Location: Really deep in the heart of South California Gender:
Posted:
Jul 26, 2025 - 4:20pm
islander wrote:
One of the many reasons I like it here is that we are on the edge of one of the dark sky regions. Our little town is suffering a lot of development and that is starting to have some impact. Our neighbors have mostly been good, but there is a lot more lights than there used to be. Still, night time on the rooftop deck is amazing. Especially on new/ sliver moons that set early like right now. Everyone is building walls to (which does contain a lot of their light), which feels bizarre to me - if you feel you need that for security, why would you want to be here. We have very modest fencing that has a lot of openings. We get horses and donkeys and all kinds of other stuff wandering through our yard. It's magical. We have a big mesquite tree that makes a lot of shade. I often find a pony standing under it.
It used to be common to see the milky way growing up in South Jersey... now it never happens (maybe if I made my way to the Pine Barrens).
I'd forgotten what it was like until last week, when we were at a friends place in the hills in Northern Sonoma County (CA). It's really sad that kids now rarely see the milky way... it changes the way you feel about the dark.
One of the many reasons I like it here is that we are on the edge of one of the dark sky regions. Our little town is suffering a lot of development and that is starting to have some impact. Our neighbors have mostly been good, but there is a lot more lights than there used to be. Still, night time on the rooftop deck is amazing. Especially on new/ sliver moons that set early like right now. Everyone is building walls to (which does contain a lot of their light), which feels bizarre to me - if you feel you need that for security, why would you want to be here. We have very modest fencing that has a lot of openings. We get horses and donkeys and all kinds of other stuff wandering through our yard. It's magical. We have a big mesquite tree that makes a lot of shade. I often find a pony standing under it.
Edit: I'm down south for a couple days. It's really amazing to be able to see the milky way. I remember when that was fairly common even in smaller cities. The levels of light pollution in our worlds is staggering. Even more so when you consider how much of it is just advertising.
It used to be common to see the milky way growing up in South Jersey... now it never happens (maybe if I made my way to the Pine Barrens).
I'd forgotten what it was like until last week, when we were at a friends place in the hills in Northern Sonoma County (CA). It's really sad that kids now rarely see the milky way... it changes the way you feel about the dark.
We stopped at a Buc-ee’s along I-95 in SC a few weeks ago. As far as I remember it had standard-height (~30 ft.), downward-pointing, street lights (the same as what was along that part of the interstate), not the high mast, ultra-bright ones that send light vertically and horizontally like the GA ones shown below. I'm sure there are reasons why some highway authorities want/need those types of lights in some areas, but they seem a little extreme to me.
The Journal had a pretty good story about it last week: https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/the-journal/a-fight-over-buc-ees-and-for-the-soul-of-the-american-west/70E2E4B7-D111-46A8-82A9-8F2870158E9F Lots of irony in the story too. John Malone: When you go north of Denver toward Boulder and Fort Collins, there really is no open space left. It's all developed. So there's not even a hint of what we moved to Colorado for. John Malone is the guy who made his billions on a media empire.His $s come in no small part from advertising and selling expansion to everyone. Maybe not directly, but he certainly fostered the market that enabled buc'ees 116 fuel station and t-shirt outlet.
The Cable TV Cowboy they call him...Whoever they are. He led the way building systems all over the country and then cherry-picked the ones to build his MSO empire.
We stopped at a Buc-eeâs along I-95 in SC a few weeks ago. As far as I remember it had standard-height (~30 ft.), downward-pointing, street lights (the same as what was along that part of the interstate), not the high mast, ultra-bright ones that send light vertically and horizontally like the GA ones shown below. I'm sure there are reasons why some highway authorities want/need those types of lights in some areas, but they seem a little extreme to me.
John Malone: When you go north of Denver toward Boulder and Fort Collins, there really is no open space left. It's all developed. So there's not even a hint of what we moved to Colorado for.
John Malone is the guy who made his billions on a media empire.His $s come in no small part from advertising and selling expansion to everyone. Maybe not directly, but he certainly fostered the market that enabled buc'ees 116 fuel station and t-shirt outlet.
There is a whole thing about one in Colorado that the local (very wealthy) land owner is complaining about. Can't buy stuff 24/7 without big lights though.
Edit: I'm down south for a couple days. It's really amazing to be able to see the milky way. I remember when that was fairly common even in smaller cities. The levels of light pollution in our worlds is staggering. Even more so when you consider how much of it is just advertising.
