Ever stumble across something — even something you’ve not thought much about — and then suddenly see it everywhere around you? This strange stumbling-into-obsession has caught me in the last couple of weeks with the concept of consciousness. What the hell? What is it? When do we have it? When do we have too muchContinue reading ““Biology we haven’t discovered yet””
Author Archives: Kit Stolz
“There will be no food in Puerto Rico”
…for a year or more, says an orchard owner who saw every one of his thousands of his trees killed in a matter of hours. From the New York Times, well down the front page, far below the latest Twitter tweetstorm: “Sometimes when there are shortages, the price of plantain goes up from $1 toContinue reading ““There will be no food in Puerto Rico””
Greatest hurricane movie ever? Key Largo
Key Largo has to be the greatest hurricane movie ever, and one of starriest pictures of all time. The cast will knock you out: Beginning with Bogart and Bacall, and including Lionel Barrymore, Claire Trevor and Edgar G. Robinson, for crying out loud, who dominates the picture as a gangster threatened by the power ofContinue reading “Greatest hurricane movie ever? Key Largo”
Toles on climate denial in the White House
The great Tom Toles has been struggling a bit (it seems to me) with the obdurate nature of this White House, but found a way to make a climate point amusingly today…as 1.4 million in Florida face evacuation. Californians shouldn’t be crowing: Superfloods happen here too.
Trail signs along the PCT: Section Q
Just have to say that the trail signs in Section Q — the Marble Mountains — in the far north of California were the best (that is, most Zen) that I have seen along the length of California. They deserve remembering in their own right, so here goes: Next day I after about 5 orContinue reading “Trail signs along the PCT: Section Q”
last morning in California
I’ve now been hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in sections since 2012, and have reached Oregon. I’ve been sorely remiss in posting of my progress, which I regret, and will in some measure redress. For the sake of beauty at this site if no other. This shot comes from my last morning in California, asContinue reading “last morning in California”
Thoreau: Craving Reality
The New York Review of Books posts in its entirety a spectacular essay from Robert Pogue Harrison, this time on Thoreau on his centennial birthday, and en or so books and exhibits about The True American. Thoreau (to my blinkered view) is that exceedingly rare writer/philosopher capable of seeing afresh the most fundamental elements ofContinue reading “Thoreau: Craving Reality”
Dear Sam Shepherd I miss you already
One of the most American of us all died yesterday. Sam Shepherd, I miss you today. In tribute, let me quote a short piece from his countless marvelous writings. This one happens to be about hisContinue reading “Dear Sam Shepherd I miss you already”
The genius of a place: Vaclav Cilek
Mesmerized to have stumbled upon a Czech geologist/climatologist/essayist/philosopher of place, via the great Robert MacFarlane, quoted here. Vaclav Cilek sees the spirit of landscapes, or rather, sees the possibility of seeing the spirit, the true nature, the inner workings of landscapes (an idea with which he’s comfortable, having spent years cataloguing caves in and aroundContinue reading “The genius of a place: Vaclav Cilek”
The Lions of Ventura County
Let me post (with some pride) my cover story this week in the Ventura County Reporter, on mountain lions, which benefitted enormously from pictures donated to the cause of the cougar by the National Park Service. Here’s the cover: How could you not love P-19? And here’s the story. THE TRUTH ABOUT BIG CATS |Continue reading “The Lions of Ventura County”
Kit Stolz 