The Revenant, the most spectacularly cinematic contender for Best Picture in years, did not take home that particular Oscar at the Academy Awards presentation this past Sunday, but it remains a massive world-wide hit, far bigger than “Spotlight,” won three other major awards — best director, best actor, and best cinematographer — and will almostContinue reading “The Revenant: from the bear’s POV”
Monthly Archives: February 2016
Wishing and Hoping (for El Niño in SoCal)
El Niño has been a no-show in Southern California this year, despite endless fall warnings of a Godzilla event (including those transmitted by yours truly). So what happened? Short version, according to a post put up on the Weather West blog by the wise young Daniel Swain of Stanford, is we don’t know — butContinue reading “Wishing and Hoping (for El Niño in SoCal)”
Scalia passing: Quail react (via Samantha Bee)
Samantha Bee has a new show on the television, called Full Frontal, about which I know nothing, but this post from her on the passing of Antonin Scalia from the perspective of quail in Texas is pretty hilarious. One example, from a bird labeled simply “Quail.” Quail “As a quail, I’m a firm believer inContinue reading “Scalia passing: Quail react (via Samantha Bee)”
A prayer for the earth: Pope Francis
On Valentine’s Day, one can’t overlook (well, one can, but shouldn’t) love for the earth from which we came. From “Praise Be” from Pope Francis, a prayer for the earth [passage 178]: A prayer for our earth All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. You embraceContinue reading “A prayer for the earth: Pope Francis”
Storm denial: what forecasters couldn’t mention
Coincidentally two stories this week focused on how in the past scientists were not allowed to name certain types of storms. Dr. Jeff Masters, of Weather Underground fame, writes about the Great Dust Bowl, and reveals that many attempts — and many successful attempts — were made to control the reporting of the news. WritingContinue reading “Storm denial: what forecasters couldn’t mention”
“Ominous” news: CA faces megadrought
In a major study released today by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, scientists identify a climactic mechanism that increasingly appears to be blocking the kinds of storms that carry the most rain and snow from reaching California and the Southwest. From NCAR’s press release: “For the study, the researchers analyzed 35 years of dataContinue reading ““Ominous” news: CA faces megadrought”
Kit Stolz 