We stopped at a Buc-eeâs along I-95 in SC a few weeks ago. As far as I remember it had standard-height (~30 ft.), downward-pointing, street lights (the same as what was along that part of the interstate), not the high mast, ultra-bright ones that send light vertically and horizontally like the GA ones shown below. I'm sure there are reasons why some highway authorities want/need those types of lights in some areas, but they seem a little extreme to me.
There is a whole thing about one in Colorado that the local (very wealthy) land owner is complaining about. Can't buy stuff 24/7 without big lights though.
Edit: I'm down south for a couple days. It's really amazing to be able to see the milky way. I remember when that was fairly common even in smaller cities. The levels of light pollution in our worlds is staggering. Even more so when you consider how much of it is just advertising.
Snakehead fish: are are originally from China and Korea and decimate local fish populations in fresh water.
Asian long-horned beetle: These beetles can weaken trees by eating their bark and burrowing into the center. They were brought to the United States in wooden packaging materials and trees.
Asian carp: These fish can eat plankton, which is a food source for larval fish and native mussels.
Asian shore crab: This crab is an invasive species.
Asian swamp eel: This eel is an invasive species.
Apple snail: These snails eat aquatic plants, which could alter the balance of a water system.
Lantana: This plant releases toxins through its roots to kill other plants. It has taken over wild habitats in India.
Spotted lanternfly: These insects are native to China but have become invasive in the northeastern United States. They are dangerous to over a hundred plant species.
Other invasive species: Africanized bees, Hydrilla, Asian clams, and Suckermouth catfish.
(This should not be construed as a personal assault on anything Asian. This is about environmental response to different species, and not a 'conspiracy' against country or race.)
... but it does sorta feel like they're kicking our ass environmentally.
Asian citrus psyllids - What is it about Asia/China that produces all these harmful insects? I'm thinking of the Ash Bore Beetle, the Spotted Lantern Fly. You wouldn't be too crazy to believe in some sort of conspiracy theory that they are engineered and sent Westward to harm us. Is Asia/China experiencing the same harm to their forests and agriculture?
"Dairy cows in Nevada have been infected with a new form of bird flu that is distinct from the version that has been spreading through herds over the last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Wednesday.
"The finding indicates that the virus, known as H5N1, has spilled from birds into cows at least twice â leading to these two sets of infections â and that it could continue to do so. It also suggests that the virus may pose a persistent risk to cows and to the people who work closely with them.
"Before last year, scientists did not know that cows were susceptible to this type of influenza."
According to the story, "The news was announced in a news release from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a division of the Department of Agriculture. Federal agencies have not held a news briefing on bird flu since President Trump took office."
The Times writes that "the virus that has been spreading through the nationâs dairies is a version of H5N1 known as B3.13, which has infected more than 950 herds in 16 states. Scientists believe that it initially jumped to cows from birds about a year ago, somewhere in the Texas panhandle. That transition took scientists by surprise, and this new one even more so ⦠The cows in Nevada were infected with a version of the virus known as D1.1, which has been spreading in wild birds and poultry. It was initially detected in milk collected from a silo as part of a national milk testing strategy announced by the U.S.D.A. late last year.
"The D1.1 form of H5N1 has also shown itself to be dangerous to people. Of the 67 Americans known to have become ill with H5N1 so far, the only one who died was infected with this version. That person, a Louisiana resident older than 65, had cared for sick and dying birds and died in early January."
I hope that the nation's public health establishment is taking this seriously. It was this arm of the federal bureaucracy that dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic, limiting the damage that it did and saving many, many lives. Having dedicated experts at the front line sis akin of having insurance for your house or car - it seems like an unnecessary expense when there are no problems, but when a crisis hits, it is indispensable.
and then,
The Atlantic has a fascinating story about how "the era of orange-juice ubiquity is rapidly coming to an end."
According to the story, "the primary cause is a disease known as citrus greening. When tiny, hard-to-control insects called Asian citrus psyllids feed on orange trees, they inject bacteria that floods the treeâs veins. Fruits become rancid, misshapen, and discolored, and within a few years, the tree dies. Around the world, millions of acres of orange trees have succumbed, and in the past 20 years, production in Floridaâs storied orange groves, which once supplied the majority of Americaâs juice, has declined 92 percent. What little fruit is left on the trees gets blown to the ground by hurricanes, which are becoming more destructive in the state."
Which means that availability is down, and prices are up. Especially in the US, where the problem is severe.
