Category Archives: Science Fiction

Air Quality, Alien Life, Art, Book Review, Climate Change, Colfax Marathon, Colorado, Covid 19, Denver, Dogs, Environment, Exercise, Fort Collins, Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, Pandemics, PurpleAir, Quad Rock 50, Science, Science Fiction, Space, Trail Running, Wildfire

MUSINGS FOR MAY 2023

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“Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it.” – Joshua Becker

This is an image from the Hubble Space Telescope of two galaxies interacting due to a super massive black hole at the heart of the pair. The galactic structure is called AM 1214-255. The swirling gas that is being pulled in to the black hole creates a much higher level of luminosity and is referred to as an AGN or active galactic nucleus. These areas create a huge amount of electromagnetic radiation as they pull in material. There are many different subclasses of AGNs based on the observable characteristics. The most powerful AGNs are called quasars and when you have an AGN with a jet of electromagnetic radiation beaming toward earth it is called a blazar. Image credit: NASA, ESA, A. Barth (University of California – Irvine), and J. Dalcanton (University of Washington); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

If you would like to learn more please see these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2023/hubble-captures-extraordinarily-bright-interacting-galaxies and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_galactic_nucleus and https://www.britannica.com/science/active-galactic-nucleus

“It’s not always that we need to do more but rather that we need to focus on less.” Nathan W. Morris

This is a Hubble Space Telescope image of a lenticular galaxy called NGC 5283 and it too contains an AGN or active galactic nucleus. NGC 5283 is called a Seyfert galaxy because the amount of luminosity is just a little bit less than the typical AGN. Here due to the decrease in radiation you are able to observe the structure of said galaxy, whereas with the typical AGN the prodigious amount of radiation outshines the galaxy structure itself. NGC 5283 is located in the constellation Centaurus and is approximately 168 million light- years away. It was first discovered by the German astronomer Heinrich Louis d’Arrest in 1866. Image credit: NASA, ESA, A. Barth (University of California – Irvine), and M. Revalski (STScI); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

If you would like to learn more please see these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2023/hubble-views-a-beautiful-luminous-galaxy and Hubble Space Telescope Observes NGC 5283 | Sci.News

“More is better” turns out to be a formula for dissatisfaction. If you live for having it all, what you have is never enough.” Joe Dominguez/Vicki Robin

This May is the 50th anniversary of the first US space station – Skylab, and it was operated by three different astronaut crews. The top picture is of the Saturn V launching with major components of the space station, which included an orbital workshop, a telescope mount, docking adapters and a airlock module.

On May 14th, 1973 a Saturn V rocket launches with the components of the first US space station – Skylab. Image credit: NASA
This is an image of Skylab by the fist crew to the station, June 22nd, 1973, just before they departed for earth. The crooked golden blanket was a parasol sunshade that was used by the crew to protect the lab from solar heating. The original sunshield was lost during the launch along with one of the main solar arrays. Image credit: NASA/MSFC

Over the course of it’s lifetime three different astronauts crews visited the space station (May 25th, 1973 to February 8th, 1974). They were able to carry out 270 scientific and technical investigations in the fields of physics, astronomy, and biological sciences. There were plans to boost the lab with the Space Shuttle to a higher orbit and give it five more years of service, but unfortunately the shuttle was not ready in time and Skylab came to an end in July 1979. The early re-entry of the almost 200,000lb lab created a lot of criticism of NASA and generated an international media event.

An interesting note is that Skylab was not the worlds first space station, that honor belongs to the Soviet Union. Salyut 1 was launched into low Earth Orbit by the Soviets Union on April 19th, 1971.

If you would like to learn more please see these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/50th-anniversary-of-the-skylab-1-launch and https://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/history/gallery/msfc_iow_18.html and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylab and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salyut_1

“Once you realize that the road is the goal and that you are always on the road, not to reach a goal, but to enjoy its beauty and its wisdom, life ceases to be a task and becomes natural and simple, in itself an ecstasy.” Nisargadatta Maharaj

HEY!! I AM LOOKING AT YOU!! THAT’S WHO!!

If you are reading this then you have continued to survive Covid 19 and so have I!! Yea for both of us again!! Hopefully you are not one of the 16 million Americans with some form of long Covid. It is estimated that one in 10 that had the variant Omicron will have some kind of long Covid symptoms.

So where are we with Covid? The honest truth is that no one really knows for the moment. The federal COVID 19 public health emergency declaration ended on May 11th, 2023. Does this mean that the virus is done and it is over with? Nope. It just means that most of the official data collection, reporting and surveillance has ended. Fortunately, there are going to be some metrics that will still be reported on but just not as frequently. The best place to see if it is increasing or decreasing in your area is the CDC wastewater surveillance system. Hospitalizations and deaths are not a good indication of what is going on in the country due to faulty and ambiguous reporting from each state. And of course, home testing does not give an accurate count of what is going on. It might at some point be a good indication if you can track where the demand for home testing kits is rising or dropping based on individual internet searches. But not yet.

So why should we still be interested in what Covid is doing? Isn’t it over? Nope. And to add a little weight to that “Nope”, the Chinese public health ministry issued a statement, at the end of May, that says they are going through a second wave of the virus, XBB variant, and the peak is forecasted to be in late June at 60 million new cases per week.

So how do you stay safe and make the best decisions for this busy holiday and summer travel season. First, find out what the virus is doing in a particular area. The best way to do this is the CDC waste water surveillance web site. See the link below. Second, if your over 65 or have an autoimmune disease, think about getting a prescription for the antiviral Paxlovid. It is now fully approved by the FDA and this should make it easier to get a prescription. If you are traveling overseas you might want to prefill a prescription or find out the availability before travel. Some countries have not been as fortunate as the United States for access to this antiviral meditation. Of course you have to check with your health care provider to make sure you can take this medication due to it’s potential interactions with other meditations. Third, choose actives that are outdoors as opposed to indoors if possible. And if it is indoors, look at the size of the room, the number of people and ventilation. A small overly crowded room with poor ventilation is going to be much more of a risk than a larger room that is lightly crowded and has good ventilation. Fourth, if your planned activity is something that puts you at high risk and you cannot avoid it, consider wearing an N95 or KN95 mask. Yes, they do work, ignore the social media hype. Last, but not least, if your not vaccinated, get vaccinated and boosted before travel. This one should be a no brainer but for some reason, it continues to be issue. We are so fortunate in this country to have access to mRNA vaccines. Not everyone in the world has had this access.

Here are the links if you are interested in more information from the remaining reliable sources. I have included the CDC waste water reporting section. It give the best estimate if Covid is increasing in your area, but remember it is a week or two behind what is actually going on: https://www.youtube.com/c/OsterholmUpdateCOVID19 and https://www.youtube.com/c/VincentRacaniello and https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/wastewater-surveillance/index.html

May was a somewhat good month for getting outdoors. If you got out early, the air quality was pretty good and the winds for the first part of the month kept the early season wildfire smoke away.

Of course this did not last last. By May 20th, there were more than 200 active wildfires across Canada. Over 90 of those were in Alberta alone. Around 3.2 million acres as of now and counting. Just in comparison, their yearly average is about 55,000 acres per year. I find it crazy that parts of Northern Alberta are already having wildfires. And this does not include a significant fire events going on in Central Mexico, fires in Spain, the Middle East, Nova Scotia, etc… And all of this can be attributed to climate change. Oh well.

Fire and smoke from a wildfire are shown in Hay River, Northwest Territories in a handout photo. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/James Cardinal Jr.)

So during the last 10 days of the month, things got a little more interesting here on the Front Range as a strong cold front ushered down significant amounts of smoke into the lower 48. Especially, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. By Friday afternoon (May 19th, 2023), Fort Collins was measuring one of it worst air pollution days in years due to the smoke. What this means in more scientific terms is that particulate matter that is 2.5 microns or less was very high. Some readings on Friday afternoon around the city were in the 200 range. Denver was said to have had the worst air quality than any other city in the world on that day.

Image of the Denver’s skyline from Friday, May 19th at approximately 6:30am. Image credit: CDPHE (Colorado department of public health & environment)

And we really did not get a break in the smoke until late Wednesday afternoon. The picture below is from our neighborhood lake on Tuesday 23rd, 2023 at about 7pm in the evening.

This picture was taken on Tuesday 23rd, 2023 at about 7pm in the evening. The AQI was still in the 100 range.

The picture below was taken on Thursday 25th, 2023 about the same time as the above picture and location. Here the smoke has totally cleared. The AQI was down to less than 30.

This picture was taken Thursday 25th, 2023 at about 7pm in the evening. What a difference two days make.

So you may ask, why am I so concerned about the wildfire smoke. Well, it has to do particulate matter less than 2.5 microns or better known as PM 2.5. I have written about this kind of particulate matter before but let me review a few facts. These tiny particles are so small that they can get deep down into our lungs where they can cause damage, but it does not stop there. They get into the blood stream and travel to pretty much every part of the body and they are highly inflammatory (think disease causing). They have been shown to cross the blood brain barrier and can even be found in the fetal circulation of the unborn. Long-term exposer to pm 2.5 is considered the largest environmental risk factor for human health, with an estimated 4.1 million attributable deaths worldwide.

This graphic gives you some idea of size of PM 2.5

With that said, I check air quality every time I go out to exercise. It is not just caused by wildfire smoke but by coal fired power plants, wind blow dust, industrial processes, automobiles, etc… And it can combine with other types of urban pollution to really make a toxic mix. If the levels are high in my area I stay inside, close the windows and turn on the air purification system in the house and use the treadmill, rower or spin bike. Why do I go to great lengths to avoid this pollutant? Because it is like cigarette smoking and the damage to your body is accumulative. Just like smoking. The pictures below are from the Denver Colfax 5K race that occurred Saturday 20th, 2023. There are approximately 6000 participants that have chosen to run in this very polluted air. None of them are doing themselves a favor. From a public health perspective this is not health. They would have been more health conscious if they had stayed home and smoked cigarettes. I love it that race directors will talk about what to do if you feel symptoms running in polluted air, but leave out the most important part, what happens years down the road when you develop adenocarcinoma of the lung or cancer in another part of the body due to the accumulative effect of PM 2.5. Or some kind of autoimmune disease. It’s not the short term exposure that is the issue, but what happens long term. In my opinion events that require exercise should be canceled or better yet, have a built in “make-up” day when air quality exceeds standards. Would this be inconvenient? Yes. Would it cost extra money? Yes. Would it be a headache for race directors and organizers? Again yes. Would it be much better for your long term health? Absolutely.

Of course there are races now that allow participants to do the race “virtually.” This is where you run the race at home or at some other time when the air quality is better and send in the results and get your finisher medal. This is left up to the race participant on whether they choose to do this or not.

This was the start of the Colfax 5k on Saturday morning the 20th. AQI was in the high to very high range. Over 150 in some parts of the city. Very unhealthy. When local veterinarians are telling the public to keep their pets indoors due to the air quality, humans should probably do likewise.
Very dirty air during the Colfax 5k with around 6000 participants.

Well enough about the wildfire smoke and PM 2.5 but if you’re interested here are a few links for great articles on the subject and why it is so potentially detrimental in the long term to exercise when the levels are high: https://www.howardluksmd.com/pm-2-5-levels-air-pollution-and-our-health/? and https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-11-decades-air-pollution-undermine-immune.html? and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33198760/ and https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/air-pollution/index.cfm

On a much more positive note, I was able to run the Quad Rock 25 on May 6th, 2023. I had signed up for the 50 back when registration had opened last December but due to a nagging knee injury, I did not push my luck in making things worse and ran the 25 instead. This was my 7th time to be in the race since 2013. I missed two races due to injury and one due to Covid. This has been and continues to be a great trail marathon and ultra put on by GNAR Runners. It is a loop course, through Horsetooth Mountain Park and Lory State Park. You get the 50 mile distance by doing the loop twice, once in reverse. It is a challenging and scenic course and well worth your consideration if you want a tough early season trail marathon or ultra in Colorado. The nice part is that it is very close to Fort Collins, about 20 minutes from downtown, and this provides great post race opportunities to kick back and enjoy the finer things in life. Next year’s race is already schedule for May 11th, 2024 and registration opens December 15th, 2023. Here is a link to the race and GNAR runners: https://gnarrunners.com/quad-rock-50/#register and https://gnarrunners.com/

The pictures below are from the race that was held on Saturday 6th, May 2023.

This was the start of the 50 mile race at 0530 in morning. It turned out to be a beautiful day this year. Nice and cool for the first part of the day with gradual warming into the afternoon. The starting temp was somewhere in the upper 30s to lower 40s for the start. And I believe the high for the day was somewhere in the low 70s.
This view is looking East across Horsetooth lake and toward Fort Collins. Besides the views, the volunteers, and the location of the race, the one thing that I love the most is the ability to start the 50 mile race but still get credit if you only do the 25. On a personal note, I have never completed the 50. Lol. I usually time out at the turn around point. Part of the reason is that it is a little early in the season for me. I seems to be in better running form by middle to late summer. (that is what I tell myself – Lol) This year, it was due to an injury which caused me to be really slow on the downhill sections.
This is looking West in Lory State Park at the iconic rock formation called Arthur’s Rock. It is named for one of the previous landowner’s that sold the land, Arthur Howard. If your interested, a short history of the area from Colorado State Parks can be found here: Colorado Parks & Wildlife – History (state.co.us)
This is one of my favorite views in the race from Horsetooth Mountain Park. Here I am looking South towards Denver.
The icon rock formation that gives Horsetooth Mountain Park and Horsetooth Lake their names.

Again, this has been and continues to be a great trail marathon and ultra put on by GNAR Runners. It would be worth your time to check it out for next year.

This picture was taken on Saturday 27th, May 2023 at about 11am in the morning. Here Janet and Marvin are enjoying a nice walk in the park.

The last few days of the month were pretty good as far as air quality goes. The smoke had shifted further east and the Front Range of Colorado was spared the added air pollution. Of course, like any spread out metropolitan area we generate enough on or own. Lol.

If was another good month for reading and I would like to share a few book recommendations.

The first book I would like to review and recommend is called “The Possibility of Life” by Jaime Green.  The book is about the likelihood of alien life in other parts of the Milky Way Galaxy. 

Now, before I leap into the review, I would like to give a little background why this book appealed to me in the first place.   I became significantly more interested in books on the subject of life in other part of the galaxy after learning that every star you see in the night sky, almost without exception has at least one exoplanet.  And this idea was sealed for me after reading the book by the physicist and astronomer Adam Frank.  His book is called “Light of the Stars:  Alien Worlds and the Fate of the Earth.”  A quote from his book:  “From the exoplanet data, astronomers can now say with confidence that one out of every five stars hosts a world where life as we know it could form.  So, when you’re standing out there under the night sky, choose five random stars.  Chances are, one of them has a world in its Goldilocks zone where liquid water could be flowing across its surface and life might already exist.”   

Think about that for a moment.  Hard to get your head around.  And that is the very reason I feel that books by Jamie Green and Adam Frank are so important. 

Jamie Green is a Science writer, among other things and she approaches the philosophical questions about the possibility of alien life in a somewhat different perspective.  She uses Science Fiction.  Yes you heard that right, she uses the imagination from SiFi writers to weave an interesting narrative about how humanity will react when alien life is discovered.  In the process she intersperses real science in with the creative writing to tell an interesting story.  Now some might be turned off by this style because it is not all hard and fast science, but what was the quote by Einstein?  “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”  Meaning the most important thing to have is the ability to imagine and embrace novel possibilities with the search for alien life and what to do when we find it.  And for the time being, until we have hard scientific data on the subject, what a better way to prepare for the inevitable first contact, than by tapping in to the years and years of creative and imaginative writing on the subject from SiFi.

I got this book as an audio book but it would work in any format.  You can probably find it at your local book store or on Amazon.  Here is the amazon link:  https://a.co/d/8qU6DOX 

The next two books I would like to review and recommend are part of a series written by Daniel Suarez. They are Science Fiction but are in the realm of possibility.  I call these books “brain bubble gum books”, fun to read but not always a lot of real world substance. These books are a little different and have an important message for humanity.  It is the argument that getting off the planet and starting to make a permanent human presence in space is the only way for humans to survive the existential crisis of climate change. 

The first book is called Delta-V and the second book is called Critical Mass. 

It all starts off when an eccentric billionaire that sees where humanity is heading on an overcrowding and warming planet with dwindling resources is inevitably heading.  And he comes to the conclusion that the only way to save humans is to get off the planet.  Of course, even a billionaire does not have that kind of money.  So the big question is how do you pay for it all.  And this is where the story gets interesting.   What if a private company could create the first near asteroid mining operation?  How much would that be worth to the world economy?  What technologies would be developed to make this happen? Would there be people on earth that would try to stop it and why?   

The first book introduces us to the main characters and their struggle to make the team and eventually survive the harsh realities of space.  The second book picks up where the first book leaves off.  Now that you have shown commercial asteroid mining is possible, what is the next step?  How do you start the process of getting large numbers of humans into space?  Is control of such a potentially lucrative space operation better left in private hands, or existing world governments? Set all of this against a world that is starting to come apart and you have the makings of a very interesting story.         

All these questions are what makes this series of “brain bubble gum books” such a great read.  It is one of the rare opportunities of getting to read for the sheer enjoyment of the story but you might learn something in the process.  Good food for thought.  

I got both of these books as audio books but they would work in any format.  You can probably find them at your local book store or on Amazon.  Here are the Amazon links:   https://a.co/d/jl0LIGs and  https://a.co/d/ji2hpsX

The last book I would like to review and recommend is called “The Long View:  Why We Need to Transform How the World Sees Time” by Richard Fisher.  In a world where the old saying “time is money”, a book like this is more relevant and urgent than ever.  The author argues that this is one of the very reason that we need to slow down a bit and take a much longer view of things.

What would happen if we were all taught from a young age to look at things in the long view?  To really see the results of our immediate actions ten, twenty, thirty or more years down the road.  It is an interesting idea.  There are so many examples of this idea being explored throughout history, even in our current literature, musical art and life.

The first example that came to my mind, was the quote in the second or third movie of the Lord of the Rings.  When King Theoden says: “To whatever end.  Where is the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing? They have passed like rain on the mountain, like wind in the meadow. The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow. How did it come to this?”

The second one is the music from the Talking Heads – Once in a Lifetime. Part of the lyrics are: “And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack, And you may find yourself in another part of the world, And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile, And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife, And you may ask yourself, “Well, how did I get here?”

A third one that is personnel for me, was when I worked in the ER.  And I would see people in their 60s and 70s or sometimes much younger, their bodies permanently wrecked by poor life style choices, on death doorstep and wonder; did they as teenagers and 20 year old’s, see their lives ending like this.  Ten, twenty, thirty years down the road, in a wretched state of affairs.

A lot of the book is all about how we operate half-awake most of the time, not seeing where our actions are taking us down the road.  Again a short view of time.   

This is a very thought provoking book and well worth the read.  It is about slowing down but more importantly it is about taking a longer view of all things in life.  Maybe if we looked at how our immediate actions would influence things much further down the road, than tomorrow or next week, we might create a much happier and friendlier world for us all.

Richard is senior Journalist with the BBC in London and now an author.  If you would like to learn a little more about him check out his webpage: https://richardfisher.carrd.co/

I got this book as an audiobook but it would work in any format.  You can probably find this book at your local bookstore or at Amazon.  Here is the Amazon link: https://a.co/d/44gAK9j

Last but not least, I would like to show case one new piece of artwork that I finished at the first of May. I call it “Painted Chicken Boy.” It is 9×12 inches, acrylic paint on canvas paper, mounted to a cradled wood panel and sealed with archival varnish.

“Painted Chicken Boy”

This piece and other types of my art work can be found at my Etsy site: https://www.etsy.com/shop/strugglingprotoplasm/edit?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

In support of Prochoice and Separation of Church and State, I will donate 10% of any sales to Planned Parenthood or the Freedom From Religion Foundation, but only if you wish me too. If not, I will be more than happy to keep money! Lol

Well I have come to the end of another blog post. Yea! And I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.

So take care my friends and if you have not gotten vaccinated or boosted, even if you have had Covid, then get it done. It would be a damn shame if you were to die or suffer significant disability with this virus when vaccines are readily available in this country. So until next time Adios!!

“It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.” Carl Sagan

“Questions you cannot answer are usually far better for you than answers you cannot question.” Yuval Noah Harari

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous…, leading to the most amazing views.” Edward Abbey

Air Quality, Art, Book Review, Climate Change, Colorado, Covid 19, Dogs, Exercise, Fort Collins, High Camp Hut, Minimalism, Pandemics, Religion, Rico Colorado, Science, Science Fiction, Space

MUSINGS FOR SEPTEMBER 2022

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“We’ve arranged a global civilization in which most crucial elements profoundly depend on science and technology. We have also arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology. This is a prescription for disaster. We might get away with it for a while, but sooner or later this combustible mixture of ignorance and power is going to blow up in our faces.” Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

The above image is from the James Webb Space Telescope and is called the Cartwheel Galaxy because it looks like a wheel from a cart. It is located about 500 million light years away in the constellation known as Sculptor. It is thought that the shape was created by the collision of a smaller galaxy though what was a large disk galaxy. And this produced ripples, similar to the ripples that are created when a stone is dropped into a pond. The outer ring is an intense area of star formation. To give some scale to this, the outermost ring of the galaxy is 1.5 times the size of our Milky Way. Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Webb ERO Production Team. If you would like to learn more please see these links: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220824.html and https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2018/hubble-s-cartwheel

“In the way that skepticism is sometimes applied to issues of public concern, there is a tendency to belittle, to condescend, to ignore the fact that, deluded or not, supporters of superstition and pseudoscience are human beings with real feelings, who, like the sceptics, are trying to figure out how the world works and what our role in it might be. Their motives are in many cases consonant with science. If their culture has not given them all the tools they need to pursue this great quest, let us temper our criticism with kindness. None of us comes fully equipped.” Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

This is a photo that was taken back in August 2022 with the James Webb telescope. It is of Jupiter. This is considered one of our best views of the iconic planet to date, showing differences in cloud layers and the Auroras at each pole. Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun and the largest in the solar system. It is a gas giant. This planet is the third brightest object in the night sky after the Moon and Venus. Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Jupiter ERS Team; Processing: Ricardo Hueso (UPV/EHU) & Judy Schmidt. If you would like to learn more about his image please see these links: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220830.html and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter

“Science is an attempt, largely successful, to understand the world, to get a grip on things, to get hold of ourselves, to steer a safe course. Microbiology and meteorology now explain what only a few centuries ago was considered sufficient cause to burn women to death.” Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

This stunning image was recently captured by the James Webb Space telescope. The picture showcases a group of stars that are known as NGC 2070 or Caldwell 103. They are part of what is known as the Tarantula Nebula. In this Nebula is a huge cluster of some of the largest and hottest stars known to date. It was first observed by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in 1751 and 1753. Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Webb ERO Production Team. If you would like to learn more please see these links: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220907.html and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarantula_Nebula

“Think of how many religions attempt to validate themselves with prophecy. Think of how many people rely on these prophecies, however vague, however unfulfilled, to support or prop up their beliefs. Yet has there ever been a religion with the prophetic accuracy and reliability of science? … No other human institution comes close.” Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

This is one of my favorite images from the Hubble Space Telescope. It is called a Starburst Galaxy or Messier 94. It is 15 million light years from earth in the norther constellation Canes Venatici ( Hunting Dogs). It was first discovered by Pierre Mechain in 1781 and catalogued by Charles Messier two days later. The is a great example of a spiral galaxy. Even though 15 million miles is a very, very long way from earth, this galaxy is popular with astronomers because it is bright enough to be spotted with smaller telescopes. Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA. If you would like to learn more please see these links: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220731.html and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_94

HEY!! I AM LOOKING AT YOU!! THAT’S WHO!!

If you are reading this then you have continued to survive Covid 19 so far and so have I!! Yea for us again!! I am still hoping that I can keep saying this until the Covid Marry-Go-Round is done!! Oh well what are you going to do??

By the first week of August we were still adding about 60,000 to well over 100,000 cases per day and the total death toil was about 1,059,000. This was an increase in about 15,000 deaths from the first week of July. And the variant of concern was BA5. Unfortunately the numbers for new cases you have to take with a slight grain of salt due to the fact that home testing has no tracking. It is any bodies guess how high the actually numbers might be. The death count is probably much, much higher but again due to no national mandatory reporting laws, we really do not know.

The above picture has not changed. These are the top states as it stands with the highest morbidity and mortality. The only exception is North Carolina. My guess is if NC reported their counts correctly and honestly, then they would move into the picture and push Michigan out. Interesting to say the least.

By the end of the month (August 2022), we were still adding at least 60,000 cases per day and increasing the death toil by 300 to 500 cases per day. Covid is still considered the fourth leading cause of death, right behind heart disease, cancer and accidents. By the first week of September the total number of deaths for the USA was 1,730,000. Or again, another 15,000 deaths in the last 30 days for a total of 30,000 deaths in the last 60 days. We are done with the virus but unfortunately the virus is not done with us.

Now in better news, on September 1st, the CDC endorsed the use of an updated booster for the omicron subvariants. One was from Moderna and another was from Pfizer. My guess and it is only a guess, because there is no real data yet, this will become a yearly occurrence just like the flu shot. A good link to check this out is from the PBS news hour: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/updated-covid-19-booster-shots-are-now-available-heres-what-you-need-to-know

If you interested in looking at the numbers for yourself, please see this link: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

If you interested in getting a good understanding of what is going on with Covid every other week without having to watch the news, check out this link for the Osterholm Update on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FC1G09xkOFc

And if you don’t want to listen on YouTube you can check out Apple Pod cast. Dr. Michael Osterholm is an American epidemiologist, Regents Professor, and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Osterholm gives an update each week on where we are with the virus. Really good information directly from the source and not spun by the news media channels.

Another great YouTube channel to follow on Covid, and other infectious diseases like Monkey Pox and Polio, especially if you are someone that is medical, is this one: https://youtu.be/786kiTxg6Bk

It is a part of microbe.tv/twiv. Vincent Racaniello and Dr. Griffin do a great job in presenting the “information” each week. Vincent R. Racaniello is Higgins Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Daniel O. Griffin is an American infectious disease specialist. He is an instructor in Clinical Medicine and an associate research scientist in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at Columbia University.

The months of July and August were again not as good as it was in the spring for being outdoors. There were air quality issues as in “Ozone action days each and everyday.” And heat, it was hot here on the front range of Colorado. It was so hot that I had to resort to walking Marvin twice per day – everyday. Once in the mornings and once in the evenings. The only time that this was different is when I got a change to get up into the high country. And even then, temps above 10,000 feet were higher than usual. Oh well what are you going to do?!

This month instead of showing pictures from in and around Fort Collins, I thought I would post some from a trip we took in August to the town of Rico, Colorado. Janet and I with Marvin made this trip to visit the middle daughter. She moved there with her significant other Dave this past year to become the managers along with the owner Cindy of the “High Camp Hut.” We got to see the place while we were visiting and I have to say it is pretty cool. The hut is located at about 11,000 feet in the San Juan National Forest. It is situated on about 300 acres of private land in the Forest. To call it a Hut is somewhat of a misnomer in my opinion. It is more of a large fully outfitted cabin in the woods. There is no cell service and no Wi-Fi, so you are definitely unplugged from the rest of the world. And if you are like most of us in modern society, being unplugged from our hyper-connected world every once and a while is a good thing. If your interested and want more information, please check out their website: https://www.highcamphut.com/

The pictures below are from the area around the Hut and the Hut itself.

Sheep Mountain 13,176 feet
San Miguel Peak 13,734 feet
Lizard Head Peak 12,996 feet
High Camp Hut

The next set of pictures are from a couple of local trails around the town of Rico. The town is not a big place, less than 200 residents at any give time. There is a gas station if you need gas, but the only hotel had closed when we were visiting and only a few choices for dinning with limited hours. When asking about this, I got the feeling that the “locals” kind of like it that way. Lol. Rico was a silver mining center in the late 1800s. A good website to learn more and see pictures of Rico is here: https://www.uncovercolorado.com/towns/rico/

This picture is just outside the town of Rico along the Dolores River.
Janet and Marin on a trail in Rico.

The next few pics below are from the Scotch Creek Toll Road and Pinkerton Trail. This trail/road was the only route into Rico in the 1800s until the railroad reached Rico in 1891. Incredible to think this was the only way into the valley if you had to move large items and by horse and oxen no less. So many things we take for granted in our modern lives.

The next few pics are from an area that is called Horse Gulch Creek Trail and is a launch point for paragliders when the weather is cooperative. Janet and I were amazed at the number of Aspen in the area. There were a lot and I am guessing that you could get a spectacular fall viewing if the conditions are right.

I believe this is Heartleaf Arnica or Mountain tobaccos. Arnica cordifolia. These flower were everywhere but especially on this trail.
Lots of Aspens all around Rico!
This trail climbed a bit from the highway parking lot and had great views of the valley from several locations. We found out later it was a launch point for paragliders. Pretty cool.

These next pictures were from the East Fork Trail to Twin Creek. This trail follows the Dolores River as it climbs into the mountains above town. If you were to follow it far enough it connects to a whole network of other trails in the same area. Pretty cool.

Looking towards Rico and Highway 145.
Looking down toward the Dolores river at the bottom of the hill. It is not that large at this point. We were not too far from it’s headwaters. The river is named, “El Rio de Nuestra Senora de Dolores” or The River of Our Lady of Sorrows. It was named by a Spanish trader in 1765. If you would like to learn more about the River please see this link: https://www.americanrivers.org/river/dolores-river/
Hawk’s Wing Mushroom
Our favorite “middle” daughter Jean-Marie and her dog Benson! Lol
Janet, Me and Marvin at the first of Twin Creeks. This was about three miles back.

It was a good trip to see Jean-Marie and Dave and to check out some of the local hiking areas. I did not do any running because of an overuse injury to my left knee. Runners are their own worst enemy but I will save that story for another time.

Even though the town of Rico is only about 30 miles from the big resort of Telluride there does not seem to be the same level of development and activity as you see in Frisco/Breckenridge area or the Vail/Edwards area. While there is an advantage in having certain amenities with increased development, there always comes a point of diminishing returns. The challenge is to create enough growth to have certain things but not too much that you permanently change the feeling and character of an area. In my opinion Rico could use a little extra growth but just a little. I was blown away when I first saw the town with it proximity to Telluride. You could say it is even a bit run down looking. My guess is that it has something to do with the locals and being a Home Rule Municipality. They recently voted down a local initiative to get a regular sewer system. The entire town is still on septic!

On an interesting note, a mining company in the area is selling what appears to be all or part of it’s holdings called Silver Springs at Rico. It totals 181 separate parcels of land (146 mining claims, 6 tracts and 29 platted lots) for a total of about 1146 acres. It has been on the market since April 2022 and list for 10 million. Which, when you think about it, is not much since you are less than 30 miles to Telluride. It will be interesting to see who buys this and what happens with the rest of the town when this occurs.

It was another great month for reading and I would like to share a few book recommendations.

A great Science Fiction book to take a look at this late summer and early fall is one by Blake Crouch called Upgrade:  A Novel.  If you are someone that has occasionally followed the science of gene editing and the CRISPR technique, I think you would really find this novel entraining.  But, even if you have not followed anything about gene editing, this is still a great read.  So, if you do not know what CRISPR is then let me give a very brief synopsis of what it has allowed scientist to do.   First what does it mean?  CRISPR is an acronym for “clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats.”  Do you need to know what that really means to enjoy the book?  No, not really.  Lol.  What it has allowed though, in a nutshell, is a more rapid, accurate and cheaper way of editing genes in DNA. It really increased the precision in manipulating genes in any living organism.  From viruses to humans and everything in between.    

The story takes place in the not too distant future, in which the main character’s mother has invented a gene editing technique that makes CRISPR look like child’s play.  And because of this, the whole world has been or has the potential to be transformed.  If you have read the book by Nancy Kress called Beggars and Choosers (published in 1994) then you will understand all the possibilities this opens up.  If not, no worries.

This book explores one of the many possible futures that gene editing makes possible.  I loved this SiFi book because it points out our potential blind spots. We are all worried about climate change, the war in Ukraine, the lingering pandemic, etc.… We all have our eyes on what we think is the approaching “disaster bus” as it bears down on our car (humanity), but in reality we do not see the speeding train (unregulated gene editing) that crashes into us as we cross the tracks!  Of course the story is only Science Fiction but it still gives me chills thinking about it.  Lol. 

Of course I listened to the book as an audio book but it would work well in any format. You should be able to find it at your local book store or Amazon. Here is the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Upgrade-Novel-Blake-Crouch-ebook/dp

Another good Science Fiction book that I would like to recommend is called “Atropos” by John Japuntich.  This is a good science fiction yarn that has to do with current topics in science, like genetic engineering, information technology, longevity, the possibility of future space travel, etc.… There is also some good content on geopolitics and religion.  The author takes all of these topics and weaves them together to give the reader an interesting story with good food for thought.  It made me wonder, what would happen if there was a way to end all death due to natural causes but at the cost of zero birth rate?  How would humanity as a whole respond to this type of crisis?  And I think it would be seen as a crisis.  Especially with the zero drop in birth rate.  Interesting ideas.     

I believe this is the author first crack at a full length novel and I have to give him an A minus.  The story line was good and it kept me interested to the very end.  There was a little bit of jumping around in the different story arcs of the characters but once I got used it, the narrative flowed fairly smoothly.  I got this book as an audio book but I think it would work better in traditional format.  The narration did not work for me as well as it has with other stories of this type.  You should be able to find this book at your local book store or on Amazon.  Here is the Amazon link:  https://www.amazon.com/Atropos-John-Japuntich-ebook/dp 

The next book I would like to recommend is also a Science Fiction book.  This one is called “The Kaiju Preservation Society” by John Scalzi.  If you have read any of Scalzi’s previous books then you will understand the kind of entertaining and talented writer that he is.  This book is no exception.  It is a quick and fun read that is just pure brain bubble gum.  Lol.  I love the fact that he weaves the story line into current events with the Covid pandemic.  There is just enough “science” to be plausible and believable. 

If you have not googled the word Kaiju yet, let me tell you what it is.  It means “Strange Beast” and is a Japanese genre of films and television featuring giant monsters.  Think Godzilla but in an alternate dimension in which humans are absent.  In the book, the Kaiju are in trouble and humans help to keep them safe, but there is someone trying to make a profit off them.  And of course, this is where the trouble begins.  Don’t be turned off by the “Godzilla theme,” thinking it’s a little hokey.  I thought the same thing at first but due to author’s reputation I got it anyway and I am glad that I did.    

I listened to the book as an audio book but it will work in any format.  You can probably find it at your local book store or on Amazon.  Here is the Amazon link:    https://www.amazon.com/The-Kaiju-Preservation-Society/dp  

Also if you have never read any of Scalzi’s books, another one I highly recommend is “Old Man’s War.”

The last book I would like to review is called “The Forest of Vanishing Stars:  A Novel” by Kristin Harmel.  Let me start out by saying that this is not my usual type of fiction book, but I find it good to read outside of your traditional likes a few times per year.  This one was recommended by my sister and I am glad that she did.  It is a WW2 survival novel that takes place in a forest of Eastern Europe.  It has a somewhat similar story line to the 2008 movie called Defiance.

It took me a little time to get engrossed in the book, mainly due to some of the mysticism and religion that is part of the book, but by about half way in, I wanted to find out how it was going to end.  In a very brief nutshell, the main character (Yona) is put into an impossible situation of being a forest dweller and encountering an ill-prepared group of Jews fleeing the Nazi occupation. It does not take long for her to come to the realization that she is the last hope of these people being able to survive a harsh winter in the wild. Not to mention that she must keep them and herself hidden since they are still being hunted by the Nazis. 

   

It was a good story, but not one that really stands out in my mind initially. What made the “good to great review” was the author’s note at the end.  It was rather lengthy but this was a good thing.  The author goes into all the research that helped to inspire her with writing the story.  Very interesting and definitely was the icing on the cake so to speak.

I got the book as an audio book but it would work in any format.  I am sure you can find it at your local book store or on Amazon.  Here is the Amazon link:   https://www.amazon.com/Forest-Vanishing-Stars-Novel/dp

Last but not least I would like to show case a new piece of art work. This is the fifth version of what I call Jesus of Borg or SiFi Jesus. Or what you could call “Transhumanist Jesus” depending on whether you believe Jesus was an alien or inspired and created by humanity’s need to find meaning in an uncaring Universe.

I decided to do these pieces initially over anger of the Texas GOP’s enactment of their draconian anti-abortion law. I had only planned to do a limited number, but now with the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe vs Wade, I will continue to make them.  I have three adult daughters and while they might not agree on whether it is right or wrong to get an abortion, they all agree that it is “their right” to choose. And I agree with them. So that is how the project started out, but it morphed into something a little different. Did you know that there are at least 10,000 different denominations of Christianity in the world? Of course, some say this number is much higher, but I figure 10,000 is a safe estimate. Knowing this I thought why not make up my own Jesus?! A lot of other people have. So, I did. And what I came up with was a tough but accepting LGBT SiFi Jesus. A Jesus that would assimilate all other Jesuses, even Republican Jesus, into a hive mind and create an accepting and loving collective for all people and all religions. AND the Jesus Brothers would support all women in their right to choose! In Star Trek, the Borg are considered the enemy but, in my version, I have turned it around and made “Jesus of Borg” the good guy, the savior from the Conservative Christian Taliban.

This drawing is done in pen and ink with a little acrylic paint thrown in. It is mounted to painted white board and coated with Mod Podge. It measures approximately 9.25 inches wide by 12.25 inches tall. When hanging the overall height is 17.25 inches. I have called these studies of Jesus by several different names, Jesus of Borg or SiFi Jesus or the current name of Transhumanist Jesus.

Transhumanist Jesus #5

These pieces and other types of art work are for sale and can be found on my Etsy site: https://www.etsy.com/shop/strugglingprotoplasm/edit?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

In support of Prochoice and the Separation of Church and State, I will donate 10% of any sales to Planned Parenthood or the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Well I have come to the end of another blog post! Yea! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it! But before I go, I would like to give another shout out to becoming minimalist. I think that the quote below from the movie “Fight Club” says it best. Lol. Of course minimalism is much, much more than that, but if you had to boil it down to one reason for being minimalist then this would be it.

There is way too much to go into detail here in the blog post about minimalism and others have done it a lot better than me, so if your interested and want to learn more about sustainability, minimalism and the steady state economy, please see these sites: https://www.sustain.ucla.edu/what-is-sustainability/ and https://www.theminimalists.com/minimalism/ and https://steadystate.org/ and https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2018/12/27/35-ways-reduce-carbon-footprint/

So take care my friends and if you have not gotten vaccinated or boosted, then get it done. It would be stupid to lose your life or suffer significant disability with this virus when vaccines are readily available in this country. So until next time Adios!!

“Questions you cannot answer are usually far better for you than answers you cannot question.” Yuval Noah Harari

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous…, leading to the most amazing views.” Edward Abbey

Air Quality, Book Review, Colorado, Covid 19, Dogs, Exercise, Fort Collins, Minimalism, Pandemics, Religion, Science, Science Fiction, Space

MUSINGS FOR FRIDAY 27TH, MAY 2022

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“As far as we can tell from a purely scientific viewpoint, human life has absolutely no meaning. Humans are the outcome of blind evolutionary processes that operate without goal or purpose. Our actions are not part of some divine cosmic plan, and if planet earth were to blow up tomorrow morning, the universe would probably keep going about its business as usual. As far as we can tell at this point, human subjectivity would not be missed. Hence any meaning that people inscribe to their lives is just a delusion.” Yuval Noah Harari

This is an image from the Hubble Space Telescope called The Hickson Compact Group 40. This year NASA celebrated Hubble’s 32nd birthday by showcasing this image. The telescope was put into orbit around earth by the crew of the space shuttle Discover on April 25, 1990. The Hickson group is about 300 million light years away in the direction of the constellation of Hydra. It has the designation 40 because it is the 40th entry in the catalog of relative small galaxy groups compiled by Paul Hickson. In 1982 he published a list of 100 compact galaxy groups based on his examination of the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey plates. In the above image you see five galaxies in all: three spiral shaped galaxies, an elliptical galaxy, and a lenticular or lens shaped galaxy. Image credit: Image Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI; Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI). If you are interested in the above image please see these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2022/celebrating-hubbles-32nd-birthday-with-an-eclectic-galaxy-grouping and https://hubblesite.org/contents/media/images/2022/012/01FYSACDTCSR43GVXBWTHDFHCT and https://skyandtelescope.org/sky-and-telescope-magazine/hickson-compact-groups/ and the YouTube video below!

“Large numbers of strangers can cooperate successfully by believing in common myths. Any large-scale human cooperation – whether a modern state, a medieval church, an ancient city or an archaic tribe – is rooted in common myths that exist only in people’s collective imagination.” Yuval Noah Harari

The above image is from the Hubble Space Telescope. It is showing a galaxy that is named GAMA 526784. It is what is know as an ultra-diffuse galaxy and appears in the above image as a fuzzy patch of light. It is about four billion light years away in the constellation Hydra. These types of galaxies have a few interesting quirks. One of which is the either / or property of having an abundance of dark matter or the almost complete lack of dark matter. Another feature of these types of galaxies is the increased number, as comparted to other galaxies, of “globular clusters.” Globular clusters are spherical collections of stars. They have a high concentration of their stars in the center of the structure, thought to be due to gravity. Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. van der Burg; Acknowledgment: L. Shatz. If you are interested in the above image please see these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2002/hubble-views-a-galactic-oddity and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globular_cluster and https://www.universeguide.com/galaxy/gama526784

“Morality doesn’t mean ‘following divine commands’. It means ‘reducing suffering’. Hence in order to act morally, you don’t need to believe in any myth or story. You just need to develop a deep appreciation of suffering.” Yuval Noah Harari

This image was taken by the Hubble space telescope and it is a picture of the spiral galaxy M99, but is also known as NGC 4254. Depending on which catalog of galaxies you are looking at. The M or Messier catalog, which was begun by astronomer Charles Messier in the 18th Century is one that is popular with amateur astronomers due to the listing of objects that can be seen with small telescopes. The NGC or the New General Catalogue was compiled by John Louis Emil Dreyer in 1888. It list many more objects (in the 1000s) than the Messier Catalogue (about 110), some of which can only be seen with very large telescopes. The above galaxy is called a “grand design” spiral galaxy due to it’s well defined spiral arms. It is in the constellation Coma Berenices and is 42 million light-years from Earth. Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, M. Kasliwal, J. Lee and the PHANGS-HST Team. If you would like to learn more about the above image please see these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2022/hubbles-double-take-on-a-spiral-galaxy and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_99 and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_General_Catalogue and Explore – The Night Sky | Hubble’s Messier Catalog | NASA

“When the faithful are asked whether God really exists, they often begin by talking about the enigmatic mysteries of the universe and the limits of human understanding. ‘Science cannot explain the Big Bang,’ they exclaim, ‘so that must be God’s doing.’ Yet like a magician fooling an audience by imperceptibly replacing one card with another, the faithful quickly replace the cosmic mystery with the worldly lawgiver. After giving the name of ‘God’ to the unknown secrets of the cosmos, they then use this to somehow condemn bikinis and divorces. ‘We do not understand the Big Bang – therefore you must cover your hair in public and vote against gay marriage.’ Not only is there no logical connection between the two, but they are in fact contradictory. The deeper the mysteries of the universe, the less likely it is that whatever is responsible for them gives a damn about female dress codes or human sexual behavior.” Yuval Noah Harari

The above is another NASA Hubble Space Telescope image. It shows a section of the spiral galaxy NGC 247 and it is located about 11 million light-years away in the Sculptor Group. The Sculptor Group is a loose group of galaxies visible near the south galactic pole. Or for us Northern Hemisphere viewers it would be on our southern horizon around November depending on how far North you are. Sculptor was named by the French astronomer Nicolas Lacaille in the 1700s. The North Galactic Pole lies in the northern constellation Coma Berenices and as mentioned above the South Galactic Pole lies in the southern constellation Sculptor. The Sculptor Galaxy is one of the closest galaxies to earth. NGC 247 is also know as the Needle Eye Galaxy due to a dark hole containing very little stars in the galaxy. Below is a better close up view of this galaxy and you can see the dark hole at the bottom of the galaxy. Image credit for the above picture: NASA, ESA, and H. Feng (Tsinghua University); Image processing: G. Kober (NASA Goddard/Catholic University of America) and image credit for the below picture: Mark Hanson of Hanson Astronomy Photos: https://www.hansonastronomy.com/ngc-247-the-needles-eye-galaxy

If you would like to learn more about these images or the Sculptor Group or the galaxy NGC 247 then please see these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2022/hubble-images-a-dwarf-spiral-with-multiple-mysteries and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sculptor_Group and https://earthsky.org/constellations/constellation-sculptor-galaxy-south-galactic-pole/#:~:text=Also%20above%20Alpha%20Sculptoris%2C%20but%20below%20the%20Sculptor,0h%2051m%2026.00s%2C%20Dec%20%3D%20-27d%207m%2042.0s. and https://www.hansonastronomy.com/ngc-247-the-needles-eye-galaxy

“Fiction isn’t bad. It is vital. Without commonly accepted stories about things like money, states or corporations, no complex human society can function. We can’t play football unless everyone believes in the same made-up rules, and we can’t enjoy the benefits of markets and courts without similar make-believe stories. But stories are just tools. They shouldn’t become our goals or our yardsticks. When we forget that they are mere fiction, we lose touch with reality. Then we begin entire wars `to make a lot of money for the corporation’ or ‘to protect the national interest’. Corporations, money and nations exist only in our imagination. We invented them to serve us; why do we find ourselves sacrificing our life in their service.” Yuval Noah Harari

HEY!! I AM LOOKING AT YOU!! THAT’S WHO!!

If you are reading this then you have continued to survive Covid 19 so far and so have I! Yea for us again! I am still hoping that I can keep saying this until the Covid Marry-Go-Round is done! Lol. Enough is enough.

By the 6th of May we were back to 70 thousand cases plus per day – the start of a new surge as some would see it. The number was probably much higher with some experts saying that it was closer to 140,000 per day. This discrepancy is due to home testing that is not reported and states that have stopped reporting in a timely manner. Oh well what are you going to do? The good news was that the official death rate and hospitalizations had continued to drop. In the last 30 days from April 6th, to May the 6th, we had added approximately 13,000 to 14,000 new deaths for a total of 1,024,500 . That is about half from what it was the previous 30 days when we added 26,000 new deaths. So that is a good direction to be going. Even though this number is high it seems like we are making progress. Of course with a rise in cases there is always the possibility for a subsequent rise in hospitalizations and eventually deaths. Time will tell and there should be a better picture with this by the end of the month.

Well the above picture for total deaths and total cases still has not changed. These have been the top 10 states for infections and deaths for a very long time. The only exception to the above is when you look at the number of total infections, then North Carolina jumps in to the picture, with infections higher than Michigan and New Jersey. When I see this kind discrepancy it leads me to believe that North Carolina is under reporting deaths just like Florida is doing. NC even has a bigger population than Michigan and New Jersey so they should have a similar death rate. But NC’s is around 14 to 15 thousand less than the other two states. What is the old saying? Something is a little fishy in North Carolina. Oh well, I guess it would look bad for business to be reporting accurate numbers.

By the middle of the month, we were continuing to increase the number of new cases. The official count was 90,000 plus cases per day or probably double to triple that number. The number of deaths per day was still holding steady at 200 to 300. The Covid variant BA.2.12.1 was fast becoming the cause of a majority of cases. This is a subvariant of the BA.2 virus and has been deemed much more transmissible than BA.2. There are new variants (BA.4 and BA.5) in South Africa that are of concern, unfortunately at this time there is not enough information to make any predictions on them as of yet.

