News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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Robert Reich's latest column was just grand. Budget deficits are a good thing. I hadn't realized this. Social Security (SS), Medicare/Medicaid and defense are the biggest budget-busting items we have by far. And no party has the guts to significantly (let alone strategically) cut spending in these areas. I'm sure Reich would agree to Defense cuts, but not SS and Medicare/Medicaid, which are rapidly assuming more of the budget outlays, soon to pass defense: each, not combined. SS tax revenues can no longer pay for the... Full story
Do you ever wonder why you feel miserable when it is 40 degrees and raining and yet you feel all right if it is 20 degrees and sunny? On a cold wet day, say 40 degrees and raining, it can feel really cold. I grew up in the Seattle area, and I can remember playing outside on a rainy day in the winter. My hands were extremely cold and numb when I came inside. Some folks would even say it feels colder on a rainy, 40 degree day than it might on a 20 degree day with clear skies. Humidity is playing a role here. When it is... Full story
Water is truly an amazing substance. We take water for granted since it is plentiful and well-managed. However, go without water for about three days and you won't be thinking of anything else. You will become severely dehydrated and possibly even die. It's been said that a human body is 80 percent water. That's because the living cells that make up a human body are mostly filled with water. Think of a cell as a water balloon. The skin of the "balloon" is essentially fat; water fills the balloon to the right size. That water... Full story
Science is something that most people tend to leave to the experts. But the simple matter is that we are all scientists to some degree. We want to know why and how things work, and we are always testing our ideas. The old adage "trial and error" is equivalent to science. A simple definition of "science" is humankind's pursuit of a thorough understanding of the natural universe. History teaches us much about this pursuit. Many times in the past, what we thought about how things worked was wrong. We used to think that... Full story
