Archaeology, Environment, Travel and Weirdness – Friday News Roundup

It is snowing on the mountain this morning and I’ll be heading out to take pictures soon after the light. All yesterday the sky spit rain and tiny balls of ice. The wind blew. The air was chilly.

I’ll be back in Finland next March…when it is still so cold. Most Finns just embrace it. I just cant seem to. Global Warming wont benefit many. It may suck the life out of our forests. I tend to think it will benefit me. Kind of. Me and Scandanavian ship owners. Oh. AND Scandanavian archaeologists. Icebridge will tell us how fast the change is coming. And no matter how much it costs, some people just love burning rocks. Still, as the waters rise, more valuable knowledge may go underwater. We need more deep-water archaeologists.

Jerusalem in January can also be cold. I remember huddling in my sleeping bag in a window-less room near the Wailing Wall thinking…how the hell did they deal with this chill 2000 years ago! I was also thinking I shouldnt have turned down that large, warm-looking Israeli girl with the Uzi, but thats another story. Some say that the Bible can fill us in on what the weather was all like oh-so-long-ago and what kind of biodiversity that weather supported. I’m sure that pulling ancient tales into the opaque teachings of the new religion while huddled cold in the caves of Nag Hammadi helped pass the time. I don’t think it will surprise most people that Christian identity is flexible, and always has been. Why didnt they go someplace warm? Nope, they went North. This guy could tell some stories, I’m sure. Early Christians flooded into ancient Lyon, one of the most fabulously walkable cities I’ve ever lived in. I’m only sorry it was such a short time.

How about some really dangerous places that may well be worth the risk? Maybe it would be playing with a little Ars Moriendi but I, for one, would love to go. But is death really the end? Or is it just the start of utter humiliation? If it was long enough ago, everyone will want to come look at your stuff. Anyway, If you don’t know where these exciting places are, drop by the Library of Congress’ map collection. Map lovers will find themselves stuck there for days. Safer travels will take you to Britain for some damn big ancient art. This? Not dangerous. It just looks fun.

And…Holy Crap….our planet is lovely.