Sweet Waters

WALL-E World

2008-06-28T14:08:00.001-04:00

Last night I went to see Pixar's new movie WALL-E. I had heard much of the buzz leading up to this picture, and I've always liked Pixar films in the past...but a robot? I wasn't too certain, until I saw the trailer about a month ago. At which point I thought "hmm, looks kinda cute a quirky...it might be worth seeing in the theatre..."

Turns out that WALL-E is really, really, really good. The animation is amazing, especially for the scenes where WALL-E looks back at the Earth (surrounded by a brown haze of garbage and space junk) or out across the Milky Way. If you really need an excuse to see this movie in the theatre instead of waiting for the DVD, go for the beauty of the space scenes.

There is very little dialogue - and half of that (at least) is in robot-speak - although the music from Thomas Newman moves the story along nicely and complements the gorgeous animation. The story draws on WALL-E's "glitch" (a personality that makes him long for friendship, and perhaps a dash of romance) and casts it against the background of a cautionary tale about overconsumption and overreliance on machines, but does so without being too heavy-handed or moralistic (after all, the movie is put out by Disney, which is in the business of getting people to buy its movies, t-shirts, vacation packages, toys, etc.).

I forced my friends to stay through the credits, which are always entertaining in Pixar films. Nothing too special here, although I enjoyed the throw-back video game-style renderings of WALL-E, EVE, and others. The song ("Down to Earth" by Peter Gabriel) is definitely worth staying to listen to, even if you don't like the little robots crawling around the credit lines.

The great thing about WALL-E is that it really does appeal to a broad audience - during the day, families will enjoy the movie's more kid-themed aspects, while those coming to the movie for a light "date night" outing will enjoy the love story between WALL-E and EVE.

Great Lakes and climate change

2008-05-29T13:34:00.002-04:00

Healing Our Waters has just posted their report Great Lakes Restoration & the Threat of Global Warming. The report details potential impacts of global warming on the Lakes and urges Congress to take action.

Healing Our Waters is also running a campaign to promote Great Lakes restoration among the current Presidential candidates. You can find out more and sign their petition below.

Updated picture site

2008-05-23T13:12:00.003-04:00

For those of you who had been hoping to see some of my photos and were disappointed to find that the links to my Facebook albums no longer work, I have reposted many of my photos to my page at Picasa. Enjoy!

Save some rainforest!

2008-04-30T11:13:00.001-04:00

Saving the environment, Indian-style

2008-03-17T19:33:00.003-04:00

One of the things that really bugs me about much of the rhetoric surrounding debates around why developed countries should or shouldn't take action is the idea that if China and India don't do anything to cut emissions, there is no reason for anyone else to make an effort. On my recent trip to India I noted several actions - large and small - that individuals, communities, and the entire country are already taking to improve and protect their environment.

1. Water Conservation

Bucket Showers: Before traveling to India, I had heard many a story about the "bucket shower" and wasn't quite sure what awaited me in the bathrooms of India. For those unfamiliar with bucket showers, you basically fill a 5 gallon bucket with water and use your hands or a large cup to pour water over yourself as you wash (I guess you could dispense with the cup altogether and just pour directly from the bucket, but this is difficult when the bucket is full). In places where water temperature and pressure can be unreliable (this includes not only some of the places I stayed in India, but also my apartment in Virginia), the bucket shower not only saves A LOT of water, it also results in better control of water temperature and how well you can rinse shampoo and soap away.
Reminders: Travelers in the US and Europe are probably quite familiar with the signs in hotel rooms asking that you conserve water by not requesting your sheets and towels be washed and replaced each day - you'll find the same thing in India. However, many places take such requests a step further and frame such reminders in the context of the landscape - for example, Rajasthan is a desert state, so saving water has local benefits. In addition, the suggestions go beyond just linens - travelers may also consider steps such as turning the water off when brushing teeth or shaving, taking shorter showers, and flushing the toilet less often.

2. Fuel

Autorickshaws, taxis, and other vehicles that run on compressed natural gas. India's road are PACKED with all manner of transportation, and an increasing amount is motor vehicle traffic. In Delhi, Agra, and elsewhere, the entire fleets of autorickshaws and other for hire transportation have switched from diesel and gasoline to compressed natural gas. As a result, less particulate matter and fewer greenhouse gases are released into the air, and air quality in cities is already improving (although still not great).

These solutions are not the be-all and end-all answers - India and the rest of the world still have a long way to go. I'll continue to post about some of the other environmentally-friendly practices I observed while in India, as well as some of the not-so-great-for-the-planet stuff. My point here is that India (and other countries) are making efforts to protect the planet - and that means there is no excuse for the United States and other developed countries to do as much as they can to clean up their own acts.

