Occasional Observer

America’s large, manicured lawns can be very beautiful, at times almost magical. However we could have even lovelier, ecologically superior landscapes while saving an enormous amount of money were we to substantially reduce the proportion of manicured lawn in our country.

Many years ago I spent a summer working in Copenhagen. Something I noticed right away told me I was not in the United States: when Danes walking down the sidewalk come to a traffic light that is red, they stop and wait until it changes to green — even if there are no cars in sight. Such an orderly, law - abiding people, I thought. 

Over the last four years, President Trump and his administration actively promoted the idea that domestic left-wing organizations have become a growing menace to national security.

“. . . These Republican leaders have not been content with attacks on me, or my wife, or on my sons. No, not content with that, they now include my little dog, Fala. Well, of course, I don’t resent attacks, and my family don’t resent attacks, but Fala does resent them. . .”    

­— Franklin Delano Roosevelt

“Remember, only YOU can prevent forest fires.”

— Smokey the Bear

The COVID-19 pandemic with its fast spread through Midwest meatpacking plants earlier this year forced many of us to wonder if we might be better off becoming vegetarian.

Since May 26, most of the news on television has been about the nationwide demonstrations over police misconduct. It’s certainly a major story and both the print news and TV have tried to give it all the coverage it deserves.

Most of the planet’s land mass was once covered with forest — now less than a third is.