The ecosystem is referred to the community where the living things depend on each other and on the environmental aspects in order to survive. In the ecosystem, there are what we called Biotic and Abiotic aspects. Biotic aspects includes the living organisms such as the different species of animals. The abiotic aspects includes the properties of the places where the living organisms live, such as the water, the soil,nutrients the air and the sunlight which the organisms lives depend on in order for them to survive.

The scientist or ecologist works on different fields of environment such as in land, sea,fresh water and others. They may focus on ” Autecology “, the study on how organisms relate to their community or they might focus on ” Synecology “, the interaction within a given ecosystem.

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Ecologist also works in different level such as the community level, population level, and at the biome level. In the community level, ecologist may work on an environment such as on a forest or on a smaller area such as in a small pond exploring the relationship of the inhabiting species.

In the population level, ecologist may investigate on work on the population trends of inhabitants including the factor that affects the increase or decrease of their population.

In the biome level, ecologist may conduct study in relation with the categories of ecosystems with similar vegetation and climate. Among of these biomes are the tropical rainforests, temperate forests, deserts,tundra and others.

The ecologist usually use three approaches in their studies, namely the descriptive, experimental, and theoretical.

Descriptive approach involves on detailed field observation aims to determine what are the inhabitants such as plants and animals in a particular place, their different information such as their physical condition as well as their population distribution.

The experimental approach deals more about how the specific ecosystem works and the theoretical approach deals with the theories or principles that governs the nature of the ecosystem.

The study of the ecosystem and the environment can be traced way back in the time of Theophrastus in around 372-287 B.C in the ancient Greece. Theophrastus investigated and wrote about the living things, their environments as well as the interaction that took place.

In 1700’s the formal study of Ecology had been developed. Count Georges-Louis Leclerc de Bufon (1708 to 1788) in France wrote about the relationship among living things. Rene Reaimur (1683-1757) also reported on the effects of temperature on the flowering plants.

Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) is among of those geographers. For five years Humboldt explored much of South America and the works of his expedition drew correlation between the different plant species together with the different environment factors.

The German zoologist Ernst Haeckl (1834-1919) coined the word “Ecology” in the 1860’s. He combined the Greek words ” oikos” meaning the household of the placed where the one lives and the Greek word “logos” that means study.

The word “Ecology” became widely used in the 1890’s as it appeared in the title of the text made by the Danish botanist Johannes Eugenius Warming.

Plants where the usual subject for the early naturalist to study. In the 20th century the study on animals where also being widely undertaken.

Since the years of 1960’s the study of Ecology have grown in importance, responding the increasing environmental problems throughout the world.

The study of Ecology is divided into several branches. One of these branches is the Microbial Ecology which is the study of the microscopic organisms and their community such as bacteria, fungi,protozoa and many others. The Ecologist study these organisms as well as their contribution and important factor of influence to a larger ecosystems.

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Another branch isthe Plant ecology which is trhe study of the Plants. here Ecologist study how the plants grow and produce. They also investigate the roles of the different speceis of plants in relation to the ecosystem.

Animal Ecology is another branch. This is the study of the animals and their communities. Ecologists here might focus on different field of specialization such as in the field of Zoo-geography that is mainly concerned about the distribution of animal population in a certain environment. Experts on Zoo-geography studies habitat fragmentation or what type of animals living or where the animals live in a specific ecosystem as well as how isolated groups of animals found food and mates.

Another branch is the Human Ecology. This Ecological study is concerned about how the people relate to the environment as well as the way the groups of people relates to each other.

Medical Ecology is the study that concerned with the public’s health in relation with the environmental aspects. Medical biologists studies diseases that were particularly transmitted by animals and find ways to control the spread of the particular disease.

Terrestrial Ecology is the study that focus on the land ecosystem. Terrestrial Ecologist usually find ways and means for the betterment of agriculture, forestry, and several other fields.

Marine Ecology is the study that deals with the living species and communities in the ocean. Marine Ecologist studies different kinds of ocean creatures such as fishes, sea turtles, sea weeds, and several others with how they relate with each other as well as how they relate with their marine environment.

The fresh water Ecology is another branch of Ecology which is concerned in the study on inland waters such as lakes, rivers and ponds. The fresh water Ecologist usually studies the relationship of the different species as well as to the environment where they live.

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In previous decades, these devices were only used by very costly commercial ships. Nowadays these sophisticated devices are being marketed to the individual boater.

