Agriculture Today

DHA link

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:04:00 +0000

I am preparing to post some of my school work in the evenings during my internship but I didn't want to wait to post this website.

I am currently working on writing an informative article on DHA (it's an Omega-3 fatty acid) and its importance to human health. I was looking through the information I was given and ran across this website: http://www.lifesdha.com/brainindex/Default.aspx
and found it to be pretty interesting and I enjoyed the brain quiz as well. I thought I would pass it along so you could test your brain health too! :)

Thanks and Have Fun!

A little info on DHA. There are 3 main Omega-3 fatty acids: DHA, ALA and EPA. They all help your heart and ALA and EPA do some with anti-inflamatory but DHA is the main one that helps brain and eye tisssue and also helps you lose weight because it gives you a full feeling! Some of the foods we eat have ALA or EPA but then in our body they convert to DHA and it much smaller quantities so if you can get fish or foods fortified with DHA then you get more DHA, which is really what your body is after all along. I know I kept this short- I am still figuring out exactly how it works but hopefully by the end of the week I will be a DHA expert! :)

Figuring it out, one conversation at a time

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Thu, 07 May 2009 02:27:00 +0000

So it happened again...

When I was a freshman in high school I came to Mizzou during FFA Week and job shadowed Greg Horstmeier, an agricultural journalist at the time. I was given the grand tour around campus and even got to sit in on a class. It was a gorgeous fall day and I fell in love with Mizzou and knew where I was going after high school. Catch-22, I was ready to be in college, right then and there- it made the next three and half years a bit of a struggle because I knew I was just doing what I had to in order to get through high school and make it to where I really wanted to be, college. I was ready to be in classes that I enrolled it, with professors who loved their topics and others who were in class because they wanted to be, not because the law makes them.

This past January, I went on a trip to Brussels, Belgium to study the European Union and the Common Agriculture Policy. Myself along with another undergraduate student went on the trip with seven graduate students earning their master's degrees in public policy and agricultural economics. It was an intense four day trip bouncing from one EU building to another listening to speakers. I was really able to learn more opportunities for international agriculture and had a great international experience.

This evening, we met for the second time since returning. The firs time we got together and chatted over Shakespeare's pizza. This time we discussed our trip and the one-page papers we typed up for each place we visited in Brussels. We were there for three and a half hours, having a great conversation on the EU, what happened while we were there, projects and papers we have been working on upon returning, and hypothesis of the EU now and in the future. Just like a freshman in high school when it hit me that I was meant to go to MU and I had the desire and ambition to do whatever it would take to get there, I got that same feeling after having hours of conversation about the EU trip and what we learned and took from the trip. I rarely, if ever, get to have such an in depth, serious and intelligent conversation in my undergraduate classes, but talking with the group of graduate students and ag economist professor, I now know exactly where I'm supposed to be after my undergrad.

I don't just plan on going to grad school but I WANT to go. I want to be surrounded by others who are studying something they feel passionately about, something they want to do for the rest of their lives. I have been sparked again with that passion and ambition to know where I am and where I want to go. It's a really good feeling to know where I am headed and that it's something that I truly want deep down inside with no hesitations or reservations. It's always a relief to know where I am heading in life- especially when it comes to the end of the school year! :)

Dinner with Leonard Gianessi

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 02:18:00 +0000

I don't want to bog this down with introduction information but at the end of this post, I have pasted Mr. Gianessi's profile he sends out and offers the information I knew about him before supper this evening.

I was invited to dinner this evening by the CAFNR Career Services Director Stephanie Chipman because of my strong interest in international agriculture and how they relates to the articles Mr. Gianessi has published. I had no idea what I was getting into but it was a great experience!

When I said yes I thought I was signing up for a simple meal (take out from Olive Garden maybe) in a room with a handful of other undergraduate students. I found out in a confirmation e-mail that the meal was at the Reynolds Alumni Center on campus- which is a very nice restaurant I had never been to before but walked passed on several occasions. I also noticed that I was the only undergraduate student, the rest attending were administration, campus researchers/professors and doctorate students. There were only eight people (counting myself) at the dinner table.

By the end of the night I had experienced a spectacular five-course meal and three solid hours of discussion on topics ranging anywhere from Mr. Gianessi's topic of increasing herbicide use to educating the general public on why agriculture is the way that it is to talking about hometowns and personal histories.

I really liked how Mr. Gianessi described himself, I feel we have much in common in this area. He works with scientists and researchers in the crop production field (entomologists, weed scientists, soil scientists, etc) and they are 1 inch wide but 5 miles deep- they generally have a very focused knowledge base, but they know their topic very in-depth. Mr. Gianessi sees himself as being 1 inch deep but 5 miles wide. He knows about a lot of different areas in agriculture and understands the lingo used in the different fields of study, but he also understands that he doesn't know nearly as much about any given topic than those who are chest deep.

This reminded me of growing up and running anything I heard by mom because she went to college. I thought that when you went to college you gained an infinite amount of knowledge and thus knew everything! Imagine how I felt when I found out that you don't get to learn about EVERYTHING but only a lot about a certain topic! I had aspired to be a walking encyclopedia- my dreams were crushed! But with that, I stumbled across my passions in life- who would have thought a farm girl from a town of 668 people would fall in love with international agriculture? I am still trying to figure out what general path I want to take to be involved in that area. While I still try to go to various lectures and events to expand that encyclopedia in my mind, I find that I am strongly drawn to international agriculture topics and even when I am listening to a lecture or seminar on some very different topic, I find myself wondering what their ag situation is like and how this all connects to information I have gained from others and if the opinions are different because of the angles each are coming at, and so on and so forth. In high school, I would role my eyes at the thought of a "theory." Now, theories make it all possible to comprehend a certain idea and use it in different areas. I know this may seem obvious, but to truly appreciate something for what it is instead of just accepting it and taking it as it is given to you, but adding personal meaning and significance to an area, really makes it that much more exciting. (I promise I had decaf coffee with dessert!)

Coming back around, ;), I had a great evening. The best part was being able to feel comfortable in the group and easily add to the conversation, even though I was truly the youngest. I never felt inadequate, even when there were conversations about spores and arachnids going on with lingo I had never heard before. Even though I didn't know exactly what they were discussing, I've received enough science in high school and college to follow the conversation and understand the bigger meaning. Now I could not write an article on the conversation based solely on what I heard, I would need much more clarification for that, but I could certainly blog about the experience. :)

I was thoroughly engaged throughout the evening and was surprised when I got up to go to the restroom how stiff my legs and muscles were. I had not realized that I had been sitting there for over two and a half hours. You know the conversation is good and interesting if you don't feel your legs getting stiff. The people I met were fantastic and practically did the networking for me. I received a handful of invitations to various lectures and networking events that I never expected so that was a pleasant surprise as well.

