Category Archives: social commentary

Seeking Community

Art, Blog, social commentary
Family Outing

Millennials and Gen Zs are more interested in experiences than possessions. The great outdoors beckons them with freedom, health and companionship. 

acrylic on deep canvas /20” x 16” /   $ 399.

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Seeking Community in a Time of Change

In past blogs, we explored social change and the pressure it puts on people to adapt. We looked at why young adults marry later and birth fewer children. And, at the other end of the age spectrum, we saw what happens to elders when family and friends move out of town or die, leaving them without support. Lastly, we examined technologically savvy teens who replace face-to-face interactions with social media. Adapting to change is difficult, leaving people feeling isolated and frightened. I listen to many of them during counseling sessions and feel their pain. Yet, despite all I hear, I have great hope for the future. The young adults I meet are loving, compassionate, active and community minded.

The need to adapt to change can be troublesome, for it sneaks up to surprise us. To transition from old ways of thinking, a person has to accept that there’s a need to do so. For instance, the need people have for community is the same as it was in previous generations, but the way younger people go about it today, differs greatly. Since lives no longer center around families who reside in stable neighborhoods, ways to communicate on the computer were invented to help us find meaningful relationships.

The flight from small towns and farms to cities initiated change in the way we live. Seeking better employment and more exciting places to roost required newcomers to be aggressive and outgoing when searching for companionship. Finding others with shared interests and values is time consuming. It can take years before acquaintances turn into deep friendships.

Adapting to social change requires forethought, patience and a willingness to practice new ways of interacting. The front porch rocker is no longer the place to go for a chat. It’s been replaced by sitting isolated for hours before a computer. At the same time, the computer is like a friend, for it is now the usual way to be introduced to those with share interests. 

The World Wide Web opens doors to companionship. Walking through the door, however, takes a certain amount of courage. At some point it’s necessary to get off your chair and step outdoors. Following are a few paths people take to find community. Some are firmly embedded in the new reality, while others are becoming more so. 

1) Used by millions of people, Computer dating services quickly became the norm. Websites like eharmony, Silver Singles, Match.com, and Zoosk sieve members through algorithms that match personal attributes. Those seeking love and companionship no longer wait for introductions from friends, family or matchmakers. As with many internet based services, however, caution has to be taken, for it’s possible to be victimized by scoundrels.

2) Meetups offer adults ways to connect through interest groups. There are gatherings for hiking, dog-lovers, photographers, artists, writers, readers and singers. Those who crave physical challenges band together for volleyball, camping and hiking. There are groups watch ingJapanese Movies, holding Forgiveness Discussions, coping with disability, and even participating in Oil Education sessions. A great many gatherings form around eating, drinking, talking and laughing. 

Some of these associations lead to close relationships, but not all. It’s fairly common to attend weekly sessions without befriending the person sitting next to you. Friendships require effort and the participant has to take the next step. It involves a willingness to do meet for coffee or engage in activities with new acquaintances. Close relationships require trust and being open to discussing hopes, dreams and fears. 

3) Maker groups come in many flavors, bringing people who like to create together in interest specific groups. Gatherings run the gamut from Digital Fabrication, 3D printing, Tinkering, Data Science to Movie Making. There’s a group called Coffee, Art, and Music and one named Sewing, Craft, DIY. There’s a Wine & Wineries Socializing Group, Hardware Startups, a Healthy-Tech-Think-Tank and even a Rainbow Duct Tape group. Some makers get involved in music festival projects while others form around making Pizza. Think it and you can probably find it as a subset of Meetup.

4) Co-housing: Throughout history, people lived in villages and small co-dependent communities. Not impeded by doors and fences, they helped neighbors needing food and childcare. They joined hunting parties, farmed and prayed. Today, few of us have neighbors who will come running when we need help. According to the 2010 Census Bureau, the average number of people living next door to you is three. They reside in self-sufficient units and take pride in being independent. Yet, private accommodations drain money and time and they don’t contribute to building community.

Today’s young adults are choosing to live communally in dwellings that combat loneliness and isolation. Co-housing is a distinct, yet American, way to reside, for it brings together strangers who value individualism and privacy, yet desire community. Co-housing combines private space with common areas to share meals, gardens, physical workouts, tools, and craft activities. Co-housing is not the same as the hippie communes of the 1960s where finances, cooking, social activities and ownership was shared by all, though it does offer ways to increase social interaction. 

