Astounding! Wonderful…
Surreal
Published September 26, 2022 by Nan MykelAstounding! Wonderful…
A mixed bag
All posts in the A mixed bag category
WE WOMEN CAN STILL VOTE
Published September 25, 2022 by Nan MykelA male candidate for Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District once said the US suffered from women’s suffrage and praised an organization trying to repeal the 19th Amendment. Of course he denies that is his current belief, but you might guess which side of the great divide he is still on. But we can still vote, so let’s do it!!
A friend recently said that he formerly had some hope that women would get more active and improve the political scene, but that since some of them have been so frequently quoted in the news he had lost hope they would save democracy. (I earlier promised I would not say their names so as not to increase their fame.) I looked up the stats and it was difficult to quickly understand the results of women voters pro and con Biden. (Again, ignoring the “T” word.)
We women sure aren’t perfect. In fact, a goodly portion of us have feet of clay (remember all the swooners over Frank Sinatra?) And there was the woman who, when asked what the last administration had done for her, said, “I don’t know but every time I look at Him I feel warm all over.”
It was in Atlanta during the earlier days of NOW when I attended a large meeting of a re-invigorated women’s movement, possibly of NOW or some similar new organizational movement. I had envisioned we would witness a good mutually supportive presentation. After all, aren’t we the warm, caring empathic sex? But the first two presenters made what I considered snide, competitive remarks about each other. I’d forgotten that many of us are easily swayed and have been “trying to be men,” both at the workplace and “socially.” A woman may fight for orgasms in print, but then lose herself in the presence of masculinity. I have also read that many feminists resent transgender women. Do I sound disillusioned? I know myself, and how nonassertive I’ve been all my life, but …..
At least a number of women melt around men and surrender their common sense. Remember all the talk about “dumb blondes?” I’m sure I’ll regret this post, but the number of vocal women willing to discount the lives of other women via the abortion issue is truly disheartening. Have a heart, women! Have a heart! How could we put the very life of a woman at risk for the uncertain appearance of a possible person, even when it’s fathered by forcible rape and even if it puts her own life on the line?
It appears that a majority of the MAGA women are racists, and can intellectually ignore the fact that more people of color have abortions than others. Do they realize that the possible foetus may be a person of color? The vision of a new generation of children whose mothers didn’t want them gives me chills. i heard one elected woman say the foetus should be allowed to grow up and “maybe cure cancer.” Surely that’s a “dumb blonde” statement? Because we’re not strong physically doesn’t mean we have to buy into being weak-kneed intellectually.
Perhaps we women could profit from meditating regularly on our breath and the light? What glory an army of potentialized women could do for O Beautiful, For Spacious Skies?
I STAND CORRECTED
Published September 24, 2022 by Nan Mykel
A comment to my post Shut My Mouth from Ned Hamson is sterling:
Two thoughts:
1. Too many groups… they need to learn how to work together. Just think if there were just two or at most three mega-groups – greater impact and use of resources. With this many groups, they all compete with each other for money and split their ability to impact people and governments.
2. Even though too many groups here’s another – Jane Fonda’s efforts – https://firedrillfridays.org
Thanks, Ned!
Auguries of True Autumn
Published September 24, 2022 by Nan MykelShow-stopping!
Auguries of True Autumn
If you listen
from beneath deep-night’s blanket of darkest blue
you’ll hear the moon croon,
the tenderest of lullabies
for the lonely awake in quiet rooms
where she can silver-slide
through window cracks, and guide with wider-glow
the owls and foxes, and the bats–
though soon they’ll go.
If you listen,
you will hear the tree roots slow their growing
as they drop rubies from their crowns,
and bury seeds to sleep till spring, these sounds
just barely perceptible, perhaps sensed in dream-showings
like scenes from a book you’re not sure you’ve read,
but somehow find yourself knowing, this thread
of what will be—you’ll see
in the morning’s leafy rustle
and the geese’ fast honking bustle,
you’ll recognize your dream vision,
whether wanted or unbidden,
that now the leaves are…
View original post 45 more words
Shut My Mouth!
