The gun death epidemic that has plagued the United States has us all wondering about both its causes and potential solutions. And Lord knows, there is no lack of suspects. Here’s the first part of singer-songwriter Cheryl Wheeler’s masterpiece from 1997 “If It Were Up To Me,” long before the newest school of red herrings arrived on the scene, e.g., antidepressants and video games. (more…)
The author of this meme says it so well. Getting rid of the driver is far less desirable than getting rid of the oil that’s causing everything from war to climate change to lung cancer.
The problem lies, however, in the first line, “I don’t want…..” It doesn’t matter a damn what you or I want. You don’t get what you want; you get what you are given, and the only reason you’re given something is that a mega-corporation is making a fortune selling it to you.
A tidbit for today from the Writer’s Almanac: On this date in 1859, petroleum was discovered in Titusville, Pennsylvania. It’s been called “the most important oil well ever drilled” because it marked the beginning of the modern petroleum age. Petroleum had been discovered elsewhere, of course, but this was the first well successfully drilled in search of the stuff….. Until the Texas oil boom of 1901, Pennsylvania was responsible for half of the world’s production of oil, and it spawned the motor oil brands Pennzoil and Quaker State. (more…)
I had the pleasure of meeting a local fire fighter recently. Out in the country, that means wildfires, and out in this particular part of the country (Santa Barbara County) that means you’re a very busy fellow, because, in the last decade, we’ve become world famous for the enormous frequency and scale of our fires. At left and below is the Whittier Fire that turned my favorite hiking spot into a cinder two summers ago. (more…)
Emerson wrote, “Nothing great ever happened without enthusiasm,” and that’s a concept that’s certainly not lost on this little girl.
Averting the collapse of our world’s ecosystems is going to require hard work on everyone’s part, so why not enjoy it?
“He is the only one who seeks to punish Iran, to increase sanctions. All the others are searching for a solution.” #G7
Here’s an illustration of the difference between the present-day U.S. and the rest of the world: where everyone else is looking for solutions to international problems, we’re looking for a solution to Trump’s disapproval rating and the threat it poses for his re-election. (more…)
Traveling to Greenland and watching glaciers fall apart must be a life-changing experience. For those of us who must content ourselves with videos, I offer this.
We live in a time of environmental upheaval, and the survival of our civilization hinges on our reaction to it.
Question: In what time period of American history was the photo at the left taken, featuring the Ku Klux Klan at the courthouse in Hillsborough, North Carolina? What are the current trends in hate crime in America? (more…)
As we look back at the life of David Koch and come to understand the extent of the damage he inflicted on the planet and the people who live on it, we begin to see this in strange new ways.
From the NY Times: Charles G. Koch announced the death in a statement, which noted that David Koch had been treated for prostate cancer in the past (and eventually died from it). (more…)
Here’s what the largest European cities are doing to reduce the impact of automotive transportation, and it’s having some extremely positive impacts.
Great stuff.
What would you like to see in your city?