By the end of the month, we had added another 6500 deaths due to Covid ( one million and thirty one thousand total or 1,031,000) and on paper this is a very good thing. We are going in the right direction. The only fly in the ointment so to speak are states that have stopped reporting. As I have looked at the numbers each day there are very large discrepancies between states with similar population. With one states not reporting any deaths and another consistently reporting multiple deaths each day. So I am not really comfortable with the accuracies of these numbers. My guess is that the death count is much, much higher than what is reported.

If you interested in looking at the numbers for yourself, please see this link: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

If you interested in getting a good understanding of what is going on with Covid each week without having to watch the news, check out this link for the Osterholm Update on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FC1G09xkOFc

And if you don’t want to listen on YouTube you can check out Apple Pod cast. Dr. Michael Osterholm is an American epidemiologist, Regents Professor, and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Osterholm gives an update each week on where we are with the virus. Really good information directly from the source and not spun by the news media channels.

Enough about Covid! Damn I am going to be so glad when this is over with. It has gone on way too long but not too unexpected. It is a coronavirus after all and will never totally go away.

On a somewhat more positive note, the month of May was another great one for air quality. This was due to the continued windy weather that we seemed to have had just about every other day. Unfortunately we are still in drought like conditions. Therefore, while it was really great for AQ it was not so great for fire weather. Fortunately we have not had any fires of significant size. There have been a few popping up here and there around the state but nothing like what is going on in New Mexico.

With the continued rehab of the knee injury, I did not get in a lot of running for the month, but I did get in a lot of walking and some biking.

This picture was taken on April 6th, 2022 about 530pm in the afternoon. Still a little cold out this time of year but getting warmer.
This picture was taken the next day on April 7th, 2022 at about 7pm. It was a beautiful evening. The two peaks in the background are Mt. Meeker and Long Peak. They are about 40 miles away as the crow flies so to speak. There were only a few sunset pictures for the month of April due to the air quality. It was great. Not much in the way of particulates in the air, so the sunset were not as colorful.
This picture was taken on April 10th, 2022 at about 5pm in the afternoon. Here I am looking Northwest along the Poudre River. I really like this spot for picture taking. Again it was another beautiful afternoon. Great air quality and cool temps!
This picture was taken on April 13th, 2022 at about 6pm in the evening. It was a great walk with Marvin and Janet. Marvin always looks pretty serious but he is pushover when it comes to the cat. Lol.
This picture was taken on April 18th, 2022 at about 4pm in the afternoon. Due to my knee injury I did a lot more biking the month of April. In hind sight, this is what I should have been doing all long, but oh well you live and learn. This is looking South West on the Spring Creek Bike trail in Fort Collins. It makes a loop at its end but offers connections to other dirt paths/trails in the area. Very nice to have.
This picture was taken on April 23rd, 2022 at about 5pm in the afternoon. It is looking North along another path called the Powerline Trail. I love this trail because it is so close to where I live and you can stay on dirt for about 90% of the trail. I use it so much that I call it the Powerline Treadmill. Lol.
The above two pictures were taken on April 27th, 2022 at about 4pm in the afternoon. These are Crabapple Trees that line a part of the Powerline Trail. They make these tiny apples that are very tart to the taste. I see people collecting these every year to make ciders. They tell me their home brews are delicious. I once read some history on “Jonny Appleseed” that said why he was so popular with the settlers was due to type of apple trees he planted – trees for making alcoholic cider! Lol. I read this story from a book by Michael Pollan called the Botany of Desire.
This last picture was taken on April 28th, 2022, at about 630pm in the afternoon. Not many sunset pics but this one was probably the best one for the month of April. Here I am looking West toward the sunset across one of the ponds at the East end of the Spring Creek Trail. We had several cloudy days but not much rain or snow at all for the month of April. Lots of wind that continued into May making the air quality fantastic for the Front Range of Colorado but unfortunately increasing the fire danger significantly.

While I did not have a lot of foothill or mountain scenes due to the knee injury, this was a good thing. I did not spend as much money. Lol. With the price of gas and diesel going up as high as it has, it has become very expensive to drive anywhere of significant distance. My guess is that fuel prices are not headed down anytime soon due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I have missed two races (one half marathon and one ultra) so far this year due to the knee injury and will miss another one at the start of June. (another ultra) This will leave me three more to get ready for. The closest one being the first week of July – the Silver Rush 50. Not really sure at this point if the knee will be up for it. But I will keep rehabbing it and hoping for the best as we roll forward into summer.

It was another great month for reading and I would like to give a couple of book recommendations.

The first one is called “The Run Walk Run Method” by Jeff Galloway.  If you are someone that wants to get back into running or someone that is coming off of an injury from running (like myself), or someone that just wants to get healthier, then this book is for you.  I got the book after suffering a knee injury back in March of this year and this is one of the first books I came across when doing a google search.   So after reading a little more on the author’s ideas, I thought this would be a good one to invest in and I am glad that I did.  There are some parts of the book that are very repetitive.  And a few sections where the author wants to sell you a Galloway Timer.  But if you can read past these parts and finish the book, you get the overall idea of the run walk run method.  And how it works.

One of the parts that I really liked the most in the book was the “psychology of walking” and how it is “very much” ok to just walk.  It really made me think about how I feel when “just walking”?  Did I feel like a failure deep down and if I did why was that?  Pretty interesting when I started to think about it.  I did not get the book as an audio book but as an e-book.  Lol.  Surprise.  Almost all of my other book reviews have been audio books.  But it was cheaper as an e-book so I opted for that.  And, most importantly, it does not come as an audio book. If you do decide that this book is for you, get a good timer.  I opted for a phone apt called Seconds Pro Interval Timer.  It was about 5 dollars but it works great and is very configurable.

Of course you can find this book at Amazon: https://amzn.to/39DX2ij

The next book I would like to give a recommendation to is called “The Happy Runner” by David Roche and Megan Roche MD.  As I have gotten older my running times have slowed ever so slightly and this is a little concerning to me.  My wife tells me I am just old.  Lol.  Of course, she is right, it is normal with getting older, but that still does not mean we cannot improve.  So, I am always on the look out for books that help with this aspect.  I came across this book just by accident and the title intrigued me a bit so I ordered it and I am happy that I did.  It is not your typical running book with all the science and pathophysiology of running.  Instead, it is all about how to “enjoy” the running process.  To not be event or time orientated.  It gets back to the old saying, “It’s the journey and not the destination.”  They go into great depth on the mental aspects of how to become a happy runner. 

I liked this book a lot.  But if you are new to running or if you want a better understanding of running science, then this is not the book for you.  This is a book that you read in addition to a book like “The Science of Running” by Steve Magness.  No this is a book more about happiness.  You could even say it is not just about running.  That running is just the background story and it is really about how to be happier.  And oh, by the way, you can do it while running.  I got this book in paper back form and I am glad that I did.  I have found myself going back and rereading a few chapters and sections over again.  It is not available as an audio book.

Of course you can find this book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3KRCRKv

Another great book if you want to know more about the science behind running effectively is called just that, “The Science of Running:  How to Find Your Limit and Train to Maximize Your Performance” by Steve Magness. In the Amazon description the first sentence is, “If you’re looking for how to finish your first 5k, this book isn’t for you.”  I thought that was pretty funny, but in reality it could be you.  Especially if you are someone that wants to know more, a lot more, about that “Science,” even if it is only your first 5k.

The first part of the book is all the pathophysiology of what happens when you are running. And in my opinion it is the best part.  The second part is on turning all that pathophysiology into the proper type of training.  This is where “the not for you part, if you’re looking to do you’re first 5k” comes in.  Lol.  With all kidding aside, it is a great pathophysiology book on running but you probably need a different one in describing how to train for your first 5k.

Now one other warning, this book was published in 2014, so a little bit of it could be dated.  Science is always changing.  My suggestion is to start with this book but don’t let it be your only book on “running science.” I listened to the book as an audio book but I liked it so well I am re-reading it again in the paperback version.  The audio book makes it hard to flip back and forth between sections.  So traditional format is probably better for a deeper understanding.       

Of course you can find this book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3kYWZQv

Another book I would like to give a recommend on is called “Regenesis” by George M. Church and Ed Regis. The book was first published in 2012.  George is a geneticist, molecular engineer and chemist.  Ed Regis is a science writer.  I first heard about George when he spoke on Synthetic Biology while watching a Ted Talk on YouTube and that piqued my curiosity.   

Before I go too much further, let me explain on some of the background of why I am interested in this book besides the Ted Talk.  First, I had become much more intrigued in the potential for genetic manipulation in all aspect of life since I first read Nancy Kress’s SiFi book Beggars and Choosers (2nd book of a trilogy).  This is a great science fiction book on the potentials of genetic manipulation.   That book was published in 1994.  Second, fast forward to the CRISPR gene editing techniques in the last 5 years and the mRNA technology that allowed our current two main vaccines against Covid.   These techniques are very significant because they allow for genetic material to be edited with extremely high precision and best of all it is much cheaper when compared to older practices.  So when Mr. Church talks about some of the potential applications of genetics and synthetic biology it is worth taking note.  Synthetic biology is the redesigning of organisms for other useful purposes by re-engineering them to have new abilities. 

Now for a little bit of the down side.  The book is a little hard to understand in some sections, especially for the general reader.  I found it tedious at times on some of the technical sections and wondered if it might have been better for the author to leave some of that out.  If you can get around this, then the book gives you a lot to ponder on where we are going with this technology.  The book was first published 10 years ago and a lot of what is talked about has not come to pass, but I see that as a good thing.  This technology is so revolutionary in scope, it needs to be well thought out and then some, before being used in the real world.  We don’t want the “unintended consequences” scenario to be humanities epitaph. Lol.  I listened to the book as an audio book but it would work well in any format.

Of course you can find this book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3shxZrw

The last book I would like to give a recommendation to is the final book in a series called The Expanse. This is book 9 and is called “Leviathan Falls: Expanse, Book 9” by James S.A. Corey.  This was a Science Fiction series that also has a TV adaption started by the SiFi Channel and then later picked up by Amazon.  It was called simply the Expanse.  If you have not read any of the books or seen the TV series, they are all well worth the read and watch in my opinion.  I first became interested in the series when I saw a few of the first episodes on SiFi and wondered if it was based on a book.  Lol.  I was not disappointed.  What I liked best about the series in the books was how earth and the geopolitics were depicted in the future.  Especially with the establishment of mars as a colony and eventually as its own separate self-governed planet independent from earth.  Another area that was good was the rise of the “Belters.”  Humans that were instrumental in the mining and colonization of the asteroid belt and how they were marginalized and abused by the Inners (people from Earth and Mars).  Now imagine, setting this against a back drop of “bigger things going on” that could change all of humanity’s future for the better or maybe for the worse.  And this is what gives you great story telling for the entire book series. 

The last book gives a good and satisfying conclusion in my opinion to the entire series.  The author’s name for these books is actually two people, Ty Franck and Daniel Abraham.  I got all the books as audiobooks.  This worked well for long runs and bike rides as well as doing chores around the house.  I think the story would work well in any format.

Of course this book can be found on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3KQn7ro

Last but not least I would like to show case a new piece of art work. This one is the fourth in a series that I call “Transhumanist Jesus.” It is done in pen and ink, mounted on painted white board and protected by Mod Podge. It has a protective final finish of acrylic spray sealant. It measures 7.25 inches wide by 10.25 inches tall and when hanging it is about 15 inches tall. I have called these studies in Jesus by several different names, Jesus of Borg or SiFi Jesus or the current name of Transhumanist Jesus.

I decided to do these pieces initially over anger of the Texas GOP’s enactment of their draconian anti-abortion law. I had only planned to do a limited number, but now with the possibility of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe vs Wade, I will continue to make them.  I have three adult daughters and while they might not agree on whether it is right or wrong to get an abortion, they all agree that it is “their right” to choose. And I agree with them. So that is how the project started out, but it morphed into something a little different. Did you know that there are at least 10,000 different denominations of Christianity in the world? Of course, some say this number is much higher, but I figure 10,000 is a safe estimate. Knowing this I thought why not make up my own Jesus?! A lot of other people have. So, I did. And what I came up with was a tough but accepting LGBT SiFi Jesus. A Jesus that would assimilate all other Jesuses, even Republican Jesus, into a hive mind and create an accepting and loving collective for all people and all religions. In Star Trek, the Borg are considered the enemy but, in my version, I have turned it around and made “Jesus of Borg” the good guy, the savior.

Now you might be wondering where “Transhumanist Jesus” comes into the picture. It started after I read a book called Transhumanism and Transcendence – Christian Hope in an Age of Technological Enhancement by Ronald Cole-Turner. In a nutshell so to speak, Christianity and depictions of Jesus will have to change to keep up with the “Biotech” or risk the fate of all previous mythologies that have become nothing more than footnotes in history. Since time immortal, we have been defined as a species, by our technology. As it advances so must our depictions of god.

TRANSHUMANIST JESUS # 4

This piece and other types of art work are for sale and can be found on my Etsy site: https://www.etsy.com/shop/strugglingprotoplasm/edit?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

Well I have come to the end of another blog post! Yea! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it! Before I go I want to touch on something that might help with this crazy inflation we are having on just about everything! And of course, you might have guessed, I am going to say become minimalist. Lol. So why minimalism you might ask? Well on the surface it is about owning less stuff. Having fewer possessions which translates into buying less. Our society encourages overindulgence and overconsumption at every turn. Think about all the commercials you see in just a single day telling you to buy, buy, buy. Either directly or indirectly. And that is the problem. We buy and buy and buy always looking for the happiness the commercials have promised, but never finding it because it is not there. I am going to let you in on a little secret, happiness is not a destination but a path. Minimalism is one of many paths that can provide you with the happiness you seek. And at the same time help you with inflation because you are buying less. It is just that simple. You buy less. Of course this assumes that you have enough to cover all your basics – food, clothing and housing. But after that ask yourself what do you really need?

Being minimalist is not all black or all white. There are many shades of gray. Minimalism is different for each individual. You can choose how much “minimalism” you want in your life and how much you don’t want. It is about understanding what matters most in life and removing the things that do not support the “what matters most part.” It is a way to break free of a rigged consumeristic system. A way to buy time for yourself and the planet. It is a way to bring back the joy we all want and need in our lives. The really cool part, there is nothing to buy. It is just a change in mindset. A change in attitude.

Ok, ok, enough of the soapbox, but if your interested and want to learn more about sustainability, minimalism and the steady state economy, please see these sites: https://www.sustain.ucla.edu/what-is-sustainability/ and https://www.theminimalists.com/minimalism/ and https://steadystate.org/ and https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2018/12/27/35-ways-reduce-carbon-footprint/

So take care my friends and if you have not gotten vaccinated, then get it done. We all want this “Groundhog Day – Covid – Marry- Go – Round” to end. Until next time Adios!!

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous…, leading to the most amazing views.” Edward Abbey

Air Quality, Art, Book Review, Colorado, Covid 19, Dogs, Exercise, Fort Collins, Meditation, Minimalism, Pandemics, Psychology, Science, Science Fiction, Space

MUSINGS FOR FRIDAY 25TH, MARCH 2022

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“You don’t need to travel the world or do big things to live an extraordinary life. Be present. Notice the beauty around you. Be curious. Try the things that interest you. Be brave. Start the things you’ve been putting off. Create something. Learn something. Teach something. And do it all for the love of it.”

Lori Deschene

Tiny Buddha
This image is of Arp 298. The Arp stands for Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. It is named after Halton Christian “Chip” Arp. He was an American astronomer and over time he compiled a catalog of unusual galaxies titled the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. It is an excellent reference of interacting and merging galaxies. Many objects in the atlas are referred to primarily by their Arp number. The above image is from the NASA/ESA Space Telescope. It is a picture of two galaxies NGC 7469 and IC 5283 (smaller one). The bigger galaxy is approximately 200 million light years away in the constellation of Pegasus. Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, A. Evans, R. Chandar. If you would like to learn more about the above galaxies please see these links: Hubble Peers at Peculiar Pair of Galaxies | NASA and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halton_Arp and Hubble Sees Stunning Pair of Interacting Galaxies: Arp 298 | Sci-News.com

“Examine and define your values. Really. What do you want for your life? How do you want to feel? What sort of life will allow you to feel at peace at the end of your lifetime? How would you live if you lived with no regrets? This is not a task-oriented “Bucket List.” This is a way to have the sort of life you want, to identify what grounds you and guides you.”

Angela Marchesani

Tiny Buddha
This is an image from the Hubble Space Telescope of two galaxies, NGC4496A and NGC 4496B. They look as if they are side by side and overlapping, but in reality they are millions of light years apart. The image is created by a chance alignment. NGC4496A is about 47 million light years from earth while 4496B is about 212 million light years away. Both lie in the constellation of Virgo. Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, T. Boeker, B. Holwerda, Dark Energy Survey, Department of Energy, Fermilab/Dark Energy Camera (DECam), Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory/NOIRLab/National Science Foundation/Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Sloan Digital Sky Survey; Acknowledgment: R. Colombari. If you would like to learn more about his image please see these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2022/hubble-observes-a-not-so-close-encounter and http://www.sci-news.com/astronomy/hubble-galaxy-pair-ngc-4496-10584.html

“You’re not perfect, you don’t know everything, and you don’t have all the answers. But let me let you in on a little secret, no one expects you to, either. We all battle our self-doubt and fear. We all have our shortcomings… Even that one person that looks like they’ve got it all together is working through some stuff. They have some areas where they falter. In fact, they’d probably have a good laugh at you for thinking they’ve got everything figured out.”

McKayla Afolayan

Tiny Buddha
This is a Hubble Image of a dwarf starburst galaxy named Henize 2-10. It was named after the astronomer Karl Henize. This galaxy recently made headlines because it has a black hole that is making stars instead of eating them up. This is the opposite effect of what is seen in larger galaxies, when material falls toward the black hole. The dwarf galaxy lies 30 million light years away in the constellation Pyxis. Astrophysicist Amy Reines was the first to publish evidence for a black hole in this galaxy in 2011 and is the principal investigator on the new observations. Image credit: NASA, ESA, Zachary Schutte (XGI), Amy Reines (XGI); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI). If you would like to learn more about this galaxy and Amy please see these links: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/hubble-finds-a-black-hole-igniting-star-formation-in-a-dwarf-galaxy and Hen 2-10 – Wikipedia and https://www.amyreines.com/

“Sometimes, you just have to let go of your tight grip of how you think things should be or how quickly they should come together and simply let things run their own course. By releasing control and letting the currents carry you along, paradoxically, you gain more control… Of your attitude and your response to what’s happening to you at the moment.”

Keri Olson

Tiny Buddha
This is an image of the galaxy NGC 1097 and was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. It is considered a barred spiral galaxy because of a central bar shape running through the spiral. The bar is made up of stars. About half of all spiral galaxies have this feature. Our Milky Way is considered a barred spiral galaxy. You have to see them from different views, otherwise it will simply look like a circle and you won’t see the spirals. NGC 1097 is about 48 million light years from earth. And is located in the constellation Fornax. This constellation is located in the Southern hemisphere. The name means furnace and was coined by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1756. Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Sand, K. Sheth. If you would like to learn more NGC 1097 and any of the above mentioned features please check out these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2002/hubble-sees-the-eye-of-a-colorful-galaxy and https://planetfacts.org/barred-spiral-galaxy/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fornax

“Let go of your attachment to the outcome. Once we set our intention, we have little control over the outcome. Often others are involved, and we can’t force them into helping us achieve our goals. Realize that no matter what happens, you will be okay. And know that adopting this mindset will free you up mentally so you’re able to focus on controlling what you can control… your own choices and actions.”

Ash Blankenship

Tiny Buddha

HEY!! I AM LOOKING AT YOU!! THAT’S WHO!!

If you are reading this then you have continued to survive Covid 19 so far and so have I!! Yea for us again!! I am still hoping that I can keep saying this for all of this year. I really, really mean that, especially if you read my blog post. Lol.

Looking at the numbers on March 6th, it appears that in the last 30 days (February 6th to March 6th) we have added another 58 thousand deaths for a total of 984,000. Wow. And not in a good way. The only good news, is that the numbers are lower by 12 thousand from the previous 30 days. Omicron has really reeked havoc on those that did not get vaccinated. Unfortunately there are plenty of individuals out there that have still not been vaccinated to keep the Covid fires burning for a long time. And this does not include the real possibility of other new variants. Some have argued in the media that the Omicron variant was a milder form of Covid but that is not true. This is were statistics can trip you up if your not careful. The reason it seemed milder over all is that it infected the vaccinated too. And there are millions that have been vaccinated, so on the surface it seems to be milder, but in reality it was only milder if you were vaccinated.

Oh well, the above image has stayed the same. It shows the top ten states with the most Covid deaths. California is still number one followed by Texas. Florida is probably much closer to the top than what they are reporting due to their continued lack of said reporting.

By the middle of the month several countries overseas were in an Omicron wave: Hong Kong, South Korea, Germany, Vietnam, the UK, France, Russia, etc… Of course the United States had more active cases than any other place in the world. The approximate total number of deaths in the United States stood at 997,000. Or an increase of 13 thousand in the 10 days. (From March 6) I am guessing that by the first week of April we will top the 1 million mark “officially” for Covid deaths. It just seems weird writing this. That number should make us all stop what we are doing and take a moment for reflection. But I think we have all become immune to it. Unless of course, you have had someone die in your circle of friends and family.

By the end of the month… and it really was not the end of the month, like I thought it was going to be. It was the 22nd of March?! The death toil from Covid in the United States was over 1 million deaths. Unreal. Let me say that again. We are over 1,000,000 deaths in this country alone. Wow! We officially went over the one million mark 3/22/22. Of course the official number will not be published until it is all verified. At the time of publishing this blog, the unofficial number had risen to about 1,003,000. We were still adding about 600 to 800 deaths per day and about 30,000 new cases each day.

Oh well, what are you going to do?? The question in my mind is when will the next variant of “significant” concern show up. When I started writing, there was the BA.2 variant of Omicron (there are actually 4 known Omicron variants) and the worry was that it was even more contagious than the first version of Omicron. By the tenth of the month there was a newer variant of Covid created by the combining of Delta and Omicron. It was nicknamed Deltacron and is known as a recombinant virus. It has been mainly seen in France, Denmark and the Netherlands but as far as I know it has not been of much concern in the United States. The only one that is now thought to be a potential issue in the United States is the BA.2 variant of Omicron. It is currently about 40% of all new cases in the US. That is up 35% from the first of the month.

If you interested in looking at the numbers for yourself, please see this link: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

If you interested in getting a good understanding of what is going on with Covid each week without having to watch the news, check out this link for the Osterholm Update on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FC1G09xkOFc

And if you don’t want to listen on YouTube you can check out Apple Pod cast. Dr. Michael Osterholm is an American epidemiologist, Regents Professor, and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Osterholm gives an update each week on where we are with the virus. Really good information directly from the source and not spun by the news media channels.

Well again… Enough about Covid! The month of February was another great month for getting out doors here on the Front Range of Colorado. While we continued to have cold and snowy weather, the air quality for the most part was fantastic compared to the same time last year. I think this was due to the frequent weather systems that had moved into the area over the month. Unfortunately, the mountains did not get as much snow as they had back in December due to this shift, but it kept the air much cleaner on the Front Range.

This picture was taken on February 1st, 2022 at about 5:30pm in the afternoon. It was the start of another round of cold and snow for the front range as can be seen in the picture below! Lol.
This picture was taken on February 2nd, 2022 at 2pm in the afternoon. The storm dumped about 8 to 12 inches of snow.
Happy Birthday Marvin! He turned three years old in February. The above picture was taken when he was about 3 months old. Lol. Sometime in May of 2019. Compare it to the picture below from this past February! He did get pretty big! Lol.
This picture was taken February 5th, 2022 at about 4:30pm in the afternoon.
This picture was taken on February 10th, 2022 at about 5:45pm in the afternoon. We did have some beautiful sunsets in February but due to the wind and frequent weather systems, the air was pretty clean. Not as many particulates. So we did not get as many with vivid colors as in previous months.
This picture was taken February 14th, 2022 at about 5:15pm in the afternoon. Most of our sunsets for February, that I got to witness, were of this type. Interesting contrast to the one above.
This picture was taken on February 20th, 2022 at about 5pm in the afternoon. Had to put one in of me and Marvin!
This picture was taken 24th, 2022 at about 5:45pm in the afternoon. Another beautiful one from our neighborhood. Compare the colors to the one below at about the same location and time.
Last picture! Lol. This one was taken on February 28th, 2022 at about 6pm. Same location and about the same time as the one above.

