dueling black holes?!

Thanks to Chandra and the Chandra Photo Album, via Harvard: http://www.chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2009/ngc6240/   Wouldn't want to live in this neighborhood:

more on healthy life extension

See: Living to 100 will be common in developed nations, study says from the Boston Globe, referring to recent research, to be published in The Lancet..

Snippet:

Danish specialists say that since the 20th century, people in developed countries are living about three decades longer than in the past. Surprisingly, the trend shows little sign of slowing down.

Profound changes ahead in how we think about life, its stages, and and our own personal and long-term planning. We'll need to manage new risks associated with longevity.

following James Fallows blog

Always enjoyed reading his work in Atlantic, or the occasional book. Recently discovered his blog here:
http://jamesfallows.theatlantic.com/

He incorporated a reference to this article he wrote in 1993: How the World Works.   Timely for today, an analysis of economics (and capitalism) taking onto consideration the viewpoint of American and British economic orthodoxy, vs other points of view, particularly Friedrich List.

Saved here in part for future reference.

future exploration - Pillsbury State Park in NH

Perhaps we'll check this out, thanks to the Globe: Rugged beauty and solitude without a long hike.

NH Division of Parks and Recreation has this to say: Pillsbury State Park.

people who died

Jim Carroll joins his own list: 'Basketball Diaries' author Jim Carroll dies

I enjoyed his work back in the day.

update: Boing Boing posts an interview Jim Carroll did in 1987: http://www.boingboing.net/2009/09/14/jim-carroll-intervie.html

recently, in the White Mountains

the Presidentials, and Mt Pierce to be specific:

recently, in or near Camden Maine

Camden Maine, more or less.  A little bit of New Harbor as well. 

thinking about climate change

In the past I've tried to link to thoughtful information about climate change.   Here is more useful information and analysis that helps puts opinions like those of George Will in perspective.

From The Loom: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2009/07/23/george-wills-crack-fact-checkers-continue-their-nap/

monadnock 2009

From our yearly hike - July 4th this year.   White dot up, white cross down.

 

 

Another note - we talked to a fit guy who was doing four laps.   Bottom to top four times in one day.   Something to strive for?

deer and dogwoods

Did I mention we're annoyed about the deer eating our dogwoods?   Really annoyed?  Anyway, if you look closely, you will see her at work....  (Very closely)

recently, in Cambridge

recent wildlife sitings

It continues to be an active year for wildlife here, including some new visitors we haven't seen before.

1. Deer continue to be present, and they're annoying us due to their taste for our dogwoods.

2. We've sees a bluish-grey hummingbird checking out our upstairs and downstairs decks.  The cats are wild about it.

3. We've seen a Turkey and her 13 or 14 little turklets.
3a. But not recently.

4. We've seen a grey fox; first time ever.  Perhaps related to 3a.

mt greylock

Hiked some, CCC Dynamite trail was funky due to lots of fallen trees.  Cleared a bit.  Here are a few snaps:

recently, in or near London

Mostly in Kew Gardens or Hampstead Heath.

walked yesterday at Great Meadows

Here are a few photos:

Turtle, Mound (nest), Snake (look closely), Frog, and can anyone tell us if those are Grebes in the last picture?   [Update: Thanks to an alert commenter those aren't Grebes, but are American Coots.  Here is the Wikipedia entry to further confirm: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Coot - Thanks AlanB]

why progress is hard

This insightful blog post by Julian Sanchez  demonstrates, here in the context of climate change debates, why making ratonal progress in the public sphere can be so hard.

see: http://www.juliansanchez.com/2009/04/06/climate-change-and-argumentative-fallacies/

Money snippet:

Actually, I have a possible advantage here as a peddler of horseshit: I need only worry about what sounds plausible. If my opponent is trying to explain what’s true, he may be constrained to introduce concepts that take a while to explain and are hard to follow, trying the patience (and perhaps wounding the ego) of the audience.

challenges

found this (more or less) on the web:

"View all problems as challenges.
Look upon negativities that arise as opportunities to learn and to grow.
Don't run from them, condemn yourself, or bury your burden in saintly silence.
You have a problem? Great.
More grist for the mill. Rejoice, dive in, and investigate."

2009 panic and the future

From Seed, Bruce Sterling on Panic and 2009.  http://www.seedmagazine.com/news/2009/01/2009_will_be_a_year_of_panic.php

Seems to me that however we come out of this, things will be different for a time - new, lower benchmarks for consumer spending levels will be adopted, and some familiar brands never returning are just two examples.  For a time we will close the gap with the rest of the world in standard of living by stepping back towards the mean.  New models for heath care, particulary for long term care for the elderly will have to be identified because the current models are not sustainable.   However over time human nature being what it is new economic growth patters will emerge and the lessons of thie period will fade.