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?

The Bad News That Netanyahu's Visit Overshadowed

One result of Bibi Netanyahu's speech to a joint session of Congress was the wave of bad news that coincided with the media rush to cover the Israeli prime minister's remarks. Here is a sampler of today's bad news rush:
*  Former CIA director and US Army general David Petraeus became one of America's most highly decorated felons. The man credited with the success of the Iraq troop surge thought it was perfectly fine to share highly classified information with his biographer-lover. A different style of pillow talk surely was in order.
*  Presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton used private e-mail to conduct State Department business. That's against the spirit of governmental transparency. It's true that former Secretaries of State have used private e-mail; it's also true that someone who intends to swear to uphold the laws of the land should take leadership to promote their spirit as well as their letter.
*  The Department of Justice alleged that Ferguson, Missouri police demonstrated systematic racism in its law enforcement practices. The greater bad news is that the Ferguson situation is far from unique and  remains a national embarrassment.
*  Major League Soccer players are threatening to strike, jeopardizing the league's season openers. Does anyone really care?
*  A recent New Jersey poll shows that Governor Chris Christie's job disapproval rating hit 51%. Mitt Romney is probably enjoying a good laugh at the Soprano State's chief executive's expense.
*  The "all-Republican" Alabama Supreme Court has halted same-sex marriages in the state, according to an Associated Press report reposted on foxnews.com. The right-wing is notably silent when it comes to the fairness and balance of its own judicial activism.
* Wisconsin governor and GOP presidential hopeful Scott Walker is in favor of banning abortions after 20 weeks. Walker can now add pregnant women to offending groups he would firmly handle, along with ISIS and public union employees.
*  The Miami Herald reports that Florida's computerized K-12 testing program, known as the Florida Standards Assessment, encountered substantial snags in its first day of operation. High tech's use of the American population as experimental animals for its products continues; its shameless, relentless use of children for profit is a disgrace.

Riverside Records co-owner Orrin Keepnews -- RIP

From the Riverside Records' list
(Image: designspiration.net)

Once upon a time, I collected jazz recordings. Among my more valued acquisitions were albums (yes, vinyl) with the Riverside Records imprint. The company had impeccable taste and a reputation for being one of the rare "good guys" in a business not noted for its saints. One of Riverside's co-owners was Orrin Keepnews, who passed away recently at age 91. The New York Times' obituary does an acceptable, though not insightful, job presenting a sketch of the record producer's life and impact. Keepnews' son Peter, a Times editor, did not write the obit, although it's hard to imagine he did not contribute to the piece.

What's notable about Keepnews and his Riverside business partner Bill Grauer was their willingness to pursue what they loved. They didn't have venture capital, their business plan mostly involved getting the next album produced, and they weren't insufferably infatuated with themselves. Keepnews knew the musicians and was able to win their trust more often than not. Riverside's accomplishments and the manner in which Keepnews and Grauer pursued them seem quaint today. However, Riverside Records' artistic merit stands the test of time; the label retains the respect of those who follow and care about jazz. That's a legacy Orrin Keepnews helped create and shape. He will be missed.