Namaste, India

2008-03-07T15:10:00.009-05:00

When my friend Emera told me that she was going to take a class on South Asia in the spring of 2003, I didn't realize that it would eventually lead her to (1) meet the boy of her dreams, (2) take up Hindi language training, (3) enroll in Syracuse's Anthropology department to get her PhD, (4) travel to India to continue Hindi training, (5) marry the boy of her dreams, and (6) move to India to lead a study-abroad program and to do her dissertation research. But by the time she reached step (3), I was getting the idea that there might be a trip to India in my future. When Emera and Ian both received funding to work on their respective research projects, Emera called in all of her friend chips and made me promise to come visit them in India. So last fall, I began searching for airline tickets, researching places to visit in India's Golden Triangle Region, and preparing for what I knew would be a trip like no other I had taken before.

The trip itself was absolutely awesome - in the true sense of inspiring awe. After seeing the forts, tombs, cities, and people of India, I am still struggling to capture and sort through all of the myriad emotions and experiences through which I and my trip passed - so I won't try to do that yet, except to encourage anyone who has ever entertained the thought of traveling to India to follow through with that idea. Emera and Ian were wonderful guides, and I cannot thank them enough for inviting me to come visit them and taking some time away from their research to travel with me.

Although I am still working out how to describe my trip in words, pictures are a little easier. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, I've got about 400,000 words contained in the photo albums below. I'm also putting together a slide show of photos, short stories, and bits of history that I will be showing at work next week, and if possible I will post that once it is complete. [3/29/08 update: the file is quite large (~74 MB), so I haven't figured out a good way to post it - if anyone has ideas, please let me know!]

For now, please enjoy the following. [5/23/08 update: the links below now direct to my Picasa page]

Delhi (February 17-19): Lodi Gardens, India Gate, Rajpath, Jami Masjid, Humayun's Tomb, and Purana Qila

Jaipur (February 20-21): a wedding party, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, City Palace, and good food

Sawai Madhopur (February 22-23): on the train, Ranthambore Fort & National Park

Bharatpur, Deeg, and Mathura (February 24-26): Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Deeg Water Palace, and Mathura

Agra, Day 1 (February 27): Fatehpur Sikri and Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb

Agra, Day 2, Part 1 (February 28): Taj Mahal

Agra, Day 2, Part 2 (February 28): Agra Fort

At the Sites (all days): Lest you think I just stole these photos from other people and didn't actually visit India - me, Emera, and Ian touring the sites

I am already starting to think about how I might get myself back to the subcontinent to do further traveling, perhaps up to the hill stations of Shimla and Musoorie in the Himalayan foothills, or to the banks of the Ganga at Varanasi, or to cities further south - Mumbai or Pondicherry. In the meantime, if anyone is interested in traveling to India and would like to talk a bit more about the planning, costs, and other elements that went into the trip (or if you are in search of a traveling partner!), please do not hesitate to drop me a note.

Finally, if you would like to read more about India, I'd suggest the following:

Emera and Ian's blog, The Wilsons go to India - Emera has an overview of my visit, as well as other adventures she and Ian have had since arriving in August.
Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur (Eyewitness Travel Guides) - the guidebook I used, and which I wholeheartedly recommend, even for the armchair traveler (there are color photos, illustrations, and maps galore).
Travelers' Tales India: True Stories - I started this book on the plane and continued reading while traveling with Emera and Ian. The selections are both entertaining and informative, and we even found a few recommendations for places to eat and visit within the stories.

Science Debate '08 - mark your calendars!

2008-02-11T12:53:00.000-05:00

As Chris Mooney notes over at The Intersection, "We're soooooooooo close to making the impossible happen" - there is a date and location for Science Debate 2008, and the four top contenders (Clinton, Huckabee, McCain, and Obama) have been invited to participate. Here are the details:

Friday, April 18, 2008 at 7PM
Franklin Institute
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This happens to be 4 days before the Pennsylvania primaries. Stay tuned for more information about how you can catch the action via television and internet.

2008-02-04T16:25:00.000-05:00

Science debate 2008 continues to roll on - and unlike the rolling stone that gathers no moss, SD'08 is more like a snowball rolling down the side of a mountain - gaining both girth and momentum. Check out the latest news here - the coalition of people, universities, and organizations seems to grow by the moment. With the field of presidential candidates down to 5 big names (and perhaps fewer, after tomorrow), the time for debate is fast approaching.

Science Debate 2008, Congressional scientists, and more holiday fun

2007-12-26T12:04:00.000-05:00

I had a few days of spotty internet and blog account access, so I'm reposting some items that were originally in the comments section of some older entries.

First up, some exciting news about ScienceDebate 2008, courtesy of Chris and Sheril at The Intersection: the steering committee is now co-chaired by Vern Ehlers and Rush Holt, on Republican and one Democrat from the House, both with PhDs in physics. There is more fun at the hotlinked Intersection post above.

