Selective Biases

All of us are probably guilty of selective biases, as this illustration demonstrates: "Hey, I'm happy to give up chicken to make my point. Give up gasoline? Not so much."

How Not to Die

The always entertaining Dr. Michael Greger's latest hour-long survey, based on last year's scientific research, on how not to succumb to the leading causes of death. Might be the best hour you spend this year.

Risk, Fear, and Worry

Seth Godin has the enviable skill of seeing things clearly and describing them plainly. I found his description of risk, fear, and worry particularly helpful. (Original on his blog.)

They're not the same.

Risk is all around us. When we encounter potential points of failure, we're face to face with risk. And nothing courts risk more than art, the desire to do something for the first time--to make a difference.

Fear is a natural reaction to risk. While risk is real and external, fear exists only in our imagination. Fear is the workout we give ourselves imagining what will happen if things don't work out.

And worry? Worry is the hard work of actively (and mentally) working against the fear. Worry is our effort to imagine every possible way to avoid the outcome that is causing us fear, and failing that, to survive the thing that we fear if it comes to fruition.

If you've persuaded yourself that risk is sufficient cause for fear, and that fear is sufficient cause for worry, you're in for some long nights and soon you'll abandon your art out of exhaustion. On the other hand, you can choose to see the three as completely separate phenomena, and realize that it's possible to have risk (a good thing) without debilitating fear or its best friend, obsessive worry.

Separate first, eliminate false causation, then go ahead and do your best work.

Much from Little

My "garden" at present consists of a small plot in front of my house that gets good sun—a bit less than 100 square feet. Even with my limited skills, this small plot produces well. In due course, I'll replace these summer plants with fall greens.

In these four photos, you can see the progression of growth:

Here's a collection I brought in Friday morning:

Unfortunately, for the first time, I have had a problem with birds sitting on the tomato cages and helping themselves to the tomatoes. At least they have good taste—here is a decimated Brandywine. Brandywine's are an heirloom and not prolific producers, so every one lost to the birds is missed sorely. Tomato purists say the Brandywine is the world's best-tasting tomato, but they are low producers (though large, with big shoulders) and susceptible to all manner of disease:

I've had at least three different kinds of volunteer squash come up from seeds in the compost I spread. I'm not sure what variety is in the first picture, but the second looks like it will be the beautiful half-yellow and half-green zephyr squash: