It feels like it’s been a brutal week – the Boston bombings and the ensuing manhunt occupying the foreground of North American media, to the backdrop of the unrelenting violence in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and of course the threats of North Korea’s newest fruitcake. Then there’s the relentless attack on our ecosystem, that from which we derive our life and our sustenance, from people consumed with greed, who are supported and even cheered on by our suicidal economic &  political system. Outside my window, our northern Ontario spring has turned Narnia like, where it’s always winter and never spring. To top it off, I’ve got a head cold.

So here’s what I need to hear on this Friday, maybe you do to. Here’s some good news:

conoco phillips
Click on picture to read Reuters article

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And more good news (thanks to my brother Tom for sending me this link):

  • Seven Spectacular Places Saved By The Environmental Movement: Introspection is healthy within limits. And yes, saving the planet is more complicated now than it seemed 40 years ago. But analysis and what-ifs shouldn’t obscure a simple point: Without an environmental movement, the United States would be a lesser country. As Hemingway wrote in For Whom the Bell Tolls, “The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for.” Many people have lived out those words by saving beautiful spots that otherwise might be paved over, polluted, or flooded today. Here are seven examples to be thankful for, all open for visits year-round and prime destinations to enjoy on Earth Day.

And in the column of bizarre but funny, this headline:

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

 

 

 

 

From Boston To Iraq To Syria: Nobody Deserves To Get Blown Up, At Anytime

[youtube=http://youtu.be/wJZ3bcPr-Ds]

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Via @AnonymousOpsIRC on Twitter: From Boston to Afghanistan, nobody deserves to get blown up at anytime. #peace not #war

American comedian Patton Oswalt posted a thoughtful response to the Boston bombings on his Facebook wall, reflecting on the goodness that remains in the world:

…I don’t know what’s going to be revealed behind all of this mayhem. One human insect or a poisonous mass of broken sociopaths.

But here’s what I DO know. If it’s one person or a HUNDRED people, that is not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the percent of the population on this planet. You watch videos of the carnage and there are people running TOWARDS the destruction to help out…This is a giant planet and we’re lucky to live on it but there are prices and penalties incurred for the daily miracle of existence. One of them is, every once in a while, the wiring of a tiny sliver of the species gets snarled and they’re pointing the way towards darkness.

But the vast majority stands against that darkness…(click here to read in full)

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boston response
graphic: Aaron Paquette

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Whenever darkness crosses our path, we all have a choice in how we respond.

More links:

Boston Marathon Tragedy Met With Unbelievable Acts Of Kindness

Bomb Attacks Across Iraq Kill 50, Injure 300

CharterForCompassion.org