Indoor Farming

“Agriculture faces multiple challenges. Climate change is leading to more drought, flooding, and extreme heat. At the same time, as the global population grows, demand is quickly growing.”                                       ~ Jonathan Webb per Adele Peters          Farming indoors isn’t new. The ant farms and turtle bowls we had as kids evolved in the ‘60’s into terrariums, […]

No Shit, Sherlock?

It’s noticeable lots of places, but I am most sensitive to it when on a road trip. For example, on the Interstate across southern Idaho that follows the Salmon River through sage plains and various agricultural enterprises scattered around the small towns — I notice it. I also used to notice it when driving across […]

Myths and Lies

Hercules. The Scarlet Pimpernel. Paul Bunyan and Babe, his Blue Ox. Pecos Bill. Robin Hood and his Merry Men. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Santa Claus and his reindeer. The Easter Bunny. Bigfoot (Yeti). The Kraken. Albino alligators in the New York City sewers. UFO’s. We mostly believe or at least, […]

The Myth of Peak Stuff

“Scientists say the weight of human-made objects will likely exceed that of living things by the end of the year.”                                                 ~ Helen Briggs A good friend warned me years ago about peak oil, when the production of oil from the Earth reached its peak, and the amount of oil remaining would continuously decline, exacerbating […]

Back to Nature

“Bury me not, on the lone prairie.”                                                 ~ The Cowboy’s Lament It was a lonely grave, no other markers or structures nearby. An old board, with flaked paint almost obscuring the message, stood upright in the desert at the base of Utah’s Book Cliffs. Maybe it had been some cowboy riding the lonely range […]

Immigrants

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,With conquering limbs astride from land to land;Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall standA mighty woman with a torch, whose flameIs the imprisoned lightning, and her nameMother of Exiles. From her beacon-handGlows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes commandThe air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. “Keep, ancient lands, […]

Fake News: Fact or Fiction?

“Science fiction’s appeal lies in combination of the rational, the believable, with the miraculous. It is an appeal to the sense of wonder.”                                                  – David Hartwell per Wikipedia I’m a sci-fi fan and have been aware that there are two types of sci-fi: hard science fiction and speculative fiction. According to Wikipedia, it seems that […]