Category: Writing

Knowledge

The following is an excellent message.

The Conversation yet again have published an excellent post. It is about becoming a more informed person.

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Most people don’t know what they don’t know, but think they do – correcting your metaknowledge can make you a better teacher and learner

The ability to say ‘I know that I know nothing’ could be considered a sign of wisdom. Nicolas-André Monsiau/Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts via Wikimedia Commons

Tommy Blanchard, Tufts University

Do you know what the Apple logo looks like?

Chances are, you think you do. It’s ubiquitous and iconic. How could you not know it?

But when tested, it turns out very few people can remember all the features of the logo. One study of 85 people found that only about half could pick the correct logo out of a lineup of similar ones. And only one person could correctly draw it.

This isn’t an isolated example. A classic study from 1979 found that people similarly couldn’t draw a penny accurately or pick out a correctly drawn penny from incorrect ones.

People aren’t just bad at remembering things they see all the time, but also in actually knowing how they work. In a 2006 study, many people made significant errors when drawing a bicycle, like putting the chain around the front wheel as well as the back wheel. More than just a forgotten detail, putting the chain around both wheels shows a deeper misunderstanding of how a bicycle works. A bicycle with a chain around both wheels wouldn’t be able to turn.

Illustration of bike with different components labeled
Do you truly know how a bicycle works? Al2/Grandiose via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

It turns out people’s knowledge of how the world works is often fragmented and sketchy at best. They systematically overestimate their understanding of everyday devices and natural phenomena. People will tend to give themselves high ratings on how well they understand something, such as how bicycles or zippers work. But when they’re asked to actually explain the mechanics of these objects, their ratings of their understanding typically drop.

Just like how your knowledge of the world around you is imperfect, your knowledge about your own knowledge – also called metaknowledge – is often flawed. My field of cognitive science has been uncovering various gaps in human metaknowledge for decades.

If people are systematically overconfident about how well they understand things, why don’t they notice when they don’t understand something? And what can people do to better recognize the limits of their own knowledge?

Why you think you know more than you do

Researchers have identified several factors behind people’s overconfidence in their knowledge.

One is that people confuse environmental support with understanding: The information is out in the world but not actually in your head. With a bicycle or a zipper, all of the parts are visible to you, and you may confuse this transparency for an internal understanding of how they work. But until you go to use that knowledge by attempting to explain how they work, you may not recognize that you don’t understand how those parts interact.

A second factor is confusing different levels of analysis. People can often describe how something works at a very high level. You know that the engine of a car makes the car go, and the brakes slow and stop the vehicle. But confidence in your high-level understanding of the car may bias you to think you also have a good grasp of the finer details, like how the engine pistons and brake pads work.

Additionally, people can be blind to the ways their knowledge shapes their own perception. In one study, researchers had participants tap out the tune to a popular song. On average, the tappers thought listeners would be able to identify the song about 50% of the time. But when listeners had to identify the tapped song, they actually could identify it only 2.5% of the time. The tappers didn’t realize how much their knowledge was making identifying the song seem easy to them.

A teacher talks to a student before a chalkboard wall filled with equations, chemical structures and graphs
Intellectual humility can help you see your expert blind spot. Vitaly Gariev/Unsplash, CC BY-SA

This disconnect has consequences beyond whether someone else can understand your Morse code version of a song. When teaching people, whether in formal classroom settings or through casual mentorship, you can sometimes have an expert blind spot: the inability to recognize the difficulties beginners face when learning something you have expertise in.

Building expertise often involves internalizing knowledge to the point where it becomes invisible to you. You draw on knowledge you don’t realize you have, making it hard to relate to learners who lack this knowledge – and, of course, hard for learners to relate to your teaching. You might have experienced this when you’ve gotten partway through explaining something, only to realize you’ve been using jargon you forgot isn’t common knowledge and lost your listener.

How to address metaknowledge failures

Your metaknowledge can fail in two directions: You can think you know more than you do, and you can be blind to how much you’re relying on knowledge you do have. Each calls for a different response to correct it.

When you’re overconfident in your knowledge, the remedy is using that knowledge. You’ll quickly realize how much you actually understand and dial down your confidence. Challenging yourself to actually try to walk through how something works is a great exercise in intellectual humility – that is, recognizing that you may be wrong – and can keep you from getting out over your skis.

Building a greater appreciation for what you know is more difficult. You can’t simply unlearn what you’ve internalized. But what this challenge shows is that, to some extent, knowing a subject and knowing how to teach it are two separate skills. Some experts are great teachers, but not simply by virtue of being experts. Recognizing that you have to approach teaching with humility, and that your expertise doesn’t automatically make you a skilled teacher, can go a long way toward making you a better teacher and mentor.

These aren’t easy and quick fixes to failures of metaknowledge. Both require ongoing intellectual humility and a willingness to distrust your own confidence. But acknowledging the fallibility of your own metaknowledge is a good place to start.

Tommy Blanchard, Research Associate in Cognitive Science, Tufts University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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This article is of particular interest for me. Because a few years ago, I had a biking accident at the local Merlin (OR) rail crossing. I banged my head badly and was unconscious for about eight minutes. Later on the surgeon who operated on my head said that I was lucky to be alive but that from here on my memory would be poor.

I work very hard to try and remember the items that I want to. And without my pocket book to write things down, I would be so much more forgetful.

Starting your own business

And even better if it involves dogs.

Another wonderful article from Penny Martin.

Years ago I started my own business back in England. It was wonderful. It was very different to what I expected. It was exciting, and tiring. In the main, I worked seven days a week!

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How to Start a Successful Pet Treat Bakery Inspired by Your Dog

For beginner dog owners who feel calmer, more connected, and more themselves around their pups, the idea of launching a pet bakery can feel both exciting and out of reach. The tension is real: canine-inspired business ideas spark hope, but uncertainty about what’s “safe,” what’s realistic, and what dogs truly need can stop dog owner entrepreneurship before it starts. A pet treat bakery business can be more than a hobby when it’s built with care, clarity, and respect for the animals it serves. With the right mindset, launching a pet bakery becomes a grounded next step.

Quick Summary: Starting a Pet Treat Bakery

  • Start by researching the pet treat market to confirm demand and spot clear customer needs.
  • Start by building a simple business plan that maps products, pricing, and day to day operations.
  • Start by focusing on essential launch strategies that keep your bakery realistic and manageable.
  • Start by choosing funding options that fit your budget and help you grow steadily.

Build the Business Backbone: Budgeting, Leadership, and Management

Going back to school for a business degree can help you sharpen the fundamentals behind budgeting, leading, and managing day-to-day decisions, so your big-hearted dog treat dream has a sturdy backbone. A business degree can also teach practical skills in accounting, business, communications, or management that translate directly into running any small operation. And because online degree programs are designed for flexibility, it’s often easier to keep working full-time while staying on top of your studies. When you’re ready to explore options, learn more about accredited online business bachelor’s programs.

