The picture above is the last one I took of my dear little friend, Spider. She was in the Intensive Care Unit at the Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals of the Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University. Spider moved on to her “Journey to the Heaviside Layer” a bit before 9 PM… Continue reading Requiem
Thou Shalt Not Kill
This morning, we woke to the news of the worst mass killing in United States history. The President declared it an act of both hate and terror. Who cares how it’s labeled? 50* people are dead. 53 more are wounded. What part of “Thou shalt not kill” don’t we understand? How can we keep doing… Continue reading Thou Shalt Not Kill
Three and Counting
While it seems likely that Hillary will be the Democratic candidate for President, Bernie is “hanging in there”. Donald has locked down the Republican nomination. Regardless of who wins in November, our generation will take the White House back from the generation that’s currently in charge. I say our generation because all three candidates are my contemporaries. Bernie… Continue reading Three and Counting
The Human Family Tree
Recently, I watched a National Geographic Channel documentary entitled “The Human Family Tree“. It uses the DNA of a couple hundred people at the 30th Avenue Street Fair in Queens, New York to trace the journey that took our species from its beginnings in Africa to all parts of the Earth. Although our appearance is one of… Continue reading The Human Family Tree
… And then there were Five.
Three more candidates have dropped out since my last Presidential election post. We’re left with 3 Republicans and 2 Democrats … 6 possible pairs of nominees. The Republicans may go to their Convention without a clear winner. That could be interesting … at least as a TV event. The Democratic Convention will probably be little… Continue reading … And then there were Five.
Politicians and Reporters
Are most Politicians and Television Reporters annoying us on purpose? Do the suffer from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)? Do they suffer from Functional Fixedness? Are they just plain stupid? How many times have you heard a reporter ask a politician a question only to have the politician answer a different question or respond with a non… Continue reading Politicians and Reporters
Letters to Hillary and Donald
In the 2016 Presidential race, I think that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are most likely to win the nomination of their respective parties. While I prefer Hillary, Donald is not the worst of the Republican candidates (At least two of the remaining four candidates are more dangerous.) It seemed only fair to share “my… Continue reading Letters to Hillary and Donald
Overpopulation and Aggression
In 1968, John B. Calhoun ran an experiment with mice related to population growth and density. He introduced 4 pairs of mice into a mouse Utopia. They had all the food and water they could want, plenty of nesting boxes and materials, no predators, etc. The only limit was the size (9×9 feet) of their “universe”.… Continue reading Overpopulation and Aggression
Election 2016
The 2016 Presidential Election is full of “firsts” and other “special” possibilities. On the less complicated Democratic side, we have the possibility of: The First Woman President … and “First Gentleman” As former First Lady and Secretary of State, Hillary has seen two Presidents in action. Some may find it difficult to apply the word… Continue reading Election 2016
My Little Friend is Very Sick.
My little friend, Spider, is very sick. She almost died on February 4th. When I woke that day, I couldn’t find her. That wasn’t surprising. She has several “secret” places in our apartment. She can crawl into places that I can see only with difficulty. Assuming that Spider would appear when she woke up and… Continue reading My Little Friend is Very Sick.