Just back from a short vacation in the Yucatan with my brother and sister-in-law. We started and ended our tip at Merida, which has a delightful old city center to explore. [photo gallery] First on our list was Uxmal, my personal favorite! Located in the gently rolling Puuc Hills, it is one of several significant Late [...]
Next on our tour was Chichen Itza, perhaps the most famous Mayan ruin of all. [photo gallery] Most of what we see today is a combination of Terminal Classic Maya and Post-Classic newcomers such as the Toltecs.
The site is dominated by the iconic El Castillo Pyramid, which was dedicated to the feathered serpent god [...]
On our drive to the coast we stopped for a few hours to see the ruins at Coba. The site sits between two lakes and is divided up into groupings several kilometers apart. These are much more rustic with less restoration. [photo gallery] One exception was the Ball Court which was very small an intimate compared with the others [...]
Our final stop was Tulum on the east coast. [photo gallery] While the buildings may be less elaborate, the setting is certainly spectacular. A thick wall surrounds the site on three sides with the ocean on the fourth. The site has its own small cenote as a source of fresh water. There is a guard house of sorts just [...]
This is essential listening/viewing for anyone concerned about the current financial crisis, how and who got us here, and who’s still trying to “fix” the problem!
PBS Frontline Site
Frontline Podcast
Audio-Only MP3 Version
Just a brief post to mark the passing of a true American hero, Norman Borlaug. Here are several links of interest…
New York Times Obituary
1997 Profile in The Atlantic
“Why Famines Still Exist” Video Interview from wsj.com
My 2008 Posting
Just back from New Orleans via the Florida Panhandle. I drove over in a huge storm, and took this photo at the rest area in Pensacola. The jet is really there, this is not a double exposure! Hint: I did some minor retouching with Photoshop.
On the way back I left I-10 and drove east on [...]
For all its splendor and power, the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) has a dark side: opportunist and bully. I once watched one harass an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) until the later gave up its catch. In addition to stealing from other birds, Bald Eagles can subsist completely on carrion. In spite of the name, Bald Eagles are more closely related [...]
What science gives, stupidity and geopolitics may take away. Norman Borlaug is the (largely unknown) hero of the last half of the twentieth century. He is credited with saving the lives of millions by developing high-yield crops and other agricultural innovations. He is one of only five who have won the Nobel Peace Prize, the [...]
With America “at war” on several fronts, I was stimulated to recall this wonderful and important book by the eminent historian Barbara Tuchman. The first line says it all…
A phenomenon noticeable throughout history regardless of place or period is the pursuit by governments of policies contrary to their own interests.
More Tuchman Quotations…