With that groundwork in place, you’ll be ready to walk through the step-by-step process of opening your pet treat bakery.

From Recipe Idea to First Pet Treat Sale

With that groundwork in place, here’s your path to action.

This process helps you turn your dog-inspired treat idea into a real, legal, sellable product. It matters because dogs model integrity so well: they are consistent, they listen for feedback, and they earn trust one small choice at a time, which is exactly how a good bakery is built.

  1. Step 1: Develop one “signature” recipe and test it
    Start with a simple base recipe using dog-safe ingredients, then make small, trackable changes one variable at a time (texture, size, bake time). Share samples with a few trusted dog-owner friends and ask for honest notes about smell, crumbiness, and how dogs react. Keep a mini “treat journal” so your results are repeatable, like your dog’s steady routines.
  2. Step 2: Choose your selling setup and confirm licensing
    Decide where you will produce treats (home kitchen, shared commercial kitchen, or a rented space) because that choice affects permits, inspections, and packaging rules. Write down your product list and how you plan to sell (online, markets, local shops), then call your city or county office to ask what you must file before you accept money. Build integrity early by doing this before you print labels or buy bulk supplies.
  3. Step 3: Source suppliers and price your treats clearly
    List your must-have ingredients and packaging, then get quotes from at least two vendors for each so you can compare quality, minimums, and delivery times. Set a price that covers ingredients, packaging, test batches, and your time, not just the flour and peanut butter. 
  4. Step 4: Build a brand that reflects your values
    Pick a bakery name, a short promise (for example, “simple ingredients, honest sourcing”), and 2 to 3 product names that are easy to remember. Create labels that match what you actually do, not what sounds impressive, and write a short origin story about what your dog taught you about consistency and care. Trust grows when your branding and your behavior line up.
  5. Step 5: Market, take pre-orders, and make your first sale
    Start small with a weekly batch schedule, a simple order form, and a clear pickup or shipping plan. Post behind-the-scenes photos of testing days, ingredient prep, and your dog “quality control,” and invite early customers to review honestly. 

Small, consistent steps earn loyal customers, just like your dog earns trust every day.

Pet Treat Bakery Questions Dog Owners Ask Most

Q: What rules do I need to follow before selling dog treats?
A: Start by calling your local business licensing office and your state agriculture or feed control agency to ask how pet treats are classified where you live. Requirements often include a business license, approved production space, labeling rules, and possible registration. Keep a simple compliance checklist and treat it like your dog’s “house rules”: clear, consistent, and non-negotiable.

Q: How do I keep my treats food-safe if I’m baking in small batches?
A: Write down a basic safety plan: clean and sanitize surfaces, separate allergens, date every batch, and store ingredients in sealed containers. Use a batch log so you can trace what went into each run if a customer has a concern. When in doubt, simplify ingredients and processes until you can do them the same way every time.

Q: Can I say my treats help with anxiety, allergies, or joint health?
A: Be careful with health claims because they can trigger stricter oversight and customer distrust. Stick to truthful, verifiable statements like ingredients, sourcing, and texture benefits, and encourage pet parents to consult their veterinarian for medical needs. Integrity in marketing protects both dogs and your business.

Q: How do I find my first customers without feeling salesy?
A: Lead with service: offer a small sampler box to a few dog-owning communities and ask for specific feedback and referrals. Share your story, your standards, and your consistency, because trust sells better than hype. 

Q: What’s the biggest risk that makes new pet treat bakeries stall out?
A: One common trap is making a “great” product that nobody buys. Reduce that risk by taking pre-orders, validating pricing early, and tracking repeat purchases instead of likes. Let your dog’s honesty guide you: listen to real behavior, not wishful thinking.

Keep it simple, stay truthful, and let trust grow one good batch at a time.

Turning Dog-Led Treat Ideas Into a Trustworthy Bakery Brand

Starting a pet treat bakery can feel like a tug-of-war between big dreams and the real-world rules that keep pets safe and customers confident. The path that holds up is entrepreneurial motivation guided by integrity in business, making careful choices, staying consistent, and letting care lead every decision. When that mindset becomes the foundation, long-term business success looks less like luck and more like steady trust, repeat orders, and word-of-mouth that grows through community engagement.

Build trust first, and the bakery grows from there. You can take one next step today by starting a simple conversation, ask a local pet group what they look for in treats and listen closely. That kind of care creates resilience, connection, and a healthier, steadier business life for inspiring pet bakery founders.

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Thank you, Penny, for another great article. As an ex-salesman of office software, running my own business, I can vouch for trust in yourself, your company, and, especially, keeping the customer happy, being the most important qualities.

As the say goes: “The customer is always right.”

Geo. Monbiot’s Grim Message

Action regarding the climate crisis.

The following essay from George Monbiot is a difficult read but it is also a necessary read.

With the news that the polar ice caps are retreating, just read yesterday: “Polar ice caps and sheets are shrinking at alarming rates due to global warming, with Arctic sea ice decreasing by over 12% per decade and polar ice sheets losing 7,560 billion tonnes of ice between 1992 and 2020. Greenland and Antarctica are losing hundreds of billions of tons of ice annually, significantly contributing to rising sea levels. [1, 2, 3, 4]”

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Alternating Current

Posted on 29th April, 2026

If this crucial circulation system shuts down, the civilisational impacts will be irreversible. So why isn’t it a top priority?

By George Monbiot, published in the Guardian 23rd April 2026

The poor and middle pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the very rich pay lawyers – and the ultra-rich pay politicians. It’s not an original remark, but it bears repeating until everyone has heard it. The more money billionaires accumulate, the greater their control of the political system – which means they pay less tax, which means they accumulate more, which means their control intensifies.

They reshape the world to suit their demands. One of the symptoms of the pathology known as “billionaire brain” is an inability to see beyond their own short-term gain. They would sack the planet for a few more stones on the pointless mountain of wealth. And we can see it happening. Last week delivered the biggest news of the year so far, perhaps the biggest news of the century. But partly because billionaires own most of the media, most people never heard it. We might find ourselves committed to a civilisation-ending event before we even learn that such a thing is possible.

The news is that the state of a crucial oceanic circulation system has been reassessed by scientists. Some now believe that, as a result of climate breakdown changing the temperature and salinity of seawater, it is more likely than not to collapse. This system – known as the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (Amoc) – delivers heat from the tropics to the North Atlantic. Recent research suggests that if it shuts down, it could cause both a massive drop in average winter temperatures in northern Europe and drastic changes in the Amazon’s water cycles. This could help tip the rainforest into cascading collapse and trigger further disaster.

Amoc’s shutdown is likely also to cause an acceleration of sea level rise on the east coast of the US, threatening cities. It could also raise Antarctic temperatures by roughly 6C and release a vast pulse of carbon currently stored in the Southern Ocean, accelerating climate catastrophe.

