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Snippets

Some random thoughts from recent reading material.

I’m a Lumberjack and I’m OK.
I knew that the term “blog” comes from the contraction for “web log.” But I was mistaken where “log” came from. I assumed it was from the Greek logos, or word. I felt a kinship with Captain Picard ever since I started my very own Captain’s Log 18 months ago. But according to Andrew Sullivan,

“A ship’s log owes its name to a small wooden board, often weighted with lead, that was for centuries attached to a line an thrown over the stern…By measuring the length of line used up in a set period of time, mariners could calculate the speed of their journey (the rope itself was marked by equi-distant “knots” for easy measurement)…these logs were an indispensable source for recording what actually happened…. — The Atlantic, “Why I Blog,” November 2008, by Andrew Sullivan


So I’m a logger. And maybe you are, too.

Light pollution and health

“But for humans, too, light pollution may take a biological toll. At least one new study has suggested a direct correlation between higher rates of breast cancer in women and the nighttime brightness of their neighborhoods.”
National Geographic, “Our Vanishing Night,” November 2008, by Verlyn Klinkenborg.

It’s important to note that the study mentions a correlation rather than a causation. If you move to the Central African Republic (the country least affected by light pollution) you won’t necessarily change your odds of ever receiving a diagnosis. But messing with our circadian rhythms by extending light-time to 24 hour a day might be contributing to unintended consequences. It’s a fascinating hypothesis.


The First Globals

“A new American dream characterized by lower expectations, less want and more civility has begun to emerge; and as that has happened, a new American consensus is being born.” The Way We’ll Be, by John Zogby (Random House)

Zogby terms the generation aged 18-29 as the First Globals, who are resilient enough to change their lifestyles in light of dwindling natural resources, international tensions and ecological threats. The Internet has had a spiritual effect on this generation, as it embraces inclusivity and cooperation and eschews rigidity and dogma. Yay, younguns!


Creme de la Creme

It’s the time of year again when Lollipop Goldstein collects the best of the best of this year’s ALI posts (Adoption, neonatal Loss, Infertility). Click over here to find out how to make sure yours is included. The release of the reading list on January 1 is the perfect pick-me-up for the post-holiday let-down.

So get your in today if you haven’t already. And to help spread the word, Kirtsy here or Stumble her post, if you’re so inclined.

11 Responses

  1. Hey! Thank you 🙂The log thing is cool, but I was really stunned by the lightness in the room/breast cancer connection. I wonder if it is type of light too. Does the long summer days/short winter days near the Arctic Circle balance everything out?

  2. Has it already been 18 months!? Just amazing. What nifty and thought-provoking material you’ve shared.

  3. Hey! Thank you 🙂The log thing is cool, but I was really stunned by the lightness in the room/breast cancer connection. I wonder if it is type of light too. Does the long summer days/short winter days near the Arctic Circle balance everything out?

  4. Has it already been 18 months!? Just amazing. What nifty and thought-provoking material you’ve shared.

  5. I learned something new today (logs etc). Yay!I read that Nat’l Geo article a while back and was fascinated. It went along with a discussion I’d had with Bart about light pollution when we were photographing the night sky out near Ramah.

  6. Well look at how smart I am now. 🙂And again, another song to be stuck in my head. You’ve got the knack lori.I just watched a thing on the news about it being national adoption month or something. They were doing a story about a local family. I expected to see you for some reason. 🙂

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