(For a complete list of all posts, more than 3,000, see Archives, Complete)

• Hey Dems, I’m getting confused (2/20/2019) - Yep. Surprise. I’m getting (even more) confused … by all the Democrats running for president in 2020. I’ve already lost track of how many there are. And most of them are relatively unknown to me. I might have heard their... Read More ›
• This person does not exist (2/17/2019) - That’s right. This person does not exist. She’s a product of AI, artificial intelligence. Computers have analyzed millions, probably billions, of photos of people. All ages, races, skin tones, and accessories like earrings and glasses. All done for facial recognition programs,... Read More ›
• Oops, I almost forgot (2/14/2019) - Terrific.  
• The latest thing in product placement (2/13/2019) -
• When will we ever learn? (2/11/2019) - In A Measles Outbreak, Demand For Vaccine Spikes A quarter of all kindergartners in Washington county aren’t immunized. Now there’s a measles crisis Defying Parents, A Teen Decides To Get Vaccinated
• No, I didn’t watch the address last night (2/6/2019) - For the first time that I can remember, I didn’t watch the State of the Union address last night. I feel a little guilty, like I shirked my civic duty, but I simply cannot bear to watch that man. I... Read More ›
• Just another Denver sunset (1/31/2019) - Most of the orange clouds were directly overhead, so this webcam view from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science only caught an edge. But wow, what a show we had last night. “‘Tis a privilege to live in Colorado,”... Read More ›
• Beauty underfoot (1/29/2019) - It’s so easy in Colorado to turn one’s eyes to the mountains when seeking beauty. The grandeur of the peaks is undeniable, impossible to overlook. Others look to the sky shimmering with clouds and breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. Yet beauty... Read More ›
• Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall … (1/23/2019) -
• To my readers, with respect (1/22/2019) - I’d like to remind all my readers that Pied Type is an open forum where I encourage and try to respect all views. As I’ve noted in the past, the comments would be pretty boring if we all agreed on... Read More ›
• It’s about choice and respect (1/22/2019) - Every woman’s right to privacy and choice was guaranteed by the Roe v. Wade decision 46 years ago. Celebrate your right to choose for yourself. Respect the right of others to do the same.  
• Rotary phone baffles teens (1/20/2019) - If you’re of a certain age, you’re going to love this. Were rotary phones really that complicated? Am I really that old? The first push-button phones were introduced in 1963 but did not become common in the US until the... Read More ›
• Incoming storm? What storm? (1/17/2019) - (Screenshots from approximately 12:30 pm MST. Click pics for current views.) These and many more webcams are always available on “My favorite webcams: Estes Park, Rocky Mountain NP, Pikes Peak, Denver/Boulder.” Unless, of course, they get knocked out by a... Read More ›
• It’s National Nothing Day (1/16/2019) -
• Ten years since Miracle on the Hudson (1/15/2019) - It was ten years ago today — January 15, 2009 — that Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger safely ditched his US Airways Airbus A320 in the Hudson River after striking a flock of geese while taking off from New York City. All 155 people... Read More ›
• Do what you love, love what you do (1/14/2019) - A 🔟 isn't enough for this floor routine by @katelyn_ohashi. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/pqUzl7AlUA — UCLA Gymnastics (@uclagymnastics) January 13, 2019 Joy personified by UCLA’s Katelyn Ohashi. Watch in full-screen mode.  
• Off the mat (1/14/2019) -
• More unusual cardinals (1/13/2019) - In the last few weeks there has been a significant surge in readership of my posts about Northern Cardinals, particularly the one entitled “World’s loneliest cardinals.” I’ve no explanation for this renewed interest a three-year-old post, but I welcome anyone... Read More ›
• One cool photo (1/8/2019) -
• Leave only footprints (1/8/2019) - By now we’ve all seen pictures of trash piling up in national parks and at national monuments and memorials. A symbol of what happens during a government shutdown? It shouldn’t be. Responsible tourists dispose of their trash responsibly; if trash... Read More ›
• Good point! (1/7/2019) -  
• This might be the year (1/6/2019) - Don’t laugh. It’s possible. It could happen. Not likely, but you never know. Hope springs, yada, yada.
• It was inevitable (1/3/2019) -
• Happy New Year!! (1/1/2019) - Wishing everyone peace, joy, and prosperity in the new year  
• 2018 is almost gone … (12/31/2018) - … tick, tick, tick  
• Coal industry may be bigger than you think (12/26/2018) - Throughout Colorado’s recent battle over new oil and gas drilling, I never saw coal mentioned. Wind and solar power were often mentioned as the desirable alternatives, but I don’t recall seeing anywhere that most of Colorado’s electricity generation is from... Read More ›
• Wishing everyone peace and joy for the holidays (12/24/2018) -  
• Walmart on parade (12/20/2018) - There are reasons why I very rarely shop at Walmart. And there are more where these came from. There are even explanations of each image, in case you need them. .
