An article in the NY Times today by Alan Cowell talks about the new pact between the world’s richest countries to forgive 70 billion dollars in debt owed by the poorest nations in the world to big institutions like World Bank.

The second paragraph then begins, “But…”

It seems always to be that way. The US has been arguing with Great Britain, chiefly, about plans to raise 50 billion dollars a year to lift African nations (mostly) out of poverty. Why would we do that? We earned our SUVs, and besides, we’re helping Iraq, they’re a free nation, and what this world needs is tons of starving, poor, weary, but free nations like our own.

Despite Nelson Mandela’s words, “Do not delay while poor people continue to suffer,” the United States barges on, as it did in the Kyoto environmental debacle, determined to be alone in the world… John B. Taylor, the United States Treasury Under-Secretary, according to the article, said that the administration wouldn’t support proposals from Britain and France to raise money for the lessening of poverty in Africa.

Last Thursday, Dr. Ernst Mayr, the most important evolutionary biologist of the 20th century, passed away.

Charles Darwin lived so long ago,that he never saw a CD, LP, television set, and for that matter, probably not even many photographs. Society is still debating whether his ‘theories’ hold water — and he died before the first airplane.

What is the focus of these two great, now deceased men? Was it apes and simply human origin? No. That would be really self-centered, and not typical of the open and creative thinking of both men.

Where do new species originate? That is the question, as it always has been. Why do certain animals live while others die, some migrate while others stay put. Why did the dinosaurs die?

There is a new “Museum of Creation” being built for a ton of money. They are portraying, among other things, Adam and Eve strolling around in the time of dinosaurs, and an explanation of how “The Great Flood” created the Grand Canyon. This is a solution to the fact that kids dig dinosaurs and the Grand Canyon, and were questioning the literal-ness of the bible due to their interest and understanding (labeled ‘doubt’ by their parents and preachers). So of course, Adam and Eve walked the earth in the time of dinosaurs.

If you haven’t seen Pay it Forward, you need to rent it, or take it out from your nearest library. I am so enamored with the idea, the filmmaking, the entire shabang, that I went and bought it (and I am not a film-buyer — I tire of them usually after one viewing).

If you haven’t seen the film, go see it.

If you have already seen it, keep reading.

If you don’t want to do either — just go to www.payitforwardfoundation.com — you’ll dig the concept.

I have been consistently surprised, lately, by the creative depth of young folk, and wasn’t surprised when the main character in Pay it Forward came up with a plan to save the world. I guess in very biblical manner, the answer comes from ‘the least of these’ — and the kid ends up dying a ‘martyr’ of sorts…

The concept isn’t new: do something for someone else that is really big, and they’ll pass it on. That is the fundamental tenet of my Christian belief, as well as the lesson that I learned off of the wall of first grade, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you…”

But this movie is new. Throughout the movie, the kid’s character almost loses its integrity… but when he breaks out into a big smile while being interviewed on television near the end, the actor, Haley Osmont and the character retreat back into the frame of a little boy — and then his death takes on an entirely different character.

Please check out the website for the film — just google ‘pay it forward’ and you’ll find lots of stuff about it — and go to the links page — and you can find tons of organizations to do something like what Haley Osmont’s little character did in the movie — you can take charity into your own hands. And also check out www.payitforwardfoundation.com — especially if you are an educator — they have interesting programs and links.

In the 2005 index of environmental sustainability, the United States was 45th of 146 nations.

We treat ourselves as the sovereign folk of the world — but obviously, we’re just gluttons throwing our trash into the ditch, and mucking up the air.

Not like this is a surprise. It is disgusting how all environmental legislation can retreat down the tubes after such a good siphon had developed.

According to an article in the NY Times of Jan. 24 by Felicity Barringer, the report is based on 75 measures, including death rate in children from ‘respiratory diseases, fertility rates, water quality, over-fishing, emission of heat-trapping gases and the export of sodium dioxide, a crucial component of acid rain.’

Russia is ranked 33. Who would have thought, with the pictures that have been in the media of the pollution in the western part of Russia, that we would be so far behind them in all of these categories. Apalling, really.

Alas, I have not said more than a word or two
Of the one who I know to be my true
Compatriate of the female sort
My fearless and noble cohort…

So here is a handful of jargon
For Kathi the snow on my trees,
The PB and J, the whole wheat bread,
The most best friend I’ve had yet
The lady who, with no need of luck,
Makes me run cheerfully amok…

She purports to do the dishes
More often than I,and insists on hugs and kisses.
I sometimes would like to abstain
But not always, you see, from the twain…

So to my surprise, when I don’t wash up
Kisses and hugs I have none as we sup
So I decide mostly to clean, and not to be mean
If I like to hug or kiss up…

Here was my rant about us
Though secrets were coded enough
So that you, should you not be
Her, wouldn’t understand everything, see?

This was the poem that is meant for the one
You rarely see in my rants and raves,
In my political, religious and winter tirades…

Here’s to her, the friend I love best
Who takes my complaining and pokes me in jest
Though I often fail to mention her in my blog
She is much better to me than a frog!

It’s the time of year to be quite grateful for coats. And red ones at that — in case you get buried by snow.

It’s dumping buckets of snow right now outside — the big sticky kind that gums up your feet when you try to puddle around in it!