Some men wrest a living from nature and with their hands; this is called work.

Some men wrest a living from those who wrest a living from nature and with their hands; this is called trade.

Some men wrest a living from those who wrest a living from those who wrest a living from nature and with their hands; this is called finance.

The most valuable natural resource on the planet besides air, fresh water is becoming scarcer throughout the world. Over 2 billion people worldwide lack access to safe, potable drinking water. In the Middle East and elsewhere, the lack of water has fueled the frequent wars of recent times. Climate change and unsustainable agricultural practices are reducing the supply of available water, and the ability to grow food, for much of the increasing world population.

Many of my friends know I follow aviation closely and ask what happened to the 737Max planes that crashed, why did they crash, why did the FAA take so long, why don’t the pilots know what to do, etc.? 

At long last, shovel has hit dirt and work on the northward extension of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail has begun. There was much celebration as news spread that the county has started clearing the old railroad path for the construction of the 8.2-mile extension from the center of Millerton to Under Mountain Road in Ancram.

Facing the EMS dilemma

The town of Washington and the village of Millbrook, along with members of the Millbrook Rescue Squad, will be holding an informational meeting regarding Rescue Squad services in our community. The meeting will be held on Monday, April 8, at 7 p.m., at the Millbrook firehouse. 

The answer lies in the soil. There is nothing like good, old fashioned, wormy, loam. Good, honest, clean, dirt. But you have to ask, where did the earth come from? Unless you know where it came from, where it originated and why, you can never properly plan for your garden. 

Recently an elderly gentleman asked me about my opinion on NPR and PBS, knowing of my vigorous support in the 1960s for these alternatives to commercial radio and television stations.

Here is my response:

Congress created NPR and PBS to provide serious programming, without any advertisements, for the American people. Former media executive Fred Friendly and others worried that the commercial stations were not meeting the 1934 Communications Act requirement that they operate for the “public interest, convenience and necessity.”