Hi again from the Bastion on the Puget Sound. Even as that Icelandic volcano with the tongue-defying name continues to demonstrate the primordial pre-eminence of nature over humankind, here in the Pacific Northwest, we are commemorating the 30th anniversary of the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
It was an event which certainly impacted our region and it’s a benchmark among the natives, as we suspect 9/11 is among New Yorkers. Everyone here remembers where they were when a mountain exploded on a weekend, killed 47 people (as opposed to several hundred if this had happened a day later) and carpeted three states and part of a province with ash which looked remarkably like the snow which cloaks much of the region in winter.
It was also a geologically significant event which changed the landscape for miles around forever and laid waste to a pocket of these peaks as nothing else could. A good friend of mine who has visited the area several times in the last three decades said for that for a long time, it felt like a land even the spirits of the dead had deserted, that it was never intended to support any life, ever again.
Thirty years later ~ a nanosecond in planetary time ~ it is a literal living lesson in survival. Life is returning to this blasted out tract of the Cascade Mountains and dramatically. As is nature’s way, sometimes, when Mount St. Helens destroyed life, she also created the potential for it to start again, albeit on a much different footing.
The rich, majestic forests are gone and the kaleidoscopic caravel of wildflowers is only just showing itself again in rainbow bursts against an otherwise barren and lunaresque backdrop.
But in thirty years, it has not stopped raining there, no more than it does the rest of this state. So now, there are 130 ponds, two lakes and a completely new aquatic ecosystem, replete with fish and amphibians, algae and other water plants, insects and a growing mantle of land greenery which will, in time, provide for young trees and other shrubs.
Eventually, forests will assume their role in the hierarchy of life but what will thrive here and what will not still remains mostly a matter of waiting and watching. It is clear, however, that for some time to come, timber is no longer royalty here and those who served them have adapted or moved on.
If you’re as fascinated as I am about such interesting neighbors, here’s a link to a list of video stories, background information, human interest and economics associated with volcanoes and other geothermal phenomena. We’re calling that link Bibliography of A Fiery Lady, By the Way.
IN OTHER NEWS
And while we appreciate the ongoing efforts of British Petroleum to cap and clean up a Mexican Gulf oil spill which now threatens Florida and the American Atlantic Coast, we’re still waiting to see how this settles out. And we are still coming in strong on the side of alternative energy sources. Our hearts continue to go out to all those impacted and involved. For what each of us, as individuals, can do to make a difference:
For more on this one:
Underwater oil gusher a crisis no one imagined
BP Describes Race to Fix Well as Obama Warns of Oil Damage
Obama: BP responsible for costs of oil spill
Giant Container to Collect Leaking Gulf Oil - NYTimes.com
New Technology Generates Database on Spill Damage
Undersea box fails to stem oil gusher
New Ways to Drill, Old Methods for Cleanup
Oil Spill: Size Matters
Calculations of Gulf Spill Volume Are Questioned - NYTimes.com
The Price and Who Pays
Unusual steps may have triggered oil-rig blast
NW Fishermen Say "Don't Let an Oil Spill Happen Her
All Hands on Deck: What Can You Do About the Gulf Oil Spill?
We also applaud the Vatican for coming out with the strongest statement so far condemning the abuses of catholic clerics and strongly suggesting that if the Church is in danger, it is not because of criticism from without but corruption within. Now that Pope Benedict has spoken, let’s hope the rest of the Church is listening.
It looks like the American food industry is joining the war on childhood obesity. According to Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press Writer:
“A coalition of retailers, food and beverage manufacturers and industry trade associations said Monday that they will take 1.5 trillion calories out of their products by 2015 in an effort to reduce childhood obesity. That equals about 12.5 calories per person per day.
“The coalition, called the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, pledged to reduce the calories as part of an agreement with a group of nonprofit organizations concerned with childhood obesity, first lady Michelle Obama said Monday.
