A lot happened while I was out west. There was a senator’s 250 nm move left and the President’s promise that 3% of the GDP would go to research in science and technology. And you can bet I was elated when the Obama administration overturned Bush’s eleventh-hour rule intended to weaken protections of the Endangered Species Act:

Passed in January 2009, the Bush-era rule lifted the requirement that federal agencies consult wildlife experts with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration before taking actions that could harm listed species. The Bush move allowed federal agencies to decide for themselves if their own projects, such as roads, dams and mines, would hurt species.

On a personal note, it’s also been a productive and busy week. I visited Bodega Marine Laboratory and enjoyed volunteering on some fascinating research in Boonville, California where cattle roamed around our field site. I also coincidentally met Mary Roach who is as delightful in person as she comes across on the pages of Bonk.

Today I’m back east in NYC with Chris to plan several upcoming events.  While we’re wandering the city much of the afternoon, here’s a glimpse of the landscape out west I recorded using The Flip: