Camp Out Journal

Hi there.  Miles here.  Several months ago, the family went on a trip to Massachusetts with Aunt Deirdre and Uncle Geoff.  Here’s my journal of it:

Day One: The Trip Begins

Whoo! Quite early in the morning to be waking up, but we have to, it’s the best way to get to Massachusetts before nightfall.  Okay, into the car.  And look! Mom and Dad were telling us about a surprise, but not like this!  A portable DVD player!  They are so great.  And look at all the movies they got us: Alvin & The Chipmunks, The Dark Crystal, Pee Wee’s Playhouse and The Goonies.  Eli and I have decided that we are going to watch Alvin & The Chipmunks first, and boy is it hilarious.

Now we’re at our detour destination: Boston, Massachusetts.  We’re here for a very important reason.  My friend, Paula S. Apsell, invited us to where she works, WGBH studios.  Okay, we’re here, let’s go into the main waiting room.  Okay, revolving door!  Several minutes later, we’re on our way through our tour.  The pictures below will show what we’ve seen:

 

Large Picture of Studio Lights

 

 

 

Studio G, where Fetch With Ruff Ruffman is filmed!

 

WGBH Master Control

After the tour, we’re taken upstairs — what a view — to the NOVA offices by Kate Becker.  Paula and I met and we had this picture taken together:

Me and Paula Apsell

Paula and Kate gave me some really cool gifts, including DVDs of select NOVA episodes!  They got gifts in return, of course.  Several days before, we had put together gift bags of some of Bethlehem’s fine products, including cookie cutters, paper stars and huge boxes of Mike & Ike’s.  It turned out to be a pretty big coincidence that Paula Apsell’s favorite candies were Mike & Ike’s!  

And so after hanging out, we went to lunch at MIT.  Here’s a picture of the building, designed by Frank Gehry:

 

The Stata Center at MIT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We met up with our friends Jen and Rosie. Turns out Rosie is only four. We gave them a gift pack, too.  We went into MIT and found some really cool rooms.  The cafeteria was cool, too.  A police car was in the cafeteria!  

After a great lunch, we went to a place called Toscanini’s for ice cream.  Here’s a picture of me, Dad and Eli there:

 

Toscanini

 

Then we went to the park, it had a really awesome mist fountain. There was plenty of room to run around and play. Rosie and I even walked through the mist fountain. After an array of goodbyes, we spent another two hours on the road. Finally we arrived at Maurice’s Campground  in Wellfleet on Cape Cod.  Aunt Deirdre and Uncle Geoff were already there.  

We staked our tent and had dinner.  Then it was time to arrange our sleeping bags, have some Harry Potter reading time and go to bed!

 

 

Day Two: Watching Some Whales

Morning! Time for some cereal.  I need my energy, because today is the grand whale watch!  A three-hour ride of nothing but flukes, dorsal fins and blow holes!  And water, I guess.  But first, it’s time to go to the flea market where we will buy almost nothing, I predict. Hey, ask Houdini, but I’m no mind-reader!

And, the family does buy something — two pairs of clip on sunglasses: B-O-R-I-N-G.

But hey, pretty soon we’re going to be going to Provincetown! Okay, we’re there.  And this place is shop and eat-o-rama!  Lunch at a Portuguese bakery? Check.  Lunch at McDonald’s? Negative!  But who cares about where we eat?  Pretty soon, we’re at the docks:

 

The Provincetown Docks, Pier, Port -- whatever!

 

 

 

We got on our boat for the service –Dolphin Fleet – our boat was called The Dolphin VII, and was it fancy!  Two levels, must have had a huge engine, the whole nine yards.

We’re out on the boat after about an hour and a half of searching, we finally have success.  And when we do, it comes like we won the lottery.  Look at these pictures:

 

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Dorsal and Fluke

 

We saw 6 humpback whales.  We saw one of them lobtail!  It was an amazing adventure.  I got a souvenir afterward.  It was a model of a gray whale.  I have it in my room.  Tomorrow we go to a wildlife sanctuary  I love this trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

DAY THREE: A Nature Hike

Today we are going to the Audubon Society, which is a wildlife sanctuary.  Our first step of the hike is to go by a pond which is very wet and marshy, what would you expect from a pond?  Anyway, we walk into some forest area which then deposits us onto the bay shore.  We can see some islands in the distance.  At high tide, the path is completely covered.  Luckily it isn’t that time of day. We see huge groups of crabs.  They are tiny, here are some pictures:

 

Crabs Close Up

 

A Colony of Crabs

After the crab encounter, we go back into denser forest, then walked by a beautiful grassland setting. The Massachusetts Audubon Society Wellfleet Wildlife Sanctuary is amazing!  

