Intermission?

Does anyone else feel like we are in the trough of a wave that has just passed over us as a species? I sure do. I see things are changing fast! And it's been on my walking mind...

Terrorism is nothing like it was in the last decade. Several wars are winding down at once. The Arab Spring brought an intake of breath, though still seems to be waiting to exhale. 

The Mayan prophecies and other end time theories turned out to be wrong (or wrongly interpreted). 

In the US we are in the middle of the presidential election cycle with another two term president, witnessing all the second term scandals and lame duck trends. Yet the US Supreme Court, thought to be very conservative five years ago, seems to be making some more progressive rulings including not overturning the Obamacare, along with sociocultural decisions that would have seemed unthinkable in say 2004.

Culturally, there are other big differences from only a few years ago. What is becoming more socially acceptable is changing very quickly. Same sex equality (i.e. DOMA and the overturning of Prop 8 in California) and the initial steps toward national marijuana legalization (14 states now allow medical use and since last November two states, Washington and Colorado, have completely legalized it for recreational use) are the most changed. 

Also young people – the so called Millennial Generation (children who were born after 1980 and came of age around 2000), are leaving institutional religion at an accelerating rate.

Economically, the US is barely improving. Europe is barely maintaining. Asia and South America are actually growing. A balance seems to be taking hold of the international monetary systems of the first and third worlds. 

It is obviously not a cure by any means. But one gets the impression that complete global financial collapse might still be avoided if someone smart enough could come along to completely revolutionize the philosophies that are driving free markets—no breath held by this author.

Tied in with economic change must come environmental policies that make doing business itself sustainable, along with the obvious ecological sustainability that is needed, for one cannot live long without the other. Solar electricity is always going down in price, and more encouragingly the hi tech batteries that store electricity are becoming extremely efficient and durable. 

Aside from the continuing problem of CO2 rise, which is now crossing the 400 part per million mark ahead of schedule, the crooked pathway to renewable energy is slowly almost painfully straightening out. We may end up scarred with a higher global temperature before it's all over, but at least now most people - no matter what political side they are on - know the we have a lot of work to do to clean up our act.

Overall?

Not too bad here in the early days of the 2013 summer season. Not as bad as it's been in the last few years. Not as bad as it could be. The problem with waves is that there always has to be another peek of chaos after every lull of relative peace.

I guess I just want to sit here for a moment and acknowledge that sometimes it isn't ALL going to hell. Sometimes humanity takes a break from being collectively schizophrenic. Yes there are always things to complain about. Ranting is usually my favorite hobby (as many of you know), but even I like to have a break every now and then. What about you?

Here are some quick images from a recent walk to Naples from Casco and back.

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