"This is precisely the kind of private sector commitment we need," said Mrs. Obama, who earlier this year launched her own "Let's Move" anti-obesity campaign.” For more on this one:
Farmers in Northwestern Washington who have agreed to have a few of their fields flooded twice a year to make habitat for migratory birds report those fields are producing a better yield as a result. The Skagit Valley, sixty miles north of Seattle, is a prime agricultural area internationally known for its tulips. Before hundreds of acres were drained, though, it was prime waterfowl habitat. This program, now in its third year, so impressed the Nature Conservancy that they’re replicating it in several places in North America. It clearly has potential elsewhere then so to learn more about it:
We are also pleased and proud to report that the Canadian timber industry and the environmental movement have reached a truce that could well serve as a global prototype. Some experts also contend that over the long run, measures being taken will actually improve employment opportunities in the forestry sector. For more:
For those of us reared on stories of the birds and the bees, news on the latter has not been good in recent years as these buzzing little pollinators have suffered dramatic decimations of their population worldwide. Honey bees are, however, thriving in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. You’ll love this one so for more, yep:
We were not real pleased to learn that Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has been misrepresenting himself as a Vietnam combat veteran. He’s a Democrat now running for the United States Senate, and not only did he manage to get a number of deferments of military service, he ended up in the US Marine Corps Reserve so to me, this is a triple disgrace. He not only dishonored every veteran, living and dead, who actually drew combat pay but the uniform of a branch of the United States military I personally respect for their “common place” valor, their intense devotion to one another and the pride they take in their own tradition. He also embarrassed his own party. What I find perhaps most detestable about Blumenthal’s misrepresentations is that he is also a top law enforcement official and lying to me just seems inconsistent with serving justice. It also strikes me that he can’t be too bright, at least politically. He’s a Democrat running at a time when public confidence in the Party of the Jackass is on a rollercoaster and he thinks that the Party of the Pachyderm isn’t going to catch “misstatements” made regarding military service? I can’t believe most people in Connecticut would want him in their gene pool, much less representing them in Congress.
SURVIVING HARD TIMES
Sometimes surviving hard times is also looking for and finding a brighter side to things. In a story entitled “Doomsayers Beware, a Bright Future Beckons,” New York Times Science writer John Tierney does exactly that. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and yep, it brightened my day. Check it out here.
CROSSING OVER
Normally this column is reserved for the passing of someone we feel has made a profound contribution to human society. This week, we’re celebrating the enduring existence of one. She’s definitely demonstrated that for some, age is just a number. Not only has she danced her way into our hearts again but her appearance recently on Saturday Night Live drew top ratings and rave reviews from America, Canada and abroad. If you haven’t guessed yet who we’re talking about but would like know, we suggest you go here.
ON THE CANCER FRONT
Apparently there is no link between cell phone usage and brain cancer, according to a study recently released by the National Cancer Institute. The most comprehensive of its kind, it focused on people 30 to 59, as it is believed they are the heaviest users of this particular communications device. For more on this one:
RESOURCES AND RELATED LINKS:
American Cancer Statistics 2009
Canadian Cancer Statistics 2009
National Cancer Institute (American)
FREE STUFF FROM THE NET
This one is a card trick that I’ve seen performed by live magicians and have never been able to figure out. This version is so engaging it was hard to get frustrated though. I also like that it was silly, probably a total waste of time but certainly something fun to do on a stretch break and pass on. Check it out here.
HEALTH NEWS
As yet again another aspect of our ongoing campaign for a fit and healthy readership, we’ve come an article entitled “An Easy Way To Fall In Love With Activity” and this one promises, “You'll end your love affair with your couch in no time if you observe this one rule when you plan physical activities: be choosy.” This one essentially extols the virtues of walking and does what these folks do real well, at least for me and those I know. They tell you how easy it is, encourage you to try it and very, very subtly infer that if you can’t even get up off the couch and go for a walk, you’re not really series about being healthy or living a long time. If you’re looking for personal motivation or you’re looking for another reason for someone you love to start exercising, this one has the right blend of carrot, stick and guilt-tripping. It works in my house. May it work in yours.