Published September 23, 2022 by Nan MykelBig deal, I was going to “do some good” by publishing a weekly climate change update on my blog. I did a little research on Google and found that large groups are covering the world climate change and their blogs are free, too. I quit my original plan but will give you an idea of what’s elsewhere in much greater coverage than I could offer. I may, however, post a few entries while not pretending they are comprehensive. At the end of the following please note the essay by good friend Alexa Abercrombie Ross
KEY CLIMATE CHANGE MEDIA OUTLETS
https://climatechangeresources.org › key-climate-chang…
Just as Mainstream Media outlets are joining forces to create stronger climate change resources, so are these specialized outlets. Take a look at Collateral, a series on climate, data and science, which is a collaboration between Inside Climate News and The Weather Channel. And, if you are interested in how the media understood and covered how the world warmed in 2021, take a look at this piece by Carbon Brief, one of our best sources of climate news from around the world.
Most miraculous are the outlets which are taking shape in the form of newsletters, blogs and podcasts. We call a few to your attention:
- Sammy Roth’s newsletter, The Boiling Point for the Los Angeles Times, wrote a riveting piece as he drove across the American West in May 2022. “Standing on the Continental Divide, where wind energy could shape the West” was the first of his utterly fascinating series.
- Climate Nexus writes both in-depth stories and disseminates, through its newsletter, some of the best media sources every few days. This particular story on the latest IPCC report in the spring of 2022 is typical of how deeply intelligent its thinking is.
-
- and there are so many more: Earth Justice “because the earth needs a good lawyer”, the Environmental Voter project, “identifying inactive environmentalists and transforming them into consistent voters” , the Union of Concerned Scientists, “using science to make change happen”
350.org
Founded by Bill McKibben, 350 uses online campaigns, grassroots organizing, and mass public actions to oppose new coal, oil and gas projects, take money out of the companies that are heating up the planet, and build 100% clean energy solutions that work for all. 350’s network extends to 188 countries.
Above the Fold by Environmental Health News
We are a publication of Environmental Health Sciences, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to driving science into public discussion and policy on environmental health issues, including climate change.
Axios Newsletters
News, scoops & expert analysis by award-winning Axios journalists.
Boiling Point, a L.A. Times newsletter with Sammy Roth
Boiling Point is a newsletter for people who care about the environment and climate across California, the American West and the globe. If you’re a hiker or a surfer, if you’re worried about losing your home in a wildfire, or if you just want new reasons to stay hopeful, this newsletter is for you.
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists bridges the technology divide between research, foreign policy, and public engagement. Their award-winning Doomsday Clock also has fascinating information.
Canary Media
They are an independent nonprofit journalism outlet powered by RMI dedicated to chronicling the transition to a decarbonized economy and society, with a particular focus on the transformation of the energy, transportation, industrial and building sectors.
Carbon 180
We bring together scientists, policymakers, and businesses to fundamentally rethink carbon.
Carbon Brief
Carbon Brief is UK-based and covers the latest developments in climate science, climate policy and energy policy.
CCL Weekly Briefing (from Citizen’s Climate Lobby)
Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a non-profit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies to address climate change.
CDP
CDP has been putting critical environmental data at the heart of business decisions since 2002. Their latest report, based upon the growing demand for climate-related information was released in 2018. Understanding that inadequate information can lead to the mispricing of assets and a misallocation of capital, more and more financial decision makers are demanding information on the business risks and opportunities associated with climate change.
Civil Notion
Joel Stronberg, Esq., of The JBS Group is a veteran clean energy policy analyst with over 30 years’ experience, based in Washington, DC. He writes about climate politics and has a podcast, Zero Net Fifty with co-host Jennifer Delony.
Climate Cast (newsletter from Natural Climate Solutions)
ClimateCast is Climate Solutions’ curated, weekly collectio
EcoRI news
ecoRI News is dedicated to reporting on environmental and social justice issues in southern New England. Through our reporting, we create a more informed public and provide individuals with the information they need to be better stewards of their environment.
EcoWatch
EcoWatch provides original content from a team of reporters and features insights from prominent environmental and business leaders.
Energy News Network
The Energy News Network is a nonprofit dedicated to keeping stakeholders, policymakers, and citizens informed of the important changes taking place in the transition to a clean energy system.
Environment New York
Environment New York protects the places we love, advancing the environmental values we share, and winning real results for our environment. What’s our key to winning? People like you. Stand up for clean air, clean water and the open spaces you care about by making a donation today.
