“It might be expected that plumb lines, set up in various locations, if extended downward, would all pass through a single point, the center of Earth. But this is not the case.” — Why the Greenwich Meridian Moved, by Stephen Malys et. al., 2015 Both John Harrison’s clocks and lunar distance tables assumed that the […]
Life + Outdoors
Posted inSeriously?
Tips for Recent Empty-Nesters
Greetings Villagers, I’m sure this missive must come as a surprise. No doubt you have heard the distant wails echoing from my cliffside castle laboratory and wondered if I, Professor Ballantine, was preparing to unleash another ungodly experiment upon the populace. Or perhaps you thought — or hoped — that some misfortune had befallen me […]
Posted inGet Out
Fitness for Birders
You might think of birding as a pursuit of pleasurable relaxation, a gentle, spiritual connection with nature that reduces stress and boosts feel-good hormones. It’s not. It’s a physically and emotionally challenging activity that demands strength, endurance, flexibility and mental toughness. Want to get the most out of your birding experience? Practice the following exercises […]
Posted inField Notes
Longitude and the Prime Meridian, Part 1
“I have been extremely ill used by the gentlemen who I might have expected better treatment from.” — John Harrison, on his struggle to receive the reward for solving the Longitude Problem For centuries, the Royal Navy was the mightiest maritime force in the world, helping a small country on the edge of Europe establish […]
Posted inGet Out
Stand-up Paddleboarding Around Chah-pekw O’ Ket’-toh
After a more than year-long hiatus, one morning in early August, I loaded my stand-up paddleboard (SUP) in the car and drove to Chah-pekw O’ Ket’-toh (Stone Lagoon, Humboldt Lagoons State Park), located on Yurok’s ancestral territory. Fog hovered over the water, but I could see ahead and around me far enough to safely set […]
Posted inNews (NCJ)
In the News: Bears and Burns
The latest from the NCJ newsroom. In the News Culture Seriously?
Posted inSeriously?
A Memo from the Department of War
From the extremely large, solid oak desk of Secretary of War Peter Hegseth: Questions regarding the Pentagon’s plans to develop a High-T military are harshing my morning buzz so I will be addressing some of your baby-ass concerns here. Side note: We will also begin construction of a new building, swapping out the five-sided thing […]
Posted inGet Out
Redwood Coast Music Festival 2026
The 34th Redwood Coast Music Festival last weekend in Eureka attracted another huge crowd of attendees who faced the pleasant challenge of picking and choosing among 130 sets by amazing talent over four days at different venues. The event began back in 1990 with a traditional Dixieland jazz music genre targeting a somewhat aging audience. […]
Posted inField Notes
Thales’ Eclipse and the Saros Cycle
“… just as the battle was growing warm, day was on a sudden changed into night. This event had been foretold by Thales, the Milesian, who forewarned the Ionians of it, fixing for it the very year in which it actually took place. The Medes and Lydians, when they observed the change, ceased fighting, and […]
Posted inWashed Up
Mussel Super Glue
Howdy. I’m that naked guy you’ve probably seen beachcombing. You can be sure it’s me by my potbelly, which makes it look like I’ve swallowed a basketball. Because I carry my keys and phone in my hands, I need a place to carry any washed-up objects I wish to take home. I was inspired by […]
Posted inField Notes
Childbirth: Why So Difficult?
The “obstetrical dilemma” was born, so to speak, in 1960, not in a medical journal, but in the pages of Scientific American magazine. There, anthropologist Sherwood Washburn proposed that the ease with which most non-human primates give birth when compared to humans comes down to bipedalism. While a mother-to-be great ape will seek seclusion to […]
Posted inGet Out
North Country Fair at 52
Overcast skies and even a few early in the day sprinkles served as a gentle reminder the change of seasons is underway for the large crowds attending the 52nd annual North Country Fair last weekend in Arcata. Alex Ozaki-McNeill, director of the fair, said this year’s theme of “Stronger Together” was selected because, in these […]