LATEST BLOG POSTS

I recently was invited to speak to grade school children about great physicists. The teacher asked me to speak about Newton, Einstein, and Hawking. Since I didn’t have any personal connections to Isaac Newton, I focused on Einstein and Hawking, since I knew people who knew them. I love knowing that I know someone who knew some of the most influential, famous people who lived, whose work was mind-blowing. Though[…] Keep reading →

I’m doing a reading NEXT MONDAY, December 2, on Zoom. it’s free. Registration is in the email announcement copied below. Or just click here: Register! If you didn’t know, I took a writing workshop that helped me  write my book. The workshop leader, AJ, cowrites with podcast guest Mike Michalowicz, bestsellers like Profit First. AJ’s community is wonderful, especially if you’ve ever though of writing a book. I’ll read some[…] Keep reading →

The New York Times wrote a piece “Ozempic Could Crush the Junk Food Industry. But It Is Fighting Back” that reported people happy with results that I’ve found from living more sustainably. Except my way didn’t cost me anything, trade one dependence for another, or risk any side effects. It didn’t require willpower either. People think it did, but I think they just don’t know how to change habits without[…] Keep reading →

This week I finished: A People’s History of the United States, by Howard Zinn: This book came out swinging, on Columbus, and kept on punching. In my opinion, every American would benefit from reading this book. If you believe government should solve social problems, this book will bring depth and history to help you understand your cause. If you believe government shouldn’t get into an individual’s business, you’ll see how[…] Keep reading →

Want to know the reason I I wrote yesterday about how relying on solar power connects me to nature and makes me humble to it? Because we’re approaching the winter solstice. Despite a PhD in astrophysics that included helping build a satellite still taking data in orbit, I’m learning more about astronomy and many other parts of nature today. I’m not yet at the level of ancient Babylonians or Mayans,[…] Keep reading →

So-called Christmas trees have nothing to do with Jesus being born in Bethlehem and everything to do with pagan holidays, as I write about every year, for example in You Don’t Need a “Christmas” Tree—a pagan tradition. A reminder of the waste you can avoid, and other posts. We changed traditions to this needless one of cutting down trees and dumping them into landfills. We can change from it. Here[…] Keep reading →

“How long does it take to charge your battery?” asks nearly everyone who sees me charging my solar panels, such as the guy in this picture: After a few times answering what they asked, I realized people have no idea what the numbers mean. If I tell them in full sunlight the battery charges in four hours, they don’t know what the battery can then charge. I didn’t know before[…] Keep reading →

When people learn I pick up litter daily, many respond with a knee-jerk suggestion I be careful because the litter could be laced with fentanyl or could give me AIDS. I would ask where this nonsense comes from except that I know it’s their fears based on preconceptions. They can’t possibly imagine I don’t know about fentanyl and AIDS. They can’t imagine they’re helping me. I mean, they’d be fools[…] Keep reading →

Do you have too much hair on your head and want to pull it all out? Here’s how to do it: try to get an addict in denial to seriously acknowledge their addiction. I’m overstating it, of course, but talking to people who fly, buy SUVs, consume more doof than they like, buy fast fashion, and are stuck in other addictions will say anything, contort any meaning, deny, obfuscate, and[…] Keep reading →