August 24, 2011
Tar Sands Suck
Come on, people! We can do better than tar sands-derived fuels. Seriously, the XL pipeline is a terrible idea; let’s keep that crap in Canada. Read about it. And don’t listen to those friendly faces on the TV. Get your own information.
August 23, 2011
A Rare East Coast Earthquake: Thoughts
And no, I’m not talking about the fact that Bennifer is preggers again.
Washington, DC, and pretty much everyone on the north portion of the East Coast felt the 5.8 earthquake today, which struck at 1:51 EST. I was stopped at a red light, on a busy Capitol Hill intersection, when my car started listing from left to right for many seconds. I noticed the building windows bending in and out, as if they had been rubberized. The intersection lights went out, and I saw people with blank expressions that said, “What is happening?”
I think I had a split-second feeling of another 9/11, but I quickly realized that this was an earthquake. (I say “think” because it’s all a bit of a blur.) I do remember hoping the shaking would stop soon, which means it went on for a decent amount of time. The public radio broadcast of the Kojo Nnamdi Show was on my radio when the host indicated DC might be having an earthquake. And then he went back to his show. (Kojo = cool customer.)
It was surreal, and I am definitely much more in tune with the emotional terror these events must cause (not to mention the massive death and destruction from huge earthquakes). Living through this mild one, for 10 seconds, it felt like the world was teetering out of control.
August 19, 2011
Science Friday: A Better Bike
Science Friday: A fly flywheel. Here or below.
August 18, 2011
Being the Change
How one woman in North Vietnam is changing the lives of hundreds more, one weave at a time. After all, you needed some good news, right?
August 16, 2011
GOP Candidate Profiles from The New Yorker
Brushing up on the Republican front-runners for the GOP presidential nominations? (At least the ones front-running today, sure to change tomorrow?) If so, start with The New Yorker profile of Michele Bachmann and then read this oldie-but-goodie, reposted by same, on whether Ricky Perry let an innocent man be executed for political reasons. Just some fun, end-of-the-summer reading for you political junkies out there!