Well it was another good month for running, so I did get in a few audio books. Lol. During long runs, bike rides, cross country skiing, etc. this is one of my favorite things to do. Besides exercise leading to better health, I have found that listening to audiobooks can greatly improve your understanding of the world around you. I got into this habit when I was commuting the hour to work and back each day. At first it was with audio cassettes until Audible came out with their digital format and membership plan. And I would have to say, this one habit (listening to audiobooks) has totally changed my life.

The first audio book I would like to give a recommendation on is called Ravenous:  Otto Warburg, The Nazis, and the search for the Cancer-Diet Connection by Sam Apple.  This book was recommended to me by a friend and I was not disappointed.  But at the same time it was not what I expected.  If you are looking for a book that is “all” about the Cancer/Diet connection then this is not really that book.  It does talk about the connection in round about ways but it is not a “hard and fast give you the facts” type of book.  It is much more the history book, especially on Otto Warburg, the Nazis, Hitler and other scientists caught up in the craziness of Germany during the time of Hitler.  But it is still a fascinating read.  The Author did a pretty good job in my opinion of weaving two types of books (History and Science) together to create a compelling and interesting read.  I loved the history parts of the book.  Especially the parts on the idiosyncrasies of Hitler and Germany at the time.  And the science parts of the book: the metabolic aspects of cancer, carbohydrates, refined sugar, and diabetes, were very thought provoking.  Of course I listened to the book as an audio book but it would work in any format.  It is a great read and good food for thought.

Of course this book can be found on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3t6k0FV

The next book I would like to give a recommendation on is called “The Lost Art of Running” by Shane Benzie with Tim Major. I came across this book when I was looking on YouTube for videos on correct running form. If you are runner, you will at some point get injured. It is just inevitable and that is what happened to me. Once you get up to a certain mileage or age in years, the pounding starts to add up and injuries can happen. One way to help prevent them in the first place, besides adequate rest, is correct running form. The problem with looking on YouTube or the Internet is that the “correct” way to run can be a very subjective and confusing issue.

The author of this book seems to have really done his research by looking at some of the best runners in the world and analyzing their running form. Especially the Kenyan runners. That is what most of the first two thirds of the book is about. For some people this might be a turn off. Especially if you are just looking for the down and dirty and you see it as just a filler, so to speak. But I would argue against that. By giving you, the reader, a taste of his research and the struggle to find the best running form, Shane makes a strong case for his ideas about proper running technique. And it is in the last couple of chapters where all of his research comes together and makes the book well worth the read. This book would work well in any format but might be better in a traditional format because of all the information presented in the last chapters. If found myself listening to the last couple of chapters several times. Of course you can find it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/36evlv5

Last but not least, I would like to showcase a few new pieces of art work before I go. The first one is the third “Sun Face” in a series I started in October 2021. It is constructed of 3/4 inch plywood and painted with high quality latex paint. Then sealed with a clear latex primer. The sculpture measures about 28 inches by 28 inches by 3 inches deep. Its weight is about 25lbs. They are designed for exterior placement, but if you are putting it outside, I would suggest a protected location. The latex paint, while durable, will gradually fade over time if placed in a location with strong sunlight. And like all paint, it is susceptible to the whims of harsh weather. This one is called “Squished Lego Sun Face 3.”

Squished Lego Sun Face 3

The second one was inspired by a book on Transhumanism that I gave a recommendation to in the last blog post. The book is called Transhumanism and Transcendence – Christian Hope in an Age of Technological Enhancement by Ronald Cole-Turner (editor). It is a collection of different writings from many different authors over the years. It is a look at how Christianity will deal with the advances in science that could lead to a whole different type of human. When you see drawings with the idea of Transhumanism it is usually a picture of some kind of robot that appears half human and half robot. My idea is that this revolution in human development will be invisible for the most part. And that is what my drawing is about. It is the microscopic nano machines and power cells that enhance human longevity, health, power and intelligence. Who wouldn’t want to live longer and healthier, no cancer, no heart disease, no metabolic disease, be smarter with an IQ of 300, and have the strength and stamina of 10 humans. Imagine all these tiny, tiny machines, all scattered through out the body, making all of this possible. Not just humans 3.0 but humans 5.0. I call this one “Transhumanist Musings 5.0”

The drawing is done in pen and ink and is protected with a traditional picture frame and glass. It measures approximately 12 inches wide by 15 inches tall.

Transhumanist Musings 5.0

These pieces and other types of art work are for sale and can be found on my Etsy site: https://www.etsy.com/shop/strugglingprotoplasm/edit?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

Well instead of talking about the idea minimalism directly in this last section. I thought I would try to give you a little bit of an understanding of why I practice meditation everyday and how this relates to minimalism indirectly. Meditation is something that I do everyday. Even if it is only for a couple of minutes. It is a habit that I have worked hard to cultivate and it is now to the point that if I don’t do it everyday I feel like there is something wrong with me. Lol. ( Ya I know what you are thinking and my wife agrees with you)

I got into the practice about 15 years ago when I was having some real issues with anxiety. But my first exposure to it was when I was about 8 or 9 years old and was taking a “karate” class at the YMCA. It was a form of karate called Shorin-ryu, which I believe came out of Okinawa. The instructor was a believer of the benefits of a short meditation before practice and one after practice. I can remember to this day about the talk he gave us about how it would “settle the mind” for the task at hand (practice). And how the meditation at the end, got your mind ready to re-enter everyday life outside the Dojo or practice floor. Unfortunately the classes only lasted for about 6 months. But, I think this first exposure to meditation was the catalyst for my later reintroduction to the practice later in life.

The first reason I started back was to reduce anxiety. And it has, but not in the way that you would think. Meditation does not remove your problems and challenges, but it helps you to invite those problems and challenges in so to speak. So that you can really get to know them. By knowing more fully what really makes you anxious can help to take a lot of the fear and dread out it and in turn this can reduce your anxiety. The idea is to make anxiety your friend. I am using anxiety as my example but you could use any kind of “challenge.”

The second reason I have continued to practice meditation is that I wanted to find a way to be more engaged in life. I mean really engaged in whatever I am doing at the time that I am doing it. After all, meditation must function in our everyday lives, for if it’s not working there, it is not really working at all. Most people have the idea you are only practicing Zen when you are sitting, counting breaths and holding still. But the reality is much deeper than that. You start with the stillness to increase your perceptions of life around you, but then you have to be able to combine the stillness with movement. That movement is the way you live your life day to day in everything that you do. The end point is the realization that the stillness and the movement are one and the same. Think of it as two different sides of the same coin. And if you are wondering, I am not there yet. But I am trying.

This does connect with “minimalism” indirectly in that it helps you to be more “mindful” in your buying practices. And the idea is that you might think a little more carefully before your next purchase of that “must have” widget, contraption, clothing, shoes, whatever it may be item. That only gets used one time and takes up space in the garage, closet, kitchen drawer, etc… And if your wondering, I am guilty of this too. Lol.

Ok enough of the lecture, but if you are interested in getting started, check out this link from Amazon on a great book in how to do meditation: https://amzn.to/37I2srr

Well I have come to the end of another blog post! Yea! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it! If your interested and want to learn more about sustainability, minimalism and the steady state economy, please see these sites: https://www.sustain.ucla.edu/what-is-sustainability/ and https://www.theminimalists.com/minimalism/ and https://steadystate.org/

So take care my friends and if you have not gotten vaccinated, then get it done. We all want this “Groundhog Day – Covid – Marry- Go – Round” to end. Until next time Adios!!

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous…, leading to the most amazing views.” Edward Abbey

Air Quality, Art, Book Review, Colorado, Covid 19, Dogs, Economics, Exercise, Fort Collins, Minimalism, Pandemics, Science, Science Fiction, Space

MUSINGS FOR FRIDAY 26TH, NOVEMBER 2021

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“We are all just a car crash, a diagnosis, an unexpected phone call, a newfound love, or a broken heart away from becoming a completely different person. How beautifully fragile are we that so many things can take but a moment to alter who we are forever?”

Samuel Decker Thompson

This view from the International Space Station at an orbit of 274 miles shows a beautiful view of an aurora. While most auroras are often seen near the poles, they can appear at lower latitudes due to large coronal mass ejections from the sun. Other names for this phenomena are polar lights, northern lights, the aurora borealis, etc… These displays of light occur when charged particles from the sun strike atoms in the Earth’s atmosphere and temporarily move electrons to higher-energy orbits, further away from the nucleus. Then when the electrons moves back to a lower- energy orbit, they release a particle of light or photon. If you would like to learn more, please see these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/behold-an-aurora-over-the-southern-skies and https://www.nasa.gov/topics/shuttle_station/features/20110917-aurora.html and https://earthsky.org/earth/what-causes-the-aurora-borealis-or-northern-lights/

“Believe in your ability to become something great, but never allow yourself to believe that you already are.”

Samuel Decker Thompson

The above image from Hubble shows “globules” of interstellar gas free floating in space. You usually cannot see them but when new stars ignite, their intense ultraviolet radiation can ionize the cloud’s hydrogen and create a large, hot bubble of ionized gas. The name for these are “Free-floating Evaporating Gaseous Globules” or “frEGGs.” This image is also a picture of two giant stars. The one on the left is a giant O-type star and is very rare. They are known to be the hottest in the Universe. The one on the right is a massive supergiant B-type star. The frEGGs and stars seen in this picture are in a part of the Northern Coalsack Nebula. In popular media, the Coalsack Nebula is mentioned and used many times, Star Trek the original series, the movie Blue Lagoon, the animated series Futurama, the movie The Chronicles of Riddick and several books. If your interested to learn more please see these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/spotted-by-hubble-dark-star-hatching-freggs and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evaporating_gaseous_globule and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalsack_Nebula

“You haven’t truly learned the value of life until you’ve looked into the eyes of a loved one at the very moment they drifted away from it.”

Samuel Decker Thompson

This image was taken by the NASA’s Juno spacecraft. Juno was launched on August 5th, 2011 as part of the New Frontiers program. The New Frontiers program was developed to explore and understand more about our own solar system. The Juno’s mission is to measure Jupiter’s composition, gravitational and magnetic field, and polar magnetosphere, among other things. On it’s 36th low pass over Jupiter, it captured the view of the cloud bands and swirls in the planet’s mid-southern latitudes. The dark spot is a vortex that is roughly 250 miles in diameter or 400km. This image was actually created by a citizen scientist named Brian Swift using raw footage from the spacecraft. Image data: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS. Image processing: Brian Swift © CC BY. If you would like to learn more, please check these links: Mocha Swirls in Jupiter’s Turbulent Atmosphere | NASA and Juno (spacecraft) – Wikipedia and https://www.nasa.gov/planetarymissions/newfrontiers.html

“The humans who have the most profound impact upon the lives of those around them are not the ones who buy the greatest gifts, they are not the ones with money and power, and they are not the ones with all the great connections. Instead, we must learn that those who will always make the biggest difference in a life are simply the ones who consistently take the time to show they care, even when it would be so much easier for them not to.”

Samuel Decker Thompson

This is an image of what is know as a remnant of a Type 1a supernova. The red colored ribbon like structures are strands of hot gas that were created by the death of a white dwarf star and subsequent explosion. It is officially known as DEM L249 and is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The LMC is a satellite dwarf galaxy of the Milky Way. The remnant is approximately 160,000 light years away in the constellation of Mensa. The image was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. Image credit: NASA, ESA, and Y. Chou (Academia Sinica, Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) If you would like to learn more please see these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2021/hubble-captures-the-shredded-remains-of-a-cosmic-explosion and http://www.sci-news.com/astronomy/hubble-type-ia-supernova-remnant-dem-l249-10253.html and https://www.space.com/hubble-telescope-white-dwarf-supernova-image

“If someone isn’t going to love you for who you are, no matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, then find someone who will. You can’t waste away your beautifully precious life trying so desperately to be good enough for someone else. You need a love who always makes you feel you are good enough just as you are.”

Samuel Decker Thompson

This Hubble nebula image is an example of what is know as a “super-bubble.” In the upper central region there is a dark, starry gap. The hole is 250 light-years wide and it is not fully understood why it is there in the first place. But some believe that the hole was created by stellar winds expelled by massive stars in the bubble’s interior or by the titanic explosion of stars in the nebula. The nebula is named N44 and is filled with glowing hydrogen gas, dust, massive stars and many populations of stars of different ages. The nebula is located about 160 to 170 thousand light years away. It is located in LMC (Large Magellanic Cloud) and is about 1000 light years across. Image credit: NASA, ESA, V. Ksoll and D. Gouliermis (Universität Heidelberg), et al.; Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America). If you interested in more information please see these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2021/mysterious-superbubble-hollows-out-nebula-in-new-hubble-image and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N44_(emission_nebula)

“If the brutal callousness of this world still hasn’t broken you at least a little bit, then you might be part of the problem.”

Samuel Decker Thompson

Interested in who Samuel Decker Thompson is? Check out this link: https://www.facebook.com/ADudeWritingPoetry/?pnref=story and https://samueldeckerthompson.tumblr.com/

HEY!! I AM LOOKING AT YOU!! THAT’S WHO!!

If you are reading this then you have continued to survive Covid 19 so far and so have I!! And that my friends is a very, very, good thing for all of us. I am still hoping that I can keep saying this for the rest of the year and the next. I really, really mean that, especially if you have not gotten your vaccine yet.

Looking at the numbers on November 6th it appears that we have added another 48,000 deaths (775,000 total) in the last 30 days?! While this is down 10,000 from the previous 30 days – I still find the numbers hard to fathom, it is just unreal. Imagine prior to the pandemic if we would have had an event that killed this same number of people in 30 days?! What would have been the media’s reaction? What would have been the government’s reaction? Oh well, the economic forces that drive the world seem not to care and life goes on or doesn’t for some.

Texas appears to be headed to the number one spot for deaths in the country due to Covid. They are only a few 100 deaths away from topping California. Florida is in third place, followed by New York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio and Michigan for the top ten. Of course my question to all of this will be how high will it go?

Some want to say the pandemic is waning but I think that this is a little premature. Yes the numbers are dropping in the United States but we are not the entire world. There are millions, upon millions who have no access to vaccines even though they want them. This will give fuel to the Covid fire for a while and the subsequent threat of new variants.

On a much better note, it has now been about 11 months since I got the initial two doses of the Pfizer Vaccine for Covid and 3 months since I got the booster shot and there does not seem to be any side effects. Yea!

And the Pfizer vaccine has now been approved for kids 5 to 11 years old. This will give potential protection to 28 million children in the United States alone and allows providers to begin the process as soon as possible!

Another bit of good news is the potential approval of two new oral antivirals for Covid that appear to be highly effective in preventing severe disease. This first one is from Merck and Co, the second one is from Pfizer.

By the middle of the month we had climbed to 788 thousand deaths, that added another 13,000 give or take a few for the mid-month total. Texas was still neck and neck with California. And Florida had topped the 60,000 mark for deaths. My home states of Colorado had started to drop after significant increases in Covid cases over the last few months. But at the middle of the month we were down to less than 100 ICU beds available in the entire states and FEMA / DOD assistance was requested by the Governor to help with hospital staffing!

On a better note the the FDA approved the 3rd shot of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine for all adults over the age of 18! Yea!

By the time of publishing on Friday 26th, 2021 we were right at the 800,000 mark for deaths due to Covid. With most of the recent deaths due to the unvaccinated. And this my friends is a needless waste. Most of all of these were preventable. Oh well – what is the old saying? “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him or her drink.” Covid will burn through the unvaccinated, so expect more of this carnage. And that is just the way it is going to be.

Well again, enough about Covid! Time to move on and talk about something that is a lot better. And that was the month of October for being outdoors. It was beautiful and the air quality was fantastic. Can I say that again… Yes I can! The air quality was fantastic here on the Front Range of Colorado! Yea!

The above picture was taken on October 3rd, 2021 at about 8pm in the evening. A lot of our walks with Marvin are divided up into two parts. This started as a way to beat the heat and maximized air quality but it has worked out in some unexpected ways too. Marvin seems to do much better with two shorter walks than one long one and it allows Janet and I to get in at least one walk together each day.

The above picture was taken October 5th at about 3pm in the afternoon. I was riding my bike on this day. Colorado can be a bikers dream at times. Especially in the fall when you get cool, crisp windless days. Perfect bicycling weather. This picture is looking North West on the Poudre River. You can just see the leaves starting to turn.

The above picture was taken on October 8th, 2021 at about 12:20 in the afternoon. Here I am looking West by Southwest toward the Nokhu Crags and Cameron Pass. There was already a little bit of snow on them. In this picture Marvin and I were just below Montgomery Pass. Getting a little more hiking at elevation before the snow settles in.

The above picture was taken October 12th, 2021 at about 11:45am. This is in our own neighborhood. The combination of warm temperatures and lower wind speeds really created some beautiful leaf viewing in Fort Collins.

The above picture was taken on October 13th, 2021 at about 2:30pm in the afternoon. This is one of my favorite views from Horse Tooth Mountain Park. It is looking South towards Denver. Just another beautiful day on the Front Range.

The above picture was taken on October 15th, 2021, at about 6pm in the afternoon. The vibrancy of leaf color was incredible this year. We did not have much in the way of significant storms for October, so the leaves stayed on the trees longer.

The above two pictures were taken October 18th, 2021 at about 11am in the morning, in the open space areas behind Fort Collins. The top picture is of Janet and me and the bottom one is of my two oldest daughters, Kayla and Jean-Marie. Of course the dog pictured in the top one is Marvin and the dog pictured in the lower one is Kayla’s dog named Cash.

The above picture was taken on October 25th, 2021 at about 11:30am in the morning. It is looking West across a small pound at one of the dams that holds in Horsetooth Reservoir. I think that I could have made this whole section about leaf color this year. Pretty amazing.

The last picture was taken on October 29th, 2021, at about 6:30pm. It is of Janet and Marvin on our evening walk. Here we are in one of the many parks located in Fort Collins. We are lucky in that we don’t have to drive any where to get to most of these because they can be accessed by biking / walking trails. I truly consider myself fortunate in that we live in a city that has taken significant steps to insure this access over the years. The city I grew up in did not have anything like this kind of bicycle / pedestrian infrastructure. I have to ask myself what if all cities had a program like Fort Collins? How would that affect our health care system? I am guessing that giving people the access to get out and exercise would lower our health care cost significantly. We get so busy in our lives with all the day to day chores so to speak, that getting out to exercise, gets placed on the back burner. So eliminating a big obstacle to outdoor exercise (difficult access) might get more people out and walking. And this would most undoubtedly lead to an improvement in their overall health. Could something, dare I say, so simple, be world changing?! Maybe.

During the month of October I finished up several books that I feel are worth a review and a recommendation. The first one I would like to talk about is “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World” by Katharine Hayhoe. Let me start by saying that this is not your typical climate book in that it does not really go into great detail about the science of climate change. And believe it or not I think that is a good thing. The author Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist and professor of political science at Texas Tech University. She is also an Evangelical Christian. Let me say that again, she is an Evangelical Christian that is telling the world that climate change is real… So that piece right there is enough that you should want to read it. Katharine’s message in the book is “How to talk to people about Climate Change.” She gives numerous examples in her own life in which she had to find ways to connect with Conservatives on climate issues. By telling her own story she presents a frame work in which the rest of us can connect with others not only on the validity of climate science but other sensitive topics as well. I listened to this book as an audio book but it would work well in any format. Of course you can find it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3FzTk3T

If you would like to learn more about Katharine please see this link: http://www.katharinehayhoe.com/

The next one I would like to talk about is called “Work: A Deep History, from the Stone Age to the Age of Robots” by James Suzman. I got this book after quitting health care this past summer. I had reached a point that I was not able to provide the quality care I did in the past due hospital constraints on staffing related to the pandemic. The transition from being in health care for 40 years to quitting raised some interesting questions.

A few for me, before I purchased the book, were how did we get to our current “work” system. Not just in health care but in all of life. Have you ever wondered who made up the rules? How have they changed over time? Why are we so willing to sacrifice our lives for a little bit of extra money? Why do we need work to feel fulfilled? Etc… So when I looked up the author, Dr. James Suzman (he is an anthropologist) I thought this guy might give me the answers or at the very least steer me in the right direction. Let me say I was not disappointed. You not only get a broad history of work over the ages, but also how it has been changed by technological development over time. I found the parts about the hunter/gather tribes very interesting. Especially the idea about how they were able to meet their needs with very little effort in some circumstances, leaving the rest of the day to leisure time. (Working a lot less than we do in modern society) I listened to this book as an audio book, but I found myself going back and re-listening to sections. So it might work better in traditional format. Either way it is a great book. Of course you can find it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3cGWNkx

If you interested about the author please check out this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Suzman and https://amzn.to/3nCshyx

The next one is an old one but a good one and if you have not read it… This is one, you need to add to your reading list. It is called “Silent Spring by Rachel Carson.” One of my college degrees is in Wildlife Biology with a minor in Environmental Science, and I am ashamed to say that I had never read this pivotal book on the state of the environment in the 1950s and 60s. It was originally published in 1962, the year I was born. So 59 years later I felt it was about time.

Let me say that I had to listen to the book in short sections – it was that disturbing to me. Carson eloquently tells the story of the wide spread use of insecticides / herbicides and their devastating consequences on other living organism in the environment, including humans. Each time I listened to a section of the book I came away with the question “How the hell did we not all die due to this rampant and blatant over use of these chemicals.” This is truly the book that sounded the alarm and woke up Americans to what was happening right in their own backyards. Now, some might think that the book is not relevant today but I would have to disagree. Case in point – Back in 2018 there was talk in the Trump administration to bring back DDT, one of the worst pesticides, in Carson’s book. Even though it had been banned for decades for the adverse effects on wildlife, including humans, the “ideocracy” was so prevalent in that administration there was a “thought” to let it come back.

I listened to the book as an audio book but it would work well in any format. And of course you can find it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ZdU27k

If you want to learn more about Rachel Carson please see this link: Rachel Carson, The Life and Legacy

The last one I would like to recommend is a piece of Science Fiction by Arthur C. Clarke called “Childhood’s End.” This book was written in the 1950s. Even so the story is as relevant today as it was back then. There was even a miniseries on the SiFi channel back in 2015 (I have not watched it). To say the book is thought provoking is a little bit of an understatement – And this is the main reason I am giving it a recommendation. But, let me say right off, I found it a little cynical and bleak. I feel that some of this darkness in the story line has to come from the Cold War era. After all, we are all a product of the times we live in and Clarke was not immune. Due to this, some are going to like the book a lot and some are not, because of the pessimism in the story. To be honest, I liked the book but it was not one of my Wow favorites. When it comes down to the wire so to speak, the story is more of analytical look at humanity and what the future could be. I listened to the book as an audio book but it would work well in any format. Of course you can find it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/32xrw1V

If you would like to learn more about Arthur C. Clarke please see this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_C._Clarke

Well, again last but not least, I would like to showcase a couple of pieces of art work before I go. They are pen and ink with a little water color thrown in – drawings of Jesus of Nazareth, except I have given them a little more of my own personal interpretation. I call them Jesus of Borg or LGBT SiFi Jesus. Now if you are not a Star Trek fan you might not know who the Borg are in the series. But in a nutshell they are cybernetic organisms linked in a hive mind called “The Collective.” They are known to assimilate others into their collective whether they want it or not. If you are interested check out this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borg

I decided to do these pieces over anger of the Texas GOPs enactment of the draconian anti-abortion law.  I have three adult daughters and while they might not agree on whether it is right or wrong to get an abortion, they all agree that it is “their right” to choose. And I agree with them. So that is how the project started out but it morphed into something a little different. Did you know that there are at least 10,000 different denominations of Christianity in the world. Of course some say this number is much higher but I figure 10,000 is a safe estimate. Knowing this I thought why not make up my own Jesus?! A lot of other people have. So I did! And what I came up with was a bad ass LGBT SiFi Jesus. A Jesus that would assimilate all other Jesuses, even Republican Jesus, into a hive mind and create an accepting and loving collective for all people and all religions. In Star Trek, the Borg are considered the enemy but in my version I have turned it around and made “Jesus of Borg” the good guy, the savior.

