Thursday, April 28, 2016

X: A to Z Blogging Challenge

For my 2016 A to Z Challenge, I’m sharing three facts for each letter. The genres I write and love to read are mostly science fiction and high or epic fantasy. In fantasy, there is often magic associated with crystals or metals. They also used herbs both for medicine and for magical spells. Each day I will post a short description of an herb or a mineral you might find in medieval or fantasy writings. For the record, most of the herbal remedies I’ve investigated are not recommended by the FDA. Many are actually poisonous and dangerous. As tribute to my second love, I will post a scientific fact that may deal with physics, biology or health science. And because another name for a writer is wordsmith, each day I’ll share a strange word that I would probably never use in my writing, but that amuse me in some way. So enjoy my trio of quick facts. And don’t forget to visit the IWSG site where we’ll share a writer’s resource for every day of the challenge.

Xanthic: Relating to or tending toward yellow.

Xi Jiao is Rhinoceros Horn, a Chinese powder made from the horn of an endangered animal. The rhino is spiraling toward extinction as poachers hunt them for their horns. It's horribly, unbelievable that such a thing happens in our modern world. Chinese herbalists sell this to treat convulsions and other illnesses. Some reports say a Vietnamese buyer might pay as much as $300,000 for a single horn that they believe cures cancer and hangovers.



Xenon is one of the noble gases. It is found in trace amounts in our atmosphere. NASA has developed a Xenon Ion Drive Engine.

Can you think of a way to save the rhinos? How might you use that Xenon Ion Drive? Or can you base your own idea on it? Only two letters to go? Are you keeping up?

"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." Confucius

20 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Susan - unfortunately until people are educated the rhinos will struggle to survive, as too elephant ... thankfully people keep looking after them ...

well done - interesting range of A-Zs here ... I know what I'd be feeling if I'd been participating! W for whacked!! Cheers and enjoy Sunday ... Hilary

Pat Hatt said...

Pathetic that such people don't wise up to the stupidness of such off the wall "herbs"

Chop any rhino horn sellers fingers off, that will cut down on it haha

Nicola said...

My favourite colour is yellow. Does that mean I'm a bit of a Xanthic? Great post!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Since when is rhino horn a herb? They can outlaw the practice, but people would still do it.

M.J. Fifield said...

The rhino horn situation bothers me greatly, but I'm especially disturbed that hangovers are on that list.

betty said...

That is sad about the rhino situation and when people are willing to pay that much for one of its horns, its going to be hard to get people to stop wanting to try to capture them and get the horn to earn that kind of money.

Xanthic is a pretty name for describing yellow.

I can't believe only 2 more letters! Yes keeping up, but looking forward to life returning to normal.

betty

Anonymous said...

My X word today had to do with yellow too––the fear of it.

~Ninja Minion Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

Sarah Foster said...

That's terrible that people are hunting rhinos for their horns. I bet it doesn't actually work, either. Sounds ridiculous.

Unknown said...

It's terrible how careless people are with these great creatures--and elephants and so much more wildlife. Once it is gone, it is gone forever.

@Kathleen01930
Meet My Imaginary Friends
#AtoZchallenge

cleemckenzie said...

Taking an animal's life like this totally disgusts me. I know there are efforts to change this through education and protection, but I'm afraid it's a losing battle.

nashvillecats2 said...

How awful that an animal should die like that.
Good X WORD, but not the meaning of it.
Yvonne.

J E Oneil said...

The poor rhinos. That always makes me so sad.

D.G. Hudson said...

Anything that promotes space travel is okay with me. I hate that poachers are so prevalent now that on Expeditions Unknown (a science type show) they showed the guards that must watch the preserves to prevent poachers and they use heavy artillery as the poachers are also armed. It's sad but money speaks louder to those who would decimate our animal species.

Jo said...

I have been supporting rhinos for a while now, or at least their preservation but it seems we are not doing too well. The yellow one is new on me but I had heard of Xenon.

Donna McDine said...

So sad about the rhinos! Maybe the hunter should become the hunted!

messymimi said...

The tragedy is rhino horn is just keratin, no better able to assist you to good health than my fingernail clippings!

i b arora said...

a great quote, thanks for sharing

Tasha Duncan-Drake said...

I'm almost keeping up :) I'm being on replying to comments on my own blog, I've been trying to visit other blogs instead. I can't believe it's almost over. Remove the "horns" of the men caught poaching - that might make them think twice about going after Rhino.
Tasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)

Patricia Stoltey said...

I don't know how to save the rhinos, but I do know it would be a terrible tragedy to lose any more of the amazing animals, birds, etc. that occupy this earth. Except those black hairy spiders...they can go.

Courtney said...

Not just rhinoceros horn but ivory demand is causing elephant extinction. Ivory is also popular in the Philippines. Ok, there was a radical story on RadioLab which I'll find let's see...www.radiolab.org/story/rhino-hunter - this is a radical solution to find ways to raise $ for animal protection. if you have time. Maui Jungalow