Co-housing, began in Denmark in the 1960s and was introduced to the U. S. in the 1990s. They vary in design and size with some being restricted by age while others are intergenerational. How often residents dine together and the extent of their shared facilities varies. Larger developments often employ a community manager to organize events, volunteer activities, and dinners. 

Last summer I visited an eco-village composed of twelve houses with footprints limited to 1,200 sq. ft. Each structure was an experiment in energy efficient construction. One had solar heating panels while another used a heat pump. My friend built her house with thick walls that she and volunteer college students insulated with a slurry composed of mud and grass. Property owners share workshops, gardens and communal dining facilities. The compound’s layout makes it easy for people to interact. 

Another co-housing development I toured consisted of twenty-four condominiums. Each was constructed with kitchen windows facing the compound’s playground. The founders wanted residents to feel like they belonged to a loving extended family. Seniors are encouraged to share their time and wisdom with children living in their community. Neighbors help each other with everything from home maintenance to childcare, cooking and shopping. All residents buy into the development’s land and participate in maintaining its property. 

Home ownership is not a requirement for co-housing to be successful. Apartment buildings are being similarly built around shared amenities to encourage relationships that keep loneliness at bay. I’m impressed by Roam, a fairly new global community of co-living and co-working spaces where dwellers sign a single lease and live in sites worldwide for a week or a lifetime. Since so many people work from home, roaming the world and taking advantage of global housing while earning a living is enticing.

5) Shared living and work spaces are growing trends among Millennials, Gen-Zs and even some Baby Boomers. Unrelated  adults join to purchase homes or rent rooms in houses where expenses and upkeep are shared. Living with housemates is more affordable and less lonely than being alone, and it allows money to be saved and used for travel. Sharing is part of the minimalist movement sweeping the country. Status is gained by having few posessions, getting by as a one-car or zero-car family and using services like Uber, Lyft, Smart Cars or CarGo. 

Businesses are adapting to societal changes by incorporating ways to promote community into their planning. For example, Capital One Cafes turned traditional banking into a place where customers (and non-customers) can get coffee, work, chat with friends and receive help with banking needs. Rather than provide services, many businesses are using data to facilitate transactions for people when and where they want them. Bicycle and scooter rentals, Airbnb, apartment/home lending, WeWork, talent-sharing are a but few. Tools are borrowed through sharing resources like “Neighborgoods” and tool lending libraries, and fashionable clothing can be rented through stores serving black tie events.

Notions of what constitutes success is being redefined. Rather than measuring the size of their house or bank account, younger generations see success as purposeful work and meaningful relationships. According to Blake Morgan Self-sufficient Americans live in homes and apartments behind closed doors. of Forbes magazine, “Companies (like Capital One) that can transfer to become more experience-focused are the ones that will succeed in the changing world.”

I agree with her assessment but go a step further. The time is ripe for redefining our relationship to the land, not just to people. The “relational worldview” model, seeking harmony among competing factors may offer insight in how to do this-but that’s another story.

References:

Morgan, B . ( 2019) NOwnership, No Problem: An updated Look at Why Millennieals Value Experiences Over Owning Things. Forbes. retrieved from    

https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2019/01/02/nownership-no-problem-an-updated-look-at-why-millennials-value-experiences-over-owning-things/#7da0e97d522f

Mairs, J. (2016) Millennials want experiences not possessions, say co-living entrepreneurs. deZeen. retrieved from https://www.dezeen.com/2016/04/05/co-living-shared-collective-accommodation-housing-millennials-trend-common-wework/

Goodhart,S. (2018) Shared housing— millennial or Baby Boomer trend?  The Washington Blade retrieved from https://www.washingtonblade.com/2018/11/30/shared-housing-millennial-trend/

Roam, An international network of co-living spaces. Retrieved from website at www.roam.com.

