"Mummy, why is the sky blue?..."

"Mummy, why is the sky blue?"

"Well dear......

The sky appears blue because of an effect called scattering.

In the atmosphere, the molecules absorb blues light better than the longer red wavelengths.

Then by sending the light in different directions, the blue light is scattered all around the sky, making it appear blue.

As the sun sets, the light has to get through more air to get to your eyes.

So more blue light is scattered which leaves more red light to reach your eyes.

That is why the Sun and the sky around it look red at sunset and sunrise."

"er, ok mummy.."

Reference:
Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2006. © 1993-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
http://www.pa.msu.edu/sciencet/images/BlueSky.jpg
http://www.eyeassociates.com/Images%202/Clouds01.jpg

Walt Disney...

Walt Disney

Born
December 5, 1901(1901-12-05)[1] Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died
December 15, 1966 (aged 65) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation
Film producer, Co-founder of The Walt Disney Company, formerly known as Walt Disney Productions
Spouse
Lillian Disney


Walt Disney was an American film producer,

director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, and philanthropist. As the co-founder (with his brother Roy O. Disney) of Walt Disney Productions, Walt became one of the best-known motion picture producers in the world. The corporation he co-founded, now known as The Walt Disney Company, today has annual revenues of approximately US $30 billion. Walt Disney is particularly noted for being a hands-on film producer, and a popular showman, as well as an innovator in animation and theme park design. Walt Disney and his staff received more than 950 honors from every nation in the world throughout his career. He was nominated for 48 Academy awards and 7 emmys, holding the record for most Oscar nominations. His brother Roy helped him tremendously with his work. He and his staff created a number of the world's most popular animated properties, including the one many consider Disney's alter ego, Mickey Mouse. He is also well-known as the namesake of the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in the United States. Walt Disney died of lung cancer on December 15, 1966, a few

years prior to the opening of his Walt Disney World dream project in Orlando, Florida.

http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=61157&rendTypeId=4

http://www.laughingplacestore.com/images/products/8222L.jpg

http://www.tbkusa.com/walt-disney.jpg

http://www.apepenpublishing.com/events/event_images/started_with_walt.jpg

http://www.tbkusa.com/Walt_Disney.htm

"stitch"...

What causes Stitch?

The reason for stitch is simple.

The inner organs are hanging from several ligaments, which, in turn, are fixed to the diaphragm, the muscular "plate" between chest and abdomen.

Liver, spleen, stomach, small intestine and colon form a weight of several kilograms, hanging from the diaphragm.

The impact of every step forces the inner organs to move downwards.

Additionally, the diaphragm moves upwards on every expiration to force air out of the lungs. This continuous up/down stress may cause a cramp in the diaphragm: stitch.

Stitch occurs most often on the right hand side because of the liver being the heaviest organ, and therefore the one stressing the diaphragm the most.

Shoulder tip pain

The diaphragm is supplied by branches of the phrenic nerve that originates in the neck.
This may explain the common association of stitch with shoulder tip pain.

How do I get rid of Stitch?

Should you suffer from stitch, the first (and best) cure is to slow down or stop until the stitch is gone.
If you do not want to stop, you can try to press your hand onto the part of your abdomen where the stitch is, and release the pressure on expiration.
Repeat this several times.


Tim Quinlivan, a PE Teacher in Australia, has found the following method works well with his young athletes:

Slow your pace slightly
Grasp your side where you feel the stitch just under the bottom rib and half way across between the side and the belly button.
Thumb to the rear and fingers to the front
Squeeze firmly and bend at the waist (45-90 degrees) while still running
After about 15 metres slowing straighten
The stitch should have gone

An advanced method requires some thoughts about the reason why stitches occur.
You should try to synchronise your breathing pattern with your running, and exhale when the foot on the not hurting side touches the ground, i.e. when you have stitch in your right hand side, try to exhale when your left foot touches the ground.
You do not need to worry about inspiration - if your expiration is right, your inspiration will be, too.
If you manage to keep this breathing pattern, your diaphragm moves downward at the same time as your intestines, thus decreasing the stress.

How can I avoid Stitch?

Strengthen your abdominal muscles (core stability), keep your upper body warm, do not run too soon after meals and learn "abdominal breathing".


References:

http://www.brianmac.co.uk/stitch.htm
http://www.thomas.k12.ga.us/hnh/05-06%20pictures/buzzy%20bee%20logo-rt.JPG

Mayflies!!!....

Mayflies are insects which belong to the Order Ephemeroptera (from the Greek ephemeros = "short-lived", pteron = "wing", referring to the short life span of adults).

They have been placed into an ancient group of insects termed the Paleoptera, which also contains the dragonflies and damselflies.

They are aquatic insects whose immature stage (called naiad or, colloquially, nymph) usually lasts one year in fresh water.

The adults are short-lived, from a few hours to a few days depending on the species.

About 2,500 species are known worldwide, including about 630 species in North America.

Common names for mayflies include "dayfly", "shadfly", "Canadian soldier", and "fishfly" [1].

The mayfly belongs to group 1 taxa, or pollution–sensitive animals.

This means if mayflies are in or around the water, the water should be good quality, perhaps even good enough to drink without distilling or boiling.

They live many months at the bottom of a stream, but they molt - or change - into a short-lived adult.

They are soft bodied, and of relatively large size (on the order to 1-3 centimeters in length).

The adult stage of the mayfly's life is very short; often as short as a few hours.

Each species takes cues from the environment in order to emerge simultaneously, and metamorphose into adults for the express and sole purpose of mating.

In fact, most species have no formed mouth parts, as their life expectancy as adults is so short that they do not feed after emergence.

The normal time of emergence is in the month of May in most temperate climates (hence the name), and the animals tend to emerge at dusk.

They reproduce while flying (most of the time), and after mating females will fall to the water to lay their eggs.

The scene either on or near lakes after an emergence and mating event is true carnage; bodies often cover nearly every square meter of the surface.

Their only assignment is to mate and lay eggs, so most individuals live just a few hours. Fortunate individuals live a few days

Vodaphone:

“The common mayfly has a life expectancy of just one day. But is he miserable about it? Not one bit. He fills his day with the things he loves. He soars. He swoops. He savours every moment. Maybe there’s a lesson in this for us longer living creatures. Just think. If we embrace life like a mayfly, what a life that would be! Vodafone! Make the most of now.”

Information reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayfly

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node=Mayfly

http://mdc.mo.gov/kids/out-in/1997/3/5.html

Picture references:

http://www.life.uiuc.edu/ib/109/Insect%20rearing/photos/mayfly%20adult.jpg

http://blogs.commercialappeal.com/blake/mayfly.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/13/Mayfly_Luc_Viatour.JPG/795px-Mayfly_Luc_Viatour.JPG

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Eintagsfliege_fg01.jpg