September 5 – evolution of

evolution of
animals elucidated
trilobate death march

I like the words.

From the article titled. “Death march of a segmented and trilobate bilaterian elucidates early animal evolution” by Zhe Chen, Chuanming Zhou, Xunlai Yuan & Shuhai Xiao in
Nature (2019

I am not sure what it means.

The abstract, the quick overview, of the article is even worse.

“The origin of motility in bilaterian animals represents an evolutionary innovation that transformed the Earth system. This innovation probably occurred in the late Ediacaran period—as evidenced by an abundance of trace fossils (ichnofossils) dating to this time, which include trails, trackways and burrows. However, with few exceptions the producers of most of the late Ediacaran ichnofossils are unknown, which has resulted in a disconnection between the body- and trace-fossil records. Here we describe the fossil of a bilaterian of the terminal Ediacaran period (dating to 551–539 million years ago), which we name Yilingia spiciformis. This body fossil is preserved along with the trail that the animal produced during a death march. Yilingia is an elongate and segmented bilaterian with repetitive and trilobate body units, each of which consists of a central lobe and two posteriorly pointing lateral lobes, indicating body and segment polarity. Yilingia is possibly related to panarthropods or annelids, and sheds light on the origin of segmentation in bilaterians. As one of the few Ediacaran animals demonstrated to have produced long and continuous trails, Yilingia provides insights into the identity of the animals that were responsible for Ediacaran trace fossils.”

Spell check had a fit and threw up.

I think it means that fossils of yet un-identified creatures making their final movements before death, left trails, which indicates they were crawling.

This is fascinating.

The use of language is amazing.

I am reminded the extent to which any field quickly moves into a world of its own.

I accept their conclusions based on the evidence the scientists have availably to make these conclusions.

Nevertheless, I recognize the amount, for lack a better term, faith, it may take to accept this as fact.

For myself, it is just as much fact that: “And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.” Genesis 1:20-23 (NIV)

September 4 – super highway

super highway
of information, don’t go
without a helmet

I was off during the long Labor Day Weekend but I was also on call.

That means that if there are immediate problems or issues with the TV Station websites that I work with, I am the person to contact.

There were stations on Friday that remembered that High School football had started and they needed assistance.

There were stations dealing with their coverage of the Hurricane Dorien.

(Luckily for me, my company, TEGNA, does not own a TV station in Alabama.)

And there was a mass shooting in Odessa, Texas.

Wednesday finally and eager to be back at work so I can relax.

September 3 – manufactured hate

manufactured hate.
civilisationally . . .
why buy the product?

“The west is being destroyed, not by migrants, but by the fear of migrants. In country after country, the ghosts of the fascists have rematerialised and are sitting in parliaments in Germany, in Austria, in Italy. They have successfully convinced their populations that the greatest threat to their nations isn’t government tyranny or inequality or climate change, but immigration. And that, to stop this wave of migrants, everyone’s civil liberties must be curtailed. Surveillance cameras must be installed everywhere. Passports must be produced for the most routine of tasks, like buying a mobile phone.

By stoking voters’ fear of migrants, promising to ban new immigrants and to take away the rights of immigrants already in the country. Once in power, they energetically set about depriving everyone else of their rights, migrants or citizens. “

From Trump to Orbán, politicians are winning votes by stoking age-old hatreds. Where does this fear of migrants come from? By Suketu Mehta

I highlighted this line from the article:

Multiple studies have found that people who have direct contact with immigrants have much more positive views about their work ethic and reliance on welfare, and are much more open to increased immigration. 

Come to a Gwinnett County park or visit the fountain at Suwanee Town Center.

See some folks who are not buying the hate made here.

September 2 – Labor Day, New Year?

Labor Day, New Year?
More than January 1st
This when new year starts

Labor Day and New Year’s each had their parties.

New Year’s was about staying up late and then … then … go to bed.

Labor Day was the last big summer picnic with tables piled with the bounty of summer in West Michigan and cousins and aunts and uncles without number and sometimes names.

Labor Day at the Hoffman Cottage on Lake Michigan in 1964.
Grandma Hoffman and Grandpa Hendrickson in the same frame.

SO, what is new?

What changes on New Year’s Day besides the date?

On Labor Day:

Summer ends.

This by itself should make the deal.

End of summer is one of the saddest phrases in the book.

School (used to and in my book, should) starts.

From Kindergarten to College.

Is there a bigger change?

Sick with worry.

Goofy with excitement.

Football Season is all shiny with fresh hope – I used to celebrate what I called a ‘Football Weekend when my high school, college and pro team all won in the same weekend.

My high school team (Grand Rapids Creston) is no more.

My college team team is going through a bad case of Harbaugh after near fatal cases of Hoke and the Morgantown-miracle-worker.

And the Lions …

Really! When I was a kid, these weekends when all three teams won, happened more often than not.

Labor Day on my calenday has a big read circle in my mind.

A fresh start.

A blank slate.

THE New Year.

September 1 – prismatic sunlight

prismatic sunlight
private rainbows on the wall
God’s promise and me

Using the phrase, reflections on a sunny more, treads too close to a pun so I won’t say it.

Sitting this morning with coffee.

Seeing the morning sunlight hit the window glass at the right angle to create a prismatic effect and display a rainbow on the wall.

On one of those mornings when you decide to take a pad and draw a line down the middle and list all today’s pluses on the left and minuses on the right.

The left is side is lean.

The right side needs a second page.

Then, there is rainbow on the wall.

And its just for me.

Just the message I needed to start today.

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.

Genesis 6:12-17 (NIV)