Second, I've continued to update my list of Congresspeople that have a background in science, technology, and engineering. The list is still pretty paltry, so please help me add to it if possible!

Gifts for friends, family, and the planet

2007-12-21T10:28:00.000-05:00

This year, I'm cutting back on the number of store-bought treasures that I'm handing out. After all, I certainly don't need more stuff, and I figure that most of my friends and family don't need it, either. So instead of baubles and lotions and other knick-knacks, I'm giving gifts to help...

End hunger and help care for the earth with trees and seedlings from Heifer International
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions with carbon dioxide offsets from Climate Care

Looking for other places that you can make donations in honor of friends and family? Check out these...

Find solutions to poverty and injustice with Oxfam America, part of Oxfam International
End violence against women and girls with V-Cards from V-Day
Give kids a place to play and communities a place to get clean drinking water with PlayPumps

Republicans talk climate change (maybe) - and a call for real science debate

2007-12-12T16:55:00.000-05:00

At their last debate before the Iowa caucuses today, CNN reports that there was some discussion of climate change:

When asked to raise their hands if they believed global climate change is a serious threat and caused by human activity, former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson said he wasn't "doing hand shows today."
Other candidates agreed. Thompson asked if he could answer the question instead, but was told no.
Arizona Sen. John McCain said he knows "climate change is real."
"I've been involved in this issue since the year 2000. I have had hearings. I've traveled the world," he said. "It's real, we've got to address it, we can do it with technology ... with capitalist and free enterprise motivation. And I'm confident that we can pass on to our children and grandchildren a cleaner, better world."
One of the questioners, former Ambassador Alan Keyes, said, "I'm in favor of reducing global warming, because I think the most important emission we need to control is the hot air emission of politicians who pretend one thing and don't deliver."

Given the light treatment this and other science-related issues have received in recent debates, it is painfully obvious that there is a need for a debate devoted specifically to science. Which is a perfect introduction to a project that one of my fellow former Knauss fellows is working on: a call for a Presidential science debate. Sheril and her co-conspirators have cooked up quite a plan and discussion in the blogosphere is already whirling. Check out Sciencedebate2008 for all the information.

Speaking of the Nobel Peace Prize...

2007-12-11T14:06:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Al Gore split the Nobel Peace Prize for their work on climate change. While the text of Gore's speech is widely available, I had less luck finding the full remarks of R. K. Pachauri, who chairs the IPCC. So, I went straight to the source - Nobelprize.org - and got the text of both speeches. You can also get the text in Norwegian and see videos. Click below for the direct links:

R.K. Pachauri, for the IPCC
Al Gore

The 50th Anniversary of the Global Carbon Dioxide Record

2007-12-10T17:00:00.000-05:00

Who can say no to a trip to Hawaii - especially when it is to celebrate one of my favorite scientific records? That's right - the global carbon dioxide record, aka the "Keeling Curve" turned 50 this year. At the end of November, I traveled to Kona, HI for a special celebration of this record. Presentations during the three-day symposium included talks by Susan Solomon, Ralph Keeling, Robert Socolow, Julio Friedman, and many others (most conveniently archived at the conference website). The conference was excellent, bringing together scientists, industry folks, Congressional staffers, and many others to discuss the importance of the record as well as where to go from here with emissions controls, carbon capture, and other options for mitigation and adaptation.

After the talks were over, many of the participants stayed on an extra day to visit NOAA's Mauna Loa Observatory, where Dave Keeling started keeping track of the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere 50 years ago. Despite a slight headache brought on by traveling from sea level to 11,000+ ft in the space of just a few hours, it was very exciting to see the observatory - and to get out of Kona and see some of the rest of the Big Island!

Which members of Congress have science backgrounds?

2007-12-10T16:47:00.000-05:00

Having recently trawled the Internet to find an answer to this question, instead I found hardly any answer at all. So I'm asking for some help...If you know of a Representative or Senator with a background in science, engineering, math, or another related field, please add to the rather meager list I have so far assembled. So far I have all PhDs - but I'm willing to take any degree, college or higher. I'll keep updating this list as I find more Congresspeople with science training.

Democrats
Rush Holt (NJ-12th), PhD in physics (also a 5 time Jeopardy winner, assistant director of Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, etc.)
Jerry McNerny (CA-11th), PhD in Mathematics
Bill Nelson (FL-Senator), Mission Specialist on Space Shuttle Columbia (January 1986) [does anyone have further information about his educational background?]
John Olver (MA-1st), PhD in Chemistry

Republicans
Vernon Ehlers (MI-3rd), PhD in Nuclear Physics
Ron Paul (TX-14th), MD specializing in OB/GYN - bonus point for being a Presidential candidate

India

2007-09-18T09:34:00.000-04:00

In February I will be off to India's Golden Triangle region to visit my friends Ian and Emera. I'm looking forward to seeing some of the places that they have been studying language and culture, and can't wait to see neelgai (left), hathi, and other Indian animals!