After we left the wildlife sanctuary, we had a picnic dinner on the beach.  

The Very Beautiful Sunset

Tomorrow we leave.  We had a very fun trip in Massachusetts.  I especially enjoyed the great outdoors and the fun of exploring on the trail across from our camp site.

Siamese, Please!

Hey there.  Today is going to be part educational, part comparison.  Today, we are going to be learning about Siamese cats.  We are also going to be learning about Sagwa, TV’s own Siamese cat.  So let’s get started.

 

First you should know that Siamese cats were a type of species that appeared in a country called Siam, now known as Thailand.  Meanwhile, this is something to compare against.  In the TV show Sagwa, Sagwa lives in China. How’d that happen?  I don’t know, but maybe you do.

 

Siamese cats are extremely vocal, which means they meow a lot.  Their voices are loud and low.  In Sagwa, all the Siamese cats speak English, but only to each other, not to the royal family they belong to.  Both fictional and real Siamese cats are extremely friendly.  Both groups of Siamese cats also cannot camouflage themselves, despite their amazing color.

 

FUN FACTS:

 

1. The cat in the popular newspaper comic strip “Get Fuzzy” is a Siamese.
2. Two Siamese cats belonged in the White House because their owners had Presidential fathers.
3. The popular book character “Skippyjon Jones” is a Siamese cat.  
4. A ton of different breeds have derived from the Siamese cat.

                              

                                                              

                                                                                                                                           

 

 

 

The picture of the Siamese cat is courtesy of Wikipedia.com.

 

We’re going to be having a quick blog contest.  Next entry we will announce the winner:

Can you relate cats to this picture?

 

See you next time, with an entry about my trip to Massachusetts!

A Quick Bulletin

Hey everyone!  Extra Extra!  The first edition of Miles’s Science News is out in the page list.  It’s sure to be lots of fun.  Just go to Miles’s Science News and follow the directions at the bottom of the screen.

See you there!

Big Party on Techno Tower

Guess what.  I met three famous people in one night.  All in The Big Party On Techno Tower!

Why do I call it Techno Tower?  The Techno is short for technology.  There’s a lot of technology in the tower.  Anyway, Techno Tower is really called 7 World Trade Center.  It’s in New York City.  When we got to 7 World Trade Center, I noticed enormous flashing words on the windows.  When we went inside, I experienced all sorts of technology, too.  For example, they have these very cool elevators that I call zero gravity elevators.  That’s because when it’s going up to the floor you choose, you have a feeling in your body that you’re made of nothing but skin and air. 

 When we got up to the 40th floor, I explored the room.  It just turns out that the room we were in was the New York Academy of the Sciences.  They were hosting an awards ceremony for  The Planetary Society.  They were awarding two people special awards for planetary exploration and presentation.  And the two winners were:  Michael C. Malin for the category of advancement of human exploration of Mars and Paula S. Apsell for the Cosmos Award for Outstanding Public Presentation of Science.

Here’s a news flash:  Ms. Apsell is the Senior Executive Producer of the Emmy Award winning series NOVA and NOVA Science Now. 

When we went into the presentation room, we saw lots and lots of seats.  Some rows were reserved, including a four seat row for the two main scientists and masters of ceremony – Bill Nye the Science Guy and Neil deGrasse Tyson, head of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History.  Mr. Malin was given his award first.  He also showed us some video clips and photos of Mars.  Mr. Malin’s company, Malin Space Science Systems, has brought Mars closer to earth through orbital images that help us learn more about the red planet.  Mr. Malin’s award was a Mars flag.   

Ms. Apsell was awarded next.  She produces the most popular science show on PBS — NOVA.  Hey, here’s a fast fact, The Planetary Society created the Cosmos Award in 2005 and it just so happens that’s the award Ms. Apsell was given.  Ms. Apsell’s award was a crystal model of Saturn, or it could be Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, or any other ringed object that’s in space.  

Anyway, afterwards Dr. Tyson and Bill Nye gave a very very very long presentation.  I enjoyed it, it was all about the Earth and protecting it.  Dr. Tyson was very interested in finding intelligent life on Mars and discovering if it is composed of DNA like all living things on Earth.  If so, we may be related to Martians! 