Environmental Defense Fund
Guided by science and economics, we tackle urgent threats with practical solutions. We address today’s most urgent environmental challenges. Working in partnership with others, we focus where we’re best positioned to help, based on our strengths.
Environmental Voter Project
The Environmental Voter Project aims to significantly increase voter demand for progressive environmental policy by identifying inactive environmentalists and then turning them into consistent activists and voters.
Food & Water Watch
Food & Water Watch mobilizes regular people to build political power to move bold & uncompromised solutions to the most pressing food, water, and climate problems of our time. We work to protect people’s health, communities, and democracy from the growing destructive power of the most powerful economic interests.
Friends of the Earth
Together we speak truth to power and expose those who endanger the health of people and the planet for corporate profit. We organize to build long-term political power and campaign to change the rules of our economic and political systems that create injustice and destroy nature.
Green Buzz
Greenbuzz is GreenBiz’s newsletter. GreenBiz provides intelligent, focused content on business, technology and sustainability for people from every industry and discipline.
Green Tech Media
Greentech Media delivers market analysis, business-to-business news and conferences that inform and connect players in the global clean energy market. Coverage extends across the clean energy industry with a focus on solar power and the electric utility market’s evolution.
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.
Heated, a newsletter with Emily Atkin
It is not your fault that the planet is burning. Your air conditioner, your hamburger, your gas-powered car—these aren’t the reasons we only have about a decade to prevent irreversible climate catastrophe.
Hot Take, Podcast and newsletter by Mary Annaïse Heglar and Amy Westervelt
Hot Take started as a podcast, from climate essayist Mary Annaïse Heglar and climate reporter Amy Westervelt. In 2020, we added a newsletter as a place to curate the great climate content we were seeing.
Inside Climate News
The weekly newsletter from Inside Climate News, an independent, not-for-profit, non-partisan news organization that covers clean energy, carbon energy, nuclear energy and environmental science—plus the territory in between where law, policy and public opinion are shaped.
Living On Earth
Living on Earth with Steve Curwood is the weekly environmental news and information program distributed by Public Radio International. Every week approximately 250 Public Radio stations broadcast Living on Earth’s news, features, interviews and commentary on a broad range of ecological issues.
Mother Nature Network
With sites that generate more than 10 million sessions per month from more than 200 countries, Mother Nature Network is the world’s most visited online network for news and information related to the environment and responsible living.
NASA: Global Climate Change
Provides approachable information and resources on climate change science, its effects, and current efforts to intervene.
NRDC
Fighting climate change by cutting carbon pollution and expanding clean energy is the best way to build a better future for our children. NRDC is tackling the climate crisis at its source: pollution from fossil fuels. We work to reduce our dependence on these dirty sources by expanding clean energy across cities, states, and nations. We win court cases that allow the federal government to limit carbon pollution from cars and power plants. We help implement practical clean energy solutions. And we fight oil and gas projects that would pump out even more pollution.
Oceana
Oceana is dedicated to protecting and restoring the world’s oceans on a global scale.
Our Daily Planet
Our Daily Planet is the leading independent environmental news platform covering the climate crisis, conservation, and beyond. Monica & Miro started ODP because they saw a need…
Our Energy Policy
Energy headlines, resources, and expert dialogue.
Sea Level Now (John Englander’s newsletter)
John Englander is an oceanographer, consultant and leading expert on sea level rise.
Sierra Club Insider
Insider is Sierra Club’s twice-monthly e-newsletter on the latest environmental news, green living tips, urgent action alerts on important environmental issues, great outdoor trips, new books and movies to check out, special offers, and more.
Skeptical Science
The goal of Skeptical Science is to explain what peer reviewed science has to say about global warming. When you peruse the many arguments of global warming skeptics, a pattern emerges. Skeptic arguments tend to focus on narrow pieces of the puzzle while neglecting the broader picture. For example, focus on Climategate emails neglects the full weight of scientific evidence for man-made global warming. Concentrating on a few growing glaciers ignores the world wide trend of accelerating glacier shrinkage. Claims of global cooling fail to realise the planet as a whole is still accumulating heat. This website presents the broader picture by explaining the peer reviewed scientific literature.
