Author Archives: William Hooke

“There go my people. I must follow them, for I am their leader[1]” – Alexandre Auguste Ledru-Rollin Populism – a political approach that strives to appeal to ordinary people who feel that their concerns are disregarded by established elite groups–is in the … Continue reading →

(Yesterday’s LOTRW post introduced the subject of transition documents. Today’s post continues that train of thought.) Yes, a superbloom is a thing. Of course it is! This is the 21st century, and we like to supersize everything, from our hamburgers … Continue reading →

We all know that Washington DC is the nation’s capital. Unsurprisingly, it’s also the capital city for non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), or civil society. Over 3000 non-profit associations are headquartered here; many other national associations operate DC offices. Close to one … Continue reading →

Critical thinking: the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment. Google the expression critical thinking, and this definition pops up. Of course it’s accompanied by a rich set of other entries on the subject. … Continue reading →

“Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” – Robert Frost An earlier LOTRW post called attention to an updated set of strategic goals and core values the American Meteorological Society … Continue reading →

This morning’s print edition of the Washington Post ran an op-ed authored by some former NOAA leaders who know their stuff – Jane Lubchenco, D. James Baker, and Kathryn D. Sullivan. The three joined forces to inveigh against political interference … Continue reading →

“Art imitates life.” – Aristotle “Life imitates art.” – Oscar Wilde, in his 1889 essay The Decay of Lying. Perhaps you’re already acquainted with both mimesis and its opposite, anti-mimesis. If not, maybe you will find this interesting. From Wikipedia: … Continue reading →

Huge areal extent. High winds at the core (at times, category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale). Slow-moving, featuring long dwell time over endangered areas. Strong, prolonged storm surge.   Observations, numerical weather prediction and subsequent dissemination equipped the world to … Continue reading →

Came into the office this morning after the three-day holiday weekend to find the latest print edition of Science magazine waiting in the snail-mail Inbox. Science, like most technical journals, runs a bit behind, so this one is dated 23 … Continue reading →

Across the world, societies and their governments are straining to provide essential food, water and energy resources. They’re working at the margins of capacity. These efforts are hindered by hazards ranging from drought and wildfire to hurricanes. They’re compromised as … Continue reading →