Seeing the Changes 2031

In Loughor, Common cleavers (Gallium aparine) was in flower.

What's In a Critter's Name? 89. Swan

The word 'swan' comes from the Old English 'swon'. That was derived, in turn, from the Germanic 'swen' meaning 'to sound' or 'to sing'.

What's In a Critter's Name? 88. Avocet

Avocet comes from the Italian word 'avosetta'. It means 'graceful bird'.

What's In a Critter's Name? 87. Magpie

In the 16th Century, misogynists referred to all women as 'Margarets'. They considered the bird's chattering call, to be like that of a woman. 'Mag' is an abbreviation. The 'pie' may refer to the bird's beak; tail or pied plumage.

What's In a Critter's Name? 86. Puffin

The Puffins get their name from their 'puff-ball' appearance.

What's In a Critter's Name? 85. Panda

The word panda is understood to come from the Nepali 'nigalya ponya', meaning 'bamboo eater' or 'bamboo-footed'.

What's In a Critter's Name? 84. Budgerigar

Budgerigar comes from the Gamilaraay Aboriginal word 'betcherrygah', combining 'betcherry' (good) and 'gah' (parakeet). There's debate about in what sense 'good' (eating or flocks, signifying a good water supply?)is meant.

Antibiotics Anonymous?

Folk in the UK were promised superior environmental regulations, if they voted for Brexit from the EU. Au contraire, they now have dirtier rivers and coastal waters. It also the case that regulations concerning the use of antibiotics by farmers have been weakened. Overuse of antibiotics is resulting in the selection of antibiotic-reistant 'superbugs', threatening a return to a world without cures for bacterial infections. Farmers are banned from using antibiotics on their animals in place of poor hygiene but the new UK laws have many 'escape clauses'. More worrying is the practice of some farmers to use antibiotics to stimulate the growth of stock animals rather than to treat disease. This is even more likely to produce 'superbugs'. It does, however, increase profits (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/17/post-brexit-rules-on-antibiotic-use-on-farms-water-down-eu-laws-experts-say). It's essential to conserve effective antibiotics. New ones are difficult to generate at scale.

What's In a Critter's Name? 80. Python

The Python, according to the myth, is named after a serpent, slain by Apollo. 'He' was called 'pythius, commemorating a victory near Delphi.

What's In a Critter's Name? 79. Vicuna

The Spanish word vicuna, comes from the Quechua 'wikuna', the native name for this small, llama-like mammal.

What's In a Critter's Name? 78. Sheep

The word sheep comes from the Old English 'sceap', derived, in turn, from Middle English 'schep' or 'schepe'.

Cancer Early Warning System?

An Oxford University Nature Communications paper, analysed repeated blood samples from more than 44,000 subjects. Of these, 4,900 folk went on to have a cancer diagnosis. Scientists could consequently compare the blood proteins of subjects who did or did not go on to develop cancer. More than 600 proteins were linked to 19 types of cancer. These cancers included colon; liver; lung and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/15/proteins-blood-cancer-warning-seven-years-study). In some cases, protein 'markers' were evident 7 years, before the cancer diagnosis. These proteins could provide the basis for a cancer early warning system. Cancer therapies generally work better, if applied early. Testing all individuals over an extended period would be costly. It also remains to be seen, whether all folk would want to know, if they carried a 'worrying' blood protein. Don't tell Life Assurance companies!

Cheap Shot?

It could, seemingly, only happen in the US! It's alleged that a gathering of 'Big oil' executives (a 'slick'?), at a private dinner, were offered a deal, they couldn't refuse. Giving the candidate $1bn in campaign donations, would save their 'industry' $110bn in tax, when/if he came to power. All those pesky 'green' restrictions, would also be immediately removed. This is eye-wateringly cheap on so many levels (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/16/donald-trump-big-oil-executives-alleged-deal-explained). One might ask why a planet has so little value? If true, it makes archetypal 'banana republics', look like comparative bastions of honesty and rectitude!

Seeing the Changes 2030

Prickly poppy (Papaver argemone) and Prickly sow-thistle (Sonchus asper) were blooming in Bynea.

What's In a Critter's Name? 77. Lemur

Lemur comes from the Latin word 'lemures', meaning 'spirits of the night' or 'ghosts'.

What's In a Critter's Name? 76. Badger

The word 'badger' may come from the Proto-Indo-European root 'tek', meaning 'to construct'. This reflects this animal's obsessive digging of setts or tunnels.

What's In a Critter's Name? 75. Mullet

'Mullet' may have originated in Greece or France. Its French name is 'rouget', translating as 'red fish'.

Seeing the Changes 2029

In Bynea, White clover (Trifolium repens) was in flower.

Brexit and Puffins?

