I have to comment. I was walking myself to school at four years old (about to turn five) for kindergarten. I had some of the best adventures. I can’t imagine growing up in the current culture of overprotection, choreographed time. Being bored? Fruitful. Always.
Went out in my old K95 COVID mask, to assess smoke this morning from the Frijoles fire (NM). Drove a bit to find this. Fire/Airnow says we’re at 200 at this spot. Minnesota saw over 1,000 on their PM2.5 AQI the other week. I can’t imagine five times this schmutz.
The Frijoles fire, east of Pojoaque and Española (NM), has gone from 20 acres yesterday morning to 200 acres today. Been watching a 10Tanker (DC-10) occasionally spreading retardant over the area.
This is a new fire site I had not been aware of until now. Bookmark it.
If you need something to salve the existential angst, I have a gift. The Man Who Planted Trees.
There can still be good in the world.
Given the severity of smoke in Minnesota and Canada (rating 929 on 1-500 EPA scale), maroon ratings are now relatively meaningless except for ‘extremely dangerous.’ The scale needs to be TRIPLED, with associated colors assigned and the increasing risks for health stated clearly.
Excuse me while I get nauseous. Even some Democratic media are hailing Lindsay Graham as being ‘principled’. The man came in with the “Contract with America” ideologues, and has been the leading sycophant in American politics since. Don’t laud a weasel. Hire Joe Pesci to play him in period flicks.
For the 38th time last week, the President waited until markets closed to announce ‘a deal’ that no parties mentioned know anything about.
Recent chuckle … a younger colleague was exclaiming over a wild looking ‘old airplane.’ I looked over his shoulder. A Lockheed Constellation. The first commercial airliner I ever took a trip on. And got vomitously ill in. I remember the odor of raw puke while looking at those awesome spinning props.
Dawn presages a day of much-needed moisture in New Mexico. iPhone 15 Max, Project Indigo app.
Ars is answering the question, “Do AI data centers use a large fraction of total U.S. water?”
Meanwhile, New Mexicans are asking: “Should we be building new water-intensive facilities in a state where the Rio Grande is DRY and we’ve not been able to meet downstream obligations SINCE 2020?”
I worked in Big Bend in 1978, walked its backcountry, and nearly died of dehydration after badly underestimating the desert. It’s a landscape that teaches with lethal honesty. The idea of carving roads and barriers is unnecessary, wanton destruction. I weep for Santa Elena Canyon. Guardian article.
Frighteningly dry in the wild canyon/forest areas of northern New Mexico. Normally, this grass is bursting green - no brown anywhere - and it should be knee-high, not ankle-biting length.
I was very heartened to see, on my recent flight from Minneapolis to Denver, that three (3) young 20- and 30-somethings in adjacent seats were sitting reading substantially thick physical books. One was even laughing at what they were reading.
There may be hope yet.
Social. “Algorithmic emotion markets.” Hmmm. Platforms monetize the ‘hottest’ of content.
Checking in via Ulysses
Ain’t been here in a while. Hooking up Ulysses App to see how simple it is. If you see this, that means I didn’t screw anything up.
Shake, shake, shake on thy birthday ...
Happy Birthday, Bill. I dream of the day I can come up with lines as beautifully wrought as: “Full fathom five thy father lies, of his bones are coral made. Those are pearls that were his eyes. Nothing of him that doth fade, but doth suffer a sea-change into something rich and strange.” — The Tempest Act 1, Scene 2