The [Great Lakes] Shipping News

2007-08-08T13:12:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite songs is The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, sung by Gordon Lightfoot. As I was listening to it yesterday evening on my way home, the lines "With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more / than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty" caught my ear. Lake levels across the Great Lakes have been quite low over the past few years and shipping has suffered as a result. If the Fitz were around today, would it even be able to carry the weight of the cargo it did during that fateful voyage?

With water levels so low, many of the big boats can't carry full loads, and that means more cargo must move via train or truck - both of which contribute to more air pollution. Not that shipping is innocent of environmental consequences - certainly dredging accounts for a fair amount of habitat destruction and probably the "hole" at the bottom of Lake St. Clair. However, there are plenty of reasons to support shipping via water vs. land shipping - in addition to reduced air pollution and traffic tie ups caused by more trucks and trains, the boats are fun to watch (I've spent many an afternoon watching the big barges go by - and a fair amount of time dodging them while sampling fish on the St. Lawrence River) and serve as an important piece of the Lakes economy - bringing business to the port towns and providing jobs both on board and on shore. Ships can travel from the Atlantic to the heart of the North American continent via the St. Lawrence Seaway - and while this opens the door to invasive species and other problems, the benefits of the Seaway for the livelihoods of both the Americans and Canadians living in the region are hard to argue with.

Climate science resources

2007-08-07T16:32:00.000-04:00

Trying to keep up with the latest and greatest on the climate change science front is like trying to grab hold of a river - but here are a few things that have caught my eye recently...

Global-Warming Deniers: A Well-Funded Machine in the August 13 issue of Newsweek
IPCC Working Group II: Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability
Climate Change: A Guide to the Information and Disinformation from the Society of Environmental Journalists
RealClimate.org and their Wiki to debunk climate nonsense
ClimatePolicy.org

Review of last night's concert + imagery + podcast

2007-08-03T08:58:00.000-04:00

Remember Fantasia? Walt Disney's masterwork of animation set to classical music? Now imagine that the animated fairies and dancing hippos have been replaced by footage of dolphins leaping across the ocean, erupting volcanoes, and distant planets and nebulae. Last night's performance by the National Symphony Orchestra was absolutely excellent - and I whole-heartedly encourage this type of collaboration to continue. Of special interest was the conductor's podcast, which I was a bit perplexed by at first. Talking through the Symphony? I must say, however, that the commentary was mainly limited to the quieter moments in the music to avoid being too distracting and the information (ranging from background on the composers and previous uses of the music in film to riots following the first performance of "Rite of Spring" and stories about the video footage) was very interesting. Perhaps we will see more of this multimedia concert going in future concerts?

3 x 3 x 3

2007-08-03T08:41:00.000-04:00

Today is August 3, meaning that it is the birthday of Martha Stewart, Tom Brady, and yours truly :) It is also the day that Columbus set sail and that Al Kaline of the Detroit Tigers was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame (my dad wouldn't take my mom to the hospital until the ceremony was over - or at least that is the family legend).

More Care2 Stickies Here!

More on the symphony + space

2007-08-02T13:04:00.000-04:00

Over at The Intersection, Sheril posted a bit more about the concert, as well as a link to an incredibly excellent (and FREE) dating service for Trekkies...

Symphony, stars, and high-def NASA pics - and a podcast to listen to during the show?

2007-08-01T15:51:00.000-04:00

Friday will be my birthday (shameless self-promotion), and I've gathered several friends up to celebrate a night early. We'll be visiting Wolf Trap to experience "Fantastic Planet: A Symphonic Video Spectacular" on Thursday evening. Wine + symphony + huge screens with digital images of Earth and the universe = good times? In visiting the show's website today, I see that they now have "a groundbreaking and innovative 2-part, audio-described program intended to be transferred to your iPod or other portable mp3 player and brought to the performance of Fantastic Planet." iPod at the Symphony? Okay, I admit that now that I've seen the tease, I cannot survive without downloading the podcast for my listening pleasure - it's like there is a little Steve Jobs whispering in my ear "go forth and become a Pod person."

Welcome to Sweet Waters!

2007-07-31T14:33:00.001-04:00

If you aren't a scholar of Latin, aequora dulcis means "sweet waters" - as in the sweetwater seas of the Laurentian Great Lakes. Although I've moved around a bit - Michigan, upstate New York, and now DC - I still consider my homeplace to be the Great Lakes region.