Moving Forward

Obama has announced he is officially closing Guantanamo. I think a hallelujah is in order, and cannot help but feel relief that such a sad and ugly chapter in our history will finally begin to close. I pray those still held might find some form of justice and that we can find ways to deal with truly dangerous people without inhumane or illegal actions. It's still difficult to comprehend we've held so many for six years without access to the measures of justice, balance, and humane treatment upon which this country was founded.

I also heard today on WBDX (our local community radio station) that a research group has determined there is a 90% probability that the world's food supplies will be devastated and in severe shape by 2100 due to climate change. Pretty sobering for someone who already worries about economic disaster, global meltdown, and the safety of her family all the ding dang time. My hope is that, even for those who don't believe in such things, there might be a collective decision to work toward resolving any potential crises because it's better to be safe than sorry.

Meanwhile, Blagojevich has been half-impeached and we in Illinois are, I think, simply shaking our heads and waiting patiently for the proverbial axe to fall. It's embarassing to come from a state that couldn't even steer clear of scandal in the runup to one of its greatest moments since 1861. Luckily, it looks like Burris will be seated, Blago will be impeached, and perhaps by February we Illinoisans can finally turn our eyes to the exciting and unquestionably significant impact of Obama's presidency and feel a little bit of happiness and pride to be connected in some small way to such an historic moment in our nation's life.

Future Echoes

Putumayo World Music Hour today played songs from mountain regions of the world currently being affected by climate change. In one of the spots they highlighted, the snow-capped mountaintops are expected to disappear within the next 20 years (the snow, that is).

It made me realize that one aspect of preparation for the coming changes (be they mild or dire - because goodness knows, there are still naysayers out there) is taking stock of what will be lost. The areas that will change permanently within our lifetimes, and possibly those of our immediate descendants, may forever alter our experience of unique and special areas of this planet.

Not that we can all just pack up and go trampling around in each endangered area... but perhaps it's worthwhile to be mindful of the spots likely to feel the greatest impact in terms of physical changes to the local landscape and lifestyle.

Whole cultures may change in the wake of extreme environmental transformation... and one day those archived songs, poems, films, books, etc. may be our best way of reconnecting with what once was.