Sightings

Jo Freeman writes: Rules written by the Department of Health and Human Services for the ACA provided a way for religious organizations, such as universities, hospitals and social service groups, to opt-out of providing coverage by notifying their insurer or the government that their religious beliefs preclude contraceptive coverage. more »

Consider the legacies of eight presidents who made a difference in American conservation. For one, Theodore Roosevelt created five national parks, 18 national monuments, 51 bird sanctuaries, began the National Wildlife Refuge system and set aside 100 million acres for national forests. Another Roosevelt, FDR, put millions of people to work under the CCC building infrastructure in national parks and forests, planting billions of trees, building roads and trails, and combating soil erosion. Obama has established 22 national monuments and expanded others to set aside more than 265 million acres of land and water — that’s more than any other president. more »

Then I saw this tree. There were so many birds on it. The birds were grackles, a species that travels in flocks, sort of like traveling with a large family. It made me think about the concept of family. There are many individuals connected to each other. Sometimes the connection works, sometimes not but when it does, it is a joy. Family members can provide support and caring, a sense of belonging and sharing. more »

The Book of the Seven Climes is the earliest known study focused wholly on alchemical illustrations. The 'climes' (from which our word 'climate' is derived) are the seven latitudinal zones into which the astronomer and geographer Claudius Ptolemy divided the inhabited world in the 2nd century AD. more »