Environmental Photo of the Year by NASA

A recent article about the demise of the Maya has an interesting sidelight.

The August 24, 2004 NASA article by Mischon Scott entitled Mayan Mysteries contains a photo which I would entitle the "Environmental Photo of the Year".

It is a space photograph of the border between Mexico and Guatemala and shows clearly the political border between the two countries as if it been drawn onto the Earth by ruler and pencil.

The reason for this is the deforestation in Mexico and retention of the rain forest in Guatemala. The deforestation is so severe that it makes the political boundaries between the two states visible in a photo from space. Take a look.

We All Carry a Stick

We All Carry a Stick

Nina Camic over at the The Other Side of the Ocean makes an admirable admission:

"So, at least looking at the list in the New Yorker, I can boast my superior command over myself: I don’t smoke (never liked the stuff so I guess I can’t claim great virtue there), I keep my weight under control, I try to be nice to colleagues (last week was the exception – I was just getting back at a grave injustice that befell me!), and I don’t carry around a stick.

Or do I? It’s invisible, but sure enough, I think I do carry a stick. Darn it. I’m not even superficially perfect."

Our question is: do we not all carry a stick of some kind?

Life and Living

Life and Living

Across the Atlantic writes in a fitting context:

"“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body; but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, “Wow! What a Ride!’”

There is a lot of truth to that concept of life and living.

The Scorpion and the Frog

The Scorpion and the Frog

Nelson Ascher at EuroPundits recounts the "famous story" of the scorpion and the frog, which reflects much of the world situation. We have both too many gullible frogs in this world and also too many scorpions just waiting to take advantage of them.