Why I'm Voting (Again) for Durham County Commissioner Wendy Jacobs
…Unlike me and since I first encountered her, Wendy has responded to situations that don’t make sense to her with calm, objectivity, and pragmatism: “How can we make this better for all of us in the long run, even if it takes time and a lot of work, and even if it's not perfect?” She also has stick-with-ed-ness…
Yegor Zhukov: My New Hero
I would have preferred Masha Gesson had not mentioned the current US President in her article about Yegor Zhukov in the New Yorker, but the words of Russian college student Yegor Zhukov are music of the eternal kind. This man is my new hero. …
Society Rewards Psychopaths
Psychopaths make up about 1 percent of the general population (sociopaths make up3-4%), yet at least 1 in 5 CEO’s are clinically psychopaths. Sadder still, the same proportion (~20%) of prison inmates are diagnosed as psychopaths…
*Proposal to SAVE THE CATSBURG STORE in Durham, NC*
I first saw the Catsburg Country Store on February 24, 2019, when I was on my way to Eno Valley Elementary School, shortly after we adopted a beautiful and intelligent black cat named Kale from the Durham APS. I pulled over, took a picture of the place, and made it my cover photo on Facebook with the following accompanying text: “At Hamlin and Old Oxford Roads. Someone must open a cat-prioritized local pet store and cat cafe here.”
Trump's Rallies and Then Some: Open Your Eyes, Complacent White *Christ*ians.
I don't care what party you belong to, if you can't see the similarities between Trump's most recent rally and Hitler's rallies leading up to WWII, then you are purposefully not looking. Anti Semitic!? The guy doesn't even know the meaning of the words. And if you call yourself a CHRISTian and you have no problem with the way these nonwhite American Citizens and likely fellow Christians are being treated because they disagree with the establishment, then you, my friend, are a hypocrite and a heathen…
Root the Hate out of the System
Despite a multi-million-dollar budget surplus this year, NC Senate Republicans have eliminated funding for three of the six staffers who work for the state’s top judge. If this happens, she would be the only appellate judge in the state with just one law clerk, according to Floyd McKissick (D, Durham). Meanwhile, the budget funds six new federal prosecutors around the state…
The Perils of Christmas
I love the Christmas decorations and songs that permeate offices, stores and homes. I love the legend of Santa Claus, who dedicates his life to the service of others. And I think it is important to remember and teach our kids about Jesus, if not as the Son of God, then as a most significant historical, political and spiritual figure and the cornerstone of the world's largest religion. But each year I have increasingly conflicted feelings about Christmas and the hypocritical way it's celebrated…
Algae, Red Tide, and the Future of our Water (includes links to lesson plans)
Last Night's PBS News Hour story on the Red Tide that's killing millions of marine life off the southern Florida Coast is yet another harbinger of the dangerous stormwater neglect occurring in North Carolina and across America. Anyone who walks around my inner-city Durham neighborhood during a big rain event will quickly see how much our little municipality, alone, is contributing to the communal problem…
Looking for a GREAT documentary? Check out Wild Wild Country on Netflix
You HAVE to watch Wild Wild Country on Netflix. It's a multipart documentary regarding an Indian Buddhist leader named Baghwan Rajneesh, whose (largely American) followers planned and (literally) built an Ashram city (for upwards of 10,000 people) on 60,000 acres of ranch land they purchased in a tiny town in the middle of Oregon.
Machu Picchu and the Incas: Re-Learning What We Already Know
As a self-proclaimed water spirit and sustainable storm-water management advocate, I actually teared up when I saw the construction diagram of the vegetated terraces the Incas clearly used to manage more flash floods per annum than my stormwater-ridden city of Durham, NC, can imagine. At least in "progressive" areas, we now have 'rain gardens' and 'cisterns', though we employ these primarily to reduce pollutants…
City of Durham Avoids Municipal Stormwater Responsibilities while Inhibiting Affordable and Sustainable Private Solutions
I have written this article to demonstrate the City of Durham's irrational and uncooperative approach to drainage issues like the one I am dealing with at 613 Canal Street - note that this is a separate drainage issue from the flooding occurring at neighboring 611 Canal Street (the subject of my last Stormwater blog post).
Have Patience
You are a rational human being. Do not let another person's defensiveness make you defensive…
Why the White House Sinkhole Isn't Funny
The sinkhole in the White House lawn is no joke. It is glaring evidence of a serious threat to American infrastructure and drinking water. As temperatures rise and the population continues to grow, urban, suburban and, heck, even rural stormwater runoff is becoming a serious problem throughout the entire country…
WWIII: Whose Side Are We On?
Russian interference in favor of Donald Trump in the 2016 elections has been confirmed, apparently motivated by Russia’s desire to invalidate American sanctions and human-rights protections. Despite denials of collusion between the Trump Campaign and Russia, a few weeks ago the Trump White House made clear that it would not impose Congress-mandated sanctions against Russia…
Water Problem solved on historically low-income Canal Street (Durham, NC) - For Now
Knowing this neighbor could not afford to rent a commercial sump-pump (anything less burned out quickly) and fearing the damage the flooding would cause her home otherwise, I went straight to the Planning Department to identify the location of any drainage pipes on my property that may be clogged. When Planning Department staff could not identify the location of such pipes, I was directed …
Society Supports Sexual Harassment: Admission is First Step to Recovery
Of course I am appalled by any grown man hitting on a 14-year-old; but, hey, it happened to me repeatedly from the time I was twelve. I relinquished (I refuse to say 'lost') my virginity at 14. My best friend in middle school was sexually promiscuous, which everyone (including me) swept under the carpet or gossiped about. At least three of my high-school friends were severely hit on or actually had affairs with married men. Just 200 years ago…
Health Insurance Hostage
#HealthInsuranceHostage: Cut and paste or share if your or your spouse’s primary reason for staying in your current job is because of the health insurance coverage your company provides. Healthcare should not depend on where you work…
Why You Should Have a Pond
Pond installation can be back- and time-consuming work, and a long-lasting one like mine can cost over $1000.00 (liner, pump, filter, rocks). But it doesn't have to be this way. You can purchase inexpensive, small-pond kits, or you can build a pond out of a plastic toddler swimming pool simply by…
Breaking up with the Republican Party:
Frazey Ford's song 'Done' sums up exactly how I feel about the Republican Party…
DPS Having Trouble Finding Substitute Teachers
I sent the email below to Durham Public School board members today. If you live in Durham and agree, please follow suit.