So yep, for more on this one:
When I exercise, I get hungry. Unfortunately, I burn calories faster than any woodchuck’s ever stacked a cord of seasoned madrone. People like me because I’m a nice guy and because I owe some of them money. Nobody wants to exercise with me though. It’s a curse. There’s only one thing I enjoy more than eating and it’s not working out. So when I saw this article entitled “3 Ways to Make A Healthier Snack Healthier,” I’m thinking, “you mean other than the stuff I add to yogurt to enhance the taste and tofu to give it some?” So if you put brown sugar in a chocolate health drink, this one isn’t for you. If, however, you need to watch the calories, here’s a way you can enhance both the flavor and the nutrition of your snacks. I found this one a great read. So yep, for more on this one:
SEATTLE SCENES
If you’re planning to visit Seattle in the near future, you might want to check these sites out first.
SUMMER GUIDE
Let us steer you to the best beaches, festivals and fun.
Circus! Is Coming!
Pacific Science Center is preparing for the arrival of our next big exhibit. Circus! Science Under The Big Top opens June 12.→Learn More
WHAT HISTORY LURKS BENEATH SEATTLE HIGHWAYS?
Knute Berger, Crosscut.com
The 520 bridge expansion crosses an Indian burial ground, and the Viaduct replacement in SoDo has dug up artifacts from early boom-town Seattle. Here's a two-part preview of what we could learn from our two transportation mega-projects, and some of the cultural challenges they face.
The Pioneer Square Underground Tour tells most of us all we know about what lies underneath Seattle. It's a touristy exploration of the city's oldest basements, a jokey excursion through an urban underbelly filled with commentary about the foibles, and drinking habits, of the city's lusty pioneers. It's the closest many of us come to seeing firsthand the archaeology of the city. Yep, for more on this one:
SEATTLE FACTS AND FIGURES
Seattle Rainfall in Comparison To Other US Cities
For more information about Seattle
For live cameras on Seattle, the Puget Sound and Washington State
THE CAPITOL HILL BEAT
We applaud and endorse the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision ruling that juvenile offenders who do not kill anyone in the commission of a crime may not be sentenced to life without parole. The Court, in its majority opinion, said that while states do not need to guarantee of eventual release, it still had the obligation to, as Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote, “if it imposes the sentence of life, it must provide him or her with some realistic opportunity to obtain release before the end of that term.” For more on this one:
We’re also glad to see that President Obama has appointed an independent commission to investigate the British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. With all due respect to United States Coast Guard and the Minerals Management Service, who are conducting their own investigations, since both of them shared oversight responsibilities in the first place, it sounds like it’s time for a more objective look at this, not in terms of establishing blame, but in assigning responsibility and appropriate measures to insure that something of this magnitude does not happen again. For more on this one:
At present, there are still an estimated 45-million Americans out of work and benefits will begin expiring in June for thousands of them each week. Before the House of Representatives now is the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act, which would extend unemployment benefits for all of us until the end of this year. Even though things are starting to slowly improve, in Washington, unemployment still stands at around 10.5 percent. We need more time and those additional six months will make the difference for hundreds of us here. Since we’re one of fifty states, I suspect we are not alone in these regards. Please email your Congressional delegation, urging swift enactment of the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act. Here’s a quick link to your elected officials. If you’re not sure, just type in your zip code.
CRITTER STUFF
We found something you might want to bookmark. It’s the BBC’s wildlife finder and it’s a real handy way of getting more information about the fauna we feature in this column. MS(R)M) Check it out here.
One of the most breathtaking sights in the world was captured by Seattle’s KING 5 News last week as its chopper spotted these orcas swimming in formation in the Puget Sound. For the video on this one:
Well, another bear visiting our suburbs overstayed its welcome by also paying a call on a local middle school. Wildlife officials had an especially fun time rounding this one up because, apparently like the iconoclastic Yogi Bear, he’s a little smarter than the average of his species. He was eventually tranquilized and released into the wild. For some delightful video and more information on this one:
Well, apparently the horseshoe crab and some of his living relatives are a lot older than was previously thought. By like some 30-million years. This story was like getting on a time machine and going right back to the beginning. It was also humbling to again be reminded about how much we’ve yet to learn about this bluegreen spaceship we’re riding through the universe. For more on this one:
YOU GUYS THINK I MAKE THIS STUFF UP
Our thanks to a computer tech in Minneapolis-St. Paul for this credibility stretcher. He told us that one of the reasons he loves living in the Twin Cities so much is that he can drive out into the country and be around lots of cows and stuff. He buys all his milk and cheese from a dairy and fertilizes his garden with processed cow manure. Now he’s telling me that it won’t be long before this same manure will be generating the electricity that will power the building in which he works. I’m a sucker for this kind of story to begin with and I’ve been fooled before. So I’m like, “Right. I’m gonna run out and tell everyone I know about this. So I can be REALLY embarrassed when it turns out to not be cow manure per se, but bull you-know-what in specific.” So he sent me the link and it turns out that ~ this time ~ he’s right. Yep, check it out here.