Even when the countervailing effects of generalised global heating are taken into account, a further paper proposes, the net impact in northern Europe would be periods of extreme cold – including events in which temperatures in London fall to -19C, in Edinburgh to -30C and in Oslo to -48C. Sea ice in February would extend as far as Lincolnshire. Our climate would change drastically, with the likelihood of far greater extremes, such as massive winter storms. Rain-fed arable agriculture would become impossible almost everywhere in the UK.

This shift, on any realistic human scale, would be irreversible. Its speed is likely to outrun our ability to adapt. Amoc shutdowns, driven by natural climate variability, have happenedbefore. But not in the era of large-scale human civilisation.

The first paper proposing that Amoc might have an on-state and an off-state was published in 1961. Since then, many studies have confirmed the finding and explored potential triggers and likely implications. Until recently, Amoc collapse caused by human activity fell into the category of a “high impact, low probability” event, devastating if it happens, but unlikely to occur.

Research over the past few years prompted a reassessment: it began to look more like a “high impact, high probability” event. Now, in response to last week’s paper, Prof Stefan Rahmstorf – perhaps the world’s leading authority on the subject – says the chances of a shutdown look like “more than 50%”. We could pass the tipping point, he says, “in the middle of this century”.

So why is this not all over the news? Why is it not the top priority for the governments that claim to protect us from harm? Well, in large part because oligarchic power has championed a model of climate impact that bears little relation to reality: that is, they have a hypothesis about how the world works that is completely detached from scientific findings. This model underpins official responses to the climate crisis.

It began with the work of the economist William Nordhaus, who sought to assess the economic effects of global heating. His modelling suggests that a “socially optimal” level of heating is between 3.5C and 4C. Most climate scientists see a temperature rise of this kind as catastrophic. Even 6C of heating, Nordhaus suggests, would cause a loss of just 8.5% of GDP. Climate science suggests it would look more like curtains for civilisation.

As the eminent economists Nicholas Stern, Joseph Stiglitz and Charlotte Taylor have argued, the mild effects Nordhaus forecasts are merely artefacts of the model he has used. For example, his modelling assumes that catastrophic risks do not exist and that climate impacts rise linearly with temperature. There is no climate model that proposes such a trend. Instead, climate science forecasts nonlinear impacts and greatly escalating risk.

The likely impacts of high levels of heating include the inundation of major cities, the closure of the human climate niche (the conditions that sustain human life) across large parts of the globe, the collapse of the global food system and cascading regime shifts – that is, abrupt transitions in ecosystems – releasing natural carbon stores, potentially leading to a “hothouse Earth” in which very few survive. Never mind a few points off GDP: there would be no means of measurement and scarcely an economy to measure.

Bizarrely, the modelling also applies discount rates to future people: their lives, it assumes, are worth less than ours. In other words, it has taken a method used to calculate returns to capital and applied it to human beings. As the three economists point out, “it is very difficult to find a justification for this in moral philosophy.” Moreover, climate impacts disproportionately affect the poor – but under the models, their lives are also priced down.

Unsurprisingly, models of this kind, Stern, Stiglitz and Taylor note, have been seized on by “special interests” such as the fossil fuel industry to argue for minimal responses to the climate crisis. And it’s not just the oil companies. Bill Gates, who claims to want to protect the living planet, has given $3.5m (£2.6m) to a junktank run by Bjorn Lomborg, who has built his career on promoting Nordhaus’s model, thus helping to downplay the need for climate action. Nordhaus was awarded the Nobel Memorial prize for economics for his pernicious nonsense – and it is deeply embedded in government decision-making.

A billionaire death cult has its fingers around humanity’s throat. It both causes and downplays our existential crisis. The oligarchs are not just a class enemy but, as they have always been, a societal enemy: a few thousand people can destroy civilisations. It’s the billions v the billionaires, and the stakes could not possibly be higher.

http://www.monbiot.com

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Until I came to live in the the USA permanently, in 2010, I used to live in South Devon, near Totnes. Thus the AMOC was very familiar to me and the local population. AMOC stands for Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Much more information on AMOC may be read on the WikiPedia site.

Although the future of the AMOC is uncertain, many scientists are concerned that the AMOC will weaken.

The above article by George Monbiot is potentially frightening. As Monbiot says at the end; “… a few thousand people can destroy civilisations.“

What we need is a few thousand people to make this the number one priority! Not tomorrow but today!

An eclipse seen from space

This is beautiful.

I have always been interested in the space flights of the astronaughts. I am sure that I join millions of others who feel the same.

So this article by Deana L. Weibel, Professor of Anthropology at Grand Valley State University is terrific.

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Seeing an eclipse from Earth is awe‑inspiring – for astronauts seeing one from space, the scene was even more grand

During a total solar eclipse, the Sun is barely visible behind the Moon. Roger Sorensen

Deana L. Weibel, Grand Valley State University

The astronauts on Artemis II’s trip to the Moon in April 2026 didn’t just have an amazing journey through space. They also saw something extraordinary. They were the first humans to see a total solar eclipse from space.

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves in front of the Sun. In a total eclipse, the Sun’s central disc is covered completely.

From Earth, the circle of the Sun is about the same size as the circle of the Moon. With the bright circle blocked, you can see the undulating rays of the Sun’s corona, or outer atmosphere, that are normally too dim to be observed.

Moon covering most, then all, then most of the Sun
Composite image of moments before, during and after totality. NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

I’m a cultural anthropologist who studies awe-inspiring aspects of space exploration. I have been lucky enough to have seen two total solar eclipses. The first one was in Nebraska in 2017, the second in Indiana in 2024.

During my second total eclipse, the period of totality – that short span when you can remove your protective glasses and look directly at the eclipse – lasted close to 4 minutes. I saw waves of diffuse light snaking around an ink-black hole in the sky. It looked very wrong – almost alien.

On Aug. 12, 2026, there will be another total solar eclipse, visible only from Greenland, Iceland, Spain and the Balearic Islands of the Mediterranean. Some fortunate viewers in Spain and nearby islands may see the eclipse just before sunset, low on the horizon. The Moon illusion, a phenomenon where the Moon looks bigger when it’s near the horizon, might make this eclipse look unusually large.

Unusual eclipse perspectives

Astronauts will occasionally also have less common eclipse experiences. I interviewed one I call by the pseudonym “Jackie” in my research about astronauts’ experiences of awe. She was part of an astronaut training group that did a flight exercise during a total solar eclipse.

Jackie and her squad flew their jets in the shadow of the Moon. This lengthened their time in totality because they could follow and stay within the shadow. Jackie was most impressed with how the Sun’s corona seemed to shift and ripple.

“It’s not static … it’s alive,” she told me.

