by Marcha Fox
2. What is meant by the term "reverse engineering?"
In the simplest terms, this is the process of taking an object apart to figure out how and why it works, then trying to build another one. For example, if you took a watch apart you would see the components hidden within its case. If you could figure out what each one did you could conceivably use that information to create another one. However, if your knowledge of technology is not as advanced as the device you're taking apart you probably would not be able to figure out how and why it works and duplicate the process.
3. What is "culture shock?"
Culture shock results when a person moves or visits somewhere that is entirely different than what is familiar to them. The behavior a person has learned, certain customs, traditions and even language including such things as slang and colloquial expressions are either ineffective or not understood in the new area, resulting in confusion and loss of security. Cultures operate on several levels and can comprise family or school traditions as well as that of a geographical area such as a city, state or country. When immersed in a new cultural environment a person can either cling to their old norms of behavior or attempt to assimilate all or part of the new ones. In either case, a certain period of discomfort is likely as the individual unlearns some elements of their background, such as an accent that identifies them with a certain area, and adjusts to the new. The level of resistance to change, acceptance of the new culture, and pressure from those in the new area all contribute to the process which can take years or in some cases, never be achieved with the person the proverbial "fish out of water." For example, picture an Eskimo from the Arctic suddenly moving to Mexico or vice versa. While their physical appearance may not be that different, everything else about their cultures would be from their traditional dress to food and shelter.
Chapters 14 - 15 (Aftermath & Serendipity)
What is the best course of action when a person is overwhelmed and doesn't know what to do?
Find someone to talk to who will calm them down and help figure out what needs to be done in a logical sequence.
Chapter 16 (The Bensons)
How many constellations can you identify? Do you know the myths associated with them? (The stars look as if they are all the same distance away, as if a giant bowl were inverted overhead. This view is known as the Celestial Sphere which has specific markers so that astronomers can identify the location of the stars, planets, asteroids and other celestial bodies. The stars are extremely far away and even though they may appear to be close together in the sky, they are usually not. Some lights that appear to be stars are actually other galaxies, with 100 billion stars in the Milky Way Galaxy and 100 billion galaxies in the known universe.
The other planets in our solar system look somewhat like stars except they move more quickly, thus being called "wanderers" by ancient civilizations who didn't understand what they were. Since the star patterns remain the same they are often referred to as the Fixed Stars. A band of twelve constellations known as the Zodiac surround the Earth along what is known as the ecliptic or apparent path of the Sun and form a backdrop for the planets. You cannot see all of them at once and will only be visible certain times of year. Consider that the Earth goes around the Sun and night occurs when your side of the Earth is facing away from the Sun. Thus, the view of the night sky varies as the Earth orbits the Sun, always looking in a slightly different direction.)
Chapter 17 (Cover-ups)
1. What is one of Earth's most well-known satellite networks? What does it do?
The Global Positioning System or GPS, probably one of the most well-known satellite networks, provides you with position information. It is used for numerous applications from Facebook to locating stolen cars. There are 31 satellites, all in slightly different orbits at approximately 12,600 miles above the Earth. At least four satellites need to be above the horizon for a GPS receiver to calculate its location. This is done by computing the distance to each of the satellites based on the speed of light, i.e. the length of time it takes to receive each radio signal. These are then combined to determine the exact latitude, longitude and altitude. Other well-known satellites include the ones that deliver television programming, some internet providers and others used in telecommunications.
2. What is an eclipse?
The two types of eclipses most often observed from Earth are solar and lunar. In a solar eclipse, the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun in a position where it blocks the Sun's light. In some cases it only blocks a portion of it, in others it may cover it completely or cover it with the exception of a ring of light which is called an annular eclipse. It's interesting that the Moon is the exact size needed to cover the Sun and thus cause a total eclipse.
However, the Moon's orbit is elliptical and is not always at the same distance. If an eclipse occurs when the Moon is farther away and thus smaller, it may not cover the Sun and thus result in an annular eclipse. Solar eclipses are only observable over a small region. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon with the Moon passing through the Earth's shadow. They last much longer and are seen over a much larger area than a solar eclipse.
There are usually at least two of each type of eclipse each year, sometimes more. They occur when the Sun and Moon are within a certain distance of the lunar nodes, which are where the Moon's orbit crosses the ecliptic or apparent path of the Sun. Ancient civilizations such as the Mayans studied eclipses and were able to predict them far into the future with amazing accuracy. Some cultures saw them as bad omens or indicators of something that would happen, often of an unfortunate nature.
