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Saturday, September 16, 2023

That darn Mark Trail and Peanuts

Can't bear the misinformation [Mark Trail letter]

Sally J. Valdes, Alexandria

The Sept. 3 "Mark Trail" comic strip included misleading information. It stated that grizzly bears are "not seen outside Alaska and the far north." Historically, grizzly bears ranged from Alaska to Mexico and from the Pacific to the Mississippi River. Even today, about 3,000 live in Wyoming, Idaho, Washington and Montana.

I miss the old version of "Mark Trail" that included more dependable information on natural history and had more straightforward, believable characters and storylines.


The writer is a former biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal agencies.


The dark legacy of artificial light [Peanuts letter]

Eileen Kragie, Vienna

Washington Post September 16 2023: A15.

The Sept. 3 "Classic Peanuts" comic strip was too depressing for words.

Woodstock's reaction most likely would be one of horror these days at the explosion of irresponsible light at night, not only in the cities but also across the globe. The unshielded light depicted in the fourth frame causes glare, light trespass and light pollution.

The fall migration of the birds is beginning. Artificial light at night is the cause of death of hundreds of millions of birds each year.

One hardly thinks Woodstock would be happy seeing the pavement below buildings littered with the bodies of his friends. The "Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky" exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History shows what the unabated exponential growth of our artificial lights is doing.


The writer is the founder of Dark Sky Friends.

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