Sure, I can find some pest grasshoppers in a city park, but I'll never find wild organisms on the 26th floor bar on a hotel.


Still, it's a nice view of the ballfield, if you are into that sort of thing.


Suddenly a visitor alights on the opposite side of the glass. Is it a stonefly? A caddisfly? I'm not sure, but it probably emerged from the nearby Mississippi River (seen at the left corner of the pic with the ballfield), then caught a nice breeze upward. It makes me want to study aerial plankton.

Brasil vs. Cote D'Ivoire

Well, this last day of travel in and around Portland has turned out to be the most tense. ( Read more... )

I realize now that void of the holiday that should take place inbetween Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox (alas: Candlemas, St.Brigid's Day and Imbolg are celebrated by very few) has been filled by Superbowl Sunday.

It used to be that you could opt out of Christmas by simply not being a Christian (the retail industry has made short work of that excuse). It is inappropriate to chastise someone because of their religion. But those of us who do not celebrate the Superbowl--we are cultural infidels--our lack of Patriots garb is suspicious. Because it is a non-religious event, we can all rally around it--the news media can celebrate it with fervor that makes a coronation look demure. If you aren't interested in sports--what the hell is your problem?! It brings to mind, as usual, words from a song:

( Read more... )