Category: Self: Meet Center. Center: Meet Self.

Yreka Phlox (phlox hirsuta) is a endangered perennial subshrub with small beautiful purple flowers native to my hometown of Yreka, California. And now, it’s Yreka’s’ official flower. The official resolution from the city council:

“WHEREAS the Yreka Phlox is a hardy, enduring plant that grows in poor soils with little water and is known also as Phlox hirsuta; and
WHEREAS, its flower is a lovely and cheerful harbinger of spring; and
WHEREAS, the Yreka phlox is unique to our hometown; and
WHEREAS, the late City Attorney Larry Bacon had a vision for conservation of the Yreka Phlox which resulted in the Recovery Plan for Phlox hirsute, United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 2006, which was dedicated in honor of Larry Bacon; and
WHEREAS it is a rare honor to have a flower named after a city; we support the adoption of the Yreka Phlox as the City of Yreka’s official flower.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Yreka that the Yreka Phlox is named as the City of Yreka’s official flower.”

My father loved the outdoors, loved the city of Yreka, and loved wildflowers. The resolution would have made him very happy.

I’m going to be visiting the Perimeter Institute next week, talking on Monday (switched from Wednesday) at 3pm. Visiting Perimeter is always a treat: quantum information, quantum foundations, quantum gravity, cosmology, particle physics, superstring theory…I think I’ve thought of going into all of those fields (grad classes in astro at Berkeley not so useful these days in quantum computing. Okay useful in a different sort of way.) Indeed, I think I’m still thinking of going into quantum information.
P.S. anyone recommend a good jogging path starting near the Perimeter Institute?

Living in a small rural town is hard. Jobs are often difficult to come by (in the Northwest this is particularly true of towns that have suffered the slow fall of the timber industry.) The county where I grew up, Siskiyou county, currently has an unemployment rate north of 18 percent. And yet, there are small towns where, well you might not have a good job, but you have something else which has tremendous value. Here is the view from near the top of my run this afternoon above Yreka, CAThe volcano to the right is Mt. Shasta and the one to the left is Goosenest (a great place to camp and see the Perseids.)

Buzzing on Scienceblogs right now is PalMDs ongoing attempt to get his BMI in shape. In honor, I shall post my latest attempt at getting in shape:Kids and adults: don’t try this at home!
How did I do it? Eat like a monk and run a lot.