Primarily, the biggest difference in today’s Marine VHF market is portability. Whereas 25 years ago, if you wanted to scan the radio channels on your VHF radio, you had to stop what you were doing and go to where your unit was mounted. Today you can have a portable, hand held unit to carry around with you wherever you go on your boat. If you have a boat with a sun deck and you like to catch some sun while drinking a few beverages, a hand held Marine VHF unit is perfect for you. Another point for hand held units, and probably the most important, is that the sound quality does not fall off one bit in most quality units.Can you use your satellite phone anywhere in the world? Not exactly, though potentially satellite TV could do this. The main restriction here is that satellite companies purposely limit their services to one region for better overall service and for legal purposes. For instance, in some countries it would be illegal for you to use marine satellite phones, because that might interfere with their local frequencies, which could result in confusion.

Much like sonar technology, which bounces sound waves off objects below the surface of the water, marine GPS devices use high-frequency low-power radio signals emitted from satellites in orbit around the Earth to determine your position on the water. When these signals hit your GPS receiver, the receiver calculates an x-y coordinate marking your position.Another important item in marine electronics is that of water makers. Water makers allow personnel to “make” their own water, by filtering out the salt content in the usually undrinkable seawater. Remember that seawater, though not always poisonous, is counterproductive. You take in so much salt that you need more liquids to push it out; after a short time you would eventually start to thirst very badly. The only option for extended sea journeys is taking along a water maker system.

This article looks at marine refrigeration, the technology of how it works and the equipment required for a good performing system? The parts of a refrigeration system includes, an Evaporator or holding plate, a Compressor, a Cooled Condenser. Then we look at how big a Refrigeration unit you require. We start with how Marine refrigeration works?

How does Marine refrigeration work?

The major parts of a DC refrigeration system include the refrigerant, a compressor, and a condenser, a cooling system for condenser, and a plate or plates inside the refrigeration box. The compressor is part of a closed loop pumping refrigerant through the system and through the evaporator plate in the ice box. The compressor has two sides the High side or discharge side. The discharge side pumps refrigerant under pressure to the condenser.

The suction side or low side and sucks refrigerant after it passes thru the evaporator plate back to the compressor. The cold plates in the fridge space have either expansion valves or capillary tube that separate the low and high pressure sides of the refrigeration system. The refrigerant in the compressor starts as a gas. The compressor compresses the refrigerant gas, from low pressure to high pressure between 100-150 psi. When the pressure is increased like this its temperature is raised dramatically. This hot high pressure refrigerant is then fed to a condenser, where it is cooled and turned into a liquid. The condenser is cooled by either air or water. The refrigerant is now a cool high pressure liquid and is fed to an evaporator plate inside the boats refrigerator box. The evaporator plate takes the refrigerant from the condenser and here it boils rapidly & evaporates back to a gas, at a very low temperature. This change of state absorbs vast amounts of sensible heat from the evaporator which in turn removes heat from the insulated refrigeration box, thereby lowering its temperature. The BTU is the measurement of heat removed. From the evaporator plate the refrigerant is returned to the low side of the compressor, to start the process again.

Evaporator or Holding Plates

Marine refrigeration systems use either an evaporator plate or a holding plate in the boats refrigeration space or freezer space. Each type of plate works differently in drawing heat from the boats refrigerator and ice box space.

Marine Evaporator

Marine Evaporators are just like the ones found in household refrigerators. They can get quite cold (thermostat setting) and many evaporators have the ability to make ice next to the evaporator plate or inside the evaporator box. Evaporators come in several shapes and sizes; they can be horizontal plate’s vertical plates and rolled plates. Evaporators are constant cycling, or short cycle. Most use a Danfoss marine compressor with H134 refrigerant. Thermostat controlled evaporator temperature. Turn to lower ice box temperature. Evaporator plates are less expensive, but need Constant power supply.

Marine Holding plates

Marine Refrigerator Holding Plates act like large blocks of ice and the cold temperature of the holding plate sucks heat out of the boats refrigeration box. Holding plates can keep ice boxes cold for long periods. The main advantage of a holding plate over an evaporator is that they only need to be recharged 1 or 2 times per day. This charging can coincide with attaching to shore power, running the engine and so the refrigerator does not rely on the battery bank. When incorporated into a properly designed system, holdover plates can significantly reduce average energy consumption. However DC holding plates are also possible. The holding plate is filled with a solution that has a freezing point below 23 degrees F. As the compressor runs, the refrigerant passes through the holding Plates coil, freezing the holding plate solution. The compressor turns of and as the holding plate thaws out, heat is removed from the box.

Powering the Compressor

The power supply to the compressor is one of the key elements of the boats refrigeration system. Refrigeration is one of the largest energy consumers onboard, so the power supply is an important element of the system. Power supplies to marine refrigeration systems include AC, DC, Shore Power, Engine power, and hybrid systems. Hybrids are combinations of say 12 volt and engine drive, or engine and shore power. The whole point in looking at power supply to your boats refrigerator is to couple it into onboard power requirements for all your boats marine systems. If you run a generator much of the time then adding on an AC refrigeration unit may make sense, but unless you do, you would be better at looking at 12 V, engine or shore power. Power can be decided on how you use your boat. Are you tied up at a dock for much of the time and take days trips. Or do you cruise and spend large amounts of time at anchor. Finally are you Powerboating or Sailing will also influence power supply. Sailing means no charging of batteries or power from the engine. Here a solar panel or wind or towed generator can help replenish batteries. If you spend time at the dock, a DC system has plenty of time to recharge on shore power. If you spend time motoring and at the dock and engine drive with shore assist works well.

AC 110 volt marine refrigeration

These drop in refrigerators are like the one in your home and are commonly seen on larges boats with an abundance of AC power and space. The AC powers the marine compressor, and the condenser is typically air cooled. A reliable AC supply is needed in the form of a generator.

DC marine refrigeration with Evaporator plate

One of the cheapest marine refrigeration system and easiest to install is the 12 v or DC system. Air cooling is the simplest. The DC system combined with an evaporator plate that is thermostatically controlled gives flexibility over cooling requirements. Many 12 volt systems use the Danfoss compressor. With the increased efficiency of the Danfoss compressor, DC refrigeration onboard is getting more efficient, but is still power hungry For most boats with a small box, a single 12V compressor, air cooled condenser, with evaporator type plate will be about the cheapest option. The Adler Barbour Cold Machine has been around for around 25 years and provides great refrigeration for small to medium size ice boxes.

Shore powered marine refrigeration

Shore powered systems are made to maintain the boat’s ice box at set temperature when the boat is at the dock. They offer less power than direct from an engine drive but since you will be at the dock for a while that is not an issue. If you use a holding plate and shore powered system you can keep the plate cool while away from the dock for 12 hours or so.

Engine powered marine refrigeration

The idea behind an engine driven compressor system is that the engine gets used anyway for at lest an hour or so. If you are Powerboating this makes sense, if you are sailing calculate how much time you use the engine. If this is the case an engine drive with a holding plate can draw down the ice box in a short period and after that it can be left for 12 plus hours. The compressor is run directly off the engine. Belt driven or direct compressor, There are two plates and you can add more, plus ad a separate freezer unit. This creates much power and fast cooling of the holding plate. More power than a 110 volt system. Larger systems and multiple plates are possible. Engine driven systems cost more and also involve a labor higher cost.

Condenser Cooling

The marine refrigeration systems condenser needs cooling. This is how the refrigerant gets cooled and turned into a liquid. There are 3 ways to cool the condenser;

Air Cooled

Air cooling simplifies installation plus it does not rely on water or adding thru hulls. It is therefore the cheapest installation. For smaller units air cooling is OK, say 4 cu ft or under 6 cu ft you will get adequate performance. The air cooling unit needs a sufficient supply of re-circulated air for it to work. Ducting and space around the unit will help this. When you cool by air flow you remove heat from the condenser and ad it to the ambient temperature. The temperature inside of the cabin only has enough capacity to disperse this heat.

Water cooled Condenser

Water cooled compressors will work better in higher ambient temperatures and are more efficient and can be 30% more efficient. Water cooling may be best and is better for larger installs especially if freezer is concerned. Water cooling needs a thru hull and a pump to get the water to the condenser. The most efficient way to cool the condenser.

Keel cooler Condenser

The keel cooler or keel condenser requires no thru hull fitting and will not be subject to clogging. The keel cooler is a 3″ x 7″ bronze plate that mounts on the outside of the hull and it is the condenser heat exchanger. The bronze plates are connected direct to the compressor which is the only moving part in the system. The Keel Cooler is for a box up to a 15 cu ft refrigerator or 5 cu ft freezer. Since all the heat is passed into the water outside the boat it will does not heat up the interior. Since it works without a water pump there is never a pump or strainer to maintain and best of all it is nearly silent in operation.

Refrigeration Compressor & plate Combination

Before we pick a size of marine refrigerator we need to understand what factors are involved in keeping the refrigeration box cool. They are mainly box size, insulation and cooling water temperature, number of people aboard and the temperature you are setting the plates for.

