PhotoLuminations

I read The Third Industrial Revolution by Jeremy Rifkin as part of my search for realistic methods to assure a better world for my grandson, a world facing major environmental degradation that imperils the future of society. Solutions are available, the problem is that we deny the reality and we cannot even have a national debate on the issues because of deep divisions and the political control exerted by the very economic forces that are driving the destruction.

We humans seem to become part of a landscape wherever we are planted, to wear it like a garment or a skin, to possess, and be possessed by the rocks and the trees of our places, and it is incredible to think that we cannot forever inhabit our land or our place.

Yesterday was the kind of warm sunny day in early December that feels like fall, not winter. Walking with my dog, Keren, past a parochial primary school playground at recess. Kids wrestling, showing off, swooping around in a ball game, chirping and shouting, making playground noises—like a flock of birds. I passed on, down the hill, and then turned back to see what the sudden rise in noise and pitch was all about.

Concerned about the mindless rush to destruction of the planet? Worried about the future for your children and grandchildren? Searching for a way to stop bullying?

Who shall live, and who shall die?

Economic meltdown? The government rushes to bail out investment banks, banking instututions, and investors in mortgages. What about people, for example elders and artists? Here are some thoughts about a new New Deal.

My appreciation of Salem MA has been confirmed. Salem's historic downtown has been recognized as one of the 10 best neighborhoods

It is more difficult to find out about progress in Salem, than the impact of the plant in Columbia. The spokesperson for Dominion, the owner of the Salem Harbor Plant, has not responded to my repeated queries.

Installing the Footbridge: Like Threading a Needle

"Building bridges" has a dramatic symbolism. But there is also drama in building a bridge. And sometimes drama comes to us. A photographer has no choice but to document the event.

Many of the same development vs. environment issues we see in Salem, Massachusetts are repeated for the Navajo who are considering a new coal-fired power plant.

If you grew up in New England, then you know that you just have to wait a few hours--the weather will change. Are New England winters too cold with too much snow? Or are the summers too hot? Then just wait--without your relocating to a warmer climate, global warming will move the climate in your state to a warmer place.

Al Gore searches for a new framework for understanding and action:

Today the most pressing problems for humankind include global warming and pollution. Our political systems do not seem robust enough to respond to the impending disasters heralded by climate change.

Seeing History and the Environment in Salem, MA

Salem is a proud city with a proud past. As tourists, we see grand homes and sailing ships, shops with witch costumes, cobbled streets, and a once-busy harbor. It also has hidden areas of great natural beauty. If we look only at the surface, we make pretty photographs that tell a surface story. However, if we bring some background knowledge and thought to interpret what we see, we may see things in a different light. More, with photographs: Salem's Global Warming... http://www.photoluminations.com/assignments/salem/salem-warming.html