HANG IN THERE BRIDGET ANNE KELLY!

Whatever the facts are about the infamous New Jersey bridge closing my message to Ms. Kelly is hang in there!

When someone as powerful as the Governor of New Jersey needs to resort to character assassination to make his "case" you can be sure there is a lot more to investigate beside the character of his staff.

I hope that Miss Kelly realizes that men and women across New Jersey and this Country understand what abuse of power means, even when a powerful person is able to coerce another to commit questionable acts.

So Bridget Anne Kelly, even as hard as it is, we support you and will not be mislead by still more bullying.  Hang in there sister!

DOES THE HUMAN SPECIES RESPECT NATURE?

People are missing and killed from a massive mud slide in Oso, Washington State.  Families, children, and animals buried beneath the land which once held their community. 

The community nestled on land below a lovely expense of rolling hills and trees.  Land that environmental and energy management reports and geographical maps clearly showed the dangers for development.

Reports that went as far back as 1967 were obtained from the Army Corp of Engineers by the Seattle Times said the area posed  "a significant risk to human lives and private property."

Some survivors, stunned and angry asked why they were not warned of the dangers.  Some thought  deforestation by commercial interests may have left the land with the inability to absorb and withstand the heavy rain. All prayed and dug hoping to unearth loved ones.

So who was derelict? 

Did people not respect the reports because they were wary of scientific findings?  Did the Army Corp of Engineers withhold information that should have been made public?

Or is the human species destined to carry forward an inability to recognize and respect nature?

MALAYSIA: THANKS! BUT NO THANKS! WHY?

The disappearance of  Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is a mystery. Intriguing also is the "Malaysian authorities refusal to accept large-scale American assistance."*

When America's arsenal of military and scientific expertise is refused because of nationalistic or political interests it indicates little regard for the lives of people.

The Malaysian refusal reminds me of American politicians and pundits who do not want  federal laws and regulations for health programs, the environment or gun control because of "state's rights."

When we say, no thanks to federal laws and regulations about people's health, our environment and gun control, do we not have the same narrow regard for people and country as do the Malaysians in not seeking help?

* Michael S. Schmidt and Scott Shane New York Times, 3-17-14.

PETE SEEGER REMEMBERED

Pete Seeger musician, folk singer, philosopher, activist died on
January 27, 2014 at the age of 94.  He lived a life committed to
fairness and justice.

He used a 12 string guitar, and a five-string banjo to pluck out melody.
With lyrics that spoke to all people, he told the story of the
power of people working together to overcome injustice, intolerance
and inequality.

Activist since the age of 17, he lived through nearly 100 years of
America's individual and communal violence at the same time
inspiring many to believe in their power to overcome intolerable
conditions. His dignity and personal simplicity was inspired by his
love of people and nature.

Whether marching with "Occupy Wall Street", or recognizing the
need for labor unions, or refusing to swear that he was not a communist
before a US Senate Committe, Seeger swore allegiance to America's
promise to lift humanity beyond the narrow confines of bigotry.

At an age when many people resist change, when many seniors refuse
to read or hear or learn about other regions of the world, Pete Seeger
was still marching with young and old for social causes and urging
people to "think globally and act locally."

Pete Seeger will be missed but his music and lyrics will still, and always
call us to values of fairness and respect for each other and our country
and America will be the better for it.

SOUNDS OF THE FUTURE?

Just about kick off time at the Super Bowl, Missouri as well as states
North, East and South of us heard a strange, loud sound. 

Here in St. Louis the noise reached us at dinner time and than it was
repeated before our lights went out leaving us in total darkness for a
short time.  The sound was described variously by people as a sonic
boom, a late afternoon truck delivery or a big highway accident, or
something being dropped on the roof.

According to Andrew Long researcher at the University of Toronto
Scarborough Climate Laboratory it was a "frost quake"  produced
by the zero and below degree climate we have been experiencing
since the first of the year. These temperatures cause the earth's plates
to move about and crash into each other creating odd sounds.

"Frost quake" or no, our lights came back on quickly, we went on with
our dinner and I was left with the strong feeling that this will not be the
last time we experience these "noises" and occurrences in the future.

C O R R E C T I O N

In my January  20 post, "LABADIE ANOTHER KANAWHA?"

 the Missouri River was improperly identified. 

The River runs next to Ameren's Labadie plant where plans for a landfill

 are being contested by the Labadie Environmental Organization.

KIEV: CONNECTING THE DOTS!

My grandparents often spoke of Kiev.  They referred to it as a City
in Russia close to where they lived.  They spoke of it fondly while
describing how threatened they were by Russian authorities.

They came to America because of fear of the Russian military and
because their 15-year old son was participating in efforts that today
we might call an uprising.

It is only recently after reading about the uprising in the Ukraine
that I realized that the Kiev my grandparents spoke of was indeed
the Ukainian Capital and not a Russian  city. 

I find it odd to read about and watch men and women in the heart
of Ukraine's political crisis without wondering could they be my kin?

I have always believed the world is small and that as a species
we humans are related, somehow.  The Ukarinian upheaval
connects the dots to the oppression felt by my grandparents
to me in a very personal way, and there too am I.