Marr,B.(2016) The Sharing Economy- What IT Is, Examples, and How Big Data, Platforms and Algorithms Fuel IT. Forbes. retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2016/10/21/the-sharing-economy-what-it-is-examples-and-how-big-data-platforms-and-algorithms-fuel/#6e8b58037c5a

Dance to Life

Art, Blog, social commentary, ,

             

                                                                                 The Studio                                                                                                                                               Acrylic on canvas/ $ 399 / framed                                                               “It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something.” ―Winston S. Churchill

Dance to Life

When four-years-old, Mother took me to my first dance class. She enrolled me young because I tripped over my feet when walking. She thought my clumsiness would be helped by engaging in an activity that stresses balance. Mom never realized that those classes would teach me a great deal more than dance.  Though I still have a difficult time balancing, dance lessons guided me through the years.

As a mother of five with a full time job, I was, as the saying goes, “up to my ears in alligators.” I dealt with one challenge after another at work and at home. My daily diet was responding to situations like, “So-and-so hit me. What’s for dinner?” to “Earnings are down. Should we lay people off?”  Following is how dance guided me.

BALANCE: To manage a demanding schedule stress-free, I had to make sure that work and playtime were balanced. This was not always easy to accomplish, for I often wanted to bury myself in what I work or artistic endeavors.  Instead, I carved out time to spend with for friends and family, to take flute lessons, and to vacation with and without children. I retreated to a quiet place to meditate daily and get away from noise and chaos. Today, my situation is reversed, for in retirement, I’m able to vacation year-round if I want to. But that is boring so I’ve added a bit of chaos by volunteering, painting and writing.

GRACE:  Dancers learn to move with grace, a skill that guides daily interactions. The way I connect with others is important for developing friendships, creating business collaborations and insuring loving relationships. Graceful people understand the struggles between good and evil, yes and no, kindness and hostility and ignorance and knowledge.  They use their knowledge to waltz, tango and spin through illnesses, conflicts, anger and loss. Moving gracefully requires a calm, firm center that can glide delicately through the mist.

FLEXIBILITY: Body and mind become expansive when limber and stretchable. Flexibility is required when facing challenges that can’t be overcome by ordinary means. Its opposite, rigidity can turn you into an uncompromising has-been who may as well be dead. Flexibility allows for adaptation to change upon change. One truth I value knowing is that society and individuals are in constant states of transformation.

“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.”  ― Alan Wilson Watts

PRACTICE:  “Try again until you get it right,” was a mantra drilled into me as a child. Without developing the gifts we are born with, our talents may as well not be there. Once you discover what they are, they have the potential of providing great joy. It takes effort to overcome inertia and requires energy to train. Dancers prepare by practicing for hours each day—as do doctors, artists, basketball players, teachers, plumbers and many more. Perfected skills enable them to perform their craft with competency, ease and grace.

CONCENTRATION: Staying focused, being mindful and remaining centered reduces stress. Dancers whose minds wander while executing a leap or turn may get hurt. Those who can’t memorize their routines are unable to perform. When fully engaged in what you are doing, there is little room for worry. When in control of your mind, you are able to turn off unwanted thoughts and fears. Learning to concentrate in the moment, is an acquired skill that enables relaxation when walking through storms.

PERSEVERANCE:  Muscles and toes ache from hours of practice. Not giving up and remaining committed are difficult when in pain. When a ballerina falls, she is taught to get up and finish the performance. Similarly, mishaps occur throughout life, yet we must continue on. Failure becomes a teaching moment when it is accepted as a lesson in how to improve and not make the same mistake twice.  Perseverance requires overcoming embarrassment, remembering the goal and acknowledging small steps taken in the right direction.

STRENGTH: Moving effortlessly requires strength and stamina. Dancers learn to be aware of the weak parts of their bodies and to work diligently to make them stronger. Strength does not happen overnight. Recognizing faults is the first step towards growth. The second involves hours of hard work to overcome them. With strength comes the ability and courage to make clear headed decisions even in the face of opposition.

RISK: Dancers accept that there is a certain amount of risk in their art. Though not as bad as football, where players are prone to getting concussions, ballerinas get bloody, misshapen toes, and suffer from sprains, broken bones and back injuries that may last a lifetime. But, life is uncertain and, at times, dangerous. Walking across a street, riding a bicycle, putting money in the stock market, purchasing a house, starting a new business, getting married, accepting a challenging job, though risky, are also full of possibility.  Risk needs to be analyze, understood, and consciously accepted. Dance thought me not to be foolish and leave life to chance.

