Author Archives: William Calvin

About William Calvin

UW prof emeritus brains, human evolution, climate

More ghostly than expected

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Those four-story fires along Ninth Avenue (updated)

In the past several years, we (the Skyline retirement community; The Terraces is its Skilled Nursing, Memory Care, and Assisted Living branch) have had four big fires along Ninth Ave, #2 just across Cherry Street from the Terraces. Google Maps … Continue reading

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Yet another big neighborhood fire–an 18-month repeat

The 9th Ave face of 823 Madison Street. Fire at First Hill vacant building spreads to neighboring apartments | The Seattle Times At 4:41AM on January 1st, the first alarm was received for 823 Madison; as the fire spread into … Continue reading

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The 35-floor replacement for the Chancery Building two blocks away

The links at the city website are mostly error-prone so, having wasted an hour, here is the useful URL: Design Review EDG Proposal – Final (seattle.gov) Here of 2023 photos of construction near us, in case anyone would like to … Continue reading

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Greystone’s public space and alley

Looking down on Columbia, at left we see the new public space and its planters in place. Middle bottom is Skyline’s parking garage exit. Starting just across Columbia from it is the new paved alley that goes through to Marion … Continue reading

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Converging atmospheric rivers (look north)

Here we see the Puget Sound Convergence Zone, ordinarily found up north of the King County line. Moisture-laden westerly winds off the Pacific run into the Olympic Mountain range and split into a south-around branch (via southern Puget Sound) and … Continue reading

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Another July, another fire nearby

The 9th & Madison intersection again fills with fire trucks. The garage building with black stripes is at the center. A total of 36 SFD vehicles clogged nearby streets. 2-Alarm vacant building fire in First Hill neighborhoodby David Cuerpo on … Continue reading

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My “Rethinking Climate” talk, up on YouTube

I have been painting a picture of where we are heading if we fail to successfully intervene. That should not be taken to imply that, within decades, debilitation and collapse are inevitable. All you have been hearing is the first … Continue reading

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Coming down

The Graystone tower crane is coming down currently. You might recall the crane that fell across Mercer Street in 2019. The winds became gusty while they were doing such a takedown; in a hurry, workers bypassed some stability safety measures. … Continue reading

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Skyline, 2/3s complete

This Google Street View, from the St. James side of the 9th & Columbia intersection looking SW, likely dates from 2006. The Tower is up to the 17th floor above 8th Avenue, ten to go on the front side’s shed … Continue reading

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Graystone tower crane

They have moved the external cage up to the top, likely a sign that you can watch the takedown process this weekend or next. The cage supports the top while a multistory section is unbolted and slid out sideways.

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No more Amazon donations to SRA

Amazon announces end to its decade long charity program, leaving charities that rely on the company’s donations in a lurch. Author: Associated PressPublished: 12:29 PM PST January 25, 2023Updated: 12:29 PM PST January 25, 2023 SEATTLE — Amazon’s surprise decision to shut down its AmazonSmile … Continue reading

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Follow up on our 2021 heatwave

Clipped from: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2022EF002967

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big fire next door to south (Friday 9pm)

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Covid becomes plague of elderly, reviving debate over ‘acceptable loss’

Nearly 9 in 10 covid deaths are in people 65 or older [from Washington Post] Some epidemiologists and demographers predict the trend of older, sicker and poorer people dying at disproportionate rates will continue, raising hard questions about the trade-offs … Continue reading

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The Climate Meta: Nine Aspects of the Big Picture

Skyline readers: I am preparing a series of Sci-Tech talks, my annual update on climate prospects. Advance comments would be most welcome. The most valuable comments are those that tell me where you stumbled, tuned out, or where you initially … Continue reading

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What GOP candidate recruitment says about the GOP

[Here is my posting on https://medium.com/will-howard-on-trumpian-politics/what-gop-candidate-recruitment-says-about-the-gop-6af4e793ffed.] I aim to raise questions about candidates for higher office who are so inexperienced that, if they won, they might be in constant need of advice from their sponsors, likely to supply an unelected … Continue reading

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In case you missed the action

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Smoke Be Gone

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4th-floor garden at Skyline West

In case you missed the reception…. Looking northeast toward 8th Ave.

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Be Careful What You Wish For

by William H. Calvin My high-school classmates wanted to make an impact with our 1957 senior-class gift to Shawnee-Mission High School, in the Kansas City suburbs.[1] The Senior Gift Committee had the bright idea of buying a painting, which would … Continue reading

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Roof Garden Views

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Hidden in the heavens

The pictures from the new Webb satellite telescope show the heavens in the infrared wavelengths, something we cannot see from the ground.

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Graystone’s extra floors

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