On April 6, 2026, the astronauts of NASA’s Artemis II mission saw another kind of unusual eclipse as they flew around the Moon. At one point during their flight, the Moon and the spacecraft aligned so that the Moon was directly between them and the Sun, blocking the Sun’s disk in a way that looks very different from what we see on Earth.

Astronaut Victor Glover said it felt like they “just went sci-fi.” https://www.youtube.com/embed/YLjPci5bo1k?wmode=transparent&start=0 ‘An impressive sight’: The Artemis II crew were the first humans to observe a solar eclipse from near the Moon.

The astronauts were so close to the Moon that the Moon looked bigger than the Sun and hid more of its bright circle. Earth was also in view, and sunlight reflected from the Earth onto the Moon in a phenomenon NASA calls “earthshine.” This dim light is very similar to the moonlight that shines on the Earth at night.

Imagine the Sun hidden behind the Moon, creating a hazy halo around the Moon’s edges. At the same time, faint light reflected from Earth softly illuminates the Moon, revealing mountains and craters in a dim twilight. Now imagine this striking scene lasting 54 minutes.

This sight was, without a doubt, one of the most unusual eclipses ever seen by human eyes.

Although Artemis’ astronauts are trained to think scientifically, this experience propelled them into a state of awe. They talked openly about how their brains were “not processing” what they observed. While NASA kept them busy with a variety of tasks, the sound of emotion and excitement in their voices as they broadcast live from their lunar flyby was unmistakable.

An eclipse visible from space - the Moon is shown shadowed with some sunlight visible behind it, and part of the Orion capsule shown off to the left.
The Moon during a solar eclipse on April 6, 2026, photographed by one of the Orion spacecraft’s cameras during Artemis II. Earth is reflecting sunlight at the left edge of the Moon, called ‘earthshine.’ NASA

The psychology of awe

Researchers have studied the effects of awe on the human brain, including awe felt during solar eclipses. Moments of wonder like these can transform how you feel and even how you think, making you more thoughtful and open-minded.

In my own work I’ve found these experiences can change how astronauts understand their own place in the universe.

One astronaut said she gained an awareness of the fragility of our planet that now shapes everything she does, while another described becoming more curious after returning to Earth. A third said the awe he experienced in lunar orbit changed his understanding of time and infinity.

Space travel creates many opportunities for awe, but a solar eclipse from behind the Moon, as Mission Commander Reid Wiseman put it, required “20 new superlatives.”

It’s an experience most of the earthbound eclipse-chasers heading to Greenland or Iceland or Spain this summer will only dream about. Whether eclipses happen in space or on Earth, though, close encounters with the grandeur of our universe can make you feel profoundly human.

Deana L. Weibel, Professor of Anthropology, Grand Valley State University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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In this difficuly world at present, this is a perfect article. As was written, “…. the awe he experienced in lunar orbit changed his understanding of time and infinity.“

Penny writes about home remodelling

With our dogs very much in mind.

Penny Martin’s latest post is about keeping dogs happy, and safe.

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Stylish Home Remodels That Keep Dogs Safe Happy and Your Space Beautiful

For dog owners planning dog-friendly home remodeling, the hardest part is admitting one simple truth: the home has to work for real dogs every day.

Pet-safe interior design can feel like a compromise when muddy paws, zoomies, shedding, and anxious moments meet the finishes and furniture people hope to love for years.

The core tension is balancing aesthetics and durability so home upgrades for dogs protect everyone’s comfort without making the space feel like a kennel. With the right mindset, a remodel can support calmer behavior, easier routines, and a home that still looks like home.

Choose 7 Upgrades That Take Paw-Print Life in Stride

If you’re aiming for that sweet spot, beautiful, calm, and built for real dog life, start with upgrades that quietly prevent damage and stress. Think “easy to wipe,” “hard to scratch,” and “nothing for a bored dog to pick at.”

  1. Start with scratch-resistant flooring where your dog actually lives: In high-traffic zones (entry, hallway, kitchen, living room), choose tough surfaces like luxury vinyl plank, tile, or sealed concrete, and add washable runners for comfort. Ask for samples and do a quick “nail test” with your dog’s normal walk and a dragged chair. This protects your style investment while making muddy paws and shedding a two-minute cleanup.
  2. Add a “landing zone” at the door to stop mess before it spreads: Create a small drop spot with a wipeable mat, a towel hook, and a closed bin for paw wipes and poop bags. A slim built-in bench or wall hooks keep leashes off the floor so nobody trips during excited greetings. Bonus: it teaches your dog a predictable routine, which can reduce zoomy chaos.
  3. Build a feeding station that looks like it belongs: Tuck bowls into a pull-out drawer, a base cabinet, or the side of a kitchen island so water stays off the floor and your dog’s setup doesn’t feel like clutter. One homeowner described how a station can create a seamless polished look when it’s integrated into cabinetry. Place it away from main walkways so nobody steps in the splash zone.
  4. Choose durable pet-friendly materials for the “mouth and paw” zone: Prioritize washable, tightly woven fabrics, easy-clean paint finishes, and scratch-tolerant trim in spots your dog rubs, leans, or patrols. If your dog guards windows, consider tougher screen options and hardware, secure window screens help prevent an excited launch after a squirrel. These changes are subtle, but they keep your home feeling polished.
  5. Install a secure fenced outdoor area with a simple, safe layout: A good fence isn’t just about height, it’s about no gaps, sturdy latches, and corners that don’t become “dig pits.” Walk the perimeter weekly for loose boards and soil shifts, especially after heavy rain. If you’re planning for resale, clean boundaries also make the yard feel intentionally designed, not “dog-proofed.”
  6. Use dog-friendly landscaping that survives play and stays non-toxic: Pick hardy ground covers or tough grass mixes for the run path your dog naturally creates, and use mulch or gravel in muddy choke points. Create shade and a water spot so your dog self-regulates on hot days, then keep delicate plants behind low edging. A defined dog path can actually protect the rest of your yard from becoming a patchy free-for-all.
  7. Protect home value by preventing the “pet home” signals buyers notice: Plan for odor control (washable slipcovers, a vented litter/gear closet, and easy-clean floors) and repair wear as you go, not all at once later. Some sellers worry about stigma, and one estimate notes the value of a home drops when buyers learn it was shared with pets. The goal isn’t to hide your dog, it’s to keep your home feeling cared for.

Map a Realistic Budget for Bigger, Longer-Lasting Remodel Choices

Once you’ve picked the upgrades that can handle real paw-print life, the next step is figuring out how to pay for the durable versions that won’t need replacing.

A home equity loan is one way to fund a dog-friendly remodel because it lets you borrow a lump sum of cash using your home’s equity as collateral, helpful when you’re tackling bigger, longer-lasting improvements all at once.

Lenders typically look for enough equity in your home, good credit, steady income, and a debt-to-income ratio they consider manageable.

If you’re comparing routes, reviewing the best home equity lines can give you a starting point for what to ask about.