When balance, flexibility, concentration, gracefulness and strength come together,  dancers say they are “in the flow” or “in the zone.” It’s a moment of full engagement directed towards purpose and provides feelings of unabashed joy and wellbeing. Flow is motivating for it awakens a desire to achieve the next level of excellence. Once a person experiences what it is like to be ”in the zone,” a craving develops to be there again.

Several times during over the course of my life, I was fortunate enough to experience “flow.” In my twenties and thirties, when my body was young and under my control, strength, flexibility, concentration, grace and balance allowed me to dance with rapture. Another time was when I was exiting a supermarket with four children bouncing around my cart. For some reason, when I looked at them that day, an overwhelming feeling of contentment enveloped me. I was a supermom assure of my purpose at the moment. More recently, the feeling of being in the zone occurs when painting or writing.  There are times I become so engrossed in what I am doing that the outside world fades away. Being at one with my art is like being struck with lightning. I am lit and alive with aspiration, peacefulness and contentment.

Studying dance has taught me how to live. Yet, there is much more to know and I remain a willing student.

“The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs you, frees you, challenges you, or gives you a sense of meaning, joy, or passion.” ―Terry Orlick

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Fearing Fear Itself

Art, social commentary

                                                                                                                                     Last Night’s Dream                                                                                        Fear can fill dreams with chaotic thoughts and worrisome images, producing                                                                           lasting feelings of disquiet.

                                acrylic on canvas/ 32” x 26 “/ gold painted wood frame/ $498

Fear Itself

In his first inaugural address, President Roosevelt said, “The only thing we have  to fear is fear itself.”  This comment holds true today when the public is frightened by those using fear as a method of control. Their system is working. Last week I heard an elderly woman say she was afraid to leave her house because of mass shootings and immigrant terrorists.  Churches, synagogues, mosques and schools are moved to develop active shooter plans.

The U.S. does have a staggeringly high number of active and mass shooter incidents compared to other developed nations. In 2017 there were 29 such events. Andy, yes, the number of incidents has risen steadily since 2000 when there were four. Once again a record. will be set in 2018. This week’s tragedy brings the horror of terrorism to the surface.  However, as terrible as these incidents are, they are nothing compared to the number of fatalities on our highways. And, though 37,133 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2017, driving does not elicit the same fear as imagining yourself as the next victim of a mass shooting. Why do you think that is?

We are told that illegal immigrants commit more crimes than American born citizens. Yet, when Alex Nowrasteh with the Cato Institute analyzed Texas Data to make a comparison he found that “The arrest rate for illegal immigrants was 40 percent below that of native-born Americans” and the homicide arrest rate for native-born Americans was “about 46 percent higher than the illegal immigrant homicide arrest rate.” National statistics were similar. ” Illegal immigrants are 47 percent less likely to be incarcerated than natives and even less likely to be in jail or prison.” Other studies reported in the Journal of Criminology supports these finding as well.

Interesting statistics.

  • You are  35,079 times more likely to die from heart disease than a terrorist attack.
  • You are 4,706 times more likely to drink yourself to death than from terrorism.
  • You are 2,059 times more likely to kill yourself than die at the hand of a terrorist.
  • You are 452 times more likely to die from risky sexual behavior than terrorism.
  • You are more likely to die of lightning than a terrorist attack and 6,000 more likely to    die from a fall.

The list goes on and on.  So why the hype? Why the fear?

It might may one wonder about the exorbitant amount of money spent on protecting ourselves from unlikely scenarios. Funds would be better spent on monitoring highways  and heart research.

In 2016, Donald Trump said “People are scared.” He got that right, for they are. According the the Atlantic, Americans are afraid of crime, though rates are down, of a terrorist attacks,  and of frightened unarmed immigrants. Politicians are masters at invoking fear in abstract ways to improve their chances of winning.

