From Dr. Jeff Masters’ Wunder Blog, posted by a hurricane watcher widely admired in the meterological community…"Including the damage done to Mexico, Wilma will probably be the second most costly hurricane of all time, next to Katrina." After producing more hurricanes than any other year on record, the 2005 season has run through the alphabetContinue reading “Wilma: “Only” a Category Two”
Author Archives: Kit Stolz
Biology: Enough to Scare Anybody
Another insta-classic from The Onion…
The Weather Where We Are: Spain
Javier Reverte, a Spanish writer, notes how the weather has changed in Madrid in his lifetime (excerpted from Granta, translated by Amanda Hopkinson): Throughout my childhood, adults would repeat ancient verses–all about the seasons–which, with remarkable frequency, would coincide with the actual forecasts made. "In January, a dog seeks out the shade" (frequent sunny spellsContinue reading “The Weather Where We Are: Spain”
No Wonder They’re Angry
Leftists such as Robert Scheer have been wondering out loud why the Republican Right is so upset with the Harriet Miers nomination. Miers may not be ""the brightest of buttons" (as Paul McCartney recently remarked about Yoko Ono–guess the reconciliation is off). But she adores the President, and has but taken a secret oath toContinue reading “No Wonder They’re Angry”
Sending a Message via the Polls
Yesterday I mentioned that the environment (love this planet, hate that word) is far more popular than so-called conservatives would have you believe. Only belatedly did I realize I hadn’t given any evidence for that claim. But there’s no doubt about it; in fact, it’s even more popular than I knew. On the local front,Continue reading “Sending a Message via the Polls”
Contrarian Round-Up
Though this writer comes to you from the left side of the dial, faithful readers will have noted an abiding interest in voices who defy the party line. Although politicized types on both sides sneer at independents and moderates, it is the undecided–or those who insist on being persuaded–who typically end up casting the decisiveContinue reading “Contrarian Round-Up”
Scientician of the Month
According to The Simpsons, a "scientician" is "a scientist with questionable credentials who publicly supports spurious hypotheses." It’s a wonderful word, but almost too mild for criminals like Dr. Gilbert Ross, who has testified that arsenic in pressure treated wood is harmless, that PCBs in fish are not a health risk, and who has doubtedContinue reading “Scientician of the Month”
The Useful Thing about Global Warming
Bill McKibben, who broke on to the national scene about ten years ago with his devastating account of "The End of Nature" (featured in The New Yorker) remains one of most incisive writers on enviro issues in this country today. Part of his skill is his ability to face hard facts, but still find alternativesContinue reading “The Useful Thing about Global Warming”
Is Human Kindness Surprising?
In Harper’s in September, Rebecca Solnit wrote that rare animal–a truly surprising essay. Published on the eve of Katrina’s landfall, and excerpted on the web, Solnit made at least three really thought-provoking points: First, that people who live through disasters often look back on them fondly. New Yorkers remember the blackouts that way. Solnit, whoContinue reading “Is Human Kindness Surprising?”
Toles vs. Toles
Tom Toles, an editorial cartoonist for the Washington Post, has a fascinating feature in which he publishes sketches of work he doesn’t finish and put into syndication. Given Toles’ brilliance, and the fact that he is the editorial cartoonist most interested in science and environmental issues, these sketches sometimes turn out to be quite wonderfulContinue reading “Toles vs. Toles”
Kit Stolz 