Did I Get It? What About Now?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post:

"Ok, this has nothing to do with carnivorous plants but a "jelly bean" of mine is when the popcorn kernels get stuck between your teeth and you spend like an hour or two trying to get them out. Thanks, I feel better now."

Crash & Burn:
Ah, yes. Those wonderful memories. Who among us has not had this incredibly annoying experience, second only to canceling a subscription of any kind? What compounds the dilemma is when you are on a date and have just finished your bag of "Popcorn Indiana" (Fantasticle!) and you know there is something lodged between your teeth but it won't budge.

Would you tell the other person if they had something stuck? Would you chance embarrassing them for even the briefest of moments so that you don't shudder every time you gaze at that giant black spot on their teeth?

Advice: You would be amazed at the accuracy of a Metro card in place of floss. Just don't use the one laying on the floor...unless you want to test your doctor's full medical abilities.

Ironicle (Cont'd)

After further research, I have come to discover that the carnivorous plants need to feed on insects. The basic reason being that they do not get enough nitrate from the soil itself because it lacks the necessary enzymes. (more specifically: nitrate redctase) Each carnivorous plant ingests different amounts of nitrate based on how much they need to photosynthesis. The fact that the plants use their leaves to capture their prey as well means that they use up some of the nitrate for "upkeep" as well as growth.

Now, this doesn't really answer the question completely. Yes, the plants need to be carnivorous to survive in the harsh environments they are in, but who put them there? Why have them there to begin with? The question remains.

It seems like there will be no satisfying answer to the "Why" asked on creations. We must be satisfied with the fact that we simply do not know. However, there is always something to be learned from any inspection for deeper meaning.

To venture a guess:
If the plants do not eat the bugs, they will die. They can look at the plants around them and hope to be just like them, but they were given different qualities. The carnivorous plants were put in unique situations where what works for the average plant, does not work for them. On the contrary, they must utilize any abilities they have in order to survive. They cannot "relax" within their environment or they will perish.

So too our lives. Every one of us is placed into our unique environment. The parents we have, the siblings, friends, challenges are all specifically designed for us individually. This means that we cannot compare ourselves to those around us and rely on other methods of success in order to achieve ours. Rather, we must each look at our situation, look at our strengths and weaknesses and figure out how best to handle the challenges that make us who we are. How we gain from the nutrients of life are left up to our own devices but they remain within a higher framework of demand. Everything we do contains the potential to fulfill a higher purpose, and that is what makes the struggles in life worth accepting and overcoming.

Note: Don't eat flies, it won't help too much.


Information taken from:
Hanslin HM, Karlsson PS (1996). "Nitrogen uptake from prey and substrate as affected by prey capture level and plant reproductive status in four carnivorous plant species". Oecologia 106: 370-375.

Ironicle...

Pitcher Plants, Butterworts, Sundews, Venus Flytraps = Carnivorous Plants. Each with their own unique method of capturing insects with provide nourishment, these plants are quite fascinating.

One might look at these plants and think of the unique designs each plant posseses and the incredible detail each is given. The specific colors as well as the structural design each was given to best suit its survival is nothing short of truely amazing.

The hard aspect of these magnificent creations is the seeming hypocricy of their existence. Plants and flowers have always been gifts shared with someone cared for in the hope of bringing a smile to their face, or beauty to a home. When was the last time you send someone a Venus Flytrap?

The question is this. If the common life cycle of a plant is a mundane and "peaceful" one, why would G-d create just a few plants that survive primarily on the destruction of other creatures?

(for some pictures: http://www.sarracenia.com/photos/dionaea/dmusc19.jpg, http://www.sarracenia.com/photos/nepenthes/nbica01.jpg, http://www.hungryplants.nl/images/Gallery/AS3bSxJudyPJplants.gif)

Whale Wack!

I was watching the Discovery channel a few days ago and they were airing stories of people who had close or near death encounters with wildlife. Sharks, elephants, the usual. And then I saw something unexpected.

The last story was about a diver who loved to film whales. This man and his partner were filming in an area that restricted the use of scuba tanks because the air bubbles frightened the whales. Since many of the whales (humpback) swam just a few feet below the surface snorkels were used.

After filming a mother and her calf in some amazing footage the man decided to take his final shot. The video he wanted was called "train footage" (I thinkg) where he would remain stationary as the whale passed him by at incredibly close quarters. So it began.

The man had been underwater for one and a half minutes when the perfect shot was in place. Having only a few seconds more the man persisted in getting the shot he was so desperately trying to capture. After eyeing the camera from less than a foot away, the whale swam by when suddenly the man was struck by the tail.

The tail was at the peak of its rhythmic motion when suddenly the whale turned slightly and struck the man across the top of his head. Not knowing if any damage was caused by the sharp barnacles covering the tail, or weather his head was spit open completely by thick tail, the man furiously swam to the surface. After reaching the boat the man had his head inspected and there was a minor scratch. He told Discovery that the tail, 15 feet wide and one inch thick could have easily done much more damage. Had he been directly hit on the side of the head, or neck or even had some ribs broken, the man would have drown. The man closed by saying he holds no grudge against whales and apologized to it for having caused it any fright.

While this episode seems somewhat surreal, a few questions came to mind:

1. Was that shot indeed so critical? Was it worth risking his life for those few seconds?
2. While one can hardly blame nature, would anyone have thought this man was anything other than crazy in the first place had the outcome been any different?

It seems that while this whole event seems somewhat illogical to some, there is a powerful message behind it. Even if it seems a little misdirected, to this man- that shot was everything. His passion, his work all culminated in those few seconds of footage which he decided he could either take at his own risk, or let it pass him by. Not only would no one know if he missed the shot or not, people would understand and instead compliment him on his work thus far.

What I admire in this man is not the situation he placed himself in, but rather the courage he found in facing his own fear for his "greater goal." To him, it wasn't important if others knew he missed that shot- he would know. He would have to live with that missed opportunity which might never again resurface.

It seems as though we are all faced with similar challenges which shape us into two catagories of people: Those that either step aside and wait in the hope of another opportunity to arise which may or may not. And there there are those that find the iron will within themselves to pursue their goals at any cost. The illusion of "challenge" is torn away by the determination these people have in accomplishing what they truly define as "meaning."

Jelly Beans

People go through strange experiences on a daily basis. Some are extraordinarily annoying, some are extremely pleasant and some are that black jelly bean flavor you try every once in a while to remind yourself why you never eat black jelly beans. Whatever the case may be, if you want to let out the stress by venting your opinion, or want to share a special moment you wish more people had the sense to exploit- every jelly bean has a flavor.

Which is yours?