Once your budget is set, simple upkeep routines will help those upgrades stay comfortable, safe, and good-looking over time.

Daily and Seasonal Habits for a Dog-Safe, Stylish Home

Dog-friendly remodels stay beautiful when you pair them with small, repeatable habits that support your dog’s comfort and your home’s finish. Think of these as the relationship-building basics that reduce stress, prevent wear, and keep your space feeling calm.

Five-Minute Floor Sweep

  • What it is: Sweep high-traffic lanes to remove grit, fur, and tiny pebbles.
  • How often: Daily
  • Why it helps: Less grit means fewer scratches and fewer slip-prone tumble moments.

Bowl Zone Reset

  • What it is: Wipe the feeding station and refresh the mat under bowls.
  • How often: Daily
  • Why it helps: It limits odors, stains, and sneaky mold around baseboards.

Nail and Paw Check

  • What it is: Inspect nails and paw pads after walks and play.
  • How often: Weekly
  • Why it helps: It reduces floor scuffs and catches small injuries early.

Toy Rotation and Tidy Basket

  • What it is: Rotate chew toys and store extras in one easy-to-reach bin.
  • How often: Weekly
  • Why it helps: It protects trim and furniture by giving chewing a clear “yes.”

Seasonal Safety Walkthrough

  • What it is: Use review routines to check gates, rugs, and outdoor surfaces.
  • How often: Start of each season
  • Why it helps: Small fixes prevent big repair bills and keep paths predictable.

Dog-Friendly Remodel FAQs Homeowners Ask

Q: What flooring actually holds up to nails and muddy paws?
A: Look for scratch-resistant, easy-clean surfaces like luxury vinyl plank, porcelain tile, or sealed concrete. Choose a low-sheen finish to hide scuffs and add washable runners in high-traffic paths. If you love wood, consider an engineered product with a tough topcoat and commit to quick wipe-ups.

Q: How can I keep my home stylish without adding dog hazards?
A: Pick closed storage, rounded furniture edges, and sturdy textiles that are still beautiful. Use non-slip rugs, cordless window coverings, and cabinet latches for anything toxic or tempting. The best designs feel calm because everything has a place, including leashes and treats.

Q: What materials should I avoid if my dog chews or licks surfaces?
A: Skip finishes with strong lingering odors and prioritize low-VOC paints and sealants. Avoid crumbly foam, exposed particleboard edges, and delicate trim in chew zones. Give chewing a safer “yes” with durable chew stations and wall guards near corners.

Q: When does it make sense to finance pet-friendly upgrades?
A: Financing can help if it lets you do the safety-critical work up front, like floors that prevent slipping or secure fencing. Keep the payment comfortable, and separate “must-haves” from “nice-to-haves” before you sign anything.

Remember the home remodeling market valued at $1,142.6 billion reflects how many homeowners are investing, so planning carefully is part of protecting value.

Q: Can dog-friendly upgrades still support resale value?
A: Yes, when you choose broadly appealing, durable finishes and keep the layout flexible. Focus on upgrades that help any buyer, like easy-maintenance floors and cleanable paint in entry areas. Some projects can be especially value-forward, and garage door replacement cost recouped 267.7% shows how a practical exterior update can pay off.

Small Remodel Choices That Keep Dogs Safe and Homes Beautiful

It’s hard to balance a space that looks pulled-together with a life that includes muddy paws, nervous chewers, and everyday wear.

The good news is that dog-friendly remodeling isn’t about perfection, it’s a steady mindset of making thoughtful, durable choices that support harmonious living with dogs while keeping style intact.

When homes are designed for real canine behavior, creating pet-friendly spaces gets easier, messes feel more manageable, and the benefits of dog-friendly remodeling show up in calmer routines and fewer “oops” moments.

A dog-friendly home is simply a human home that finally fits your dog, too.

Pick one improvement to do this month, one change that makes your dog safer, happier, or more relaxed.

Those small wins stack into a steadier home and an enhancing human-animal connection that lasts.

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This is a very useful article from Penny Martin. I find it fabulous. Well done, Penny!

About the English language

There’s more to this topic than meets the eye.

George Bernard Shaw once remarked that America and Britain are “two countries separated by the same language.”

A long time ago that became a quotable quote. Shaw was born in Dublin in 1856 and died in England in 1950. He was 94.

Although I have visited the USA many times before, I came to live here in Merlin, Oregon, with Jeannie, my gorgeous wife, in 2012. And we love living here.

However, I still think like an Englishman and spell my words in English English.

Read the following. I am sure you will enjoy it.

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Despite all the likes, literallys and dropped g’s, English isn’t decaying before our eyes

Fear not: There isn’t anything that needs saving. LisaStrachan/iStock via Getty Images

Valerie M. Fridland, University of Nevada, Reno

As a linguistics professor, I’m often asked why English is decaying before our eyes, whether it’s “like” being used promiscuously, t’s being dropped deleteriously or “literally” being deployed nonliterally.

While these common gripes point to eccentric speech patterns, they don’t point to grammatical annihilation. English has weathered far worse.

Let’s start with something we can all agree on: Old English, spoken from approximately A.D. 450 to 1100, is pretty unintelligible to us today. Anyone who’s had the pleasure of reading “Beowulf” in high school knows how different English back then used to sound. Word endings did a lot more grammatical work, and verbs followed more complicated patterns. Remnants of those rules fuel lingering debates today, such as when to use “whom” over “who,” and whether the past tense of “sneak” is “snuck” or “sneaked.”

The language went on to experience centuries of tumult: Viking invasions, which introduced Old Norse influence; Anglo-Norman French rule, which shifted the language of the elite to French; and 18th-Century grammarians, who dictated norms with their elocution and grammar guides.

In that time, English has lost almost all of the more complex linguistic trappings it was born with to become the language we know and – at least, sometimes – love today. And as I explain in my new book, “Why We Talk Funny: The Real Story Behind Our Accents,” it was all thanks to the way that language naturally evolves to meet the social needs of its speakers.

From dropping the ‘l’ to dropping the ‘g’

The things we tend to label as “bad” or sloppy English – for instance, the “g” that gets lost from our -ing endings or the deletion of a “t” when we say a word like “innernet” – actually reflect speech habits that are centuries old.

Take, for example, “often.” Originally spoken with the “t,” that pronunciation gradually became less favored around the 15th century, alongside that “l” in “talk” and the “k” in know. Meanwhile, the “s” now stuck on the back of verbs like “does” and “makes” began as a dialectal variant that only became popular in 16th-century London. It gradually replaced “th” whenever third persons were involved, as in “The lady doth protest too much.”

While dropping the “l” in talk may have been initially frowned upon, today it would be strange if you pronounced the letter. And the shift makes sense: It smoothed out some linguistic awkwardness for the sake of efficiency.

If people learned to look at language more like linguists, they might come around to seeing that there is more than one perspective on what good speech consists of.

And yes, that absolutely is a sentence ending with a preposition – something many modern grammar guides discourage, even though the idea only took hold after 18th-century grammarian Robert Lowth intimated it was a less elegant choice based on the model of Latin.

Though Lowth voiced no hard and fast rule against it, many a grammar maven later misconstrued his advice as an admonition. Just like that, a mere suggestion became grammatical law.

The rise of the grammar sticklers

Many of today’s ideas about what constitutes correct English are based on a singular – often mistaken – 19th-century view of the forces that govern our language.

In the late 18th century, the English-speaking world began experiencing class restructuring and higher literacy rates. As greater class mobility became possible, accent differences became class markers that separated new money from old money.

Emulation of upper-crust speech norms became popular among the nouveau riche. With literacy also on the rise, grammarians and elocutionists raced to dictate the terms of “proper” English on and off the page, which led to the rise of usage guides and dictionaries that were eager to sell a certain brand of speech.

Another example of grammarian angst reconfiguring the view of an otherwise perfectly fine form is the droppin’ of the “g.” It became so tied to slovenly speech that it was branded with an apostrophe in the 19th century to make sure no one missed its lackadaisical and nonstandard nature.

Up until the 19th century, however, no one seemed to care whether one pronounced it as “-in” or “-ing.”

In fact, evidence suggests that -ing wasn’t even heard as the correct form. Many elocution guides from the 18th century provide rhyming word pairs like “herring/heron,” “coughing/coffin” and “jerking/jerkin,” which suggest that “-in” may have been the preferred pronunciation of words ending with “-ing.” Even writer and satirist Jonathan Swift – a frequent lobbyist for “proper” English – rhymes “brewing” with “ruin” in his 1731 poem “Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift, D.S.P.D..”

Embrace the change

Language has always shifted and evolved. People often bristle at changes from what they’ve known to what is new. And maybe that’s because this process often begins with speakers that society usually looks less favorably on: the young, the female, the poor, the nonwhite.

But it’s important to remember that being disliked and bad are not the same thing – that today’s speech pariahs are driven by the same linguistic and social needs as the Londoners who started going with “does” instead of “doth” or dropped the “t” in often.

So if you think the speech that comes from your lips is the “correct” version, think again. Thou, like every other English speaker, art literally the product of centuries of linguistic reinvention.

Valerie M. Fridland, Professor of Linguistics, University of Nevada, Reno

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Thank you, Valerie Fridland, for your interest article.

To quote another famous idiom, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.”

Artemis images

A unique record taken by the crew.

Human-created photos of this historic mission cannot be replace by articificial intelligence (AI).

This is the reason I am republishing an article from The Conversation.

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Artemis II crew brought a human eye and storytelling vision to the photos they took on their mission

Astronaut Jeremy Hansen takes a picture through the camera shroud covering a window on the Orion spacecraft. NASA

Christye Sisson, Rochester Institute of Technology

In early April 2026, the Artemis II mission captivated me and millions of people watching from across the world. The crew’s courage, skill and infectious wonder served as tangible proof of human persistence and technological achievement, all against the mysterious backdrop of space.

People back on Earth got to witness the mission through remarkable photos of space captured by astronauts. Images created and shared by astronauts underscore how photography builds a powerful, authentic connection that goes beyond what technology alone can capture.

As a photographer and the director of the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of Photographic Arts and Sciences, I am especially drawn to how these photographs have been at the center of the public’s collective experience of this mission.

In an era when image authenticity is often questioned and with the capabilities of autonomous, AI-driven imaging, NASA’s choice to train astronauts in photography has placed meaning over convenience and prioritized their human perspectives and creativity.

Capturing space from the crew’s perspective

Photography was not originally placed as a high priority in NASA’s Apollo era. The astronauts only took photographs if they had the chance and all their other tasks were complete.

An image of the entire Earth from space.
‘The Blue Marble’ view of the Earth as seen by the Apollo 17 crew in 1972. NASA

Thanks largely in part to public response to those images from Apollo, including “Earthrise” and the “Blue Marble” being widely credited for helping catalyze the modern environmental movement, NASA shifted its approach to utilize photography to help capture the public’s imagination by training their astronauts in photographic practices.

The Artemis II mission’s photographs have helped cut through the increasing volume of artificially generated images circulating on social media. NASA’s social media releases of the crew’s photographs have garnered thousands of shares and comments.

This excitement could be explained by the novelty of photos from space, but these images also distinguish themselves as products of astronauts experiencing these sights and interpreting them through their photographs. These differences require an important distinction around where technology ends and humanity begins.

An astronaut looking out the window of the Orion spacecraft, where the full moon is visible in space.
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman watches the Moon from one of the Orion spacecraft’s windows. NASA

Human perspective versus AI tools

Photography has long integrated AI-powered software and data-driven tools in a variety of ways: to process raw images, fill in missing color information, drive precise focus and guide image editing, among others. These modern technological assists help human photographers realize their vision.

Artificial intelligence is also increasingly capable of operating machinery competently and autonomously, from cars to drones and cameras.

And AI can generate convincing, realistic images and videos from nothing more than a text prompt, using readily available tools.

Researchers train AI to mimic patterns informed by millions of sample images, and the algorithm can then either take or create a photograph based on what it predicts would be the most likely version of a successful, believable image.

Human-created photos are rooted in direct observation, intent and lived experience, while AI images – or choices made by AI-driven tools – are not. While both can produce compelling and believable visuals, the human photographs carry emotional power because the photographer is drawing from their experiences and perspective in that moment to tell an authentic story.

Artemis II photographs resonate, not only because they are historic, but because they reflect the deliberate choices and intent of a human being in that specific moment and context. The exposure, camera setting, lens choice and composition are all dictated by the astronaut’s vision, skill, perspective and experience. Each image is unique in comparison with the others. These choices give the images narrative power, anchoring them in human perspective.

The Earth shown partially shadowed beyond the Moon in space
NASA’s ‘Earthset’ photo captured by the Artemis II crew. NASA

Images to tell a story

Photographers choose what to include in the final version of their image to tell a story. In the Artemis II images, this human perspective comes out. In the “Earthset” photo, you see a striking juxtaposition of the Moon’s monochromatic, textured surface in the foreground against a slivered, bright Earth.

The choice to include both in the frame contrasts these objects literally and figuratively, inviting comparison. It creates a narrative where Earth is contrasted against the Moon – life is contrasted against the absence of it.

Another photo shows the nightside of the whole Earth, featuring the Sun’s halo, auroras and city lights. The choice to include the subtle framing of the window of the capsule in the lower left corner reminds the viewer where and how this image was captured: by a human, inside a capsule, hurtling through space. That detail grounds the photograph in the human perspective.

Both photos are reminiscent of Earthrise and the Blue Marble. These past images hold a place in the global collective consciousness, shaped by a shared historical moment.

