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Posted in Commentary and Reflections

‘Good Americans’

In the aftermath of World War II, an ironic term arose in Germany – ‘Good Germans’; it was used to refer to those German citizens who claimed they did not support the Nazis and knew nothing about the Jewish Holocaust….

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Posted in Commentary and Reflections Environmental

Primeval Forces

Late winter in Puget Sound is when most fly fishers eagerly begin preparing to get back on the water. Chum Salmon fry have started to leave the estuaries and move into Puget Sound, where some in a later juvenile stage…

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Posted in Commentary and Reflections

Would Mr. Smith Still Go To Washington?

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) recently aired Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I watch it every time it’s on for a couple of reasons. The first is Jefferson Smith’s (Jimmy Stewart) filibuster in the Senate. Words like the following inspire nostalgic…

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Posted in Commentary and Reflections General Comments

Norman Maclean and A River Runs Through It

“I am haunted by waters.” Those evocative words close both the movie and novella of the same name – A River Runs Through It. The majority likely heard those words in Robert Redford’s 1992 drama, which featured a career-making performance by…

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Posted in Commentary and Reflections

February 9, 1964

Sixty-one years ago today, the Beatles made their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show. For those of us around then, we had been hearing and singing their music from our AM radios – but to see them perform (in…

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Posted in Commentary and Reflections

Good Riddance

I did not vote for either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris. I wish our political system could produce real leaders, whatever their personal failings, as opposed to demagogues and political hacks. But unfortunately, we have presidents like Bill Clinton, George…

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Posted in Commentary and Reflections

Compassion in the Time of Fire

I’ve never been to Los Angeles.  The closet I came was on a coast-to-coast trip many decades ago – when I was driving from Virginia Beach, Virginia to Vallejo, California, where I was to attend Navy Nuclear Power School. The…

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Posted in Commentary and Reflections

Jimmy Carter RIP

Jimmy Carter died Sunday (December 29th, 2024) at 100 years old. With his death, there have been many commentaries on his life, his presidency, and his post-presidential life. By all accounts, his personal life and his post-presidential life were exemplary…

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Posted in Commentary and Reflections Environmental

King Tides and Bomb Cyclones

Many people – well, at least those living near a coast – have heard of king tides.  King tides, which actually isn’t an official NOAA term, are the bigger siblings of spring tides.  To clear this up a bit.  …

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Posted in Commentary and Reflections

Happy Thanksgiving 2024

Perhaps more than any recent year, this is a day to give thanks for those you love and those who love you. And between football games; parades; too much turkey and dressing; and  (hopefully) brief political arguments – say a…

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