This is getting lengthy (typical Julia) so I will finish with the information Mr. Gianessi has provided for his lecture I will be attending Friday and/or Saturday. It should be very interesting- he was quite an insightful man who should have a great perspective to offer.

Leonard Gianessi

Director, Crop Protection Research Institute

CropLife Foundation

Food production problems in Africa are once again front page news. African crop yields average one-third that of the rest of the world’s harvest. As food shortages loom, public institutions, developmental groups, and government agencies are assessing technologies and policies that have the potential to significantly increase food production in Africa.

One of the most serious threats to African food production- the problem of weeds competing with crops-is not being addressed in the ongoing assessments. And yet, solving the weed problem in Africa is critical if farmers are to attain optimal yields and gain the full value of additional use of fertilizer, irrigation and improved seeds. Currently, African farmers lose 20-100% of their potential crop production due to uncontrolled

weeds. The primary method of weed control by smallholder farmers in Africa is hand weeding with short-handled tools. Weeding is backbreaking work done primarily by women. Because of labor cost and shortage and other demands on farmers time, not enough weeding is being done or is being done too late to prevent serious yield losses. Farmers are reluctant to apply fertilizer because weeds would be further stimulated and even more hand weeding would be required.

In this presentation, Leonard Gianessi makes the case for increased use of herbicides by smallholder farmers as a solution for Africa’s weed control problems. Research has shown that, if smallholders used herbicides, hand weeding time could be virtually eliminated. Farmers would have significant time availability to plant additional crops, apply fertilizers, and harvest more crops.

A Briefing on Brussels

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:54:00 +0000

It's time for another semester. I recently came back from Brussels, Belgium where I spent four days meeting with different European Union dignitaries to learn first hand about the EU and especially Agriculture Policy. The EU's equivalent to the Farm Bill in the US is the Common Agriculture Policy, which is an area of public debate, much like the US Farm Bill. I wish I could have stayed longer and met with more people associated with the EU but in all it was a great experience.

I went with six students from the Truman School of Public Affairs at MU, as well as an undergrad and grad student, both majoring in Ag Econ. It was a great way for me to see some possible career paths that would allow me to be involved in international agriculture development. It is experiences like these that give me clear examples and open many other doors so that I can pursue a career in international agriculture. I am starting to understand the unlimited possibilities, which just three years ago I knew nothing about but was sure I could find something.

I especially enjoyed that one grad student was from Kosovo and another was from Spain. It was always interesting hearing their perspectives and the questions they asked about the EU because they came from such different stances that most of us. We found out while in Brussels that most Europeans don't really understand the EU. While it is very complicated and even professors don't feel they thoroughly understand the EU, our group is now among a small percentage of people who have a good understanding of the EU, especially the Common Agriculture Policy! (Most of our lectures were on this topic so we were able to learn about it from different positions within the EU, now know more than I ever expected and sadly can say that I know Europe's agriculture policy better than the US's).

In conjunction with the trip I am taking a class with Dr. Willi Meyers on EU Enlargement, which is a great way to help me make sense of everything I saw and heard as well as add to the experience. I love learning by doing and having buildings, faces and speakers abroad help me make the connection with what I am reading in a book and the people and places affected.

One of the best parts of the trip was staying with MU grads Joe and Kelly Stange. Kelly graduated with a masters in Ag Econ and Joe has a degree from the School of Journalism. Both were great examples of working internationally. Joe has recently written a book on the 80 best beers in Brussels and Kelly is working at the U.S. Mission in Brussels. Our group visited the U.S. Mission where Kelly works and Joe led us on a tour of the only Lambic brewery left in Brussels. Some of my best memories in Brussels was coming in after a long day and getting to try a new and unique beer from Joe's cellar and then play Rock Band! It was a little bit of Brussels and a little bit of home but a great mix of the two. I always find it interesting how big of a role beer can play in a culture, especially when there is a large variety that is high quality. It also surprised me how many Irish Pubs were near the EU Commission, it was kind of funny watching people drink Guinness in Brussels.

I am away from my notebook right now, but home to be able to share more about those that spoke with us and what things stood out. I am assigned to write a page for each place we visited, including what I found interesting, what I didn't understand or have questions about and my comments or thoughts. I will hopefully publish those here and in the mean time I can't wait to meet with the other grad students and talk about the trip- we had a great group of students and it will be good to see everyone again.

Cross Cultural Psychology: Media Analysis Paper: Perspectives of Animal Agriculture Welfare

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:07:00 +0000

In the order of my papers for my cross-cultural psychology class this paper came second, the paper on my trip to the animal rights activist meeting was the third and final in the class. As you can tell this is an issue that I find interesting because I made it two of my three papers. This is a media analysis paper and I took a different perspective, how a certain media group infiltrates the media and that's how stereotypes are formed. I am by no means saying that this only happens in animal agriculture, this happens in every corner. My classes in PR and journalism have taught me everyone wants to get their 15 minutes of fame- this is just one example that I chose to take that and expand upon. Enjoy!

Media has the ability to form and perpetuate stereotypes within a society. But the media is not one entity that stands alone. It is made of many different sources and outlets. While news media’s goal is to achieve objectiveness this is often close to impossible since it is human nature to form opinions and journalists are not robots. Another weakness in news media is its susceptibility to being used or manipulated. Often times a certain group will try to make something as newsworthy as possible so that it can be presented to a large audience for free. The interception of news media, newspaper, television broadcast and Internet, also have the ability to form and perpetuate stereotypes, especially if only one side of the story is being told. As a major in agriculture journalism, I have gained knowledge about journalism and news media; growing up on a diversified crop and livestock farm I have the perspective of a farmer and attend numerous speeches and lectures every year that discuss the issue of the public’s lack of faith in the agriculture industry. I have seen what the agriculture industry has been going through and what animal rights activists see as the solution, but I think the real solution lies on the path that has yet to be walked down.

On November 4, 2008, 63% of Californians voted yes on proposition 2, the Standard for Confing Farm Animals. This proposition eliminated cage confinement for egg laying hens, gestation crates for sows, and veal crates (Smart Voter: League of Women Voters). In the 1920’s the Great Deal included a program that paid farmers not to farm or produce more crops or animals because there was a huge surplus, at the time. The government began using subsidies, which guarantees a base price on their commodity and the difference between the market price and base price is what the government pays out. In order to make the most money, one needs to have as many crops/animals produced as possible. Hence the rise of the ‘factory farms,’ a phrase coined by animal rights activists. Now most agriculture producers are on the large scale because smaller farmers have gone out of business and now work elsewhere.

