A collection of important people, ideas, and links...
Richard Rathe
June 7, 2008
I'm riding my bicycle to the post office and notice bits of doggy-do that appear to be moving on their own! Closer inspection revealed several scarab beetles (aka dung beetles) pushing each piece along. About an inch long, these impressive insects have beautiful green and orange iridescent backs. This particular species, Phanaeus vindex or Rainbow Scarab, is a "roller" and the most common dung beetle in the lower half of the US. This behavior apparently impressed the Ancient Egyptians and they associated the scarab with the rising sun. None of these photos do justice to the bright orange antennae, which give it a very acute sense of smell!
Photo 1 :: Photo 2 :: Video
Philip K. Dick is less well known than other science fiction authors of his generation (Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein), but today he enjoys a growing reputation as his novels are adapted to the screen. Of these, A Scanner Darkly is the most recent, the most personal, and perhaps the most important. It is a semi-autobiographical story of drug addiction, corporate greed, and surveillance. Several of the characters are based on real people the author knew, and the damage done by drugs is not hypothetical. The story anticipates several developments of the last twenty years: pharmaceutical companies inventing diseases to fit the drugs they produce; a surveillance society with video cameras everywhere; and individuals who are written off by the institutions they serve.
The 2006 movie sticks close to the original novel, deftly exploiting Dick's dry humor and sense of the absurd. The action centers around a loose group of "friends" who all share interest in (and possibly addicted to) the ominous "substance D." In the words of one character, "There's no week-end warriors on the D. You're either on it, or you haven't tried it."
Philip K. Dick Quotations...
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 Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Congressional Gold Medal.
But things may be changing. The recent spike in oil prices, coupled with a switch from food to fuel production is putting the world at risk. A series of food shortages and riots may presage what's to come.
Norman Borlaug Quotes...
Richard Rathe
April 10, 2008
Instead of one long trip I took two shorter trips back to back this year. The first to Whitewater Bay was extreme in several respects. Significant wind, fog, mud, and traveling by moonlight. We were tripped up by low tide for several hours on the second day with only a Tricolor Heron for entertainment. The sunrise at North River was spectacular as small flocks of White Pelicans flew by.
The second trip to Gopher Key was a first in several ways: odd number of paddlers, canoe plus kayak, and a layover day for bushwacking. It turned out the kayak was not as desirable as we expected. Other than windy conditions, the canoe was preferred by all. New Turkey Key was disappointing due to extensive hurricane damage and sailboats with generators, but we made the best of it. On the third day we took a side trip up Charlie's Creek to Gopher Key. It was strange, almost desert-like area, with large flocks of American Avocet and White Pelicans.
Left,
Right & Center 
Daring
Fireball