Refrigerator Box Volume

This is obvious, the larger the box the more heat removal is necessary. A larger box will need more BTUs of heat removal. After this basic size issue we have things like, Front opening or top opening. Front opening lets cold air out quickly but does allow you to get to the bottom of the box. Drains, if you had a drain for you ice box plug it. You will not need to drain water out of the ice box and this will only let cold air out and heat in. Gaskets, these are a must and must be properly sealed. A trick to identify if there are gaps in the gasket is to put a piece of paper in between the lid or door and the cabinet and close it. Pull on the paper and you should feel some drag if the gaskets are sealing properly. It comes out easily there is a gap. Get new or better gasket material.

Insulation

Typical insulation to a fridge or freezer is foam insulation like Dow Blue board. The recommendation is for 3-4 inches for refrigeration and 4-6 inches for freezer for medium sized boxes. Foam has an R value of 5 per inch thickness, R being a thermal unit. This means in terms of thermal units 3-4 inches represents 15-20R value for the refrigeration unit, and 20-30 for the freezer. There are manufacturers of vacuum panel thermal insulation. The Glacier bay Barrier Ultra-R super-insulation at R-50 per inch provides lots of insulation without taking up valuable volume. These panels are vacuum panels and are sealed to work. It is very important that you do not drill through or puncture these panels. These panels are custom made, so you would need to provide the manufacturer, exact sizes with locations for copper plate tubes to enter the box. These are built into the panels.

Water temperature

In the tropics water temperature is a lot warmer then northern climates. For every degree water temperature increases a corresponding 2 % increase in required BTU. If you are in the Atlantic portions of the east coast US, you have some cool sea water temps, but of you then cruise down to the Caribbean you may strain your refrigeration system.

Plate Thermostat

The evaporator plate temperature is set by the thermostat. Dial the box temperature down and the system will have to work harder.

Number of people aboard

More people means the box gets opened more and the heat build up from more people adds to the ambient temperature.

How big a Refrigeration System is required?

To calculate how big a refrigeration or marine freezing unit required, you will need to start with an estimation of the BTU requirements of the box. A simple rule of thumb for estimating the BTUs is based on the box volume. These BTU estimations are based on these assumptions; Insulation has an R value of 30 no leaks. Water temperatures are tropical in the mid 80s F. 2 people aboard, for each extra person add an additional 1,000 daily BTU Top opening box, for a front opening door add 15 BTU/inch of door BTU estimate on refrigeration volume;

Refrigerator daily heat load; 600 Btu per cu. ft. Freezer daily heat load; 1200 Btu per cu. ft Lets look at how this works for the 4 cu ft refrigeration system, using the above formula

4 cu. ft. times 600 = 2,400 Btu. Two additional people on board = 2,000 Btu. Total required per day = 4,400 Btu.

Choosing 12 volt unit with Evaporator

Match this number to the compressor capabilities, and then calculate amps needed to power the system, and then work on the battery bank capability. Start by using the 4,400 BTU form the above example. The Adler Barbour Cold Machine uses the Danfoss BD50 Compressor is rated at 650BTU / hr based on 25F evaporator temp. This is well above the 4,400/day we need for the 4 cu ft fridge, using only about 1/3 of the power. We could easily go down the Danfoss DB35. Amps

To calculate how many amps the system will draw we start by converting BTUs to amps with this formula, using an assumption of 5 BTUs per watt hr of energy used. BTU/5/volts. so say we have 4400 BTUS and 12 volts, 4,400/5/12=74 amp hours/day.

Battery Bank

The Amps needed to power the compressor should be 1/4 of the capacity of the house bank. So for the above 74 amp hours needed multiply by 4 to get recommended house battery capacity = 296 amp hrs.

Conclusion

These days being on the water means keeping food and drinks cold. 12 volt refrigeration units are becoming more popular with technological advances. Greater compressor efficiency and evaporator technology brings 12 volt cooling to the smallest of boats

The complete article can be found here, ” Marine Refrigeration ”

After contacting Astoria and Coos Bay wildlife offices, they found no answers.  The starfish were only showing up dead on Heceta Beach.  In the 30 years the scientists have been in the area, they report they have never had a call about anything like this.

Over the weekend, there were storms in the area, causing 30 foot seas, which could have caused the phenomenon.  There was another storm a few days later, creating 17 foot waves.  So far, they have determined that this could be the culprit, or at least until more data is found.  The starfish brought in for analysis has shown no different cause as of yet.  The starfish didn’t appear to be traumatized in any way.

To back this theory, mussles and crabs, like the starfish, that live in the shallow sea waters in the area, have also washed up on shore, although not in the magnitude of the sea stars.

