Environment

Selected Posts from 2013, continued

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A Winter’s Tale. An appropriate post given today’s temperatures.

Saint Alexander of Munich. Alexander Schmorell,  a member of the anti-Nazi student resistance group known as the White Rose, has been canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad.

Deconstructing a Nazi Death Sentence. The transcript of the verdict passed by the “People’s Court” on members of the White Rose provides a window into the totalitarian mind.

Despicable.  US Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking in Istanbul,  compared the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing to the nine Turkish activists killed by the IDF as they tried to break Gaza’s naval blockade.

Appropriate Reading and Viewing for Obama’s Surveillance State.

Six Hundred Million Years in K-12.

Some 3-D Printing Links.

Aerodynamics, Art History, and the Assignment of Names.

Backroads in the Eagle Ford Shale Country

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Typical South Texas landscape – Taken north of Goliad

This last Saturday was the second day of Christmas on the Square in Goliad, Texas. I had a table there, as a local author, but the cold was so pronounced that the whole event was rather a bust … but it did mean that folding up and coming home early allowed some time for taking pictures on the way back. This is a part of Texas which overlies the Eagle Ford Shale formation, and over the last five years I have noted a good many changes along the route, and in the small towns that we pass through on a semi-regular basis.

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Attention Brits: There Are Expanding Career Opportunities For You…

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…in the fields of chimney-sweeping and firewood sales.

Some of this is just because people enjoy having and using a fireplace, which is good…much of it, though, is apparently because people can’t afford to heat their houses due to increasing energy prices, which is not so good.

I wrote about similar phenomena in Germany, here.

Pretty Gutsy

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A new coal-fired power plant  is planned for Georgia.

To be built near Sandersville, GA. 850 megawatts, supercritical boiler, extensive equipment for  reduction of SO2 , NOx, particulates. mercury and sulfuric emissions.

It takes a certain amount of courage to embark a project such as this one, given that we have a president who has declared war on coal:

“If somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can, it’s just that it will bankrupt them.”

–Barack Obama, January 2008

A Winter’s Tale

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“It is so cold in here,” said Gretchen. “The fire is almost out.”

“I will go to our woodpile and bring more wood,” said Hans.

“There is none left, Hans,” replied Gretchen sadly. “We have used all our wood that we saved for the winter.”

“I will go into the great forest,” responded Hans, “and bring more.”

“Hans!” said Gretchen with alarm. “The forest wardens will take you! I have heard that there are more of them, and they are fiercer than ever toward wood thieves!”

“Nonetheless, I must try, dear Gretchen,” replied Hans firmly, “for you and for the little ones.” He put on his thin overcoat, opened the door, and stepped outside into the icy, howling blast.

A folk tale from the Middle Ages?

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