There are times in the history of our nation when our very way of life depends upon dispelling illusions and awakening to the challenge of a present danger. In such moments, we are called upon to move quickly and boldly to shake off complacency, throw aside old habits and rise, clear-eyed and alert, to the necessity of big changes. Those who, for whatever reason, refuse to do their part must either be persuaded to join the effort or asked to step aside. This is such a moment. The survival of the United States of America as we know it is at risk. And even more – if more should be required – the future of human civilization is at stake.
I don’t remember a time in our country when so many things seemed to be going so wrong simultaneously. Our economy is in terrible shape and getting worse, gasoline prices are increasing dramatically, and so are electricity rates. Jobs are being outsourced. Home mortgages are in trouble. Banks, automobile companies and other institutions we depend upon are under growing pressure. Distinguished senior business leaders are telling us that this is just the beginning unless we find the courage to make some major changes quickly.
The climate crisis, in particular, is getting a lot worse – much more quickly than predicted. Scientists with access to data from Navy submarines traversing underneath the North polar ice cap have warned that there is now a 75 percent chance that within five years the entire ice cap will completely disappear during the summer months. This will further increase the melting pressure on Greenland. According to experts, the Jakobshavn glacier, one of Greenland’s largest, is moving at a faster rate than ever before, losing 20 million tons of ice every day, equivalent to the amount of water used every year by the residents of New York City.
Two major studies from military intelligence experts have warned our leaders about the dangerous national security implications of the climate crisis, including the possibility of hundreds of millions of climate refugees destabilizing nations around the world.
Just two days ago, 27 senior statesmen and retired military leaders warned of the national security threat from an “energy tsunami” that would be triggered by a loss of our access to foreign oil. Meanwhile, the war in Iraq continues, and now the war in Afghanistan appears to be getting worse.
And by the way, our weather sure is getting strange, isn’t it? There seem to be more tornadoes than in living memory, longer droughts, bigger downpours and record floods. Unprecedented fires are burning in California and elsewhere in the American West. Higher temperatures lead to drier vegetation that makes kindling for mega-fires of the kind that have been raging in Canada, Greece, Russia, China, South America, Australia and Africa. Scientists in the Department of Geophysics and Planetary Science at Tel Aviv University tell us that for every one degree increase in temperature, lightning strikes will go up another 10 percent. And it is lightning, after all, that is principally responsible for igniting the conflagration in California today.
Like a lot of people, it seems to me that all these problems are bigger than any of the solutions that have thus far been proposed for them, and that’s been worrying me.
UPDATE, 7/22/08: Abigail’s listing has been removed from Petfinder.
As was the case with Fireball, I don’t know whether this is a good (adopted) or bad (euthanized) outcome.
Still waiting to win the lottery and for now you are stuck working the 9am-5pm? No worries, I’m your new luck of the draw! While you are away at work, I’ll be just fine entertaining myself. Basking in the window sill enjoying the afternoon sunshine, watching the squirrels steal the seed from the bird feeder, taking a nap, stalking that silly toy mouse… oh, life will be just beautiful. When you get home, I’ll rub your leg and let you know that I want your attention. Or, I may just stay put and continue to admire my new palace from my new favorite chair. It really depends on the day. If I get bored, don’t worry, I’ll let you know. When I’m feeling affectionate, I’ll talk to you and let you know how truly wonderful I think you are. Then, I may dash off for a quick game of chase my tail. I’m the perfect kitty for you if you need a companion who can be independent, yet knows exactly how to brighten your day.
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle – kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Date: Sat, Jul 12, 2008 at 3:11 PM
Subject: Next Steps: Volunteer In Future Disasters
KINSHIP CIRCLE ANIMAL DISASTER AID NETWORK
Communicating during disasters to mobilize volunteers, supplies, and other resources for animal victims. www.kinshipcircle.org/disasters
7/12/08: Next Steps: Volunteer In Future Disasters
Over the summer, Kinship Circle Animal Disaster Aid Network is updating its volunteer database to keep your skills and experience on file — in the event we are recruited to directly deploy responders in future disasters. (We do NOT automatically send volunteers to every disaster).
=======================
1. Please Fill Out Attached Volunteer Form!
=======================
Your filled-out form will help us contact and send volunteers more efficiently in future disasters.
2. EMAIL IT BACK TO: kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
3. TYPE IN SUBJECT LINE: KC ANIMAL DISASTER AID NETWORK
(If you do not type this in subject line, your form may be overlooked).
If you are reading this message as a cross-post, not directly from Kinship Circle:
1. You must subscribe to Kinship Circle Animal Disaster Network email list.
2. You may subscribe when sending back your completed form.
3. In your email, type: SUBSCRIBE to KC Animal Disaster Aid Network
NOTE: KC Animal Disaster Aid Network will always remain a news service for anyone interested in animal disaster victims, but not hands-on volunteering.
In short, we require pending members to return an “application” before we approve new membership requests. Until then, you’re stuck in pending member limbo…for approximately two weeks, at which time Yahoo auto-expires your membership request and you have to go through the whole rigmarole again.
If you didn’t receive a copy of the application, most likely it’s in your spam folder, or otherwise eaten by the internets. No problemo; you can find a copy here!: www.kcfreecycle.org/application/
If you did receive a copy of the application and returned it – but your membership request is still pending – then it’s quite possible that we didn’t receive your reply. (Those intertubes be hungry, yo!) Please resend it, to all four email addresses listed in the application (i.e., kcfreecycle-owner [at] yahoogroups.com, ann [at] kcfreecycle.org, kelly [at] kcfreecycle.org, craig [at] kcfreecycle.org). This will help to ensure that it’s not lost a second time.