State of the Planet by the Earth Institute at Columbia
News from the Earth Institute. Comprehensive coverage of climate, agriculture, ecology, energy, health, sustainability, water, and more.
The Climate Beat
If you’re covering the climate story, you need to be reading The Climate Beat, a resource for journalists by journalists. On The Climate Beat, we spotlight the week’s best climate stories, announce new collaborations and events, and share insights on how best to cover the climate crisis.
The Climate Web
The Climate Web is the product of >20,000 hours of crowd-sourcing and curating knowledge from thousands of experts to support understanding of and responding to climate change. It is a collective climate change intelligence.
The Crucial Years, a newsletter with Bill McKibben
After thirty years of ignoring warnings about climate change—we have a few scant years to slash emissions, and also to prepare ourselves and our societies for coping with the fact that we’ve already done irreversible damage. If a soft landing is still possible, it will require slowing emissions way down fast, and also a runway with as few potholes as possible: and in turn that will require a mix of science, politics, economics, and movement-building. Salvation, such as it is, lies in solidarity: in working together to meet the most dangerous, and most interesting, challenge of our lifetimes.
The Daily Climate
The Daily Climate is a nonprofit publication focused on policy and environmental health issues.
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy’s magazine combines reporting with world-class photography, covering their work to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.
The Regeneration Weekly
The Regeneration Weekly mission is to empower readers to advocate for a more resilient food chain while celebrating the farmers, figures, and organizations fueling the regenerative movement.
The Years Project
The YEARS Project is a multimedia storytelling and education effort designed to inform, empower, and unite the world in the face of climate change.
This Spaceship Earth
Founded by David Houle and Tim Rumage. This Spaceship Earth’s part in facing Climate Change is to get up to a billion people to start to think and act as crew members.
Union of Concerned Scientists
The Union of Concerned Scientists are a group of nearly 250 scientists, analysts, policy and communication experts dedicated to finding practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.
WaterBear Network
WaterBear, the first interactive streaming platform dedicated to the future of our planet. Whatever you feel passionately about in the world of climate action, biodiversity, sustainability, community, diversity and more, WaterBear provides access to award-winning and inspirational content that empowers members to dive deeper, learn more and take action.
World Wildlife Fund
The world’s leading conservation organization, WWF works in 100 countries and is supported by more than one million members in the United States and close to five million globally. WWF’s unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at every level from local to global, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature.
REMEMBERING DAVE FOREMAN, AN “UNAPOLOGETIC WARRIOR FOR NATURE” Wildlands Network
Published September 22, 2022 by Nan MykelA fitting and touching goodbye.
Sep 21, 2022
Written ByWildlands Network
Earlier this week, visionary conservationist and Wildlands Network cofounder Dave Foreman passed away. The author of numerous books including Confessions of an Eco-Warrior and Rewilding North America, Foreman’s ideologies were—and continue to be—the very core of our mission. His vision for continental-scale rewilding inspires us and many other wilderness and biodiversity protection and restoration efforts around the world.
Dave had a profound influence on the lives and careers of our staff, board and others from the Wildlands Network community. We’re gathering an ongoing compilation of stories and memories of Dave, below. If you would like to contribute, please reach out to danielle@wildlandsnetwork.org.
“I am saddened to learn of Dave Foreman’s passing, even though I met him only once or twice. His writings in Wild Earth were a ray of light for me during my early career many years ago. I was…
View original post 1,144 more words
REFLECTIONS on WISHING YOU HAPPINESS NEW YEAR 5783
Published September 22, 2022 by Nan MykelThanks, Melanie. I’m trying to reblog.
As this Jewish New Year approaches, I am reminded of the refuge, sanctuary and home that Africa gave to my grandparents approximately 100 years ago, as they fled the Pogroms in Ukraine.
America and Canada had turned us away!
We, the stranger, were welcomed to South Africa. And it was complex…
We were classified as white, as caucasian, and were swallowed into a complex colonial context that took advantage of the indigenous inhabitants and what was in fact stolen land.
We had nowhere else to go. This was now home. Through the love and comforts bestowed upon us, we the grandchildren and our children were protected from their trauma, pain and grief, yet legacy prevails in consciousness.
