GLOBAL PROCRASTINATION

The Economist has printed an article that is unusually important, even for the Economist..  No, it’s not about Donald Trump or COVID 19.  It’s about climate change and what we humans conceivably might do about it.  If you are a serious person, or even a non-serious person with self-quarantine time on your hands , you absolutely should read this article. No excuses!

https://www.economist.com/schools-brief/2020/05/09/humanitys-immense-impact-on-earths-climate-and-carbon-cycle

THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH

OUR MINDLESS ENEMY

Somewhere in the Bible occur the words “Go forth, be fruitful and multiply”.  Elsewhere in the same Book we are informed that “the meek will inherit the Earth”.  Well, not so far.  We (Homo sapiens) have until now dominated, if not inherited, the earth, but we are far from meek, especially as observed from the standpoint of other species.  Now, as very often previously, we are smack up against a biological entity that would like to exterminate us.  Not with our new coronavirus virus, nor with its earlier cousins, has the virus kingdom come close to eliminating humanity, but it is possible to imagine such an event.  But in no way can any virus inherit the earth;  a virus absolutely requires foreign biological cells to reproduce.  That’s right: viruses don’t have sex, and they don’t have babies.  So if in the future an uber virus managed to kill all of us, and all the animals besides, it would thereby absolutely doom itself to extinction!  And then the plant kingdom would survive and inherit the earth.

Or are there viruses that attack plants?

COAL MINES UNDER BELLINGHAM

BLUE CANYON MINE

A long time ago

Here is a fascinating history of coal mining in Bellingham, related by George Mustoe, recently retired from WWU Geology.  George is a widely recognized authority on paleo-botany, as well as a mining historian.  He recently addressed the local historical society, resulting in a video you all should watch – and not only because it features your favorite geophysicist in a brilliant cameo role.

To watch the video, Google “Whatcom Coal”, and then click on the link featuring George.

You may think that coal mining is a dull subject – but with George Mustoe’s help you will discover otherwise.

ALSO SPRACH the ECONOMIST

Linda and Murphy wait for Santa Claus

Here is an article all should read, especially people supporting Bernie and/or Liz.

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2019/02/14/millennial-socialism?utm_campaign=subscriber-thankyou-retention&utm_medium=email&utm_source=salesforce-marketing-cloud&utm_content=body-text-link&utm_term=2019-12-26

THE MYSTERY OF UKRAINE

                        My latest great grandchild Hugo Wilde Wiese

Nothing to do with this blog, but

Pretty cute, huh?

Where is Hunter Biden when I need him?  I need someone to advise me as to why so many Ukrainians suddenly are interested in my high school career.  Maybe Rudy Giuliani could help.  Anyway – my Frivolities blogs Memoirs 5 and 6 have suddenly aroused inexplicably great interest in the Ukrainian blogosphere – to the tune of 72 hits today, and even more yesterday.  You would think they had more pressing things to do, what with a war with Russian, Donald Trump, and all.  But, I guess not.

Maybe they just like this picture, of Queenie (Terri Kaiser) and  from Memoir 6.  We were high school prom King and Queen. 67 years ago..

FOR THE HOLIDAYS: A GOOD PERSON

LINDA WITH HER GREAT NEPHEWS

Nothing to do with the blog.

I just liked the picture

For lack of other time-destroying activities, recently I have been fooling around with genealogy, largely through the agency of 23andMe, a DNA outfit.  I had hoped to find interesting or useful family members; Bill Gates, say, or maybe Bernie Sanders.  So far, no luck, but it’s been fun. 

However, through a Google accident I just ran on somebody I REALLY wish was on my family tree (see below).

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/scientist-who-helped-develop-ovarian-cancer-drug-donates-profits/

If you have followed my ovarian cancer blog you might recall several occasions when I cynically referred to a “normal” progression of biomedical research:  make a discovery, set up a company to exploit it, sell out to Big Pharma, buy a Lamborghini.  Well, that surely doesn’t apply to Dr. Nicola Curtin.  Dr. Curtin – I wish you were at least my 2^nd cousin!

By the way – if ambient affairs, local, national, global are getting just too depressing – click on this:

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ 

MY Favorite beast

Cute, don't you think?

The llama (pronounced “yahma, for those of you from Borrego Springs) is nearly my favorite beast.  They are soft, docile, dumb-looking, and covered with soft wool from which one can make excellent rugs and ponchos.  It often is said that their only means of self-defense is a mouthful of warm spit, but that isn’t exactly true; they can rise up on their hind legs and deliver a nasty blow using their sharp little front hooves.  Nevertheless, they are no candidate for guard-animals.  They are a lot more like sheep than wolves.

Nevertheless they are far from helpless: I once got a large glob of warm camel-spit in my face in Ecuador when I got to close to one.  It wasn’t at all pleasant!

But because in most respects llamas are so charming, they are now being used as comfort-animals in places like nursing homes.  ‘Bout time.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/14/well/live/llama-therapy-nursing-homes-elderly-seniors-hospitals-pet-therapy.html