f/k/a archives . . . real opinions & real haiku

 

The posting of a new edition of The Heron’s Nest is always a treat for me, but

that is especially so in 2005, because THN is now a quarterly rather than a monthly.

 

  This edition is also special because the THN Award goes this time to our

frequent Honored Guest, Carolyn Hall, for the following haiku (don’t miss

editor Christopher Herold’s insightful Commentary):

 

 

 

so suddenly winter
baby teeth at the bottom
of the button jar

 

 

There’s another winner by Carolyn

in this edition:

 

 

laughter
in a foreign tongue
summer stars

 

 

 

Carolyn Hall from The Heron’s Nest VII: 1 (March 2005)

“so suddenly winter” “laughter“ 

 

 

 

Along with ten webpages filled with great haiku, this edition has a 

special section in tribute to the beloved and recently deceased haijin ,

Elizabeth Searle Lamb.   At the other end of the haiku-writing spectrum,

I noticed a pair of haiku from a poet who has apparently never before

appeared in a haiku journal.  Let’s give him a vote of encouragement:

 

 

 

 

alone —
hugging
warm laundry

 

 

new paperback —
the sun sets
without me

 

 

david giacalone, schenectady, ny

“alone”   “new paperback“

 

 

by dagosan:  

 

 

path to the river —

“fresh scent” wafts

from the dryer vent

 

  not moving to Moscow:

 

 

 

he calls two inches

eight —

embarrassed weather man

 

                               [March 1, 2005]

 

  Lifespan Conundrums: Interesting juxtaposition last night on the PBS NewsHour (Feb. 28, 2005): 

a piece on saving Social Security from the destiny of our demographics was followed by The Science

of Aging 9 (audio), on the link between genetics and aging.  David A. Sinclair of the Harvard Medical

School was lauded last year by webloggers such as Steve Bainbridge and George Wallace, when he

released a study saying that his team had discovered a protein (found in wine) that appeared to prolong

life without dieting.   Along with the question of insurance coverage for lifestyle drugs, add the

complications concerning whether to promote and later cover medicines that will significantly expand lifespan.   

As the PBS interviews suggested, some discoveries may lead to ways to extend healthy lifespan and others

in ways to extend total lifespan.  Anybody want to crunch some numbers or juggle values for us? 

• Should this be a marketplace decision or a societal one?

 

  Microsoft WordGames:  The competition-antitrust folk at the European Union are not at all amused by

Microsoft’s grudging attempts to comply with the order to sell a version of Windows for the European market

that does not include Microsoft’s Media Player software program.  For example, Bill Gates’ guys allegedly

wanted to saddle the unbundled version with the less-than-desirable name “Reduced Media.”   More

important, as the International Herald Tribune reported (Feb. 26, 2005):

The new version of Windows . . . tells users in an on-screen message that the

software will not work properly, a person close to the commission’s competition

department said.

.

“The message effectively tells users that they have bought a duff product,” this person

said on condition of anonymity. “They will have to change it,” he added, referring to

the message.