Omens and portents

Of course I heard of the bird and fish deaths so far this year in the southeastern part of the US.  But I had no idea the extent of the problem: this map is the most comprehensive I've found.

The last few years have seen a panic about bee die-offs, and the news keeps getting worse.  The first comprehensive study shows declines in bee populations by 85-95%.  This summer I smiled every time I saw a bee, even when on one memorable occasion the damned thing buzzed around my face and hair for twenty minutes.

Even if this is just the beginning of the manmade climate disaster, I've gotta say; this doesn't sound good.  I've always been stubbornly scientific in my thinking, and certainly none of the prophecies of the end of the world sound particularly authoritative.

But I'm making extra time for my friends and loved ones (you can never do too much of that regardless).