"The dwindling fruit supply is making orange juice harder, but not impossible, to produce," the story says. "Other orange-growing countries are contributing more of the juice sold in U.S. stores. Out of curiosity, I read the ingredients on a carton of Floridaâs Natural at the grocery store: 'juice from Florida, Mexico, & Brazil.'
"For the juice industry, international oranges are more of a lifeline than a long-term fix. The only places where citrus greening isnât affecting orange groves yet are Europe and Australia, Vashisth said. Imported fruit can be costly, and its flavor varies because of differences in variety, growing conditions, and taste preferences. (European oranges skew tart because locals like their juice sour, while American varieties cater to the nationâs sweet tooth.) To maintain the flavor profile that U.S. customers expect, manufacturers have to blend different batches of juice, much like they would batches of wine or whiskey."
The thing is, the orange juice problem is reflective of larger realities:
"In many ways, the decline of orange juice represents the future of many staple foods," The Atlantic writes. "Continuous abundance, a prerequisite for staples, is no longer guaranteed. More and more, the notion of the classic American breakfast - bacon, eggs, toast, milk, coffee, and a glass of orange juice - is beginning to seem like a snapshot of a bygone era. Not only is the supply of orange juice becoming shaky, but so is that of eggs, milk, and coffee (not to mention other goods, such as chocolate and olive oil). None of this means that weâll have to go without these foods anytime soon. But for everyday Americans, it will likely mean having less."
Things haven't been the same since the Dukes messed with frozen concentrated orange juice futures.
but at least something positive:
Published reports say that while olive oil prices have been rising over the past two years because of a combination of high temperatures and a drought in Spain (think climate change), normalizing weather patterns last year mean that Spanish olive growers have seen higher than expected yields, which should result in lower prices.
Spain is responsible for 50 percent of the world's olive oil production.
Asian citrus psyllids - What is it about Asia/China that produces all these harmful insects? I'm thinking of the Ash Bore Beetle, the Spotted Lantern Fly. You wouldn't be too crazy to believe in some sort of conspiracy theory that they are engineered and sent Westward to harm us. Is Asia/China experiencing the same harm to their forests and agriculture?
"Dairy cows in Nevada have been infected with a new form of bird flu that is distinct from the version that has been spreading through herds over the last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Wednesday.
"The finding indicates that the virus, known as H5N1, has spilled from birds into cows at least twice â leading to these two sets of infections â and that it could continue to do so. It also suggests that the virus may pose a persistent risk to cows and to the people who work closely with them.
"Before last year, scientists did not know that cows were susceptible to this type of influenza."
According to the story, "The news was announced in a news release from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a division of the Department of Agriculture. Federal agencies have not held a news briefing on bird flu since President Trump took office."
The Times writes that "the virus that has been spreading through the nationâs dairies is a version of H5N1 known as B3.13, which has infected more than 950 herds in 16 states. Scientists believe that it initially jumped to cows from birds about a year ago, somewhere in the Texas panhandle. That transition took scientists by surprise, and this new one even more so ⦠The cows in Nevada were infected with a version of the virus known as D1.1, which has been spreading in wild birds and poultry. It was initially detected in milk collected from a silo as part of a national milk testing strategy announced by the U.S.D.A. late last year.
"The D1.1 form of H5N1 has also shown itself to be dangerous to people. Of the 67 Americans known to have become ill with H5N1 so far, the only one who died was infected with this version. That person, a Louisiana resident older than 65, had cared for sick and dying birds and died in early January."
I hope that the nation's public health establishment is taking this seriously. It was this arm of the federal bureaucracy that dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic, limiting the damage that it did and saving many, many lives. Having dedicated experts at the front line sis akin of having insurance for your house or car - it seems like an unnecessary expense when there are no problems, but when a crisis hits, it is indispensable.
and then,
The Atlantic has a fascinating story about how "the era of orange-juice ubiquity is rapidly coming to an end."
According to the story, "the primary cause is a disease known as citrus greening. When tiny, hard-to-control insects called Asian citrus psyllids feed on orange trees, they inject bacteria that floods the treeâs veins. Fruits become rancid, misshapen, and discolored, and within a few years, the tree dies. Around the world, millions of acres of orange trees have succumbed, and in the past 20 years, production in Floridaâs storied orange groves, which once supplied the majority of Americaâs juice, has declined 92 percent. What little fruit is left on the trees gets blown to the ground by hurricanes, which are becoming more destructive in the state."
Which means that availability is down, and prices are up. Especially in the US, where the problem is severe.
