Author Archives: Harry Katz

Supreme Court puts Obama’s Clean Power Plan on hold

On February 9, the Supreme Court issued a “stay” blocking implementation of the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan rules that aim to cut CO2 emissions from the nation’s power plants until challenges to the regulations can be heard by the … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Law and justice, Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Big World Small Planet

Are we doomed?  Have we messed up the Earth beyond all hope?  News reports about the environment would sure make you think so.  From CO2 emissions to deforestation to species extinction; you name it, it seems like humans are totally … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Energy, Environment | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

The Court and The World

The Court and the World is about the increasing interplay between the Supreme Court of the United States and the people, laws and courts of foreign countries.  And it’s written by an extremely well-qualified expert, Stephen Breyer, Associate Justice of … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Law and justice | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Unsolicited reflections on 2015

Back at the beginning of last year, I wrote a post Cautious Optimism for 2015.  My overall point was about focusing on long term trends as a remedy for becoming overwhelmed by the incessant drumbeat of bad news. Was I … Continue reading

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Maps and journeys

I unearthed this cache of old road maps the other day while doing a major cleanup of my office. I’d completely forgotten about them and I was pleasantly surprised by the number of places I’ve visited over the years. As … Continue reading

Posted in Reflections, Travel | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Wish You Were Here

40 years ago today Pink Floyd released Wish You Were Here. It’s one of my favorite albums.  I still vividly remember the first time I heard it. I was walking through school after class one afternoon when the opening synthesizers … Continue reading

Posted in Entertainment | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Mindset

Everyone knows there are two kinds of people in the world: those who divide the world into two kinds of people and those who do not. Well Carol Dweck, a professor of psychology at Stanford, is clearly one of the … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Data and Goliath

Data and Goliath:  The Hidden Battles to Collect Your Data and Control Your WorldBy Bruce SchneierW. W. Norton & Company, New York, 2015 Whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not, you’re being watched. Everywhere. All … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Computers and Internet | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

King v. Burwell: Everyone’s A Winner

(Photo: http://www.supremecourt.gov) Yesterday morning the United States Supreme Court handed down its decision in King v. Burwell. This case is about tax credits granted under the Affordable Care Act (ACA, a.k.a. Obamacare) to low income individuals to help them pay … Continue reading

Posted in Health and wellness, Law and justice, Politics | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

So long, Skate King

This morning I taught my last skating class at Bellevue Skate King. I’ll resume teaching in the fall, but at a new location. Skate King is closing its doors at the end of the month after more than forty years. … Continue reading

Posted in Inline skating | Tagged , | Leave a comment