A majority of egg production comes from California; the ugly part is actually for the consumer. Unless the factories move to other states, the cost of eggs will go up, along with the price of pork (gestation crates are used so sows don’t roll over and squash their piglets. For farmers, cattle prices will decrease because similar to the horse ban, there will be no market for veal so they will become worthless and no one wants to buy a worthless product. Issues such as proposition 2 that are having a huge impact on the agriculture industry are stemming from the infiltration of media and the stereotypes being conveyed by specific interest groups. One organization that has been successful at manipulating the media and using it to gain mass support for the issues is the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).

This HSUS is not associated with local humane societies, but instead is a non-governmental organization that boasts as being “the nation’s largest and most effective animal protection organization- backed by 10 million Americans, or one if every 30” (HSUS). Their annual budget received through donations was “$103 million, more than double the 1996 annual budget of $42 million” (HSUS).

Stereotypes concerning animal welfare include animals being confined to spaces so small that they are physically unwell and animals are treated roughly, being abused physically and mentally. Often times the situations that make it to the media, even if they are the exception to the rule and not how every confinement plant treats their animals. For example, the Hallmark case where downer cows were being slaughtered for meat consumption made headlines but no one showed a balance to the negative, such as a confinement plant that follows correct, humane procedures. A story much have a high degree of newsworthiness to be published and often agriculture is not seen as newsworthy because only a few percent of the entire population feel they are involved in the agriculture industry, even though most jobs have something to do with the food and fiber industry. When something as alarming as the Hallmark case occurs and only one side is shown, the consumers are ignorant since they have not been provided balanced information and don’t have reason to assume there are differences between confinement operations. This is an example of how the media has accepted the stereotypes of confinement operations and report nothing different. Also, people view animal welfare differently based on the degree to which they are in contact with animals.

A 2008 study by Velde, Aarts and Woerkum about animal welfare perceptions of farmers and consumers found that farmers view animal welfare as having enough food, water and space to be productive in growth, while consumers think that animal welfare means that an animal feels good mentally as well as physically and is happy. Both groups are charged with “functional ignorance” because neither side is attempting to learn more about animal welfare, often because they are not aware of solutions to problems that may arise. As a conclusion, the authors view that a domestic contract does exist and that the question should change from, ““Is there a domestic contract?” to “On the basis of whose values and norms should the contract be formulated?”… A public debate could enhance the development of norms and what I acceptable and what is not.”

One of the main social issues with animal welfare is that each side treats the issue as a win-lose rather than a compromise. If the different sides start to communicate and share with one another their perspective then I believe a solution could be made that is acceptable to society, farmers and consumers alike.

According to a 2004 study by Winders and Nibert, “As a result [of overproduction of crops], farms organizations and the state promoted “meat” production and consumption as a way to alleviate surplus. To handle this expansion, intensive and industrial methods reshaped “meat” production, resulting in more oppressive living conditions for animals raised as “meat.”(76)” This study linked market demand and government policies as the cause for animal oppression. While valid points are made throughout the article, it is in a very slanted tone that is concerned with animal welfare. Again, it is the slanted tone that can form people’s opinions for them without providing them balanced information in an even tone that allows the consumer to form their own opinion. While this article is well researched, it is often easy to find research and information that matches our own opinions, while ignoring opposing positions. This shows that not only does a conversation about animal welfare needs to take place, but both sides need to be willing to truly listen to one another to create a compromise. It may be difficult for each side to respect and fully understand what the other is saying, but it is imperative if the issue is ever going to be resolved.

References

The Humane Society of the United stae and Doris Day Animal League Announce Merger and Join Forces to Enhance Work for Animals / The Humane Society of the United States. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2008, from http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases /hsus_doris_day_animal_league_merger.html.

Proposition 2: Standards for Confining Farm Animals- California State Government. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2008, from http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/ca/state/prop/2/.

Velde, H., Aarts, N., Woerkum, C. (2002). Dealing with Ambivalence: Farmers’ and Consuemrs’ Perceptions of animal welfare in livestock breeding. Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Ethics, 15, 203-219. Retrieved October 20, 2008, from the PsychInfo database.

Winders, B., & Nibert, D. (2004). Consuming the Surplus: Expaning “Meat” Consumption and Animal Oppression. The International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 24(9), 76. Retrieved November 13, 2008, from the ProQuest database.

Help! I've Been Robbed!!!

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:43:00 +0000

After working an 8 hour shift waitressing, I head to my car to go home- only to find out that my drivers window is missing and so is my purse.

Here are some fast and easy ways to prepare for the worst:

*Make photocopies of the front and back of all credit and debit cards, social security card, drivers license, checks and any other important cards or information you carry in your purse, car or wallet. Have a copy at your house and a backup with a parent.

*Save the emergency number on the back of all credit cards in your cell phone so if stolen, the card or account can be shut down quickly. Hopefully before the thief tries to use the information

*Check your credit for free once a year. At http://www.ftc.gov/freereports there is a link to get your free annual credit report. Check credit once a year regardless of whether or not you suspect anything- it is always nice to see what the car dealership or bank see when they run your credit.

These are tips that I have both heard about and learned the hard way. I got my purse stolen last winter from my car. I was parked underneath a street light in a restaurant parking lot surrounded by other cars and my driver’s window was busted out. The policeman who responded to the call told me that a few other purses had been stolen from cars that night at other near by restaurants. I had copies of all of my cards from when I had been abroad so I called my parents and we each began to call the 1-800 numbers and either close or put a freeze on all of my accounts. The banks track whenever someone tries to use a card and about a week later none of my cards or checks had been used. I was mainly irritated that my brand new purse was stolen but I had absolutely no cash in that purse, not even a penny. I was able to laugh in the end when I knew my credit wasn’t in danger and the burglar got nothing. If there is a next time, I might not be that lucky.

To learn more about credit/identity theft check out these helpful websites:

http://www.fightidentitytheft.com/

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/

Dining Etiquette

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:43:00 +0000

Tonight I went to a CAFNR Dining Etiquette session and was served a four course meal. Every one was wearing business professional outfits as we were taught how to act in a formal dinner setting.

Over the years I have been to many dinner etiquette sessions but I always learn something new at each one. For the first time I learned how a host in a formal dining experience should act, which was really nice because no one has ever discussed that with me before and I feel that is something I will use in the future.

For our Southwestern themed four courses we started with a thick soup that was delicious and had a hint of taco seasoning, although I am sure they didn't use spices out of a packet. Our second course, a salad served with a corner of taco shell included small diced, seasoned tomatoes, spiced corn and black beans. For the main course we were served a scoop of purple tinted mashed potatoes with slices of steak on top of the potatoes forming a teepee shape and topped with long green beans with a steak seasoning sauce on the bottom. Our final course was a dessert; a small apple dumpling served with a scoop of french vanilla ice cream.

