Bits and Pieces ~ 18 August 09

The Court Jester and the Climate Journalist Meet
The Court Jester and the Climate Journalist Meet

Steven Colbert and Bill McKibben: video up soon, ought to be interesting.

Finally overcome by wimp-guilt, I got out of bed at 2 a.m. Monday morning, the would-be peak of the Perseid Meteor shower, spurred on my a random sighting of two spectacular bursts a week before. Alas, no movement, but the fixed and awesome sight through the binocs of moons of Jupiter and the Andromeda Galaxy. Was it worth it? Yes, indeed.

Very satisfied with the outcome, four for four, in printing 12” x 9” prints on the Epson 2880, thanks in no small measure to both the courage and the knowledge imparted by friend Rob who has helped me reach WYSIWYG status, monitor vs photopaper. These prints go off today to Carilion Design Group, ultimately to be hung in one of their medical facilities in the region. And NOW I can afford to restock inks and paper without guilt!

The Sierra Club program last week was a shot in the arm I badly needed. The attendance was good, the reception of the multimedia program was exceptional and confirms my thinking that this kind of package is worth the effort. Fotomagico has turned out to be a good tool, and the ViewSonic projector worked not quite flawlessly–likely, operator error as I lost the view on the laptop momentarily.

In the Sierra Club audience and sitting on the front row, and man and his son (who was pumping the buttons on a digital game as one essay began.)

“Digital adventures are enthralling but don’t provide a connection with real world of nature just beyond your computer screen and screen doors.” The father nudged the son.

“Parents, take your children charges off the leash of your apprehensions and worries about their safety–far less than our media-stoked fears would have us believe.” The son nudged the father.

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fred
fred

Fred First holds masters degrees in Vertebrate Zoology and physical therapy, and has been a biology teacher and physical therapist by profession. He moved to southwest Virginia in 1975 and to Floyd County in 1997. He maintains a daily photo-blog, broadcasts essays on the Roanoke NPR station, and contributes regular columns for the Floyd Press and Roanoke's Star Sentinel. His two non-fiction books, Slow Road Home and his recent What We Hold in Our Hands, celebrate the riches that we possess in our families and communities, our natural bounty, social capital and Appalachian cultures old and new. He has served on the Jacksonville Center Board of Directors and is newly active in the Sustain Floyd organization. He lives in northeastern Floyd County on the headwaters of the Roanoke River.

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  1. Very cool, that the son nudged the dad about being too safety conscious. My grandson is way too overprotected and nature is all about dangers, nothing about pleasures.