The newest GM holiday commercial features a young-ish couple living in an extravagant home. For Christmas, the husband surprises his wife with matching gas-guzzling Acadia SUVs for Christmas. The only dilemma is that she wants the darker-colored vehicle, which is the one he wants. Spoiler: she gets what she wants. There is just so much wrong…
A massive federal climate change report that was due next month is out today. It warns of devastating health and economic costs to the US. …
“Last year, shoppers spent $7.9 billion on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday. An additional $6.59 billion was dropped on Cyber Monday. This year, Black Friday sales alone are expected to jump to $9.1 billion.” Source Can you guess where most of that stuff came from and how it got here? Nearly everything sold on Black Friday comes from Asia,…
Whenever I see huge cargo ships, as I do often up here, I wonder where they came from, what is on them, and where the stuff goes after it arrives at an American port. I am also fascinated by how many ships come into a port and how many are traveling on the open ocean at…
I love the curiosity that resides in human minds and leads to new and interesting statistics. Curiosity compelled several researchers to determine how much our “stuff” weighs. You know, our books, kitchen ware, toys, clothes, bins of stuff in the garage and everything else we own. Here is what researchers at the University of Leicester…
I am flirting again with the issue of needs vs. wants as the ability to satisfy my wants shrinks. Needs should be as simple as food, shelter, clothing. In our complicated culture, basic needs include insurance, cell phone service, gasoline and more. Everything else, though, is a want. Our consumer culture has created the relentless desire…
I continue to read and listen to John Muir’s books. Although he sometimes lingers too long describing rock formations or reciting scientific names of the wildlife and flowers, when he focuses on his adventures in the wilderness, especially his interactions with others, I am captivated. I also enjoy reading about his nature-based spirituality. Muir found…