The event was sponsored by Helena Chemical Company so I was able to save $10 on my meal and only had to pay $12.50, which fit into my budget quite nicely!

The night was fun because or main speaker, Chef Jett, was full of great tips and random stories. Chef Jett had a lot of great stories to tell when it came to serving military officials all over the world while he served in the Navy. About six or seven of the tips we learned were accompanied with tales of losing his bread plate to a higher ranking officer and serving a tissue to a Korean officer on a plate, among others. He also had the occasional fact about skunks: did you know a skunk can spray with accuracy up to 10 feet? It can spray up to 16 feet but only in a general direction! (He claimed he had some time in the dessert and Wikipedia became a great way to kill time.)

Chef Jett had a great sense of humor and has been all around the world, with it all starting on the dairy farm where he grew up, in the middle of nowhere. I have been to several dinner etiquette sessions over the years but this was by far one of the most entertaining. I also think that always smiling or laughing and the fun side stories will help me to remember some of the information he gave our group.

One final fun fact learned from Chef Jett: Tips (what you leave a server after paying for the meal) stands for: To Insure Prompt Service. There is still a debate between the French and English who created the tradition, but it started when someone had extra coins and left them on the small plate their tea sat on, the waiter came to understand that money was for him or her and would fill their drink more promptly than the other guests. That was a fun fact of the day!

A little action for my blog :)

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 03:00:00 +0000

It has been a hectic semester to say the least! I thought things would slow down when September ended; I can't believe I lied to myself like that. While things just now are looking like they might ease up a bit, I now know to have my doubts.

I haven't had much of a chance to blog since the beginning of the semester so I went ahead and put up a few papers I have done for some of my classes.

The Science article is from attending Saturday Morning Science for extra credit in my BioChemistry class. It is supposed to be one page on what you found interesting and what was confusing.

The other two pieces are articles I wrote for my Agriculture Journalism Field Experience class. We went to Northwest Missouri for a weekend and toured a coal plant, ethanol plant, wind farm, CRP farmland, a 100-year family farm and edible white corn farm among other locations. We turned in our final papers Tuesday and had a "Overly Mellow Dramatic" awards ceremony. Award ranged anywhere from a rubber chicken to Cheetos. I received the best gift of everyone- duck tape! Let's just say when in is the firs destination of the morning and you won't be getting back to the hotel until late that evening and you have an unexpected rip, it never hurts to have a little duck tape! It made me smile, especially the part where it was party used- that made it even better! :)

As preparation for the trip we learned to write science based stories that could be very complicated and put them in easy to understand newspaper format. It was a great learn-to-do-by-doing experience and I learned a lot from it. The electricity path and switchgrass articles were both done before we went on our big three day trip, 6am Friday - 8pm Sunday. I did my final story on CRP and will have that posted in the next few weeks. I am really happy with how the paper turned out and excited about adding it to my portfolio.

Hope you enjoy me stories. Have Fun!

Crouching Tiger Beetles, Hidden Dragon Flies: Reflections on How Insects Use Color, Tom Schultz, Denison University

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:57:00 +0000

After listening to Mr. Tom Schultz talk about how we see color and how certain use colors to their advantage, I found many things to be interesting. One of my favorites would be the limitation of our ability to see color. While some organisms can only see whether there is light or no light, others can see shades of gray, humans can see an array of colors, and some insects and most birds can see an even greater range of colors than humans. The fact that birds can see ultra violet rays is interesting and not something I would have ever thought about. It was neat learning that damselfly dragonfly have iridescent wings that to us look white but other damselfly dragonflies see ultra violet colors.

I found the concept of wavelength to be a bit confusing, but it kind of cleared up as he went along. The concept that light produces different colors at different wavelengths was hard for me to wrap my head around- the fact that lighting and cell thickness can determine the color of a plant or insect only makes so much sense. I think I am getting confused because I keep trying to relate the idea of wavelength and thickness to other things such as my shirt and I am not sure if the idea transfers over to non-organisms.

Grass in Gas Tanks

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:53:00 +0000

A waist high sea of switchgrass, Indian grass, bluegrass, forages and legumes with small yellow flowers in full bloom ripples like waves from the cool breeze with colors jumping out from the bright sun; a great day to be outdoors at the University of Missouri Bradford Farm looking at future biofuels.

Tim Reinbott, superintendent of the MU Bradford Research and Extension Center, is spearheading a research project on the long-term effects growing various plants for biofuels has on soil quality and content. Reinbott is comparing monocultures plots with only one plant species, like corn, to diverse cultured plots that have three, ten or 18 different legumes, forages and grasses. The idea for this project arose when talk of cellulosic ethanol started to spread. Cellulosic ethanol is made from the dry matter of plants such as switchgrass, Indian grass, bluegrass, forages, legumes and wood.

The popularity of using these warm season grasses is because they are native to the Midwest and easy to grow. Switchgrass is popular because it establishes quickest, one year, and needs less help, while Indian grass produces more dry matter and therefore more ethanol.

“That’s a really good legume,” Reinbott noted as he picked the yellow flowering plant from the ground and inspected its nitrogen producing knolled roots. By not having to add nitrogen to the soil this lowers production costs and also makes the process “more carbon friendly” because fertilizers are made from petroleum. “When looking at the whole carbon footprint that’s tremendous. We don’t want to design anything with more carbon than before.”

“If you wait until after October to harvest [switchgrass] you won’t lose as many nutrients,” said Reinbott. When switchgrass dies for the winter, all if its nutrients go to the soil through the roots, which have a large underground system. Corn ethanol is going in the other direction. Ethanol plants are starting to make ethanol out of corn stover including the stalk and leaves, which is that much less nutrients being returned to the soil.

Miscanthus, an ornamental hybrid cross grass, is similar to switchgrass in that its nutrients go to its roots for winter. It has greater growth and therefore biomass potential and would require 1/3 less land than switchgrass. Switchgrass produces four tons of dry mass per acre while Miscanthus produces twelve tons per acre. The downside, being grown in a monoculture miscanthus is not as wildlife friendly as switchgrass.

