Columnists

Is Mother Nature Taking Her Last Bow?

Have you noticed that our neighborhood bushes and flower gardens are all growing like gangbusters? From sidewalk groundcover, to backyard gardens, we're seeing more leaves, brighter flowers, taller plants, quicker growth. The backyard milkweed plants that were shoulder-high last year are now close to topping six feet.

It shouldn't come as a surprise—especially since the increase in plant growth is part of something called "The Greenhouse Effect." Plants grown inside a greenhouse thrive because of the added warmth.

It's happening all over the world, wherever plants are growing. Climatologists have been tracking the phenomenon for years. In 2002, NASA noted plant growth serves a stabilizing response as new plant growth cools the atmosphere by stimulating rainfall and capturing carbon from polluted skies. In 2007, the journal of the American Meteorological Association noted our warming atmosphere "can extend the growing season." A 2020 Boston University study confirmed that the unprecedented "boom of vegetation"—prompted by CO2-hungry bushes, plants, trees and flowers—is "slowing global warming. -more-

Having reviewed a recent column submission, one that may not find its way into publication, it seemed to be the work of a brainwashed, "good" mental health consumer. It was not the work of the normal, anti-establishment persona that I normally might project. Some young Berkeleyans might feel that the Berkeley norm of anti-establishmentarianism isn't anti enough. I don't know; I live in Martinez and have not gone to Berkeley in a long time because of my agoraphobia. When I do go to Berkeley, I'm not trying to talk to college students or others, except maybe to order an iced coffee from a cafe that is or was on College Avenue. Me and my wife would go there, and she would visit the pet store across the street from there. The parking necessitated carrying a lot of quarters, and I don't know if the meters have switched since then to accepting debit cards.

But it seemed when I went there as though I was perceived as an unclean Martinez resident, and not looking very high I.Q. at all. I'm wide in the shoulders, big in the gut, and my appearance doesn't draw unwanted attention in Martinez. -more-

In 2010, my wife and I visited New Orleans about five years after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We had a guided tour of the devastation caused by these hurricanes. Now Hurricane Ida has devastated the City again with similar destruction.. -more-

On August 30th, The United States military left Afghanistan. This departure ended the longest war in our history, the 20-year US presence in Afghanistan. Our military command announced: "Over an 18-day period... U.S. and coalition aircraft combined to evacuate more than 123,000 civilians." There are ten takeaways from this experience.

1. The US presence in Afghanistan began with national unity and ended with divisiveness. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States was traumatized. Congress wanted to do something and therefore passed the "Joint Resolution to authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against those responsible for the recent attacks launched against the United States" -- an authorization that led to the US military operation in Afghanistan. On September 14, 2001, when Congress considered the joint authorization of military force, only Representative Barbara Lee opposed it.

20 years later, the United States is divided. The latest Pew Research polling (https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/08/31/majority-of-u-s-public-favors-afghanistan-troop-withdrawal-biden-criticized-for-his-handling-of-situation/) indicates that the majority of Americans (54 percent) support the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, but 42 percent oppose this, and 4 percent are not sure. (Not surprisingly, attitudes about Afghanistan are split along Party lines.) 42 percent of respondents feel that Joe Biden has done a poor job "handling the situation in Afghanistan." -more-