Oh, silly me, I forgot to mention something.  Dr. Tyson interviewed me.  It wasn’t exactly an interview, he just asked me a question.  He asked “What grade are you in?” I answered, “Second grade.”  Afterwards, before we had dinner, we met each other.  I said, “You’re the Director of the Hayden Planetarium, that’s impressive.”  He said, ”No, I’m the Director of the Universe.”  He also said, “I tease the paleontologists at the Museum because what we study wiped out what they study.”  Finally he told me that if we were ever at the Museum, to check into his office to see if he was there and he would give me a tour of his office.  The most fun part is, we had a picture:

   

Then, we headed out for dinner.  I mean, we stayed in the lobby, but we had dinner there.  They had all sorts of cheeses and dips and vegetables — yum!  And that’s not even the half of it.  Did I mention the desserts?  They were delicious! Truffles and little cakes with tiny icing flowers. 

And then, everything got even more fun.  I met Bill Nye!  No, I am not kidding!  Just like Dr. Tyson, we took a picture together:

After that, I met somebody named Heidi.  We talked about Uranus and also about a comet that crashed into Jupiter.  We did two little thought experiments.  She uses the Hubble Space Telescope.  For more information, check out Miles’s Science Encyclopedia Part Two: Astronomy. 

I also met Paula Apsell. Remember her?  Anyway, we didn’t have our picture taken together, but she did give me her card and she said if I emailed her, she’d send me some NOVA stuff!

I really really really enjoyed this party.  See you next time! Oh and by the way, grab your parka and scarf, another time warp is waiting for you — The Ice Age!

Never Judge a Disease By Its Medicine

Today we’re going to focus on something that’s a little more serious than some of these other entries.  Today we’re going to be talking about a serious disease that we are still trying to find a cure for.   Do you know what I’m talking about?  That’s right — cancer.

Now, you know those happy cells that know when they should stop doubling.  But cancer cells keep doubling unstoppably.  Here is a picture of cancer cells:

It seems bad, but cancer is not contagious.  That means it can’t be spread to other people.  Many people get cancer each year.   There are different kinds of cancer.  There’s lung cancer and brain tumors and many more.  When people go to the hospital, their treatment doesn’t always go as well as you’d think. 

Now, from the title of this blog entry, Never Judge A Disease By Its Medicine, it tells you that the disease cancer does not give hair loss.  It’s actually the treatment, it’s called chemotherapy (Kee-mo-ther-uh-pee).  Mouth sores are another therapy problem.  It can also cause you to, well, kinda gross, vomit.  You know, throw up. 

But one of the hopes is, well, get this, lemonade stands!   In fact, Alex’s Lemonade Stand is one of the most famous. Our class had a lemonade stand and we raised $700, which was $200 more than our goal! Shall I do the math or shall you? Okay, that means our goal was $500. It was pretty exciting, too. Anyone who brought in a donation could have a cup of lemonade from a stand that we had in the cafeteria at lunchtime.

Here is a picture of Alex’s Lemonade.  Eli says, “I like Alex’s Lemonade Stand!”

If your friend has cancer there are three ways you can still be friends with them.  First, you can visit them.  Then, you can mail letters to them.  Or you can email them.  

Anyway, next time, prepare to see crabs, planes and, well, you know, sand dunes.  Next entry is going to be about the Outer Banks of North Carolina! 

Operation Ribbit: Part Three

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Just wanted to tell you some awesome news.  Eggy’s growing his back legs!  Great news, eh?  I think it started somewhere like three days ago. 

My brother Eli’s observations are: “I noticed he was zig zagging a lot.  And, I watched him eat a lot. And, I like his name, Eggy. Oh, one more thing. Do you have a pet? A cat or a frog or a tadpole or a dog?”

That was just some of Eli’s opinions on Eggy.  He also wants to ask, “What does your pet do? And does he have food or dog biscuits if your pet is a dog or fish food if your pet is a fish.  And one more thing.  My brother, Miles, loves science and I love him very much.”

We shall put up a photograph as soon as possible.

Operation: Ribbit Part Two

Eggy seems to be doing fine in his new environment, called the Tad-pool.  Eggy seems to be turning gray, which I believe is part of his metamorphosis.  Just in case you don’t know, metamorphosis is exactly like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.  But a frog doesn’t have a chrysalis or have to eat leaves.  A frog starts out as some eggs that look like eyeballs in a small pond.  When the eggs hatch, little tadpoles come out that are just about, I believe, an inch long.  The tadpoles can grow bigger until they can be, say, three inches long.  Then their front arms sprout and then their tail starts growing in.  Then, after the tail has disappeared, its back legs sprout and it has completed its metamorphosis.  The frog will grow bigger and bigger until they are ready to live on land. 

