That giant iceberg that split off from Antarctica over a year ago and was heading on a collision course with South Georgia Island has changed course and begun to break up. Looks like it’s not going to collide with the island after all. https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Is_this_the_end_of_the_A-68A_iceberg
Francis Scott Key began his 1814 poem to America with “Oh say can you see by the dawn’s early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming, …” How many of us knew of the perilous threat looming over our democracy when dawn arrived on that January day set aside … More The War of 2021
This seems to be the main rationale for the current craze to deport illegal or “undesirable” immigrants. See my op-ed in the News and Observer for January 20, 2018, reprinted below: ——- The Director of Homeland Security, Kirstjen M. Nielsen, announced on January 8, 2018, the end of Temporary Protected Status for an estimated 200,000 … More We’re Americans and They’re Not
Published a short story, my first fiction piece, in the Spring 2017 issue of Razor Literary Magazine, a literary magazine exploring the creative process with support from The Mellon Foundation and the Digital Humanities program at Gustavus Adolphus College. Enjoy! Swimming laps, hitting one wall, then the other, back and forth repeatedly, reminded me of … More Swimming Without Walls
Recently came across this quote from T.S. Eliot’s 1942 poem, Little Gidding, and thought it a wonderful description of the scientific endeavor. “We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time.” —T.S. Eliot
Des Latham explores the evolution of definitions for the term “aviation” from 1934 until 2015, and includes the 1934 meaning of “aviator.” As a bonus you find out why the word “avigation” was invented. A nice end-of-the-year aviation post. Whether you fly for business, fun, or out of necessity, and regardless of where you sit, … More A referral…
I converged on the compact four-door approaching the Kroger parking lot entrance. It slowed, perhaps a bit more than conditions warranted, and the license plate on the Chevy came into focus. “WW II Veteran” lined the plate’s left side. At first glance, the Chevy driver’s slim, trim face appeared a bit young to be the … More WW II VETERAN, December 28, 2015
Francis Scott Key wrote lines that most of us now repeat, or at least listen to, at nearly every sporting event we attend. For my wife, it’s her favorite part of any football game. Okay, she’s not a fan of football nor of standing around in cold, rainy weather, but you’ll still find her standing … More Conquering our fears while that star-spangled banner yet waves
Double-crested cormorants have returned to the Apex Reservoir. It’s not that they’ve been absent for any period of time, it’s just that a large flock has returned. I can see cormorants much of the year, but the more common sighting is of just a pair or two. But come December, the past two years at least, double-crested cormorants … More December’s Bird-of-the-Month: Double-crested cormorants
this view of earth 