Chapter 18 (The PLED)
1. Have you ever been able to predict what someone would do? How did you do it? Do you think that you are predictable?
If you know a person very well you usually know how they'll respond to certain situations. However, everyone has free will which means they can decide for themselves how they'll react and may not always be consistent.
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having information available about everything a person has ever done?
It makes it more difficult for people to maintain their privacy. On the positive side, if someone is dishonest it's easy to find out but conversely dishonest people can also access the information and use it for illegal purposes such as what happens with identify theft.
Chapters 19 - 20 (Chores & Hauling Hay)
1. What is the purpose of chores?
Chores teach responsibility as well as various skills. They also contribute to a sense of teamwork and working together for a common goal when used within groups or families to get things done.
2. How do different types of music affect you? Do you ever use it to create a mood such as cheer you up, induce relaxation or simple to have fun?
3. If you could create a planet what would it be like? What would you change about Earth if you could?
Chapter 21 (Return of the Cannibal)
How do you know when you can trust someone?
Chapters 22 - 23 (Prepare and Beware & Beneath the Surface)
1. Have you ever found something out you really didn't want to know? How did you handle it?
2. How does a heat exchanger or air conditioner work?
An air conditioner is based on the scientific principle that when a fluid changes phases [gas, liquid, or solid] there is a change in its energy state. Some processes require energy and others release it. In an air conditioner a working fluid absorbs heat energy which causes it to evaporate or change phases from liquid to gas. The gas is then delivered to the condenser where it is cooled, usually by a fan, which releases the heat and returns it to the liquid state, further assured by the compressor for working fluids that would be a gas at normal temperatures, then begins the cycle again. In other words, the heat is transferred from one location such as inside a house and delivered outside where it is released. Ice cools a drink in a similar ma
nner. As it absorbs the heat in the liquid the ice melts, creating a phase change again as it goes from solid to liquid. Another everyday example is steam, which can induce a serious burn as it releases its energy and condenses to its liquid state.
3. Have you ever worked long and hard on a project until it was finished? How did you feel when it was completed?
Chapters 24 - 25 (Betrayed & Intrusions)
1. Has anyone ever lied to you then you found out later that they didn't mean to hurt you? How did you react?
2. Have you ever been tempted to do something you knew was wrong even though there were numerous reasons to go ahead and do it? How did you decide what to do? What were the consequences?
Chapters 26 - 27 (Beating the Heat & Opposition)
1. Has someone ever gotten something you really wanted such that you got jealous? How did you feel toward that person?
2. How effective is revenge? Who does it hurt the most?
3. Have you ever blamed someone else for a situation rather than accept responsibility or just deal with it? Does blaming someone else change the situation or make it better?
Chapter 28 (Departing)
What is Creena's dilemma in this chapter? What are the pros and cons of her choices?
Chapter 29 (Surviving)
What is the best way to solve a big problem?
Prevent it from happening in the first place. If this can't be done, remaining as calm as possible and gathering what resources you have is best.
Volume III: A Psilent Place Below
Creative problem solving, use of fault trees to cover project or engineering contingencies and real-time applications.
Cavern formation and geology.
Nonverbal communication including body and sign language, telepathy and psi ability.
Metaphysical precepts such as veridical dreams and spiritual intervention.
All is fair in love and war.
Different cultural norms can clash with your own; indigenous cultures have a quiet wisdom lost in "advanced" civilizations.
Properties of crystals such as birefringence and refraction.
Political structures and differing ideologies.
Risk of hasty conclusions and emotional reactions when all the facts aren't available.
Chapter 1 (Enoch)
1. What's the difference between a cave and a cavern?
Caves are typically no more than a natural gap or hollow within a larger rock formation. The Earth is approximately 10% limestone which formed from marine shells when most of the planet was under water. Carbon dioxide in the soil is acidic and eats away the limestone to form calcite. There are many different kinds of water, depending on its acidity. Most common to experience is fresh water, such as that found in most lakes and rivers, and salt water such as that found in the oceans and seas. Salt water has a lower oxygen content which is why animal life that can live in fresh water may not survive in the ocean. Salt water does not erode limestone. Sometimes the water in a cave can be hazardous and even comprise sulfuric acid when hydrogen sulfide gas from deep in the Earth's crust bubbles up from oil deposits and is absorbed into the water. The sulfuric acid dissolves the limestone and forms gypsum, most commonly known as the substance in sheetrock which is commonly used for walls in building construction.