The Atlantic goes on to say that according to social scientists, “It (fear) makes people hold more tightly to what they have and regard the unfamiliar more warily. They crave protection. The fear reaction is a universal one to which everyone is susceptible. History shows it has the power to bring people to the polls to vote out of their usual way.  I see  fearful people  as people looking for  “Daddy” a strong individual who promises security though there is no threat. And, I see politicians as a play actors protecting their flock from the imaginary giants they created in the first place.

I witnessed this behavior pattern when I was president of OMSI.  One year we brought an animated dinosaur exhibit to the museum that frighted some of our younger visitors. Many parents, rather admit their child was too young for the exhibit, held them in their arms and forced them face the monsters saying,”Don’t worry, I’ll protect you. No need to be afraid.”  Through some children were terrorized, their parents thought their fear to be cute and funny.  It gave them an opportunity to be protectors who saved their youngsters from imaginary demons. 

“The Politics of Fear” by  Frank Fured  begins, “Fear is the most powerful enemy of reason. Both fear and reason are essential to human survival, but the relationship between them is unbalanced. Reason may sometimes dissipate fear, but fear frequently shuts down reason.” 

Fear has often been employed for political gains. After 9/11 fear was used to rally support for the illegal invasion of Iraq, and to sanction use of waterboarding. In the 1990’s Clinton didn’t want to be called soft on crime so he spoke of “super-predator”criminals, stirring a fear fueled by sensational media which pushed mass incarcerations. McCarthy incited fear over communism that caused thousands of innocent people to lose their jobs.

This past year, however, we have seen the use of fear tactics elevated to epic proportions to scare people into submission. The latest one is about citizenship. The idea that children born in the United States to immigrant families will be denied citizenship is ludicrous. If we take that idea back far enough, the only remaining people left to populate our country will be Native Americans.

During the mid-term election, ads called Kyrsten Senima in Arizona “soft on prostitution.” Where did that come from?  Numerous advertisements claimed their opponents were dealing in drugs, the cause of crime waves and the spread of gangs such as MS-13.  We are told to fear black people , proud people, Muslims, and gay people. We should fear Jews, violent crimes ( a quarter of what it was in the 1990’s). Democrats should fear Republicans and  long time neighbors if they are Democrats’ And, oh yes, we should all fear the media.

Unfortunately, fear is used so often and in such a Machiavellian way that it’s destroying the fabric of our country.I am surprised people don’t see through these fear tactics and ask themselves who benefits by your fear. Who maintains power? Who becomes wealthy?

This blatant a bid for power keeps people trembling until they fall in line. Followers will do the fear monger’s bidding like approve tax cuts for billionaires, ruin the environment for the benefit of oil and timber companies. They will put up with bad air quality, poor water and polluted oceans. They will cut entitlement programs and health care for middle and low income people. They’ll permit the sale of ammunitions to our enemies, makings millions more for the billionaires.

Whatever happened to “Love they neighbor as thyself?”  When did we stop believing in the common good, the melting pot, an American dream for all?  It is time to ignore  divisive rhetoric and return to rational thinking and behavior. When you hear fear talk, ask yourself who benefits because you are afraid?

Let’s heed Roosevelt’s words and stop fearing fear itself.

References:

University of Alabama (2016) Pubic Mass Shooters and Firearms: A Cross-National Study of 171 Countries. PubMed. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26822013.

Alertfind (2018) Active shooters in 2018: Key Stats and Facts. Disaster Recovery Journal. retrieved from https://www.drj.com/myblog/active-shooters-in-2018-key-stats-and-facts.html

Traffic Safety Facts (2018) 12017 Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview.  U.S. Department of Transportation. retrieved from https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812603

Farley, R. (2018) Is Legal Immigration Linked to More or Less Crime? FactCheck.org a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center.  retrieved from  https://www.factcheck.org/2018/06/is-illegal-immigration-linked-to-more-or-less-crime/

McClatchy, (2011)  The Terrorism Statistics Every American Needs to Hear. Center for Research on Globalization. retrieved from http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-terrorism-statistics-every-american-needs-to-hear/5382818

Ball, M. (20116) Donald Trump and the Politics of Fear. The Atlantic. retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/09/donald-trump-and-the-politics-of-fear/498116/

Abramsky, S.(2018) Trump’s GOP is running harder than ever on the politics of fear. Los Angeles Times. retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-abramsky-trump-politics-of-fear-midterms-20180923-story.html

Life is Sweet

Art, social commentary

                                                                          

Bursting Forth  –  There is beauty all around when we open our eyes to see.

