Bison To Return to Illinois Prairie

Midewin Natural Tallgrass Prairie
(Image: Arthur Pearson, posted in humansandnature.org)

For the past few years, I've visited clients based in south-central Illinois. The land in that area is mainly dedicated to growing corn and soybeans. It wasn't always that way. Prior to European settlement, Illinois' natural habitat was mostly prairie grass. Some acreage near Chicago has been returned to its former state, and I always enjoy seeing it as I drive toward my rural destination. The only things missing are the bison, which thrive on certain prairie grasses, and the Native American inhabitants.

Admirably, the Land of Lincoln is increasing bison herds in its prairie lands. A piece in today's Chicago Tribune notes the experimental introduction of a small herd of bison to grasslands that once housed ammunition bunkers. The site--the Midewin Natural Tallgrass Prairie--sits about a two hour drive from Chicago's Loop.

Ever since hunters nearly slaughtered bison to extinction, the United States has struggled with ways to preserve these creatures. The fitful effort has managed to prevent the loss of the species. Now Americans can begin to view bison in something resembling their ancestral world, and develop a renewed appreciation of its grandeur and beauty. Surely that's worth a couple of hours drive from the city that once housed the nation's largest stockyards.

FDA Clears Genetically Modified Apple and Potato

Image: globalchange.umich.edu

According to a report in today's New York Times, the Food and Drug Administration has declared a genetically modified apple and a tinkered potato as "safe and nutritious" as their natural counterparts.

The F.D.A.'s review was not driven by regulation or statute. The Times story, however, noted that anti-GMO groups have chided the Feds' approach as far too reliant on the data the corporate firms provide.

In the apple and potato cases, the F.D.A. suggested voluntary labeling which, alas, did not require identification of the items as genetically modified. Well, it does not appear the creators of the GMO apple and spud intend to broadcast their "accomplishment." The Times noted the potato company's spokesperson said his firm "would sell seed to growers, so it would not be responsible for how the potatoes or products containing those potatoes (my italics) would be labeled."

Report: One In Ten Euro Bees Faces Extinction

Bee Pendant from Ancient Crete

With the spring equinox nearly upon us, thoughts easily turn to flowers and their natural partners, the bee. While alert Americans understand the survival crisis bees face in the US, what's less well known is the extent of the collapse of bee colonies in Europe.

Today's online version of the BBC reported that some experts believe one in ten native European bees face extinction. This grim finding, from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), suggests a brewing ecological crisis may severely impact the Old World's plant, animal, and human life. The BBC story, similar to American reporting, puts agricultural and economic losses front and center. Those are undeniably significant issues. However, a far greater disaster looms with the disappearance of these vital species. Bees have appeared over the centuries as mythological characters, valued food producers, and vital pollinators. Their impact on human psychology and spirit is far more significant than the creation of a parade of algorithms-of-the-week. The extinction of bee species subtracts something wonderful from our souls, a spirit that once lost cannot be replaced.

What can be done to reverse the decline in bee colonies? While no reputable source has a comprehensive, satisfying answer, it's fair to say that reduced pesticide use would be a good start.

Silicon Valley's "All-Male" Boards of Directors Remain High Tech's Black Eye

Airbnb founders Nathan Blecharczyk (left)
CEO Brian Chesky (center) and Joe Gebbie (right).
(Image: skift.com and nbcnews.com)

The Ellen Pao gender discrimination lawsuit against Silicon Valley VC heavyweight Kleiner Perkins suggested the "boys club" remains alive and very well in High Tech's leading firms. The issue of frat house mores and overt sexism just won't go away in "America's best hope for its future." Interestingly, Fortune recently named names in the all-male-all-the-time world of Silicon Valley's corporate boards. Reporter Michelle Quinn noted the story in her siliconvalley.com column today.

The firms are a subset of privately held enterprises called "unicorns." These creatures are not only elusive, but individually command a market value over one billion dollars. Among the unicorns with all-male boards are Uber, Airbnb, and ironically, Pinterest. Why should one feel surprised by these findings? Frankly, many Silicon Valley firms act with a deep sense of entitlement. These so-called disruptors feel rules are for others to follow, and for themselves to selectively consider. One wonders how this group would manage in a world of female "unicorns." Think Ellen Pao might offer an answer?

Blues Musician Michael Greene -- RIP

Settlin' Up The Score
Michael Greene & Bob Guida

A friend recently made a Facebook post that blues musician Mike Greene passed away. I never met Greene, nor did I see him perform. I only know his recorded musical collaboration with Bob Guida, which I enjoy very much and play with some frequency.

The notice includes some teaser anecdotes about Greene's life, including playing hooky with his brother at Jack Ruby's Dallas nightclub. A bit more chillingly, the post also states Greene was at Parkland Hospital the afternoon of JFK's assassination. I can't corroborate either story. What matters more is Greene's music, which remains with us in all its energy and spirit.

Is the New York Police Department Editing Controversial Wikipedia Pages?

A story originally appearing in Captial New York and reposted in theverge.com explores the possibility that Wikipedia pages about Eric Garner and Amadou Diallo were "edited" by computers based in the NYPD's headquarters.

One can only hope the allegations are unfounded. The notion of a local police force manipulating open sources of information is profoundly troubling for most people. Well, Rudy Giuliani might be an exception.

Kentucky Lt. Gov. Candidate Alleges Arrest For Overdue Library Book

In case you wanted relief from the Hillary e-mail flap, Kentucky's gubenatorial primary races offer a suitable elixir. This time around, the Democratic Party is providing the entertainment. Geoff Young, characterized by Fox News as a "long-shot" candidate to win his party's nomination, has as his running mate a man with one guilty plea for "menacing." This fine citizen, Johnathan Masters, also has a couple of upcoming court cases on separate charges. Believe it or not, that background is the comic side of this candidacy.

Graph: insiderlouisville.com

Recently, as the Fox News story reported, the man who would be lieutenant governor was arrested again. The charge? Allegedly, Mr. Masters did not return a library book. The offending item has apparently been overdue for eleven years.

Hmmm...let's see...if the library fine for an overdue item is five cents per day...Mr. Masters would owe slightly less than two hundred dollars. It's not clear whether the candidate for Kentucky's second-highest statewide elected office would be released on his own recognizance, or would have to post bail. However, it's fair to say his ability to sway judge or jury is a long shot.

Kentucky's lieutenant governor follies are not restricted to Masters or Democrats. For instance, Republican Ritchie Farmer lost his bid for re-election as Lt. Gov. in a 2011 election. In early January, 2012, Farmer (a former state agriculture commissioner--you can't make this stuff up) filed for state unemployment insurance. To no one's surprise but Farmer's, his application was denied.

Later, he was later tried, and sentenced to two years in the pokey for "abusing his power" during his tenure at the state's Ag Department.

Selfie Sticks KOd in Art Museums and Versailles

Today Show "talent" taking a "selfie."
Ironically, Today's studio is alongside the Rockefeller Plaza promenade.
(Image: today.com)

During the year-end holidays, my wife and I walked around Rockefeller Plaza's promenade. What we remembered most from our stroll was a mass of selfie sticks protruding like periscopes on moderately turbulent seas. At the time, I called them "selfie sticks," without realizing the term already existed. My wife performed a quick online search and discovered the truth. That was fine with me, as I wasn't keen on claiming credit for coining the phrase.

The "selfie stick" phenomenon has not been a hit with art museums. According to an Associated Press story appearing in siliconvalley.com, a number of high-profile venues have banned the all-about-me device. Among them are New York's Museum of Modern Art and Metropolitan Museum of Art, and DC's Smithsonian. New entries among the verboten are the Palace of Versailles, where a selfie in the Hall of Mirrors would produce an image both vulgar and visually perplexing.

The "selfie stick" is merely one aspect of the "selfie shtick" phenomenon. In that context,  Kim Kardashian's book of "selfies" seems fitting, in that someone believed an audience existed for this expression of KK's endless vanity. However, online photo collections of one's "selfies" aren't different from Mrs. Kanye West's enterprise. The difference? Kim Kardashian has simply made money on the product known as "Kim Kardashian."

Mark Cuban: Most Angel, Crowd Fund Tech Investors Are Underwater

Mark Cuban
(Image: biography.com)

Mark Cuban posted today in his blogmaverick.com site about the storm clouds gathering around technology investing. If you were to ask the woman or man on the street, most would say tech investments are where the money is made. Alas, the faith in tech, both for its financial potential and its "inevitable" progress, often eludes calm, thoughtful analysis. In his post, Cuban noted there are approximately a quarter-million "angel" investors involved with tech firms. Some of them are mom-and-pop investors whose common denominator is a desire to get rich quick. Cuban foresees the opposite result: plenty of losers wondering how they were so gullible to tech's siren song. When the rush to the tech exits hits, the lack of liquidity in small-time tech investing opportunities will crush both small-time players and a number of private equity firms.

Cuban's broadside is a strong hint that the "hot" tech market is either at or just past its peak. It is unlikely that the drumbeaters with motivation to sell to suckers would raise an alarm. Cynical institutions will take the money and shrug, as the world witnessed during the first tech bubble.

The sudden decline of tech and other popular stocks, along with smart money's sayonara from that market, could potentially signal the start of a bleak psychological cycle for the country. The withdrawals from the heroin known as "get rich quick" are certain to be painful. The impact of a stock market "shock" on the upcoming presidential elections would be significant. This scenario, in which a cocktail of resentment and despair would shape political campaigns, is traditionally one where candidates tapping into discontent become the voters' darlings. Does that sound like a formula for a Clinton victory?