The Artemis II photographs are anchored in this collective moment of lived human experience, yet also shaped by each astronaut’s viewpoint. The crew’s unique perspectives exemplify photography’s transformative power by inviting viewers to engage emotionally and intellectually with their journey. These photographs share the astronauts’ awe and wonder and affirm the value of human creativity and its ability to connect us in a captured moment.

Christye Sisson, Professor of Photographic Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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I am going to repeat a sentence towards the end of the article: “These past images hold a place in the global collective consciousness, shaped by a shared historical moment.”

That global collective consciousness!

The Ten Commitments

This is important (and brilliant).

Jean and I were taken to our regular humanist meeting last Saturday morning. The topic was Christian Nationalism.

Today, I want to explain what these commitments are. Then on Sunday I will post some images.

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Ten Commitments

Guiding Principles for Teaching Values in America’s Public Schools

Altruism

Altruism is the unselfish concern for the welfare of others without expectation of reward, recognition, or return. Opportunities for acts of altruism are everywhere in the family, the classroom, the school, and the wider community. Think of examples of altruistic acts in your experience. What person-to-person and group projects, classroom and school-wide activities, and community service projects might you and your students undertake?

Caring for the World Around Us

Everyone can and ought to play a role in caring for the Earth and its inhabitants. We can directly experience the living things in our homes and neighborhoods like trees, flowers, birds, insects, and pets. Gradually we expand our neighborhood. We learn about deserts and oceans, rivers and forests, the wildlife around us and the wildlife elsewhere. We learn that we are dependent on each other, on the natural world, and all that lives in it for food and shelter, space and beauty.

Critical Thinking

We gain reliable knowledge because we are able to observe, report, experiment, and analyze what goes on around us. We also learn to raise questions that are clear and precise, to gather information, and to reason about the information we receive in a way that tests it for truthfulness, accuracy, and utility. From our earliest years we learn how to think and to share and challenge our ideas and the ideas of others, and consider their consequences. Practice asking “what next?” and “why?” and “how do I/you/we know that?”

Empathy

We human beings are capable of empathy, the ability to understand and enter imaginatively into another living being’s feelings, the sad ones and the happy ones as well. Many of the personal relationships we have (in the family, among friends, between diverse individuals, and amid other living things) are made positive through empathy. With discussion and role-playing, we can learn how other people feel when they are sad or hurt or ignored, as well as when they experience great joys. We can use stories, anecdotes, and classroom events to help us nurture sensitivity to how our actions impact others.

Ethical Development

Questions of fairness, cooperation, and sharing are among the first moral issues we encounter in our ethical development as human beings. Ethical education is ongoing implicitly and explicitly in what is called the “hidden curriculum” that we experience through the media, the family, and the community. Ethics can be taught through discussion, role-playing, storytelling, and other activities that improve analysis and decision-making regarding what’s good and bad, right and wrong.

Global Awareness

We live in a world that is rich in cultural, social, and individual diversity, a world where interdependence is increasing rapidly so that events anywhere are more likely to have consequences everywhere. Much can be done to prepare the next generation for accepting the responsibility of global citizenship. Understanding can be gained regarding the many communities in which we live through history, anthropology, and biology. A linguistic, ethnic, and cultural diversity are present in the classroom and provide lessons of diversity and commonality. We help others reach understanding about the interconnectedness of the welfare of all humanity.

Humility

We must always remember that there’s a lot we don’t know about the universe. There’s still so very much to learn. Science will help us. But sometimes scientists discover surprising things that tell us how some of our old beliefs are false. So we need to be willing to change when our knowledge changes. A good humanist doesn’t try to be sure of things that science can’t show are true.

Peace and Social Justice

A curriculum that values and fosters peace education would promote the human rights of all people and understanding among all nations, cultural and religious groups. Students should have opportunities to learn about the United Nations’ role in preventing conflict as well as efforts to achieve social justice in the United States. They should learn about problems of injustice including what can be done to prevent and respond to these problems with meaningful actions that promote peace and social justice and that protect the inherent human rights of everyone both at home and abroad.

Responsibility

Our behavior is morally responsible when we tell the truth, help someone in trouble, and live up to promises we’ve made. Our behavior is legally responsible when we obey a just law and meet the requirements of membership or citizenship. But we also have a larger responsibility to be a caring member of our family, our community, and our world. Stories and role-playing can help students understand responsibility and its absence or failure. We learn from answering such questions as: What happens when we live in accordance with fair and just rules? What happens when we don’t? What happens when the rules are unjust?

Service and Participation

Life’s fulfillment can emerge from an individual’s participation in the service of humane
ideals. School-based service-learning combines community service objectives and learning objectives with the intent that the activities change both the recipient and the provider. It provides students with the ability to identify important issues in real-life situations. Through these efforts we learn that each of us can help meet the needs of others and of ourselves. Through our lifetime, we learn over and over again of our mutual dependence.

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My mother was an atheist and, consequently, I have been an atheist all my life. With the above values, as they are taught in schools, there is no need for a God.

This Winter

The low snowpack this last Winter is concerning.

Although here in Southern Oregon at present we have a few wet days, in general the amount of rain coming down is well below normal levels.

That is why this recent article presented by The Conversation is being published.

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Winter’s alarmingly low snowpack offers a glimpse of the changing rhythm of water in the western US

In a good year, the West’s mountain snowpack feeds streams and rivers well into summer. George Rose/Contributor/Getty Images News

Imtiaz Rangwala, University of Colorado Boulder

Winter is more than just a season in the western U.S. – it is a savings account to get farms and homes through the long, dry summer ahead. As the snowpack that accumulates in the mountains through winter slowly melts in late spring and summer, it feeds into rivers and reservoirs that keep communities and ecosystems functioning.

The April 1 snowpack measurement has long been the single most important number in western water management, considered a strong proxy for how much water the mountains are holding in reserve.

But in 2026, that savings account has been woefully deficient.

Across the western United States, temperatures from November through February were among the warmest on record, with many areas 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (2.8 to 5.5 degrees Celsius) above the 20th-century average. March continued to break heat records. At lower elevations, the higher temperatures meant a significant part of the winter’s precipitation fell as rain rather than snow. In some places, snowfall accumulated but melted quickly during warm periods.

A chart shows an unusually low amount of area in the West with snow cover during winter 2026.
The total area of the western U.S. with snow cover was exceptionally low compared with the rest of the 21st century. National Snow and Ice Data Center

As a result, even regions that received near- or above-normal precipitation for the season failed to build substantial snowpack. In the northern Rockies and the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, any above-average snow accumulation was largely confined to the highest elevations, while middle and lower elevations had relatively little snowpack.

This situation is a hallmark of warming winters. As global temperatures rise, the freezing line where precipitation changes from rain to snow moves up the mountains, shrinking the area capable of sustaining a seasonal snowpack.

