Aug. 27, 2007 - 21:08 MDT

FOR REAL ?

Maybe it is because I have become cyber-acquainted with so many people all over our country that I have become aware of all the fire and floods going at this time and worry about ones I know who are in those areas.

Special worries about Gulf Coast residents and as far as that goes worries about the residents on our east coast as well.

Of course tornados and floods in our midsection seem to be happening more often, or is it that I have become more aware ?

I guess each one of us who hasn't been hit by one of those disasters should feel supremely lucky to be alive and secure. I know I do.

In the news recently are items about tsunamis, waves that can wipe out the population of most any coast that they hit. Are they more frequent now or is the news coverage more accurate ?

Another thing that makes me very sad, sad on two points. Wild fires have reached ancient Olympia in Greece, so far the ancient things have been saved, yet the forests surrounding same are gone. Heather and I had the good fortune to be on the spot where the Olympic Flame is put to the torch for the games, and were able to tour the site, sit on the marble bench once used by Greek athletes in days of yore, It struck a spark that lit my soul to be in that sacred spot -- in my heart the place where good sportmanship was born and revered.

The second thing that makes me sad is that it is mentioned in the article: Quote

"Fires are burning in half the country," fire department spoksman Nikos Diamandis said. "This is definitely an unprecedented disaster for Greece."

"Government and firefighting officials have suggested arson caused many of the blazes, and several people have been arrested."

"Forest fires are common during Greece's hot, dry summers, but nothing has approached the scale of the past three days. Arson is often suspected, mostly to clear land for development. No construction is allowed in Greece in areas designated as forest land and fires are sometimes set to circumvent the law."

Unquote

I am no longer a wide eyed boy who has an oversupply of idealism -- yet what happens in Greece hurts my soul. Yet here developers are finding ways to force their way into areas they are not wanted - - - and what is happening to rain forests of the world ?

Are we as humans overpopulating our world and the rich developers taking grave advantage of the situation ? I wonder.

All of this leads this man-child to ask is this all FOR REAL ? . . . . . . . . . . . .

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