The scientists believe that although it is a possibility, this area was not alone in the stormy weather.  Storms hit all up and down the Oregon coast for the past several days, leaving Heceta Beach the only one with marine life deaths.  Storms in the past have never created this phenomena either.

Because the incident was so localized, scientists are considering low oxygen levels in the sea water of the area, or an outbreak of disease could be a possibility.  At this point, they have no evidence to back up either theory.  Scientists will be consulting with the Oregon State University biology department to conduct further tests.

Jess is in her 2nd year of masters, studying marine biology.
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The classic image of polar bears banchiza isolated on a narrow ice, threatening to become a poster who fight global warming is not only bleak prospect of animal world. Increased temperature, pollution and other consequences of adjacent human activities affect in a more subtle animal kingdom. The “Live Science” has inventoried eight shows signs that it has serious problems with 
balance. 

Premature migration is one of the most visible consequences of the birds that do not do with people’s bad habit. More species of birds around the world make their spring journey north faster than they were after a few years. 

On the east coast of the United States zburatoarele is ivesc faster because of heat that quickly sit in this area, reports the journal Global Change Biology. 

And Romania have habits such as: since the fall of 2006, local ornitologii found with some surprise as winged marine cormoranii left as the Danube Delta to the mountain county of Covasna. “Bird is closely related to water, is found only in the area of the Danube Delta or the Black Sea. 

Not a thing that came in this county, “stated Kelemen Laszlo, president of the Association Ornitologica Rara Avis. “These birds will be forced to learn to eat differently than they were before and to encounter other obstacles because of this gap,” and warns Abraham Miller-rushing, researcher in the Boston University. 

Meduzele increasingly numerous in the planet’s oceans are another negative consequence of human activity. Conducted by vessels transiting the globe from one end to another, they came to represent one quarter of marine species of the great ports of the world. Other marine species are already in excess dopate with toxic pollutants produced by man. 

Toxic substances such as DDT and polychlorinated, banned in the United States since the 70 years were found in the body of the squid and nautililor. Species of warm water and they become more numerous in comparison with the cold water, stirring in the order of things off the oceans, appreciates “Live Science”. 

Thirty species of amphibians and reptiles in Madagascar have chosen to make life easier urcând at higher altitudes due to global warming. By 2050-2100, all these species are in danger of extinction, fire alarm “Live Science” because of all the space available at less height. The penguins are equally sensitive to the new rules imposed by humans. Besides global warming, they have to face the oil discharged into the oceans, the absence of more acute over the menu and real estate boom of the ribs. 

On the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, the Associated Press spotted a few days ago more than 400 penguins failed after it had left the cold of Antarctica and Patagonia. “Penguins are among species that shows us that fundamental changes to make the world we live in, certify Dee Boersma, a biology professor at the University of Washington. 

Even parasites have missed the lead, pushed back from the people. Angiostronglyus vasorum, for example, is moving more to the north due to heat, found the British, who found in dogs in Scotland, instead of lead-century and in the south-west England, so what was until recently used . 

Vagaries of climate and plant them beat the head of animals, especially in polar areas: erbivorele areas of highly seasonal such as the Arctic is up plants as they feed until recently not to be found in which he devoted . “It’s like you were back in town in an hour late and the restaurant in which every stop on the way home he suddenly changed the schedule and dark, try a comparison Eric Post, a biologist at the University of British Penn State.

Though always an avid and gifted writer, Rachel, by the age of 19, had switched her college major to biology. Her interests in animals, particularly marine creatures, stayed strong as she studied zoology and genetics, earning a master’s degree in zoology, then in 1936 became only the second U.S. Bureau of Fisheries’ female professional, an aquatic biologist.

After further years spent honing her writing skills on leaflets, promotional pieces, radio spots and articles for the Bureau as well as the popular periodicals and newspapers of the day, Rachel emerged in 1951 as a best-selling author with The Sea Around Us. Rounding out a marine trilogy with The Edge of the Sea and Under the Sea Wind, she became a very popular author.

But it was Silent Spring, published in 1962, which would seal her fame. For most of my fellow baby boomers, rising through high school in the latter 1960s, that book was our first exposure to such concepts as fragile ecosystems, habitat destruction, conservation, environmentalism, and industrial pollution.

Silent Spring grew from Rachel’s increased concern over synthetic pesticides and their potentially harmful effects on ecosystems. The book’s title, a reference to forests and orchards devoid of birds felled by poisons, became a metaphor for man’s potentially destructive impact on the natural world.