“After three years we hope to see a difference in soil properties” said Reinbott, who expects to see a difference in the soil every year afterwards. The time is now. Reinbott’s three-year-old plot will be harvested for the first time this October, giving him data to compare the different types of crops for fuels like ethanol and biofuels and the impact on soil properties over time

“The seeds are just ideal,” said Reinbott as he picks a foxtail from a highly diverse plot. “We’re on the up and front on this wild life aspect. By looking at wildlife we’re staying ahead of the game. We don’t want that to blow up in our face.” Reinbott is working closely with the MU Conservation Department to see which types of plots attract which types and how much wild life. The Conservation Department is concerned about the monoculture plots, which often don’t provide wildlife with the food or shelter they need to thrive. “Ideally we want to produce as much biofuels as possible but with a more favorable base for wildlife.” By predicting and fixing problems before they occur, Reinbott hopes to have a smooth transition in biomass production for Cellulosic ethanol.

“It’s going to be very intense,” said Reinbott who sees the future of biofuels in the technology rather than new plant sources. Reinbott believes power analysis, which uses a system of heat and pressure to break down biomass to its basic elements, is going to be break through technology in the next five years. Currently, scientists are able to produce 70 gallons of ethanol for every ton of switchgrass, nowhere close to the theoretical 200 gallons per ton.

Another issue researchers are working on is storage. Forages are fluffier than corn and take up more space to store. Reinbott’s next research question, “In October what happens if fuel is stored in the field?” If storage isn’t an issue and little biomass is lost while in the field then farmers can take harvested biomass straight to the ethanol plant.

Electricity: From the Power Plant to the House

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:51:00 +0000

From the power plant or wind turbines to the kitchen light bulb, is the path electricity takes as easy as going from point A to point B? Matt Lucas, a technician at Boone Electric Cooperative, explains the process is a little more complicated.

The electricity used in Missouri either starts in a power plant, wind farm or water dam. Missouri’s two power plants create electricity by burning coal, which heats water to steam. The steam turns turbines and magnets to create electricity. On wind farms the turbines are turned by the wind to produce electricity. Similarly, hydroelectric dams release water that flows through turbines.

Once the electricity is created it goes to a step-up substation. Missouri has one located in Springfield, which also serves parts of Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Kansas. Here, transformers take the energy, or voltage, and sends it long distances through high voltage transmitters, which can handle the 500,000 volts. Large insulators are used, preventing energy from going to the ground or structure. “They have helicopters and people hanging from ropes maintaining these [high voltage insulters],” said Lucas.

Energy is lost as electricity flows through the large high voltage poles on their way to a transmission sub-station. At the station, lines from the large poles drop into the transformers where voltage is reduced to 34,500 to 115,000 volts, making it suitable for local use. The voltage is sent out on local use poles. This process will repeat at another transmission sub-station where energy will be reduced to 7,200 to 13,200 volts.

The next step is residential electric delivery. The electricity reaches a transformer on a pole, ground box, or side of the house. At this local consumer level the meter measures kilowatts per hour used by the house.

“We have to pay for amount of energy we will possibly use,” explains Lucas. Once a year the electric company will project and provide the power plant with their ‘power potential,’ the amount of energy the electric company may possible need. The power plants run non stop and produce the amount of energy outlined in the contract. The electric company is being charged for the electricity that is being produced and on the lines, even if it the electricity not being used.

Missouri currently has three commercial wind farms, all located in Northwest part of the state. Bluegrass Ridge Wind Farm, located in Gentry County, has 27 turbines on 10,000 acres. On average, the farm produces 2.1 megawatts per turbine. Three of those turbines could produce enough energy for 45,000 houses or half the size of Columbia.

The Cow Branch Wind Energy Project, in Atchison County, has 24 turbines covering 7,000 acres with 35 landowners. Each landowner receives supplemental cash, equaling $5,000 per turbine on their property.

Nodaway County’s Conception Wind Energy Project, financed by John Deere Wind Energy, consists of 24 turbines on 7,000 acre with 28 landowners.

There is currently an energy scare among the electric companies. Demand for electricity has increased but sources for energy hasn’t. Electric providers are trying to get consumers to cut back and be more conservative with electric use since there is an energy scare in the state. While they are in the business to make money, they are also wary of the possible energy threat.

“We’ll have to cut back or create new energy because usage is going through the roof,” said Lucas who compared the current energy situation to balancing a checkbook. We either need cut back on our spending (usage) or find a new source of income (energy). In preparation for the possible future energy shortage in Missouri a new cal-burning power plant is being planned for Southern Missouri. A coal plant is being discussed because we have the technology for that. Right now, wind energy is a good idea, according to Lucas, but the technology to lower prices has yet to occur. “When technology catches up, prices drop.” Until that technology is able to catch up with the energy demand in Missouri, coal-burning plants will continue to produce a majority of our electricity.

I'm Back! :)

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:56:00 +0000

It's great to be back in the land of the free. Classes are going great and I am having a wonderful fall semester so far. I hope to publish more posts later on all the great things I have been involved in- needless to say television is a treat and even then it is usually to watch a movie for a class. But I wouldn't trade the experiences for anything- I love staying busy. I have surprised myself how much I can get done in an hour these days! I hope everyone had a great summer and more to come later on Fall 2008.

Pessimistic or Realistic?

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:53:00 +0000

A good friend sent me this article knowing my view of the United States' eventual title loss as the top global power. I want to pass this along to others who may be interested. I have received similar lectures in a few lectures on Political Science and it's going to be quite the roller coaster ride over the next few decades. So tighten your seat belt and let the globalization game begin.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090903302.html?wpisrc=newsletter

One of the best day at the Olympics...

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:46:00 +0000

Today was the Gala and yes- it is all it is made out to be. Plus I am kind of famous. Beth and I did end up leading the athletes to their apparatus so I got to lead the way for athletes such as Nastia Liukin (USA), Jonathan Horton (USA), the oldest female gymnast and 5 time Olympian, currently from Germany but previously from Russia, Oskana C., a rhythmic dancer from a country that was formerly with the USSR, and Deferr, a Spanish male gymnast. I hope to write more on the experience later- but it was a blast! I was told that the MU people who were sitting in the stands yelled my name when they saw me leading some of the athletes- I guess I'm famous now! :)

It was great to rub elbows with them and get a picture with a few before the job started. It was a little stressful in the beginning but got easier as we went along- although I never was quite sure where to stand, but I did figure out to move for the photographers! One of the Chinese managers was in such awe over Nastia Liukin that he stepped right in front of photographers who were taking shots like crazy over her, especially when she was doing her tumbling. The photographers were yelling at him and he didn't have a clue so I had to tap him on the shoulder- I don't think he liked being told to move, but I don't like him getting in other people's way, especially when they are trying to do a job.