Well, that’s it for this time. Before you take off, you might check out Northstar Recommends, below. We’ve got a mix of resources, online escapes, free stuff and some unique shopping opportunities, including a General Store consisting of products recommended to us by our readership.
Take care, stay well, thanks again for the ear and we’ll see you next week.
Rusty
For a free subscription to the email (and graphically enhanced) version of The Northstar Journal, email us at minstrel312@aol.com
NORTHSTAR RECOMMENDS
RESOURCES
Maker Culture: Taking Things Into Our Own Hands - For 12 weeks in the fall of 2009, 45 online journalism students at Ryerson University and the University of Western Ontario worked together to document the evolving Maker Culture community.
Maker Culture? That's coders, fabricators, foodies, artists, educators, activists, citizen and even scientists grabbing the Do-It-Yourself ethic with both hands and changing our world in the process.
These are people who aren't just making things, they're making a point of sharing what they've learned, what they've made, and why. Often, for free.
Makers are responding directly, locally to globalization, commercialization, copyright and central command and control.
This is the introduction to a fascinating series on how to become more self-reliant, live a lot more economically and enjoy the company of others doing the same. If you’re looking for ideas, inspiration and resources to get through hard times or just to simplify you life, we highly recommend this one.
PC World – This is the best source we’ve found yet for totally free, useful, reliable and secure (no viruses) downloads ranging from games through utilities and with a nice selection of screen savers, etc. What I particularly appreciate about it is how easy the site is to navigate. They also have a daily letter featuring two “daily downloads.”
Free People Search – This is an American online White Pages that I found really simple, quick and user friendly. I looked for myself under the several versions of my name and it found them all. It’s also free and doesn’t involve anything to download.
Know Thy Elected Officials - Just type in your zip code and this site will supply you with the names and contact information for your legislators from the state level up. This is a two click site with a host of other relevant features.
Stalking Resource Center division of the National Center for Victims of Crime – Internet harassment, stalking and abuse in general is now against the law. If you’re being victimized or if you know of someone who is, this is an excellent resource.
FUN STUFF
If you share my passion for American History, you’re going to love AmericanWest.com This is historical society stuff that is also extremely interesting to read. So yep, just in case you didn’t get it the first time, check it out here.
Houston At Night and other totally cool images are available at the Earth Observatory, along with an incredible array of other outer space images. This is one of NASA’s more engaging websites and it’s here, as well, that you can subscribe to their online newsletter. Whether you’re an aerospace/astronomy buff or simply enjoy stargazing, this is an excellent site.
Ever been told you look like someone famous? Ever not been told that but would like to have been? Find a photo of yourself, go to this site, MyHeritage.com, upload it and get a gallery of celebrities you resemble, to one degree or another. Yep, it’s a total waste of time and an unabashed indulgence of ego. Probably two reasons why I totally loved it, even though a couple of my own pix didn’t turn up any results. It’s fun to play with so enjoy.
If you’re into a real interesting and visual escape, we certainly recommend The Art In LA website. It’s a virtual art gallery created by a real gentle, occasionally obnoxious but totally good-hearted soul with standards as fine as those of any engineer I’ve ever met. It’s also a good place for healthy meditation. If you’re lucky, you might just run into the artist herself. Her name is Colleen and she’s a trip, trust me. Yep, she was born under the fourth flag on our masthead.
HEALTH
Ten foods that really do help prevent cancer.
Grub you libido will love.
If you’d like to know whether your eating habits are either adding years to your life or taking them off, take this RealAge quiz. It will not only score your real age against your health age but give you a program for improvement. I’ve been working this one for about a month now and yep, I feel a lot better.