The Puffin (Fratercula artica) is, perhaps, the UK's most appreciated seabird. Puffins largely feed on tiny sand-eels from the seas around UK coasts. There's ample historical evidence, that Puffin numbers decline, when sand-eel stocks are decimated by overfishing. Laws have, consequently, been brought in banning the mass removal of sand-eels from parts of North Sea waters. Denmark has been most impacted. It generally catches 250,000 tonnes of sand-eels each year. That catch is processed to produce fish oil and animal feed. The animal feed is given to commercially-important (for Denmark), pigs and farmed salmon. Other countries (including the UK) have converted sand-eels into agricultural fertilizer. The EU claim the UK's fishing ban, contravenes its post-Brexit deal and must be lifted (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce9rrpn955qo). Puffins, of course, don't get to vote on whether the ban should be removed or not. I thought the EU favoured maintaining/improving biodiversity?

Killing With 'Kindness'?

In many parts of the globe. childhood obesity is a growing problem. A Munich analysis of this condition, used data from 50 existing clinical studies. This meta-analysis, consequently, totalled more than 10 million participants, from a range of locations. It found that, if they failed to lose weight in adulthood, severely obese children, could reach just half the average lifespan (https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/15/young-children-with-persistent-severe-obesity-could-have-half-average-life-expectancy-study-finds). Strikingly, in the study, a severely obese 4 year old boy was found to have a life expectancy of only 39! Perhaps, there really is an urgent need to employ the weight loss drug, semaglutide, more widely? That, however, means children being routinely injected, rather than just being given more food. Care would also have to be taken, not to make any eating disorders worse. Difficult decisions for parents and physicians?

Asalted?

Salt often improves the 'taste' of food. Too much, however, can elevate blood pressure and is linked to other medical risks. The UK government, consequently recommends that individuals consume no more than 3g of salt per day. Worryingly, 50% of UK children's restaurant main meals, have at least half the daily salt quota (https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/14/third-childrens-restaurant-meals-exceed-salt-target-salt-target). Even worse, more than a third of child's main restaurant meals in the UK, exceed the government's entire daily salt target. The worst offenders are said to be Gourmet Burger Kitchen; Wetherspoons and Prezzo. Salt cruets are even left on tables, allowing children to add more sodium chloride. It's almost as if children are being 'programmed', to eat unhealthily?

What's In a Critter's Name? 74. Minnow

'Minnow', was probably inherited from the Germanic, into the late Middle English. They had the words 'meneu' and 'menowe', both meaning 'small fish'.

What's In a Critter's Name? 73. Dogfish

Dogfish got their name from fishermen seeing them operate in dog-like packs, when chasing smaller fish.

What's In a Critter's Name? 72. Fox

The word, fox, comes from the Proto-Germanic 'fuhsaz', via the Proto-Indo-European 'puk', meaning 'thick-haired tail'.

Best Thing Since Statins?

A University College London team allocated over 17,500 adults to injections with semaglutide or placebo. Semaglutide (e.g. Ozempic), is an approved weight-loss medication. The subjects used were from 41 countries, with a body mass index over 27. All, had also experienced at least one cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack. The semaglutide injections appeared to reduce the risk of a subsequent heart attack, by 20%. This happened, whether or not the treatment reduced the subject's weight. It's suggested this drug has beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, unrelated to its impact on obesity. The study's authors suggest that semaglutide is 'the best thing since statins' (https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/may/14/weight-loss-drug-semaglutide-reduce-heart-attack-risk-study). One must be concerned about the apparent further medicalisation of what's generally a lifestyle choice. Even if it reduces the risk of a heart attack, is it really a good idea, to place substantial numbers of folk on extended semaglutide injections? This will be attractive to the manufacturers of the drug. It could encourage folk to live with an unhealthy and wasteful lifestyle. One becomes obese, when one consumes more calories one burns in exercise. This basic message is 'lost', if one can medicate the problem away. It also encourages overconsumption, in a world where food is unequally distributed.

Super Pooper?

Some very basic instruction, by a specialist, on optimal adult defaecation (https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/article/2024/may/13/how-to-poop-correctly). The proctologist, claims you should go to a nearby toilet, when the body signals it's ready to perform. Only thirty seconds to a minute is needed for the act. Straining, can lead to haemorrhoids and other problems. Substantial numbers of people, the specialist maintains, act as if still carrying the scars of childhood 'potty training'. They remain in place for extended periods, until they eventually perform. Taking reading material and/or your mobile, to the toilet with you is a 'no-no'. Post pooping, you certainly shouldn't clean the anus with abrasive paper. But you should carefully wash your hands. In many households, the PC's keyboard is more contaminated with bacteria than is the toilet seat!

Seeing the Changes 2028

On the Loughor-Gorseinon interface. Honesty (Lunaria annua); Silverweed (Potentilla anserina); Herb Bennet (Geum urbanum); Pencilled cranesbill (Geranium versicolor), alien Cotoneaster and Red valerian (Centranthus ruber) were all in bloom. A flashy froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata) posed by the foreshore.