Henry Kissinger is dead

      As one pundit put it, Henry Kissinger's death may be the only redeeming event in 2023.   A monster who was responsible for the deaths of millions,  directly or indirectly.   From Laos and Cambodia to East Timor, Bangladesh and Chile, Kissinger's policies of propping up authoritarian dictators who would bow to the American Empire led to incalculable suffering around the world.

     Detente with the Soviet Union, arms reduction and the opening with China were relatively bloodless achievements on his watch, but hardly compare with the death and destruction he caused or facilitated.  Ironically, Kissinger's family got out  of Germany just before Hitler began the Holocaust.  You would think such an experience would cause him to be cautious in wielding power over the defenseless.  You would also be wrong.

      History will not be kind to Henry Kissinger.

The political silly season

       We are still 11 months away from election day.   The primaries have not yet started.  There is a need to fill news outlets and cable news with content.  Time to drag the fringes of the American political scene to center stage and give them their 15 minutes of fame.   

      Today was "No Labels" turn in the spotlight.  Ever since Joe Lieberman and a couple of Republican operatives dreamed up this supposedly non-partisan, non political party, it has been seen as a haven and a grift for those who are not welcome in the two major parties.  It has about $70 million on hand.  This may seem like a lot, but even with deep pocketed donors, the salaries and bonuses for hangers on will suck up most of the money before it can be used to actually do any political damage.   The worry is No Labels will gain ballot access in enough states and endorse a ticket that will siphon votes away from Biden and throw the election to tRump.   Personally, aside from the votes of Harlan Crow and a few other donors, i doubt  a No Labels ticket will draw enough votes to do anything except line the pockets of its principals.s

Water and the American way of life

      The story of the Aral sea in the former Soviet province of Uzbekistan should be a wakeup call for everyone.  By diverting most of the rivers which fed the fresh water lake which was 15% larger than lake Michigan, Soviet planners unwittingly caused the demise of the lake and with it the ecosystem it anchored.   Now a vast desert with a few increasingly saline lakes left behind, it is a tourist draw for those interested in seeing an ecological disaster.

     Halfway across the world, in Arizona, a similar disaster may be playing out as foreign and domestic companies are pumping the underground aquifer dry while the state's other major source of water, the Colorado River, also dries up.  

     You may ask what these far flung disaster stories have to do with those of us  in the water rich Northeastern US?   Thirsty people will do desperate things to secure water supplies.   There is already talk of transcontinental pipelines stretching from the Great lakes to the arid west.   As water supplies dwindle, the talk will become more serious.  People will not give up the American way of life without a life and death struggle.   

American obsessions

       A quick scan of the my usual blogs and newsfeeds this morning reveals America's various obsessions, namely and not necessarily in order to be, aging in America, wealth disparity and Israel's war with Hamas.  Nothing today about climate change or tRump, the two most existential threats to the nation's continuation as a liberal democracy.  No, what caught my eye was a plug for the "Golden Bachelor", wherein a 72 year old age defying geezer choses the love of the rest of his life from a bevy of spray tanned, botox toned boomer women who make jokes about replaced knees and the perils of midnight bathroom runs.  Meanwhile, the Washington Post editorial board makes the case that young, liberal women need to get over themselves and marry politically conservative men in order to satisfy some longing for an idealized country by the EB at the Post.  Just a small sample about what some of us are obsessing about.

Thanksgiving reduux

        Thanksgiving has meant many things to me over the years.   As a school child in the 1950s, I happily swallowed the Pilgrim fantasy of hanging out with the native americans who would shortly be dispossessed of their lands by said Pilgrims.

      Moving on to the late 60s and 70s, the holiday seemed to serve as a cynical marketing ploy to bridge the gap between Halloween and Christmas.  It still serves that purpose today.  I think many of us would like to derive some spiritual benefit from Thanksgiving, myself included.  As we pause from the hectic work of preparing the feast and look forward to seeing family and friends around the table (even a crazy uncle or two) we should remember to actually give thanks for the bounty most of us have access to.  

      The flip side of course is that many do not have access to abundant healthy foods.   What can be done for them?  Something to ponder as dessert is served.

indoor Agriculture

        Ever since the first farmer planted seeds and endured the weather dependent waiting period before harvest, there have been dreams of better ways of farming.  Indoor agriculture with its promise of foolproof weather control and an ability to eliminate all but a benign input from Mother nature has been the holy grail of farmers for thousands of years.

      It was with some trepidation that I read a story in Louisville Public Media via the blog Lawyers, Guns and Money.  The article traced the hype, boom and bust of Appharvest a startup greenhouse which promised well paying jobs to people displaced by the demise of the coal industry.   The company raised over $700 million from investors who should have questioned the bona fides of the 32 year old CEO with no agricultural experience.

    I know a little about greenhouse growing and its challenges.  The most successful operations in the world are located in the Netherlands and Canada.  Both are located hundreds of miles north of Kentucky, where summertime temperatures routinely climb into the mid 90s.  This makes ventilation to lower temperatures a nightmare if you are using technology developed in Northern Europe where summertime temperatures are much lower.   I am fairly certain this maladaptation of ventilation and growing methods doomed the venture from the start.  

    Labor was also an issue.   The LPM article treats the worker complaints regarding working conditions sympathetically.   The bottom line in Kentucky and most other areas of the US is native labor is unlikely to thrive under the conditions and culture which most ag businesses employ.   The ignorance of management regarding working conditions in the greenhouses and its gross violations of pledges it made to workers eventually led the company to use hundreds of hispanic workers in an effort to boost productivity.

     The entire operation was sold to new owners who supposedly know something about greenhouse production.  Whether they can correct the technology is, I think, an open question.   Until climate change wreaks havoc on outdoor agriculture, companies like Appharvest will remain niche operations which will be hard pressed to compete with outdoor production of fruits and vegetables.

Rosalyn, we hardly knew ye

      I am struck by the outpouring of grief for and praise of Rosalyn Carter, who passed away after a brief time in hospice care.  She was 96.   She is being characterized by many as an equal partner with her husband, Jimmy Carter, before, during and after his tumultuous presidency.      

     The Carters were possibly the first couple to allow for the wife of the president to wield power in her husband's name.   George H W Bush and Barbara and Bill and Hilary Clinton took this model and broadened the First Lady's executive power.  Rosalyn was the original model.   I'm not saying it is good or bad, but perhaps vetting potential First Ladies should be something we may all be interested in doing.