By Carl Kruse For some years now whenever Martin Luther King Day comes around I’ve made it a point to re-read his “Letter From A Birmingham Jail.” I sit down to briefly pay respect to the man and commune with some of his thought. That, and to give myself a jolt of moral fortitude during … [Read more…]
by Carl Kruse It was on January 16, 2018 that Eugene Cernan — the Apollo 17 commander and last astronaut to walk on the moon — left our world. Cernan was famous for saying, “Dream the impossible and make it happen. I walked on the moon. What can’t you do?” What can’t you do indeed … [Read more…]
A Study of the inherence of altruism in us by Hazel Anna Rogers Why be kind? I have dwelled long over this statement, questioning why it is that I specifically choose not to allow egoism to cloud my everyday judgements. It seems logical that I should wish to advance myself and pursue my own avaricious … [Read more…]
by Fraser Hibbitt It is not difficult to imagine that somewhere in our galaxy there is a planet like ours. A planet suited for life. The unimaginably vast, mind-boggling space outside our solar system always makes one wonder about other life out there. And extra-terrestrial life likely begins on a planet. This is what Dr. … [Read more…]
By Asia Leonardi The story of Heinrich Schliemann and his discovery of Troy, has all the elements of a children’s adventure novel and gives archeology that passionate and not very academic character that feeds the dreams of kids at that tender age when they fantasize about their future. Schliemann was born on January 6, 1822, … [Read more…]
SOBR and His Dancing Silhouettes by Hazel Anna Rogers I grew up dancing. I started in ballet, which I quit at around the age of 12, but took up again after a stint of street dance in my early teen years. When I moved to Leeds at 18, I began regularly dancing at a Freestyle … [Read more…]
Those who follow my blog know I love to celebrate the seasons, much as humanity has celebrated seasons since time immemorial. I always try to get an ode in to the season du jour, be it fall, winter, spring or summer, and revel in the ebb and flow of nature, perhaps more introspectively during fall, … [Read more…]
In the midst of the cultural brouhaha I wrote a recent article on whether to honor Confederate generals (we should not), but today received an image of a decapitated Christopher Columbus that hit closer home. As someone who grew up in Puerto Rico, an island Columbus landed on, whose first governor was Juan Ponce de … [Read more…]
By Carl Kruse Most of us wonder when looking at the sky – into the infinite vastness of space — if there could be intelligent life out there, other beings we could communicate with, learn from, or even meet one day. In spite of decades of Hollywood films depicting E.T.s we have yet to find … [Read more…]
It was in April 25, 1953 when Watson, Crick, and Wilkins published their seminal paper on DNA and today a group of us crazy people celebrate what that knowledge has done for human well-being. Happy DNA Day! We covered last year’s DNA Day in another blog post and this year we return to give it … [Read more…]
The icy mountains of Norway are the perfect hideyhole for preserving anything important against time, the elements, maybe even alien invasion. The Svalbard Seed Vault, which we talked about here and also here, isn’t the only cool archival project in the region. Surrounded by glaciers, permafrost, and polar bears, GitHub is readying to store valuable … [Read more…]
In 2008, Norway gifted the world the Svalbard Seed Vault, also known as the “Doomsday Vault.” This self-sustaining facility, carved into a mountainside and surrounded by permafrost, protects heirloom seeds from future apocalyptic conditions. The idea is if we ever need to restart society these precious plant species will not be lost and our food … [Read more…]
The advance of our science begets knowledge — and control — of our environment, so much so we often seem not of this world but above it. Grand masters. But there’s no escaping we are part of nature and sometimes it’s a microscopic thing like the corana virus that reminds us of how intimately we … [Read more…]
Six Poems By Otho Campbell Presented by Carl Kruse “No good deed goes unpunished,” is just one of Murphy’s laws. The golden rule: A fantasy, like elves and Santa Claus. People take advantage of the kindness you commit. Jean Valjean would just buy drugs, with the bishop’s candle sticks. The road to hell, as we … [Read more…]
I wrote about Giving Tuesday last year and this year I do it again. For those who wonder at the idea of a Giving Tuesday or Giving Wedensday, rest easy knowing that Giving Whenever is usually a good time indeed. Pick your favorite person or charity, show them some love. The truism that you cannot … [Read more…]