Author Archives: Kit Stolz

Then (by Gary Snyder)

April was poetry month. I didn’t take enough advantage. Here’s one for May. From Gary Snyder, and his book of uncollected poems called Left Out in the Rain: New Poems 1947-l985 THEN When everybody in the world has a carand nobody knows the smellpeople will be amazed at our carpentryall the deer in zoosthey’ll rememberContinue reading “Then (by Gary Snyder)”

Alexander Cockburn: Leftist Writer…and Denier

Alexander Cockburn, whom I grew up reading in the Village Voice decades ago, is a leftist, a Nader supporter, and a clever rhetorician, but–judging by this slab of denialism–a poor reporter. He takes one metaphor, which is the idea of carbon trading as a practice comparable to the Papal indulgences of sin, and one source–anContinue reading “Alexander Cockburn: Leftist Writer…and Denier”

Global Warming May Increase Atlantic Wind Shear: Break Up Hurricanes, Reports Study

"April 18:  Climate model simulations for the 21st century indicate a robust increase in wind shear in the tropical Atlantic due to global warming, which may inhibit hurricane development and intensification. Historically, increased wind shear has been associated with reduced hurricane activity and intensity." So reports Gabriel Vecchi and Brian Sobel in the Geophysical ResearchContinue reading “Global Warming May Increase Atlantic Wind Shear: Break Up Hurricanes, Reports Study”

A Thoughtful Conservative (really!) Contemplates an Environmental/Political Realignment

Rod Dreher, who edits the Dallas Morning News opinion page, and who last year published a wonderful book called Crunchy Cons, today posts a characteristically long, thoughtful, passionate discussion of how voters concerned about the environment may be in a mood to punish the Republican party. He’s not surprised and thinks such punishment may wellContinue reading “A Thoughtful Conservative (really!) Contemplates an Environmental/Political Realignment”

Why Can’t American Forecasters Be This Frank?

The New York Times reports record high temperatures in Europe: PARIS, April 30 — The month of April was so warm and so dry across Western Europe that it rewrote the weather record books in country after country, national weather services said today, as hot air masses from Africa and the effects of a changingContinue reading “Why Can’t American Forecasters Be This Frank?”

The Power of Beauty: Sunday Morning on the Planet

This month Sierra magazine features a photographer named Elizabeth Carmel. She’s a little different from the usual nature photographer, in that she uses digital technology, and freely works "to make images that match her memories." Some of her images are so spectacular they seem a little unreal, or "dreamlike," as the story puts it, butContinue reading “The Power of Beauty: Sunday Morning on the Planet”

Bush Administration “Flipping the Bird to the World,” says Former EPA Chief

That’s according to Christine Todd Whitman, the first EPA head for the Bush administration, who like European nations and many other fundamentallly decent folks, believed the Prez when he said on the campaign trail in 2000 that he would reduce CO2 emissions to control global warming. She blames Dick Cheney. On a tough-minded Frontline programContinue reading “Bush Administration “Flipping the Bird to the World,” says Former EPA Chief”

Bee News and Views

A couple of weeks ago, based on a small study (pdf) at Landau University in Germany, it was widely reported that cellphones were causing disorientation among bees and a collapse of bee colonies. The collapse of a high percentage of bee colonies around the country is real, but not unprecedented, and today–based on research rightContinue reading “Bee News and Views”