Smil uses historical information and data to show how modern civilization, far from being at the cusp of turning its back on fossil fuel dependence, is more likely to continue its current trajectory of using ever more in the years to come. And he explains that even if stepping away from fossil fuels was an uncontested objective, actually shifting society away from fossil fuels would be very complicated in the near term.
Now, where to start?
Veggies are great and all but do I have to start putting tofu on everything? Should I buy meat substitutes? Do I have to eat salad every day?
We were lucky. The week we chose was one of unseasonal warmth (20 degrees!) and dryness near Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.
We set out on daily hikes, easy ones from a guidebook called “Les Sentiers d’Emilie” that we found in our Airbnb. I was generally in charge of choosing the destination. I aimed for those of around 3-4 hours and enough of an elevation gain that we would feel challenged.
Circe is born into her father’s kingdom, one of the thousands of nymphs – her cousins. They are so numerous and similar that remembering any one as distinct from the others is impossible. Instead, it is what is done to them that is memorable. They are as objects to be acted upon. And so begins Circe’s life.
J.B. MacKinnon speculates about what would happen in the real world if everyone suddenly stopped their unsustainable shopping.
Since Covid lockdown and quarantines were just a few years ago and as it’s still easy to remember how quickly nature rebounds with wonderous birdsong, clear canal water, and incredible blue skies, MacKinnon’s speculations are easy to visualize
The Gardens of the Moon begins in the wartorn capital of a grasping empire just as a new and bloodthirsty Empress seizes power from her predecessor. The reader follows a young noble as he is attached to a squad of old-guard soldiers who have survived the coup and the Empress’ initial purges.
Memoirs of a Geisha is an orphan narrative and reserved romance based in Imperial Japan before World War II. It recounts the life of Chiyo, later Sayuri, as she grows from poor fisherman’s daughter to one of the most in-demand Geishas of Gion.
Distraction is nearly inevitable in the current that brings all mots of thought near. And though we’re all caught in the sweep, we all fight our own struggles.
We’re a tribe unified by time and hazard but distanced by the flow. A unified school of circumstance.
Depending on your income, a phone can represent a significant personal expense; that’s how I’ve always seen it. So while I hold out as long as possible before making a purchase, I also look forward to my next chance for a better phone.
Besides, the longer you wait, the better the technology will become. Thus, the greater relative upgrade your new phone will represent.