

Make sure you carry any medications and medication records your pets might need in the “go bag”.

Science Birthdays, March 28

Wilhelm Kuhne, born in 1837, biologist, he coined the word enzyme in 1876. He died in 1900 at age 63.

Natural Disasters, March 28

1920    Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak Midwest 380 people killed.

1970    Gediz earthquake: a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck western Turkey at about 23:05 local time killing 1086 and injuring 1260.

1979    A coolant leak at the Three Mile Island’s Unit 2 nuclear reactor outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania leads to the core overheating and a partial meltdown.

2005    Sumatra Earthquake, shook northern Sumatra with a maximum intensity of VI which is Strong, leaving 915-1314 people dead.

Dog Tip of The Day, March 28

A good thing to keep in the “go bag” is a notebook with shot records, exams, photo’s, certifications, etc.

Science Birthdays, March 27

Karl Nageli, born in 1817, botanist, his work hindered the development of botany and genetics. He died in 1891 at the age of 74.

Johann Hittorf, born in 1824, chemist, he developed the concept of transport number, which means that ions do not travel to electrodes at the same speed. He died in 1914 at the age of 90.

Wilhelm Roentgen, born in 1845, physicist, he got expelled from school for ridiculing a teacher. In1895 he discovered X-Rays. The unit of X-Rays is called the Roentgen. The first person to be honored with the Nobel prize in physics was Roentgen in 1901. He refused to patent the invention or to gain financially from it because he thought that all humanity should have it.  With the rising inflation of the war, he died in poverty in 1923 at age 78.

Otto Wallach, born in 1847, chemist, he studied under Wohler, Hoffman and Kekule, discovered terpenes. He died in 1931 at age 84.

John Pierce, born in 1910, engineer and author, he liked science fiction and believed in satellites.  He worked with vacuum tubes, developed the concept of Code Pulse Modulation, and he coined the term transistor. He is also credited for the saying “nature abhors a vacuum”.  He wrote science fiction under the pseudonym of J.J. Coupling and had a hobby flying gliders.  He died in 2002 at the age of 92.

 

Natural Disasters, March 27

1890    Middle Mississippi Valley Tornado outbreak, a tornado strikes Louisville, Kentucky killing 76 people and injuring 200.

1964    Good Friday Earthquake, The most powerful earthquake in U.S. history at a magnitude of 9.2 strikes South Central Alaska, killing 125 people and inflicting massive damage to Anchorage.

1977    Tenerife Airport Disaster, Two Boeing 747’s collided on a foggy runway in the Canary Islands, killing 583 people, 61 survived. This was the deadliest aviation accident in history all due to fog.  The flights were diverted to Tenerife due to a terrorist incident, but the fog hampered visibility.

1980    The Norwegian oil platform Alexander L. Kielland collapsed in the North Sea killing 123 of its 212 member crew. Heavy rain, 12 meter waves and 40 knot winds (74 mph) caused cables to snap and the rig capsized.

2009    The Situ Gintung dam which formed an artificial lake in Indonesia failed killing 99 people after several days of heavy rain.

Dog Tip of The Day, March 27

Every change in season brings new risks from natural disasters. With the coming of spring, we are entering tornado and flood season. Do you have a “go bag” prepared for your pets? It is a good idea to prepare a backpack with items you might need if you suddenly need to leave a secure environment. I recommend you take a spare leash and collar in that bag. I also think it is a good idea to keep a spare leash in your car. On at least three occasions last year, I needed the spare leash for loose dogs. More on what to carry in your “go bag” over the next few days, if you have suggestions, post them.

Science Birthdays, March 26

Benjamin Rumford, born in 1753, physicist or Count Rumford, He was born Benjamin Thompson, only about two miles from where Benjamin Franklin was born. He was making fireworks in 1766 and an explosion nearly killed him. He was 13 years old, at 19 he married a rich widow who was much older than himself.  He spied on his countrymen during the Revolutionary War. When the war was over he left his wife and child and went to England with the British in permanent exile. He took bribes, was suspected of selling war secrets to the French, but he also set up workhouses for beggars, introduced the steam engine and potato to Europe and was made a count and he chose Rumford as his name, it was the name of the town where his wife was born. Up until the late 1700’s heat was thought of as a fluid that was called caloric.  This was the theory of Lavoisier (the father of modern chemistry). Thompson discovered that heat was a motion while boring canon barrels. Rumford was arrogant and generally of unpleasant character so he was kicked out of Bavaria and returned to England in 1799 and he was admitted into the Royal Society. He founded the Royal Institution in 1799, his first wife died so he married the widow of Antoine Lavoisier who was rich, it was an unhappy marriage and it ended only four years.  He died in 1814 at the age of 61. If you use a drip coffee maker, a double boiler, or a kitchen range, you can thank him.   Although he died in exile he left most of his estate to the United States, he left an endowment for a professorship in applied science to Harvard University, he, like Benjamin Franklin refused to get patents for his inventions, he believed they belonged to everyone.

Konrad Gesner, born in 1516, naturalist, he was a physician by profession, but he had interests ranging from Greek to comparative philosophy to natural history, he used the hobby of collecting mountain plants as an excuse to indulge in the Swiss hobby of mountain climbing, he was the first person to present illustrations of fossils, but he had no idea they were remnants of past life, he has been described as a “monster of erudition” He wrote a universal library in which he listed all known books in Hebrew, Greek and Latin with summaries of each, He also wrote exhaustive volumes between 1551 and 1558 describing all known animals.  He collected at least 500 species of plants, He died in 1565 at the age of 49 after a plague struck Zurich and he refused to abandon his patients.

 

Natural Disasters, March 26

1812    An earthquake destroys Caracas, Venezuela.

Dog Tip of The Day, March 26

Another good thing to have in your car or truck is some vet wrap. You can get this at pet stores and if the dog should have a leg injury while out on a hike or trip, you will be prepared. Vet Wrap is like an ace bandage, but for dogs.