"The dwindling fruit supply is making orange juice harder, but not impossible, to produce," the story says. "Other orange-growing countries are contributing more of the juice sold in U.S. stores. Out of curiosity, I read the ingredients on a carton of Floridaâs Natural at the grocery store: 'juice from Florida, Mexico, & Brazil.'
"For the juice industry, international oranges are more of a lifeline than a long-term fix. The only places where citrus greening isnât affecting orange groves yet are Europe and Australia, Vashisth said. Imported fruit can be costly, and its flavor varies because of differences in variety, growing conditions, and taste preferences. (European oranges skew tart because locals like their juice sour, while American varieties cater to the nationâs sweet tooth.) To maintain the flavor profile that U.S. customers expect, manufacturers have to blend different batches of juice, much like they would batches of wine or whiskey."
The thing is, the orange juice problem is reflective of larger realities:
"In many ways, the decline of orange juice represents the future of many staple foods," The Atlantic writes. "Continuous abundance, a prerequisite for staples, is no longer guaranteed. More and more, the notion of the classic American breakfast - bacon, eggs, toast, milk, coffee, and a glass of orange juice - is beginning to seem like a snapshot of a bygone era. Not only is the supply of orange juice becoming shaky, but so is that of eggs, milk, and coffee (not to mention other goods, such as chocolate and olive oil). None of this means that weâll have to go without these foods anytime soon. But for everyday Americans, it will likely mean having less."
Things haven't been the same since the Dukes messed with frozen concentrated orange juice futures.
but at least something positive:
Published reports say that while olive oil prices have been rising over the past two years because of a combination of high temperatures and a drought in Spain (think climate change), normalizing weather patterns last year mean that Spanish olive growers have seen higher than expected yields, which should result in lower prices.
Spain is responsible for 50 percent of the world's olive oil production.
More than three years ago, a small group of government scientists came forward with disturbing allegations.
During President Donald Trumpâs administration, they said, their managers at the Environmental Protection Agency began pressuring them to make new chemicals they were vetting seem safer than they really were. They were encouraged to delete evidence of chemicalsâ harms, including cancer, miscarriage and neurological problems, from their reports â and in some cases, they said, their managers deleted the information themselves.
After the scientists pushed back, they received negative performance reviews and three of them were removed from their positions in the EPAâs division of new chemicals and reassigned to jobs elsewhere in the agency.
On Wednesday, the EPA inspector general announced that it had found that some of the treatment experienced by three of those scientists â Martin Phillips, Sarah Gallagher and William Irwin â amounted to retaliation.
Three reports issued by the inspector general confirmed that the scientistsâ negative performance reviews as well as a reassignment and the denial of an award that can be used for cash or time off were retaliatory. They also detailed personal attacks by supervisors, who called them âstupid,â âpiranhasâ and âpot-stirrers.â (...)
The Staggering Ecological Impacts of Computation and the Cloud Anthropologist Steven Gonzalez Monserrate draws on five years of research and ethnographic fieldwork in server farms to illustrate some of the diverse environmental impacts of data storage.
Screens brighten with the flow of words. Perhaps they are emails, hastily scrawled on smart devices, or emoji-laden messages exchanged between friends or families. On this same river of the digital, millions flock to binge their favorite television programming, to stream pornography, or enter the sprawling worlds of massively multiplayer online roleplaying games, or simply to look up the meaning of an obscure word or the location of the nearest COVID-19 testing center.
Whatever your query, desire, or purpose, the internet provides, and all of the complexity of everything from unboxing videos to do-it-yourself blogs are contained within infinitely complex strings of bits. As they travel across time and space at the speed of light, beneath our oceans in fiber optic cables thinner than human hairs, these dense packets of information, instructions for pixels or characters or frames encoded in ones and zeros, unravel to create the digital veneer before you now. The words you are reading are a point of entry into an ethereal realm that many call the âCloud.â
While in technical parlance the âCloudâ might refer to the pooling of computing resources over a network, in popular culture, âCloudâ has come to signify and encompass the full gamut of infrastructures that make online activity possible, everything from Instagram to Hulu to Google Drive. Like a puffy cumulus drifting across a clear blue sky, refusing to maintain a solid shape or form, the Cloud of the digital is elusive, its inner workings largely mysterious to the wider public, an example of what MIT cybernetician Norbert Weiner once called a âblack box.â But just as the clouds above us, however formless or ethereal they may appear to be, are in fact made of matter, the Cloud of the digital is also relentlessly material.