This drawing is done in pen an ink with a little water color thrown in and is protected with a traditional picture frame and glass. It measures approximately 12 inches wide by 15 inches tall.

“Jesus or Borg”

The next one is done in pen and ink with a little water color thrown in but instead of being protected in traditional frame and glass it is mounted to painted white board and coated with Mod Podge. It measures approximately 11 inches wide by 14 inches tall. When hanging it is about 22 inches tall.

“Jesus or Borg #2”

These pieces and others are for sale and can be found on my Etsy site: https://www.etsy.com/shop/strugglingprotoplasm/edit?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

Wow, I have come to the end of another blog post!! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Before I go, I would like to talk some about the COP26 climate summit. It ended about a week or so ago and now, we all wait and see if the world’s countries implement the commitments they have made. Hopefully it will happen.

One of the things that I have been looking forward to is the increase in the use of electric cars. Personally, we already own a Toyota Prius Prime that is a gas hybrid and it is fantastic for driving around town. If you start off fully charged you rarely run out of battery juice. Over the last few years this has greatly decreased our gas use and that is a very good thing. Especially with prices as high as they are right now. I am putting off buying any new vehicles for now unless they are fully electric or a gas / diesel hybrid. There is just something about not having to be dependent on filling up at the pump each week that is very satisfying.

So if everyone switched to EVs will that save the planet?! Simple answer is NO. The COP26 climate summit might be one of the last chances to head off a warming environment but electric vehicles (EVs), as much as I like them, will not get us there. EVs are still cars and trying to sell the public that once they switch to an EV, then all will be good – is a disservice in the least and an out right lie at the worst. In past blog posts I have talked about being minimalist and if we want to save the human world then I am going to make that same case again. Believe it or not becoming more minimalist is right in accord with decreasing our carbon footprints.

Some that were at the conference feel that the politicians did not really hit the nail on the head so to speak. EVs are still cars and as cars they will create the same issues that have led to an unstainable lifestyle in our cities and urban areas. They make it possible to put greater and greater distances between the places we live, work, shop and play. Developing land into parking lots, shopping malls, low-density housing, new roads, etc… uses incredible amounts of limited resources. It is not an efficient use of water, sewerage, electricity and public transportation. And selling EVs as a way to keep the status quo is not the answer.

So what is the answer(s)? The answer or answers are to bring all the different land uses closer together to make it possible to live, work, shop and play in your own neighborhood so to speak. It is about biking and walking access. It is about a more robust public transportation system. It is about creating a lifestyle in which the emphasis is not on “more stuff” but on improvement of self. It is about becoming minimalist. Life on a warming planet will have to change if we want to survive. Why not make it something for the better.

Ok, ok enough of the soapbox, but if your interested and want to learn more about sustainability, minimalism and the steady state economy, please see these sites: https://www.sustain.ucla.edu/what-is-sustainability/ and https://www.theminimalists.com/minimalism/ and https://steadystate.org/

So take care my friends and if you have not gotten vaccinated, then get it done. We all want this “Groundhog Day – Covid – Marry – Go – Round” to end. Until next time Adios!!

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous…, leading to the most amazing views.” Edward Abbey

Air Quality, Art, Book Review, Colorado, Covid 19, Dogs, Exercise, Fort Collins, Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, Leadville Run 100, Pandemics, PurpleAir, Science, Science Fiction, Space, Trail Running

MUSINGS FOR FRIDAY 27TH, AUGUST 2021

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All the atoms we are made of are forged from hydrogen in stars that died and exploded before our solar system formed. So if you are romantic, you can say we are literally stardust. If you are less romantic, you can say we’re the nuclear waste from fuel that makes stars shine.” Martin J. Rees

This is a composite picture of the Orion Nebula and it was created by using images from the Hubble Space Telescope and images from ground based systems. This picture was created in 2006 and at the time it was the sharpest view of the Nebula ever taken. When looked at in detail the image shows more than 3000 stars, some of which had never been seen in visible light. Even though the Nebula is about 15,000 light years away, give or take a few, it is visible to the naked eye. It is the middle “star” in the sword of Orion, which are the three stars located south of of Orion’s Belt. Image Credit: NASA,ESA, M. Robberto (Space Telescope Science Institute/ESA) and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team. To learn more about this image or the nebula please visit these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/a-peek-inside-the-orion-nebula and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orion_Nebula

“I’d like to widen people’s awareness of the tremendous timespan lying ahead–for our planet, and for life itself. Most educated people are aware that we’re the outcome of nearly 4 billion years of Darwinian selection, but many tend to think that humans are somehow the culmination. Our sun, however, is less than halfway through its lifespan. It will not be humans who watch the sun’s demise, 6 billion years from now. Any creatures that then exist will be as different from us as we are from bacteria or amoebae.” Martin J. Rees

This is an image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope of the galaxy known as IC 5063. It is 156 million light years away. Astronomers believe that at its core is a supermassive black hole and the interplay of light and shadow you see in the image is created when light strikes a dust ring surrounding the black hole. The light is created by gas that is being sucked in by the black hole. As the gas gets closer, it is heated up and this action creates an accretion disc that radiates brilliant light. This phenomenon is similar to what we see on earth with sunlight streaming through broken clouds at sunset or sunrise. The light beams are scattered by the atmosphere creating bright rays and dark shadows. In the above image the scale is much, much larger – 36,000 light years across. Image credit: NASA, ESA, STScI and W.P. Maksym (CfA) To learn more about this image please visit this link: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/bright-rays-and-dark-shadows-in-a-nearby-galaxy

“Our universe, extending immensely far beyond our present horizon, may itself be just one member of a possibly infinite ensemble. This “multiverse” concept, though speculative, is a natural extension of current cosmological theories, which gain credence because they account for things that we do observe. The physical laws and geometry could be different in other universes, and this offers a new perspective on the seemingly special values that the six numbers take in ours.” Martin J. Rees

This is an composite image of our Sun. How cool is that? On April 29th, 2015, three different instruments were used to look at the Sun: the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), Japan’s Hinode spacecraft, and Solar Dynamics Observatory. NuSTAR images are in blue, Hinode are in green and Solar Dynamics are in yellow. The NuSTAR data shows the most energetic spots. It was launched in June of 2012 and is still functioning. It’s mission in a nut shell was to study the universe in high energy X-rays to better understand the dynamics of black holes, exploding stars and active galaxies. It was the first hard-focusing X-ray telescope to orbit Earth. The Japan Hinode spacecraft was launched in 2006 and it mission was to explore the magnetic fields of the Sun. The mission was only for three years but has been extended to sometime in 2022. Another interesting part of the Hinode mission in my opinion is that it was a collaborative effort between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Japan’s National Astronomical Observatory, NASA, and the space agencies of Norway, the United Kingdom and the European Space Agency. Wow! The Solar Dynamics Observatory was launched by NASA in 2010 and was designed to understand the Sun’s influence on the Earth. SDO has been investigating how the Sun’s magnetic field is generated and structured. And how this effects earth. It’s mission was only to last 5 years but it is still in use at the moment. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSFC/JAXA. To learn more about this check out this link: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/staring-at-the-sun

“Incidentally, if any signs of life were found elsewhere in our solar system – and if we could be sure that it was based on a different kind of DNA, implying that it had a separate origin from terrestrial life – then we could immediately conclude that life was widespread in the universe. Something that had happened twice around a single star must have happened on millions of planets elsewhere in the Galaxy.” Martin J. Rees

This is an image of Jupiter’s moon Ganymede! Now let that sink in a minute. It is a somewhat close up view of the moon of a different planet in our solar system. How cool is that? It was obtained by NASA’s Juno Spacecraft using an instrument called the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper or (JIRAM). The Juno Spacecraft was launched in 2011 and did not reach Jupiter until 2016. It was designed to study the planet. The above image was produced by the Juno science team by combining the data from three flybys, the latest approach was on July 20th this year. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/ASI/INAF/JIRAM. If you want to learn more about this image or the Juno Spacecraft please visit these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/juno-celebrates-10-years-with-a-new-view-of-jovian-moon-ganymede and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_(spacecraft)

“We’re not aware of the “big picture,” any more than a plankton whose universe was a liter of water would be aware of the world’s topography and biosphere.” Martin J. Rees

This is an image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope of a section of the Perseus cluster. The cluster itself is one of the most massive objects in the known universe and contains thousands of galaxies. The above picture shows just two of the galaxies. The one on the left is a lenticular galaxy, named 2MASX J03193743+4137580 and the one on the right is a spiral galaxy named more simply UGC 265. Both lie approximately 350 million light years from earth. Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, W. Harris; Acknowledgment: L. Shatz. To learn more about the above image please visit these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2021/hubble-glimpses-a-galactic-duo and https://phys.org/news/2021-07-image-hubble-glimpses-galactic-duo.html

“Humanity’s long-term impact on Earth depends both on population and on lifestyle. The World Wildlife Foundation, a conservation group, has published estimates of the land area, or “footprint,” needed to support each person: It concludes that an area equivalent to “almost three planets” would be required to support the world’s population with the lifestyle and consumption pattern that it predicts for 2050. This particular calculation is controversial and perhaps somewhat tendentious: For instance, the “footprint” includes the area of forest needed to soak up the carbon dioxide arising from each person’s energy use, making no allowance for a shift to renewable energy sources, nor for the tenable viewpoint that modest rises in carbon dioxide levels are tolerable. Nonetheless, the world plainly could not perpetually support its entire population in the present style of middle-class Europeans and North Americans.” Martin J. Rees

You will never be as cool as Apollo 15 Commander David Scott as he drove the lunar rover on the surface of the Moon. It has now been 50 years since the Apollo 15 mission. It was the ninth crewed mission in the Apollo program and the fourth to land on the Moon. It was the first J mission, with a longer stay on the Moon and greater focus on science than earlier landings. The astronauts were David Scott, James Irwin and Alfred Worden. This was the first mission in which the Lunar Rover was used. Image Credit: NASA. If you would like to learn more about this picture or the Apollo 15 mission please visit these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/taking-a-ride-on-the-moon-in-the-lunar-roving-vehicle and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_15

“It may not be absurd hyperbole — indeed, it may not even be an over statement –to assert that the most crucial location in space and time (apart from the big bang itself) could be here and now. I think that odds are no better than fifty-fifty that our present civilization on Earth will survive to the end of the present century. Our choices and actions could ensure the perpetual future of life (not just on Earth, but perhaps far beyond it, too). Or in contrast, through malign intent, or through misadventure, twenty-first century technology could jeopardize life’s potential, foreclosing its human and posthuman future. What happens here on Earth, in this century, could conceivably make the difference between a near eternity filled with ever more complex and subtle forms of life and one filled with nothing but base matter.” Martin J. Rees

Martin J. Rees is a British cosmologist and astrophysicist. He is a recipient of numerous awards and author / co-author of many book and publications. To learn more about this distinguished astrophysicist please visit this site: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Rees To see the books please check out this link: Amazon.com: Martin J. Rees: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

HEY!! I AM LOOKING AT YOU!! THAT’S WHO!! LOLOLOLOLOL

If you are reading this then you have continued to survive Covid 19 so far and so have I!! And that my friends is a very, very good thing for all of us. I am still crossing my fingers and hoping that I can keep saying this for the next year.

When I started to write this blog on August 8th, the death count, unfortunately, had increase by 10,000 deaths (total of 632 thousand). This is 1000 more individuals from the previous 30 days. It looks like most of these people were the unvaccinated and they had the Delta variant. The day before I started writing, the city authorities in Austin, Texas issued an alert via text, phone calls, email, social media and other channels to warn people in the area that hospitals were open but due to the surge in Covid cases, resources were very limited. There ICU bed capacity for the entire city was down into the single digits. Unreal when you think about a city of almost 1 million people. It is the 11th, largest city in the United States.

Part of this unfortunate surge in cases in the Lone Star State is due to the governor issuing an executive order back in May, preventing counties, cities, public health authorities and local governments officials from requiring people to wear masks. He signed a more far reaching order at the end of July barring both mask and vaccination mandates, and prohibiting public agencies and any private entities that take public funds, including grants and loans, from requiring proof of vaccination. Of course Texas has not been the only state to record increasing infections and deaths. Florida is not far behind. To read more about this check out the New York times link: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/07/us/austin-covid-dire-abbott.html

It has now been 32 weeks since I got the Pfizer Vaccine for Covid and…. so far there have been no side effects for me! And I really don’t expect there to be any. If you have not gotten vaccinated by now because you refused it…. Then you are the problem. Get vaccinated. No ands, if or buts, get vaccinated. Or don’t and you may win a Darwin Award Honorable Mention! While not a full fledged “Darwin Award”, dying of Covid because you refused to get vaccinated will at least get you an Honorable Mention. Of course this is just my opinion but should be put in the Website. If you do not know what the Darwin Awards are please check out this link: https://darwinawards.com/

You don’t have to remove yourself from the gene pool in “spectacular fashion” to get an “Honorable Mention”. Not getting vaccinated and dying of Covid will do just fine.

By the middle of the month Texas had finally surpassed New York for the most deaths from Covid and it had put them in second place, right behind California. The “state of interest” in the Covid debacle will be Florida. They are currently in fourth place right behind New York now and would need 14,000 more deaths to catch up but I am guessing that by the first of the year this might be possible. Unreal and not in a good way.

Toward the end of the month we were up to 150,000 plus new cases each day, with the top states of course being Texas, Florida, and California, unfortunately deaths were starting to follow as expected. In June, deaths were down to 200 per day or so, sometimes lower, but by the end of August we were up 1000++ per day (total of 652 thousand). The crazy part of this is that some states were very reluctant to report their case numbers. So the totals might have been even higher.

By the time I published this blog on Friday 27th, approximately 20 days since starting it, we had added 20,000 deaths due to Covid! Let that sink in a moment… 20 thousand deaths due to Covid in 20 days. The fourth wave is truly upon us…

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Well enough about Covid for the moment, lets move on to something that is a little better for the month of July – but not by much! Lol. I swear, if it was not the Covid BS then it was fires on the West Coast from California to British Columbia and the resultant smoke issues for the rest of the nation, including Colorado. July here on the Front Range warmed up fast. The 90 degree plus days were back and in full force for the month of July, which was not unexpected. Unfortunately the air quality really took a nosedive at the same time. Mainly due to the big fires out West and to a lesser degree the increase in Ozone from the higher temperatures. With the combination of the two, it really became challenging at times to get out doors.

This picture was taken July 5th, 2021 at about 12:15pm and the temperatures were already in the 90 plus range. Too hot for the dog and almost too hot for me! Lol. This image is showing the Poudre river with it still flowing pretty good. While the Front Range was hot and dry, the mountains were getting some rain, so the river flows were still up. You cannot really see it in this picture but the river was pretty black and not it usual clear color. The dark color was created from the burn scars in the mountains west of town.

This image was taken July 8th, 2021 at about 1:15pm in the afternoon. This was in the open space west of town called Horsetooth Mountain. The mountain was still pretty green at this time but the temps were in the lower 90s. I really had to pick and choose my days carefully and consistently check the air quality website called Purple Air. (https://www.purpleair.com) Luckily I would get a few hours mid-morning in which the AQI was in the 50 to 60 range (not the best but not the worst) before Ozone levels became unhealthy. It was this combination of high AQI for PM 2.5 and afternoon ozone that really created some dirty air.

This picture was taken July 12th, 2021 at about 1pm in the afternoon. Again another hot day. The picture does not really do it justice. The temperature was about 90 degrees give or take a few points. The parking lot temperature was close to 100 at the trailhead. Again, this is in the open space west of town call Horsetooth Mountain Park. I did a lot of running in this area due to proximity to town. Training for an Ultra can eat up a lot of time in the process and anything you can do to decrease driving time to a training area helps in the long run. In this picture you can just see the smoke layer out east. It is that light dirty brown haze in the distance. The winds had just pushed it away from town for a bit and the air quality had improved dramatically.

This picture was taken July 16th, 2021 at about 1pm in the afternoon. Another hot one on this day. In the 90s again. This is looking west at the namesake of the open space – Horsetooth rock itself. Some people think the rock looks like the back molars of a horse.
Another reason I did a lot of training in this area and instead of the higher mountains was the risk of flash flooding across the burn scars. While the Front Range remained dry the mountains were getting the usual afternoon thunderstorms and it does not take much rain to create a flash flood in burned areas. So while the rain was a good thing to keep fire danger down in the mountains, the downside was the increased risk of flash flooding.

This picture was taken July 20th, 2021 at 10am in the morning. It is on the banks of the Poudre River. For most of the month of July we walked Marvin in the AM a short distance to beat the heat and then again late in the afternoon when the temps had dropped to 90 or below. On some afternoons we were back to wearing an N95 for smoke, if the AQI got into 150 range.
If your someone that gets outdoors a lot in the mountains, there is a great app out there called Open Summit. I use it for snow forecast in winter and in summer, for weather in mountains. Also they have a great “Smoke Forecast” map that was a big help in planning trail runs. If your interested check them out at this link: https://opensummit.com/
This picture was taken July 26th, 2021 at 12:30pm and I am in Horsetooth Mountain Park doing another trail run. The tree in this picture is a Ponderosa Pine. The open space has a lot of these trees. They are a large species of pine native to the mountainous regions of the western North America. If left alone this pine species can live 300 to 600 years and get very big – up to 200 feet in height and 8 feet in diameter Most of the ones in Horsetooth are secondary or even tertiary growth. Thinking about this I wonder what it would have been like to see these trees as the first settlers to the area did. They had to be massive. If you are interested in more information about these trees please see this website: https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_1/pinus/ponderosa.htm

As you probably have realized by now from the above pictures, I spent a lot of time, I mean a lot of time running on the trails in Horsetooth Mountain Park in order to get ready for the Leadville 100 but it was all for naught. Remember back in late May and early June there were the warnings about the Delta variant on the rise. Well that as we all know now has come to pass. While looking at these increasing numbers back in June, a realization started to form in my mind, that would result in two decisions. The first one occurred by July 1st. I left my health care job after being a registered nurse for over 39 years. The majority of that time was spent in Emergency Medicine. To say that 2020 was a terrible year while working in the ER is an understatement. Seeing the writing on the wall, so to speak, I quit. I decided to not go through that again. It was not the number of patients with Covid that created the issue for me, but the “hospital’s response” to Covid in general. I won’t go into it here but let me say it was beyond ugly last year and I was not going to experience that again.

This picture was taken August 4th, 2021 at about 11:30am. It is in Horsetooth Mountain Park looking up Tower’s Road. Another trail run to build up the climbing endurance needed for the Leadville 100. It has been disheartening to see the rise of the Delta variant and knowing that a lot of runners will take the virus home with them after competing in this years race. If we were really interested in the welfare of the public and not just an economic one, there would have been a lot of cancelations or mandated vaccines for ultra events and other outdoor activities. Unfortunately this has not been the case. I get it, we all want it to be over. But that is not reality.

The second one was I deferred my entry to the Leadville 100 until next year. Knowing what I know of how the virus spreads and what it can do to the human body, it did not make much sense to go and compete in an event at the height of an ongoing Pandemic. I know we all wanted to think it was done by the middle of May but unfortunately that has not been the case. By the time you are reading this blog post, booster shots will have been approved, mask mandates will have come back, and dinning or practically doing anything indoors will not be safe again. AND due to the significantly increased transmissibility of the Delta variant, outdoor events with large crowds will have a higher risk than what they did this time last year.

A couple of book reviews and a piece of art work before wrapping things up. The first book I would like to talk about is called “Power, Sex, Suicide: Mitochondria and the Meaning of Life” by Nick Lane. Let me start off by saying this book contains a lot of information. I mean a lot of information. It is one of those that you need to read a section and let it digest, maybe reread it, and then move on. There has been a lot of research in molecular biology over the last 20 years and a great deal has been on mitochondria. I could say that is what this book is about in a nutshell but that would be doing it an injustice. The book is about how mitochondria came to be and in the “process of discovery” the book covers so much more. Why do mitochondria have their own genes? What role did they play in the evolution of complex life? What do mitochondria have to do with sexual reproduction? What role do they play in aging and death? Nick does a great job in answering these questions and many more. The book is very thought provoking. I got the book as an audio book but I am thinking of getting the paperback version to read and listen at the same time to get a better understanding.

The book was released in 2005 and then a second edition in 2019. I am guessing this was due to new research that has come to light.

Nick Lane is a Biochemist and writer. He is a professor in evolutionary biochemistry at the University College London. To learn more about Nick visit this site: https://nick-lane.net/

You can find this book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Sex-Suicide-Nick-Lane-audiobook/dp

The next book I would like to talk about is called the “The Three-Body Problem.” It is a science fiction book by the Chinese writer Liu Cixin. It is set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution in which alien contact is achieved in secret. But not in the usual way. A complex story with some interesting twist. Some readers will have a little difficulty with the book if you are not familiar with some of the history of China’s Cultural Revolution. I got lucky and had finished a “Great Courses Course” on China a few months before reading the book. I find it interesting to see how other cultures deal with the ideas and writing of Science Fiction and just the drama of everyday life. It is like comparing European TV to American TV. There is a huge difference in the approach of telling a story. If you keep this in mind I think most people would enjoy the book. I got it as an audiobook.

Liu Cixin is a prominent Chinses science fiction writer. He is a nine-time winner of China’s Galaxy Award and has also received a Hugo Award. If you would like to learn more about his writer please visit this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liu_Cixin

You can find the book on Amazon: Amazon.com: The Three-Body Problem (Audible Audio Edition): Cixin Liu, Luke Daniels, Macmillan Audio: Audible Books & Originals
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Well last but not least one piece of art work before I go. It is a second drawing in pen and ink of what things would be like if we could see with the naked eye at the quantum scale. I have been listening to science lectures on particle and quantum physics and I have wondered what would all those Photons, Bosons, Gluons, Leptons, and Quarks look like if you could actually see them up close. Would you see all the connections that hold them together? The quantum glue so to speak. I tried to capture what this might look like if you could see it all on that level with the naked eye.

This drawing is done in pen and ink and is protected with a traditional picture frame and glass. It measures approximately 12 inches wide by 15 inches tall.

I call the piece below “Quantum Goulash 2.”

This piece and others are for sale and can be found on my Etsy site: https://www.etsy.com/shop/strugglingprotoplasm/edit?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

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Well another blog post done! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. I have to be honest and say I feel that there is a little bit of “catharsis” for me in writing one. And there is a sense of accomplishment in the process too. It feels good. I get to explain my thoughts on certain subjects, show case some of my art work, and in general to practice a little bit of writing. Writing in my opinion is the most important part of the process. This is where I get to start the exercises of thinking things through, consolidating my thoughts, and maybe getting a better understanding of the world around me and my reaction to it.

“Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from.” Seth Godin

Before I go I need to give the usual shout out to minimalism. Have you ever taken a vacation thinking that you needed this to unwind from your usual lifestyle and when you get back to reality, it does not take long and you are already dreaming about your next vacation?! What gives?? Reread the above quote by Seth Godin. When I first saw it years ago, it kind of stopped me in my tracks. The very idea of it, that we could design a lifestyle that is our “vacation” so to speak? Well you can and minimalism is one way to do this. It is just a change in mindset. Nothing to buy, nothing to purchase, just a change in how you look at your life and the world. Curious?? A good place to start is here: https://www.theminimalists.com/minimalism/

So take care my friends and if you have not gotten vaccinated then get it done. No excuses. If you are reading this blog then I want to definitely keep you around. Not that I would not care about you if you didn’t, but you know what I mean. The Delta Variant is not a laughing matter, not that any part of Covid is a laughing matter, but this variant is a whole new ballgame. Don’t think otherwise. And for those of us that have been vaccinated, we are going to need a booster, so plan on it. We all need to come to the realization that the plans we made in May and June or before for later this year, will need to be amended or changed or canceled due to the rise of this variant. Or this “Groundhog Day Covid Marry-Go-Round” will continue…

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous…, leading to the most amazing views.” Edward Abbey

Air Quality, Art, Book Review, Colorado, Covid 19, Dogs, Environment, Exercise, Fort Collins, Fort Collins, Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, Minimalism, Pandemics, Politics, PurpleAir, Science, Science Fiction, Space, Wildfire

MUSINGS FOR FRIDAY 25TH, JUNE 2021

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“Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world. Science is the highest personification of the nation because that nation will remain the first which carries the furthest the works of thought and intelligence.” Louis Pasteur

This is an image of Arp 299 and was created by using X-ray data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory (pink), higher-energy X-ray data from NuSTAR (purple), and optical data from the Hubble Space Telescope (white and faint brown). It is an image of two colliding galaxies approximately 134 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa major. The two systems have been locked in gravitational combat for millions of years blending and merging stars from each galaxy into a cosmic goulash. Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ of Crete/K. Anastasopoulou et al, NASA/NuSTAR/GSFC/A. Ptak et al; Optical: NASA/STScI. If you want to learn more about the above image check out these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/galactic-goulash and https://phys.org/news/2017-06-arp-galactic-goulash.html and https://youtu.be/YfF83mXMC7U

“We have to remember that what we observe is not nature in itself but nature exposed to our method of questioning.” Werner Heisenberg

This is an image of galaxy NGC 5037 in the constellation of Virgo. It is about 150 million light-years away from Earth. The image was created using Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3. The first documentation of its existence was by William Herschel in 1785. A barred spiral galaxy is a spiral with a central bar-shaped structure. The central structure is composed of stars. It is thought that about half of all spiral galaxies have bars. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, where we live, is classified as a barred spiral galaxy. Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Rosario; Acknowledgment: L. Shatz. To learn more about this image or the galaxy NGC 5037 please see these links: Hubble Captures a Captivating Spiral | NASA and https://www.digitaltrends.com/news/hubble-galaxy-ngc-5037/

“I am utterly convinced that science and peace will triumph over ignorance and war, that nations will eventually unite not to destroy but to edify, and that the future will belong to those who have done the most for the sake of suffering humanity.” Louis Pasteur

This image was created using a large mosaic of data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the MeerKAT radio telescope in south Africa. The orange, green, blue and purple colors are from Chandra Observatory and the radio data from MeerKAT are shown in lilac and gray. This image made news because it is thought to be showing X-ray and radio emissions intertwined. The idea is that they are held together by thin strips of magnetic fields. This concept has been put forth in a study by Q. Daniel Wang of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. “Such strips may have formed when magnetic fields aligned in different directions, collided, and became twisted around each other in a process called magnetic reconnection. This is similar to the phenomenon that drives energetic particles away from the Sun and is responsible for the space weather that sometimes affects Earth.” Image credit: Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/UMass/Q.D. Wang; Radio: NRF/SARAO/MeerKAT. To learn more about this image please visit there links: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/images/magnetized-threads-weave-spectacular-galactic-tapestry.html and https://phys.org/news/2021-05-magnetized-threads-spectacular-galactic-tapestry.html

“All one can really leave one’s children is what’s inside their heads. Education, in other words, and not earthly possessions, is the ultimate legacy, the only thing that cannot be taken away.” Dr. Wernher von Braun

This is an image of Uranus – the 7th planet from our sun. It is four times the diameter of Earth and rotates on its side and has two sets of rings. This side rotation makes it different from all other planets in our solar system. The above image is made from combining a Chandra X-ray image from 2002 (pink) superimposed on an optical image from the Keck-I Telescope made in 2004. The planet made news recently because astronomers have detected X-rays for the first time coming from Uranus, using NASA’s Chandra Observatory. Most of the X-rays are thought to becoming from the Sun due to scattering but there is a possibility the rings of Uranus could be creating the rays themselves. Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXO/University College London/W. Dunn et al; Optical: W.M. Keck Observatory. If you want to learn more about this please visit these links: Detecting X-Rays From Uranus | NASA and https://phys.org/news/2021-03-x-rays-uranus.html

“Fortune favors the prepared mind.” Louis Pasteur

Apollo 16 was the tenth crewed mission of the Apollo space program. It was the 5th landing on the moon by astronauts. This mission started on April 16th, 1972 and ended on April 27th. The mission was crewed by Commander John Young, the Lunar module pilot was Charles Duke and Command module pilot was Ken Mattingly. In the above image, John Young salutes the flag while jumping on the moon. The Lunar landing Module Orion and the Lunar Roving Vehicle are in the background. Image Credit: NASA/Charlie Duke. To learn more about the above image and the Apollo 16 mission please visit these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/flag-day-2021-saluting-the-us-flag and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_16 and https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo16.html

“Our sun is one of a 100 billion stars in our galaxy. Our galaxy is one of billions of galaxies populating the universe. It would be the height of presumption to think that we are the only living thing in that enormous immensity.” Dr. Wernher von Braun

HEY!! I AM LOOKING AT YOU!! THAT’S WHO!! LOLOLOLOLOL

If you are reading this then you have continued to survive Covid 19 so far and so have I!! That my friends is a very, very good thing for all of us. And I am crossing my fingers that I can continue to say this each and every month for the next year.

When I started to write this blog on June 8th, the death count in the USA stood at 613 thousand. That is a difference of 20 thousands deaths from May 6th. While this is a large number it is an improvement from the previous 30 days by 6000 individuals! The big question becomes can we keep this downward trend?

By the middle of the month the downward trend was continuing with 200 to 500 deaths per day and new cases averaging about 10,000 per week. Again, even though these are large number we were still in that downward trend.

By the end of the month the total added death count was about 5000 or 618,000 total and while this number is large it is a significant improvement from the previous 30 days by more than half. And our infection rate has continue to fall so that was good news. If you want to see the numbers yourself check out these links: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/ and https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

The only fly in the ointment was the Delta variant of the virus – first identified in India. By the end of June it was responsible for one in every five new infections in the United States. Part of this rapid rise is that it is much more transmissible than previous versions of the virus. The good news is that the two main vaccinations do seem to offer protection. But there are still a lot of unanswered questions about it, like how severe it might be compared to prevision versions. There is some evidence that you are twice as likely to be hospitalized with this version than the last. Due to the unevenness in vaccinations around the country and age groups we may see a rise with infections in the South and an increase in young people. I guess time will tell, but the best thing to do now is to get as many people fully vaccinated as possible.

It has now been 24 weeks since I got the Pfizer Vaccine for Covid and… so far there have been no side effects for me!! Yea!! While there has been a rise in heart inflammation reported in adolescents and young adults with the two main vaccines it does not appear that this is a long term condition and generally most individuals recover without further concern.

As of June 15th, in the US, there were 174 million individuals or 53% of the population that had gotten at least one shot of the two main vaccines. And there were about 145 million or 44% that have full vaccination!! This is a very good thing, not only in terms of health but also in terms of economic recovery.

If you want to look at the numbers yourself check out these links: https://usafacts.org/visualizations/covid-vaccine-tracker-states/ and https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/01/28/960901166/how-is-the-covid-19-vaccination-campaign-going-in-your-state and for a look at world vaccinations check out this link from CNN: https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2021/health/global-covid-vaccinations/

Well enough about Covid. Time to move on to something different. May was another good month for running along the Front Range in Colorado. While there were some unsettled weather days and even a little snow along the Front Range, it was a good month for air quality and exercising outdoors.

This picture was taken May 11th, 2021 at 6:50am in the morning. Winter was not quit through with us. I believe on the Front Range this was the last snow fall for the season. Being at 5000 feet in elevation you just never know when the last snow might fall but it is usually somewhere around Mother’s day. Lol. I have gotten to where I do not plant out any new flowers or vegetables until the middle of May. The Quad Rock trail race was 3 days before this photo was taken! At that time the trails were dry and running was supreme. What a difference a few days can make!

I write a lot about the air quality here in Colorado because there are times it is really, really bad. It was not until 1963 that the “Clean Air Act” was passed in the United States and in 1970 congress gave the EPA the legal authority to regulate pollution from cars and other forms of transportation. This dramatically improved air quality a lot, but I have come to realize it does not go far enough.

This picture was taken May 13th, 2021 at 7:30pm in the evening. It is looking West along one of my favorite in town sections of the Poudre River. Here you can see that the river is filling in with spring runoff. The City and County had filled most of the reservoirs by this time and the river was allowed to run free. Most of the water is spoken for, but the consumers are “downstream users”, so the the river is running full through the city. As I write this, I am wondering where the next “water” source will come from for Colorado? We are a headwater state (meaning all of our rivers begin in the Rocky Mountains and flow out of the state) and most of Colorado is very dry – think high plains desert. The eastern half of the state makes up 40% of this type of topography. And on the West side it is not much better. Precipitation averages 8 to 14 inches per year. As growth continues, at some point, there will not be any more “water” to obtain. The questions become: When do you say enough is enough? Do you damn every river in the state just so you can have growth and when every river is damned, then what? Hard questions for the State, City and County governments here in Colorado. If you want to learn more about Colorado’s climate please visit this link: https://climate.colostate.edu/climate_long.html

To understand this, it is important to see one of the reasons the Clean Air Act came into being. After World War 2 with the returning soldiers several things occurred. Economic growth skyrocketed and there was a soon to be baby boom. With the impending increase in population the suburbs become the “hip” place to live. The only problem was that the mass transit infrastructure did not exist like it did in the cities. This forced an increase in the reliance on private motor vehicles with a corresponding significant increase in air pollution. Hence the need for the Clean Air Act. Of course this was not the only reason for the CAA but it was a substantial one.

This picture was taken May 16th, 2021 at 6:15pm in the evening. Here Janet and Marvin are on the banks of the Poudre River and it is still flowing full. This picture reminds me of how “big” Marvin actually is! Lol. His breed is called a King Shephard. For Marvin, it is a mixture of German Shephard, Alaska Malamute and Great Pyrenees. He’s got a little more Pyrenees due to the fact that his father was full Pyrenees. Hence the floppy ears. I find it interesting that he did not get the thicker Pyrenees coat.

The part of the CAA that regulates vehicle pollution is considered a success story by many measures. Lead has been eliminated and sulfur levels are 90% lower than they were prior to regulation. If you compare cars from the 1960s to now, you are looking at a decrease of about 98% in tailpipe pollutants. So why is air quality terrible at times here on the Front Range of Colorado? I will try to explain.

This picture was taken May 20th, 2021 at 12:15pm in the afternoon. It is looking out East towards Weld County. It was a great day for running in Horsetooth Mountain Park. There was just enough wind from the West to increase the air quality around Fort Collins. If you look very closely at this photo you can just see the thin layer of brown. That my friends is the infamous “brown cloud.” And it is created when temperature inversions trap the cooler air near the ground, preventing pollutants from rising into the atmosphere. The topography slopes downward as you move away from the foothills, so the colder air had moved out toward Weld County, taking the bulk of the pollution with it. Of course, Weld County has over 33 thousand oil and gas wells, which does not help with the brown cloud. The interesting part is the entire state only has about 53 thousand wells. Therefore, 62% of the wells are in Weld County alone. I wonder how many people realize this?

When you are looking at pollution here along the Front Range, I am not talking about Greenhouse gas pollution per se. But more about the sources of hazardous chemicals that help to create ozone and wildland fire sources that contribute to particulates. Colorado unfortunately has become one of the worst violators of the federal air quality health standards due to VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and nitrogen oxides. Colorado emits around 200,000 tons of these each year. There are several sources but one of the biggest is oil and gas development and processing, something around 45%. The next greatest portion comes from people driving vehicles that burn fossil fuels. But you would think with tailpipe emission getting better, the air quality should improve? At least from the automotive end? Right? Well unfortunately this has not been the case. Colorado has seen another population boom in the last 20 years and it has double the number of citizens. We are now in the range of about 6 million as of 2020. This and the increase in oil and gas development has erased many of the air quality improvements seen since the 1980s.

This picture was taken May 20th, 2021 at about 12:45pm in the afternoon. The same day as the above picture but looking West and not East. Here you see Mount Meeker and Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. This is the view, looking West, from the top of Tower’s Road in Horsetooth Mountain Park. Some of the darker areas in the lower half of the image are from last years historic fires. I love this view from the top!

Another significant cause of Front Range Air Pollution in recent years is the overall increase in Forest Fires. This increase has resulted in a significant up swing in particulates. The stuff that you see from a fire or driving down a dusty road, are called PM-10. These include smoke, soot, dust and dirt. These particles irritate the eyes, nose and throat. This stuff can be annoying but usually it does not have a long term health consequence. But and there is always a but, the smaller particles, called PM 2.5 or particles smaller than 2.5 microns can and do cause problems. They are composed of everything from sulfates, nitrates and heavy metals to combustion byproducts including hydrocarbons. These fine particles are often bound to toxins in the air. Because of their small size they can easily get into your lungs and then into the blood stream. Once in the blood stream they can travel to any part of the body. They have even been found in the unborn fetuses of pregnant mothers. These particles have been causally linked to increased risk of heart attacks, stroke, pneumonia, exacerbation of COPD, Asthma, Lung Cancer, preterm birth, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and other forms of cancer. They stay in the air for a long time and can travel long distances with the wind. This is why you can still be exposed when a forest fire is hundreds and hundreds of miles away.

This picture was taken May 28th, 2021 at 1:30pm in the afternoon. It is looking south from the top sections of Tower Road and is an image of the iconic Horsetooth Rock. You can just make out a few individuals standing on top of the rock. It was another beautiful day for running along the Front Range.

Now you might ask why is this such a problem for Colorado? Doesn’t all these same issues affect other parts of the country as well? The answer, yes they do, but… Let me explain. Due to the Front Range’s topography, we get a consistent “temperature inversion type of condition” in which the cooler air is trapped closer to the ground with very little wind movement for long periods of time. This really allows for the combination of VOCs/nitrogen oxides with resultant ozone and particulates from forest fires to accumulate in one place with resultant terrible air quality. It gets so bad at times that I wish for it to be a super windy day just to clean the old, dirty stagnant air out.

This picture was taken June 6th, 2021 at about 8:30pm in the evening. The days in June were getting progressively hotter and we found ourselves walking later with the dog so that he would not get overheated.

I have written about this issue before but thought it was good idea to revisit it. Fort Collins just moved up in rank this month, on the list of cities with the worst air pollution. By Ozone, Fort Collins is number 17 in the nation out of 226 metropolitan areas and 50th for short term particulates out of 216 metropolitan areas. While not exactly at the top, close enough in my opinion and not something that should be allowed to go any higher. To see some of the numbers check out this link at the American Lung Association: https://www.lung.org/research/sota/city-rankings/most-polluted-cities

“Environmental pollution is not only humanity’s treason to humanity but also a treason to all other living creatures on earth!” Mehmet Murat ildan

Will it be an easy problem to solve? No way. But some things we can do. Get rid of your gas mower – move to electric. And encourage the landscaping companies to do the same. When you start thinking about buying that new car, think hybrid or full electric. When the next election cycle starts, ask the candidates how they are going to fix this. Will they be plugging the regulatory holes to target major polluters inside and outside Colorado? Will they be encouraging the trucking companies to go electric? Will they be pushing for the upgrades needed in the electric grid? Information is powerful and I encourage you to visit the websites of Purple Air and Air Quality Colorado if you live here. Check them every time before you plan an outdoor activity and if they are not optimal send a screen shot to your elected representative. Ask what they are doing about it.

You can find those links here: https://www.purpleair.com/map?opt=1/mAQI/a10/cC0#11/40.5524/-105.0534 and https://www.colorado.gov/airquality/air_quality.aspx

A couple of book reviews and a piece of art work before wrapping things up. The first book I would like to talk about is “The Physics of Climate Change” by Lawrence M. Krauss. The first thing before reading this book you need to understand is that Krauss is a world renowned theoretical physicist and cosmologist. In the book he admits that this is not his area of expertise, but after looking at all the data and the arguments about climate change, he felt it was important to write a book that would help to explain the “science” in a way that makes sense to the rest of us. Now with that said, if you are someone that needs all the equations and math in minutiae for the science of CC to make sense, then you will be disappointed. This is not that book.

I found the book an enlightening look at the complexity of the research that has gone into the science. And it helped me to understand how the lay person and even other scientist could get confused when looking at all the data. A truly daunting task for climate researchers. The take away: Is global warming real – absolutely and are humans responsible for a large contribution to this phenomena – most assuredly. I believe this book would work well in any format. I got it as an audio book and found it thoroughly enjoyable while out for long runs.

Lawrence Maxwell Krauss is an American / Canadian theoretical physicist and cosmologist who previously taught at Arizona State University, Yale and Case Western Reserve University. To learn more about him please visit this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Krauss

You can find the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/The-Physics-of-Climate-Change/dp

The next book I would like to talk about is called “Neuromancer” by William Gibson. It is a book that is consider a Science Fiction staple and that you cannot truly call yourself a SiFi fan unless you have read it. So I felt the need to read it at 59 years old. Lol. This book deals with AI, computer programs, cyber space, and transhuman technology among other things. The crazy part is the book was written in 1984 – about 37 years ago! And the concepts put worth are more relevant today than there were back then. It is consider one of the best known examples of Cyberpunk and after reading it, I believe it still holds true.

Now in all honesty I did have a little trouble following the plot at times and had to go back and re-listen to several sections. And I am not sure if that was accidental or if Gibson had intended this to be the case. Neuromancer was his first novel, so I will cut him a little slack in this regard. I used Wikipedia as a guide to help me keep on track with the characters and the plot – this helped immensely. I listened to the book as an audio book while on long runs but it would work in any format.

Willian Ford Gibson is an American / Canadian speculative fiction writer and essayist widely credited with pioneering the science fiction subgenre known as cyberpunk. If you want to learn more about his author check out this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Gibson

You can find this book on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Neuromancer-William-Gibson-audiobook/dp

Well last but no least a piece of art work before I go. This one is a piece of sculpture that is a sunface. It is constructed of scrap wood that is nailed, screwed and glued together – painted with acrylic and latex paint. After any summer project I hate to see anything go to waste and the year this face was made I had plenty of plywood and 2×4 pieces left over for a sunface. My inspiration was from the cartoon Sponge Bob Square Pants. In one of the episodes I watched with the kids, Squidward is seen relaxing and trying to get a tan before he is harassed by the usual characters.

This is a good size sunface: 42 inches by 42 inches and 10 inches deep. The sculpture is all wood and is about 14 to 15 pounds. This sculpture is meant to be indoors only.

I call this sculpture “SQUIDWARD SUNFACE”

The inspiration behind the sculpture. Lol

This piece is for sale and can be found on my Etsy site: https://www.etsy.com/shop/strugglingprotoplasm/edit?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

Well that is going to be about it for me on this blog post. My intent was that it would be informative, especially for those that live here in Colorado. We reside in a great place for being outdoors and I hope that it stays that way. Unfortunately “hope” like thoughts and prayers will only go so far without action. There are some big environmental challenges we need to fix in order to keep the air quality from getting any worse.

So what can we do? One of things, without a lot of effort initially is to become “Minimalist.” Our consumeristic culture is unsustainable at it’s current levels and you could even say that the air quality issues we are encountering around the country are the indirect result of this consumption mindset. I will repeat what my biology professor told me years ago about the destructions of our environment: “Growth for growth’s sake is the definition of cancer.” It does not matter if it is in the human body or the destruction of natural resources or a form of unfettered economic growth for profit and profit alone. It all leads to the same conclusion if it is not checked – death of the system.

Becoming minimalist is just a change in mindset. Nothing to by, nothing to purchase, just a change in how you look at your life and the world. If this appeals to you and even if it doesn’t at the moment but you are curious, a good place to start is here: https://www.theminimalists.com/minimalism/

So take care my friends and remember to wash your hands, stay informed of current Covid 19 developments – especially of the Delta variant, and wear you mask (N95 now) when appropriate. And when a vaccine becomes available, please get it. No excuses – just do it. Adios!!

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous…, leading to the most amazing views.” Edward Abbey

Art, Book Review, Colorado, Covid 19, Dogs, Exercise, Fort Collins, Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, Pandemics, Quad Rock 50, Science, Science Fiction, Space, Trail Running

MUSINGS FOR FRIDAY 28TH, MAY 2021

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“Its very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.” George Sheehan

When the first Star Wars movie was released in 1977, it featured the now-iconic two-sun, “circumbinary” planet Tatooine. At that time astronomers didn’t really know if such solar systems existed. Indeed, the first extra-solar planet wasn’t detected until the early 1990s. And, the first actual circumbinary planet was detected in 2005 – it was a Jupiter-size planet orbiting a system composed of a sun-like star and a brown dwarf.  Fast forward a few years and researchers working with data from TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) discovered another circumbinary planet in 2020. The planet is called TOI 1338b and is about 7 times bigger than the earth and is about 1300 light-years away. Image Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. If you want to learn more about his planet and other possible habitable binary star systems please visit these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/discovering-circumbinary-star-systems and Researchers identify five double star systems potentially suitable for life (phys.org)

“There are those of us who are always about to live. We are waiting until things change, until there is more time, until we are less tired, until we get a promotion, until we settle down / until, until, until. It always seems as if there is some major event that must occur in our lives before we begin living.” George Sheehan

This image is a picture of what is know as the “Necklace Nebula.” It is about 15,000 light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Sagitta (The Arrow.) It is created by the interaction of two stars that were orbiting close together. One of the stars expanded and engulfed the smaller companion. This created what astronomers call a “common envelope.” It increased the larger star’s rotation rate until parts of it spun outward into space and formed the “Necklace.” The above image, using newer processing techniques, is an updated one from the original Hubble image. Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, K. Noll. If you want to learn more about the above Nebula please visit these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2021/hubble-views-a-dazzling-cosmic-necklace and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necklace_Nebula

“For every runner who tours the world running marathons, there are thousands who run to hear the leaves and listen to the rain, and look to the day when it is suddenly as easy as a bird in flight.” George Sheehan

This image, taken by the Hubble telescope, shows a galaxy cluster called Abell 3827 and was made during a study tasked in trying to figure out what “dark matter” might be. I find it amazing that 100 years ago, astronomers believed that the Milky Way was the only galaxy in the Universe. It was finally put to rest when Edwin Hubble confirmed that the Andromeda Nebula was in fact too far distant to be part of the Milky Way. This was in 1924 and it forever changed how we view the Universe. Until then the Milky Way was thought to be the entire universe. The implications, like the more recent discovery of exoplanets, has forever changed how we view ourselves in the cosmos. NASA honored his achievements by naming the Hubble Space Telescope after him. Image Credit: European Space Agency (ESA). If you want to learn more about his image or Edwin Hubble please visit these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2021/hubble-gazes-at-a-cluster-full-of-cosmic-clues and Our Giant Universe: Hubble Spots Massive Galaxy Cluster With a Wealth of Exciting Possibilities (scitechdaily.com) and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Hubble

“The distance runner who accepts the past in the person he is, and sees the future as a promise rather than a threat, is completely and utterly in the present. He is absorbed in his encounter with the everyday world. He is mysteriously reconciling the separations of body and mind, of pain and pleasure, of the conscious and the unconscious. He is repairing the rent, and healing the wound in the divided self. He has found a way to make the ordinary extraordinary; the commonplace, unique; the everyday, eternal.” George Sheehan

This is an image of the galaxy cluster MACS J0416 (The Massive Cluster Survey). This is one of the 6 galaxy clusters by the Hubble Frontier Fields program. It has produced some the deepest images of gravitational lensing ever made. Astronomers believe the light they see is within 500 million years of the Big Bang. The thought is that most of these stars likely formed from hydrogen, helium and lithium, as those were the only elements that existed before the development of heavier elements like oxygen, nitrogen, carbon and iron. The blue light you see is called intracluster and was used by scientists to study the distribution of dark matter within the cluster. Intracluster light is a byproduct of the interactions between galaxies. In the course of these interactions, individual stars are stripped from their galaxies and float freely within the cluster. Once free from their galaxies, they end up where the majority of the mass of the cluster, mostly dark matter, resides. Image Credit: NASA, ESA and M. Montes (University of New South Wales). If you want to learn more about this image please visit these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/looking-at-stars-in-the-early-universe and https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news/galaxy-cluster-macs-j0416-early-universe/

“Sport is where an entire life can be compressed into a few hours, where the emotions of a lifetime can be felt on an acre or two of ground, where a person can suffer and die and rise again on six miles of trails through a New York City park. Sport is a theater where sinner can turn saint and a common man become an uncommon hero, where the past and the future can fuse with the present. Sport is singularly able to give us peak experiences where we feel completely one with the world and transcend all conflicts as we finally become our own potential.” George Sheehan

This is a picture (captured by Hubble Space Telescope) of what is called an emission nebula. It is formed by clouds of ionized gas that emit light at optical wavelengths. The nebula above is known as NGC 2313 and is located about 3,750 light-years away in the constellation of Monoceros. The clouds of gas are illuminated due to the stars located inside them. The stars give off radiation, which ionizes the gas and makes it glow. The bright star V565, which can be seen in the center of the image, is illuminating the nebula and giving it its distinctive appearance. Image credit: ESA/Hubble, R. Sahai. If you want to learn more about this nebula please visit these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2021/hubble-spots-a-cosmic-cloud-s-silver-lining and http://www.sci-news.com/astronomy/hubble-emission-nebula-ngc-2313-09636.html

“Some think guts is sprinting at the end of a race. But guts is what got you there to begin with. Guts start back in the hills with 6 miles to go and you’re thinking of how you can get out of this race without anyone noticing. Guts begin when you still have forty minutes of torture left and you’re already hurting more than you ever remember.” George Sheehan

This is an image that was posted on Twitter, August 9th, 2015 by astronaut Scott Kelly. It was during his year in space. It showcases all the places humans live – the Earth, the ISS and the Milky Way. Image Credit: NASA/Scott Kelly. To learn more about his image and other images taken by Scott while on the ISS please visit these links: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/the-places-we-call-home and https://twistedsifter.com/2016/03/nasa-shares-best-pics-from-scott-kelly-year-in-space/ and https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/sets/72157658205964848

“Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.” George Sheehan

HEY!! I AM LOOKING AT YOU!! THAT’S WHO!! LOLOLOLOLOL

If you are reading this then you have continued to survive Covid 19, so far, and so have I!! That my friends is a very good thing for both of us. And I will keep crossing my fingers that I can continue to say this in the coming months.

When I started to write this blog on May 6th, the death count stood at approximately 593,000 deaths. That was an increase of 26, 000 deaths in 34 days. While this is a lot, it does reflect a downward trend and that is a good thing. Hopefully, we will continue this downward shift.

By the middle of the month, we unfortunately broke the 600,000 death barrier. But, while this is a huge number, we were still in the downward trend of new infections and subsequent deaths.

Two days before the publication of this blog on May 26th, we were sitting at approximately 606, 000 deaths total. So in 20 days we added 13,000 Covid deaths. While this is a large number it is no where near the 80 to 90 thousand deaths in a 24 day streak back in January of this year.

If your interested in looking at the numbers yourself, check out these links: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/ and https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

On a much more somber and unsettling note, a study out of the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates that the number of people in the US alone, who have died of Covid is more than 900,000, a number much higher than official figures, almost 50% more. And, the worldwide death count is more than double, 7 million as opposed to 3.24 million officially reported. The UW team came to these staggering numbers by calculating excess mortality. While there are other researchers that do not agree with the University of Washington’s conclusions, they do agree that there has been an excess of deaths far exceeding the official Covid death toll. What they disagreed on was that it could all be blamed entirely on the virus.

To read the article for yourself please visit this link: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/05/06/994287048/new-study-estimates-more-than-900-000-people-have-died-of-covid-19-in-u-s

Well it has now been approximately 20 weeks since I got the second shot of the Pfizer Vaccine for Covid and… so far there have been no side effects for me. Yea!!

As I started to write this months blog I was looking at some of the misleading and false claims about problems after getting the vaccine. Things like, increased deaths due to the vaccine, shedding the virus after getting the vaccine, getting Covid from the vaccine, the vaccine will alter my DNA, it is a government conspiracy, etc… I especially loved the one about “shedding the virus” in that if your female and unvaccinated but are around someone who is, you can have your menstrual cycle impacted because the vaccinated person will “shed” the virus. Maybe some of this fear comes from very early vaccine development with “live” virus vaccines like the polio vaccine (1950s). The thought, when this occurred, was that it actually helped people because it might create a “contact immunity” which played a role in helping to eradicating polio. Unfortunately, a few individuals at that time, actually came down with a case of polio. This was very rare but it generated a lot of fear. Rest assured NONE of the Covid vaccines authorized in the U.S. are live-virus vaccines.

A great website to start with, to help dispel these myths is the good old CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/facts.html and another one from the Mayo Clinic: https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/covid-19-vaccine-myths-debunked/ and a good one from Psychology Today on why people believe these myths: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-speed-life/202104/unbreakable-myths-covid-19-vaccines and a good one on live virus vaccine types can be found here: https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-a-live-virus-vaccine-200925

Another big thing that occurred in May with Covid was a relaxing of the mask rules by the CDC. And of course it has been controversial. One of the large nursing unions has come out against it but there are other experts that have felt it is OK. I feel the quote by Colleen Kelley, MD, an associate professor of infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine said it best:

“We don’t have as much data yet with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but it also does look to significantly reduce transmission. So, I would say you can confidently go back to most activities. We still want to be mindful in crowded spaces, in spaces with poor ventilation indoors. We still want to be mindful of the very small possibility of transmissibility. But, in general, if you’re vaccinated, if your friends and family are vaccinated, life should look pretty much normal outside of crowded settings.”

If you want to listen or read an interview about this check out the link: https://www.medpagetoday.com/podcasts/trackthevax/92526?

Ok that is enough about Covid. Time to write about something else. April was another good month for running in general. The temperatures continued to warm and the air quality was much better.

This picture was taken April 5th, 2021 at about 3:45pm in the afternoon. It is at the top of Towers Road in Horsetooth Mountain Park. What a beautiful day for a trail run.

Of course like March, April had it’s share of weather “hiccups” that created some issues. Historically here on Colorado’s front range, March and April are when we get the most snow and / or rain in general. And April lived up to it’s reputation. While there were some beautiful days for being outdoors, there were a number of days that it either snowed, rained or did both. Lol.

This picture was taken April 7th, 2021 at about 4:45pm in the afternoon. It is looking South along Horsetooth Reservoir. The lake sits just West of Fort Collins. Another beautiful day along the Front Range of Colorado.

Either brilliant sunshine or overcast with rain and snow. At least that is how it seemed. I noticed when I was deciding what pictures to post for this blog, there were just a few sunset photos. For me that was a little strange, until I really thought about it. And I think, part of it had to do with the on again and off again weather.

This picture was taken April 15th, 2021 at about 4:45pm in the afternoon. Another day of snow for the month of April.

While it was great to get the moisture, it did create some issues with running in the foothills in the form of Mud. Some of you may have heard of “Mud Season”, but it usually is in reference to the high country. Think Ski Resorts. It is a period in spring when dirt becomes muddy from the melting of snow and ice. Another words, any path with dirt becomes a temporary muddy mess. This year along the Front Range, we had an April Mud Season.

This picture was taken April 18th, 2021 at about 6:30pm in the afternoon. It is from one of the bridges along the Poudre River Trail . Here, Marvin and I were enjoying another beautiful spring day along the bike path because the dirt trails were closed due to mud.

This picture was taken April 19th, 2021 at about 7:15pm in the evening. This picture was literally the very next day from the one above and a total change in the weather. I think by this time, the off and on again pattern we were experiencing even had Marvin unhappy. Here he reminds me of the frozen Jack Nicholson from the Shining. Lol.

Another reason that there were fewer sunset pictures for the month of April, especially towards the end, was the length of daylight – it was getting much longer as we moved toward the start of Summer. By the end of the month sunsets here in Fort Collins were much closer to the 8pm mark. And by this time, we were eating dinner and not out running or walking.

Yea a sunset picture! This picture was taken April 24th, 2021 at 7:15pm in the evening. It is looking West along the Poudre River. In this photo you can see that the river is down quit a lot. The city was still diverting water to fill up the reservoirs. It was not until about the second week of May that the river was allowed to run free.

This picture was taken April 25th, 2021 at about 4pm in the afternoon. Another beautiful day for a trail run. There was a string of snow and rain free days at the end of April but it did not last. The first week of May was a different story.

This picture was taken April 29th, 2021 at about 6:30pm in the evening. It was my youngest daughters birthday. So we did something a little different and took a selfie of all of us, minus the two older daughters.

Well the 10th running of the Quad Rock did not quit go as planned for me. I ended up doing the 25 mile version again but that was OK. The weather and trail conditions turned out to be perfect. The organizers of the race, https://gnarrunners.com/ in my opinion, did an excellent job in the management of the event.

My only excuse was the snow and mud season conditions in March/April leading up to the race. I did get in a lot of running, just not the kind that I was hoping to do. With the Quad Rock, I needed to get in as much elevation training (running up and down the mountains) as I could. But due to work conflicts and / or weather this did not happen.

This picture was taken in Lory State Park, May 8th, at about 5:20am – just before the start of the 10th running of the Quad Rock.

But… don’t misunderstand me. Even though I had planned to run the 50 miler, I was not disappointed that I was a little too slow at the 25 mile mark and timed out – again. Not having run an ultra in that type of terrain in about 2 years due to Covid, I was not quite prepared for the elevation changes. I know, I know, I am making excuses for myself but it really did kick my ass – so to speak. Lol. So I have now done the 25 miler about 6 times? I think. And each time I learn or relearn something new. Oh well, it is what it is and I plan to enter the 50 miler again for next year.

This picture was taken during a quick stop while running the Quad Rock, May 8th, 2021, at about 7am in the morning. It turned out to be a beautiful day. Here I am looking East across Horsetooth Reservoir and Fort Collins.

Besides having great weather and race management, another fantastic aspect of this event was the volunteers. They create the “gestalt” that makes a race like this special. So I would like to give a Big Thank You to all the volunteers who made the Quad Rock possible. They are the bedrock of what makes races like this memorable and in a good way. Your efforts in this year’s race were greatly appreciated.

So, even though I did not do the 50 miler, it felt great to just be out and running again with a group of other like minded people. If you ever want to try your “running legs” so to speak at a trail event. Check out Gnar Runners. It would be a great place to start. You can find them at this link: https://gnarrunners.com/

A couple of book reviews and some art work before wrapping things up. The first book I would like to talk about is The Fall and Rise of China by Professor Richard Baum. It is from the Great Courses and can be watched in video format or as audio only. I got it with my Audible membership from Amazon. It worked great in this format and I would suggest it to cut down the cost. The course is divided up into 48-thirty minute lectures. Each lecture is part of a time line so that you get a good picture of how China developed over it’s history. Professor Baum gives us a good over view of what has drove dramatic events in the story of China. I got this course to help me understand what might be happening in China now and in the future. If you have never had any exposure to the history or culture of China this would be a great place to start.

Professor Baum was an American China watcher, professor emeritus of political science at UCLA, and former director emeritus of the UCLA Center for Chinese Studies. He passed away in 2012. If you want to learn more about Professor Baum please visit this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Baum

This course can be found on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/The-Fall-and-Rise-of-China-audiobook/dp

The next book I would like to talk about is part of a Science Fiction series called the The Murderbot Diaries written by Martha Wells. I reviewed this series back in February of this year but at that time I was only on book two. I have now finished book 5 of 6 and my original review still stands. This is a fantastic series. There are many books that have been written in SiFi on A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) and the search for “meaning” by said A.I. This ongoing story is done in a similar vein. In an nutshell: “A robot searching for the meaning of life and in the process casting light on what makes us human.” I got this book as an audio book but it would work well in any format. Now be warned, the fist couple of these books are short novellas, not full novels. But this book is the first full length novel in the series and is well worth the read. Looking at the prices on Amazon, downloading them on to your Kindle would be the cheapest way to go.

Martha Wells is an American writer of Science Fiction and Fantasy. If you want to learn more about this accomplished author please visit this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Wells

Book 5 and can be found on Amazon at this link: https://www.amazon.com/Network-Effect/dp

Well last but not least one piece of art work before I go. I have a love with the TV series the Simpsons and one of my favorite characters is Mo Szyslak. The proprietor and bartender of Moe’s Tavern. I love the disagreeable personality of Moe. His rough character is what you see or remember the most but the writers of the show have given him a sentimental and caring side to his personality. A perfect combination for your bar tender. I have set Moe’s portrait on a background of LGBT colors because I feel he would welcome everyone in his bar. If you want to learn more about Moe’s personality check out this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_Szyslak

This painting is large. The diameter is 38 inches. When hanging it is about 46″ from top to bottom (includes hanging hardware). This painting is done on Oriented Strand Board with Acrylic paint by Liquitex and sealed with Liquitex professional gloss varnish.

Moe would be a great addition to any basement or garage bar! Lol.

This piece is for sale and can be found on my Etsy site: https://www.etsy.com/shop/strugglingprotoplasm/edit?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

Well that is going to be about it for me on this blog post. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. Before I close, I want to put another shout out to becoming minimalist. It really can make a positive change in the world. Imagine being able to make a difference with just a change in mindset. Our consumeristic culture is unsustainable at it’s current levels. And you could even say that part of the severe morbidity and mortality of the pandemic in the USA is due to this consumeristic culture we have created. I remember a biology professor I had way back in college that would give a quote about the destruction of our natural ecosystems due to economic profiteering: “Growth for growth’s sake is the definition of cancer.” It does not mater if it is in the human body or the destruction of natural resources or a form of unfettered economic growth for profit and profit alone. It all leads to the same conclusion if it is not checked -death of the system.

Becoming minimalist is just a change in mindset. Nothing to by, nothing to purchase, just a change in how you look at your life and the world. If this appeals to you and even if it doesn’t at the moment but you are curious, a good place to start is here: https://www.theminimalists.com/minimalism/

So take care my friends and remember to wash your hands, wear your mask when in “crowded” indoor situations and practice physical distancing when appropriate. And when a vaccine becomes available, please consider getting it. Adios!!

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous…, leading to the most amazing views.” Edward Abbey

Air Quality, Art, Book Review, Colorado, Covid 19, Dogs, Exercise, Fort Collins, Minimalism, Pandemics, Science Fiction, Space

MUSINGS FOR FRIDAY 29th, JANUARY 2021

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“Most people don’t care if you’re telling them the truth or if you’re telling them a lie, as long as they’re entertained by it.” Tom Waits

This is a composite image of the Orion Nebula. It was made using data from both the Hubble and Spitzer Space telescopes. It is showing swirls of hydrogen and sulfur gases around a collection of infant stars. The Nebula is located in our Milky Way Galaxy. Just south of Orion’s Belt in the constellation of Orion. It is one of the brightest nebulae, and can be visible to the naked eye in the night sky. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech STScI. To learn more about this image please visit: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/chaos-at-the-heart-of-the-orion-nebula

“I used to look at my dog and think “If you were a little smarter you could tell me what you were thinking,” and he’d look at me like he was saying “If you were a little smarter, I wouldn’t have to.” Fred Jungelaus

This is an image of the nebula NGC 3603. It is a massive young star cluster located in the Milky Way Galaxy. The distance from our solar system is about 20,000 light years. What you are seeing are thousands and thousands of young stars with different masses but similar ages in the cluster. This image was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. The Nebula was discovered by Sir John Herschel in 1834. Image Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration. To learn more about this image please visit: https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_929.html and https://esahubble.org/news/heic0715/

“There’s never been a true war that wasn’t fought between two sets of people who were certain they were in the right. The really dangerous people believe they are doing whatever they are doing solely and only because it is without question the right thing to do. And that is what makes them dangerous.” Neil Gaiman

This is an image of a globular star cluster called Messier 107. These points of light are ancient stars that have radiated light for billions of years. Messier is one of more than 150 globular star clusters found around the disc of the Milky Way galaxy. They are some of the oldest objects in the our galaxy. The cluster can be found in the constellation of Ophiuchus (The Serpent Bearer) and is located about 20,000 light years from our solar system. French astronomer Pierre Mechain first noted the object in 1782, and British astronomer Willian Herschel independently confirmed it a year later. The above image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. Image Credit: ESA/NASA. To learn more about Messier 107 please visit: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/starry-starry-night

“The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it.” Neil deGrasse Tyson

This is the famous image taken by the astronaut Bill Anders, on the Apollo 8 mission. The Apollo 8 was the fist crewed spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit and the first to orbit the moon. The other two astronauts were James Lovell and Frank Borman. The picture shows the Earth peeking out from beyond the lunar surface. The crew on this mission were the first in human history to witness and photograph an Earthrise. The mission lasted 6 days from December 21st to December 27th, 1968. Image credit: NASA. To learn more about this image and Apollo 8 please visit: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/apollo-8-earthrise and https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo8.html

“The problem, often not discovered until late in life, is that when you look for things in life like love, meaning, motivation, it implies they are sitting behind a tree or under a rock. The most successful people in life recognize, that in life they create their own love, they manufacture their own meaning, they generate their own motivation. For me, I am driven by two main philosophies, know more today about the world than I knew yesterday. And lessen the suffering of others. You’d be surprised how far that gets you.” Neil deGrasse Tyson

This is the galaxy know as NGC 1792 and is called a Stellar Forge. It is 36.4 million light-years away from us. The image was captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. It is located in the constellation of Columba (The Dove) and is considered both a spiral galaxy and a starburst galaxy. Spiral galaxies are named by their spiral structures that extend from the center into the galactic disc. Starburst galaxies are galaxies that are undergoing an exceptionally high rate of star formation. NGC 1792 exhibits both of these properties. Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, J. Lee. To learn more about his image and about the NGC galaxy please visit: http://www.sci-news.com/astronomy/hubble-star-forming-spiral-galaxy-ngc-1792-09123.html#:~:text=NGC%201792%20is%20located%2036.4%20million%20light-years%20away,Scottish%20astronomer%20James%20Dunlop%20on%20October%204%2C%201826.

“Recognize that the very molecules that make up your body, the atoms that construct the molecules, are traceable to the crucibles that were once the centers of high mass stars that exploded their chemically rich guts into the galaxy, enriching pristine gas clouds with the chemistry of life. So that we are all connected to each other biologically, to the earth chemically and to the rest of the universe atomically. That’s kinda cool! That makes me smile and I actually feel quite large at the end of that. It’s not that we are better than the universe, we are part of the universe. We are in the universe and the universe is in us.” Neil deGrasse Tyson

HEY!! I AM LOOKING AT YOU!! THAT’S WHO!! LOLOLOLOLOL

If you are reading this then you have continued to survive Covid – 19, so far, and so have I!! That is a very, very, very good thing for both of us. Seriously if you are reading this and have not gotten Covid or have gotten it and survived then count yourself lucky.

When I started writing this blog entry on January 4th, the death count was approximately 362,000 for the good old USA. Of course New York with its “head start” from back in March and April was still leading at 38,500 deaths, followed by Texas (28,750 deaths), then California (26,990 deaths) and Florida at 22,090 deaths. By the end of the month, California and Texas were making inroads on the spot held by New York and unless something changes I am sure they will take the lead sometime in February.

The single day death counts hit a new record high for the United States on January 7th, 8th, 13th,14th, and 26th with over 4000 people each day?! Think about that for a moment, over 4000 extra deaths each of those days. Unreal.

Just before publication on Thursday, January 28th, the number of deaths were getting close to that 450,000 mark. I had to stop and think about that number. In less than a month (24 days) we had lost around 88,000 individuals. And the experts are telling us this might not be the worst yet. If you compare it to baseball, the thought is we are still in the third inning of a 9-inning game. Not a pleasant thought. I believe this is due to new strains that are popping up that are much more infective than the current one.

If your interested in looking at the numbers yourself, check out these links: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/ and https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

The vaccines continues to roll out and not a moment too soon. We are now a full year into the Pandemic. And I believe the longer it drags on people are going to become even more reckless than what they have been. This is part of what is known as Pandemic Fatigue and it can effect anybody and everybody. My fear is that individuals will get tired of the continued lock downs and take unnecessary risks with the virus by not wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing. Not only will this put said individual at risk but it also risks the lives of others. Now that the vaccines are here it becomes even more important to maintain vigilance. Especially with the different strains of Covid that have surfaced. There is even talk of a strain in the U.K. that may have a higher fatality rate besides being more infective.

The vaccines are the light at the end of the tunnel and in order to create a “herd immunity” we need 60% of the population to have immunity either by vaccines or by actually having the disease (not a recommended choice). The estimates right now put the US population at 20% having immunity, but that leaves about 250 million without protection. So it would be premature to let our guard down now.

I got the “second shot” of the Pfizer vaccine on Thursday, January 7th and let me tell you they were not kidding about the “side effects.” Arm soreness – check, body fatigue – check, muscle aches and bone pain – check, headache and fever – check. The symptoms did not show up for 12 hours but they did show up. Lol. And the stronger side effects stayed around for another 12 hours. After that, it was mainly occasional bouts of fatigue through out the next couple of days. I really did not start to feel back to normal so to speak until Sunday afternoon. About three days later. So, when you are schedule to get the second shot, make sure you have at least one to two full days off.

I was complaining about the above “immunization side effects” to a nonmedical friend and they asked if I would get the vaccine again. My response was “In a heart beat.” One of the interesting things, from a medical standpoint, is that if you get Covid, survive and then recover, you may not be done with it. You may become what is known as a “Covid Long-hauler.” (estimated 2 million individuals at last count) More and more physician offices, clinics, Urgent cares, and ERs, are starting to see these people with lingering side effects from the virus they had months and months ago. And there is some thought that it may take more than a year to fully recover. I have had Covid patients that thought things were good after the initial infection, but then complained of “side effects” that continued to show up months later. Things like coughing, debilitating fatigue, body aches, joint pain, shortness of breath, difficulty sleeping, headaches, brain fog, etc… Take it from me, you don’t want this virus.

A couple of good articles to read up on this are from the Mayo Clinic and an interview with Dr. Aluko Hope, co-director of the Covid-19 Recover Clinic at Montefiore health Systems in new York. You can check them out at these links: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-long-term-effects/art-20490351 and https://www.npr.org/2020/10/18/922756239/what-we-know-about-covid-19-long-haulers

Well, enough about Covid. I will try to not bring it up again. On a different note, the month of December was again like November, much better for exercising outdoors. While the temperatures did drop as they usually do this time of year, the air quality remained much better than what it was in late August, September and most of October. This was mainly due to the fact that the fires for 2020 were out in Colorado and we had favorable Front Range winds that kept most of the “brown cloud” out east.

This picture of Marvin was taken December 1st, 2020 at about 3:45pm in one of my favorite “close to home” open spaces in Fort Collins called Riverbend Ponds. This is a great area for running and walking, or just watching wildlife. When the “ponds” are not frozen over there is fishing too.

It was a good month for walking and running. While we did get a little bit of snow, there were no major storms. This fact, and the tireless efforts by the City of Fort Collins, the paved bike trails dried out quickly. My biggest fear running at night is finding that hidden patch of black ice and doing damage to the lower body. While I do prefer to run on dirt trails, I stuck close to home for December. Especially after seeing the volume of Covid patients increase after the Thanksgiving break. We have gotten to the point here in Colorado that everyone you meet has to be assumed to have Covid until proven otherwise. Dang did I just mention Covid again, sorry about that.