Apartheid was officially institutionalized in 1949, and as white classified my parents were among a privileged minority that reaped what is impossible to reconcile as reward, from an iniquitous and cruel system.
While…
View original post 237 more words
I KNOW I SHOULD TAKE TIME TO BE…
Published September 20, 2022 by Nan Mykel
…. a little friendlier, but I feel time’s winged chariot and I want to say as much as is there…here.
When I first began blogging I saw that new sites said things like “Welcome, pull up a chair and visit. So glad you stopped by. I’m Nan, and I’ll answer every comment. Please make yourself at home.” But no, I didn’t have time for cordiality. Well, I saw my doctor earlier today and he said he would visit my blog, and he’ll see my limited appeal. I think I’ve been conning him….
No prob. Just wishing I was better organized, but a little late for that, eh what? One of my problems is not having enough friends to sit and chew the fat with, “in reality.”
If tugging on your coattails and begging you to pay attention to me doesn’t work, I’ll just have to try and re-script my personality so it’s more …something. Aw shucks, do I have to be nicer?
Smile.
Those Were the Days, My Friend…
Published September 20, 2022 by Nan MykelI thought they’d never end…Just thought I’d share this old entry from a book published some time ago. Since I don’t want to invade privacy I won’t even tell you where I got it:
DAILY CHORES
Papa was always an early riser. Winter and summer he got up at 5 o’clock. Long before light we would hear him shaving off a few splinters of lightwood to kindle a fire in our bedroom heater. From there he went to grandpa’s room, made a fire in the fireplace, then carried a shovel of coals to the old kitchen in the yard. He brought two buckets of water from the spring, whistling as he went. This was only the beginning of Papa’s morning chores. He fed the horses and hogs and milked and fed the cows before returning to the house for breakfast.
In the meantime, the women had their chores. Aunt M cooked breakfast. There were hot biscuits with bacon, sausage or other meat or eggs, fried apples, coffee and milk, the last brought to the dining room table in china pitchers, one for buttermilk and one for sweet milk. In our early childhood the coffee was roasted in our oven and ground fresh for each meal.
Mother made a fire in the dining room stove and set the table for breakfast, making sure that there was plenty of butter, honey, preserves and sorghum molasses in the center of the table. She also made the beds and helped us children get ready for school. A’s hair was sometimes short and had a little curl, but mine was very long and straight and had to be combed and braided by Mother.
Aunt N helped prepare grandma and grandpa for breakfast. Grandma was an invalid and was served her meals in her room from the time she broke her hip when I was seven years old. Grandpa was very deaf, but usually had good health until the last year or two of his life.
After breakfast everyone had other duties. Papa began whatever farm work was in season, overseeing hired help, caring for farm animals, tools, machinery, harness, etc. Mother raised chickens, cared for the milk and butter with help from Aunt M, A. and me, helped with the house work and with caring for Grandma and Grandpa, sold surplus chickens, eggs, butter and milk and, occasionally vegetables to help with family expenses and to put away savings to send her children to high school and college.
Aunt N took the responsibility of caring for Grandma and Grandpa, but was helped by Mother and other family members as needed. She also supervised the house-cleaning downstairs and raised beautiful flowers. I remember, especially, her violets, roses, August lilies and chrysanthemums. Aunt M did most of the cooking. This was done in the old kitchen in the back yard until 1918. Food was brought hot to the table for breakfast and dinner….Too dry cake was served with a sauce. Many ways were found to use left-overs…..
WHAT’S WHAT
Published September 19, 2022 by Nan MykelThe following is a listing of active right-wing groups in Ohio or their supporting connections in other states who support taking money from public schools and funding religious and/or charter schools. Since the proliferation of such groups may be confusing, I thought it may be useful to provide a list of them for our own education. They are far-right groups that influence the Ohio Legislature. If curious, please seek out dianeravitch and read the details. Her primary source appears to be Jan Resseger:
The Buckeye Institute
CCV (The Center for Christian Virtue)
Heritage Action
ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council)
The Heritage Foundation
Ed Choice
Ohio Christian Education Network
Thomas Fordham Institute
Hillsdale College Barney Charter School Initiative – (Barney Family Foundation)
NANMYKEL.COM 