16 October 06
Malthus' Ghost
Tonight, at some point, the 300 millionth “American” will be born.
The population of the United States hit 100 million in 1915; 200 million in 1967. It wouldn’t matter so much, really, if we didn’t consume at the frenzied rate we do. Our footprint is out of proportion to our size, geographically and in terms of population. By the time the 400 millionth person is born here, water will be as precious a resource as oil now is.
Who are the breeders these days? Republicans, natch. We childless progressives are painting ourselves into a corner. But this in itself does not constitute a good reason to have children, people. We can rant and rave and shake our fists but the future and what a mess we’re making of the planet will have to depend on the children and grandchildren of those who insist global warming’s a figment of Gore’s imagination…
16 October 06
There And Back Again
Yesterday evening I went to my 25th high school reunion, which was held at a Livermore Valley winery owned by one of my old classmates, not that I knew the lad—it was a high school class of around 400. I have never been to one of my class reunions, but 25 is a good number, and I currently live in reasonable hailing distance.
(There is definitely a geographical bias to who attends these things).
I was quite glad I went—it’s just fun to see all these familiar names and faces again, and to know that this bunch at least is okay. The neatest aspect of the event was seeing folks I knew not just in high school, but in elementary school too. Third grade is a long time ago.
14 October 06
Turkeys 1, Coyote 0
This morning as I was digging outside (I’m considering digging for a morning activity even when there’s no good reason to do it, so much time to ponder plus you get to say hello to so many earthworms) I heard a soft cluck, cluck. The turkey flock was moving south across the alfalfa field that got mowed three days ago, pecking and scratching as they went.
Out of frisbee range; I went back to my digging.
Alarm clucks raised my head again: a coyote was approaching the flock. But with no alfalfa he had no chance at a surprise attack. Two turkeys flew, laboring, into the top of the osage orange, to be scolded by crows; the coyote couldn’t decide which way to look, and eventually slunk off, presumably to wait for a better chance.
We’re off to Numenius’ 25th High School Reunion (his idea, don’t faint folks). The Tigers just won the American League pennant, and we’ll catch the Mets-Cardinals game in the car.
13 October 06
Calendrical Ponderings
We went this evening to the sixth annual Davis community iftar, which has by now grown to be the largest such interfaith community iftar in California, with well over seven hundred people there today. The keynote speaker gave an introduction to Ramadan, and one thing she noted is that the month of Ramadan shifts throughout the solar year, it cycling through the seasons on a 33-year basis, since the Islamic calendar is strictly a lunar calendar, and the lunar year is about 11 days short of the solar year.
This year the start of Ramadan coincided with Rosh Hashanah, which is not that unlikely an occurrence since both events are keyed to the new moon, Rosh Hashanah occurring on the first of the month of Tishri. But the Hebrew calendar is a lunisolar calendar—every couple of years they stick in an extra month into the calendar, presumably so the holidays don’t migrate throughout the solar year (leading to problems like the harvest festival Sukkot being celebrated in the dead of winter). So I wonder how often does the start of Ramadan coincide with Rosh Hashanah? It does next year as well. My guess is that it usually occurs twice each 33-year cycle, but sometimes only once, and rarely three times.
All these mysteries and many more can be revealed through study of this Gregorian-Julian-Islamic-Persian-Hebrew-Mayan calendar converter.
12 October 06
Stebbins Cold Canyon: Training
Last night I attended an introductory training session to lead trips at Stebbins Cold Canyon, a UC Reserve just west of Winters. I am interested in how Jeff Falyn is organizing how he encourages people of this region to connect with place, with this place in particular, and nothing is considered too off-the-wall. (See here and here for accounts of our trips to this reserve.)
We were asked to consider what the focus of our walks might be. A sixth grader is interested in maps and has discovered trails and tunnels nobody else knew, wants to share them; a retired Iranian professor of engineering wanted to lead walks focusing on poetry and nature in the great Persian tradition. I immediately put down birds and sketching, but this is a place that invites multiple prisms, and I got to thinking it might be fun to have some calligraphic doodling with reed pens I’m going to try and make from one of our noxious riparian invasives, Arundo donax, giant reed, which grows in a mild-mannered way in the Mediterranean basin but which is good for nothing here.
Except making pens and, I’ve decided, a bunch of fences to protect my new garden against the wind (Jennifer, thanks for showing me how to do this).
There’s a stand of Arundo just down below our bridge. I might see if I can’t get a stack this weekend…
10 October 06
Advantage Tigers
The lesson of their last three games seems to be don’t give up much of a lead to the Detroit Tigers, because their pitching will make it very tough to catch up. We watched most of tonight’s game over at Barbara’s; when I left from work to go over there Barry Zito of the Oakland A’s seemed to be very much in command. But he faltered at the end of the 3rd inning, giving up a home run to Brandon Inge, and by the time I arrived it was 2-0 Tigers. The Tigers picked up 3 more runs to make it 5-0 in the 4th inning, knocking Zito out of the game. The Tigers held on to win it 5-1.
The Tigers thus take the first game of the seven-game series on the road. Their lead is hardly insurmountable, but if the rest of the Tigers’ starting rotation pitches like they did against the Yankees, the A’s have their work cut out for them.
9 October 06
Digital to Analog
Not finding such a thing as the perfect calendar/planner system to buy, I may be closer to designing my own: while perusing a fountain pen forum, Numenius found a site where you can put together your own paper PDA. The most interesting idea, I think, is a stack of index cards you carry around with a binder clip, called a Hipster PDA . Watercolor paper, calendar, cards for projects: what more do you need? Plus you can choose what kind of paper to write on rather than having it chosen for you.
8 October 06
Past the Scary Part
Now that the Yankees have been eliminated from the rest of the postseason, we can relax and enjoy all the remaining games. Tuesday the American League Championship Series kicks off in Oakland as the A’s take on the Detroit Tigers. I’m glad this matchup is taking place now rather than in the Division Series just completed. I’d like to see the A’s in the World Series, but will still be happy if the Tigers go instead. No predictions—the series is definitely a toss-up.
7 October 06
Native Plants and Gopher Cages
Today was all about finding California native plants to fill out my herb garden. I went to the Arboretum Plant Sale and got some great finds. We drove over to Grass Valley to the Peaceful Valley Organic Farm and Garden Supply Store, which was a bit like going to another universe. Gopher cages are for my herbs, but the California fuchsia, currants, and penstemons are on their own.
The Tigers beat the Yankees, we heard over the radio all day. The Cal Bears are beating Oregon. This is the backdrop of the day…
6 October 06
Above 9000 Feet
I’m back now from Colorado, land of the aspens and steep, beautiful mountains.
