It's a little shocking to see experts turn aganst modern society, but it happens: Regarding smartphones, a NYTimes op-ed — Your Phone vs. Your Heart — argued that smartphones can alter our lives on a genetic level, for cryin' out loud. The human body — and thereby our human potential — is far more plasticContinue reading “Experts: Smartphones and sugarsaltfat are changing us”
Author Archives: Kit Stolz
The Control of Nature: Rachel Carson
Fascinating little known fact: Rachel Carson's last great book was called "Silent Spring," but the title she first chose for it was "The Control of Nature." She believed that humanity was making a huge mistake when it came to the world around us, applying chemicals recklessly to the natural world and to our foods, and,Continue reading “The Control of Nature: Rachel Carson”
Shepherd’s Pie: Two variations for the trail
The all-time best cookbook for backpackers, sez me, is a long out of print paperback called The Hungry Hiker's Book of Good Cooking, by Gretchen McHugh. Though it dates from l982, it's really from the l970's, complete with vaguely "Joy of Sex" illustrations, on brown paper. But my copy is dog-eared, written up, torn —Continue reading “Shepherd’s Pie: Two variations for the trail”
Climate change in court: Tom Toles
The inimitable Toles puts a monstrous storm in the dock. Any particular storm come to mind?
Back on the PCT: 100 miles, 100 miles, 100 miles…
With Chris Nottoli, getting back on the PCT for a bit. From the desert to the mountains, high above Palm Springs, and then down, down, down to I-10. Should be a little adventure. Hope to skip the snakes. Looks a little like this, a few miles to the south…. Take about a week. Will leaveContinue reading “Back on the PCT: 100 miles, 100 miles, 100 miles…”
How do you find your stories? Nancy Rommelman
Nancy Rommelman is a fascinating writer and an equaintance: she has a lovely column on the freelance (don't say free-fall) life here. A quote: How do you find your stories? "I sometimes find story ideas in the Metro section of the newspaper, one-inch items with headlines like, “Man Nails Girlfriend’s Fish to Floor.” The short-shriftContinue reading “How do you find your stories? Nancy Rommelman”
The fall of a mighty oak: The Guardian notices
Nothing against new style longform journalism, but let's give credit where credit is due to a tradional but awesome story from The Guardian on the greatest tree in Wales, and how it fell (but could possibly have been saved). No one knew quite how old it was because it had lost its heartwood, but MichaelContinue reading “The fall of a mighty oak: The Guardian notices”
Want to boycott Koch Bros. products? There’s an app…
The 21st century has another technological moment. Yesterday a new application for mobile phones was released. It can reveal to a shopper with a smartphone what products profit the fossil fuel billionaires the Koch brothers. The app, called Buycott, is eighteen months in the making, and actually is designed to reveal the corporate structures behindContinue reading “Want to boycott Koch Bros. products? There’s an app…”
Vorticity: Sandy turns on New York and New Jersey
Superstorm Sandy as seen in graphics based on the storm: Spooky beautiful. [Fascinating post by Andrew Freedman with great videos from Mel Shapiro and team.] In the vernacular, Shapiro remarked to an interviewer at the US funded research station NCAR: Then, a few hours before landfall, Sandy began a sharp curve toward the west, moving toward the heartContinue reading “Vorticity: Sandy turns on New York and New Jersey”
Live from the Pliocene: 400 ppm in 2013
As has been reported everywhere, one earthly species has changed the climate here on earth, driving warming CO2 levels (briefly) to 400 parts per million. When was the last time this happened? As Climate Central reported on May 3, there is no single, agreed-upon answer to when CO2 concentrations were last at this level, as studiesContinue reading “Live from the Pliocene: 400 ppm in 2013”
Kit Stolz 