My favorite was Jonathan Horton, although I have collected quotes from him previously. He has given some great quotes and is a wonderful person to be around. Some of the other athletes only wanted to talk to other athletes, their coaches, or no one- making them seem a little stuck up, but I can't blame them- the Chinese workers and volunteers were constantly hounding them for pictures and autographs so it must have been bothersome, especially whey they were about to perform in front of a packed arena that holds 18,000 people. My favorite was talking with Shawn Johnson (USA) when she was talking about how crazy it was with everyone trying to get photos- it made going anywhere that much more difficult. She was also a really sweet girl to work with, always smiling and eager to start up a conversation.

The experience has left me a little tired, but I am so happy I had the opportunity. I was even able to meet some very important people along the way, including the announcer for the evening and one of my favorites, Frank, an Australian worker who managed the technical equipment for the venue. He had a great sense of humor and was always good for a few laughs whenever we bumped into him.

It was absolutely crazy when the show ended. Volunteers and athletes alike came onto the stage to take pictures and even after the athletes had left, the volunteers were able to look at a few of the apparatus' which was a treat in its own. It was nice to finally get a perspective of what the athletes had been performing on after having watched closely for more than 13 days. It was also a sad departure at the end of the day. We all met back at the ONS office to say good bye to our international managers. Even though we will all continue to work, we will be in different venues now. Sally (Australia), John (USA), Carlyle (India) and Denyse (Canada) were all wonderful people to work for and I hope to meet, or even work with, them in the future. We said farewell to our Chinese counterparts and are all headed out to night for a little celebration now that our work is 'done.' (About half of the group volunteered to continue working at the National Indoor Stadium venue during Handball finals, myself included).

I hope to add pictures sooner than later- my memory chip filled up about 30 minutes before we left the venue but hopefully I can get the photos somehow! :)

I hope everyone back home had a great summer- I am actually starting to miss home, even though I am having a blast here. Can't wait to see everyone, I hope you didn't forget me! :)

Gymnastics Gala

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:24:00 +0000

Started in 1996 at the Atlanta Olympic Games, the Gymnastics Gala is the third most sold out even of the Olympics, after opening and closing ceremonies respectively. It combines talent with entertainment, featuring gymnasts that medalled, dancers, rhythmic gymnastics and Chinese pop stars this year. Working in the venue, we get the option of attending the Gala tomorrow.

My good friend Beth is fluent in French and translated some papers from French to English for the commentator. To show his gratitude, he offered her two seats to sit with him at the Gala. Quite a treat- the best seats in the house. Beth offered me her second seat so we met with the man today to iron out the details about tomorrow (Wednesday 20th). I saw the seats he was offering us- right on the floor, where judges would sit! We then talked to his boss who is basically running the show and gets the last say. She offered us the job of leading the athletes from the warm-up hall to their correct podium. The lights will be dimmed so most likely we won't be seen on TV, but having never seen a Gala and not being 100% sure what is going to happen- I am crossing my fingers that someone back home will see me! :) So we were bumped from the best seats in the house to escorting the gymnastics medallists! Beth didn't even know who she was translating for when she was offered the task! Crazy how things work out- but I am super excited and am going to bed now so that I can be well rested for tomorrow- I can only imagine the excitement!

The National...

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:03:00 +0000

Completely random, but fun- I enjoy visiting different countries and hearing about their National...

The National drink of Morocco is Green Tea- they always serve it to guests as a sign of hospitality and you can tell if it is quality Green Tea depending on if it has bubbles, which is a good sign. It is also sweet and served hot.

The National plant (possibly flower?) of Scotland is the thistle- and yes I remember seeing some there.

The National sport of China is Table Tennis- and they are hard core. I remember that in the first few weeks of training at our venue there were a couple of tennis tables set up so the Chinese workers could play during their lunch break after they had eaten.

These make me wonder what the U.S. has dubbed its own. We are normally familiar with the motto, tree, or bird of a state but what about the country as a whole? I am aware that the National bird is the bald eagle- but what other objects embody our culture? I think that by knowing a country's national whatever helps you to better understand that country, its history and what is specific to its culture. I also believe that, if you scratch a little deeper than the surface, you can make discoveries by connecting dots with other information you are aware of. For example, the National sport of China is Table Tennis. Without really knowing the history of the sport I can hypothesize that maybe it is easier for everyone to play, regardless of age, gender or socio-economic standing. Also, I have noticed, especially being at the Olympics, that certain ethnicities are better at certain sports and certain countries are good as well. The fastest runners tend to be black people from developing countries, where as those good at hurdles are black people from developed countries. The best swimmers are white and from more developed countries where they can afford the proper training equipment. Asian cultures dominate at, what may seem to an American, the most random sports: shooting, table tennis, badminton. This is just scratching the surface myself and going off of what I have seen, heard and experienced. I haven't done any research but am interested in the idea of different nationalities or ethnicities being stronger in certain areas due to their genetics and environment (money, mountains, etc). Possibly, what strengths a certain group may have compared to another and why.

It's kind of funny how in life we go from curious 5-year-olds always asking 'Why?' to young adults who, after years of being told without asking, begin to ask 'Why?' again. Only this time we want answers and if they mean that much to us, we can go out and do the research to find the answers ourselves.

I can see already this topic has strayed- but I do believe that a lot can be inferred from a National ___. The eagle is very symbolic to Americans and Moroccans have shown me some of the best hospitality ever- I think the green tea represents their hospitable culture more than their love of tea. What else can we learn about a country and what they dub to be National? I hope that I remember this subject and am able to learn more about it. It almost has the feel for a good outline for a speech!

Today's Posts

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:11:00 +0000

The following are a few blogs from a few weeks ago. Things have gotten a little crazy with the Olympics starting but I found this that hadn't been posted on the net. Sorry for the delay but here's what I have...

Hey all- I'm getting behind some more. It's harder to blog when pictures won't upload- makes things a little bland. But as you will read, I am having a great time and keeping super busy. Things are about to get crazy. We got special stickers so gymnastics reporters get to be on the Olympic Green during opening ceremonies, watch the show on a big screen and see the fireworks up close. Today is my last day of rest. I have a professor dinner tonight- I will be eating a traditional Chinese meal with a professor from Renmin University. Tomorrow is opening ceremonies and I start work on the 9th (men's qualifications!!!) and 10th (women's qualifications!!!). We have a day off on the 11th and then start again. I turn 21 on Saturday. I work that day and get to interview the US men's team so that is really exciting- no doubt I will have an amazing birthday. Seeing how China has no drinking age I guess I can go out for a drink in American tradition but back to work on the 10th where I get to interview the female gymnast from Poland and other English speaking female gymnasts. This is going to be an intense few weeks and I couldn't be happier. This is what I came to do and am having a blast. I have already signed up to volunteer at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada!

Also, several of the posts are ones that I wrote yesterday during slower times at training so if I am talking in first person it is because I was there. Watching podium practice was amazing!

