I don’t particularly like the word ‘nature.’ I prefer the word creation. It’s all about my convictions. But, that’s not the point of this post. The point is when things get out of whack on our home planet, they can really get out of kilter. And, there is not a whole lot we can do about it.

A flood in southern China triggered cave-ins, landslides, and mudslides. The result was some 147 geological disasters and 1,980 people having their safety threatened. People died, transport, power and communications were disrupted.

Torrential rains hit 11 prefectures in cities throughout the area over the past few days causing landslides, more flooding and mud-rock flow. $108 million in damages.

There is not a whole lot we can do about it … except, we can take care of what we have. We don’t know when the Earth, nature, creation (choose your word) will fight back. In the meantime, let’s be good stewards of what we have been entrusted in.

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An Ohio State University researcher claimed that Mt Kilimanjaro will lose its snow cap between 2015-2020. He made is guesstimate based on photos taken in 1912 and 2001. At that time, Mt. Kilimanjaro had lost 82% of its snow cap/ice cover.

“The sky is falling in Africa, the sky is falling in Africa!” was the alarmists’ cry.

Turns out that according to an English University study that the claim may not be accurate after all. A Portsmouth University group climbed the mountain and analyzed the ice, the rate at which the snow cap is/was melting and came to a different conclusion.

First – the temperature on top of the mountain was considerably below zero degree centigrade.

Second – the snow on top of Africa’s highest mountain peak is bound to change due to climatic changes

Third – the snow cap is still big enough to sustain the current erosion at the present rate.

So now, what are global warming alarmists going to point at?

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Tokyo is sending two zoo employees to Norway to learn how to breed ptarmigans before it’s too late for the endangered birds and the do NOT hatch. The idea – “Being prepared for a species’ future is an important role for a zoo.” Norway knows what to do and Japan has good imitators.

Ptarmigans are a rare subspecies that live in the high mountains of the Japan Alps. They are also on the ‘Red List’ meaning they are at an increasingly high risk of extinction. The birds live on alpine plants 2,400 meters above sea level and face problems with temperature management and food supplies when they are moved to lowlands and with increasing temps throughout the globe.

Japan will study how Norway controls daylight and air conditioning which will play a part in the ptarmigan’s reproductive cycle. If the team succeeds in Norway, they will try the same technique in Japan.

“How about eggs for b’fast, Taro?”

“Noooo!!!”

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One of the fun parts about writing GP is that I learn, too. I had never heard of the LEED award. It stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is presented by the U.S. Green Building Council. This year the award went to BOCOG – Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games for the Beijing Olympic Village.

China’s initial concept of  “Green Olympics, High-Tech Olympics and People’s Olympics” has been realized and with minimum compromise it appears.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson presented the award calling the village  n example of U.S.-China cooperation in energy conservation and environmental protection, and that the Beijing Games have the best environmental protection in Olympic history.

The significance of the LEED award is that it has a strong influence in the world’s architecture sector, meaning that more places worldwide will hopefully learn from Beijing. Imagine that, China teaching the world how to be more environmentally friendly.

Go here to learn 20 Facts about Life in the Best Olympic Village in History.

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I am living in the wrong country and shopping for the wrong products from the wrong sales people. Female Berlin employees dressed down, to nothing but an apron to sell cosmetics from Britain called Lush. So, why naked? They were protesting the use of too much packaging by wrapping themselves up in less.

And this is getting the point across how?

The girls of Berlin want there to be less packaging of beauty products and toiletries, so they figured they make a statement. I say that the girls should be less wrapped, too!

So, seriously, where do we draw the line? How much is too much packaging? How much is not enough? I say we bring the girls to my house and we sit down and have a talk. Leave the aprons at home, please.

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A giant and dangerous snail from Africa has turned up in a street in Fuzhou China. Ecologists haven’t a clue how the slow moving critter made its way to the Middle Kingdom but they are reckoning it took a very long time. The spotted snail consumes fruits and veggies in large amounts and can single-handedly destroy a local agricultural industry…well, maybe not.

The snail does, however, host a pathogenic bacteria and parasites that will cause those who eat fruits or veggies that the not so little fellow have touched, can become infected with tuberculosis and meningitis. Meaning, if he doesn’t eat your veggies, he’ll splatter it with infestation that’ll get you. It is suspected that he came over on an import shipment accidentally.

“All I wanna do is go back home,” he said, “And I hope they don’t make me walk.”

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We have heard of puppy love, but what about horse love. When animals aren’t being protected, well, they protect one another.  A Chinese dudess took a mare out and tied it to a tree with the intention of shooting it when suddenly the mare’s stallion threw off its halter, rushed the dudess and went after her with its hooves. The result – the woman required two hours of surgery and 40 stitches to his face.

Take that, you horse face!

The woman had brought the stallion out the evening before to graze and drink along the riverside. The horses apparently had been mates for several years and weren’t ready to give up the relationship just yet.

Chen, the woman, will think twice before she takes the mare out again, I think.

So, this begs the question – how much love, affection, or even in this case, attachment, can animals feel? Have you or anyone you known experienced anything like this?

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The humpback whale was nearly hunted into extinction. The high risk of extinction no longer exists  says an environmental group – The International Union for Conservation of Nature.

“Humpbacks and southern right whales are making a comeback in much of their range mainly because they have been protected from commercial hunting. This is a great conservation success and clearly shows what needs to be done to ensure these ocean giants survive.”

The giant population dropped to the 1,000s before it was finally banned from commercial hunting. There are now more than 60,000. But, don’t tell Japan, they’ll be sharpening their harpoons.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red Lists some 41,000 species and subspecies around the world.  The group is made up of more than 1000 government and non-government agencies. They also boast 11,000 volunteer scientists in more than 160 countries. They also seem to be making a difference. Good job, fellas and gals!

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I suppose that if all stray dogs had a home, I’d be more happy about the news I read where an American woman had her dog cloned in South Korea at the world’s first commercial canine cloning service. The American woman’s pit bull, named Booger, has five puppies cloned. Seoul’s National University cooperated in the reproduction.

“It’s a miracle!” shouted the woman.

“It’s a miracle that people would waste money on such matters,” shouted Bill.

The name of the cloning service is RNL Bio. The company brought frozen cells from dead Booger, nurtured them and launched the formal cloning work. The American woman said she was attached to Booger because he had saved her life when she was attacked by another dog. But, Booger didn’t save her from stupidity.  Booger, to his credit beat out a dog that was three times his size. His master suffered a loss of one hand and injured leg nerves…and a loss of connection to the brain from her wallet, IMHO.

Nobody had better tell the woman that her dog actually had 6 clones. The sixth is being raised up for dinner.

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At GP we love animals.  Especially when those PETA girls undo their things for better or for worse to help them out. Seriously, we do love the critters we share the planet with. Today…we love these cats who are fighting back.

In Japan, this one is called the Neko Punch. Neko is Japanese for cat. This little fellow made his rounds via Japanese cell phones. I don’t know what he is angry about or fighting for but I do know I am not messing with him. Perhaps he is standing up for a friend who was dressed in head gear and a dress to take part in a fashion show to raise money for an animal shelter.

The cat, Hale Bopp celebrated a birthday and is a resident of one of NYC’s most famous hotels – the Algonquin.

Okay, so the cat is having this thing done to her in the name of helping other animals. Does that sit alright with you? How much can humans do to animals and say “we are doing it for them?” Hale gets about 30 emails a month. None of them from me.

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