Caverns typically form when fresh water, often from rain, drips through limestone and dissolves it which can open up large underground areas as well as form stalactites and stalagmites. A stalactite is a vertical formation that starts overhead which is created as the water evaporates and leaves the limestone behind. It can be as fine as a needle or thick as a column and grows slowly with time, sometimes on the order of a millimeter over many years. A stalagmite is similar except it starts from the ground and works its way up. In may cases the stalagmite grows from water dripping from a stalactite and eventually the two will meet and form a column. It's easy to remember which is which because a stalactite starts at the ceiling and a stalagmite starts on the ground.
There are many caverns with these formations including Natural Bridges Caverns in the Texas Hill Country and Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. Some caverns are formed by underground rivers called aquifers which hollow out the rock in its path. These will typically have fewer stalactites and stalagmites but will show where whirlpools and eddies formed patterns in the rock along with other types of crystal formations. A typical cavern of this type is Longhorn Caverns between Marbles Falls and Burnet, Texas.
It is totally dark within a cavern which blocks all outside light once you are far enough from the entrance. Nonetheless various species will call a cavern home. Bats are typically associated with caverns. Since they are blind the darkness is irrelevant. They sleep in the cave or cavern by day and come out after sunset to catch insects. Caverns often have a dank, musty unpleasant odor which results from the bats' waste known as guano, which makes an excellent fertilizer. It's normal for thousands and even millions of bats to occupy a cavern. They typically hibernate in the winter. In some cases cockroaches who occupy the cave eat the guano and the bats, in turn, eat the cockroaches, creating a synergistic life cycle between the two species.
Deer Cave in Borneo is so huge that the largest jumbo jet could fly through it. It is home to three millions bats. Certain species of birds also nest in caverns such as some swallows and cave swifters. Cave swifters in a cave in Borneo build their nests from their own saliva, which takes approximately a month to build. These nests are the main component of "birds' nest soup" which is considered a delicacy. Other species that can live in caves include huge centipedes, salamanders, crabs and fish. Without light they are blind. It takes thousands of generations for eyes to evolve yet it would only be a matter of weeks before you would go blind if confined to total darkness.
The activity of exploring caves is known as spelunking. There are many hazards involved and it should only be done with a properly trained and experienced guide. Exploring areas under water requires diving gear and is even more dangerous due to the possibility of becoming lost within hundreds of miles of passageways.
The temperature within a cave is usually within a small range due to being insulated by the surround earth and rock. Most Texas caves are around 68 degrees year round, making them a haven from summer's heat.
2. Earth has diverse climates and environments yet most are occupied by human beings and have been for centuries. From extreme Arctic conditions to the desert, people adapt and survive. The most populated regions are mostly in what are known as the temperate zones where there are usually four seasons and moderate weather. Modern conveniences have made living in some of the harsher areas easier. Consider what it would be like to live in your own area without any technology. What about living in an area very different from what is familiar. How would you like living in an area like Alaska where the Sun barely shines in the winter yet hardly sets in the summer? What about somewhere like Central America where the temperature and weather is similar most of the year? Do you like cold or hot weather better? What are the pros and cons of the different climates?
3. Unfamiliar cultures, people and races can seem strange and scary. Even within an area such as a single state there can be cultural differences. These usually evolve through necessity which eventually becomes tradition with the origin often long forgotten. Nonetheless cultural norms or habits came about for a reason that may not be understood by those outside the group. Whatever culture you are raised within will seem normal with anything different from your own strange and unfamiliar. You may even think others are actually wrong. Moral judgments of a culture you do not know or understand can be unfair without knowing the practice's origin or rationale. The study of anthropology examines other cultures, their practices, language and civilization.
When a person leaves their own culture for another they can experience culture shock. This can occur even when the differences are subtle, such as from one state in the USA to anothe
r. Accents, expressions, food traditions and clothing will differ, resulting in insecurities. When an entire group emigrates to a new country or environment it can result in culture clashes, where each thinks they are right and the other wrong. Learning to coexist with others different from yourself has challenged mankind for thousands of years.
What cultural differences result in problems where you live? What problems exist in the world today because of misunderstandings and intolerance?
4. Have you ever been in a situation where you were entirely dependent on someone else in order to survive? Were you comfortable with the situation? Why or why not?
5. What are some situations where you might have to take action based on instinct instead of knowledge or experience? Where do instincts come from? Some theories state that the memories of your ancestors are stored in their DNA and passed on to you. This is one possible reason why birds know where to migrate and a potential explanation for various other animal behaviors. What useful skills might you have inherited from your parents or ancestors? Artistic talent, math or music ability, and physical traits are a few possibilities.
Chapter 2 (Visions)
1. Early psychological and psychiatric studies have addressed the source and meaning of dreams. Why do you dream? Have you ever had a dream that was a premonition of future events?