Hurricane season isn’t just about …
Where they make landfall.
All rules have their exceptions
It’s also about where they originate …
And their travel path.
Those prevailing paths vary by month.
Origin of a storm
And what path they chose
Origin of a storm
And what path they chose
It's a new dawn with Burt Silver, because he stayed up all night to see it.
— Burt Silver
Dinosaur interviews himself
What a wonderful guest
What’s the secret …
To a good interview?
Rare interview with an even rarer dinosaur
Some would say ample research on the topic you’re trying to discuss. Others would say having a good set of questions. Still others would say inviting in a good guest. But for me, the secret to a good interview starts with the host. It isn’t so much the questions or the answers as it is the good conversation to be had. And really, for that to occur: Is there really a need for anyone else? Answer: I would say yes. The caveat is you better be comfortable having a dialog with yourself first. And that’s why in many ways this is a breakthrough interview.
Among the topics we cover: My new idea for a great app, new details on the Time of Great Phonelessness (i.e. Before Phones), how phones stole our memories, the difference between prescient and clairvoyant, why a ranger kept returning to the swamp and what made him stop, the difference between a tree and a large blade of grass, why cigarettes are healthier than cell phones, how banjos went viral, and more.
When I write a song, I pick up with whatever I'm thinking about and go with it.
— Bobby Angel
Steephead Valleys
And why they are "spring like"
Steephead valleys aren’t as famous …
Or as charismatic as a Florida spring.
Steephead valleys have a distinctive rounded shape
But they are similar in they are both groundwater fed. Unlike springs that appear in full force out of nowhere, emerging from a cavernous hold in the ground in the form of a “boil,” steephead streams are smaller in scale and at their upstream end pinch back to a vanishing point. And unlike a gully-eroded dendritic (i.e. branching) stream channel that depends on rainwater for its source, and accordingly erodes from top-to-bottom — a steephead valley contains a single stream that depends on groundwater seepage as its source. Grain by grain, that causes erosion to occur from the bottom-up, giving the ravines their trademark rounded and slumping shape. Another key difference: The gradient between its headwater and mouth are low.
What makes steepheads special? The steady flow and constant (cooler) temperature makes both the ravines and the streams home to endemic and rare northern plants. An endangered fish called the Okaloosa darter is only found in steephead streams. As for their location, they are found in isolated patches in the panhandle where the regional groundwater table and alluvial floodplain intercept.
Legend of Campfire Charlie
Rumor has it Campfire Charlie has been roaming these parts for decades
And the people who saw him fifty, sixty, seventy years back - and the people who still see him today - all of them swear the person they see is the exact same figure.
The era before phones is where the dinosaurs like me roam.
— Dino
Ultimate Campfire Read?
Ranger Rusty's Campfire Tale
Looking for three handsome books …
And better yet, an immersive campfire read?
The book trailer
Actually, this will take you a couple campfires to read, and better yet you might chose a cozy spot on the couch with a good reading light. What started out as a simple project – a literary extension of a campfire talk, turned into not just one, but three books. And then of course the combined version which, brings the epic story together under one roof (or book binding if you will.) In a nutshell, the book chronicles the day in the life of a park ranger “manning the booth” of the visitor center in the liquid heart of an ancient swamp and then (after that long day) heading off to the local campground to give an evening campfire talk. Let’s just say the adventure starts from there. Where do you find this fascinating tale? Here’s the link: Ranger Rusty’s Campfire Tale.
It's a new dawn with Burt Silver, because he stayed up all night to see it.
— Burt Silver
Buck Talks Water
And yes, he's still totally freaked out
When it comes to any topic …
Buck knows a lot.
Buck goes on a water rant
Basically, AM Radio Host Buck Buckner is an expert in too many topics to count, at least in his own mind. Case in point is the subject of water. It doesn’t take Buck long to connect the dots on the vital link between Bigfoot and keeping the water clean. The reason? Bigfoot enjoys drinking his water straight from the stream. Thus, if you want to have any slim hope of catching a glimpse of Bigfoot, perhaps our only hope is keeping our waterways clean, as that’s the only place he drinks. Bucks greatest dream: To have a sit down interview with Bigfoot where at the table he’d serve him up with fresh glass of water scooped straight from the stream. Here’s the dreaming!
Remember, don't get mad -- call your Uncle, Uncle and Uncle, terms and conditions apply
— Uncle & Uncle
Waterman Speech
Coming to a train station near you
What does it take …
To protect our water resources?
Water needs vision like never before
In word, vision. But vision alone is not enough. It requires activism and a willingness (and energy) to deliver the message to the people in their communities and in a way that communicates to their hearts and their minds. Lastly, it takes a sustained effort and getting everyone involved.
More about this speech: I wrote it in a fit of inspiration meant to be delivered in front of the campfire. It borrows heavily from other speeches, but also tries to cultivate its own organic voice and tenor. Importantly, I memorized the speech before actually putting it to paper. It was only in performing it, and listening to myself say it, that I refined the language and intonations, the later of which continue to evolve. There is a prequel to this speech. Maybe I have to starting thinking of a second part, too. BTW: I do have a powerpoint I often lead into after the speak, called “The Water Plan.” Vision is vital but persistence (and executing the plan) is the ultimate cure.
🔥Campfire Trivia
What is Buck Buckner's passion?
Buck Buckner is a polymath, in his own words, and routinely discovers himself to be more knowledgeable than the experts.
The era before phones is where the dinosaurs like me roam.
— Dino
Major Water Speech
Handwritten in the Smokey Boiler Room
When is it a good time …
To talk about water?
Burt preaches the water gospel
Answer: Probably at any point during a campaign, or after it for that matter, too. To quote a close friend, water will always be on humanity’s Top 3 priority list. Family, peace, water. Maybe not in that order. In this epic speech, in true Burt fashion the candidate lays bare his passion for the substance at the same time he isn’t going to reveal his hand as to what may or may not be in his cup when he’s playing high stakes poker in the smokey boiler room at night. Why? If Burt understands anything in life, it’s how to play a hand, be it weak or strong. In his view, him revealing whether he’s drinking water or something else is akin to the most dreaded of card table (and/or negotiation) faux paus — a tell.
So you’ll just have to trust Burt when in comes to the water, or whatever’s he drinking.
When I write a song, I pick up with whatever I'm thinking about and go with it.
— Bobby Angel
