[Richard Heinberg is my kinda guy, because he obsesses about things like gas-powered leaf blowers, but also because he is not afraid to dig deep into full lifecycle analysis. Everyone wants the quick fix, the easy solution, the immediate gratification. Air is polluted? Easy-squeezy. Put solar panels on the roof and buy an electric car... Continue Reading →
Universe 25
[We know it in our bones. Something weird is going on with the species, just as something weird is going on with the climate. However, "what it is ain't exactly clear" (tip of the hat to Stephen Stills). This experiment of Universe 25, apparently scientifically valid, presents a horrifying indication of what might be happening... Continue Reading →
Dog versus Cat people
[Suggested by SB Babs. The world is divided into two distinct groups of people. People who love the Grateful Dead/People who hate the Grateful Dead; people who toast their marshmallows/people who burn their marshmallow; Yankees/Red Sox; toilet paper towards the wall/toilet paper away from the wall. And the list goes on. SB SM] by Zoe... Continue Reading →
When a Tree Falls
The Outside Story If a Tree Falls in the Woods, It Creates Opportunity By Declan McCabe In May of this year, when a cottonwood measuring nearly 3 ½ feet in diameter and more than 100 feet tall fell across a trail in the Saint Michael’s College Natural Area, I saw the event less as a... Continue Reading →
Winter Light
[Remember Hygge? Same idea. It's November 9. We brought the patio furniture outside and woke up to snow this morning. Snow tires scheduled for tomorrow morning. Don't fight it. You won't win. SB SM] How to light the dark months, a manifesto for winter light KATHERINE MAY OCT 6, 2023 http://How to light the dark... Continue Reading →
BAD NEWS ABOUT MUSEUMS
[I'm beginning to feel the same way about museum as I feel about zoos. I used to love them, but now I find them offensive symbols of exploitation and repression. If you want to see a gorilla, get your ass over to Africa and observe them in their native habitat. Don't pay a poacher to... Continue Reading →
Best of the ‘Gest … Lessons from a Baby Opossum
by Susan Shea Years ago, when I worked at a nature center in Connecticut licensed to care for injured and orphaned wildlife, a baby opossum was brought to us. It was found lying on a golf course, and was too young to be on its own. We named the opossum Alice and estimated it was... Continue Reading →
A Matter of Taste
[During Covid one of the most common, and most lamented, symptoms was the loss of the sense of taste. What is life without flavor? A tip of the hat to SB Babs for sourcing this. SB SM] https://www.iflscience.com/the-neurology-of-taste-how-your-brain-perceives-flavor-71159?mc_cid=7410882d38&mc_eid=decec35ea6 The Neurology Of Taste: How Your Brain Perceives Flavor by Laura Simmons The tongue is only the... Continue Reading →
Best of the ‘Gest …‘Masterdating’
To quote Mel Brooks from Blazing Saddles "Work-work-work-work ... work-work-work-work." SB Sandy and I are currently in Turin (Torino), Italy where we are scouring the surrounding vineyards for new Silverbacks. We found this one, Silverback Nebbiano, in a local caffee at aperitivo time. Work-work-work-work ... work-work-work-work. Back in early November. SB SM] [I've always been... Continue Reading →
Best of the ‘Gest … The Power of Hope
[This is one of those Facebook things, but since it was posted by a friend who is also a doctor, I thought it was worth checking out. And ... it's a real study. So, I will continue in my quest to become a rock star, because I've always wanted to turn my back on fame... Continue Reading →