Who will be this centry’s T.R. Roosevelt?

Nice review here of the ongoing Ken Burns’s special on PBS. Interesting to see these words, “global warming,” on the inside of the book’s jacket. It’s a huge volume in terms of page count, but I’m proud to have been an early buyer. Read it friends.

Welcome to the land that time forgot

That’s the land of anthracite coal mining. Here’s a nice pix of the mouth of the Jeddo Mine Tunnel, a thingee that drains more than 30 square miles of old underground anthracite coal mine tunnels under and adjacent to the city limits of Hazleton , Pa. Real purty, isn’t it? As Pa. Fish and Boat exec Doug Austen notes in his official blog, the Jeddo sends about 40,000 gallons per minute of acid mine drainage into Little Nescopeck Creek (the water from which eventually enters the Chesapeake Bay).

Quote of the week

“There was a time when men loved ideas . . . Now, they get by with slogans.” — Edward Abbey

Stewart Udall on national parks

Read this fine interview with the former Interior secretary which appeared in today’s edition ofthe Santa Fe New Mexican.

Give birds a break; keep the cat indoors

Friendly felines have long been a part of our family, and they live indoors. It’s both good and healthy for them and good for young songbirds outside. This nice NY Times article spells out the basics and more. Do us all a favor and keep your cat indoors. It’ll live a lto longer and more native songbirds will make it to adulthood. Oh, and try walking a bit more by parking your car. You’ll pollute a lot less and get some exercise. And you’ll save the lives of birds. Almost daily I find another avian roadkill victim.

Poll put s Wal-Mart No. 1?

Good grief. This 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll names the king of asphalt parking lagoons and foreign-made crap the thingee that most symbolizes America? Good grief is right. Read James Howard Kunstler’s work and blog for more info on this huge mistake.

What’s wrong with the national aparks?

Having watched the first episode last night of Ken Burns’s new PBS epic, this NY Times piece with readers’ commens is quite fitting.

EPA must reconsider permit for coal-fired plant

How this boondoggle got this far is beyong imagination.

Forest restoration working

Nice feature here from the AP.

Cassandras of climate

Another top-notch column by Paul Krugman in today’s

NY Times.