 Here’s a picture of Eggy in the Tad-pool.  This picture was taken just today.  Eggy is at the bottom.

Operation: Ribbit

I have a new pet around the house and his name is Eggy.  It arrived just today! He is a tadpole.  The great thing about Eggy is that he lives in water his whole life, and when he grows his front arms, we can stop feeding him.  The reason for that is because his tail will be shrinking inside his body and that’s where he’ll get his nutrition.

 
Here is a picture of us preparing the tank. I am adding the blue sand to the bottom, and the little plant decoration is already added.  My little brother Eli is with me.

And here is a picture of Eggy himself. He is in the middle, next to the tree.  Eggy is a great pet and I hope he lasts a long time. We are also going to observe Eggy’s growth and we’ll keep doing blog entries on him so you can follow his progress.

Miles’s Science Encyclopedia Part Six

Inventors and Their Inventions:

Have you ever wondered who put the light in lightbulb?  Or who put the auto in automobile?  Well, today we’re going to learn about that. 

Let’s start with an early and well-known inventor.  Presenting the guy who made the first moveable type and printing press to go with it — Johann Gutenberg!  This happened in 1438.  This guy made the first printed Bible.  He lived in Germany.  Little is known about this person, even his date of birth.

Now, here’s another to add to your collection.  This is the guy who put the light in lightning.  Introducing — Benjamin Franklin!  This guy invented bifocal spectacles.  In other words, a new kind of glasses.  We know this happened in 1784.  How about we learn how these work?  When people who wear these look down to read, they see through the near part of the lens, and when they look up, they see the far part of the lens.  This is a diagram of bifocal spectacles.

Here is another inventor that’s pretty popular.  Introducing the guy who put the light in light bulb — Thomas Alva Edison!  Now the light bulb was the most famous of all his inventions.  In fact, he patented, get this, over 1,000 inventions in his life.  Some of his other famous inventions are the phonograph and the kinetiscope.  This is Edison in his lab.

Takeoff! Here’s our final inventor.  Or should I say, inventors? 

These two boys made a really successful flight.  Introducing — The Wright Brothers!  In 1903, the Wright Brothers made their first successful flight in Kittyhawk, North Carolina.  Before they made the flight, they were just normal bike mechanics.  But if you just believe in yourself, you can do the best things. 

The Miles’s Science Encyclopedias were pretty educational.  Next time, we’re going to learn about me.

Miles’s Science Encyclopedia Part Five

Geology:

I don’t mean to call you a rock head, but today we’re talking about rocks.  Now if you ask me, you think rocks are pretty dull.  But rocks are pretty amazing.  When you see the pictures, you’ll think totally differently about rocks.  I mean, they can blow up or be huge.  But one thing about rocks, they’re not like your regular rock and roll!

Let’s start with huge rocks.  Now, if you’ve ever been to Arizona, you might have heard of a really big landmark — Grand Canyon!  This place is huge.  It was formed by a river.  Now here’s a picture of it:

 

This place is made of “sedimentary” rock.  Sedimentary rock is one of the three kinds of rocks.  This kind of rock was formed from sand, mud or clay that rivers washed down from the land into the sea.  It was packed down on the ocean floor in layers.  Then it started to form mountains.

Next you guys are going to learn about “igneous” rocks.  Igneous rocks mostly come from volcanos.  And speaking of volcanos, here’s a picture of Kiluaea, located on the Big Island of Hawaii.

 

Here’s a bit of volcano Hawaiian: The big chunky pieces of lava are called aa and oozy lava is called pahoehoe. 

Here’s a dash up on the last kind of rock, which is called “metamorphic.” Metamorphic rocks are rocks that used to be other kinds of rocks.  Now, if you’re looking for some more information on metamorphic rocks, here’s a chart that explains different kinds.

Now I don’t think this goes along with this, but I’m going to put it in anyway.  If you’ve watched “Avatar,” you might have noticed Earth Bending.  It’s a kind of skill that really takes a lot of time to master.  Now, if you think they can create huge rock slides and lift huge rocks without using their hands, you’re right!  In fact, here’s a picture of Earth Bending right now:

Now I bet you see how cool rocks are.  Tune in next time for the last science encyclopedia – Inventors!  After that, we’re going to do a little bit about me.