Acrylic on Canvas/  Wood Frame/ 37” x 31” / $ 599

“Oh, What a Beautiful Morning, Oh, what a Beautiful Day”

The words from the Oklahoma musical, ring true if we let them.  Life is sweet and it is ours to relish every moment. It’s time to remember that there is good in the world.  No matter how riled up we get because of politics, violence or economic uncertainty, there are moments of beauty and kindness that need our attention and appreciation. No mater what the outcome of the election, no matter how serious the illness, no matter how great the loss, the sun will still rise tomorrow, the earth turn on its axis and two rovers will send signals back from Mars.  November is the month of Thanksgiving. Let’s cherish it and encourage what is good.

The other day I watched a newborn child and thought how fortunate she was to be welcomed into the arms of loving parents. Warmth, security  and encouragement will most likely be there to help this child prosper. Looking at the tiny body, I imagined the first real smile (not from gas) she will bestow on her caregivers and the bonds that are forming forming in her first days alive.  I wanted to reach out and feel the soft fuzz sleeping eyes and a perky little mouth that occasionally moved a while she slept as though dreaming of milk.

I recently organized a group of women in my exercise facility to open hearts and purses to help a locker room attendant. The aide was a courageous Ethiopian immigrant who, along  with her Somalian husband, settled in the U.S. seven years ago. Due to an injured knee, this hard working helper lost several months of work, adding to the burden of her struggling family. The love and kindness exhibited by generous donors reminded me of how people in small towns come together to help neighbors. Americans can be very benevolent and compassionate, not like the media occasionally depicts us.

Struggling through misfortune is not easy, but if the day’s challenges are met with positiveness and zeal, it is possible to climb over and around obstacles. Not being ashamed or reluctant to ask for help and being available to aid friends and neighbors when needed, creates community. It brings people closer together and enables them to get through the rough spots and return to a state of balance.

My experience, however, is that most people, don’t want to stay very long in quiet equilibrium. Surprisingly, to avoid boredom, they insert barriers that shake things up a bit.  Having a child, attending college, accepting increased work responsibilities, challenging athletic times, sailing in rough weather, making a happy home are burdens we choose to stimulate our minds, develop meaning and create wealth. Self-inflicted problems within our control usually add to a sense of well being. 

a baby crying for hours can create unexpected headaches. Illness, accidents, job loss, housing evictions and violence builds huge fences that have to be scaled. How does one face bullying or terrorism without being permanently traumatized?

It’s certainly not easy . . . but it is doable. There is a choice. The afflicted person can wallow in self-pity or seek ways to climb out of the quicksand. Meditation, mindfulness, positive thinking and hard work are learned pursuits that lead back to balance. Remaining active even when you don’t feel like it and accepting small challenges when life feels insurmountable, provides bounce-back.

I watched my adopted boy, Seth, thrive despite experiencing a debilitating accident. He is a constant reminder of how resilient humans can be. His twenty-eight years have always been difficult. Born into an unstable family, living on the streets for four years, training to be a journeyman industrial painter, surviving a workplace accident and coping as a quadriplegic required him to invent and reinvent himself many times.  Two weeks ago, out of 2,000 injured patients from throughout the country, Seth received a national award for transforming his life so well. He lives independently in a new city, drives a car with hand controls, enjoys go-Kart racing, is on a wheelchair rugby team and volunteers two days a week as a mentor to those worse off than he. Best of all, he has developed friendships. He surrounds himself with those who share positive outlooks and stays away from constant complainers.  His cup is always half full.

I invite you to join me in a month-long wallowing in beauty, joy and thanksgiving. Look around to find good and tap into as soon as you can,  Enjoy the sunset, feel the rain, study the birds feeding at feeders or flying south in formation and see —really see each snow flake when they start to fall. Remind that there is beauty even in the midst of sadness, that there are births in the midst of deaths. This November. 

References:

NASA,(2018) Mars Exploration Rovers. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of technology.  retrieved from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory web site https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/overview/