Friday, July 10, 2026

Light

It's fascinating to learn about nature because much of it differs from common understanding. For example, what is light? How much light do we see? Are there things we don't see?

These questions are important. Light is electromagnetic radiation that appears on a wide spectrum. There are many regions of light, from radio waves to gamma waves, but what humans see is only a tiny sliver in the middle of the spectrum. If you imagine that spectrum the length of the Brooklyn Bridge, what humans see is only two feet wide. The rest of the spectrum is "invisible" to us.

This is why "black holes", which science recently discovered, are "invisible" -- they project only X-ray light humans can't see. If you look through the world's most powerful telescope, you can't see a black hole. We found them through their effect on other celestial bodies. Using math, we confirmed their existence by noting their gravitational force on other stars. No human can "see" a black hole which is why scientists debated for decades whether they really exist.

Here on Earth there are many animals that see light that's invisible to us. Birds and insects, for instance, see UV light that enables them to find food. Snakes see infrared light which lets them see warm-blooded prey in pitch-black night.

Humans see by having light cells in our eyes that detect color (cones) and intensity (rods). While we have only three types of cones, many animals have four, enabling them to see UV light. They find this handy for locating things to eat. Dogs have only two cones so they can't see colors red and green. Cats too have fewer cones but more rods so they see greater detail in low-light, making them good hunters.

The greatest human fallacy is to believe that if we don't see something, it doesn't exist. That was disproven by the recent discovery of black holes. It's also disproven by animals who possess sensory capabilities we lack; they perceive the world differently and see things we can't. Nature is amazing whether we know it or not.

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Fine Art

Melissa Maiello is an artist to admire. Her work is extraordinary. Not only does Melissa have technical talent in several art media, she has unique artistic vision. Her art focuses on nature and conveys that subject's sublime beauty and tantalizing mystery. 

Artists "see" differently from the rest of us. They literally perceive more reality.  In the words of Aldous Huxley, "the doors of [their] perception" are open wider than ours. Melissa's art invites us to join her in a realm more vibrant than our own. Exploring that space can be a transcendent experience.

When I heard Melissa's art is on display this month at a festival in Babylon I jumped into the Batmobile and went there. The festival is outdoors, always a nice place to enjoy art and especially appropriate for Melissa's work. There are pieces by twenty artists in the show. 

The festival is open until Aug. 9th. Go! Look! Expand your horizons!


Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Blogging

Those of us who've blogged for a while (I started in 2010) know that blogging became popular 10-15 years ago and... then slowly fizzled out. When personal videos became possible and easy (on mobile devices) the masses gravitated toward them and away from static word-and-picture blogs. It was inevitable since most people can't write and don't like to read. Watching videos on TikTok and Instagram is their first choice.

I'm sad about this for a few reasons. First, I love to write so expressing myself here has always been a delight. Second, I like to connect with others so reading blogs, pondering the writer's experiences and being able to comment is always fun. And third, I find most video content to be shallow whereas blog posts are usually deep and more meaningful. Plus, on blogs we can show off our fancy vocabulary. :)

It was sad to see my favorite blogs -- which at one point numbered over 60 -- disappear. Of those, only a small handful exist today. Most evaporated without warning, like water on the patio during Summer.

I plan to remain here forever and will continue to support like-minded souls doing the same work. If you're reading this and have a blog, link it in the comments so I can join your community.

Recently I posted about a fabulous new book ("The Secret of Secrets," by Dan Brown [2025]). The novel has passages which give me hope about a future return to blogging. Here they are:

"Online, I am a bodiless consciousness…". (p. 656)

"It’s an unusual idea, but I’ve come to believe that our current technological explosion is actually part of a spiritual evolution… a kind of training ground for the existence that, in the end, is our ultimate destiny… a consciousness, untethered from the physical world, and yet connected to all things.” (p. 656)

The idea of consciousness outside human bodies is growing in popularity as it explains many odd phenomena (like the paranormal, mystical and metaphysical). Science and philosophy are examining consciousness with fresh originality. Noetics are pushing back against materialism and opening doors to new concepts and thought. Blogs may be training wheels for something much, much bigger.

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Lucky Coins

As a child, I collected coins. I have dozens of silver dollars minted in the 1800s. 

It fascinates me that these objects -- which you can hold in your hand -- existed before computers (1980s), before television (1950s), before cars (1920s) and even before electricity (1880s). They were made when people traveled in horse-carriages and lit gas lamps at night. Coins from then survived until today.

These coins have seen some shit. The entirety of our modern life passed before their eyes.

When I'm out in public, I always carry one of the coins in my pocket. For luck. If you meet me in person, ask and I'll give you the coin. Spreading luck brings good fortune.

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

"The Secret of Secrets"


Dan Brown is one of the most successful novelists of our age. His fourth book, "The Da Vinci Code" (2003), sold over 81 million copies. Three of his novels have been turned into popular movies.

Last September Brown published a new bestseller, "The Secret of Secrets" (2025). Happily the book centers on a subject that fascinates me: human consciousness. I'm halfway through the novel and loving it.

While many readers will enjoy the book's thrilling vulpine plot, what interests me are Brown's non-fictional descriptions of philosophy (e.g., materialism v. noetic experience), spirituality, mythology and ancient history. These asides are accurate and entralling.

If you want to read something fun this Summer, try this book. You can borrow it for free from the public library or get it delivered from Amazon. I'd enjoy hearing your thoughts on its content.

Sunday, June 21, 2026

Waves

A wave never separates from the sea. It seems distinct when viewed and labeled but, remove the label and what is a wave? Water. Always simply water. The same water that flows in the ocean. Only its form has changed. 

We are waves. Not separate from the universe. Not strangers to the world. We are existence itself in beautiful form, here for fleeting moments before returning to the sea.



Thursday, June 18, 2026

The Journey

Eight years ago, when I was sprightly and young (59), I roamed the world with enthusiasm.

Those days aren't over. Watch me continue this journey in slightly altered ways. The show hasn't ended.