Succumbing to breast cancer at age 56 in the spring of 1964 — just two years after the publication of Silent Spring — Rachel Carson was unable to build upon that book’s success. However, with that manuscript alone, she had raised the awareness of countless Americans to the potential dangers of chemical pollution on our natural world. She had also, for the first time in popular literature, touched on many of the topics that would in coming decades concern environmentalists the world over: bioaccumulation of toxins; resistance to pesticides; invasive species; biotic pest control; and conflicted interests among industrial, chemical and agricultural companies.

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“You are the best among the best. Wait for me and I’ll be back. Just one year. I’ll give you a call every night before I go to bed okay?”

I still hear the echoes of his words in my ears. Those voices in my head. I wanted to tell him that I was no longer the wife he had expected me to be. He was away for a year and things have changed far more towards desperation than he could ever expect. I have sinned badly and I regret badly. There is no excuse. Some mistakes are irredeemable. One would not know or understand the true pain of regret unless by experience.

Just a year after our marriage, Dylan had to go for a research expedition along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. He is a marine biologist and he spends most of his time on Crystal Water the ship he works on. I was left behind alone. It was my own choice. I did not want to lose my own job. I need a career to live on with. And that was that.

Six months passed, and he never failed to call me every night. Just as he promised. Dylan is always sweet and full of enthusiasm and when it comes to me, he’d always go “If there is a moment when I fail to move, it is when I look into your eyes.” I missed him terribly. When he was away, my colleague Ryan would drop by my house to see if things are okay with me. He was a close friend of mine and he was an asset to me especially when Dylan was not around. We went out for dinner occasionally and we had light drinks over the weekend to release stress from work. Things worked out pretty well for me but it did not end well.

It was raining heavily that night. Autumn rain felt cold. Ryan and me were having our normal Saturday night out, drinking. We had a bottle of Chateau Fussignac Bourdeaux. Dark ruby coloured wine. Fruity but seductive. It felt nice when it flowed pass my palate. We talked for a while and enjoyed listening to some fine Mozart’s. By the time we decided to leave, it was late and the downpour seemed to be heavier. Ryan took the wheels and slowly we to headed to my house. Upon reaching, I invited Ryan to stay at mine instead of traveling far North to his house. It was dangerous. The road to his grange was not well lit and with the storm coming in, it would have been difficult for him. So, it was decided that Ryan stays.

The guest room was for Ryan for the night and I cleaned it up a little. I gave him dry clothes to change. It was Dylan’s. It fitted perfectly. We were not feeling sleepy and sat down on the sofa for a movie. After some time looking for a suitable movie, Ryan chose to watch P.S. I Love You. I bought that one a few months ago but never watched. I was scared I would fall to tears as I was truly missing Dylan and a romantic movie like that would not help. Then again, I did not say no to Ryan’s choice and we watched together. As the plot developed, my heart grew softer and softer to fragile. I didn’t speak one word to Ryan. I was unaware that I had my head on his lap. Cold crystals were rolling down my cheeks.

I was cold, I felt weak and still felt the effect of alcohol in me. The movie ended. I did not budge from Ryan’s lap. He thought I was asleep and carried me to my bed. He was about to go, when I stopped him and asked him to lay down by my side. I know deep inside, Ryan had a heart for me a long time before I was married to Dylan. He hesitated but I insisted. The temptation I felt was hard to resist, emptiness, loneliness and I felt as if I had to fill it with something; someone. We made love in that chilly night. Hoping that the autumn rain would wash away the sin we were about to commit. Little did I know, it was temporary. Regret was inevitable.

It was too late. I had enjoyed every bit of the night and my flesh felt warm after a long time. The sun was up and I woke up and found myself naked with Ryan by my side. Damn. Its not Dylan, what have I done? Remorse jolted up to my brain and anguish was hard to restrain. I felt hard to swallow. I went for the shower and took a long bath. Water seemed to heal temporarily. I stepped out and dressed up. Ryan was up as well. His eyes strayed and locked when it met mine. I looked away, ashamed. He changed into his wet clothes and without uttering a word slipped out of my house. I know he was hit hard.

A few minutes after, my phone alarm went on. It was beside my bed and I reached for it. When I saw the screen, my heart shattered to pieces. Three calls unattended and it was Dylan. He had called me last night and I was unaware. He had left a voicemail.

“Sarah, I know you are asleep. Sorry I was late to call today, I forgot the timezone difference! Haha. Anyway, today I had fun playing with some dolphins around the cove. They looked sweet just like you, sweetheart. I took some pics and I emailed them to you. Check your inbox first thing in the morning okay! Love ya.”

The pain was rushing in as I looked through the pictures Dylan had sent me. Each had a picture of him with a wide smile. And his cool blue eyes were looking at me. He trusted me. Damn it. Guilt was hard to take. I felt lost, my appetite was down and I skipped work for days then to weeks. Both Dylan and Ryan called me everyday but I answered none. I could not talk. Not a word more from my mouth. Then, one evening, Ryan dropped by to check me out. I refused to talk or listen. I could not lay my eyes on him. He took a pencil and wrote something on a paper and left it on my kitchen table and left.

I raced to the kitchen to read what he wrote. I was deprived off conversation and I needed one desperately even if it means in a written form. He had left something else in addition to the letter he wrote. I took no notice of the small envelope beside and started to read the letter first.

“Sarah, I know its hard to take. I am worried about you. You have been missing for weeks and you locked yourself in that house of yours. It was my mistake as well. I’m sorry. You need to go to Dylan. He’s probably worried sick about you. I know you would have ignored his calls as well just like how you ignored mine. Go to Dylan, he would not be angry with you. Tell him the truth face to face. It would be the best thing for you to do. Please, I beg you. I got to know from a friend that Crystal Water is docked at Gibraltar. I booked a flight for you tomorrow morning. Decide wisely and call me when you are ready and I’ll fetch you to the airport. I’m sorry again, Sarah.”

Shocked I was. In the small envelope was a ticket for me to Gibraltar. He was serious and I’m undecided. Thoughts ran through my nerves and to my brain. Will Dylan forgive me? Will he accept me again? I don’t know what I’ll do when I meet him. I would faint. Do I have any other choices? No. None. I’m ready to take whatever it takes to meet him again. I love him. It doesn’t matter if he hates me after but I need to tell him the truth.

And so, I boarded the flight and thanked Ryan for his concern. He really loved me. It was a long long flight and I spent most of my time thinking and wondering what will happen to me. It felt like months have passed when I reached Gibraltar. I had a cab to send me to the port. I walked to the docking area and I spotted Crystal Water from far. Dylan and I had cruised in it together once for our honeymoon. He insisted in showing me his place of work. That time it was different, all I felt was happiness but here I am once again in front of Crystal Water feeling so hopeless.

I stepped in with permission from a crew member who guarded the entrance. I saw him once I was on the deck. He was facing the sea. The wind was strong and blew his hair. I felt difficult to take another step forward. I’m here at last. In front of me is Dylan, my handsome Dylan. I stood there watching him in silence. I took a few short steps towards him and he senses someone was around. He looked back and I saw that mixed expression in his face. Happiness, loneliness and emptiness altogether.

I embraced him tightly. As tight as I can. Letting go of all the energy that was left in me. Idid not utter a word when he started questioning why I was there, how I came and all that sort of questions. I answered none. I just wanted every empty space in me to be filled by his warmth. I was crying and I opened my mouth to talk.

“Dylan, I’m sorry. I made a mistake. I’m here to tell you a truth. I could not keep it any longer.”

“I’m listening dear, I’m listening.. be calm.”

“I.. I.. I slept with another man Dylan. I..”

I could not finish my words and ended it just there. Dylan was confused and worried. He took me to his room and asked me to rest on the bed. He gave me a glass of water.

“Sarah, get hold of yourself and tell me what happened slowly. You don’t have to rush.”

I cuddled under him and closed my eyes and narrated for him the incident that night. I looked at him when I was finished. His eyes. They had tears in them. I had never seen that glow before. But he managed to control himself and the tears did not fall. I thought he would leave me for good. Instead, there he was by my side. He held me close to him and whispered to me.

“Its okay sweetheart. I forgive you. I’m happy you told me the truth. I know you love me. I won’t leave you alone again. Never. I promise. I love you Sarah.”

He planted a gentle kiss on my forehead and caressed my cheek. And I heard voices deep in my head. My conscience. It said :

“Desperation leads to desperate consequences.”

2007-2008 Student Water Quality Monitoring project funded by CBIBS , VIMS, Sea Grant VA, BRIDGE,Chesapeake Bay Program, NOAA, CBOS, and CBNER in Va. We had the upper James near Lynchburg, but we did some monitoring in the Hampton area as well as near VIMS. These students are my Marine Biology and Biology classes. Music is Ignition by Toby Mac from the Portable Sounds CD.

For many lawyers, the flat fee structures pertains strictly to the preparation and filing of necessary paperwork. They will also charge you for the filing fees the court requires as well as any fees they must pay to obtain certain types of documentation that are necessary in the preparation of your case. The more work they have to do on your case, the more money you will need to pay to obtain your divorce.