Ever get so stressed you feel like you’re really jammed up against it? Take a deep breath and check out you’re surroundings is the advice of Dr. Roberta Lee in her book The Superstress Solution. We have and what I’ve generally found is that the outside reflects the inside. If I’m real busy, jackets get tossed over chairs, used coffee cups appear magically on window ledges and desk top clutter takes on a total biosphere all its own. Perhaps not surprising, dealing with the outside can really help you relax. And although we don’t recommend you try this at home, if you wait long enough, it can be also be real good exercise. This is a mental health must so check it out here. We’re reading Dr. Lee’s book now and we bought it here.
Want to know how to live to be 100? Try this one.
Take this test to see how your memory compares with the average.
Click here for fun games to improve your memory.
There’s a new book out now which could make a dramatic difference in the way toward the way women experience the passing of years. Despite major industries involved ~ cosmetic, fitness, elective surgery, to name three ~ the idea that women become less attractive as they grow older has also very likely contributed to more anxiety, high blood pressure, depression, etc. than any other single factor in a woman’s life except cancer and childbearing.
We also suspect that it has probably cost men just as much, if not more, than it has cost women, even in a nation historically known for its tolerance of a double standard. The book is entitled Face It: What Women Really Feel as Their Looks Change. Read about it here and if you decide you’d like to purchase it online, you can buy it here. I especially recommend this to men. It’s time our gender took more responsibility for this.
FOR YOUR SHOPPING CONVENIENCE
And for a truly unique shopping experience, drop by and browse THE NORTHSTAR GENERAL STORE.
Press Releases, Product Reviews, Promotional Copy, Digital Photography, Online Research and Investigation, Ghost Writing, Special Projects. Seattle-based and wired into the International Community. For more information, email to minstrel312@aol.com or go here -> Rusty Miller, Freelance Photojournalist.
GOOD “READS”
Books
If you’d like to read something which combines the best elements of Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and a neo-eco Mickey Spillane detective thriller, you’ll love this one.
“In the brave new world of the Internet, FedEx and an international taste for the exotic, wildlife poachers steal everything from elk horns to geoducks, the world's largest clam. In the waters of Puget Sound in Washington state, state wildlife agents stalk these thieves on land and at sea. In "Shell Games: Rogues, Smugglers, and the Hunt for Nature's Bounty," Seattle Times environmental reporter Craig Welch joins these detectives on the trail of one of the region's most notorious geoduck thieves.”
Welch, a Seattle Times environmental reporter is a compelling writer and this excerpt from the book would be worth the experience even if we were not also fascinated by the subject. If, after reading this extract, you’d like to buy the book, you’ll find it for sale here.
News
BBC – Best source of international news.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (multi-media), the Toronto Globe & Mail and the Vancouver Sun -- outstanding sources for Canadian national, provincial, and world news.
KING 5 News – Best source of video news of Seattle and the Greater Puget Sound.
New York Times – Best source of American news.
Reuters – Best source of an international perspective on American headlines.
Seattle Times – Best source for news of the city and the Puget Sound. Its reportage is unbiased but their columns and other opinion pieces do reflect the predominant values of the Pacific Northwest.
Sightline Daily (formerly Tidepool) – Best source of Pacific Northwest regional news. Delivered daily by email, it covers Alaska, British Columbia, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. They also put out an excellent weekly environmental edition.
Entertainment
BBC Knowledge Magazine – designed to give the American magazine National Geographic the proverbial run for its money,
TomatoMan Times -- For those who love good writing, there are fewer finer contemporary craftsmen out there now than professionally known as Tomatoman Mike. He’s as Northern Californian as John Steinbeck is, albeit with a dash of Sam Clemmons, Bret Harte and Robert W. Service in him. He’s a romp to read, trust me.
U Got Style is a monthly ezine dedicated to independent films. Fully illustrated, it features hard news, interviews, reviews and a wide variety of other information. It’s also fun to read.
Vinyl Cafe with Stuart McLean – Live from the smallest record store in North America. Canadian humor, entertainment and commentary at its maple leaf best. Popular on National Public Radio in the States.
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