• Porch pirate payback (12/19/2018) - Porch pirates are running rampant around here (greater Denver) and I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re also operating in your city. Even if you haven’t been a victim of these sleazy thieves, you’ll appreciate the glitter bomb revenge created by... Read More ›
• I know the feeling (12/15/2018) -
• Voila! Problem solved (12/14/2018) -
• Gaming Grandma’s happy place (12/12/2018) - In recent weeks, there’s been little news worth hearing and tv has devolved into holiday specials and reruns. The only channel I watch much anymore is the Weather Channel. As a result, since its release on October 26, I’ve been... Read More ›
• It’s Color of the Year time (12/10/2018) - Pantone has announced its Color of the Year for 2019 — “Living Coral.” Without having read  their usually overblown, hyperbolic description, I’d venture to call it bright, springy, happy. However, as soon as I think of it paired with turquoise,... Read More ›
• So ugly she’s cute (12/7/2018) - Meet Tonks, the Denver Zoo’s baby aye-aye. She was born August 8 and is just emerging from her nesting box. Her parents are Bellatrix and Smeagol (appropriate name!). Only 24 aye-ayes live in seven zoos in the US. They are extremely... Read More ›
• Man’s best friend (12/6/2018) - Nothing has touched me more in the last few days than this picture of Sully, Pres. George H.W. Bush’s service dog, lying beside his master’s casket. Sully, named after Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger of “Miracle on the Hudson” fame, joined... Read More ›
• Honor, dignity, humility (12/5/2018) -   R.I.P. George Herbert Walker Bush 1924 – 2018 41st President of the United States    
• ‘One Voice’ for the holidays (12/2/2018) - I received this video this morning from 1bl0gr3ad3r and wanted to share it with everyone. Turn up your volume, go to full screen mode, and enjoy. Wishing everyone a happy holiday season! _________________________________ Notes from YouTube: This holiday season The... Read More ›
• My visual Freudian slip (11/25/2018) - I was reading a news item this morning about Trump and the frightening new climate change report that he released in the wee hours of Black Friday night, hoping few would see it. The New York Times said the report’s findings... Read More ›
• Money and morality (11/23/2018) - From the New York Times newsletter this morning: • Quotation of the day “A country that can’t be trusted with a bone saw shouldn’t be trusted with nuclear weapons.” — Representative Brad Sherman, Democrat of California and a member of... Read More ›
• It’s Turkey Day in the USA (11/22/2018) - Wishing everyone a wonderful day filled with warmth, love, food, and fun. Cheers!    
• NRA: ‘This is our lane’ (11/21/2018) - If the NRA wants to claim that the issue of gun rights and gun ownership is theirs alone (“our lane”), that’s going to be a problem — because they aren’t willing to also accept the responsibility for fixing the problem... Read More ›
• And so it goes (11/19/2018) -    
• Solo dog sledding (11/17/2018) - Who needs humans when you have a nice hill and a perfectly good sled?  
• It’s a commercial, but who cares (11/15/2018) - Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
• An international embarrassment (11/13/2018) -
• Count every vote (11/13/2018) - There’s nothing illegal or wrong about a recount of the votes in Florida. And, according to the Florida Department of State: A 10-day extension exists for overseas voters. The overseas voter’s vote-by-mail ballot must be postmarked or dated by Election... Read More ›
• Thank you, veterans (11/11/2018) -
• Lookin’ good, ladies (11/9/2018) -
• Get well soon, RBG (11/8/2018) - Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 85, suffered three broken ribs in a fall last night and was admitted to George Washington University Hospital this morning for observation and treatment. “The Notorious RBG” has said she plans to serve on... Read More ›
• The morning after the night before (11/7/2018) - I’d hoped for at least a few quiet days before the 2020 campaign began, but there were rumblings even before all the ballots were counted last night. Nevertheless, I’m breathing a bit easier this morning. The Democrats took back the... Read More ›
• If you haven’t yet — GO VOTE! (11/6/2018) -
• The more things change … (11/4/2018) -   (Reprinted from April 14, 2015)
• Demonstrating a proper catwalk (11/3/2018) -
• Sick and tired (11/1/2018) - There was an opinion piece in the Washington Post yesterday entitled “Vote against all Republicans. Every single one.” Author Max Boot began by quoting Joe Biden: “I am sick and tired of this administration. I’m sick and tired of what’s... Read More ›
• The sooner, the better (11/1/2018) -
• Wishing you a spooktacular Halloween (10/31/2018) -
• Wisdom, a rare trait these days (10/30/2018) - … Today, tragically, too many people in power are projecting the worst. Many are cowardly, complicit enablers, acting against the interests of the United States, our allies and democracy; encouraging extremists at home and emboldening our adversaries abroad; and threatening... Read More ›
• The art of pumpkin carving (10/29/2018) - This is my favorite of several beautifully carved pumpkins from Maniac Pumpkin Carvers in Brooklyn, NY. More of their work is featured in The Guardian.
