Beware the Ho-Ax

 On this day, five years ago, I flew my private jet up to Nome, Alaska, and took this photo of a polar bear hiding behind an iceberg during a severe blizzard.  This morning, I'm back in Nome.  Since my

first visit, they have dug a huge coal mine that produces a high-sulfur coal.  Right next to the mine is a new coal-fired power plant that provides electric power for all of Alaska and neighboring Yukon Territory.  I took the second photo this morning, in the same spot as the first photo, shortly after sunrise.   Again, there was such a powerful blizzard that I'm not sure if there was a polar bear in the shot.  As you can see, air quality has deteriorated.

If you're still with me, I have another short story to relate.  In the spring of 1967 I led a team of 8 young budding scientists on an expedition to Eagle Lake.  We were one of around 10 such teams, each lead by a science teacher and studying a particular aspect of the Eagle Lake environment.  My team was studying various ecological phenomena in Murrer's Meadow, including the rate of decomposition and the sequence of invertebrate visitors in the plentiful piles of cow poop.  It occurred to the kids to call our group The Meadow Muffins.  This expedition took place a few weeks after April Fool's Day, but the spirit somehow lasted through early May.  My students started spreading rumors about a very dangerous and secretive creature known as a Ho-Ax  (Pronounced hoe - axe).   Soon we were being asked frequently about whether we'd had any sightings.  There was quite a bit of anxiety developing in camp over the next few days before someone discovered the whole thing was a hoax!  Fun.  So, by now you might think the first story and photos above are another hoax.  Maybe so.  Or, they might be a premonition.