Category Archives: Uncategorized

(For starters, I hope that all of you who read the previous LOTRW post on hazards will revisit that post and read John Plodinec’s thoughtful comments). Here are just a few examples of articles published this past week that shed … Continue reading →

This week’s print edition of The Economist includes an article entitled Uninsurable America. The subtitle reads, succinctly: Insurance is supposed to signal risk. Policymakers should let it. The article merits study in its entirety, but here are a few key … Continue reading →

At twenty years on, it’s once again time to revisit J.F. Rischard’s 2003 book, High Noon: Twenty Global Problems, Twenty Years to Solve Them. LOTRW provided an earlier look at the book on November 9, 2013, ten years after its … Continue reading →

(Forgive this post – the idea came to me during last night’s bout with insomnia. And no shaming, please; we all suffer sleeplessness for our own reasons and cope in our own ways…) Let’s suppose you unexpectedly find yourself at … Continue reading →

Historically, monitoring weather and issuing weather forecasts and warnings has been the province of governments. But recently, both the incentives and the means for anticipating and coping with chaotic weather are growing in scope and variety. And so are the … Continue reading →

“Gravity: it isn’t just a good idea. It’s the law.” – Adam Savage “Civilization exists by geologic consent, subject to change without notice.” – Will Durant And that word is – wait for it – Geocivics. With apologies, today’s continuation … Continue reading →

“For the sake of ten year’s benefit, we must plant trees. For the sake of a hundred years’ benefit, we must cultivate the people.” – Ho Chi Minh Today’s K-12 schoolkids worldwide will be coping with climate change and its … Continue reading →

In the mists of “ancient history” (as defined by Gen Z or Generation Alpha, that might be the 1980’s or a bit earlier), Dick Hallgren, who directed the National Weather Service at the time, was fond of saying that the … Continue reading →

Two weeks later, still wrapping my head around that initial LOTRW “interview” with a simple AI chatbot[1]. Some impressions, beginning with the general but then focusing on climate-change science education: Regarding the big picture, in the case of generative-AI, the … Continue reading →

Climate science K-12 education can and should be improved. However, if this is to be accomplished without adding to teachers’ burdens, innovation is required. One natural place to look for such opportunities? Information technology (IT), and especially IT’s “whiz kid” … Continue reading →