• Dumbo the … octopus? (10/27/2018) - Ever heard of a dumbo octopus? I hadn’t until now. The dumbo octopus (Grimpoteuthis) gets its name from the fins that resemble the ears of Disney’s Dumbo the flying elephant. It is small, usually only about 8 inches long, but the longest on... Read More ›
• Explosive devices: What we know so far (10/25/2018) -
• No golfing today in Estes Park (10/24/2018) - This was the scene on the Estes Park, Colo., golf course today, but I don’t see many golfers. Apparently playing through was not an option. Fall is the rutting season for elk, and every year they gather like this in and... Read More ›
• It’s a scary time (10/23/2018) - After the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings, Pres. Trump noted that “it’s a very scary time for young men in America right now.” A young Texas woman, Lynzy Lab, responded with a song. She tweeted it and it went viral. Let’s make... Read More ›
• On the rocks (10/22/2018) - World on the rocks? Sure seems like it sometimes.  
• A reminder about Saudi Arabia (10/18/2018) - Fifteen of the nineteen 9/11 terrorists were Saudis.    
• Elizabeth Warren releases DNA test result (10/15/2018) - Look out, Donald. She’s coming for you. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), often mocked by Donald Trump as “Pocahontas,” this morning released results of a DNA test proving she has Native American blood. The full report comes from Stanford University professor... Read More ›
• Select-a-smile (10/14/2018) -
• Found another great Colorado photographer (10/12/2018) - Isn’t this lovely? I came across it on Twitter while browsing the internet this evening. The Denver photographer, Mike Kvackay, graciously gave me permission to share it with you. His professional site is on Facebook. Lake Isabelle is higher than... Read More ›
• Colorado snow joke (10/12/2018) - I woke up two days ago, smug about the hard freeze the night before (I read somewhere that a “hard freeze” is 28° or lower) because I’d had my sprinklers shut off several days earlier. Outside I heard a lot... Read More ›
• If you go down in the woods today (10/10/2018) - I’ve written several times about the Alaska brown bears in Katmai National Park and Preserve, and have included links to the webcams that follow their summer salmon fishing. What I didn’t know until I saw it in yesterday’s Washington Post... Read More ›
• Compass? What compass? (10/8/2018) -
• R.I.P peace of mind (10/6/2018) - Unintentionally I just caught the last few minutes of the roll call vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court. It sounded like a countdown to … darkness. As expected, Kavanugh was confirmed. I am sick. Still, Supreme Court justices... Read More ›
• Kavanaugh: Res ipsa loquitur (10/4/2018) - Res ipsa loquitur. “The thing speaks for itself.” He’s a judge. He wants to be a bigger judge. He swore to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. He did not. ‘Nuff said.    
• Kavanaugh ‘belligerant and aggressive’ when drunk … or sober (10/1/2018) - In a statement released Sunday, Charles “Chad” Ludington, a Yale classmate of Brett Kavanaugh’s, said Kavanaugh was not truthful last week in his sworn testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee: In recent days I have become deeply troubled by what... Read More ›
• Thank you, Archila and Gallagher! (9/29/2018) - The Democrats wouldn’t do it. The Republicans wouldn’t do it. But after Ana Maria Archila and Maria Gallagher cornered Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) in an elevator yesterday and demanded he act, things started changing. When Sen. Flake returned to the... Read More ›
• Wanted: An objective third party assessment (9/28/2018) -
• A #MeToo message (9/26/2018) - Yesterday 81-year-old actor Bill Cosby, accused by more than a dozen women of sexual abuse, was sentenced to 3-10 years in Pennsylvania state prison. Classified as a “sexually violent offender” by the court, he will not be free on bond... Read More ›
• I’m registered to vote; are you? (9/25/2018) - This election year, it’s more important than ever that you vote and make your voice heard. Are you registered? Is your registration information up to date? If in doubt, check it out. Election Day is November 6.
• Foliage fling (9/22/2018) - Fall foliage photos are a dime a dozen in Colorado, but this one really caught my eye. I’ve tried for years to describe a brief walk I once took near Estes Park, and have always failed. This picture comes very... Read More ›
• Summing it up (9/21/2018) -
• Trump, from the standpoint of stupid (9/20/2018) - Need I say more?