Both of the above images were taken on December 11th, 2020 at about 6pm. It was at night and the low hanging clouds created a very “eerie” lighting quality. Several people have committed that they loved the black and white photos. But the crazy thing is, these are color with very minimal processing. Pretty amazing lighting.

I am planning to get back on the “dirt paths” aka mountain trails, by the third week of January. By this time it will be 5 weeks since I got the first vaccine and my risk of getting C#####d will be greatly reduced. I am also looking forward to a little cross country skiing with Marvin. See I did not say it, I just put in the C and d. Lol

This picture was taken on December 15th, 2020 at about 5:30pm in the afternoon. This is of course, a picture of Saturn and Jupiter as they get closer together for the “great conjunction” that occurred on December 21st, 2020. What made this pretty cool was that the last time this occurred (at night) was about 800 years ago. Pretty cool indeed. If you are interested in more information on this, check out this link from NASA: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/the-great-conjunction-of-jupiter-and-saturn

Besides having some unique lighting at night, the month of December also had many days with excellent lighting for “sunrise and sunset” photography. There were multiple mornings and evenings with beautiful colors. Since I am more of a night person, I tend to capture more of the sunsets than sunrises.

This picture was taken on December 20th, 2020 at about 4:50pm. This was looking West to Southwest from the Poudre River Trail in Fort Collins.

This image was taken on December 26th, 2020 at about 6:50 in the Morning. It is one of my favorite sunrise pictures for the month of December. It is taken looking east across Windsor Lake in Windsor, Colorado. I was driving home from working a night shift and just happened to catch it at the right time. The lighting effect with all the reds only lasted for a few moments and then was gone.

This picture was taken December 31st, 2020 at about 4:43pm in the afternoon. It was the last sunset for 2020 and it did not disappoint.

This image was taken January 2nd, 2021 at about 4pm in the afternoon. Another beautiful cold afternoon for a walk with Janet and Marvin.

For the month I got in about 220 plus miles of walking and running. Or about 50 miles per week. This is much more than I usually do at this time of year. I am hoping it is building a base for the coming season. I am looking forward to doing a few Ultras in 2021. (pandemic permitting) Right now I have my eyes set on the Quad Rock 50 in May, the Silver Rush 50 in July and then (if I get off the waiting list) the Run Rabbit Run 100 in September. The only one, of the above three that I have completed in its entirety is the Silver Rush 50. I have done the Quad Rock 25 multiple times but never the 50. I attempted the RRR 100 a few years ago but DNF at the 50 mile mark and I attempted the Leadville 100 but again DNF at the 50 mile mark. I have completed the RRR 50, three times now. When I think about it, I have hit the 50 mile mark over 6 or 7 times. Either as a planned run or a DNF. Oh well, I sometimes wonder if I should just focus on the 50 milers? Maybe I could eventually become the really “old guy” that does nothing but 50s?! Hmmm maybe. But I would like to do a 100 miler at least once and then settle for the 50s. Lol.

A couple book reviews and a few pieces of artwork before wrapping things up. Four books that I finished in the last month I would like to give recommendations on.

The first one I would like to talk about is called Apollo’s Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live written by Nicholas A. Christakis MD PhD. If you want to learn the history of the coronavirus pandemic and how it started in China, swept the world, especially the United States, to the present, this is a good book to start with. Dr. Christakis not only gives you the history of the current pandemic but he covers a few of the pandemics of the past and how they have affected society. Let me just say, even though we think of ourselves as very modern, some of us have behaved very similar to the people of the past who faced their own pandemics. As much as things change, human nature stays the same? Lol. Oh well, another good reason for reading the book is for the factual material that is presented in it. All the disinformation and misinformation circulating out on the web does not help the “average joe or joey” understand what is real and just made up. The book gives a full picture of the pandemic and what it means from a source that is qualified to talk about it. Now be warned there is a little bit of politics in the book, but only a little. And in my opinion Dr. Christakis puts the blame right where it needs to be.

The book was published just before the two current vaccines were released on EUAs (Emergency Use Authorizations). So he does talk a little bit about vaccines but not as much because they had not been released yet. Also if you were expecting a book to give you a “crystal ball” look at the future then you will be disappointed. He says as much in so many words though out the book. This virus has already “changed” the world. HOW we deal with that change will dictate our future. I listened to the book as an audio book but in hind sight it might have worked better in traditional format. There are parts that I would have liked to reread a few times and referenced but an audio book does not allow this easily. Either way this is a great book.

Nicholas A. Christakis directs the Human Nature Lab at Yale University, where he is the Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science, in the Departments of Sociology, Medicine, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Statistics and Data Science, and Biomedical Engineering.

This book can be found at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Apollos-Arrow-Profound-Enduring-Coronavirus/dp

The next book I would like to talk about is called Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, written by James Clear. At first I was a little hesitant to get this book. I have read several books on how to create good habits and break bad ones, so I was thinking that this would be more of the same. Well let me tell you I was wrong and this is a book that is well worth reading. Probably several times. Before you object like I did initially, let me say there is some of the same material that authors time immortal have written about, but the difference is how it is presented. If I had to boil this down, he presents a frame work that incorporate the Japanese idea of “Kaizen” in a very readable and personnel way. Small tiny steps over time that eventually lead to success. I don’t think that he ever uses the work “Kaizen” but this is what the book so beautifully reminds me of. On a personally note I had already incorporated some of these ideas in my life. The book gave me affirmation and encouragement in my own path. I listened to the book as an audio book but I think again this would work much better in traditional format. It is one of those that I will probably listen to again, and or buy the print version so I can listen and read at the same time. It’s that good.

James Clear is an author and speaker focused on habits, decision-making, and continuous improvement. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Entrepreneur, Time, and on CBS This Morning. His website can be checked out at this link: https://jamesclear.com/

The book can be found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-James-Clear-audiobook/dp

The next book I would like to talk about is one for the Science Fiction fans. It is the first book in what I did not realize was a 16 book series?! Wow!! The book is called Starshine: Aurora Rising and is written by G.S. Jennsen. I downloaded the book as a, you guessed it, as an audio book when I was between series. I have read so many authors of SiFi who are male, that it is always a little refreshing to read something by a female author. There is all the usual Space Science Fiction stuff like aliens, sentient AI’s, the military, space battles, etc… but there is a lot more to it than that. Without giving it away, let me say the author does a great job of weaving it altogether with a little romance thrown in at the same time. Some hard core SiFi fans might be thrown off by this but when you come right down to it. What is life about?? It is a question we should remind ourselves of frequently.

The timeline for the book takes place in 2322 or about 300 years from now. So you have to take that into account. Will women hold a much larger role in society, will they take the rolls that have traditionally been held by men, in technology, in the military, in politics, even as a crime boss? In my opinion, of course they will. The book worked well for me as an audio book but I think it would work in traditional format too. Especially (I am guessing) as more characters are added in future books. Might be a little easier to keep track of who is who and what they are important for.

G. S. Jennsen lives in Colorado with her husband and two dogs. She has become an internationally bestselling author since her first novel, Starshine, was published in 2014.

You can find the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Starshine-G-S-Jennsen-audiobook/dp

The next book I would like to talk about is an old one written by the late great Robert A. Heinlein called REVOLT IN 2100. This is an old SiFi book that I read in tradition format. The first copyright in the front cover is posted as 1939 by Street & Smith Publications. You need to keep that date in mind when you read the book. After seeing what has happen to the good old USA in the last four years politically with the rise of Evangelicals in government you quickly realize Heinlein was a true visionary. I got lucky to find the book in a small “outdoor mini library” in a neighborhood close to me. I had read some of Heinlein books in the past, “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress”, “Stranger in a Strange Land,” “Starship Troopers”, etc… So when I saw this one, I thought it might be an interesting read. Grabbed it. And Wow! Who would have thought that religious zealots could take over our country. And if you had read this book five years ago you would think, surely this would never happen in America… Now fast forward to 2020… I won’t give anymore of it away. Great read with a cautionary tale. I am also going to try it as an audio book. I have looked at some of the reviews on Amazon and several reviewers really liked the audio version. You can find all versions on Amazon but be warned some are very expensive due to Heinlein’s fame and how old the book is. Next time you see a Mini Library, check it out or a local used book store might have a copy.

Robert A. Heinlein was an American SiFi author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the “dean of science fiction writers”, he was among the first to emphasize scientific accuracy in his fiction. Want to know more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_A._Heinlein

You can find the book at Amazon: Amazon.com: Revolt in 2100 (Audible Audio Edition): Robert A. Heinlein, Eric Michael Summerer, Audible Studios: Audible Audiobooks

Well last but not least a few pieces of Art work before I go. All are pen and ink, mounted on painted wood, coated and sealed with Mod Podge. These are 7 1/4 inches by 10 1/4 inches. When hanging they are about 15 inches tall.

A STUDY IN THE SPACE-TIME CONTINUUM

I call this one a study in the “Space – Time Continuum.” Do we, by our moment to moment actions, create ripples in space-time that alter current and future realities in the 3rd dimension? Or, are all things predetermined? What do you believe? This one is 7 and 1/4 inches by 10 and 1/4 inches. When hanging it is about 15 inches tall.

A STUDY IN THE SPACE-TIME CONTINUUM 2

I call this one a study in the “Space – Time Continuum 2.” Do we, by our moment to moment actions, create ripples in space-time that alter current and future realities in the 3rd dimension. Or, are all things predetermined? What do you believe? This one is 7 and 1/4 inches by 10 and 1/4 inches. When hanging it is about 15 inches tall.

YELLOW JACKETS ON MY MIND!

I call this one “Yellow Jackets on My Mind!” This past summer (unbeknown to us) we had a Yellow Jacket Queen decide to build an underground nest right next to our front porch and front door. Unfortunately she kept it a secret for about a month into the season. So by the time we discovered it there were thousand of workers or what seemed like thousands of workers all ready to defend any and all threats. Lol. It took all summer and a lot of trial and error to get rid of them without resorting to harsh chemicals. This one is 7 and 1/4 inches by 10 and 1/4 inches. When hanging it is about 15 inches tall.

CANIS LUPUS ICTUS CORDIS 2

This one I call “Canis Lupus Ictus Cordis 2.” Or Heartbeat of the Wolf 2. This one is 7 and 1/4 inches by 10 and 1/4 inches. When hanging it is about 15 inches tall.

These are all for sale and can be found on my Etsy site: https://www.etsy.com/shop/strugglingprotoplasm/edit?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

Well that is going to be about it for me on this Blog post. Even though I have said this before, I am going to say it again. I hope you have given more thought to minimalism and how it could make a positive change in your life and in the world. If you think you might want to be part of that change, to make the world a much better place. I firmly believe that minimalism is one path to that ultimate goal. There is nothing to buy, just a change in mindset. To learn more please visit the web site: https://www.theminimalists.com/minimalism/

So take care my friends and remember to wash your hands, wear your mask when in crowds or indoors and practice physical distancing. And when a vaccine become available, please consider getting it. Adios!!

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous…, leading to the most amazing views.” Edward Abbey

Book Review, Colorado, Covid 19, Dogs, Economics, Exercise, Fort Collins, Pandemics, Psychology, Religion, Science, Science Fiction, Sociology, Space, Trail Running

MUSINGS FOR FRIDAY 29TH, MAY 2020

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“Once you realize that the road is the goal and that you are always on the road, not to reach a goal, but to enjoy its beauty and its wisdom, life ceases to be a task and becomes natural and simple, in itself an ecstasy.” Nisargadatta Maharaj

On April 25th, 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was deployed from the space shuttle Discovery. This year it turned 30 years old. It is named after the astronomer Edwin Hubble and remains in operation. At some point it will be replaced by the James Webb Space Telescope which is scheduled to be launched next year in March 2021. Image Credit: NASA
Check out this montage of images taken from Hubble over the years: https://hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/1273-Video

“All you want is to be happy. All your desires, whatever they may be, are longing for happiness. Basically, you wish yourself well…desire by itself is not wrong. It is life itself, the urge to grow in knowledge and experience. It is the choices you make that are wrong. To imagine that some little thing – food, sex, power, fame – will make you happy is to deceive oneself. Only something as vast and deep as your real self can make you truly and lastingly happy.” Nisargadatta Maharaj

This photo of earth from space was taken by the Apollo 17 crew on December 7th, 1972. I am using it here to call attention to Earth Day that is now 50 years old. The first one was celebrated April 22nd, 1970. With so much of the world focused on Covid issues, I felt it was appropriate to remind us all of the incredible beauty of our home world and the need to always be vigilant in taking care of it. Image Credit: NASA

“Life always gives us exactly the teacher we need at every moment. This includes every mosquito, every misfortune, every red light, every traffic jam, every obnoxious supervisor, every illness, every loss, every moment of joy or depression, every addiction, every piece of garbage, every breath. Every moment is the Guru.” Joan Tollifson

This picture taken by Hubble is call the Eagle Nebula’s Pillars of Creation. Here the pillars are seen in infrared light, which helps to see through obscuring dust and gas. The pillars are pretty cool, but to me it is the incredible amount of stars seen in the rest of the image. Imagine, this is just one part of space and the sheer number of other stars is mind blowing. Just unreal…. Image Credit: NASA
To see the original better-known image of the pillars of creation in visible light, check out this link: https://www.spacetelescope.org/images/heic1501a/

“The trick is to keep exploring and not bail out, even when we find out that something is not what we thought. That’s what we’re going to discover again and again and again. Nothing is what we thought. I can say that with great confidence. Emptiness is not what we thought. Neither is mindfulness or fear. Compassion—not what we thought. Love. Buddha nature. Courage. These are code words for things we don’t know in our minds, but any of us could experience them. These are words that point to what life really is when we let things fall apart and let ourselves be nailed to the present moment.” Pema Chodron

A team of transatlantic scientist reanalyzing data from NASA’s Kepler Space telescope discovered an earth-sized exoplanet that is in the habitable zone of it’s solar system. Named Kepler – 1649c. It is orbiting an M-Type red dwarf star named Kepler – 1649. The above image is an artist’s illustration so it might look a lot different than pictured. The important part is that it could support liquid water. How cool is that?! Of course it is a bit of a distance away – about 300 light-years. So for now, until we get the warp engines up and running, we will have to use our imagination.

“In Science it often happens that scientists say, “You know that’s a really good argument; my position is mistaken,” and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn’t happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.” Carl Sagan

HEY!! I AM LOOKING AT YOU!! THAT’S WHO!! LOLOLOLOLOL

If you are reading this then you have continued to survive Covid 19!! Yea!! And so have I!! That is a very good thing indeed. Life is changing and this kind of forced, rapid change is hard. You can see it, feel it and hear it, especially on social media. There are those that it is not going to make much difference but for a majority of us there will be changes. I don’t think the virus is going to go away anytime soon. It is creating a new normal and we are living through that creation right now. Where are things going to end up? That is the billion dollar question. Will we get back to the old way of doing things or will it be a version of the past with a few modifications? And how long will all this last? Another 6 months, a year or until a vaccine becomes available? I don’t really know but I think I am going to hedge my bets on the vaccine scenario. Herd immunity will not occur without significant loss of life, unless you have a vaccine. And that my friends is a hard pill to swallow.

This picture was taken April 3rd, about 7:30pm in the evening. I was looking West just as the sun was going down in our neighborhood.

For me, the lock down has not made too many changes… yet. Being somewhat an introvert has helped a lot. Lol. My wife and I were not big concert participants and we did not frequently eat out much except for special events. Most of our recent vacations have been “stay-at-home” types except for visiting the mountains in the RV. While most of my purchases have been online even before the outbreak, my wife’s were not. So that has been modified, especially with the grocery store. As far as work, there have been changes, but the key point is that we are both still working. I am lucky that my job has been spared budget cuts so far. Therefore the only thing that has significantly changed beside social distancing and wearing a mask outside of work, is the way I enjoy the outdoors in Colorado.

This picture was taken April 5th, 2020 at about 6:40pm. We have been doing a lot of neighborhood walking. We are lucky to live in an area that does not have a lot of neighborhood traffic. So walking in the streets is somewhat safe and easy to do. It was a nice spring day in Colorado with temps in the 60s.

By this time last year, I would have already run a couple of races, but they have all been canceled or rescheduled until later in the year. Also by this time, I would have been out in the foothills and the lower mountains for trail running with Marvin, but due to the shear volume of people out and about now, that had to change. I did not want to be a part of the problem. Even the bike trails in the middle of the day are like grand central station, compared to what it was back in April and May 2019. So you adapt and make changes. I have used the indoor bike trainer a lot the past few months. More than I have in the previous two years. If I go for an actual ride, then it has been late at night, with the fewest people on the bike trail as possible. Besides the obvious downside of this, there was an unexpected upside as well. I have walked a lot in the neighborhood the last couple of months, especially with Janet and my youngest daughter Cathryn. They are not runners, especially not trail runners, and the forced isolation has given me a chance to spend more time with them. We walk the neighborhood streets which allows plenty of social distancing.

This picture was taken April 16th, 2020 at about 5pm. What a difference a week or so makes here in Colorado. Wow!! Marvin was enjoying it a lot.

I think that 2020 is “over” for trail race events, fun runs, marathons, etc… I cannot imagine there would be anyway to arrange aid stations so that people would not cross contaminate each other. Even with people being very conscious of social distancing, it would be very hard to do. It is hard enough to get individuals to wear a mask at the grocery store. What would it take to get them to put one on during a steep trail climb with multiple bunched up runners. All it takes is one individual to start the process of infecting others. I have to ask myself, do I want to be exposed to that possibility. And since I work in what is considered a high risk environment, would I want to potentially expose others if I was infected? That is an unfortunate aspect of this virus. You can be shedding viral particles before you get sick. Some reports are up to three days before you get sick. In comparison, we got lucky with Ebola. For one, you did not become an infection risk until you were sick. Actually sick with a fever or other symptoms. So if you got it you were easy to screen. The other part is that the mortality was high, 60 to 90% high. While this is bad if you get the disease, you usually were not out and about, running around infecting others, so it became self limiting. Not so with Covid. You can be running your merry way around, not feeling or showing any symptoms, but still infecting others. A “perfect storm” of a virus…

This picture was also taken on April 16th, 2020 at about 7:30pm. It is looking West along the Poudre River.

And thinking about this brings me back to change. What is the old saying, “Change, the only constant in life is change.” I know, we have all heard this expression in one form or another. And if you are like me, you are tired of hearing it. But hear it we must, because an event like this is going to be made more difficult if we are not willing to change the way we do things. I would have to say that all the “old rules” are being challenged. It will force all of us across the spectrum of modern life, to look at things in a different way. Especially if you want to keep things running. One of the first ones I think about is schools. Closing of schools exposed the lack of access many homes have to the internet. How can kids learn remotely if they can’t get access to their teachers and learning material online? And what if you need a laptop or a desk top computer? Of course, just having internet access is a luxury for some families. Maybe the internet should be made available to all, free of charge, country wide? Schools may open in the fall and they may not. It might be next year? How can you keep things running if you can’t send kids back to school – safely??

This picture was taken April 23rd, 2020 at about 7:30pm. What a difference in just 7 days from the above pictures. All the snow is gone. A week ago the snow in this spot was about 12 inches deep.

The school situation is part of a much broader picture of what happens when groups of people are not allowed to meet in person, whether it be for business or pleasure. All the things that we take for granted are now being challenged by a massive scaling back of productivity in all sectors of life. And this is not a bad thing in the short term. More and more people are being asked to work from home. With some companies thinking about making the four day work week a permanent part of life. How cool would that be to have a three day weekend – every weekend? Of course it is definitely not good for a majority of people that are still out of work like those in the restaurant industry. I have no doubt that it will come back, but the question will be in what capacity. How do you keep people safe? Especially with a virus that can spread from an individual that has no symptoms? If you greatly decrease the number of people that can eat at any give time, will the profit margins be high enough for you to stay in business? I don’t have the answers to these questions and I really don’t think that any one does. Colorado is opening back up as I write this, including restaurants and it will be interesting to see what the case count will be by the middle of June.

This picture was taken April 27th, 2020 at about 4:30pm in the afternoon. It is a close up shot of the inside of a Tulip flower.

One thing that has really caught my attention in May, especially on social media is all the fake news out there. I mean there is usually a lot of it anyways but the Pandemic has really stepped on the accelerator. Especially the reopen America type stories. Even thought all of these stories are fake, I think that it strikes a cord with people that have been out of work for a while. And it makes it easier for them to not question the source of the message and they retweet it or share it on FB. It is not too unexpected to see how hunger and fear help to drive these pseudo stories.

Another one that I find fascinating is the conspiracy theory people. I think the individuals that create this content do it for money and some kind of morbid creative enjoyment. My opinion is that they don’t really care who it hurts. The people that buy into it are probably scared. They want answers and meaning for this terrible event that has interrupted their lives and killed family and friends. Unfortunately there is no “deep meaning” other than just what it is. A respiratory virus, ten times deadlier than the flu, that crossed over, likely from bats to humans, in which we have no immunity to. Given our ability to travel the globe, it has infected millions around the world and will continue to do so. Until an effective vaccine is developed, all the precautions we are doing now will become our new normal.

A few book reviews before I go. There are several that I have finished over the last few months and I would like to give a recommendation on them.

The first one I would like to talk about is one that might upset a few people depending on your religious or non-religious views but I feel is worth reading. Maybe more than once, no matter if you are an atheist or religious. “Religion” so to speak has been around for a very long time and over this period it has learned a lot about what makes humanity tic. This information has taken thousands of years of unofficial research and observation to obtain. And it has been incorporated into all religious texts to some degree. If you ask an atheist about whether religion should even exist, most likely the answer will be no. But in the authors opinion and mine that would be a huge waste of hard earned information about what makes us human. The book is about how we can make the world a better place by using this information. The author explains how the “tools of religion” can build a better sense of community, better relationships, better appreciation of art and other cultures, better techniques for learning, etc… This is not about trying to convert anyone to a particular religion. But a look at what it means to not have the “god figure” involved at all. This book works great in traditional format and as an audio book. You can find it at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Religion-for-Atheists

The next one I want to talk about also has a religious theme but not how you would expect. The author looks at how religion has been incorporated by different Science Fiction writers over the last 50 years or so. He uses examples from literature as expected but also from television and films. The part that I really liked is how some stories have religious overtones that when I read or viewed them initially, I did not really comprehend it. But after reading the book, it makes much more sense now. I have always felt that our future has already been written in a SiFi book or more likely several books, just by accident. And that our reality is defined by the tools that we have at the moment. As your tools change so does your reality. Reading the book, one of the conclusions I came to was that this also applies to religion. From the book: “A church that dwells in the past is certain to lose touch with the world in which its believers live, and if religion is to meet the spiritual needs of coming generations, it must be willing to face the future with an open mind.” How powerful a statement. This book is only available as Paperback and Kindle. I wish that it was on audio book because it would be worth a second listen on a long car trip. You can find it at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gospel-according-Science-Fiction-Twilight

The last one I would like to recommend is another science fiction selection that has 6 books so far. It is called the Red Rising Series. Written by Pierce Brown. It borrows from the Roman past to tell a dystopian future. If you liked the “Hunger Games” you will probably like this series as well. It is the classic story about the “haves” and the “have nots.” A human conflict that is as old as humanity is itself. This series is available in all formats. I thoroughly enjoyed it as an audio book. You can find it on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Red-Rising-Pierce-Brown

Well that is about it for me on this Blog post. As the Pandemic continues to drag on, I want to ask you this question again. What do you want “your new normal” to be. This is a great opportunity to create something different. Remember the old guard may not like what you have in mind and will try to divert your attention by selling and telling you things that help you to feel normal. And if that is what you need at this moment, then by all means take it. But if you want something different…resistance is not futile. If you are wondering and want to take a deeper plunge into something different than the current economic system, there is a YouTube channel called Democracy at Work and is hosted by Richard D Wolff – a Harvard Educated Professor of Economics. Check out some of the videos and I will let you be the judge. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK-6FjMu9OI8i0Fo6bkW0VA

Take care my friends and remember to wash your hands, wear your mask when in crowds and social distancing. Adios!!

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous.., leading to the most amazing views.” Edward Abbey