The butterfly effect . . .
Tuesday, February 17, 2026. It's Tiw's day . . . A cloudy, windy day is at hand for TulseyTown. Strong, gusty Southerlies are in the forecasts with mid 70's afternoon.
The lunar New Year begins today. In Chinese lore, this will be the Year of the Fire Horse.
Robert Duvall has left the theatre. The cameleon multi-awarded actor died Sunday, peacefully in his home in Middleburg, Virginia, with his wife at his side. He was 95.
Today is the anniversary of the Armory Art Show. A decisive event in the development of American art, it opened on this date in 1913 New York City.
A quick film history class from Laura Dern, exploring her faves in the Criterion vault.
At the Munich Security Conference this past Friday, Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York addressed why the world is seeing a rise in autocrat-friendly populism.
Lessons from David Brooks. – Robert Reich, Best of Luck David, 02.16.26
And certainly not least . . . chaos theory suggests small changes in initial conditions can lead to significant and unpredictable outcomes in complex systems. It is often illustrated by the idea that a butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the world could eventually cause a tornado in another part. It emphasizes the word “could” leading to the conclusion that there is no possible way to predict long-term outcomes. Hence the term: “The butterfly effect.”
Unpredictably, Puccini's Madama Butterfly premiered on this date at La Scala in 1903 Milan, Italy
Grazing donkeys . . .
Monday, February 16, 2026. It's the Moon's day . . . and it is New. Forecasts for TulseyTown indicate moderate to strong Southerlies bringing sunny skies with only a cloud or two this afternoon, warming to the mid 70's.
By following The Way there are moments you may find yourself in the unknown. Be comfortable with that. It is as Buddha taught: all is emptiness. Getting too attached to the safety of a nearby harbor or desert oasis can send you into an existential tailspin off the path. The present moment has never occurred before. Of course it would be unknown. Sit. Breathe.
The Epstein class. Trump is the “honorary” chair. – Robert Reich, Happy President's Day, 2.18.26
What's driving the squalor? – Heather Cox Richardson, in Letters From An American, posted last night.
The Week Ahead – Joyce Vance, Civil Discourse today.
Grazing Donkeys
World of water and mud,
since I've known you
I've known trial, tribulation, and torment.
You are a pasture for grazing donkeys,
not the abode of Jesus.
What am I doing in a pasture for grazing donkeys?
Why insist on above and below
when my Source dwells in every here and every there?
Why ask where of everywhere?
Turn off the tongue.
Enter nothingness.
See all things through nothing's eyes.
– Rumi, in Water, translated by Haleh Liza Gafori, The New York Review of Books, 2025.
Heads up . . .
Sunday, February 15, 2026. It's Sol's day . . . and a sunny, early Spring day is in the forecasts for TulseyTown. Moderate to strong Northerlies bring mid 60's to the afternoon. The week ahead looks to be in the 70's until the cooler weekend.
With the mood of Valentine's day lingering, what else could love possibly be but the beautiful, risky human willingness to commit to loving deeply what we also know will change and vanish? – Susan Murphy
Love transmutes from something taken to something given. – Jeff Krasno, “Will you be your Valentine?” online 2.14.26
On Valentine’s Day in 1884, Theodore Roosevelt lost both his wife and his mother. – Heather Cox Richardson remembers in Letters From An American.
Galileo was born on this day in 1564, Pisa, Italy. The Italian natural philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician advanced the Copernicun view and was condemned by the church for doing so. The ban lasted until 1835 and was finally publicly recognized as accurate in 1992 by Pope John Paul II.
It's Susan B. Anthony's birthday. The pioneer feminist was born in 1820, Adams, Massachusetts.
An agenda of joy. – Joyce Vance, in Civil Discourse.
Standing up to the bullies. – Robert Reich, Sunday Thought.
We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are all reluctant prophets, demystifying mysticism.. – Mirabai Starr.
Everybody's looking for something. Keep your head up.