A map shows most of the stations across the western mountains were below 50% of average. The best conditions were in the northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest, and most of those were still below average.
At the vast majority of the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service’s snow measurement stations across the West, the snowpack’s snow-water equivalent on March 30, 2026, was less than 50% of the 1991-2020 median. Natural Resources Conservation Service
A map shows wide temperature anomalies in the western U.S. compared with the 20th-century average.
Temperatures were well above the 20th-century average across the western U.S. in winter 2025-26. National Centers for Environmental Information

The exceptionally warm winter of 2025–26 across much of the western U.S. delivered a powerful preview of what the regional water cycle in a warmer climate may increasingly look like: less snow and a fundamental reshaping of the hydrograph – the chart of how much water flows through streams across the year.

A flattening hydrologic pulse

The consequences of this shift for water supplies are already visible in streamflows.

In multiple river basins in the West, streamflows were above average in winter and early spring, and some locations were approaching record-high levels. Historically, that water would have remained frozen in the snowpack until late spring. Instead, precipitation arriving as rain – along with intermittent midwinter melting events – increased the runoff.

Scientists who study natural water flows, as I do, pay attention to the hydrographs of streamflows in river basins to see when the water flow in mountain streams is strongest and how long that flow is likely to continue into summer.

A chart shows a typical arc of increasing water flows as snow melt in 2025, compared with several peaks of snowmelt and rainfall during 2026.
This hydrograph showing two years of water flows in the St. Mary River near Babb, Mont., reflects the difference between a typical late-spring peak, as 2025 saw, and several midwinter peaks from warm temperatures and rain, as 2026 is seeing. U.S. Geological Survey

In recent years, rising temperatures have led to a redistribution of streamflows throughout the winter and early spring in ways that are fundamentally reshaping the hydrographs of snowmelt-dominated rivers. Rather than a single dominant peak during late spring or early summer, smaller peaks emerge in winter and early spring. At the same time, the traditional snowmelt pulse, relied on to fill reservoirs in late spring, weakens.

In effect, the hydrograph is flattening. The winter of 2025–26 illustrates this phenomenon: Higher early-season streamflows suggest the West will see less runoff later in the year when communities, farms and wildlife need it.

The Colorado River: A system on the edge

Nowhere does the convergence of record warmth, depleted snowpack and altered hydrology carry higher stakes than in the Colorado River Basin. More than 40 million people in seven states plus Mexico and 5.5 million acres of farmland depend on the river’s water, but the river’s flow is no longer meeting demand.

The April-through-July 2026 runoff into Lake Powell – the reservoir behind Glen Canyon Dam and the primary index of the Upper Colorado River Basin’s annual water budget – is currently forecast to rank among the lowest in recent decades. It has been tracking close to the grim years of 2002 and 2021, considered benchmarks of western drought.

Unless spring brings substantial late-season snowfall to the high mountains, 2026 could join those years as a marker of how thin the margin between water supply and demand has become in a river system already under sustained stress from two decades of drought and water overuse.

The low reservoir levels in the basin in 2026 and the low snowpack are adding fears of water shortages just as the seven states that rely on the Colorado River are struggling to reach a new water use agreement.

The changing rhythm of water in the West

The winter of 2025–26 highlights two emerging realities.

First, temperature is increasingly dominating precipitation in determining western water supplies. Even above-normal precipitation cannot compensate for persistent warmth when it falls as rain rather than snow and accelerates snowmelt in the mountains.

Second, the nature of the West’s streamflows is shifting in ways that complicate water management.

Rain-on-snow events can produce flooding in winter, as the Seattle area saw in late December 2025. A low snowpack also means less runoff in summer, which can exacerbate water shortages and raise the wildfire risk as landscapes dry out. Even if a year has normal precipitation, if it falls as rain or there is earlier snowmelt, then evaporation through summer, in a warmer climate, will leave less water in the system.

Snowpack declines, earlier runoff, elevated winter flows and flattened hydrographs are all consistent with long-standing projections for the western United States as global temperatures rise.

What makes the winter of 2025-26 notable is how clearly these signals appeared, even in a year without widespread precipitation deficits.

This shift highlights the need for adaptive reservoir operations – the ability to adjust water storage and release decisions in real time to capture earlier runoff and preserve water for longer dry seasons, while still maintaining space in reservoirs for flood control during wetter winters. For communities across the West, it also reinforces the growing reality that the familiar seasonal rhythm of mountain water is changing.

Imtiaz Rangwala, Senior Research Scientist in Climate, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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There is nothing we citizens in the West can do about this, apart from being careful about the water we use.

As Imtiaz Randwala wrote in the last paragraph in the above article: “This shift highlights the need to adaptive reservoir operations.“

What a find!

Eight Australian pups found!

I saw this article a couple of weeks ago and wanted to share it with you. It was published by The Dodo.

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Rescuers Open ‘Family Dollar’ Bin And Find 8 Australian Shepherd Babies Inside

They were only a few weeks old 🥺

By Maeve Dunigan

Published on March 12, 2026.

This past January, a man was walking through Onancock, Virginia, when he noticed a suspicious object outside Historic Onancock School, a local community center.

The man approached the object — a large black bin labeled “Family Dollar” — and carefully lifted the lid to see what was inside. There, wriggling against each other in the tight space, were eight 10-week-old puppies.

The puppies were weak, defenseless and clearly needed help. The man drilled air holes in the lid of the box and eventually contacted Eastern Shore Regional Animal Control Facility for help.

Tragically, one puppy passed away before rescuers could assist. The others quickly relaxed into the capable hands of animal control staff.

According to Eastern Shore Regional Animal Control Facility shelter manager Jeri Winn, it’s common to find puppies dumped along the Eastern Shore, but significantly less common in Onancock, a bustling seaside town.

Though she’d seen plenty of cases like this, Winn still felt a familiar sadness as she admitted the puppies into care. Despite everything, she was grateful that the pups were finally in a safe place.

“All we can be thankful for [is that] whoever left them realized they were in a good location to be seen,” Winn told The Dodo.

Team members transferred the puppies to Critters 4 U Rescue, an animal shelter and foster organization. Rescuers determined the puppies were Australian shepherd mixes, and they named them after the seven dwarfs — Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy and Dopey.

One pup has already been adopted, and the others are still safe at Critters 4 U Rescue, waiting to meet their forever families.

Eastern Shore Regional Animal Control Facility is grateful for Critters 4 U Rescue, along with all the other rescues who offered to help these needy pups find the homes they deserve.

“We are so grateful for every rescue that reached out,” Eastern Shore Regional Animal Control Facility wrote in a Facebook post. “In moments like this, our small shelter is reminded just how much we rely on the compassion and partnership of rescue organizations who step up without hesitation.”

You can keep up with Eastern Shore Regional Animal Control Facility by following them on Facebook. To help other animals like these puppies, you can donate to Critters 4 U Rescue. 

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What a beautiful account. Congratulations to all involved!