Author Archives: JohnMatel

The Volunteer

Posted on July 14, 2019 by JohnMatel

The Volunteer   The incredible true story of a Polish resistance fighter’s infiltration of Auschwitz to sabotage the camp from within, and his daring escape to warn the Allies about the Nazis’ true plans for a “Final Solution.” To uncover the … Continue reading →

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Louis Brandeis

Posted on July 12, 2019 by JohnMatel

audible.com Louis D. Brandeis Check out this great listen on Audible.com. The first full-scale biography in 25 years of one of the most important and distinguished justices to sit on the Supreme Court – an audiobook that reveals Louis D. … Continue reading →

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Mayor Pete (again)

Posted on July 11, 2019 by JohnMatel

Mayor Pete Went to Denizens in Riverdale Park, MD to see Pete Buttigieg. This was a bigger crowd event than the one I attended in Washington a couple weeks ago. I did not get to talk to him as I … Continue reading →

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Pine beetles

Posted on July 10, 2019 by JohnMatel

Turpentine beetles A few problems in the forest. Looks like we have some turpentine beetles. As far as I can tell, only two trees are affected, but no reason to not to react quickly. I called Adam Smith from Virginia … Continue reading →

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Creating good ripples

Posted on July 7, 2019 by JohnMatel

Have you ever engaged in an act of spontaneous generosity? My Story Worth question for this week. We had just harvested timber, so I had the cash. And even though timber harvests are expected and planned parts of our forest … Continue reading →

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El Norte

Posted on July 5, 2019 by JohnMatel

The author started off telling us that we overlook the big impact of the Spanish in America, which is true. She then elides to “the Americas,” implying that the Americas were Spanish. As an old Brazil lover, I think more … Continue reading →

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America

Posted on July 5, 2019 by JohnMatel

It is the idea of dynamism and change that is hard to understand. America is dynamic. We can become “more perfect” but nothing on earth is perfect. American genius was that our founders recognized that perfection was a process and … Continue reading →

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From Bacteria to Bach

Posted on July 1, 2019 by JohnMatel

I feel mildly uncomfortable about emergence. I like to think there are reasons why things happen. Daniel Dennett does not come to the rescue when he explains that there are always reasons FOR somethings but that we should not confuse … Continue reading →

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Holistic Mangement

Posted on June 30, 2019 by JohnMatel

Need to manage complexity in a holistic way. Need to change how we practice agriculture to restore soil and sequester more carbon in them. Create policies holistically and revolution in institutions. Addressing complexity is hard. Need to recognize difference between … Continue reading →

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California water

Posted on June 29, 2019 by JohnMatel

A lot of detail and some good history, but I didn’t like it. The tone bothered me. The story is told as a narrative of loss. In that it is like many such books and that is certainly a perspective … Continue reading →

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