Each divorce lawyer is different, so if you think you will be able to obtain an accurate estimate of how much your divorce will cost, you are definitely going to be disappointed. There are too many factors divorce lawyers incorporate into their fee structures for them to be able to tell a potential new client how much their divorce will cost with any degree of accuracy. Certainly if you provide important information such as all the forms that will be necessary and have all your paperwork prepared ahead of time it may allow the him to give you a more accurate estimate than he or should could ordinarily provide.

There are many different tasks for which they will bill clients either on a flat fee basis or hourly basis. How each one bills these items will vary, so you will need to question each of the divorce lawyers you are researching for his or her individual assessment of the divorce preparation process.

• Preparation and filing of the divorce petition

• Valuation of all marital and business assets

• Assignment of property ownership

• Preparation of ancillaries such as child support, alimony/spousal support, property division and custody of the children

• Representation in court

• Negotiations with the ex-spouse’s divorce lawyer

• Re-assignment of the deed to real estate

• Preparation of the divorce settlement

• Any time the office staff spends on sending letters, filing and making telephone calls that are related to your case

• Fees for the process server or certified mail for delivery of the divorce filing and the final decree

You should not take this information as gospel since each divorce lawyer will structure their fees differently. Some of the above items may not be necessary in your case while some divorce lawyers may even combine some of the items into one more general category. The important thing to remember is you will definitely find that divorce lawyers use a combination of flat fee and hourly billing that is personalized for each individual client. There are no two divorces that will be exactly alike, so therefore the fees will vary.

Christy Oconnor is a divorce lawyer specializing in divorce application, child custody, divorce settlements and the like.

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Based on Peter Benchley’s best seller as well as inspired by the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916, “Jaws” marked the beginning of the Summer Blockbuster Movie. Studios followed suit one year later in the summer of 1976 with “The Omen”, then “Star Wars” in the following summer of 1977, laying the footprints for many studios to distribute their Big Tentpole films during the summer season thereafter.http://explosive.today.com/2009/02/21/jaws-1975/

By making the doctors accept Medicare patients at a lower fee, the standards of healthcare pricing may be brought down, or at least prevented to some extent from rising any further. Such control of healthcare pricing will actually help a lot of patients, even those who don’t depend on Medicare.

Economics of Medicare Crackdown on Doctors’ Profits

Economists call it ‘marginal cost’ and ‘marginal revenue.’ These concepts are necessary for understanding how Medicare’s actions will affect us.

The marginal cost, for the doctor, is the cost of providing services to one more patient. Since most of the overheads are fixed, like cost of building (investments or rent), equipment, assisting staff, utilities and professional costs like those incurred on medical education and licensing etc, so these costs will have to be incurred by the physician even if she treats one patient less. These are sunk costs. So, the real ‘marginal’ cost of seeing one more patient is just the cost of the doctor’s time. Now if there is some other patient (not covered by Medicare) ready to pay a higher fee to the doctor, then the Medicare patient may have to wait. The reason is that the ‘opportunity cost’ of doctor’s time has increased – by treating the Medicare patient, he stands to lose the higher fees offered by the other patient. But once there is no other patient, the opportunity costs are not very high, so he chooses to see the Medicare patient, even for a lower fee.

The net effect is that the Medicare patient may have to wait, but she will get the treatment, at a lesser cost, without hurting either the doctor (who is still making a profit) or anybody else. As you see, it definitely helps the patient.

Medicare Payments as Industry Benchmark

Another reason why this is helpful for the patients in the long run is because it creates a benchmark price that acts as a signal for the medical community, and creates an incentive for them to cut costs and become economically efficient. In some quarters, there has been a myth that the basic concepts of economics are not exactly applicable on the doctors and hospitals. But that is just a myth. In reality, the principles are just as applicable.

When forced to cut costs, the doctors will end up using their resources in a more efficient way, including time, and every one will benefit from their efficiency, most of all, the patients.

The Imperfect Market of Healthcare Cannot be Left on Market Forces

Lastly, one needs to remind oneself about the fact that the market of medical care is full of several imperfections, which prevent it from having the usual free market dynamics and market efficiency derived from demand – supply matching.

The medical and health care market suffers from information gaps between buyer (patient) and supplier (doctor). It is supplier (doctor) driven. Lastly, the medical care is a ‘merit good’ that we want every human being to have. In short, medical care market is very different from any other market. The inherent distortions in this market justify the intervention that comes in the form of Medicare’s crackdown on doctors’ profit.