Once again you have set my thinking machine down more new trails, Christopher, and wow, those photos, especially the mantis-eating-monarch (possibly a great subject for me to attempt painting), but you know, the thing that really got me this time comes at the end of your essay, that is, the sinking of the Bayesian, the super yacht owned by tech billionaire Michael Lynch who was celebrating his acquittal on fraud charges and the clearing of his name (oh, really? ); a sudden, totally unexpected catastrophic sinking of a supposedly unsinkable vessel (where have we heard that before) with the loss of 17 people, including the celebratory accused fraudster. I don't mean to satirize this tragedy, but, considering that he named his yacht after the mathematical idea that was the founding notion of his company (the one that he sold to Hewlett-Packard for what they said was at least $9 billion more than it turned out to be worth), my immediate thought was this: Is this the perfect film noir? Or is this a Greek myth? Or, did this really happen? I'm going to continue researching this story.
Thanks, Jesse! Yeah, that story about the billionaire yacht is a lot to get one’s head around, especially when you read how his co-defendant and former CFO died in a car accident days before. Material for you to start writing mysteries again! I’m hoping there will be a good longform New Yorker-style piece on that story soon.
Glad you are voicing the audio book. Authors do it so much better than career narrators. Exception: Johnny Depp narrating a portion of Keith Richards’ memoir, “Life.” Keith started it, but apparently didn’t want to finish it. Still, the audio is more moving and authentic when it comes from the author.
I’m glad you think so, Mike. I think that’s true of first-person nonfiction, assuming the author is a decent live reader, which the audio pros say is not always the case. Hopefully I pass that test!
I wonder if the vine you showed is one of our native Clematis - several species all called "Old Man's Beard" for obvious reasons. If so those are likely the fronds attached to the developing seeds, which eventually help the seeds fly away in a good wind.
This is a big part of the reason that we recently left Texas for good (this, along with the politics and honestly feeling that as a same sex couple we were not safe there). It's not like there's a place to run and escape the changing climate, but the Texas combination of heat, storms, underinvestment in infrastructure, and utter disregard for human life is a pretty bad combination. I hope those still there can improve things but we weren't willing to bet on it any longer.
So much to think about with this posting and yet so much beauty within the photos and the words. The reminders to be helpful, show a little care, with one another.
I have read Ministry for the Future, it still sits with me, the warming of our personal bodies to a point that we don't even recognize we are poaching like an egg. It shamed me to buy the smallest version of an air conditioner I could find this summer ... maybe because I was feeling like the poached egg. And yet, through it all, what remains is accountability for our decisions and how we might make different ones ...
A fellow at work (already not in the best of health) collapsed in the extreme heat in his apartment (in Canada, mind) and fell head first on his coffee table. From a sitting position on his couch. Concussion, black eye, stitches that mean he can't wear his customary ballcap. I don't think he or frankly just about anyone has figured out that this won't be the first time they know someone this happens to.
Once again you have set my thinking machine down more new trails, Christopher, and wow, those photos, especially the mantis-eating-monarch (possibly a great subject for me to attempt painting), but you know, the thing that really got me this time comes at the end of your essay, that is, the sinking of the Bayesian, the super yacht owned by tech billionaire Michael Lynch who was celebrating his acquittal on fraud charges and the clearing of his name (oh, really? ); a sudden, totally unexpected catastrophic sinking of a supposedly unsinkable vessel (where have we heard that before) with the loss of 17 people, including the celebratory accused fraudster. I don't mean to satirize this tragedy, but, considering that he named his yacht after the mathematical idea that was the founding notion of his company (the one that he sold to Hewlett-Packard for what they said was at least $9 billion more than it turned out to be worth), my immediate thought was this: Is this the perfect film noir? Or is this a Greek myth? Or, did this really happen? I'm going to continue researching this story.
Butterfly in the photo is a gulf fritillary, btw.
Thanks! The underwings are always harder for me. Guess there must have been some passiflora nearby.
Thanks, Jesse! Yeah, that story about the billionaire yacht is a lot to get one’s head around, especially when you read how his co-defendant and former CFO died in a car accident days before. Material for you to start writing mysteries again! I’m hoping there will be a good longform New Yorker-style piece on that story soon.
Glad you are voicing the audio book. Authors do it so much better than career narrators. Exception: Johnny Depp narrating a portion of Keith Richards’ memoir, “Life.” Keith started it, but apparently didn’t want to finish it. Still, the audio is more moving and authentic when it comes from the author.
I’m glad you think so, Mike. I think that’s true of first-person nonfiction, assuming the author is a decent live reader, which the audio pros say is not always the case. Hopefully I pass that test!
I wonder if the vine you showed is one of our native Clematis - several species all called "Old Man's Beard" for obvious reasons. If so those are likely the fronds attached to the developing seeds, which eventually help the seeds fly away in a good wind.
This is a big part of the reason that we recently left Texas for good (this, along with the politics and honestly feeling that as a same sex couple we were not safe there). It's not like there's a place to run and escape the changing climate, but the Texas combination of heat, storms, underinvestment in infrastructure, and utter disregard for human life is a pretty bad combination. I hope those still there can improve things but we weren't willing to bet on it any longer.
So much to think about with this posting and yet so much beauty within the photos and the words. The reminders to be helpful, show a little care, with one another.
I have read Ministry for the Future, it still sits with me, the warming of our personal bodies to a point that we don't even recognize we are poaching like an egg. It shamed me to buy the smallest version of an air conditioner I could find this summer ... maybe because I was feeling like the poached egg. And yet, through it all, what remains is accountability for our decisions and how we might make different ones ...
A fellow at work (already not in the best of health) collapsed in the extreme heat in his apartment (in Canada, mind) and fell head first on his coffee table. From a sitting position on his couch. Concussion, black eye, stitches that mean he can't wear his customary ballcap. I don't think he or frankly just about anyone has figured out that this won't be the first time they know someone this happens to.
Yikes! Scary related piece in today’s NYT about the ways medical examiners in the US are trying to determine when deaths are due to extreme heat. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/23/us/extreme-heat-deaths.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb