I’ve written before on the poor dialog I’ve seen on the environment, ecology, and economy. Almost everyone seems to promote an agenda or not know what they’re talking about. Today I found a blog called Do the Math that compares with the book Limits to Growth in treating those topics thoroughly and intelligently. It covers the issues as I would, but in much more depth than I could, clearly explaining[…] Keep reading →

This NY TImes article on North Korea and its environment, Q. and A.: North Korea’s Choked Environment, reminded me of other routes to create bonds and understanding with North Korea — nature and science. The article describes the current environmental situation there, some history, and how a conference on it went. Since the Korean War North Korea has lost trees, exacerbated by famine, mismanagement, flooding, and so on. Everybody gains[…] Keep reading →

Nearly everyone who has eaten with me in my neighborhood knows Benny’s Burritos is my favorite place (though they took my favorite dish off the menu again — the bowl of vegetarian chili). Spring must be here because they put the outdoor tables out. This patron, Winston, was too cute not to take his picture. Maybe it’s not what I normally blog about but can you really complain?

Burpees and rowing indoors are great, but nothing beats getting up early and running in the morning sun with 60 degree light breezes. Freedom — what life is about. Especially for the first time in the spring. (I still did my daily burpees anyway, of course.)

Yesterday I wrote on what power is. Today let’s look at status, again because I find the more precisely you understand a concept, the better you can use it. Status is important. Nearly everybody wants to have a higher status. Nobody wants to have the lowest status. So what is status? I came across this definition that works well for me. It doesn’t work as well as yesterday’s definition of[…] Keep reading →

A lot of people equate a depressed economy with emotional depression. The two uses of “depress” have nothing to do with each other. They can, if you connect them, but they don’t have to. If feel connected to you, they do because you connected them. But you can just as well make yourself happy or unhappy when business is growing or shrinking. Economic depressions don’t make you depressed. Nor do[…] Keep reading →

The New Yorker has a piece this week on E. O. Wilson and others on current debate in evolutionary psychology and altruism. Online only has the summary, so you’ll have to buy a copy, but I expect quality from the magazine. E. O. Wilson published a fictional story on ants I found enjoyable and educational in the New Yorker himself a couple years ago. I saw Wilson speak and got[…] Keep reading →

I’ve noticed many of my values differ from what I see in mainstream American culture. See how yours differ too. What I call mainstream may differ from what you call mainstream and at times I deliberately overstate the mainstream American view to parody it. Category “Mainstream” American view (oversimplified) Josh’s view (oversimplified) Jobs Horrible way to waste your time. A necessary evil we have to endure. A source of challenges[…] Keep reading →

I love this representation of the size of things in the universe so much I have to link to it, even though I prefer to post things that I created more of. Please check it out and play with it. (EDIT: alternative link) It’s an updated, interactive, unnarrated version of the great educational 1968 short film, the Powers of Ten. I think the movie and interactive representation show some of[…] Keep reading →