Ret Talbot's Blog, page 2

Where Science and Poetry Meet

The white shark is no myth. It is no accident or aberration. It is the result of a sequence of precise adaptations achieved over millions of years, and it has culminated in this—a near-perfect, albeit little-understood, animal swimming steadily north along the Outer Cape on a mid-September morning. Continue reading →

My Relationship with White Sharks

With a growing number of white sharks returning to New England each summer, I’ve been asking people about their relationship with sharks and how that relationship may have changed over time. I’m struck that many start by talking about JAWS. … Continue reading →

We Have the Data – Let’s Act on It

If you have been following along on my personal Facebook page, you know that I have continued to advocate for an all-in approach to COVID-19 here in Maine. A couple days ago, on the graph I generate daily and publish … Continue reading →

What Does ‘Essential’ Mean During a Global Pandemic?

Yesterday Maine Governor Janet Mills issued an Executive Order “mandating that all non-essential businesses and operations in Maine close their physical locations that are public facing.” Understanding what is meant by an “essential business” during a global pandemic is something … Continue reading →

COVID-19 – It’s Time to Pivot Maine

It’s time to do more. I had a conversation with a friend who still pops into get coffee at the local cafe on his morning walk. A local business that sells antiques in town remains open saying “We’ll respect your … Continue reading →

Civil Disaster Declaration in Rockland

As I’ve done with the last two pieces I’ve penned about CORVID-19 and, more specifically, our response to it here in Maine and in my city of Rockland, I will reiterate at the top that I am not a medical … Continue reading →

COVID-19 – Do the Right Thing…Now!

As I wrote a couple days ago, I am not a health expert, but as I watched aghast at local k-12 schools, museums, restaurants, etc. in Maine choosing to remain open despite really clear data showing the necessity for social … Continue reading →

COVID-19 – What’s at Stake for Maine: One Virus Two Possible Outcomes

The current piecemeal, a la carte, wait-and-see approach to COVID-19 I’m seeing in my community and in Maine in general appears to be inconsistent with what we should have learned from the data. As a mountaineer, I can’t count the … Continue reading →

Summer’s Not Over!

Thank you to all of you who have written notes to see if I’m okay. I am, and I know I’ve been absent from the blogosphere for a couple months. Summer is a time when my writing productivity usually drops … Continue reading →