• Time’s up for #MeToo (9/18/2018) - My son started to ask me a question yesterday, and the minute he said “Kavanaugh” I knew what he was thinking. I’d been thinking the same thing all day. Why is a woman, Christine Blasey Ford, only just now accusing Supreme... Read More ›
• Hail summer (9/17/2018) - Last spring there was a wind storm here that blew down fences, knocked over a large woody bush in my backyard, and peeled shingles off the house across the street. Maybe an 80% chance to get insurance to replace my... Read More ›
• Nature makes amends (9/16/2018) - If you can’t get into the mountains to enjoy the fall color, just watch the horizon at sunset. If you can’t see the western horizon from your location, there’s always this webcam in Denver’s City Park. I check it every... Read More ›
• Bring on the Blue Tsu (9/14/2018) - I want more than a mere Blue Wave of Democratic votes in November. I want more than a Big Blue Wave. I want a Blue Tsunami. A gigantic Big Blue Tsu. It won’t fix everything, but it will be a... Read More ›
• Through the clouds brightly (9/8/2018) - This is Colorado Springs, Colo., (elev. 6,035 ft) viewed through the clouds from a webcam on the summit of Pikes Peak (elev. 14,114 ft). I love the city’s glow on the underside of the clouds. Not something I see very... Read More ›
• Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen (9/8/2018) - Following up on my post yesterday about the anonymous op-ed author, don’t miss the Washington Post’s article “Who could have written the ‘resistance’ op-ed?” It lists no less than 26 Washington insiders who might have written the piece. With each... Read More ›
• Anonymous author: Hero or heretic? (9/7/2018) - By now you must have heard about the op-ed published in the New York Times two days ago, the one by an anonymous senior official in the White House. It’s titled “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump... Read More ›
• The leaves they are a changin’ (9/5/2018) - Okay, Colorado leaf peepers. Hope your car is gassed up and ready to go. The local forecasters have been reporting for a week now that the leaves in the high country are starting to turn — at least a week... Read More ›
• McCain Senate Office Building appears on Google maps (9/2/2018) - This week, after a proposal from Sen. Chuck Shumer (D-NY) that the Russell Senate Office Building be renamed to honor Sen. John McCain, a hacker decided to see how it would look on Google maps. (Maybe it was the same... Read More ›
• Joe Biden eulogizes John McCain (8/30/2018) - (Video freezes at :15, then continues at about :45)
• In Memoriam: Sen. John McCain (8/26/2018) - High Flight John Gillespie Magee, Jr. Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth, And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things You... Read More ›
• So Colorado: Avalanche rescue dog (8/23/2018) - (slow-loading video, please be patient:) Meet Tikka, Colorado’s newest avalanche rescue pup-in-training, and her handler, Erich. They are currently based at the Arapahoe Basin Ski Area (aka A-Basin) west of Denver. And yes, she’s a golden retriever. On average, avalanches... Read More ›
• Guardian features 2018 Bird Photographer of the Year winners (8/21/2018) - I came across this photograph while browsing The Guardian this evening, and viewed full size, it just about blew the screen off my laptop. It’s easy to see why Pedro Jarque Krebs, Peru, won the top prize in the 2018... Read More ›
• Truth isn’t truth (8/19/2018) - Did you know that truth isn’t truth? Don’t take my word for it. Donald Trump’s lead attorney, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, said so Sunday morning on Meet the Press. “When you tell me that he [Trump] should testify... Read More ›
• There was only one Aretha (8/17/2018) - Tears flowed here tonight when Stephen Colbert featured this video on his show. Aretha Franklin, at the Dec. 6, 2015, Kennedy Center Honors, sang “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman.” She was 76 at the time, but proved... Read More ›
• Democracy requires a free press (8/16/2018) - Last week the Boston Globe called on American newspapers, large and small, to publish editorials today in defense of a free press. And while I’ve never been a professional reporter, I worked in publishing long enough to know that freedom... Read More ›
• Space Force? Seriously? (8/14/2018) - My grasp of reality is sometimes in doubt, but is our president serious about establishing a Space Force? Really? Space Force? Did no one tell him about Reagan’s defunct Star Wars proposal? I laughed when I first heard him announce... Read More ›
• Blue birds singing a song (8/7/2018) - Blue birds singing a song, Nothing but blue birds all day long …
• Me and my lyin’ eyes (8/6/2018) - You say you don’t believe in climate change. You don’t believe the ice packs are melting and the seas are rising. You say it’s all a hoax, that scientists are lying. Well, I don’t know about you, but I can’t... Read More ›
• California burns, Colorado coughs (8/2/2018) - This is a screenshot from a Denver webcam in Cheesman Park on an average day: This is a screenshot from the same camera this afternoon: We’re being told the haze is smoke from the fires in California, with a minor... Read More ›