Podium Training

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:45:00 +0000

Today (yesterday) was the last day of training and the first taste of the real thing. I haven't been on an emotional roller coaster that intense since the last speech I gave in April.

I heard rumor yesterday that today was going to be a podium practice, where the athletes are all here and run through the motiosn of the big day. This includes walking through the mix zone where we get quotes. Knowing this I made sure I had time to do my hari and make up this morning! We got to work and the rumor became reality. The day was divided into 3 sections, just like the real event. My 1st job was to collect quotes from the U.S. Men's Team, who weren't expected to talk until a press conference in the afternoon. After an early lunch our group watched the 1st set of teams practice from the stands. Then went down to the Press Mixed Zone to get quotes. We got a little lost and darn the luck got stuck on an elevator with 3 French gymnasts who were practicing in the afternoon. Every face in the elevator turned red and all the French phrases we knew went out the door, except those of the French gymnasts!

Once we got to the Mixed Zone we waited around. My nerves hit to roof at the beginning of practice and sky rocketed while waiting for the athletes to walk through. I felt like a 5-year-old waiting for Christmas. Me and Danielle were supposed to work together. She was nervous they would stop and talk and I was nervous they wouldn't! There was a miscommunication at teh higher up level and only three teams ended up walking through. One of them was the U.S. and of course their PR rep shut us down quick and hard but I tried to talk to a straggler into a "small" quote. I didn't end up getting any words but I did get a smile- at that point I was happy to have gotten that much from both a personal coach and the U.S. Team Captain. I had accomplished my mission- to get a quote and if all else a smile. I want this to be fun for everyone. After that my adrenaline took a downward spiral and it took all I had not to cry in the middle of the Mixed Zone. That was my only chance to get quotes that day, the rest was to be copytaking- typing the quotes that others took. But I am stronger than that, plus I wanted to show my ONS Managers that I could handle anything and I think I did that. I wasn't upset that I didn't get the quote, I knew the whole time I probably wouldn't get one, but I was upset because that was my only chance to interview someone- kind of a catch 22.

The second round I was more relaxed and by the third round at 8 pm I was getting tired and it was going to take a lot to shake me. My copytaking skills improved a lot during the second round, from my first set of quotes to my third I learned a lot and fixed the mistakes I had made the first time around. The third round I did pretty good, but it was a little more challenging because I was copy-taking quotes from the Chinese students and they had interview an English speaker- wrote the quote down in Chinese and had to translate back into English. Plus they had issues with getting incomplete or no quotes at all and the quotes they did get sometimes had words confused like fit instead of faith. It was harder to get what they were saying. I typed what they said and went back later to check. One of the ONS Managers had been around and had heard so he helped me fix the quotes but there were instances where they had not used the right tense as in had instead of have, which made a difference in the quotes they had taken. It was an extra challenge, but what do you do? I should now be a better copytaker knowing how to deal with the different students and how they take quotes. I can learn to ask more questions to make sure the quotes are being published in the same context it was said- which overall is more important that getting the quote verbatim.

Overall, Podium practice was a great experience. The 14 hours flew by quickly and I wish I could have done it today- but they didn't need the extra help, they just wanted me to get rested up. I am starting to really catch the Olympic fever. Choosing this internship came with some give and take and I am so happy I took this opportunity- there is no way this is going to be a negative experience. I am learning so much, and know that I will continue to learn from this experience for the rest of my life. I have been blessed.

I spy with my little eye...

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:09:00 +0000

I saw the perfect body today- in almost 100 different ways! It still amazes me at the physique of a gymnast. On average, they are shorter and pure muscle. Of all the tricks, maneuvers, and physical capabilities of a gymnast, flexibility is by far the most impressive to me.

I have trouble keeping my legs perfectly straight and touch my toes. These boys can lift their leg above their chest at any given moment, do flits and twirls in the air then catch themselves hanging from only a bar, and the biggest shock to me- they can do more than a complete split, where their legs end up slightly behind their waist! I hurt for them.

I will admit, since the first time I watched an Olympic training session, I have been doing daily stretches. I will never be as flexible as an Olympian but to improve my current abilities a little will make me happy. :)

I will add though that I prefer training practice to podium practice because the boys don't wear shirts! :p It's like watching a Leonardo Da Vinci sketch come to life. I have nothing but the utmost respect for anyone who can take a GOD given body and get it to reach its maximum potential without using drugs like steroids. I can't even imagine the time and effort that goes into getting a physique like that, it's not something I will ever accomplish (partly because the height of a female gymnasts career is when she is 16 so I am past my maximum potential age) so I have even more respect for the person who dedicated countless hours and sweat and the inevitable injuries to reach that point. They are Olympians and deserve the title and respect that comes with it.

Medal Count Perspective

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 03:10:00 +0000

The Olympic medal count has been a topic of conversation since August 9th when medals started being won. The official Beijing Olympic newspaper claims everyday that China is leading the medal count, while they have more golds, the U.S. has more medals. There have been side comments of bribery or thoughts of training athletes rigorously for some years- China has known they would host the Olympics for seven years- enough to train athletes in even the most random sports. The Chinese national pride bubble is getting bigger and more flashy with each passing day and Chinese win where their national anthem can be heard.

This morning I was searching for a medal count when I came across an interactive map that adds a lot of perspective to Olympic hosts and their medal count. It tracks each countries medal count since the 1896 Athens games. (This can also serve as a great history and geography lesson). I quickly discovered a trend- China has been moving higher in the ranks of medal contender for some time now, and more eye-opening than anything else, it has been a trend for 11 out of the 26 Olympics (excluding the current Beijing 2008) that the host country receives the most medals. So for China to win the most medals or be in the top 3 is no phenomenon or a bribing scandal, but most likely, it is history repeating itself.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/08/04/sports/olympics/20080804_MEDALCOUNT_MAP.html?scp=1&sq=medal%20count&st=cse

Mizzou in Beijing

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:31:00 +0000

Hey all- I have plans on adding to my blog this evening. I am now getting ready to eat some delicious french toast which I discovered a little over a week ago and, on my day off, am going into work anyways so that I can watch the Women's (Girls- they are too young to be women) Individual All-Around Finals. Yesterday I was able to watch Yang Wei from China take gold as was expected, the surprise silver medalist Uchimura from Japan, and the most unexpected, Caranabe from France who randomly hit all of his marks with one solid routine after another earning him the bronze when no one was even looking for France to medal.

Now that I have seen the boys it is time for the girls- which generally catches more attention than their male counterparts.

I hope to blog more later this afternoon about working at the Olympics and being in China. I am also wanting to work on a story for the Ralls County Herald Enterprise and other local newspapers.

If you are interested in following more about Mizzou in Beijing I highly recommend a visit to

http://mojobeijing.wordpress.com

This website was created by our professors here and has had tremendous success. There are also links from that page to the individual blogs of others in our group. It is definitely worth checking out. Have Fun!!

Monday 11th in review

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:06:00 +0000

I will expand on this blog later but to give everyone a rough over view of what I have been doing I decided to post a little something.

The past two days of have been hectic and sleep is... well I forget what sleep is because I get so little of it. Yesterday I spent my entire day at the Gymnastics venue watching the Women's Qualifications. It was amazing- there is nothing like seeing teenage women perform very difficult routines on Uneven Bars, Vault, Balance Beam and Floor Routine. Much more to come on that. My shift wasn't until the afternoon but with permission went early to watch because the 1st group included China and Romania, the second had the US team and the third included Russia. My group included Brazil and France, both of which made the finals but were not talked about as much- I was also very tired by the time that fourth round came.

Getting only 5 hours of sleep last night, I woke up this morning to watch Beach Volleyball- BOCOG had given us free tickets to the event. Of the entire Mizzou group, I was the only person who willingly stayed the entire time until 3pm. Most left around 1pm and some left just after the first match, which started at 9am, ended. I really wanted to stay because when will I get a chance to go to an Olympics again and watch sporting events? I take what I can when I can and can handle sacraficing sleep for Olympics- I can take naps and not go out a few nights.

After the matches I went to lunch at 3pm with my friend Beth. We ate a 1,000 and one nights- a Middle Easter restaurant that serves great lamb! We then met Ted, Ashley and Laura at the train station and headed on over to The Today Show. It was a great experience- my signs got on TV, I got autographs from the entire Today Show crew of reporters and TV personalities. The best part was getting insight from Ann Curry when she talked with our MU group during commercial break. Her words of wisdom were noted by our group and will not soon be forgotten. My shining moment is that in the last few minutes of the show one of my signs, "Hello Perry MO" is shown in the middle of the screen- I had to give a shout out to everyone back home. We then got McDonald's and pin trading was a part of my whole day.

I had an amazing day and have so many great memories from just a short period of time. I have to work tomorrow Publish Post morning so I am going to bed now but can't wait to elaborate on my day more.

Beijing: Different Aspects from Different Angles

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:11:00 +0000

Hey all- in case you wanted to look at some other blogs here are some from people on our trip who I know are doing a great job- more to come later this is just a starter list:

Ted is a great friend and amazing professional- no doubt he will go far.

www.beijingexperience2008.blogspot.com

I finally turned 21!!!!!

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 16:37:00 +0000

It's been a little over a week since my last blog and go figure I would finally get the chance to blog on my 21st birthday! But don't worry mom- I have some good friends who surprised me with a cake and took me out. They were smart and we went out a few days before everyone had to start working at their venue. My pictures have not been wanting to upload to the internet lately so hopefully I can figure something out in the next few days- blogging is just more fun with pictures.

I have known for more than three years now that I would turn 21 on a Saturday- crazy how that doesn't seem to matter in the end. I spent the evening of the 8th at the Olympic Green and while I was not inside the bird's nest for the Opening Ceremonies, I was right outside of it. By far my favorite part was hanging out with the people who came to watch the ceremonies. Decorated people from all of the world (that almost seems like an understatement) covered the Olympic Green. We got pictures with or of people who were decked out in their nations shirts, flags, face paints, hats and so much more. Meeting those people was so much fun. I also 'worked' so that I could get pictures of the National Indoor Stadium filled with athletes preparing to walk in the Ceremonies. My job consisted of sitting with reporters! We then spent the rest of the evening outside meeting people, watching fireworks and the athletes as they walked from one stadium to the next. It was a great experience and at midnight, I turned 21 on a subway where my friends proceeded to sing happy birthday very loudly!

I woke up today tired but excited. I ate french toast for breakfast (the best ever, it's not served with syrup but doesn't need it!) and headed to the Olympics. Once I got there my nerves went crazy. Today was the Men's Gymnastics Qualifications. I got to see 98 male gymnasts and my job was to interview the US team which was in the first group. I talked with the US team captain Kevin Tan, which was like Fuwa on my birthday cake. Who interviews an olympian on their 21st birthday? Who is at the Olympics on their 21st birthday or even in China for that matter? I was star struck by my own dumb luck for a good portion of the morning. My job lasted from 10am to 1pm but I had had such an amazing experience that I wanted to watch the second round of mens qualifications (there were three divisions).

I ended up staying at the National Indoor Stadium until 10pm, having McDonald's for supper, and watching the qualifications to the end. Some people would watch the competition from the office but why watch on television what you get to see in real life? I can always watch the Olympics on t.v. but I can't always watch them in real life- that is a once in a life time opportunity. I find it funny that going to an Olympics was never a dream of mine, mainly because I thought it was impossible and I wanted to wish for possible things- it's crazy how the impossible becomes possible when you don't even try. I got to see the key athletes and watch some smile without regret and others cry with broken dreams. Talk about culture- no two people had the same experience today- even as spectators we were from different countries, were different ages and had different expectations. I know what today meant for me, I can only imagine what it may mean to a French pre-teen, Brandon O'Neile who watched his dreams quickly fade, Yang Wei who performed amazingly in front of his home crowd, the Chinese volunteers who wouldn't let us sit in the good seats that were completely empty the whole day, David Durante who watched as all of the US Men's Teams alternates competed, the YMCA group from St. Louis, MO, or the chunky little boy who was bouncing around and screaming. Oh to see the world through the eyes of another.

I am getting ready to go to bed now. I texted my manager and she said I could come in early tomorrow! I really want to see all of the 'Women's' Qualifications (I don't know if barely 16 counts as a woman) and get a good feel for what is going on. Sure I could sleep but everyone has Monday off while gymnastics takes a break before finals so I can sleep then. I had originally planned to get a long massage today and eat some American food and just relax but who cares? My birthday happens every year, the Beijing Olympics don't. The most entertaining one-liner I have, "I turned 21... and China has no drinking age."

I am going to try and catch up on some much needed rest so I can be bright eyed tomorrow. There's a good chance I could have a 13 hour day tomorrow- and I couldn't be more excited!

Today's Posts

jls992@mizzou.edu (Julia) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:45:00 +0000

The blogs I am posting today are general. I took a little different approach to these. I picked a topic and discussed it. The events aren't in any special chronological order but there are topics that I want to tell everyone about so here goes. I hope you enjoy! Have Fun!

Sorry blogspot is not working very well today- it's not letting me add pictures, but I promise- they are on their way, I'm just not sure when they will make it on here.